CITY SPORT TODAY'S PICK WALL OF FAME - SPG honours cricketing heroes - Hindustan Times (New Delhi, India)

MUMBAI, Aug 6 -- IT WAS an occasion to honour the heroes of club cricket in the city. And former Test cricketer Sunil Gavaskar made a celebration of the biggest rivalry of them all while inaugurating the Shivaji Park Gymkhana's Wall of Fame on Sunday.

'This is the biggest win for Dadar Union (DU) that one of their members has been asked to inaugurate the SPG Wall of Fame,' joked Gavaskar, who played for DU and waged many cricketing battles with SPG.

The SPG Wall of Fame has been built at the entrance of the gymkhana and has photos and statistics of their players who have gone on to serve the country. There are 20 Test players, one ODI player and one Test umpire featured on the Wall.

Gavaskar suggested that SPG players Padmakar Shivalkar and Sudhakar Adhikari too should have found a place on the wall, even though they had not represented India.

'Both were as good as any Test player. I feel they deserve the honour and SPG should include them also in the Wall of Fame.' Recalling the days when the club rivalry was at its peak, Gavaskar said that the competition did not create animosity between the players. 'There were many players from the SPG in the Indian team and they were very cordial and helpful to me when we played together.' Former India skipper and SPG player Ajit Wadekar said: 'It is a very emotional moment for me that I have been featured on this wall. The feeling is very special because this club is where my cricketing journey began.

'Unfortunately, nowadays the club rivalry is almost dead because most of the players don't play for club honour but to get into the state team.' 'Also, I find that the younger generation switch their clubs and teams often. I hope this wall will inspire them to be loyal to their clubs.'

Sports Commentator Picks Super Bowl Contenders - NPR Morning Edition

00-00-0000
BOB EDWARDS, Host: The Super Bowl is still 10 days away, but the pro football action this weekend could be just as interesting. The two conference championship games on Sunday decide who plays in the Super Bowl. The San Francisco 49ers travel to Dallas to play the Cowboys for the National Conference title; in Buffalo, the Bills host quarterback Joe Montana and his Kansas City Chief in the American Conference championship game. Commentator and pro football player Tim Green says the Chiefs and Bills better get ready for more brutal weather.

TIM GREEN, Commentator: [on telephone] I was out last weekend doing some goose hunting before the Bills and the Raiders played, and I had mixed feelings because I thought to myself, `Well, it would be great to still be in the mix and be in the playoffs.' On the other hand, I couldn't even imagine what it would be like to have to play a football game in those frigid temperatures. I mean, I was covered from head to toe with just a little bit of space between my hat and my scarf that I could see out of. But, I don't think that the weather is gonna have the effect on Kansas City that it had on the Raiders last week because Kansas City, it's just as cold there, and they're used to playing outdoors on that frozen kind of turf. So I don't think it's gonna be quite the shock as it was for the boys from California, being the Raiders, last weekend.

EDWARDS: Well, these are both comeback teams. Maybe if you tuned in in the last quarter you'll see all the action.

GREEN: That's the truth. I mean, these guys both have put on great shows at the end. And when you look at the Bills, throughout the playoffs they never really panicked. This will be their four straight AFC championship this weekend, and throughout the playoffs they've just kind of had this air about them that, you know, they're always in control, almost like they have this destiny that can't be overturned by anyone else. And last weekend they held that confidence and brought themselves back at the end to win the game.

But I think when you talk about comebacks, I mean, I don't think Bill Clinton is the comeback kid, I think Joe Montana's the comeback kid. I mean, when you look at the way he has pulled things out, I almost get the feeling when I watch him that Joe Montana likes to let the other team get out ahead, you know, just to make it interesting, because he seems to just get this thrill out of having everything on the line, having to operate, you know, like a surgeon or like some kind of magician where he's just gonna pull things out of his hat at the end to win the game. He has done that so well for so many years that I think if I was on the Bills defense, and there was a minute left, and I saw Joe Montana trotting out on to the field, and I knew he was gonna be working down the field against me, I think I'd have this sinking feeling in my stomach, you know, like a gambler whose luck had run out.

EDWARDS: We should see a lot of running maybe in San Francisco and Dallas. You got Emmitt Smith and Ricky Watters.

GREEN: You know, you look at their offenses, both of them, and you just start going down the list. You start with Emmitt Smith for the Cowboys, and Watters for the 49ers, and you say, `Well, they can run, but they can catch too.' And their quarterbacks, you know, Troy Aikman and Steven Young, they can throw the ball, but they can run. The fullbacks, they can run and they can block, and they can catch. The tight ends, they can block like linemen, catch like wide receivers. The wide receivers catch, and then Rice for the 49ers and Irvin for the Dallas Cowboys, they'll run a reverse on you as well.

