NATIONALSPORTS DECEMBER 10, 1999, THE BEHREND BEACON, PAGE SB
Navy too much for Army
by Joe Juliano
Knight-Ridder Newspapers
December 05, 1999
PHILADELPHIA - Forty-one times on Saturday, Brian
Madden took the snap from center and darted to the right
or dashed to the left, repeatedly declining the opportunity
to pitch to a trailing back and
get momentary relief from
swarms of hostile Army de
fenders
Madden, playing in his first
Army-Navy game, gladly
accepted the punishment and
led the Midshipmen to a 19-
9 victory over the Cadets be
fore a Veterans Stadium sell
out crowd of 70,049 who
watched the 100th meeting
between the service acad
emies.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound
sophomore quarterback from
Lawton, Okla., used his 41
rushes to gain 177 yards and
score Navy's only touchdown
on a 2-yard run in the first
quarter. In the process, he
extended his own academy
record for most consecutive
100-yard rushing games to
five.
Showing the toughness he
exhibited as an unbeaten
Oklahoma state champion
wrestler in high school, Mad
den flew into the teeth of the
Army defense time and again
behind a veteran offensive
line that ended up leading the nation's top rushing team
this season.
"He can probably play both ways," Navy coach Charlie
Weatherbie said after the Midshipmen narrowed Army's
advantage in the series to 48-45-7. "He could play line
backer. He could play fullback. He's a heck of an athlete.
He's a tough, strong young man. He's very determined."
Madden, named the game's most valuable player, was
happy to give all the credit to his teammates in the trenches.
"The offensive line has done a great job all year," he
said. "We have some great players and some great leaders
up front. It was easy for me. All I had to do was execute
and not make any stupid mistakes."
Nebraska defense dominates Texas in 22-6 win
by Chip Brown
Knight-Ridder Newspapers
December 05, 1999
SAN ANTONIO - The Nebraska Cornhuskers left the
Alamodome on Saturday knowing that Texas is beatable,
that fumbles are still deadly, that they
are the Big 12 champions for the sec
ond time in four years and that they
could have been known for a whole
lot more
The Cornhuskers avenged their only
loss with a 22-6 victory Saturday over
Cotton Bowl-bound Texas that could
have been twice that margin. The team
that outgained Texas on Oct. 23, but
lost, 24-20, because of three fumbles,
had a different personality Saturday.
There was no suspense, no "Roll
Left" or shovel pass in the final minute
to decide this one. Nebraska made
UT's offense look like it had been spun
around 100 times before walking diz
zily onto the field.
But the No. 3 Cornhuskers will
probably remain just that, No. 3, be
cause they didn't reach their potential
-- perhaps national championship cali
ber -- until six weeks after the fact.
Barring BCS computer hacking or
malfunction, the Cornhuskers will
play in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2, then
watch Virginia Tech play Florida State
for the national title on Jan. 4.
Nebraska (11-1, 7-1) put together an
effort Saturday that will have Big Red fans talking con
fidently at water coolers that their team should be trav
eling to New Orleans to ring in the millennium at the
Nokia Sugar Bowl.
"In my opinion, we're very capable of playing in that
game," said Nebraska safety Mike Brown. "There's not
a team on our schedule that we didn't beat."
"Virginia Tech played one team -- Boston College -
- that ended up in the top 25 at the end of the year,"
Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "And that makes you
think, "Well, maybe we do deserve to be in the national
championship game.' But we understand how hard it is
to go through a season undefeated. We'll live with what
ever the system gives us."
After four years of having to live with three straight
losses to Texas (9-4, 6-2), the Cornhuskers put an end to
UT's streak in punishing fashion.
"I didn't want to leave here without beating Texas,
and we got 'em," said Mike Brown, a senior. "I can die
now."
The red shirts on offense pounded paths through a re-
Santa trades a high-five with Navy midshipmen before the start of Navy's 19-9 victory over Army
Saturday in the service academies' 100th game.
