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Kicking off another season

The beginning of We encourage you to send your com- August 2002 season is less than a month away. And ments to FWAA president Kelly White- the Football Writers Association of Amer- side at kwhiteside@usatoday. Other Vol. 40, No. 2 ica is gearing up for another big year. officers and board members are listed on Page 2 of The Fifth Down. Here are The first addition to the FWAA pro- some other key people to query or send grams this season is a regular-season Inside this issue: information to in the FWAA: college football poll, which will debut on Sept. 30. ● Bert McGrane nominees: Tom Kensler, Denver Post The FWAA’s preseason poll to be re- President’s column 2 ([email protected]) leased on Aug. 16 will serve as a pre- view of the regular season poll, which ● Volney Meece Scholarhips nomi- will feature 16 FWAA voters who will nees: Dave Sittler, Tulsa World Super 16 Poll Q&A 3 vote exclusively in the association’s poll. ([email protected]) The mechanics of the poll are explained ● Internet questions: Ted Gangi, elsewhere in this issue of The Fifth HiTex! ([email protected]) Poll voters 3 Down. ● FWAA Directory: Charlie Fiss, Cot- The FWAA print directory will be out ton Bowl ([email protected]) in late August and will have a different ● Press Box complaints, suggestions: look this season. Members will be listed Ron Higgins, Memphis Commercial Ap- All-America checklist 4-5 in alphabetical order instead of by state. peal ([email protected]) Hopefully, this will help you locate a ● CoSIDA liaison: Maxey Parrish member if you don’t know where he or ([email protected]) she lives. The team pages have been FWAA All-America expanded. FWAA members will be able ● Fifth Down: Ken Stephens, Dallas 4 committee members to access the directory on-line. It will be Morning News (kstephens@dallasnews. updated with changes. com) And speaking of on-line, www.fwaa. ● FWAA History: Gene Duffey, Hous- com is bigger and better than ever. For ton ([email protected]) watch 6 those of you who have forgotten your ● Eddie Robinson Award: Shawn list password to the members’ side, remem- Schoeffler, ber you can access it with rosebowl ([email protected]) (username) and pasadena (password). ● Bronko Nagurski Award: John Obituary: Former In order not to slight the Tostitos Fiesta Rocco, Charlotte Club FWAA president Earl 7 Bowl, you also will be able to access the ([email protected]) Luebker members’ side of the website by typing ● Outland Trophy, All-America Team, in fiestabowl and tempe. All the letters Steve Richardson ([email protected]) Membership applica- are lowercase and the bowl names are 8 one word. Here’s to a great year of college foot- tion ball! Page 2 THE FIFTH DOWN

