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WEEK OF AUGUST 9-16, 2006
VOLUME 03, EDITION 10
IT’S YOUR FANTASY Page 6
Or not... Page 9
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Cover page art from www.arttoday. com. Page 6 photos from ESPN.com.
NEWS
Week of AUGUSt 9-16, 2006
GROUNDBREAKING
Type of Event: Youth Programs Starts: 6/26/2006 9 a.m. Ends: 8/4/2006 5 p.m.
News Editor
Titan Youth Sports Camp is an all-day camp that offers various sports-related activitites to children from kindergarten to 8th grade. Camp runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended care options from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Campers can also register for morning or afternoon sessions only. Six one-week sessions available. For more information, call 714-278-PLAY.
Julie Anne Ines
jines@dailytitan.com Asst. News Editors
Adam Levy
alevy@dailytitan.com Sports Editor
Laurens Ong
long@dailytitan.com Photo Editor
Drawing and Painting
Songha Lee
slee@dailytitan.com
Kevin Rogers
krogers@dailytitan.com
Joe Simmons
Michael Ocampo Internet Editor
Grant Paulis
webmaster@dailytitan.com
Stephen Weissbart/CSUF Public Relations
Associated Students Inc. President Heather Williams, left, and Anna Santos, summer chair of the Titan Student Union board, were all smiles during the July 20 groundbreaking ceremony for the Student Recreation Center. University President Milton A. Gordon, right, gives the thumbs up sign. The 95,000square-foot facility, slated for completion in 2008, will feature weigh-training, cardio-fitness and group exercise facilities, as well as an indoor jogging track, racquetball and sports courts, climbing wall and outdoor leisure/lap swimming pool, administrative offices and locker/shower rooms.
Faculty Adviser
Tom Clanin
Director of Advertising
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rlsage@fullerton.edu The Summer Titan is a student publication, printed every Wednesday from June 8 through Aug 17. The Summer Titan is a subsidiary of the Daily Titan, which operates independently of Associated Students, Inc., College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU system. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in The Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free.. Copyright 2006 Daily Titan
Type of Event: Youth Programs Starts: 7/31/2006 9 a.m. Ends: 8/4/2006 11 p.m. This multimedia class for 8 to 12 year olds will focus on drawing and painting techniques, allowing students to develop their artistic skills while enjoying a safe, fun environment on a university campus. Cost is $160. For more information, call 714-278-2796 or 714-2785836.
NEWS IN BRIEF
tclanin@fullerton.edu
ADVERTISING Fax: 714.278.2702 advertising@dailytitan.com
Type of Event: Youth Programs Starts: 6/19/2006 9 a.m. Ends: 8/11/2006 7 p.m.
Titan Youth Sports Camp
Main Line: 714.278.3373 E DI TOR IA L Fax: 714.278.4473 news@dailytitan.com
jsimmons@dailytitan.com
Week of Aug. 9-16, 2006
Learn to Swim camp
Open to all swimmers from beginner to experienced, Learn to Swim is a water safety and group swim instruction program for children six months old and up. There are four two-week sessions Monday through Friday or one eightweek session on Saturday. For more information, call 714-278-PLAY.
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University News
New ASI Events Calendar
ASI has released its Fall 2006 calendar of events. The calendar includes information on ASI scholarships, elections, productions and Rec Sports and TSU programs. Calendars are free and can be found at the Information and Services desk at the TSU and in the Pollak Library. For more information, contact Ashley McKell at (714) 278-5869.
Learning Center Opens
Cal State Fullerton will be opening its Irvine Campus Community Learning and Literacy Center to the public Wednesday, Aug. 16 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The center is in the Irvine Campus’ newly leased Building 65, the second building for the campus.
Concernt Under the Stars
Performances of Richard Rodgers’ most famous songs will accompany fireworks and casual dining at Cal State Fullerton’s Concert Under the Stars Friday, Sept. 15, at 7:45 p.m. Dining begins at 6 p.m. Catered dinners can be ordered until Friday, Sept. 8, from the University Catering Service at (714) 278-4124. Table seating will cost $18 per person, and reservations for table seating can be made by calling Judy Byrnes at (714) 278-3456 or through e-mail at jbyrnes@fullerton.edu. Reservations can be made until Friday, Aug. 25. Lawn seating is free, and attendees may bring blankets or lawn chairs. The concert will be held at the lawn north of the Titan Gymnasium on CSUF campus.
Free Public Classes
Free lectures, open to the public, will be held at Cal State Fullerton covering a variety of topics, including California politics, news reporting, the Orange County Great Park, perspectives on heaven and Pacific pinnipeds. The “Perspectives on Politics” lectures will be on alternate Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon beginning Sept. 14. “The Ocean Around Us” series will be on alternate Tuesdays from 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. starting Sept. 18. The “Eclectic Series” will be on alternate Tuesdays from 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. starting Sept. 21. The lectures are sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. For more information, contact the institute at (714) 278-2446 or visit CSUF’s Web site: www.fullerton.edu.
Registration Ending Soon
Open registration begins today, Aug. 9 and extends to Monday, Aug. 14, for some students based on class level. There will be no registration on the weekend. Open registration for everyone begins on Tuesday, Aug. 15. The last day to register without paying a $25 late fee is Friday, Aug. 18. Class begins on Saturday, Aug. 19. Students will be able to add or drop classes on TITANOnline from Saturday, Aug. 19 through Sunday, Aug. 27. After that date, students must generally have department-issued permits to drop or add classes. Tuesday, Sept. 5, is the last day to add any classes or to drop classes without a “W” mark.
