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http://Vvww.thecharlottepost.com c Section ®Eie CJiarlotte ^ost SPORTS THURSDAY, MARCH 30. 2006 SECOND banana’s OK ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO Carolina Panthers receiver Keyshawn Johnson credits fellow receiver Steve Smith with convincing him to sign with the Panthers. Johnson gives Carolina a physical receiver who isn't afraid of blocking - something the Panthers lacked last sea son when Muhsin Muhammad left for Chicago via free agency. Key ingredient Fellow wideout convinced Johnson to sign with Panthers By Paul Nowell WE ASSOCIATED PRESS C arolina receiver Steve Smith might have been the biggest influ ence in persuading Keyshawn Johnson to tiie sign with the Panthers. “He threatened me a cou ple of times to make this d^iadon,” Johnson quipped Friday after signing a four- year contract to play for the Panthers- Johnson, who negotiated the contract himself while his agent serves a one-year suspension, got a $19 million deal that includes a $5 mil lion signing bonus. ‘Was I unreasonable?” he asked general manager Marty Humey “Apparently not!” Hitmey fired back. Johnson becomes the com plement to Smith that the Panthers lacked last season during their run to the NFC championship game. Smith was their only big playmak- er, and teams could clamp down on him to stop Carolina’s offense. Johnson called Smith “the most dominant force in the NFL at wide receiver” and said he was looking forward to lining up next to him. Please see SMITH/2C FILE PHOTO/CURTIS WILSON Heavyweight Calvin Brock of Charlotte is ranked No. 3 in the world by the International Boxing Federation. Brock’s goal: Unify heavyweight division Charlotte contender aims for title bout by end of the year By Herbert L. White herb.wkiie®thecharloneposi/:om Calvin Brock sees himself as more than a rising star in boxing’s heavyweight division. He’s going to be The Man Brock, 28-0 with 22 knockouts, is ranked in the top six in three of the major sanctioning bodies, topping out at third in the International Boxing Federation. He’s look ing for a title opportunity after his June 24 bout against Timor Ibrigamov at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. “Right now, there is no man,” Brock said. “The man is going to be who the public perceives as being the man, and I’m working right now to be perceived as the man with or without a title. I’m the one who’s going to clean it up.” Brock, a Charlotte native and West Charlotte High graduate, is creating some buzz in boxing circles with an imbeaten record. At 31, he’s breaking into the national limelight after a streak of impressive outings. Five yeai^' aft^ earning a spot in the Olympics, his professional ' path of steady improvement is bearing fiuit. He’ll open training camp for Ibrigamov May 7. ‘T’m OK with it because ifs best to move along slowly and win and grasp the public’s attention with me as the See BROCK/2C Davis drives off with Golden Bulls face major basketbaU rebuilding historic first victoiy PHOTO/CURTIS WILSON Guards Maurice Hooper (above) and Jerome Givens provide continuity in Johnson C. Smith’s backcourt, but the Golden Bulls lose their top scorers in center Charles Clark and for ward John Fulton. 3 of top 4 scorers are graduating By Herbert L. White lierb.\vhite&ihechar\onepost£om Johnson C. Smith’s Golden Bulls have a lot of rebuilding to do. Smith won the CIAA West Division and advanced to the Division n tournament with a 23-8 record, but lose three starters, including all-confer ence center Charles Clark and forward John Fulton. Clark led the Bulls in scoring with 18.7 points per game and Fulton was the league’s defensive play er of the year in addition to averaging 13.6 points an out ing. A third starter, guard Prince Parker, was a versatile asset on either end of the floor and reserve center Bobby Bienemee was a defensive pres ence. After playing most of the sea son with j\ist 10 players, losing 40 percent of the roster is a major blow. But Smith will return its backcourt of guards Maiuice Hooper and Jerome Givens as next season’s foun dation. Givens was arguably the most improved player, finally showing the decision making skills of a point guard head coach Steve Joyner envi sioned. Givens averaged 8.6 points and 4.7 assists per game. Hooper followed up a CIAA fiieshman of the year season with a strong sopho more campaign in which he became more of a scorer (12.8 points per game) and better defender. He led the Bulls with 67 steals. But there’ll be major issues to address in the i^ntcourt, where the Bulls don’t have a returning go-to scorer. Center David Sanders showed some promise with 4.9 points per game while connecting on 60.2 percent of his shots. After playing in Clark’s shadow for two seasons, the 6-8 Sanders win have a chance to shine with more playing time. A couple of reserves, Darren Ramsey and Tferry Givens, will also have to improve in ord^ to move up to more min utes. By Herbert L. White herbMhite&ibecharloiiepostcoin 1 didn’t take Marc Davis long to find Victory Lane. In his debut race with the Drive for Diversity program and Joe Gibbs Racing, 15 year-old Davis won the Limited Late Model stock car race at Hickory Motor Speedway Saturday In doing so, he became just the sec ond Afiican-American to win a stock car race at Hickory joining former Gibbs Racing driver Chris Bristol, who won last April. After starting third, Davis took the lead during the final lap and piloted the No. 92 Levi Strauss Signature Chevrolet to victory, making him the first Drive for Diversity driver to win in 2006. “The diversity program is a real source of pride for aU of us at Joe Gibbs Racing,” said J.D. Gibbs, the team’s president- “Thanks to (the late football haU of famer) Reggie White’s vision, our diversity program was the fii^ to be founded and the first to win races. It’s a prov ing ground for young drivers like Marc Davis, and already he’s carrying on the tradition set by our original drivers - Chris Bristol and Aric Almirola. See DAVIS/2C BASEBALL 2006 Bonds ready for record pursuit; is Rocket? By Mike Fitzpatrick WE ASSOCIATED PRESS As Barry Bonds takes aim at The Babe and Hammerin’ Hank, the Houston Astros can only hope for a call fiom Roger Clemens. With opening day right around the comer, nobody is sure what to expect fixim two of baseball’s biggest - and oldest - stars. Bonds is swinging for the home nm record on a cranky right knee, in the cen ter of a steroids scandal. The Rocket hasn’t said if he’ll return to the National League champs, or any other team. That makes it hard to predict what lies ahead this season, though Atlanta is always a safe bet. Led by ace pitcher John Smoltz (another aging stal wart) and enduring manager Bobby Cox, the Braves are seeking their 15th straight division title - and maybe even a playoff victory for a change. First, theyTl have to hold off Carlos Delgado, BiUy Wagnesr Please see EMBATTLED/2C PHOTO/DRIVE FOR DIVERSITY Marc Davis celebrates his first win last week at Hickory Motor Speedway. Davis, 15, is the second African American to ever win at the track. o«o[
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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March 30, 2006, edition 1
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