President Kelly Whiteside USA Today

First Vice President President’s column Wally Hall Now that the near future, and since the formula Democrat-Gazette start of the football has been tinkered with every season, Second Vice President season is almost we would hope that the Grantland Dick Weiss here, it's certainly Rice Super 16 Poll would be consid- not too early to ered for inclusion in the 2003 BCS Executive Director discuss the race formula. This will add another human Steve Richardson Dallas Morning News for the national element to the equation. Also, if the championship. NCAA ever decides to move to a 2002 Directors With that in mind, playoff system in Division I-A, there Shelly Anderson we introduce the probably would be a 16 team-format, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Grantland Rice as the playoff systems in the other David Teel Super 16 poll. divisions already have. Daily Press, Newport News The concept This poll will also have more (Va.) KELLY Kurt Caywood has been dis- credibility because the 16 voters cho- Topeka Capital-Journal WHITESIDE cussed during the sen will be writers who attend na- Stewart Mandel last few years by tional games every weekend. Many CNN/SI Steve Richardson voters in the AP poll and of course Eric Crawford Louisville Courier-Journal and Cody Monk and Ted Gangi of the coaches in their poll only get to Wright Thompson HiTEX! Enterprises, FWAA's online see the individual teams they cover New Orleans Times- and marketing partner. But now we or coach. We will have a balanced Picayune want your feedback on our proposal, geographic representation among Brian Landman on what works and what doesn't the voters, which will further ensure St. Petersburg Times Ted Miller work for you. we are adequately covering the na- Post-Intelligencer We will begin the poll Sept. 30. tional scene in our poll. Rob Biertempfel Sixteen FWAA members who cover Now it's your turn. What do you Tribune Review (Pa.) the sport nationally would vote each think? Please e-mail your thoughts to Darryl Richards foxsports.com Sunday, ending with the Bowl Cham- us at [email protected] Andy Bagnato pionship Series title game. The final and [email protected]. Chicago Tribune No. 1 team would receive the Grant- Another thought before the first Ken Davis land Rice Trophy, which has been kickoff: Now is the time to be vigilant Hartford Courant awarded to the FWAA's national about the issues that mean most to Chris Fowler ESPN champion since 1954. us. With games seemingly on every Herb Gould Of course, there's plenty of debate night of the week and of course Chicago Sun-Times over the current BCS system, even prime time TV Saturday games, our Brian Higgins its two polls, the Associated Press deadline pressures have increased. Oakland Tribune Natalie Meisler Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The bal- We need to communicate to sports Denver Post lots of the voters who participate in information directors the increased Dan O'Kane those two polls are mostly anony- necessity of speed during the post- Tulsa World mous. Ours wouldn't be. We will post game. We need quicker locker room Tim Peeler Greensboro News & Record the ballots on our website, and each or press conference availability and Greg Pogue voter's affiliated medium also will quicker postgame stats. Daily News Journal (Tenn.) have the option of publishing their Also, it's not too early to be think-

voter's ballot as well. This will be an ing about plans for the Fiesta Bowl, Ex-Officio improvement over the existing two the site of the national championship polls because our voters will be held game on Jan. 3. Hard to believe it's Jim Daves accountable. only a few months away. Enjoy the University of Washington Maxey Parrish So why now and why 16 teams? rest of the summer. CoSIDA Since the BCS will be around for the THE FIFTH DOWN Page 3

Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll Q&A

Why 16 teams? There already is a writers poll. Why do we need another? The traditional coaches and writers polls now rank 25 teams when, in fact, the BCS formula, which determines Yes, the Associated Press poll is voted on by various the premier bowl matchups — including the so-called media — most of it writers. However, many of the voters national title game — only ranks 15. To have the Grant- are from small markets and all of the voters can choose land Rice Poll be considered for participation in the BCS to remain anonymous. The Grantland Rice Poll will bring formula, there is no need to rank more than 16 teams. together an elite group of voters who will take more time Also, if the NCAA moves to a playoff system in Division to vote and, thus, be able to fully consider the results of I-A, the likely number of playoff teams — as it is in Divi- all of the games played each week. sions I-AA, II and III — will be 16. What makes the Grantland Rice Poll credible? Do we need another poll? The pollsters will be an elite group of national media Because the BCS committee has stated publicly that chosen from the 1,000-member Football Writers Asso- it will be de-emphasizing its various computer rankings, ciation of America. All pollsters will be media who cover it will need another element for judgment in its formula. the game from a true national perspective for some of The FWAA would provide this option with the Grantland the largest media entities in the country. Rice Poll. What makes this poll different?