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NEWS
‘Idol’ Hopefuls Swarm Pasadena The Associated Press
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - Thousands of “American Idol” hopefuls showed up at the Rose Bowl Tuesday with wide-eyed dreams of becoming the next Taylor Hicks or Carrie Underwood. The competitors had “American Idol” fame, not football, in mind. Pasadena was the first of seven cities where producers of Fox TV’s talent show planned auditions. Roads leading to the Rose Bowl were clogged as auditioners hurried to meet the deadline to line up. Outside the stadium, early arrivals gathered, some huddled under blankets, some wearing headphones and silently mouthing lyrics. Others did last-minute makeup checks. Patrick Lynn, a coordinating producer for the show, said the turnout was larger than anticipated. The generally subdued early morning crowd roused itself occasionally, once when sample breath mints were tossed into the crowd and other times when TV news crews went on the air. Before stadium doors opened, a woman with a guitar got into a jam session with some hopefuls and others snapped photos of the impromptu session. After waiting all night and standing in lines for hours, most contestants got less than a minute to sing a few bars and then, in most cases, got the boot. Michael Taylor, 21, of El Monte, who works at a customer call service center, was among those quickly dismissed from the tryouts. Fox publicity representatives were more sensitive, saying he “was not moving forward.” “This is just a stepping stone for me and I’m looking past it,” said Taylor, who asked an observer if he could sing a few notes to demonstrate his talent. The elimination process was surprisingly quick, said Ryan Duitch, 17, of Los Angeles. Those auditioning stepped forward four at a time. Each had about 20 seconds to showcase his or her talent to three Idol staffers. “Not what we’re looking for,” Duitch said he and others were told. But he, like other contestants, said this wouldn’t stop them from pursuing their passion. “Now we take him out to lunch and tell him how wonderful he is,” said the teenager’s girlfriend, Faith Altman.
Some contestants got what they came for. Carrie Jo, 24, of Louisville, Ky., said she moved to Los Angeles recently to pursue her dreams of being a singer and dancer. On Monday night, she was pulling her regular shift as a waitress at Monty’s, a Los Angeles restaurant. At work, bartenders made pseudo-matching registration wrist bands and had her sign them as a gesture of good luck. Hours later, she and her mother, Dottie Hubrich, also of Louisville, were camped out at the Rose Bowl to be among the first in line at the Rose Bowl. Carrie Jo said she was the first one to be passed through to the next round, which is scheduled next month. “Idol” is “an amazing open door and an amazing opportunity,” she said. Fox prohibited the media from going inside to watch the auditions. Ken Fitzgerald, 27, of Cupertino was making his second try at getting past screeners. In season three, he made it as far as the on-air judges,
AugUST 9-16, 2006
where Simon Cowell said he would make a brilliant car salesman and he was dismissed. This time, Fitzgerald said he planned to “give them a different taste” of his singing talents, choosing an alternative-rock song instead of a pop tune. Asked if he was daunted by past experience or the crowd, Fitzgerald said: “This is about fun. Everybody’s going to remember this for the rest of their lives.” “American Idol” has demonstrated its prowess as a starmaker by turning unknowns into overnight sensations with awards and hit records. As the top-rated TV show last season, it shattered expectations that it couldn’t sustain its popularity. Upcoming auditions for singers: Alamodome, San Antonio, Friday; Continental Air Arena, East Rutherford, N.J., Aug. 14; Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, Ala., Aug. 21; FedExForum, Memphis, Tenn., Sept. 3; Target Center, Minneapolis, Sept. 8; Key Arena, Seattle, Sept. 19.
Stabbing at Local Pub
By Julie Anne Ines Summer Titan News Editor
A stabbing that occurred at the OffCampus Pub late Saturday night began as being “simply about grammar,” said Sgt. Linda King of the Fullerton Police Department. King said that the two men involved, both in their 20s, were patrons of the pub. While at the club, the two men got into a verbal argument, and the suspect, a 22 year old who had initiated the confrontation, was thrown out by pub security. When the 23-year-old victim, his brother and a female exited the club 15 minutes later, the 22 year old was still outside and waiting by his car. The fight restarted in the parking lot, escalating from an exchange of words to blows and, finally, the stabbing of the 23 year old, King said. A Cal State Fullerton Police Department officer was the first to respond to the scene. He arrived to find the stabbing suspect on the ground of the parking
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lot being handcuffed by pub security guards, according to his report. The victim was lying on his stomach, covered in blood, in the middle of the parking lot and being taken care of by his brother. Not far away from the victim in the same parking row was a silver folding knife with a three- to four-inch blade with blood on it, according to the report. The victim’s brother told the CSUF officer that the suspect was “f---ing” with them in the bar. The victim told him that when he walked out of the bar and before he was stabbed, the suspect had asked him if he was armed. The victim then told the suspect “no” then hit the suspect in the mouth. Paramedics had then arrived. The suspect was treated for minor abrasions and bruises at a local hospital, released and then booked into the Fullerton city jail. The victim suffered multiple stab wounds to his torso and is being held at a local hospital with serious injuries, King said.
