The Index-Journal from Greenwood, South Carolina • Page 12

Sunday, January 26, 2003 NationalArea Sports 2B The Index-Journal, Greenwood, S.C. Allen heads Hall of Fame class SAN DIEGO (AP) Marcus Allen has I '''I in' rrlift nHMiiiWMIinili I MMM for this call. It's been a long ride, a wonderful ride. Finally, it's a great day." DeLamielleure played 13 seasons with Buffalo and Cleveland and was the lead blocker for Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson, who became the NFL's first rusher in 1973.

"I'm overwhelmed," he said. "It's been 13 years. I'm a lineman. Nobody knows your statistics. Nobody knows anything.

I was a piece of a cog that was pretty good. I loved the game. I would have played for a cap and T-shirt." Lofton played 16 seasons at wide receiver and had more than 50 catches in a season nine times. He was the first NFL player to score a touchdown in three different decades and finished his career with 764 catches for 14,004 yards and 75 touchdowns. Stram coached for 17 seasons, starting with the AFL's Dallas Texans, who moved to Kansas City.

He was with the franchise from 1960-74 and then coached in New Orleans for two more seasons. He led the Chiefs to two Super Bowls, losing the first one to Green Bay and then beating Minnesota after the 1969 season. Stram went into the Hall of Fame as a seniors candidate, a separate category for nominees who completed 70 percent of their career more 25 years ago. There were 15 finalists for the Hall. In the first cut, cornerback Lester Hayes, wide receiver Art Monk, quarterback Ken Stabler and owner Ralph Wilson were eliminated.

The field was then cut again, with offensive linemen Gary Zimmerman and Bob Kuechenberg, linebacker Randy Gradishar and defensive end Claude Humphrey dropped from consideration. That left seven finalists. Of that group, administrator George Young and linebacker Harry Carson failed to get the necessary 80 percent of the votes needed for election. The 39-member selection committee consists of media representatives from the league's 32 franchises. There is one voter representing the Pro Football Hall of Fame and six at-large voters.

no hard feelings. Not now. Getting elected the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first try helped him forget some of his bitterness for the Raiders. 'Today's a great day, the greatest day of my athletic career," Allen said Saturday after he and four others were selected for the game's highest honor on the day before his old team plays in the Super Bowl against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Joining the former Raiders running back in the Class of 2003 are defensive end Elvin Bethea, guard Joe DeLamielleure, wide receiver James Lofton and coach Hank Stram, who went in as a seniors candidate.

Allen's departure from the Raiders and owner Al Davis a decade ago was a messy affair, one he preferred not to discuss Saturday. "I don't want to get into anything negative," he said "This is the most positive day of my career. I wish the Raiders the best. I wish Mr. Davis the best in his quest of another championship." Allen played a crucial role in the Raiders' last title, when he won the MVP award in the 1984 Super Bowl.

He ran for 191 yards that day, including a spectacular 74-yard touchdown. In 1985, he won the league's MVP after rushing for 1,759 yards. But a contract dispute with Davis, who called Allen "a cancer on the team," prompted him to leave for Kansas City. He spent four more productive seasons with the Chiefs before retiring after the 1997 season. "I had a problem with one individual, which made my stay uncomfortable," Allen said of his years with the Raiders and Davis.

Allen said he thought he had Hall of Fame potential right from the start of his career. The Heisman Trophy winner from USC faced San Francisco in his first game. I "I gained 116 yards," he said. "I don't know how many catches I made. I did some incredible things out there.

Ronnie Lott's my best friend. I gave him fits that day." It was the start of a brilliant career. Allen became the first player in NFL history with 1 AP file photo L.A. Raiders running back Marcus Allen runs with the ball during Super Bowl XVIII. Allen was elected to the football Hall of Fame.

Staff photo by Brian Howard Standing up straight Greenwood's Ashley Ihlenfeldt competes on the balance beam during Saturday's Winter Invitational Gymnastics meet at the Greenwood YMCA. Final results from the meet were not 10,000 yards rushing and 5,000 receiving; he finished with 12,243 rushing and 5,411 receiving. He scored 145 touchdowns and was regarded as one of the game's best goal-line and short yardage runners. "If you ask me if I was deserving (the Hall of Fame), I would say Allen said. The voters agreed, making Allen the 52nd player elected to the Hall in his first year of eligibility.