Since college football's polls have been published, the rankings of the individual voters — media and THE VOTERS coaches — have been almost completely anonymous. Four FWAA members from each of four regions — The Grantland Rice Poll will change that. Aside from East, South, Midwest, West — have been chosen to ranking just 16 teams, each of the 16 voters has agreed vote in the Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll. to have individual rankings published each week — both In addition to voting, each pollster will provide a in print and online — thereby accepting accountability for short synopsis detailing his/her vote. The rankings of the rankings. each voter will be made public, along with the complete poll, on the FWAA's website, www.footballwriters.com. Why not release rankings each week? The pollsters will also select a weekly "Team of the Week" based on the previous week's games. After the preseason poll is released, the Grantland Rice Poll will not be released again until the week before • Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the first BCS rankings are released. This will help elimi- • Mark Blaudschun, Boston Globe nate the possibility that a lower-ranked team is unable • Dennis Dodd, CBS SportsLine to rise above teams ranked above it in the preseason poll. Waiting until a few weeks into the season will allow • Gregg Doyel, Charlotte Observer voters to give a more accurate ranking of the nation's top • Herb Gould, Chicago Sun-Times teams. • Vahe Gregorian, St. Louis Post-Dispatch • Ron Higgins, Memphis Commercial Appeal What is the Grantland Rice Trophy? • Randy Holtz, Denver Rocky Mountain News • Stewart Mandel, cnnsi.com The FWAA began awarding its national champion- • Ted Miller, Seattle Post-Intelligencer ship trophy in 1954. It has a far deeper tradition than • Bob Moran, East Valley Tribune even the BCS Championship Trophy (formerly the • Jay Posner, San Diego Union-Tribune Sears Trophy). In the past, the FWAA's national champi- • Darryl Richards, foxsports.com onship has been chosen by a select committee of FWAA • Lenn Robbins, New York Post members. With the Grantland Rice Poll, that • Joe Schad, Orlando Sentinel will change and the trophy will be awarded to the school • Keith Whitmire, The Dallas Morning News that leads the poll after the season is completed. Page 4 ALL-AMERICA OFFENSE Sean Dillard, Temple B.J. Van Briesen, New Mexic o St. Terrence Edwards, Georgia , LSU , Wisconsin Lee Evans, Wisconsin Casey Clausen, Tennessee , Missouri Ryan Dinwiddle, Boise St. OFFENSIVE LINE Fred Gibson, Georgia , Miami, Fla. Bryan Anderson, Pittsburgh , Jason Gesser, Washington St. , Arkansas , Miami, Fla. David Greene, Georgia Ben Archibald, BYU B.J. Johnson, , Florida Bryce Bohlander, UCLA , Illinois Scott Hall, North Texas Enoch DeMar, Indiana George Marshall, North Texas , Texas Tech Robbie Doane, Texas , Oregon , Marshall , Texas Michael Jenkins, Ohio St. Jared Lorenzen, Kentucky Nat Dorsey, Georgia Tech , Penn St. , Ole Miss Kyle Eaton, Oklahoma St. Billy McMullen, Virginia Luke McCown, Louisiana Tech Josh Gardner, Cincinnati Reno Mahe, BYU Zack Mills, Penn St. Adam Goldberg, Wyoming Shaun McDonald, Arizona St. Craig Ochs, Colorado , Utah Ryan McGuffey, Wyoming , USC Sherko Haji-Rasouli, Miami, Fla. Reggie Newhouse, Baylor , Washington Antonio Hall, Kentucky Charles Rogers, Michigan St. , Louisville Shane Hall, South Carolina Lamar Slade, Pitsburgh Phillip Rivers, N.C. State , Stanford Dan Stricker, Vanderbilt Kliff Kingsbury Chris Rix, Florida St. Shalimar Jackson, New Mexico St. Taylor Stubblefield, Purdue , Texas QB, Texas Tech Ben Johnson, Wisconsin Jay