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NEWS
AugUSt 9-16, 2006
Israeli Offensive Continues as Peace Talks Falter By Zeina Karam Associated Press
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Israeli airstrikes killed 13 people in one southern Lebanon town Tuesday as diplomats at the United Nations struggled to keep a peace plan from collapsing over Arab demands for an immediate Israeli withdrawal. Military planners in Jerusalem said they will push even deeper into Lebanon to target rocket sites. Israel declared a no-drive zone in the entire region south of Lebanon’s Litani River 20 miles from the border, warning residents that any vehicle on the roads would be destroyed on the assumption it was carrying Hezbollah rockets or supplies. The order left the streets of the region’s main city Tyre empty and civilians in villages across the south unable to flee. Attempts to draw a cease-fire blueprint came down to a test between a step-by-step proposal backed by Washington and Lebanon’s insistence – supported by Arab allies – that nothing can happen before Israeli soldiers
leave. In New York, Arab envoys and U.N. Security Council members tried to hammer out a compromise. Lebanon put its offers on the table: pledging up to 15,000 troops to a possible peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon and saying Hezbollah’s days of running a state within a state would end. The military plan had added significance since it was backed by the two Hezbollah members on Lebanon’s Cabinet, apparently showing a willingness for a lasting pact by the Islamic militants and their main sponsors, Iran and Syria. Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora on Tuesday praised Hezbollah’s resistance, but said it was time for Lebanon to “impose its full control, authority and presence” over the warweary country. “There will be no authority, no one in command, no weapons other than those of the Lebanese state,” he said on Al-Arabiya television. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the proposed Lebanese troop deployment interesting, and said Israel would favor pulling out once it decides Hezbollah is no longer a direct threat. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the Lebanese forces “would need to be supported by international forces.” He added, “It certainly is a significant proposal.” In the rocky hills of southern Leba-
non, ground fighting continued in attempts to control key villages and territory near the border, including sites used for Hezbollah rocket barrages that have reached deep into Israel in the heaviest Arab-Israeli battles in 24 years. At least 145 Hezbollah rockets hit northern Israel by midafternoon. Israeli artillery and airstrikes pounded a broad swath of southern Lebanon from the Mediterranean coast to inland valleys, including many areas in the Hezbollah heartland now under a blanket curfew imposed by Israel to try to choke off arms routes. Israeli warplanes hit buildings in Ghaziyeh, a Shiite town southeast of Sidon, killing 13 people inside just minutes after a funeral procession of 1,500 in nearby streets, hospital officials said. Another 18 people were wounded. The funeral was for 15 people killed in airstrikes Monday that flattened three buildings. Earlier, rescuers said they retrieved one body after an airstrike in Rzoum, northeast of Tyre. Some of the fiercest skirmishes broke out around the village of Bint Jbail, a Hezbollah stronghold that Israeli has tried to capture for weeks. An Israeli solider and 25 Hezbollah guerrillas were killed, the Israeli military
said. Hezbollah TV also reported predawn attacks on Israeli forces near the Mediterranean town of Naqoura, about 2 1/2 miles north of the border. The Israeli military said two reserve soldiers were killed in the area. The latest casualties brought the number of people killed in Lebanon to at least 684, while the Israeli death toll was 100. In a southern suburb of Beirut, workers pulled 20 bodies from the rubble of two buildings hit by a rocket on Monday, raising the death toll from that strike to 30. That attack came just hours after Arab League foreign ministers wrapped up a crisis meeting that threw their full diplomatic weight behind Lebanon. The meeting set the baseline demand for the Security Council: a full Israeli withdrawal or no peace deal is possible. The message was given in an emotional address by Saniora and carried to the U.N. by Arab League envoys. Saniora’s government voted unanimously to send 15,000 troops to stand between Israel and Hezbollah should a cease-fire take hold and Israeli forces withdraw. The move was an attempt to show that Lebanon has the will and ability to assert control over its south, where Hezbollah rules with near autonomy
and is bolstered by channels of aid and weapons from Iran and Syria. Lebanon has avoided any attempt to implement a two-year-old U.N. resolution calling for the disarmament of Hezbollah, fearing it could touch off civil unrest. The coming days should offer signs on whether a cease-fire plan has a chance. The original proposal, drafted by the United States and France, demanded a “full cessation of hostilities” on both sides and a buffer zone patrolled by Lebanese forces and U.N. troops. But the plan did not specifically call for an Israeli withdrawal. Critics said it would give room for Israeli defensive operations. French U.N. Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere promised to take Lebanon’s stance into account. But he did not say whether France was prepared to add such language to the text. French President Jacques Chirac will interrupt his vacation to hold urgent talks Wednesday with his prime minister, defense minister and foreign minister, his office said. Washington and Paris were expected to circulate a new draft in response to amendments proposed by Qatar,
SEE LEBANON = PAGE 5
NEWS 5 More Dead as Baghdad Violence Continues www.dailytitan.com
By Sameer N. Yacoub Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - At least 20 people were killed Tuesday in a string of bombings in the center of Baghdad, as more American soldiers patrolled the streets of the capital in a make-orbreak bid to quell sectarian violence. Nearly 60 people were wounded in the blasts, police said. The explosions began when three bombs went off simultaneously near the Interior Ministry in central Baghdad, killing 10 people and wounding eight, police Lt. Bilal Ali Majid said. Two more bombs ripped through the main Shurja market, also in central Baghdad, killing another 10 civilians and wounding 50, police Lt. Mohammed Kheyoun said. At least 13 other people were killed or found dead Tuesday, most in the Baghdad area, where tension between Sunnis and Shiites runs the highest. The violence underscores the se-
LEBANON FROM PAGE 4 the only Arab nation on the 15-nation Security Council, and other members, diplomats said. A vote is not expected before Wednesday. The proposed changes include a call for Israeli forces to pull out of Lebanon once the fighting stops and hand over their positions to U.N. peacekeepers. Arab states also want U.N. forces to take control of the disputed Chebaa
Week of AugUSt 9-16, 2006
curity crisis facing Baghdad, which prompted American commanders to send more U.S. soldiers to the capital in a renewed bid to curb the surge of sectarian killings and kidnappings. U.S. officials have released few details of the new campaign, citing security reasons for their secrecy. However, more heavily armed American soldiers were seen Tuesday on the streets of Ghazaliyah, one of the neighborhoods targeted in the first stage of the stabilization effort. Troops were seen patrolling in vehicles and on foot, hoping to assure residents of the mostly Sunni neighborhood that they will be protected from criminals and sectarian death squads. “The general priorities are to bring stability to the key neighborhoods where there is sectarian fighting,” the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., told reporters in Tikrit. “You’ll see us starting there and then gradually expanding across the rest of the city.”
