Miami's Davis takes Browns job
■The man who restored the University of
Miami to football power now gets his crack
attheNFUsdeveiandteam.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BEREA, Ohicp— Butch Davis rebuilt a
once-proud football program in shambles at
the University of Miami. Now, he'll have a
chance to do the same thing for the
Cleveland Browns.
Davis, who in six years brought the
Hurricanes back from ruin to national-title
contenders, resigned Monday to become
coach of die Browns.
“I'm excited,” Davis said Monday night
“It’s a great opportunity, one that I felt for me
and my family I couldn’t pass up.”
Davis will be introduced IXiesday at the
club’s suburban training facility, Browns
president Carmen Policy said.
“I think he’s going to bring a combination
of excitement, energy and a new view,” said
Policv.
Both Davis and the Browns had spent the
past few weeks rejecting rumors that he
would come to Cleveland, and Policy said
only a series of developments during the
weekend led to the hiring.
The Browns have been looking for a
coach since Jan. 11, when they fired Chris
Palmer after a disturbing and injury-ravaged
3-13 season.
Davis' agent, Marvin Demoff, said after
arriving in Cleveland that his client had not
yet signed a contract with the Browns but the
sides were “in serious discussions. It’s pretty
dose.”
. An NFL source, speaking on the condi
tion of anonymity, said Davis was seeking a
five-year deal in the $13-15 million range.
Kansas City recently signed Dick Vermeil
to a comparable three-year, $10 million con
tract
"He's a solid coach and a great pick,” said
Browns guard Jim Pyne. “He’s a high-energy
guy who has a lot of enthusiasm and fire.
He’s a tough disciplinarian and that can only
help a young team. I'm really happy he’s
coming.”
The Browns had one of the league’s
youngest rosters last season, and Policy had
hoped to hire a coach who could relate to
young players. Davis was tough, but popular,
with his teams at Miami.
For weeks, Davis denied he would leave
Miami, where he inherited a program racked
by scandal and under NCAA sanctions in
1995. He had been working on a contract
extension with the university.
The Browns also denied having had a
secret meeting with Davis in Florida.
But something made Davis change his
mind about Cleveland, and money could be
one ofthe biggest reasons.
Davis' contract with Miami paid him
$900,000 annually and the school’s new five
year offer was said to be worth about $1.3
million a year.
Palmer made about $1 million a year
with Cleveland and, when he was dismissed,
the team made it clear that billionaire owner
A1 Lemer wanted to pay him for the three
remaining years on his contract and then
some.
udvis iuiu uic numuuics putyers ui ms
decision Monday morning. His departure
comes at a difficult time for the school with
just one week left before the end of the col
lege signing period.
“I'm disappointed,” said Miami athletic
director Paul Dee. “I think Coach Davis had a
lotto give UM, and I’m pleased at the success
we had.”
Dee chose offensive coordinator Larry
Coker as interim coach.
Just last week, the Browns said they were
focusing their search on NFL assistants, all
but ruling out the possibility of hiring Davis,
Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops or Washington
Coach Rick NeuheiseL
Lemer even shot down reports Davis was
coming to Cleveland, saying, "There is no
Butch Davis.”
Well, he’s now die Browns' 10th full-time
coach in club history and second in three
years.
The 49-year-old Davis, who interviewed
for the expansion Houston Texans’ head
coaching job, had reportedly lost interest in
pursuing a job with the Browns because he
would not have full control of football oper
ations in Cleveland.
Dwight Clark is in charge of personnel
“He's a solid coach and a great
pick. He's a high-energy guy
who has a lot of enthusiasm
and fire. He’s a tough
disciplinarian and that can
only help a young team. I’m
really happy he’s coming.”
JimPyne
Cleveland Browns guard
decisions with the Browns, but Davis’ hiring
could indicate a reshuffling in the team’s
front office.
The Browns’ coaching search is ending
just when it seemed to be picking up steam.
The club was set to speak with Super Bowl
Defensive Coordinators Marvin Lewis of
Baltimore and John Fox of the Giants this
week. Both coaches had scheduled visits to
Cleveland.
“It's a little bit discouraging," Fox said.
“The rules do penalize guys that make it to
the Super Bowl."
The Browns interviewed three assistants
last week, including Defensive Coordinator
Romeo Crennel, but were thought to be
leaning toward Lewis, now the front-runner
to replace Wade Phillips in Buffalo.
Davis turned around Miami’s troubled
program after it was hit with numerous
NCAA violations that stripped the school of
scholarships and banned the ’Canes from
bowl appearances.