TMS CAMPUS
Nebraska's Joe Walker (25) breaks up a pass intended for Texas' Kwame
Cavil (9) in the second half of the Big 12 Championship game Saturday.
Nebraska got revenge for three consecutive losses to the Longhorns with a
22-6 victory.
Navy (5-7) did great in the mistakes department; Army
(3-8) did not. The Midshipmen had no turnovers, while
the Cadets lost the football four times - on three fumbles
and an interception.
"We made too many mistakes in a close game like this
to be successful and give us a chance to win," Army coach
Bob Sutton said. "Even late in the game we had an oppor
tunity to come back, but the fumbles derailed us."
Navy scored twice off turnovers - on field goals by Tim
Shubzda, who kicked four to tie an Army-Navy record.
Two of the Cadets' fumbles came in Midshipmen terri
tory, including one at the Navy 15 that was recovered by
defensive end Gino Marchetti.
Marchetti, who said he may or may not be a distant
relation to the former Baltimore Colts great of the same
name, pounced on two fumbles. Marcus Jackson fell on a
muffed punt, and linebacker John Chavous applied the
finishing touch with a fourth-quarter interception.
"I couldn't pick a better way to go out," said Chavous, a
senior playing in his last game. "I told a couple of guys on
the sidelines that I was going to get an interception. I
sistant Texas defense, racking up 234 yards on the ground
despite losing leading rusher Dan Alexander in the first
quarter to a hand injury that required stitches.
But it was the Blackshirts on defense that simply gut
ted the conference's top-rated offense, forcing four turn
overs, and limiting Texas to a school-record low in rush
ing yards (9) and season lows in points (6) and total
offense (173 yards).
UT quarterback Major Applewhite, who regained the
12 pounds this week that he lost from a stomach virus
before the Texas A&M game, said he felt fine physi
cally except for the seven times he was sacked Satur
day.
"We just didn't execute," Applewhite said. "We didn't
run the ball well or throw the ball well. End of discus
Nebraska's defense said it had extra resolve Saturday
because of a magazine interview after the two teams'
first meeting on Oct. 23 that quoted Applewhite as say
ing the Husker defense was simple.
"That probably served as bulletin board material,"
Mike Brown said. "Our defense is not simple. We throw
a lot of different looks at people."
"Major Applewhite didn't know who was coming from
where," said Nebraska cornerback Ralph Brown, who
picked off an errant Applewhite pass in the third quar
ter.
Texas coach Mack Brown said any talk of schemes
couldn't believe I predicted what was going to happen."
"Our defense deserves a big pat on the back," Madden
said. "They kept us in the game and did a great job."
For excitement, the contest did not match the pageantry
surrounding the 100th Army-Navy game, which included
bands, parachute jumpers, and the presence of four
Heisman Trophy winners: Army's Glenn Davis and Pete
Dawkins, Navy's Joe Bellino and Roger Staubach.
then marched 60 yards for their
only touchdown, on a 2-yard throw from Joe Gerena to
tight end Shaun Castillo on fourth and goal with 4:47 to
play, but they never threatened again.
And when it was over, and the alma maters of the two
teams were performed, the Midshipmen had only their
third series win in the 19905. But it was a memorable
milestone made possible, in part, by the sandy-haired kid
from Oklahoma.
"We were just playing a football game today," Madden
said. "The fact that it was the 100th was built up. It's a
great rivalry, but we couldn't think about it. But to win the
100th was great. I can tell my grandkids I played on a
team that won the 100th Army-Navy game."
going awry, miscommunication between Applewhite and
receivers or an ankle sprain that sidelined Hodges
Mitchell in the second half was not even worth discuss-
"They whipped us," Mack Brown said. "We didn't
block them, and their defense dominated the line of
scrimmage. We couldn't run it or pass it. It didn't matter
what play was called. When you can't block
them, scheme goes out the window."