Swillie, Boise St. Jeff Smoker, Michigan St. Garry Johnson, Arkansas St. J.R. Tolver, San Diego St. Jason Thomas, UNLV , Tennessee , Hawaii Darius Watts, Marshall Bradlee Van Pelt, Colorado St. Doug Zeigler, Ole Miss Nate McPeek, Marshall Kelley Washington, Tennessee , Iowa St. Michael Munoz, Tennessee Reggie Williams, Washington CENTER Bruce Nelson, Iowa , Texas , West Virginia P.J. Winston, New Mexico St. , Ole Miss Will Ofenheusle, Tennessee Marion Barber III, Minnesota , Oklahoma St. Alonzo Ephraim, Alabama Tony Pape, Michigan , Texas , Notre Dame Mark Parenteau, Chris Brown, Colorado John Garrison, Nebraska , Illinois , West Virginia Jake Gassaway, Western Mich. Tim Provost, San Jose St. Anthony Davis, Wisconsin Chad Bartoszek, Buffalo Scott Huff, Boise St. Rex Richards, Texas Tech , Nebraska , Iowa , Wisconsin , East Carolina Clarence Farmer, Arizona Lorenzo Diamond, Auburn Cody Johnson, Nevada Derrick Roche, Washington St. , Boise St. John Hampton, SMU , Northwestern Jeff Roehl, Northwestern Kevin Galbreath, North Texas Chase Harp, Kentucky , Boston College Dustin Rykert, BYU , Miami, Fla. Donald Lee, Mississippi St. Wayne Lucier, Colorado Mike Saffer, UCLA Earnest Graham, Florida Mike McCoy, Idaho Matt Martinez, Idaho , Marshall , Oklahoma Jeff Muenchow, North Texas Jon Mazur, Bowling Green , Iowa Thomas Hammock, No. Illinois Spencer Nead, BYU Rodney Michael, Fresno St. Jon Stinchcomb, Georgia Antoineo Harris, Illinois Bo Scaife, Texas Ben Nowland, Auburn Brandon Westbrook, Mid. Tenn. Dwone Hicks, Mid. Tenn. Mike Siedman, UCLA Jimond Pugh, Memphis , South Carolina Terrence Jackson, Central Mich. L.J. Smith, Rutgers. Chad Reed, Pittsburgh Todd Wike, Maryland. Kevin Jones, , Oklahoma , Miami, Fla. Brett Williams, Florida St. Chance Kretschmer, Nevada , Minnesota Nick Romeo, Syracuse Cedric Williams, South Carolina Marcus Merriweather, Ball St. Aaron Walker, Florida , Maryland Andrew Pinnock, South Carolina FWAA ALL-AMERICA COMMITTEE Cecil Sapp, Colorado St. Tanardo Sharps, Temple ►Rob Biertempfel, Tribune-Review, ►Natalie Meisler, Denver Post, Onterrio Smith, Oregon , Virginia Tech [email protected], Big Ten, MAC [email protected], WAC, Moun- Fred Talley, Arkansas ►Kurt Caywood, Topeka Capital-Journal tain West LaBrandon Toefield, LSU [email protected], Big 12 ►Ted Miller, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Dontae Walker, Mississippi St. ►Eric Crawford), Louisville Courier- [email protected], Pac-10 Carnell Williams, Auburn Journal, [email protected], ►David Teel, The Daily Press (Va.) RECEIVER Conference USA [email protected], Big East , Fresno St. ►Brian Landman, St. Petersburg Times, ►Wright Thompson, New Orleans , Florida St. [email protected]), ACC Times-Picayune Mike Bush, Washington St. ►Stewart Mandel, CNNSI.com [email protected], SEC, Sun Michael Clayton, LSU [email protected], National Belt Chris Collins, Ole Miss Page 5 CHECKLIST DEFENSE DEFENSIVE LINE Constantin Ritzmann, Tenn. , Texas Anthony Allsbury, Western Mich. Phil Archer, Minnesota , Kentucky Josh Babin, Western Michigan , Marshall Dan Rumishek, Michigan John Bradley, Arkansas St. Sammy Davis, Texas A&M Walter Sampson, La.-Lafayette , Colorado , Ohio St. Ian Scott, Florida Nick Burley, Fresno St. Rashad Faison, South Carolina Garrett Smith, Utah , Florida St. Anthony Floyd, Louisville , Arizona St. Kai Ellis, Washington Kevin Garrett, SMU David Upchurch, West Virginia , Boston College Jernaro Gilford, BYU , Miami, Fla. Greg Gathers, Georgia Tech , Tennessee , Texas A&M , Rice Ken Hamlin, Arkansas , Louisville , Oklahoma Terrance Holt, N.C. State , Oklahoma Peter Hogan, Colorado St. Damien James, LSU

