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News Nuggets, 01.09.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Losman, Rivers among pass-happy QB's in Senior Bowl

MOBILE — Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning turned down an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl, but the college all-star game still features six prolific passers.

Manning, a Heisman Trophy finalist and the Maxwell Award winner as the nation's best all-around player, and Miami of Ohio junior Ben Roethlisberger are expected to be the top quarterbacks taken.

The roster for the Jan. 24 game does include the alltime or single-season passing leaders at five schools and the Pac-10 Conference's single-season record holder, Cody Pickett of Washington.

North Carolina State's Phillip Rivers, the nation's top-rated passer, is joined on the South squad by Tulane's J.P. Losman and Virginia's Matt Schaub. The North will be led by Pickett, Michigan's John Navarre and Bowling Green's Josh Harris.

Pickett passed for a Pac-10 record 4,458 yards last season.

Houston AD fingers Hawaii for donnybrook

HONOLULU — The brawl at the end of last month's Hawaii Bowl was "no doubt" sparked by Hawaii players, Houston athletic director Dave Maggard said Thursday.

"There is still a lot of speculation, but there is no doubt in my mind, based upon what I viewed on the sideline, how it started," Maggard told The Honolulu Advertiser. "Now, the retaliation should not have occurred, but I do know how it started.

"I think when you have more than one player rush out on the field, put an obscene gesture in the face of some of our players and, then, another player slap one of our players on the back of the head, that is a very difficult thing to walk away from."

Houston, Hawaii and their respective conference are continuing to review tapes of the nasty fight, which broke out on the field just seconds after the Warriors (9-5) sealed a wild 54-48 triple-overtime victory over the Cougars (7-6) on Christmas Day.

For several minutes, players swung helmets, wrestled with each other and threw punches and kicks before the fight was broken up by coaches, security personnel and police. No major injuries were reported.

University of Hawaii President Evan Dobelle said he was "surprised and taken aback" by any comments being made now. Dobelle said it was his understanding that both schools, in conjunction with the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA, would issue a joint ruling.

"My comment would be I'm surprised by anything other than something jointly decided by the institutions, the WAC and Conference USA," Dobelle said.

Maggard told the newspaper that game management and security at Aloha Stadium were weak. The free-for-all was the second one in as many years involving Hawaii and a Conference USA opponent at the stadium. Players from both teams charged onto the field and had to be separated by police after scuffling for about five minutes following Hawaii's 20-19 comeback victory over Cincinnati on Nov. 24, 2002.

"Hawaii has to lose the image of wanting to engage in a street fight following the game, otherwise it was a wonderful experience for us and we have no regrets," Maggard said.

Tulane cracks Top Ten in preseason baseball poll

NEW ORLEANS — Tulane claimed its second 2004 preseason baseball ranking when it was tabbed No. 10 by Baseball America in its inaugural poll released this week. Last month, the Green Wave, which went 44-19 and advanced to its sixth consecutive NCAA Regional appearance in 2003, was ranked 13th by Collegiate Baseball.

Tulane returns a wealth of talent, including 10 pitchers that accounted for 43 of 44 wins and all 14 saves from a year ago and six position starters. Seniors Cory Hahn and Joey Charron highlight the list of returning hurlers, and are joined by sophomores Brian Bogusevic, J.R. Crowel, Matt Goebel, Brandon Gomes, Tyler Kimmons, Ryan Martin and Billy Mohl.

Position wise, the Wave returns eight letterwinners, including six starters. Highlighting the list of position players is senior catcher Brian Bormaster and sophomore outfielder/pitcher Brian Bogusevic.

Tulane will have to replace three of its top four hitters from 2003 — Michael Aubrey, Jonny Kaplan and Tony Giarratano — as the trio have all gone on to play professional baseball, but the team is not without an infusion of new talent to compensate for the losses.

Heading the list of newcomers is a pair of Baseball America High School All-Americans — first baseman Mark Hamilton and middle infielder Philip Stringer. Also joining the team in 2004 are three Division I transfers — Matt Barkett and Greg Dini from Miami (Fla.), and Jason Pyle from Arkansas. Other first-year players are junior college all-star Joe Holland of Blinn College and freshmen Grayden Greiner, Daniel Latham, Rustin Rebowe, Will Rice and Chris Worster.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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