Then you got their offensive line. They're not only big, they're mean. And they can probably sing and dance as well. I don't think there's anything that these guys can't do. And when you face them defensively, you just have this kind of sense of being overwhelmed.

EDWARDS: Well, crawl out there on that limb. Who do you like?

GREEN: Oh, I like Kansas City and I like Dallas.

EDWARDS: The comments and predictions of Tim Green, a defensive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League, and author of the novel, Ruffians. This is NPR's Morning Edition.

[production credits]

[funding credits]

[music]

[The preceding text has been professionally transcribed. However, in order to meet rigid distribution and transmission deadlines, it has not been proofread against audiotape and cannot, for that reason, be guaranteed as to the accuracy of speakers' words or spelling.]

Fox Sports lullaby spot. (Pick of the Month).(controversial new ad features Mike Tyson)(Brief Article) - Creative Review

FROM CLIFF FREEMAN & PARTNERS, NEW YORK

The knockabout humour of Cliff Freeman's Fox Sports campaigns has won the agency many awards and huge acclaim over the past few years but some of that lustre looks to have been dulled by a recent spot featuring former heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson. In the film, Tyson is seen cradling and singing a lullaby to a baby. John Kruk, presenter of Fox Sports' Best Damn Sports Show Period, then enters the bedroom with his wife: they are off out for the evening, Tyson is their babysitter. Cue endline to the effect that athletes will do anything to get on Kruk's show. The spot caused a huge, media-led, outcry in the US, so much so that Fox pulled it only three days after it aired. 'Using Tyson in this way was perhaps more provocative than anticipated,' a Fox spokesman was reported to have said. But, given Tyson's current status as bogeyman supreme, what on earth were they expecting? Written by Rob Carducci and Dan Kelleher. Directed by Hughes Brothers, Oil Factory, Hollywood

WESTLAKE'S TWO-SPORT STAR PICKS UP TOP AWARD.(NEWS) - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Daily News Staff Writer

Westlake High School's Steve Aylsworth is known for his style - whether making acrobatic catches on the football field or fancy passes on the basketball court, he gets things done with a flair.

Aylsworth knows how to go out in style, as well. The graduating senior was honored as the Ventura County High School Male Athlete of the Year on Saturday at the County Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at the Doubletree Hotel in Ventura.

The Female High School Athlete of the Year was Thousand Oaks High School's Kim Mortensen, whose distance running accomplishments this year were the best in the country. Mortensen is headed to UCLA next fall.

In college athletics, California Lutheran University's Mark Ellis was selected the Male Athlete of the Year. The junior from Camarillo won the NCAA Division III singles title this year and completed his season with a 33-0 record. The Female Athlete of the Year went to Ventura College basketball standout Marina Torres.

For Aylsworth, the award caps a brilliant four-year run at Westlake High School.

``It was really a nice surprise,'' said Aylsworth, who will attend Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., next year. ``It's like the ending mark for me, and it's a great way to end my high school career.

``It's probably the last award I'll get for what I've done in high school, but it's definitely the best one. Now I just hope to go on from here and do my best in college.''

Aylsworth, whom many consider one of the best athletes to come from the area in quite some time, was a two-sport star for the Warriors during a stellar four years.

In football, he was selected to the All-Southern Section team two years, and in basketball he made the All-Southern Section team a school-record three straight years.

His best sport? That's hard to say since he dominated equally in both.

Last season in football he started the year at quarterback, then moved to wide receiver after four games. At that position, he was better able to use his outstanding athletic ability. The Warriors, who finished in third place in the Marmonte League, turned it up a notch in the playoffs and advanced all the way to the Southern Section Division III semifinals, where they were beaten by cross-town rival Newbury Park.

Just a few days after that loss, Aylsworth was starring for Westlake's basketball team, which eventually won the Marmonte League championship for the second straight year. Incidentally, the two league titles were the first in school history. Aylsworth was a big factor in both championships.

He figures to step right in at Lehigh University, where he hopes to contribute right away on the football team as a slot back and punt returner. He should also get plenty of time at point guard as a freshman.

``I'll get an opportunity to play early, and that's a big reason I decided to go there,'' said Aylsworth, whose older brother Bob and father both attended Lehigh.

His brother was Lehigh's starting quarterback last year but has since graduated. That shouldn't affect Aylsworth's chances of touching the ball often, though. Lehigh threw the ball about 40 times a game last year.