Much of the violence has been blamed on sectarian militias that have stepped up a campaign of tit-for-tat killings since the Feb. 22 bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad. Many of the militias are linked to political parties that are part of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s national unity government, and they are reluctant to disband their armed wings unless others do the same. The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, said there was talk under way among various Sunni and Shiite groups to reach agreements and sign pledges to end sectarian fighting. “There’s more that needs to be done,” Khalilzad told reporters. “There’s a need for practical steps to move forward... I think they’re heading in the right direction and this is the right government ... to tackle this issue of sectarian fighting.” Both Khalilzad and Casey were in Tikrit to attend ceremonies marking
the formal transfer of security responsibility from the 101st Airborne Division to the Iraqi army across a wide area of northern Iraq. U.S. officials emphasized the transfer of authority was on schedule despite the security crisis in Baghdad. Nevertheless, the ambassador warned that if the violence cannot be curbed in the Baghdad area, Iraq “might be in a much more difficult situation” in the coming months. He said al-Maliki understands the threat and “he’s determined to succeed.” However, differences have emerged between U.S. and Iraqi officials on tactics. The prime minister, who is a Shiite, strongly criticized a U.S.-Iraqi raid early Monday on Baghdad’s Sadr City district, stronghold of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army militia. Al-Maliki complained that the raid used excessive force, and President Jalal Talabani, a Sunni Kurd, warned the Americans it was in “no one’s in-
terest” to provoke a showdown with al-Sadr. For his part, al-Sadr urged his followers to purge their ranks of “all elements that defame the Mahdi Army” and called on his supporters to denounce kidnappings and the “killing of innocent people.” But such declarations alone will do little to curb the violence, much of which is believed to be carried out by criminal gangs and freelance gunmen settling personal scores. On Tuesday, gunmen in two cars stormed a bank in the Azamiyah district of Baghdad, killing three bank employees before fleeing with the equivalent of $5,500, according to the Iraqi Defense Ministry.
Farms area, which Israel seized in 1967. Saniora asked for Israel to provide a full map of all land mines in southern Lebanon. Qatar Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassem Al Thani warned of “a civil war in Lebanon” between Hezbollah and government forces if the Security Council does not make changes to the U.S.-French draft resolution. “Lebanon won’t bear it,” he told AlJazeera. Saniora urged Israel to consider “a different logic” of compromise. Otherwise, he said, the region can never
escape violence. “Blood draws more blood and hatred breeds more hatred,” he told AlArabiya. He also took a jab at Hezbollah’s sponsor Syria, which ended a nearly three-decade military presence in Lebanon last year. “Syria should get used to the fact that Lebanon is an independent state,” he said, without mentioning Hezbollah’s other patron, Iran. Israel sent mixed signals. The government said it was studying Lebanon’s pledge to contribute troops to a
potential peacekeeping force. But Defense Minister Amir Peretz outlined plans to drive deeper into Lebanon to try to destroy Hezbollah rocket batteries, which have fired more than 3,000 rockets into northern Israel. A senior government official offered to pay to move up to 17,000 Israelis living in border towns. Peretz said a new push – expected to be approved Wednesday by Israel’s Security Cabinet – would extend as far as the Litani River. The Israeli army said it declared an indefinite curfew on the movement of
vehicles south of the Litani. Humanitarian traffic would be allowed, but other vehicles would be at risk if they ignored the order, the army said. In Geneva, the U.N. Human Rights Council said it plans to convene a special session this week to consider taking action against Israel for its Lebanon offensive.
___ Associated Press correspondents Rawya Rageh, Qais al-Bashir, Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Bushra Juhi contributed to this report.
___ Associated Press writer Karin Laub in Jerusalem and Lauren Frayer in Beirut contributed to this report.
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AugUST 9-16, 2006
FANTASY FOOTBALL PREVIEW A comprehensive guide that’ll have fans dreaming of pigskin even during the off-season By Adam Levy / Summer Titan Asst. News Editor
By the looks of it — nightly Disneyland fireworks, packed beaches on a Tuesday and everyone sporting tans and burns — we are knee deep into the summer of 2006. That said, fall will be upon us sooner than you think and with the browning leaves, bad TV pilots and back-to-school sales comes a wonderful tradition Americans rejoice at once a year — Fantasy Football Drafts. The game is simple: build a team of players that gain yards and score throughout the course of the game. Each week you are pitted against a different team, causing a simultaneous game as you root for your players and against your opponent’s. Even if you don’t like football, the exciting nature of the game and its relative simplicity will have you pacing the sidelines with a clipboard in no time, so to say. So whether you’re a casual fan or already are smearing the eye black on for another season of hard-hitting gridiron action, you have come to the right place, as this Fantasy Football Guide will be the perfect accompaniment to bring to your next draft.
So sit back, grab a cold one and enjoy, as I take you through a bird’seye view of the NFL players to grab in 2006, as well as those to stay away from. Fantasy football leagues are extremely popular these days, so chances are you can find a league to play in or even start your own with relative ease. And much like everything else these days, if all else fails, there’s always the Internet, as online leagues are available on ESPN, CBS Sportsline and Yahoo. It’s a great was to add some competitive spice to those chilly autumn Sundays, and maybe even an extra stocking stuffer if you make it deep into December. For standard 12-team leagues, position requirements typically consist of one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, one defensive unit and of course, the all important kicker position. Reserve bench spots vary from league to league. The popularity of the game has spurred on all sorts of esoteric scoring systems, but the one I based my rankings on awards four points for a passing touchdown, six points for a rushing or receiving touchdown, three points for any rushing or receiving milestone of 100 yards (with progressive bonuses), and kickers’ points at face value.
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QUARTERBACKS Generally speaking, this position is one of the richest in the league, based on the fact that there are 30 given NFL quarterbacks taking the field on any given Sunday. With only 12 starters active in a fantasy league, the demand outweighs the supply, making serviceable fantasy quarterbacks abundant throughout the draft. 1. Peyton Manning Indianapolis Colts Okay, so this guy is a playoff choke artist, has the personality of sheetrock and a forehead big enough to show movies on. He’s still the premiere signal caller for your fantasy team in 2006. He has proven to be a durable thoroughbred, never once missing a game in his entire five-year career. Furbished with an offensive line that keeps him snug in the pocket, number 18 has the paramount duo of wide outs in Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Manning’s record-setting 2004 season saw the Colts’ celebrated slinger lead countless fantasy teams to their league’s title with his NFL-record 49 passing touchdowns. Manning fell back down to earth with a respectable 2005 campaign in which he passed for 28 touchdowns. The Colts’ offense
lost a key cog when star running back Edgerrin James signed with the Cardinals over the offseason, but that should propel Manning to attempt to win even more games through the air. The total package Manning brings to the table makes him the only quarterback worth drafting in the first round.
