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
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