``They've got a pro prospect coming back at running back,'' Aylsworth said. ``So they might run the ball a little more. But they still like to throw the ball and I'm looking forward to that.''

Aylsworth will leave for Lehigh sometime in early August. Between now and then he'd like to add more weight and get stronger. He's been working out in the weight room five days a week recently and added 10 pounds already.

WESTLAKE'S TWO-SPORT STAR PICKS UP TOP AWARD - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Westlake High School's Steve Aylsworth is known for his style -whether making acrobatic catches on the football field or fancypasses on the basketball court, he gets things done with a flair.

Aylsworth knows how to go out in style, as well. The graduatingsenior was honored as the Ventura County High School Male Athlete ofthe Year on Saturday at the County Sports Hall of Fame ceremony atthe Doubletree Hotel in Ventura.

The Female High School Athlete of the Year was Thousand OaksHigh School's Kim Mortensen, whose distance running accomplishmentsthis year were the best in the country. Mortensen is headed to UCLAnext fall.

In college athletics, California Lutheran University's MarkEllis was selected the Male Athlete of the Year. The junior fromCamarillo won the NCAA Division III singles title this year andcompleted his season with a 33-0 record. The Female Athlete of theYear went to Ventura College basketball standout Marina Torres.

For Aylsworth, the award caps a brilliant four-year run atWestlake High School.

'It was really a nice surprise,' said Aylsworth, who will attendLehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., next year. 'It's like theending mark for me, and it's a great way to end my high schoolcareer.

'It's probably the last award I'll get for what I've done inhigh school, but it's definitely the best one. Now I just hope to goon from here and do my best in college.'

Aylsworth, whom many consider one of the best athletes to comefrom the area in quite some time, was a two-sport star for theWarriors during a stellar four years.

In football, he was selected to the All-Southern Section teamtwo years, and in basketball he made the All-Southern Section team aschool-record three straight years.

His best sport? That's hard to say since he dominated equallyin both.

Last season in football he started the year at quarterback, thenmoved to wide receiver after four games. At that position, he wasbetter able to use his outstanding athletic ability. The Warriors,who finished in third place in the Marmonte League, turned it up anotch in the playoffs and advanced all the way to the SouthernSection Division III semifinals, where they were beaten by cross-townrival Newbury Park.

Just a few days after that loss, Aylsworth was starring forWestlake's basketball team, which eventually won the Marmonte Leaguechampionship for the second straight year. Incidentally, the twoleague titles were the first in school history. Aylsworth was a bigfactor in both championships.

He figures to step right in at Lehigh University, where he hopesto contribute right away on the football team as a slot back and puntreturner. He should also get plenty of time at point guard as afreshman.

'I'll get an opportunity to play early, and that's a big reasonI decided to go there,' said Aylsworth, whose older brother Bob andfather both attended Lehigh.

His brother was Lehigh's starting quarterback last year but hassince graduated. That shouldn't affect Aylsworth's chances oftouching the ball often, though. Lehigh threw the ball about 40times a game last year.

'They've got a pro prospect coming back at running back,'Aylsworth said. 'So they might run the ball a little more. But theystill like to throw the ball and I'm looking forward to that.'

Aylsworth will leave for Lehigh sometime in early August.Between now and then he'd like to add more weight and get stronger.He's been working out in the weight room five days a week recentlyand added 10 pounds already.

Edwards proves pundits wrong; Sports media pick driver for first; he finishes last.(Sports) - Albany Times Union (Albany, NY)

Byline: JAY HART The (Allentown, Pa.) Morning Call

Carl Edwards, the driver Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News and ESPN The Magazine picked to win this year's title, finished dead last, but he wasn't the only big name to run into trouble.

Jeff Gordon (26th), Greg Biffle (31st) and Kurt Busch (38th) all found trouble in a race with 11 cautions.

'Guys just started getting anxious out there,' said Gordon, who won this race a year ago. 'I was a little bit anxious out there. I feel our deal could have been avoided - a lot of them could have been avoided.'

Edwards got the worst of it. His day ended on Lap 79 after Jeff Green got turned around. Kyle Petty slowed to avoid the wreck when Edwards slammed in the back of Petty.

'I should have been more worried about stopping my car than people from behind running into me, and I ended up being that guy that got Kyle,' said Edwards, who won four races last year, his first full season of Nextel Cup racing.

Gordon's day turned long when he traded paint with Tony Stewart less than 50 laps into the race.