2. Tom Brady New England Patriots Three Super Bowl rings still can’t push Brady ahead of Peyton on this list, but I doubt he’s complaining. The handsome bachelor has been seen cavorting with beauties such as Tara Reid and Bridget Moynahan amongst others, but unfortunately for Tom it’s only regular season, on-thefield stats that matter in the fantasy football game. And he is no slouch in that department either, having passed for at least 24 touchdowns in the past four seasons as the lynchpin of the Patriots’ offense. Consistent and reliable as they come, Brady is a respectable pick in the third round and beyond, giving your team the good karma of having a quarterback that has made three trips to Disneyland in the past five years.
3. Matt Hasslebeck Seattle Seahawks I took a liking to this guy after the January 2003 playoff game that pitted the Seahawks against the Packers at Lambeau Field. As the leader of a game-tying drive to send the game into overtime, Hasslebeck informed the refs, stadium and the millions watching on television, “We want the ball, and we’re gonna score.” While they didn’t win the game (Hasslebeck later threw an interception which would be returned for the game-clinching touchdown for Green Bay), the brash quarterback showed his mettle and confidence in the face of adversity. Three years later, he is in the prime of his career. Having the protection of a solid offensive line and some of the best-skilled players in the NFL at his disposal has made him a cream-of-the-crop fantasy quarterback. With Shaun Alexander drawing
defenses to stop the run and some bigtime playmakers in receivers Darrell Jackson and newly acquired Nate Burelson, Hasslebeck will have all of the necessary tools to post the upper-crust season that is expected of him.
4. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals 5. Eli Manning, New York Giants 6. Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams 7. Dante Culpepper, Miami Dolphins 8. Drew Bledsoe, Dallas Cowboys 9. Michael Vick, Atlanta Falcons 10. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles Best of the Rest Jake Delhomme Carolina Panthers Drew Brees Brett Favre Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers Kurt Warner Arizona Cardinals
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Matt Leinart Aaron Brooks Trent Green Kansas City Chiefs Others to consider Jake Plummer, Denver Broncos; Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers; Billy Volek, Tennessee Titans; Jon Kitna, Detroit Lions; Steve McNair, Baltimore Ravens; Phillip Rivers, San Diego Chargers; David Carr, Houston Texans; Brad Johnson, Minnesota Vikings; Byron Leftwich, Jacksonville Jaguars; Mark Brunell, Washington Redskins; Charlie Frye, Cleveland Browns; Chad Pennington, New York Jets; Vince Young, Tennessee Titans
SEE RUNNINGBACKS Page 8 For extended coverage, go to www.dailytitan.com
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RUNNINGBACKS www.dailytitan.com
The surging trend to keep an eye on the ground-game horizon is the use of committee running backs. Coaches these days are leaning towards mixing up their backfields with elusive speed demons that can catch and the bigger, bulkier brand that can throw a block or pound one in against a wall of defenders. So the plan for you is to draft a pair of guys that will carry the loads for their teams on all downs, averaging about 25 carries a game. And don’t be shy about stocking up in this category, as the halfback has and always will be the most valuable commodity of a fantasy football team. Generally speaking, no other player on the field has the talent or opportunity to make plays as the runner does. Even if it hurts your team at other positions, it is a great idea to grab an extra back or two beyond your starters; they will provide your squad with great injury insurance and valuable trade bait throughout the season. The biggest name of the running
back game is upside, as the depths of this year’s board are strewn with a field of names that all have different allures and drawbacks. Some are big names coming off an injury-plagued season; others are up and comers who haven’t gotten that chance but could shine if given the rock; and of course, there are a handful of names no one is even looking at right now that will emerge as the season progresses, so always keep an eye on who’s available via free agency. When in doubt, go for the upside of an unproven first or second year player as opposed to drafting a declining vet and crossing your fingers he’ll squeeze out one more productive year for you. 1. Larry Johnson Kansas City Chiefs I can’t find a word in the dictionary to properly describe how good this guy was in the second half of 2005. After being pressed into full-time duty once starter Priest Holmes went down
to injury, he went on a nine-week rampage where he decimated the eleven defenders in his way, rushing for 17 touchdowns and 1,351 yards. He was simply unstoppable, showing power, speed, agility, balance and elusiveness, effectively making Holmes an afterthought. Drawbacks? He has still has some growing up to do, has had brushes with the law and has yet to show he can sustain his health over the course of a full NFL season at the most physically demanding position. Holmes is still around, and could cut into Johnson’s carries if running well himself. Those are all minor “what ifs?” however. With one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, a run-first coach in Herm Edwards and the job all his, the sky’s the limit for what this guy could do in a standard 16 week season. The following two running backs on this list have proven for years to be the cream of the NFL crop, but neither has ever shown the ability to dominate on the field as
AUGust 9-16, 2006
Johnson did last season. His limitless talent and potential could make for the most dominant fantasy season of alltime, which is why I recommend him as first overall pick in any draft.