This season, Davis led Miami to an 11-1
record and a 37-20 rout of Florida in the
Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2.
Davis, known as a strict disciplinarian,
also served as a defensive assistant coach,
then coordinator for Dallas under Jimmy
Johnson from 1989-94, when the Cowboys
won two Super Bowls.
Davis inherits a team that went 5-27 in its
first two years back in the league.
The Browns ranked near the bottom of
the league in most statistical categories in
1999 and 2000. They were shut out four times
last season in losing 12 of their last 13 games.
Lewis won t be going to Disneyland
■The commerdalpeifcsofbemg MVP wont
be bestowed on the Ravens player, who is st3l
linked with an unsolved double murder.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Super Bowl's most valuable player
wont be going to Disney World and his face
wont be on the cover of the next Wheaties
box.
Ray Lewis, the Baltimore Ravens' star
linebacker linked to a double-killing last
year, was shut out of the traditional post
Super Bowl endorsements after his team
beat the New York. Giants on Sunday.
Instead, it was Ravens quarterback ltent
Dilfer who shouted, “I'm going to Disney
World!" And General Mills chose tight end
Shannon Sharpe and four other Ravens to
appear on a commemorative Wheaties box.
* We look for a great story, and Trent
Dilfer offered us that story," Disney
spokesman Craig Dezem said Monday.
General Mills Inc., which manufactures
Wheaties, said in a statement, "The five play
ers who appear on die Ravens Wheaties box
represent the entire team and reflect its his
toric accomplishments this season."
Industry analysts say the Lewis’ mar
ketability has been tarnished by his connec
tion to die fatal double-stabbing after last
year's Super Bowl in Atlanta.
Lewis eventually pleaded guilty to a mis
demeanor charge of obstruction of justice
and was fined $250,000 by the NFL No one
has been convicted for the stabbings.
"Whatever the result of the trial, to have
someone who is close enough to a double
murder as recently as last year is not die kind
of spokesman that corporate America wants
to have represent them right now," said Sean
Brenner, managing editor of the Chicago
based IEG Sponsorship sports marketing
newsletter.
Disney traditionally has asked the Super
Bowl MVP the “What’s next?" question and
featured that player in a parade the next day.
This was the fourth time in the ad’s 15
year run that the MVP did not ride in the
parade.
Neither company would comment on
their selection process; and Disney declined
to discuss whether the company had consid
ered Lewis, but a spokesman said Dilfer was
picked because the game played in Tampa,
Fla., capped a comeback from his release by
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year.
Lewis shrugged off the apparent Disney
snub after the game.
“I wasn't going there anyway. I have kids
who were not going to let me go to Disney
World. They wanted to see me," he said.
Rush keys Mizzou
upset of No. 3 KU
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBIA, Mo. —
Kareem Bush had 27 points
and 11 rebounds, and
Missouri squandered a 17
point lead but didn't crumble
in a 75-66 victory over No. 3
Kansas on Monday night.
Kansas (17-2, 6-1 Big 12)
■ has lost the last five times it
has come to Missouri ranked
in the Top 25. This time,
Missouri (14-6, 5-2) ended
Kansas’ 10-game winning
streak.
Brian Grawer added 14
points and was 4-for-7 from 3
point range, and Clarence
Gilbert had 12 for Missouri,
which is 10-0 in the Hearnes
Center. The floor was named
for former longtime coach
Norm Stewart during a half
time ceremony, and after the
game Stewart was given the
game ball.
Kansas erased a 17-point
second-half deficit with an 18
6 run over a stretch of 5:50. Jeff
Boschee had two 3-pointers in
the run and Kirk Hinrich’s 3
pointer gave the Jayhawks the
lead for the first time at 44-43
with 12:20 left.
But Missouri quickly
regained control. Rush scored
eight points in a three-minute
span as the Tigers pulled
ahead 59-52 with 7:30 to go.
Kansas, despite shooting 50
percent the second half, never
got any closer than five points
file rest of the way.
Drew Gooden led Kansas
with 19 points, Kenny Gregory
added 16 and Boschee had 11.
Missouri is 5-4 against
Kansas in Big 12 play,
although the Jayhawks lead
the overall series 152-90.
Missouri held Kansas to
35.5 percent,shooting in the
first half, leading 37-23. The
Tigers were 5-for-10 from 3
point range and Gilbert had 11
points.
Kansas, which leads the
nation with 52 percent shoot
ing, began the game 2-12.
