FREE PRESS SSSPORTSPORTS Page 8 Colby Free Press Tuesday, December 27, 2005 Some Broncos will get lots of time off before playoffs begin DENVER (AP) — Some Denver go with our gut feeling.” used as normal in the regular season seed and all the starters played the ries,” he said. “Then again, we do knows the value of earning one of Broncos will get more than a week After San Diego, the Broncos finale. whole last game. So, I’m sure that’s have a bye week, so I don’t think the top two seeds in the conference, off to prepare for the playoffs. (12-3) won’t play again until mid- “I do, especially for a half,” he going to happen again.” you can give the starters too much as he did with the Tampa Bay Buc- The Broncos have secured a first- January, when they’ll host their first said. “We still need to go out there Probably not. time. I am going to prepare like I do caneers when they won the Super round bye and have nothing to play home playoff game since John and stay focused and keep doing Bailey has been banged up all every week and maybe this week I Bowl three years ago. for Sunday at San Diego, where the Elway led them to consecutive Su- what we’ve been doing. If we take season and could use some rest. So will actually play.” “I remember the year we did it, Chargers are out of the playoff race. per Bowls in 1997-98. They haven’t off two weeks, then to have to play could Plummer. Anderson sprained Regardless, the Broncos aren’t we got the bye, played at home and So, coach can rest won a playoff game since then ei- in the playoff game is going to be his left ankle in Denver’s 22-3 win looking for a vacation. then beat San Francisco and they several of his starters, including ther — going 0-3, including lop- hard.” over Oakland on Saturday night, so “It means nothing unless we get told me we’re going to the NFC Jake Plummer, running sided losses at Indianapolis the last said: Tatum Bell, who is 131 yards shy of deep into the playoffs and hopefully championship. I knew that going in back Mike Anderson and banged- two seasons. “You don’t want to lump into the 1,000 himself, expects to start in his go all the way,” Plummer said. but I was like, ’That’s all you have up cornerback . They’re trying hard not to think playoffs and be rusty. You want ev- place. And “We’ve had good years and lost in to do?’ ‘‘ Lynch recalled. “Everyone will have different that far ahead. Or think about the erything to be clicking.” So, he’s has a broken right thumb and isn’t the first round in the past two years. Still, he insisted he’s not allow- opinions on what to do,” Shanahan recent past. prepared to play four quarters even expected to play Sunday. We have a first round bye this year ing himself to think about just how said. “Some people will say you “The season’s not over,” receiver though it’s as meaningless in the Backup quarterback Bradlee Van so that isn’t going to happen. We close he is to another shot at the should play the starters the whole Rod Smith said. “We’ve got to fin- standings as a preseason game. Pelt expects to finally get to throw know we have a game at home. We Lombardi Trophy. game, then when somebody gets ish the season off right.” “In ’98 we were in the same situ- his first NFL pass. hope to get a win at home. We’re not ‘‘We want to beat San Diego,’’ hurt, they change their minds and Defensive lineman Ebenezer ation,” Pryce said. “We had already “I am sure they are going to give done working yet.” Lynch said. ‘‘I think that’s what’s on say you guys are dummies...We’ll Ekuban expects to see personnel gotten the bye, we were the No. 1 a lot of key guys rest to avoid inju- Safety John Lynch, however, our mind right now.” Memphis earns victory at Detroit’s Motor City Bowl on Monday DETROIT (AP) — DeAngelo Akron (7-6) made a good show- the first quarter. The teams com- that I’ll appreciate it when I’m 50-, fourth quarter to cut Akron’s defi- through the fourth quarter while Williams lived up to the hype. ing in its first Division I-A bowl bined for 1,018 yards of offense. 60-years old,” he said. cit to 23-17, Williams showed his Memphis was driving for its 38-17 Williams set an NCAA record game after scoring 21 fourth-quar- Williams, who shared the 100- It wasn’t shocking to see Will- speed and power. lead. with his 34th 100-yard rushing ter points to beat Northern Illinois yard rushing record with Heisman iams run through and around the He burst through a small hole in He finished 4 yards rushing short game and scored three touchdowns, in the Mid-American Conference Trophy winners Archie Griffin of Zips with his NFL-caliber speed the middle of the line and sprinted of the Motor City Bowl record set leading Memphis to a 38-31 victory championship game. Ohio State and Dorsett of Pitts- after Northern Illinois’ Garrett for a 67-yard gain to set up his 2- by Northwestern’s Jason Wright over Akron in the Motor City Bowl “This became an awakening burgh, broke the mark in the third Wolfe ran for 270 yards against yard, linemen-dragging TD for his against Bowling Green in 2003. on Monday. around the campus and the town,” quarter when he ran up the middle Akron in the MAC championship third score, tying the bowl record. “He’s got too much at stake to go Williams ran for 233 yards on 30 Zips coach J.D Brookhart said. “To and bounced to the outside on an 18- game. “That touchdown run was as back in there for 10 yards,” West carries and finished his career with come out and see that wave of blue yard carry. “He’s really fast,” Brookhart good of a run as he had all day,” explained. 