2. Ladanian Tomlinson San Diego Chargers It’s an inauspicious feeling to recommend against taking Tomlinson under any circumstance but the Johnson blitzkrieg nudges the Chargers All-World back into the second slot this year. Make no mistake however; Tomlinson is still one of the NFL’s brightest-shining stars with the ability to score on literally any play. His 2005 line: On the ground, he rushed for 1,462 yards and 20 touchdowns. Through the air he caught 51 passes and another two touchdowns. Through the air, the versatile superstar passed for three touchdowns! There is no reason why he cannot continue to improve upon his already eye-popping resume. The Chargers will turn to first-year starter Phillip Rivers to lead them at quarterback, but that only leads to more carries for
FROM PAGE 7
the halfback. Assuming River flops, Tomlinson will still control the game, as he did under mediocre quarterbacking from Doug Flutie (2001) and Drew Brees (2002, 2003). The 27 year old is a special player that has a humble, team-oriented demeanor that radiates class and professionalism. Factor that in with his god-given abilities and track record of excellence and you have the second overall selection in 2006 drafts. 3. Shaun Alexander Seattle Seahawks Only this year could a guy, coming off an MVP season in which he set the new single-season rushing touchdown record (with 28), en route to leading his team to the Super Bowl, be overshadowed twice, but Alexander is it. He has two major shortcomings next to the other two. One comes in the form of talent, as both Johnson and Tomlinson are better athletes than Alexander. The other is circumstance, as Alex-
SEE RUNNINGBACKS = PAGE 9
www.dailytitan.com RUNNINGBACKS FROM PAGE 8 ander was resigned to a six-year, $88 million contract with the Seahawks, making him the richest running back ever. In turn, he may lose the hunger to keep pushing upwards without the motivation of a contract drive. It happens time and time again. He is also featured on the cover of Madden 2007, which has been a notorious year-killing jinx for the players that grace the video game’s cover. If there was ever a guy with the onfield stability to shatter that curse, it’s Alexander. It’s tough to be a negative Nancy about a player that has performed so well. In the past five seasons, he has played in every game and scored an amazing 106 times in that span. There are far worse things in life than having Shaun Alexander on your fantasy team, but the aforementioned factors give me ample reason to bump him down two notches, still making him the surefire third overall pick in any fantasy draft. 4. Edgerrin James, Arizona Cardinals 5. Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins 6. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams 7. Lamont Jordan, Oakland Raiders 8. Rudi Johnson, Cinncinati Bengals 9. Julius Jones, Dallas Cowboys 10. Ronnie Brown, Miami Dolphins Best of the Rest Like the late Rodney Dangerfield, Tiki Barber gets no respect. In the past two years, Barber has scorched rival defenses, highlighted by his 2005 stat line of 1,860 rushing yards, 530 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns.
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He is a physical fitness freak who maintains his youthful step with a world-class dieting and workout regimen. And he plays in a loaded New York football Giants offense that will keep the defense on its heels with Eli Manning throwing to Barber, Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress. Still, he is perpetually downgraded by the fantasy football populace for being too old, too small and pulled at the goal line for the goliath-sized Brandon Jacobs. It’s a tough call, but I have to side with the naysayers on this one. Undoubtedly, Barber remains a valuable commodity in any league, but reputation as a fantasy stud may finally catch up to his draft position in spite of the aforementioned concerns. He’s shown some great upside, but anchor running backs need to be younger, bigger and in there at the goal line. There are many better bets at the position this year, knocking him out of the top ten, and to a mid-second round pick in your draft. Others to consider Domanick Davis, Houston Texans; Cadillac Williams, Tampa Bay Bucaneers; Jamal Lewis, Baltimore Ravens; Willie Parker, Pittsburgh Steelers; Cedric Benson, Chicago Bears; Thomas Jones, Chicago Bears; Reuben Droughns, Cleveland Browns; Kevin Jones, Detroit Lions; Ahman Green, Green Bay Packers; Deshaun Foster, Carolina Panthers; Warrick Dunn, Atlanta Falcons; Mike Bell, Denver Broncos
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AugUST 9-16, 2006
Fantasy Football Fumbles with the Fairer Sex
BY Adam Levy Summer Titan Asst. News Editor
Why don’t women like sports as much as men? The odds are far more likely that men are going to pick up this issue and browse through the football preview than women. There are many causes that account for this gender gap that has men screaming at the TV and women rolling their eyes at displays of misplaced testosterone. “My answer would be both genetics and socialization,” said Cal State Fullerton Psychology Professor Stanley Woll in an e-mail interview. Sentiments abound that, because of society’s ideals for boys and girls in regards to playing sports and getting dirty, women were unlikely to embrace something they had limited exposure to in their youth. “It’s just the aggression and competitiveness of it all,” said 22-yearold Business major Chad Dinnen. “From childhood, girls play with dolls and boys play with G.I. Joes.” “(Women) didn’t grow up playing sports so they can’t relate,” said 22year-old Business major Ryan Bos.
“Most men played it as kids.” Some men had alternate theories about the female viewership of sporting events. “Most of the women that (watch sports) only care about the players and not so much as what they do,” said 32-year-old Broadcast Journalism major Eric Calhoun. “Women that are interested usually had a brother that they watched play,” said 22-year-old Business major Warner Brown. Watching sports is often viewed as a refuge for men to congregate on a very barbaric level, using the game as an excuse to enjoy a night of beer- and fart-laced camaraderie with the fellas. “It’s more like a bonding thing, the norm for guys,” said 25-year-old Business major Chris Moreno. Females interviewed had a flipside account of their lack of interest, claiming it to be a general waste of their time to spend on the achievements of others. “Most men that watch sports cause they couch potatoes that can’t (play) themselves,” said 20-year-old Theatre major Rosie Amaya. “They like watching athletes who
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they (consider to be) alpha-males. I have better things to do with my time.” “Sports usually use force and women are graceful by nature,” said 26-year-old Finance major Cameliya Doncheva. “I couldn’t sit through a football game.” If advertising tendencies are a major indicator of the audience’s gender, then the predominantly beer, automobile and communication ads during NFL games suggest a male demographic, though a campus instructor sees those trends drifting towards a more balanced spectrum of sports fans in the foreseeable future. “When looking at the numbers of male versus female fans it is true there re more male fans than female fans,” said CSUF Kinesiology Professor Patricia Laguna in an e-mail interview. “However, the percentage of female sports fans has significantly increased in the past decade in many sports (especially football and baseball). This increase is the reason why many men’s professional sports promote and market specifically to the female fan,” she said.
