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htlp:/Avww.thechariottepost.c»m c Section Cliarlotte SPORTS THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2006 INSIDE Ford’s GT is so hot, it blows doors off predecessor. Page 3C Football’s all in the family Former S.C. State star looks to follow father, brother into NFL PHOTOAWADE NASH By Chen's F. Hodges cherB.hodges®fhechar1ofteposf.corn Tferrence Metcalf is not giving up on his dream of playir^ in the NFL. The Carolina Panther hopeful has been close to catching on before. Last year Tampa Bay cut him on the last day of training camp. ‘T got cut after the last preseason game, so I made it down to the wire,” Metcalf said, ‘Tt’s just a matter of being in the ri^t place at the right time.” The place is Carolina and the ri^t time is now, at least in Metcalfs mind. If he makes the Panthers roster, he’d be following in the footsteps of his older brother Eric, who played for Carolina in 1999. “I really want to play” he said. “It’s been my dream since I was a little boy” As the son of former NFL stand out Tbrry Metcalf and having a broth er in the league, football is in family’s blood. Metcalf was a standout wide receiv er at South Carolina State, where he lettered for four years and as a senior led tile Bulldogs with 30 i*eceptions for 724 yards and seven touchdowns. “Coming from a small school you learn that you have to work extra See RECEIVER/2C PHOTOAVADE NASH Senior running back Marco Kirven is one of 14 transfers recruited to Johnson C. Smith. Kirven, who averaged more than 100 yards per game at Division II Southwest Baptist (Neb.) in 2003 has already earned a starting job. ‘Extreme makeover’ From players to schemes, J.C. Smith bears little resemblance to last year's team By Herbert L. White herb.whifeafhechQrtoffeposf.com Johnson C. Smith football was totally forgettable in 2005. Tfen games, 10 losses sums up a season of futility that stretched the school record to 24 straight, the longest streak in NCAA Division II. No won der head coach Daryl McNeill is anxious to get that disaster behind him “It was very finistratii^ for me,” he said. “Basically I could n’t even tell you the score of all the games. That’s how much Fve forgotten about it and put it behind me and moved on.” It starts with a revamping of the entire program. As many as 95 players are expected to par ticipate in preseason drills, the most in recent memory Among them are 14 transfers from junior colleges, Division I-A and Division I-AA programs who’ll push - and in some instances replace — the 14 returning starters. “We’ve got a good group,” McNeill said. ‘We could top out at 90-95 kids, which is just the commitment the university made to the program vrith more scholarships. Hopefully this McNeill will transform into some good wins for us.”. The newcomers will provide competition and depth, some thing long lacking at JCSU. What they aho bring is a new attitude. “Right now, we feel we’ve got some kids that are just better than the kids we had last year,” McNeill said. “Now it’s just a matter of getting them to learn the system.” Experience will be crucial for the Bulk, especially early in the season. With a year in McNeO’s scheme, the holdovers are expected to frnd their stride quickly McNeill said.. See FROM/2C Just 1 way to go Jotmson C. Smith ended the 2005 season near the bottom of the CIAA in almost every meaningful statisti cal category. Below is a sample of Golden Bulls futility in 2005 and where JCSU fit in the 12-team 2004 Olympians vow to do basketball right at Worlds By Brian Mahooey THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Dwayne Wade could have brought up his NBA champi onship rir^ or the MVP hard ware he brou^t home from the finals. In this company though, he knew those would do him no good. At a recent gathering in Chicago, Wade found himself in the presence of Michael Jordan and Gary Payton, a great cham pion and one of the league’s renowned trash talkers. They had something to hold over Wade’s head, and they were all too happy to make sure he knew it. Jordan and Payton both own multiple gold medals. Wade has none. ‘T couldn’t even say nothing,” Wade said. “They’re talking about their gold medals and I just put my head down and listened, because I’ve got to get one first.” So instead of taking the sum mer to relax after leading the Miami Heat to their first NBA title, Wade wiU spend the next month in Asia, trying to help the United States win the world championship. And, in what may have seemed shocking two years ago, so will LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony who shared the mostly miserable ejq^erience with Wade at the 2004 Olympics. Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and Lamar Odom were the other players who agreed to come back to join the national team, but none are available for the world championship in Japan Stoudemire and Marion Please see 2004/30 Hot Tigers attract sellout crowds and scalpers THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DETROIT - Sellout crowds attracted by a Tigers team that keeps buildir^ upon this sea son’s best record in baseball has brought booming business to ticket scalpers, vendors and online sellers. “The atmosphere down here has been absolutely electric,” Tigers spokesman Joel Scott told the Detroit Free Press. ‘We’re paddt^ the park with seniors or kids. And it’s important to get the message out there that we do have tickets available. “Not foxir tickets two rows behind the dugout, but there isn’t a bad seat in the ballpark.” Many fans who have tried to find top tickets or a few seats in a row have been forced to pay premium prices outside the sta dium or online. There has been a 354 percent sui^ in Tigers ticket sales since the beginning of the season at StubHub.com, one of the largest ticket Web sites, spokesman Sean Pate said. Pate said it’s the second- largest increase on the Web site, behind only the Houston Astros, a team that went to the World Series last year. “Everyone’s a new fan sudden ly” he said. “Sales have jumped through the roof ! Tickets are also going for high prices at CraigsHst.oig and eBay and some sellers also attach small items with the tickets to skirt possible violations. It’s ille gal to sell tickets above face value in Michigan. Both Detroit police and the Wayne Coimty sheriff’s depart ment have stepped up enforce ment outside the stadium and will continue to as the playoffs approach, sheriff’s Sgt. Bruce Christnagel said. For Class of 2006, a look back and ahead By Erica Singleton FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST The Charlotte Sting will end the season ahead of where they were last year, but short of where they could’ve been. Yet, on Monday the Sting practice court was filled with cheering and laughter rather than regret. The team hosted a basketball clinic for 60 Special Olympic North Carolina athletes. Amidst all the bouncing balls and clapping for a job wdl done, three players i*emembered back to their own beginnings and looked back at their first season in the WNBA. “It just reminds you of where you started,” said center Tye’sha Fluker, who worked with athletes shooting inside the paint. ‘T wasn’t always good at what I do. I started not being able to make a lay-up...not being able to make a fiee throw. It’s good to be able to come in the gym and teach people the skills other people taught me.” Fluker, along with forward Monique Currie, and guard LaTbya Bond were selected by the Sting in the 2006 WNBA Draft in Apiil. Four months later, Fluker and teammates Monique Currie, LaTbya Bond and Yelena Leuchanka are closing the book on their first season. Leuchanka was on the injured list most of the See STING/2C PHOTO/CURTIS WILSON Charlotte Sting guard Monique Currie aver ages 10 points per game as a rookie. NBA: Hornets home games in New Orleans THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SHANGHAI, China - NBA Commissioner David Stem says he expects the Hornets will play aU of thefr home games in New Orleans by the 2007-2008 season. The team has scheduled just six of their home games for New Orleans in the upcoming season, with the other 35 in Oklahoma City where they temporarily relocated after Hurricane Katrina. Tfeam owner George Shinn expects the team to return home permanently, but said last month he wouldn’t rule out a move elsewhere. However, Stem said a permanent return to New Orleans was the only option at presort. “It win happen,” said Stem, speaking on Simday in Guangzhou, China, where the U.S. 9 see HORNETS./2C 0®Of
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