6,021 yards rushing — trailing only and gold on the sideline was awe- Griffin set the mark in 42 games, said. “Nobody catches him, and he West said. A crowd of 50,616 attended the Ron Dayne, and some.” and Dorsett matched it in 43 games takes away angles real quick.” Williams, who finished seventh game in Ford Field, where the Su- Tony Dorsett in Division I-A his- Getsy was 34-for-59 for a Motor — one fewer than Williams. After Getsy threw a 72-yard TD in voting for the Heisman, was per Bowl will be played in less than tory — and an NCAA-record 7,568 City Bowl-record 455 yards, and “Coach West tells me all the time pass to Brett Biggs early in the taken out of the game midway six weeks. all-purpose yards. tied Chad Pennington’s mark for “I’m really not a statistical guy, passing touchdowns in the bowl’s but when you mention those guys, nine-year history. Jabari Arthur it’s huge,” Williams said. broke Randy Moss’s bowl record The Tigers (7-5) took a 21-point with 180 yards receiving, scoring lead with 3:09 left, but needed to twice on eight receptions. recover an onside kick with 55 sec- “I would’ve rather won,” Getsy onds left to seal the win after Luke said. Getsy threw his fourth touchdown The Tigers led by 10 at halftime pass to cut the lead to seven points. after scoring on three straight “I didn’t want to be the only coach drives, then pulled away in the sec- in the country to get a Gatorade bath ond half with three TDs and a field — then lose the game,” Memphis goal in four drives before nearly coach Tommy West said. “I give collapsing in the final minutes. them credit. Akron has been doing It was a wild finish — with 46 that all year, that’s why they won points scored in the final 15:46 — their championship.” after Akron led 3-0 midway through ‘Monday Night Football’ CMS ends 36-year run on ABC EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. night rights. Dodge (AP) — The lights are out at ABC’s The 555th broadcast opened with “Monday Night Football.” the most recognizable voice in “Monday Night Football” ended “Monday Night Football” history: an unprecedented 36-year run on Howard Cosell. It ended with his 4x14 the network with a lackluster game, longtime foil, country boy Don a 31-21 New England victory over Meredith, singing his trademark the , that didn’t come line “Turn out the lights, the party’s close to epitomizing the special over...” PLACE place the program has occupied in Famous faces such as John the American cultural landscape. Lennon, Bill Clinton, George Bush The series switches networks and Richard Simmons appeared next season, when ESPN begins an during a halftime montage that il- 85% eight-year deal in which it will pay lustrated how the program was as $1.1 billion per year for Monday much entertainment as sport. AP Briefs GSN

PRO FOOTBALL PRO BASKETBALL TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tony SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Spurs Dungy and his wife stood for more guard Tony Parker was cited for than three hours greeting hundreds impeding traffic and failing to pro- of mourners with handshakes and duce a valid Texas driver’s license hugs. From NFL players past and during a traffic stop in which girl- present to well-wishers off the friend and “Desperate House- street, all came to offer the couple wives” actress Eva Longoria was condolences for the loss of their son. his passenger, police said. The Indianapolis Colts coach and An officer on a bicycle saw the his wife, Lauren, will bury 18-year- stopped car holding up traffic early old James Dungy on Tuesday. Saturday and rapped the hood with The Dungys took the time to his hand, according to a police re- thank each person for coming by to port. pay respect to James, who was Parker, behind the wheel, ques- found dead in his suburban apart- tioned why the officer touched the ment last week of an apparent sui- car, and the couple “began scream- cide. ing in a verbally abusive and de- The crowd began forming about meaning manner,” police said. an hour before the visitation and about 300 people were lined up by the time coach Dungy and his fam- ily arrived at the funeral home in a limousine. The Colts still don’t know when Dungy will return as coach. IRVING, Texas (AP) — The Dal- COLBY CINEMA las Cowboys released inconsistent & ARCADE kicker Billy Cundiff, the team’s fourth change at the position since DEC. 23 - DEC. 29 training camp. The Cowboys re-signed rookie CHRONICLES OF NARNIA Sean Suisham, who was cut when Fri.: 7:15 (PG) the team brought back Cundiff on Sun.: 7:15 2:20 Nov. 19 and didn’t miss a field goal Mon. - Thurs: 7:00 & 9:30 or extra point in two games. KING KONG (PG-13) Cundiff, who was released in Fri.: 7:00 3:07 training camp when he injured his Sun.: 7:00 Mon. - Thurs: 6:00 & 9:15 leg, was 5-for-8 since returning to the Cowboys. He kicked a team- COLBY THEATRE record 56-yard field goal in his first game back against the Lions. DEC. 23 - DEC. 29 joined last week and is now 24th. BASEBALL CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN 2 CLEVELAND (AP) — Free Fri.: 7:00 (PG) 1:34 Sun.: 7:00 agent pitcher Jason Johnson agreed Mon. - Thurs: 7:00 & 9:00 to a $4 million, one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians, just FUN WITH DICK & JANE Fri.: 7:15 (PG-13) 1:304 hours before Kevin Millwood Sun.: 7:15 agreed to join the Texas Rangers. Mon. - Thurs: 7:15 & 9:00