SPORTS Titan Volleyball Team Nets No. 5 in Big West Preseason Rankings
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titan media relations
The Cal State Fullerton volleyball team placed fifth in the annual Preseason Coaches Poll conducted by the Irvine-based Big West Conference office Monday morning. The Titans earned 29 of a possible 64 points, placing behind Long Beach State, Cal Poly, UC Santa Barbara and Pacific. The Titans are coming off a 14-15 overall record and a fifth-place finish
in the Big West in 2005, while posting a winning percentage of .491 (2829) over the last two seasons, the best back-to-back mark in the school’s history. Head Coach Carolyn Zimmerman, in her fifth season, returns four starters to the floor including All-Big Westers Brittany Moore (So., OH/MB, Orange, Calif.) and Vanessa Vella (Jr., L, Castro Valley, Calif.), and will bring in an experienced transfer in Mounia Nihipali (Jr., OH, Honolulu, Hawaii) from Frsno State. Freshman Alex
AUGUST 2-9, 2006
Wolnisty (6-5, MB, Woodcrest Christian HS, Riverside, Calif.), Kellyanne Kirby (5-11, OH, Bonita HS, LaVerne, Calif.), Deven Bukoski (5-11, OH, Kamehameha Schools, Kula, Hawaii) and Cari Bailey (5-8, S, Los Osos HS, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) will look to make a splash in their first seasons to help the Titans to their first winning season since 1996. The Titans begin their season on Friday, August 25 against Villanova at the Long Beach State Tournament. First serve is set for 5 p.m.
2006 Big West Conference Coaches Poll 1. Long Beach State, 61 (6) 2. Cal Poly, 54 (1) 3. UC Santa Barbara, 51 (1) 4. Pacific, 34 5. Cal State Fullerton, 29 6. UC Irvine, 24 7. Cal State Northridge, 23 8. UC Riverside, 12
Former CSUF Basketball Star Bowen Makes Team USA titan media relations
Former Cal State Fullerton star Bruce Bowen of the San Antonio Spurs has made the travel roster for Team USA. Coach Mike Krzyzewski from Duke will take 15 players including Bowen to the FIBA World Championships in Japan next month. Ultimately, the roster will be finalized from 15 to 12 before the team’s first game on Aug. 19. Krzyzewski said there won’t be set starters. There won’t be a traditional bench. The original roster included 24 players. USA National Team managing director Jerry Colangelo said that, as late as over the weekend, the plan was to take 16 players to Asia, and
Krzyzewski said Marion would have are going to be so you better get on been on that roster of 16. board.” While the remainB o w e n ing players on the “The NBA contributes to said if the roster are all potenU.S. plays detial players for the the selfish players and in fense the way 2008 Olympics in Krzyzewski Beijing, other play- Europe they’re moving the envisions, then ers who have been he would liken cut or not invited to ball, not just in isolation.” it to the Jerry tryout are also still Ta r k a n i a n available for the ‘08 coached UNLV Games. teams he went Bowen, the elder against when statesman on the he was at Cal Bruce Bowen, Team USA squad at 35, said State Fullerton there’s no reason to even think twice in the Big West. about players taking turns on the court “I remember the pressure defense, since “there’s nothing that you can denying the pass and when you go do to change it. That’s the way things backdoor there is someone there to
help,” Bowen said. “That kind of pressure creates opportunities [on the offensive end].” Bowen, who played in France, said the NBA has been a detriment for players trying to learn the international game. He said the NBA milks a skill of a player and leans on it, but in the international game you can’t just shoot over three players. There is also no 3-second call in the trapezoid lane, so trying to go one-onone against a defense can be more difficult with more help-side defenders. “The NBA contributes to the selfish players and in Europe they’re moving the ball, not just the isolation,” Bowen said. “There is a detoxification that goes on here.”
ROOKIES FROM PAGE 12 Maybe more importantly, Ethier has been a calming influence in the Dodgers’ dugout. His personality exudes a smooth, unassuming style, a far cry from Bradley, who in his Major League career so far, had as much of a chance of hitting a game-winning home run as he was, getting into an altercation with someone in the stands. Weaver, who finally wrestled a permant sport in the rotation, when elder brother Jeff was released earlier in the year, has been the pitcher the Angels had hoped he would become [and many Angels’fans had expected, seeing Jered dominate at Long Beach State], when they were finally able to sign him, after Jered was the 12th overall pick in the 2004 Free Agent Amateur Draft, but held out and pitched in the independent leagues for one season. In nine starts, during his rookie campaign this season, Weaver has gone 70, with a 1.81 ERA. He has allowed only 41 hits in 59 innings pitched and struck out 47 batters. His emergence has given the Angels much relief relief, since Colon looks to be out for the season. While the lack of experience may hinder these first year players, when they are expected to produce through the dog days of August and the expected pennant chases – the Dodgers and Angels are less than four games out of first place in their respective divisions, it will be exciting to see how some of these young players perform, since they will likely be the foundations of their respective teams for years to come.
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Week of AUGust 2-9, 2006
Angels and Dodgers Rookies Make Strong First Impressions
Young players lead the way as local teams try to stay in contention for the playoffs BY laurens ong Summer Titan Sports Editor
The emergence of Major League rookies seems more evident in 2006, with first year stars like the Washington Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Prince Fielder making an a case for Rookie of the Year in the National League. In the American League, three firstyear pitching stars in Justin Verlander [Detroit Tigers], Jonathan Papelbon [Boston Red Sox] and Francisco Liriano [Minnesota Twins] are vying for top rookie honors. It remains to be seen how these rookies will stand at the end of the year, but as critical as Verlander, Papelbon and Liriano to their teams in the hunt, both the Dodgers and the Angels have benefited from their own infusion of fresh faces to keep them in playoff contention, boding well for both ‘LA’ teams, for the present and
the immediate future. Injuries to veterans have necessitated the use of some of the rookies like Dodgers’ first baseman James Loney, Angels’ first baseman Kendry Morales, Dodgers’ outfielder Matthew Kemp and Angels’ outfielders Reggie Willits and Tommy Murphy, who may still be building up their credentials in the minors. While these following rookies have come up and down this season, another group of fresh faces have forced themselves onto having made significant impact as far as deciding where their teams hope to end up. The Angels’ Howie Kendrick recently had his 17-game hitting streak snapped and has shown flashes of the player who had a .359 lifetime batting average [in the minors], coming into this season. A second baseman by trade, Kendrick has shown flexibility by playing first base, while incumbent second baseman Adam Kennedy continues to play out the string at second base, in the final year of his contract with the Angels.