UT did plenty to hurt itself. There were
dropped passes, including one by Ricky
Brown on a two-point conversion that hit
him right in the hands. Two first-half drives
began with false start penalties. Applewhite
threw two passes without pressure that were
intercepted, including one that came right
after UT free safety Greg Brown picked off
a pass at the Texas 10.
If not for one of two Nebraska fumbles
on the day -- raising its nation-leading to
tal to 25 fumbles lost -- Texas would not
have scored. UT cornerback Ahmad Brooks
picked up a loose ball stripped from run
ning back Dahrran Diedrick by linemen
Casey Hampton and Aaron Humphrey, then
ran 20 yards for the Longhorns' only TD
with 13:26 remaining.
The Texas offense crossed midfield
only three times. The Longhorns' average
starting field position was their own 21,
thanks in large part to punter Dan
Hadenfeldt, who repeatedly pinned them
deep.
The height of UT's futility, however,
came with 7:26 left in the first half, when
center Matt Anderson snapped a ball high
and wide right of Applewhite into the UT end zone.
Ricky Brown was reduced to pushing it out of bounds
for a safety and a 15-0 Nebraska lead at halftime.
Nebraska's average starting field position was its own
42. After a 42-yard field goal by Josh Brown, Eric
Crouch ducked into the UT line, cut right and was gone
for a 31-yard TD run that put the Huskers up, 10-0, with
2:56 left in the first quarter. After a 21-yard field goal
by Josh Brown and the safety, Crouch scored Nebraska's
final TD on a 4-yard run with 10:12 left in the third
quarter.
Mack Brown said despite the loss, he was pleased with
his team's effort, especially on defense. He said the Long
horns' progress from the beginning of the year was re
markable and that a Cotton Bowl matchup, most likely
against Arkansas 30 years after "The Game of the Cen
tury," is a welcomed reward for the season.
"I told our players not many teams win 10 games in a
season," Mack Brown said. "But that's our goal."
That was because of defense
Both units hunkered down and
gave up yardage grudgingly. Af
ter Madden capped a 67-yard
drive with Navy's lone touch
down, the Midshipmen had their
share of problems with Army's
defense. In fact, their field goals
capped drives of only 21, 39, 21
and 36 yards.
After Shubzda's 35-yard field
goal, which was set up when
Jackson claimed the muffed punt
catch attempted by Army's Imani
Dupree, made it 10-0, Army
scored its first points on Matt
Parker's 44-yard field goal with
1 minute, 10 seconds left in the
first half.
A one-touchdown halftime
deficit would have been manage
able for Army, but Navy's John
Veieen returned the kickoff to his
own 44, giving the Midshipmen
a chance to answer the field goal
before the break. Which they did,
on Shubzda's 34-yarder with 16
seconds remaining.
Shubzda's 38-yard field goal
early in the fourth quarter gave
the Mids a 19-3 lead. The Cadets
Leon Smith saga
becomes more
sordid by the day
CHICAGO The abandoned property of the Dallas
Mavericks stood staring blankly in a holding cell in the
Cook County Criminal Courthouse on Saturday. Through
closed-circuit television, visitors to Court 11l could see
Leon Smith, but he couldn't see them.
He had no way of knowing that the people most inter
ested in him in the courtroom were his mother, who gave
him up to the state of Illinois when he was 5, and a group
of media people. No one was there from the NBA Players
Association, and no one was there from the Mavericks. No
iawyer showed up to represent him at his bond hearing.
"With all these people and all the millions of dollars he's
made. I'm amazed there's no (lawyer) here." Judge Nicho
las Ford said.
A minister who had read about Smith's case in the news
paper that morning did show up and immediately an
nounced a neighborhood march for later in the afternoo)i.
Rev. Paul Jakes said he would be marching to have con
flict-resolution classes added to the Chicago Public Schopl
curriculum "so that a case like Leon Smith's doesn't hap-
pen again."