Jarret Johnson, Alabama , Texas William Joseph, Miami, Fla. , Florida Brandon Kania, Idaho , Georgia , Michigan Jason Kaufusi, Utah Fred Barr, Iowa , UCLA Chris Kelsay, Nebraska , Florida St. Christian Morton, Illinois Jimmy Kennedy, Penn St. , Arizona Broderick Nelson, Michigan St. Kenny King, Alabama Chris Brown, Hawaii , St. E.J. Henderson , Temple , Tennessee Arnold Parker, Utah , LSU , Virginia LB, Maryland , Virginia Tech , UCLA Rod Davis, Southern Miss , USC Jerome McDougle, Miami, Fla. Sheldon Deckart, Utah Jarrod Penright, Texas A&M Jonas Rutledge, SMU Eric Manning, Oregon St. Lawrence Flugence, Texas Tech , Kansas St. Antoine Sanders, Utah , South Carolina John Garrett, Baylor Kendyll Pope, Florida St. , Iowa Kindall Moorehead, Alabama , Georgia Jerry Schumacher, Illinois Benny Sapp, Iowa Quincy Myles, Louisiana Tech , Mississippi St. Clifton Smith, Syracuse Stuart Schweigert, Purdue Joe Olivo, New Mexico St. , Pittsburgh Eddie Strong, Ole Miss , Oklahoma Shantee Orr, Michigan, E.J. Henderson, Maryland Dontarrious Thomas, Auburn , Colorado , Wake Forest , Michigan , Miami, Fla. Vince Thompson, No. Illinois , UCF , LSU Vic Viloria, SMU , UCLA , Cincinnati Terrell Jones, Miami, Ohio Paul Walkenhorst, BYU , Oregon St. Dennis Quinn, South Carolina LaMarcus McDonald, TCU , Ohio St. Ronyell Whitaker, Virginia Tech Tank Reese, Kansas St. Eddie Moore, Tennessee Eugene Wilson, Illinois , Oklahoma SPECIALISTS KICKER Jason Armstead, Ole Miss Bernard Berrian, Fresno St. John Anderson, Washington Brooks Barnard, Maryland Milt Bowen, Miami Asen Asparuhov, Fresno St. Mike Barr, Rutger , Pittsburgh Steve Azar, Northern Illinois Robert Billings, Mid.Tennessee Domanick Davis, LSU Johnny Beck, Kansas Freddie Capshaw, Miami, Fla. Dominique Dorsey, UNLV Billy Bennett, Georgia , Auburn Nick Dugas, La.-Lafeyette Peter Christofilakos, Illinois Jimmy Edwin, Northern Illinois Drew Dunning, Washington St. Mark Fazzolari, West Virginia LaTarence Dunbar, TCU Damon Duval, Auburn Nate Fikse, UCLA Makonnen Fenton, Temple , Iowa , Ohio St. , Clemson Brian Kelly, Middle Tennessee Preston Gruening, Minnesota Keenan Howry, Oregon Nick Novak, Maryland Curtis Head, Marshall Larry Johnson, Penn St. Luke Manget, Georgia Tech Reggie Hodges, Ball St. Jermaine Mays, Minnesota Seth Marler, Tulane Joey Huber, Colorado St. Luke Powell, Stanford Dan Nystrom, Minnesota , LSU Kelley Rhino, Georgia Tech Luke Phillips, Oklahoma St. Jonathan Kilgo, Georgia Lawrence Richardson, Arkansas , Miami, Fla. , Colorado