Behind the plate, both the Angels and Dodgers have had two youngsters emerge to provide some timely pop at the dish this year. While his offensive numbers have dropped off in the last month or so, Angels’ catcher Mike Napoli still has a .382 on-base percentage – one of the few Angels in the lineup who can be very patient at the plate. Earlier in the season, Napoli provided a big boost, when it was unclear as to who would step up and become the Angels’ No. 1 catcher. For the Dodgers, Russell Martin has produced for much of the season, since replacing an injured Dioner Navarro and 39-year-old Sandy Alomar Jr. While Navarro and Alomar Jr. have each since been traded, Martin has emerged as one of the cornerstones of the Dodgers. Martin currently sports a .304 batting average, with a .371 on-base percentage and .462 slugging percentage in 260 at-bats. Of course no youth movement in Major League Baseball would be complete with some pitching. The dearth
of quality pitching in baseball has sent teams scrambling to find the next set of solid pitching talent, to ultimately help the big club. On the mound for the Angels, Joe Saunders has replaced an injured Bartolo Colon in the rotation and in three starts this season, the 25-year old lefty has gone 3-0, with a 1.29 ERA. For the Dodgers, while he maybe just as old as Alomar Jr. is, Takashi Saito has been an ace out of the bullpen. With Eric Gagne’s career in Dodger blue, seemingly ‘game over’ and since traded Danys Baez unable to fill Gagne’s role as closer, the 36-year-old Saito has taken charge. He has struck out 72 batters and allowed only 33 hits in 54 innings, so far. Saito has also been a perfect 11-for11 in save opportunities in 2006. Two other Dodgers’ rookie pitchers have impressed over the course of the season. Reliever Jonathan Broxton, a closer in waiting, has appeared in 44 games, striking out 62 in 51 2/3 innings
pitched, currently with a 2.98 ERA. Chad Billingsley, starter has walked more batters [41] than he has struck out [35] in his first 10 Major League starts. Still, he has a 3.67 ERA, allowing only two runs [over 12 innings], in his last two starts. As well as these players have performed, the most impressive among the local Major League teams’ rookies has been Dodgers’ outfielder Andre Ethier and Angels’ pitcher Jered Weaver. Ethier, a 24-year old rising star was acquired by the Dodgers from the Oakland Athletics for dysfunctional Milton Bradley in the off-season. While Bradley has finally come around for the Athletics after battling with injuries earlier in the year, Ethier has been a force in the Dodgers’ lineup for much of the season, with his .350 batting average and a .564 slugging percentage. Ethier also has an on-base percentage is a point under .400.
SEE ROOKIES = PAGE 10
Disgraced Landis Claims an Agenda on Hand in Tests associated press
Embattled Tour de France champion Floyd Landis said Monday the way his doping case has been handled so far makes him doubtful that he’ll be able to clear his name. “By what I’ve seen so far, I don’t expect to get a fair chance,” he said in a telephone interview from California. “But I’m hoping that will change.” Landis said the release of test results to the media before he had an adequate chance to examine them made it difficult to defend himself. He offered no new explanation for the elevated testosterone levels, or synthetic testosterone, found in his system after a stirring comeback ride to victory in Stage 17. Speaking about officials from both the international cycling federation
and the anti-doping agencies, Landis added, “There are multiple reasons why this could have happened, other than what they’re saying happened. They’re saying that I added testosterone to my body in some way. “I’m saying there are possibly hundreds of reasons why this test could be this way ... and it appears as though there is more of an agenda here than just enforcing the rules if you look at the big picture.” Landis used the same word, “agenda,” in a round of interviews a day earlier. But when asked who might be manipulating the results or the timing of the releases, Landis replied, “I don’t have a theory on that. All I’m saying is that circumstantial evidence points to something other than just clearly enforcing the rules.” After a horrible stage 16, Landis
won stage 17 in the Alps, a remarkable comeback that put him back in contention to win cycling’s biggest race. He
“By what I’ve seen so far, I don’t expect to get a fair chance. But I’m hoping that will change.”
Floyd Landis, Cycler said he won that stage and wrapped up the race because of hard work and nothing else. “I put in more than 20,000 kilometers of training for the Tour. I won the
Tour of California, Paris-Nice and the Tour de Georgia,” Landis said in an interview Sunday. “I was tested eight times at the Tour de France, four times before that stage and three times after, including three blood tests. “Only one came back positive. Nobody in their right mind would take testosterone just once. It doesn’t work that way.” Landis said the media knew the result of each of his urine samples before he did, including the original July 27 revelation of the “A” sample positive. On Saturday, cycling’s world governing body announced that the backup “B” sample also was positive. “I don’t know exactly what the truth is,” Landis said on NBC’s “Today” show. “The problem here, though, from the beginning was the fact that
the people doing the testing didn’t follow their own rules and their own protocols and made this public before I had a chance to figure out what was going on, and I was forced in the press to make comments before I could get educated on this. “Had they followed their own protocols, this never would have happened in the first place.” Landis defended his stage 17 effort, saying the comeback was less of an oddity than the positive sample. The 30-year-old rider said his biggest mistake was reacting to media reports when the news broke, saying it gave an impression he was coming up with new explanations and excuses each day. “I was just overwhelmed and I felt like I needed to say something,” Landis said.
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