The Prince George Citizen ­ Thursday, December 4, 2003 ­ 9

SPORTS Brydon fourth in training NLL game a rare time to see pro athletes in P.G.
The community has been challenged, and the community is responding. Friday's lacrosse game at the Multiplex, a National Lacrosse League exhibition tilt between the Vancouver Ravens and the Calgary Roughnecks, is the second test for Prince George's ability to permanently house an NLL farm team -- the yet-to-be-realized NLL2. That's the carrot that was dangled two years ago when the first NLL exhibition game arrived here. The NLL2, the incentive that helped lure 4,112 people to the first Ravens-Roughnecks game, is two years away -- as it was then. Sure, we'll be agreeable enough to continue following that line of reasoning, the allure of a future P.G. team, why people should grab a ticket for Friday's game. But, instead, let's focus on the other positives. This is professional lacrosse, and we don't get a lot of professional-level sporting events in these parts. Yes, it's an exhibition game, but some of that game's stars -- Chris Gill, Kaleb Toth, Dan Stroup among them -- will be on the floor, showing off their skills and intent on getting ready for the upcoming season. Considering this is the only exhibition game for the two teams, and the players have every reason to play hard to either prepare for the season or fight for the few remaining roster spots, that alone makes it worth the time and effort. Apparently, more than 2,500 agree -- that's how many tickets, and counting, were spoken for as of Tuesday. Being the last-minute town this is, game organizers might just top the last game -- the marketing effort also has the advantage, this time, of pushing a known product. In 2001, the NLL was a bit of a mystery, but television changed that. But my favourite stories leading up to the game are not about the roster of the two teams, even the inclusion of local products Jeff Moleski and Shawn Cable (not to be confused with the region's digitial TV provider, Shaw Cable). No, the best tales I've heard are

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by Jim Swanson
about the generosity of a few kind folk, those who bought blocks of tickets to be given to Special Olympics athletes and Cougars players. Classy, a nice touch and a wonderful thought in these days before Christmas. CHL RANKINGS SPANKING -- The Canadian Hockey League's top-10 ranking has lost its credibility with me, so much so that I'm seriously considering whether to continue running it in The Citizen. Last week's list included the Vancouver Giants, a third-place team in its division and but one with one win in 11 games, but not the Swift Current Broncos, the leaders of the Central and a team with, at that point, an 11-1-1 road record. Somebody please explain that to me. This week's list (see page 10) includes Swift Current and excludes the Giants, but adds a glaring error. The Moose Jaw Warriors are at No. 9, but the Prince Albert Raiders are nowhere to be found. What makes that puzzling is the fact the Raiders lead the Warriors atop the East by five points, and Prince Albert hammered Moose Jaw 8-0 at the Moose Jaw Civic Centre last weekend. The truest sense of where teams stack up is in the league-wide poll done by beat writers involved in the Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association (printed in Tuesday's edition). In that poll, Kelowna leads, followed by Swift Current, Prince Albert and Kamloops. The Warriors are fifth, and the Giants are eighth. The writers who cover the WHL are in better position to rate the top teams, a more objective viewpoint than a small gathering of NHL scouts who are intent on singling out the best individuals.

LAKE LOUISE, Alta. (CP) -- Emily Br ydon of Fernie placed fourth Wednesday in training for this weekend's women's World Cup downhill. Brydon, who was first in Tuesday's training run, finished Lake Louise's Olympic Downhill Course in a time of one minute 38.27, right on the heels of the leaders among the field of 65 skiers. Magda Mattel of France was first in 1:37.82, Austria's Selena Herregger was second at 1:38:02 and American Bryna McCarty was third at 1:38:17. "I am feeling good and gaining more confidence in the turns," said Brydon. "It's a whole new ballgame on race day and I'm going to continue racing as hard as I can."

Two other Canadians cracked the top 30. Kelly VanderBeek of Kitchener, Ont., tied for 16th with Austrian Alexandra Meissnitzer and Germany's Isabelle Huber, at 1:39:46 while Anne-Marie Lefrancois was 22nd in 1:39.60. "Emily's skiing is very encouraging for the whole team," said VanderBeek. "I now know that I can compete with the world's best skiers." Sherry Lawrence of Calgary suffered a fall midway through the course Wednesday. The 19-yearold felt stiff but did walk off the course on her own and will undergo further evaluation by the team's medical staff.

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BoSox set to hire Francona
BOSTON (AP) -- Now it will be Terry Francona's turn to see whether he can lead the Boston Red Sox to the World Series. Francona will be hired as the new Red Sox manager, two sources requesting anonymity told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The former Philadelphia Phillies manager will join his former ace, Curt Schilling, as they try to bring the Red Sox their first championship since 1918. Francona did not immediately return a telephone message Wednesday. Boston spokesman Charles Steinberg said the team had no announcement to make. But the sources said the team has scheduled an afternoon news conference at which they will announce Francona's hiring. One of four candidates interviewed for the position said Wednesday night that Boston general manager Theo Epstein called him earlier in the day. "He just told me it wasn't me," Anaheim bench coach Joe Maddon said in a telephone interview. "We had a nice exchange and he was very complimentar y and I was t he same to him. There's nothing to get upset about." Francona, 44, managed Philadelphia through four losing seasons from 1997 to 2000.  NEW YORK (AP) -- Major League Baseball is tapping the institutional credit market for the first time, selling $455 million US worth of 10-year notes as part of a refinancing. In the past, baseball had a revolving credit line backed by its broadcasting contracts. The new structure, also backed by those contracts, allows the sport to take advantage of low interest rates with a longer repayment periods, said Jonathan Mariner, baseball's chief financial officer. "What we've essentially done is take an existing revolving loan and broken it up into two pieces," Mariner said Wednesday. "Roughly two-thirds will remain a revolver and one-third is accessing a new debt market, the institutional market." Mariner said the 10-year notes are at 4.88 per cent. As part of the refinancing, baseball is selling $910 million worth of floating rate notes at about 1.6 per cent, 60 basis points over commercial paper rates.

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NFL fines referee for mistake at end of Seahawks' OT loss
NEW YORK (AP) -- Referee Tom White was fined $2,600 US for failing to restart the clock at the end of the SeattleBaltimore game, a mistake that contributed to the Seahawks' 44-41 overtime loss. The fine represented half of White's game cheque, supervisor of officials Mike Pereira said. The entire crew was reprimanded for its performance during the Nov. 23 game, presumably hurting its chances to officiate in the playoffs. "It tells me everyone is accountable," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. "Players are accountable, coaches are accountable and officials are accountable. Having said that, I'd just as soon give them the money back and get that call." The play in question occurred with 58 seconds left in the fourth quarter and Seattle ahead 41-38. Seattle's Shaun Alexander gained three yards to the Baltimore 33, but a penalty flag was thrown because offensive tackle Floyd Womack lined up as an ineligible receiver. The Ravens called their final timeout but the clock was stopped anyway for the officials to discuss the penalty. They determined Womack was eligible, let the play stand and gave Baltimore back its final timeout. The Ravens were ready to call timeout again, but White did not restart the clock. As a result, Baltimore saved its timeout until after the plays, saving 40 seconds that it used when it got the ball back to tie a game it eventually won in overtime.  FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) -- The Atlanta Falcons are having a miserable season. With a month to go, they already have 10 losses and a playoff pink slip. Not much to get excited about, right? Think again. Michael Vick will make his first start of the season Sunday night against the Carolina Panthers, pumping a bit of life into this down-and-out franchise. "It's creating a buzz around town and around the U.S. that a team like us would normally not get," receiver Peerless Price said.

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