Alex Walls, Tennessee Kevin McMyler, Boston College Jamel Riddle, Syracuse Jarvis Wallum, Wyoming Steve Mullins, Utah St. Onterrio Smith, Oregon Carter Warley, Virginia Tech Glenn Pakulak, Kentucky , Texas Seth Marler Jarad Preston, East Carolina , Arizona Mike Shafer, Syracuse K, Tulane KICK RETURNER , Texas Tech Brian Simnjanovski, San Diego , Kentucky Eugene Wilson, Illinois Joe Alls, Bowling Green Jason Simpson, Fresno St. Tony Yelk, Iowa St. Page 6 THE FIFTH DOWN

2002 OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST

The following players are considered the top candi- dates for the 2002 Outland Trophy, which is pre- sented by the Football Writers Association of America to the top interior lineman in college football each season. The winner of the 2002 Outland Trophy will be an- nounced Dec. 12 on the ESPN College Football Awards Show from Orlando, Fla. Three finalists will be selected by the FWAA All-America Committee in late November and will appear on the show. The winner of the 2002 Outland Trophy will receive his trophy during a banquet on Jan.9 in Omaha, Neb.

Bryan Anderson, OG, Pittsburgh Shawn Andrews, OT, Arkansas Ben Archibald, OL, BYU Josh Babin, DT, Western Michigan Tyler Brayton, DT, Colorado Enoch DeMar, OG, Indiana Robbie Doane, OT, Texas Derrick Dockery, OG, Texas Darnell Dockett, DT, Florida State Nat Dorsey, OT, Georgia Tech Jeff Faine, C, Notre Dame Josh Gardner, OT, Cincinnati John Garrison, C, Nebraska Bryant McKinnie of national champion Miami Adam Goldberg, OT, Wyoming (Fla.) won the Outland Trophy in 2001. Brandon Green, DT, Rice Sherko Haji-Rasouli, OG, Miami, Fla. Kwame Harris, OT, Stanford Mark Parenteau, OG, Boston College Tommie Harris, DT, Oklahoma Tony Pashos, OT, Illinois Shalimar Jackson, OT, New Mex. St. Tim Provost, OT, San Jose State Al Johnson, C, Wisconsin Jimond Pugh, C, Memphis Ben Johnson, OT, Wisconsin Tank Reese, DT, Kansas State Cody Johnson, C, Nevada Rex Richards, OG, Texas Tech Garry Johnson, T, Arkansas State Brian Rimpf, OT, East Carolina , DT, Alabama Derrick Roche, OG, Washington St. William Joseph, DT, Miami, Fla. Brett Romberg, C, Miami, Fla. Jimmy Kennedy, DT, Penn State Nick Romeo, C, Syracuse Kenny King, DT, Alabama Mike Saffer, OT, UCLA Dan Klecko, DL, Temple Walter Sampson, NG, La.-Lafayette Dan Koppen, C, Boston College Steve Sciullo, OT, Marshall Rodney Leisle, DT, UCLA Ian Scott, DT, Florida Wayne Lucier, C, Colorado Garrett Smith, DT, Utah Eric Manning, DT, Oregon State Eric Steinbach, OG, Iowa Vince Manuwai, OL, Hawaii Jon Stinchcomb, OL, Georgia Matt Martinez, C, Idaho David Upchurch, NT, West Virginia Nate McPeek, OT, Marshall Matt Walters, DT, Miami, Fla. Rodney Michael, C, Fresno State Ty Warren, DL, Texas A&M Kindall Moorehead, DT, Alabama Brandon Westbrook, OT, Mid. Tenn. Quincy Myles, DL, Louisiana Tech Todd Wike, OG, Maryland Lance Nimmo, OT, West Virginia Brett Williams, OT, Florida State Joe Olivo, NT, New Mexico State THE FIFTH DOWN Page 7