How a conflict-resolution class would have helped Smith
after a lifetime of neglect is open to debate, but the public
tug-of-war over Smith officially was on. Smith was charged
with violating an order of protection and two counts of
criminal damage to property after allegedly smashing the
windows of a car belonging to the mother of his former
girlfriend Friday afternoon. He was out on bond at the time,
having been charged earlier in the day with aggravated as
sault for allegedly threatening the 16-year-old girl with a
gun outside her school.
Smith, who is scheduled to earn $450,000 this season,
had $lOO in his pocket when he landed in jail the second
time. A public defender represented hint at the hearing. Hj's
due back in court to be arraigned on Monday.
Landon Cox, Smith's coach at King High School, even
tually arrived Saturday and posted the required 10 percent
of Smith's $15,000 bond, but not before a contentious scene
near the entrance of the courthouse.
Smith's aunt, Barbara Harris, screamed at Cox for try
ing to take over Smith's life. "You're not in control any
more!" she yelled. "The family is here! Don't you disre
spect us!"
Cox earlier had told the judge he wanted Smith admittqd
to a psychiatric facility. Smith reportedly tried to kill hirpi
self three weeks ago with an overdose of aspirin. Last week
he walked out of a psychiatric clinic in Atlanta. a stay that
was arranged by the NBA's Player-Assistance program.
Smith's family has been upset with characterizations that
it has not been part of the basketball star's life, even though
he has lived in foster and group homes for most of his L. 9
years.
"Do it the right way," Donna Smith EL, another of
Smith's aunts, said of Cox. "Don't just push us aside and
say he's going to take him to the hospital and that he does&t
have a mother. (Cox is) wrong and out of place. This child
has a family. We are his family. People say ugly things
about his family, but that doesn't mean we don't love our
family."
Cox has been highly critical of the Mavericks' handling
of Smith, saying the team should have been more sensitive
to the needs of a teenager who had lived a difficult life.
Cox declined to comment Saturday. •
"Mr. Cox has been doing a lot of talking," Harris said. .!'l
don't think he's done (anything) for Leon. If they knew be
was having problems, why didn't they get him some coun
seling? If this child had been having trouble all his 14,
why wasn't there some counseling there? How could you
coach this child and not know it? You're the close ones.:'
The Smith saga has been a mess almost since the day ;n
June when the Mavericks traded for San Antonio's first
round draft pick and used it to pluck a raw, talented, 6-
foot-10-inch center straight from high school. Upon arrival
at the Mavericks' rookie camp, he clashed with assistant
coach Donnie Nelson and refused to follow instructions.
The Mavericks didn't believe he was ready for the NBA
and wanted him to play either in a developmental league
or in Europe. Smith wanted to play for the Mavericks. He
averaged 25 points, 15 rebounds and eight blocked shots
for King as a senior.
"What he's struggling with right now (is) that he was
going to the NBA and he got sat out," his mother said. "He
wanted to play ball. It didn't feel good to him. But he's got
to take heed a little bit to the coach. He should have lis
tened a little bit. He missed being among his family. He
usually sees his sisters. He missed them being there by him
self."
But that seemed to be only part of the problem. Smith's
girlfriend broke up with him, and when he tried to kill him
self, he reportedly left a suicide note for her.
"They had a relationship, and from what I understand it
broke up," Barbara Harris said. "He being a young man,
he's hurt."
Over the last 13 years, Smith had lived in five group
homes and estimates he sat in front of more than 100 coun
selors and psychologists. It's likely he'll see more soon.
"I think he needs to get under someone's wings, even his
mother's," Harris said. "Nobody has asked his mother. She's
concerned. Let us come in. Let the family come in.
"It's time for the family to come forward because he's
running wild. We're a concerned family. He is depressed.
We realize he does need help. He can't keep doing this.
He'll destroy himself."
Not long after Smith's hearing, Jakes and the famil , y,
joined hands in a circle and prayed, with TV cameras trained
on the scene.
Sometime later, Smith left with Cox through a side door
and walked into the rain to his freedom.
by Rick Morrissey
Chicago Tribune
December 06, 1999