Bethea played 16 seasons, all with the Houston Oilers. He made the Pro Bowl eight times and led the team in sacks six times, finishing his career with 105. "I'm very nervous," he said by phone from Houston. "I took two showers waiting SPORTS DIGEST 0 By The Associated Press USA tops Florida in Gridiron Classic 11 I Coach accused of using slur fired SILVER CITY, N.M. Western New Mexico fired men's basket-, ball coach Joe Mondragon on Saturday after investigating a com-, plaint that he used a racial slur toward black players on Martin Luther King Jr.

Day. "In the investigation itself, it was determined that there was statement made with the n-word being used," athletic director Scott. Woodard said. Junior guard David Harris said Mondragon used the slur on the. team bus after a loss at Adams State in Alamosa, on Monday night.

Harris has quit the team. Harris said Mondragon ordered the four non-black players, a trainer and an assistant off the bus. Harris said he was one of six black players who stayed and were addressed by Mondragon. I ik a Printers completed 8 of 14 passes for 62 yards with one interception, and he ran for 21 yards. Team Florida had only 38 yards rushing on 23 attempts.

Team USA was forced to punt after three plays on its ensuing possession, and Team Florida put together an 11 -play touchdown drive to tie the game. The drive was capped by Syracuse fullback Chris Davis' 4-yard TD run with 5:49 remaining. The game is sponsored by Florida Rotary Clubs. I hhisrm Coach charged with battery resigns OXFORD, Ohio The Miami of Ohio coach charged with knocking down a Marshall fan after a game last season has resigned, the school said Saturday. Defensive coordinator Jon Wauford pleaded innocent last month in a Huntington, W.Va., court to a misdemeanor battery charge that he knocked down the fan after Marshall's last-second, 36-34 win over' Miami on Nov.

12. Wauford, 32, said in his resignation letter that the negative publicity the incident brought to Miami's football program was unfortunate, and he decided resigning was best for his family and the school. Tim USA 3 20 Tan Florid! 0 0 1417 First Quarter TUSA Moore 7 pass from Hybl (Ruffin kick), 708. TFLA FQ Mariscal 37, 1 :43. Second Quartar TUSA Bartoazek 8 pass from BoWngar (Ruffin kick), 6:05.

Tftrd Quarter TUSA FQ Ruffin 34, 1 :44. Fourth Quartar TFLA Diamond 1 pass from Printers (Mariscal kick), 1407. TFLA Davis 4 run (Mariscal kick), 5:49. TUSA FG Ruffin 48, :13. ORLANDO, Fla.

(AP) Cincinnati's Jonathan Ruffin already has a trophy proving he's one of the best kickers in the nation. Capping his collegiate career with a winning field goal was the icing on the cake. Ruffin kicked a Gridiron Classic-record 49-yard field goal with 13 seconds left Saturday to give Team USA a 20-17 win over Team Florida. "I couldn't ask for a better ending to my final college game," said Ruffin, who won the Lou Groza Award in 2000. "This all-star game has been a great week and I couldn't have capped it off any better." Ruffin, who was chosen the game's most valuable player, beat the old mark of 39 yards was set by West Virginia's Jay Taylor in 2000.

The kick matched his career best, set in a close loss to Ohio State on Sept. 21. He also had a 34-yard field goal late in the third quarter that put Team USA ahead 17-3. "He didn't need this game to prove he's a good kicker," Team USA co-coach Jack Bicknell said. The winning kick was set up by Curt Anes' 28-yard pass to Buffalo tight end Chad Bar-toszek down to the Team Florida 40.

Anes then scrambled for 7 yards before a clock-stopping spike and an incompletion in the end zone. Anes, the NCAA Division II player of the year at Grand Valley State, was 9-for-14 for 116 yards. AP photo Team USA running back Ian Smart, left, makes a move on Team Florida's and USC's Rashad Faison during Saturday's Rotary Gridiron Classic College All-Star Game in Orlando, Fla. A 8,375. TUSA 20 26-67 262 23-39-0 117 5-41 3-3 4-30 TFLA 15 23-38 187 25-49-1 16 7-49 0-0 2-10 32:56 First downs Rushes-yards Passing Comp-An-Int Return Yards Punts-Avg.

Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards 27:04 Time of Possession INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Astros trade Ward for pitching help HOUSTON The Houston Astros traded outfielder Daryle Ward to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, clearing room for Craig Biggio to move from second base to center field. Ward, who failed to live up to his power-hitting potential, was, traded for minor league pitcher Ruddy Lugo. Ward, 27, hit .276 last season for the Astros, with just 12 home runs and 72 RBIs. He also had limited fielding range, but the Dodgers praised his versatility. Ex-Angels pitcher Pote goes to Japan TOKYO Lou Pote, who pitched last season for the Anaheim Angels, joined the Hanshin Tigers of Japan's Central League on Sat-'-urday.

Pote was put on waivers by the Angels on Tuesday. The 31 -year- old right-hander was 0-2 with a 3.22 ERA for Anaheim last year, pitching 50 13 innings in 31 games. "Curt Anes is a guy that some NFL teams need to make sure they take a long, hard look at," Bicknell said. Ruffin, who kicks wearing a converted jazz dance slipper, made the field goal with just a few feet to spare, as it sailed through near the left upright. The Gridiron Classic matches college seniors with Florida roots against players from the rest of the nation.

Team USA took a 14-3 lead with 5:05 left before halftime on Bartoszek's 9-yard reception from Wisconsin's Brooks Bollinger. On the drive, Bollinger completed four passes for 68 yards and scrambled once for 8 yards. After three quarters of sluggishness, Team Florida finally came to life behind Florida quarterback Casey Printers. His 1-yard TD pass to Auburn tight end Lorenzo Diamond cut the deficit to 17-10 with 14:07 remaining. On the drive.

Printers had a 25-yard scramble and a 38-yard pass after he spun out of a sack. RUSHING Team USA, Bollinger 5-23, Smart 5-21, Harris 6-14, McCleskey 2-10. Childs 4-1. Anes 2-0, Hybl 2-(minus 2). Team Florida, Printers 2-21.

Blackwell 4-7, Maddox 2-6, Merriweath-er 3-6, J.Smith 5-6, Talley 4-4, Davis 1-4, team 1-(minus 7), Watts 1 -(minus 9). PASSING Team USA, Anes 9-14-0-116, Bollinger 10-12-0-117. Hybl 4-12-0-29, team 0-1- 0- 0. Team Florida, Watts 10-21-0-54, Blackwell 7-14-0-71, Printers 8-14-1-62. RECEIVING Team USA, Madlss 6-52, Hayes 3-60.

Bartoszek 3-43, Watklns 3-37, Bush 3-31, Savage 2-21, Hams 1-7, Moore 1-7, Newhouse 1- 4 Team Florida, Fryzel 7-45, Rubin 4-30, Morgan 3-19, Talley 2-39, Diamond 2-30, Hughes 2-7, H. Smith 2-6, Merriweather 1-4, Jones 1-4, Smith 1-3. Bucs have gone from worst to a chance for first SUPER BOWL Continued from page IB Callahan doesn't like to talk about ambition. It's somehow unseemly for the son of a vice squad cop to think beyond coaching in the Chicago Catholic League, which he claims was his ultimate goal in football. Reporters who quiz him on the forces that drive him are likely to face a blizzard of banalities.

But watching closely, snatches of his competitive nature are visible. During a pregame brouhaha with the Jets in their playoff game earlier this month, Callahan shouted down a New York assistant, showing the spark that made him the overwhelming players' choice forGruden's job. As for details, Callahan's acumen is obvious at any Raiders practice at their Alameda home base. He carries his notes almost everywhere he goes, scribbling with a red pen on his play sheets and schedules. "As you progress in this business, you pick up things from other coaches," Callahan said.

"There's a part of many coaches in the way I do things, and hopefully I've passed some things on to other coaches. You're a product of your influences and your roots, just like in any other part of life." Gruden's meticulous prepare- tion has become the stuff of legend, but Callahan had a head for details and that competitive; spark back in the early 1990s. Callahan, then a Wisconsin -assistant, got a reprimand from the Big Ten for snooping through the Illinois coaches' box -while on a scouting trip. He repeatedly drove the 2 12 hours from Madison to Green' Bay. In the dark offices of Lam-beau Field, he would "try to-' steal plays" from the Packers and Gruden, their hyperkinetic offensive assistant coach.