Earl Luebker, former FWAA president Editor’s note: The following is reprinted from the Tacoma After serving in the Army and graduating from the News Tribune. Earl Luebker died on April 13. , Luebker hooked on with the By Dave Boling Tribune in 1949. “I think he was the epitome of his era,”‘ Tacoma News Tribune said Marv Harshman, Hall of Fame coach and longtime As late as Friday afternoon, Earl Luebker was still friend of Luebker. “It was a time when most sportswrit- crafting stories and entertaining his audience. ers were very positive. There were almost no negatives. When old friend and colleague Ted Pearson visited, No matter how bad the team was, he never put you Earl asked to have the head of his hospital bed elevated, down. He always found something good to say about because he wanted to “rise to a higher level of thought.” the kids and how hard they were working.” “That’s Earl,” Pearson said. “He never lost his wit.” Writers and sources were not separated by suspi- Luebker, at age 78, died of leukemia Saturday after- cions and cautious protocol in those days, either, which noon. Harshman appreciated. For 37 years, Luebker was a sportswriter/sports edi- “For me, personally, he was a great friend to travel tor at The News Tribune. with,” he said. “We used to have some good times to- It’s unlikely anybody here has gathered as many pro- gether, going out and eating and socializing. He was fessional accolades, as he was named president of the such an enjoyable person. He was real down-homesy, Football Writers Association of America and also winner being from Oklahoma. He had a lot of great stories.” of the prestigious Jim Murray Award. Always did. Even after his retirement, he would fre- But those who knew him mostly think of Earl much quently visit press boxes and go down the line, from the same way former coach Jack friend to friend, telling tales and sharing scuttlebutt and Patera did when asked Saturday evening: “Earl was just speculation. He enjoyed his mock-gloating that he was a big, friendly guy. He was one of the truly nice people.” no longer one of those still dodging the dangling sword Although Earl didn’t burden the reader with self- of nightly deadlines. indulgent personal asides, readers came to know him But the fact that he visited the press box so often through his purposeful columns. stood as proof of how dearly he still loved the camara- He’d write of pros one day and preps the next; foot- derie of the place and its nearness to the games and to ball, soccer, hoops, boxing, opinion, personality, hu- those who played them. mor ... nostalgia. Asked about his reputation as a speedy producer of It was all delivered in a style that was clear and di- clean copy on deadline, Earl always joked, “You can rect, insightful and wise. He relied on no tricks nor cos- accomplish anything when you’re not too proud.” metic rhetoric to divert the reader from the substance of That was baseless self-deprecation, of course. The his message. man loved the written word and the impact it could have Cynicism was yet to grow popular on sports pages, when appropriately applied. and Earl likewise spared his readers the sanctimony and “It has been said that being a sportswriter is akin to sarcasm that sometimes serve as today’s staple. the priesthood, a vow of poverty must be taken,” he “He knew that sports has its glitches, but he took ‘em, wrote in 1986. “Fortunately, silence and chastity aren’t warts and all,” Pearson said. “He liked to look at the among the vows. brighter side of sports and people appreciated that.” “Sports used to be relatively simple. A game was Perhaps his outlook was brightened by the fact that played. Somebody won. Somebody lost. Now, if a writer he was one of the rare people who actually fully doesn’t understand economics, philosophy, psychology achieves his aspirations. and the law, he’s out of it. The game no longer is the In his farewell column in the summer of 1986, Earl thing.’’ reflected on how his adolescent contemporaries held An appreciation for the direct approach to his profes- dreams that were worlds apart from their dreary reality in sion was best articulated when he outlined his two Depression-era Oklahoma. goals as a writer ... a brief anthem that should be co- “One kid wasn’t all that ambitious; he dreamed only opted by every journalism school in the country. of becoming a sportswriter,” he wrote. They were: To gain the confidence, trust and respect As early as grade school, Earl would swing by the of his news sources. And to write with integrity and in a post office every day to pick up the Daily Oklahoman to style that told what happened in a language sports fans absorb what he hoped would become his craft. Soon, he and non-sports fans could understand. To write for the was serving as a “country correspondent” for the dailies readers, not other writers. in his area, filing reports on the efforts of the Prague Earl Luebker leaves behind his wife, Jill, and daugh- (Okla.) High Red Devils. ter, Anne.