Before the game, there was
a moment of silence for vic
tims of the Oklahoma State
basketball crash on Saturday
night. Both coaches as well as
several others wore black and
orange ribbons, the Oklahoma
State school colors, during the
game.
Tuesday Is
Trivia Night at
<tu>
Calling all braniacs!
Show off and
compete for prisos
from 7-9 pm.
Recycle
your
DN
Rifle team gears up
for championships
FROM STAFF REPORTS
The fifth-ranked Nebraska
rifle team finished in third place
at the Roger Withrow
Invitational held in Murray, Ky.
this past weekend.
In the overall scoring the
Cornhuskers (6,181) were
defeated by top-ranked Alaska
Fairbanks (6,273) and No. 2
ranked Kentucky (6,215).
In the smallbore competi
tion the Huskers scored 4,623
points, led by freshman Melissa
Downsbrough who finished
with a 1,164, good enough for an
eighth-place finish overall
In the air rifle competition,
NU shot a 1,558 and were led by
sophomore Amanda Trujillo’s
fifth-place score of 391.
Nebraska Coach Karen
Anthony liked her team’s consis
tency at the meet
“We have never had a match
with (air rifle) scores so consis
tently tight,” Anthony said.
“From top to bottom, we’ve got
a four-point spread between all
four members of the team. I’m
real pleased with that kind of
consistency.”
The Huskers will use the
next few weeks to prepare for
the NCAA qualifying match on
Feb. 10 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Several qualifying matches
are held across the country with
the top eight team scores in
both air and smallbore advanc
ing to the NCAA Champion
ships on March 8-10 in Colum
bus, Ohio.
0CKB0HN6
Some Restrictions Apply With coupon Expires February 12,2001
Four Big 12 teams are rated in
the latest Top 25 poll released
Monday. Kansas continued its
climb, moving up one spot to 3rd.
Iowa State is 18®1 after two con
ference wins last week. The
Cyclones are followed by
Oklahoma at 21st and Texas at
24th. Missouri is the only other
Big 12 team receiving votes.
***
Those No. 3 Jayhawks contin
ue to lead the nation in field goal
percentage at 51.3 percent Their
success can also be attributed to
having six players average dou
ble figures in points. KU Coach
Roy Williams maintains a con
trolled optimism, though.
“Everyone thinks we’re sit
ting fat and happy," said
Williams* “But the next four
weeks is when the champion will
be decided."
***
Kareem Rush of Missouri
came up big once again on
Saturday against Texas Tech.
With the Tigers on the verge of
losing their fourth straight, the
MU sophomore guard hit the
game-winning three pointer
with 30 seconds left to give
Missouri the 66-64win.
Rush, who averages 21.6
points per game, and Clarence
Gilbert (18.2 per contest) have
contributed just over 50 percent
of the Tigers’ points on the sea
son.
Texas A&M continues to
struggle in conference play. The
Aggies, 0-7 in the Big 12, haven't
won a league game since March
4, 2000 when they defeated
Nebraska 83-76 in overtime.
***
Television and radio broad
casters will wear orange and
black ribbons through the
remainder of the season to
honor those who perished in the
Oklahoma State plane crash on
Saturday.
***
Due to the crash, the Big 12
Player of the Week and Rookie of
the Week announcement was
rescheduled for today.
Compiled by Dirk Chatelain.
Conference coaches
reflect on OSUtraaedv
FU6HTfrompage10
Another factor is the need to
minimize missed class time.
Games that are played mid
week can force players to miss
two days of classes. Chartered
flights allow teams to leave later
and get home sooner.
Missouri Coach Quin
Snyder, who admittedly doesn't
like flying, was on a flight to
Baylor with his team last year
when the plane lost cabin pres
sure and was required to make
an emergency landing. His
mood, like most of the confer
ence coaches, was noticeably
somber during Monday's tele
*
conference.
“It could've been us,” said
Snyder.
The usual topic of basketball
strategy during the teleconfer*
ence was absent as coaches
expressed their sympathy for
those involved.
“It’s put everything in per
spective,” said Colorado Coach
Ricardo Patton. “The game we
play and love is still just a game.”
A memorial service will be
held in Stillwater, Okla., on
Wednesday, and OSU’s game
against Texas Tech, originally
scheduled for Tuesday night,
has been indefinitely post
poned.
You've heard of it.
Now, become part of it:
If you have a valid student ID you can get
in to the 5 remaining men's basketball
conference games for just $25.
...well even throw in a free t-shirt
Hurry, this offer is only good thru Friday, Feb. 2,2001.
Athletic Ticket Office, 625 Stadium Drive