-6

Some cheaters suffer: Last week, post-qualifying inspections found the No. 96 car to have an unapproved modification to the carburetor, thus disqualifying Terry Labonte's qualifying time. When asked about the incident, Troy Aikman, who along with Roger Staubach, owns the No. 96 car, said, 'There's a part of me that feels like we've caught up to this sport pretty quickly.'

Labonte, who qualified for the race as a past champion, finished 17th.

-6

Rookies' year: Clint Bowyer finished tops among the seven rookies in the field. Boyer wound up sixth. Martin Truex Jr. was next-best at 16th.

-6

Help for driver: Kirk Shelmerdine, who crew-chiefed for the late Dale Earnhardt in the 1980s, is a one-man team with no sponsor, no pit crew and no money for tires. He didn't find a sponsor, but he did find a pit crew and received a donation for the tires from a random family in the infield.

Earnhardt's former boss, Richard Childress, flew Shelmerdine's son, who had never been to Daytona, on his private plane. In turn, Shelmerdine put Childress Vineyard on the hood of his car.

Shelmerdine not only finished on the lead lap, but wound up 20th.

'We couldn't keep up with the other cars, but I guess we beat all the wrecked ones,' he said.

-6

Celebs in the house: Bon Jovi performed a three-song concert prior to the race. They were joined on stage by Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland. Fergie from the Blackeyed Peas sang the national anthem. Others celebrity sightings included Roger Clemens, Kid Rock in a Tony Stewart jersey, snowboarding gold medalist Hannah Teter and silver medalist Gretchen Bleiler, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez, Chipper Jones and Marcus Giles of the Atlanta Braves and actor James Caan, the Grand Marshal.

CAPTION(S):

PHOTO

Unlike pro sports franchises, hunters pick up most of their tab.(SPORTS) - Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)

A few weeks ago, you might recall, I jumped atop my Sunday newspaper soapbox and gnashed and gnawed over the increasing prices of non-resident hunting licenses compared with the fees a resident pays for the same privilege.

In case you forgot, the most outrageous case of fee-gouging is found in Montana, where a resident is guaranteed an elk hunting license for $16 while the same guarantee costs a non-resident a tidy $835.

My only reason for repeating this nauseous example of legalized tourist mugging is that the scenario has overtones to Minnesota's Great Stadium Debate of 1997.

Consider: In Minnesota, the Twins want the Legislature to finance a stadium while in Montana the Legislature wants the non-resident to finance the state's Fish and Wildlife Department.

As we're experiencing, this idea of having other publics pay the tab isn't exactly stable public policy. Minnesota might lose its Twins if the public says no stadium deal; Montana could lose its elk program if non-residents quit buying licenses.

Frankly, and I'll be honest, I'm not as concerned about losing a baseball team as I am about losing elk.

Let's switch a few words. What if it was Minnesota hunters (instead of the Twins) asking the Legislature for $250 million for wildlife habitat (instead of a stadium)?

Imagine the debate: Pay for your own wildlife habitat, we don't hunt! All hunters want are more targets! Rich hunters should buy their own habitat. There's enough wildlife weeds; we need more golf courses!

My only reason for creating this preposterous debate is to remind us that the policy of user-fees isn't so bad. America's wildlife achievements, which are the best in the world, are founded in the user-fee system. Most Americans don't know it but the abundance of wildlife all of us are enjoying these days hasn't cost the taxpayers much more than a dime.

Who picks up the wildlife tab? Hunters, mostly.

In state after state, wildlife programs are funded largely by dollars collected from licenses and taxes for hunters and anglers.

At the same token, most Americans say they want more wildlife but only pennies of general tax revenues are spent on critters.

In other words, it's a good thing hunters pay or there would be fewer critters.

Yet, this successful user-pay system is threatened and endangered today.

There are fewer hunters, which means fewer license sales.

Programs to introduce young people to hunting are inadequate or non-existent.

Wildlife agencies, including Minnesota's DNR, seem to be disinterested in bolstering the ranks of licensees. A case in point, the growing shortage of rifle ranges in the metro area. Every ethical deer hunter knows it's important to pre-check a firearm's accuracy. Are there any DNR shooting ranges to encourage hunter responsibility and attract new hunters? Nope. Just talk, no gunfire.

There's also a growing shortage of firearm safety courses. Why? Volunteer instructors no longer are able to use public school facilities to teach hunter firearm safety because Congress passed a law: No firearms in schools.

Just another gun control law with a lousy aim.

But these are not the greatest of threats to state wildlife budgets. There are others: Loss of private hunting land, animal rights protests, single-parent families and spreading urbanization are slowly changing wildlife economics.