Gru-'-den and Callahan became friends, and they joined the same' staff in Philadelphia in 1995. Callahan was an offensive line'! coach for most of his career. He has been in charge of the' Raiders' running game for five -seasons, using the lessons he learned from Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez to design his half of the Oakland game plan. For four years, Gruden com-'' bined Callahan's running ideas'l with his own passing game. This weekend, Callahan and man joined their efforts in the-' same way, with Callahan choos- ing the runs and Trestmaiv choosing the passes as they scripted their first 15 plays.

lar coach John McKay, who had been imported from USC to build the franchise. Once, at the height of the bad times, McKay was asked about the execution of the team. of the he said. "That's not a bad idea." Instead, the Bucs pressed on, even making it to the NFC championship game in 1979, where they were shut out by the Los Angeles Rams and promptly returned to the doldrums. From 1983 through 1994, they lost 10 games or more every year.

They missed that plateau by going 7-9 in 1995 and then returned to the comfort zone at 6-10 the next year. They were the Cincinnati Bengals of their time, perennial losers, trudging along on the road to nowhere. In 1993, the Bucs drafted defensive back John Lynch out of Stanford. "I was a big football fan," Lynch said. "The one team I had never seen was Tampa.

They were never on TV. The perception was that was the worst team in football." The team was 1-8 in 1996 when ESPN broadcaster Chris Berman, a dedicated Bucs fan, referred to them as "the Yucks." Warren Sapp was outraged. "Sapp came into the dressing room and said, 'Berman called us 'Yucks' on national Lynch said. It became a flashpoint for the team. That week, Tampa Bay rallied from a 14-0 deficit against Oakland to beat the Raiders in overtime, and the Bucs finished the season by winning five of their last seven games.

"It was a turning point for the Lynch said. It was then that the Bucs decided to ditch Bucco Bruce and that Creamsicle color scheme. In 1997, Tampa Bay went to a bold new look: a red pirate flag with a skull and crossed swords. The colors were changed to red, pewter, black and orange. Presto.

Suddenly, the ex-Creamsicles were licking people left and right This season, when the team promoted a retro uniform day, the players politely deferred, and the orange and white ones stayed in storage. Did the new colors make the difference? "I've got to be careful here," Lynch said. "There are some traditionalists back in Tampa. The old colors weren't so bad." end Jimmie Giles. Williams and Giles turned into useful players for Tampa Bay.

Earl Campbell turned into a Hall of Famer for Houston. Tampa Bay has its own Hall of Famer. Defensive end Lee Roy Selmon was the team's very first draft pick and labored gamely through the bad times. "Losing gets to you," said Selmon, now athletic director at the University of South Florida. "You have to fight off discouragement.

You make your best effort to win, and it just doesn't come together. You have to draw strength from each other. "We were positive and optimistic in that first training camp," he said. 'To be part of an expansion team was very exciting. We may not have won, but we had a lot of fun, and we learned a lot.

We all had goals. We wanted to get that first victory." When it came, it came with a rush. The Bucs drilled the Saints 33-14 and were greeted by 8,000 fans when they returned "It was like we won the Super Bowl," said Bill Kollar, a defensive lineman who is now a coach with the St. Louis Rams. Those Bucs were so bad they even tested the patience of jocu SAN DIEGO (AP) Somewhere, "Bucco Bruce" may be smiling.

Bruce didn't make the trip to San Diego, where Tampa Bay will play Oakland in the Buccaneers' first Super Bowl. That's because he is hidden away in the recesses of the Bucs' history, a remnant of their sorry past. He was Tampa Bay's first mascot, a winking pirate wearing a plumed hat with a dagger gripped in his teeth. He looked like a dandy, more comical than cutthroat, a vision in orange and white, uniform colors that made the players look like Creamsicles. Come to think of it, they played like Creamsicles, too.

The Bucs were 0-14 their first year and 0-1 2 their second year. After losing the first 26 games, Tampa Bay beat New Orleans and St. Louis in consecutive weeks at the end of the 1977 season. The losers were so embarrassed they fired coaches Hank Stram and Don Coryell shortly after that. Bad luck dogged Tampa Bay from the start Equipped with the No.

1 draft choice in 1978, the Bucs traded it to Houston for a package that included quarterback Doug Williams and tigrjt.