Hall of Champions parlays hoops into successful food drive

The NCAA Hall of Champions conducted a "Hoops Dream Day" on Martin Luther King Day.

The Hall, along with other facilities at the White River State Park in Indianapolis, offered free admission in honor of Martin Luther King and also collected canned goods for a local food bank.

The event kicked off the NCAA March Madness exhibition in the Hall of Champions, which features "Freedom to Play," an exhibition from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame that explores the role basket ball played encouraging diversity and cultural tolerance in American sports and also salutes African-American basketball pioneers. The other featured exhibit at the Hall is an exhibition of photos from the NCAA Men's and Women's Final Fours.

The Hall, which enjoyed its biggest day since its grand opening in 2000, helped White River collect more than 9,100 pounds of canned goods.

Verizon establishes new awards for track

FONT SIZE=3>Applications are now available for the Verizon Youth Progress Award. The award was established by Verizon and USA Track and Field to identify top high-school track and field and cross country athletes and reward them for their academic performances and athletics achievements. A total of $20,000 in scholarships will be distributed to deserving students across the country.

The scholarship application process concludes February 15. For scholarship applications and eligibility information, see www.
verizon.com/usatrackandfield and click on the "youth scholarship program" link.

Women's hoops team uses rare '1-2' zone

The North Carolina A&T State University women's basketball team proved recently that being shorthanded doesn't mean losing.

Because of injuries, only six players dressed for the Aggies' January 6 game against Morgan State University.

With 4:18 left in the game, junior guard Camile Akins committed her fifth foul, leaving the Aggies with four players. However, they actually increased their eight-point lead over the next three and a half minutes before Morgan State rallied.

With only 36 seconds left, freshman forward Lisa Richardson fouled out, leaving the Aggies with only three players on the court.

A&T played a 1-2 zone and stayed in front for the win, 66-63.

"I hadn't seen anything like that in my 28 years," said Saudia Roundtree, who notched her first victory in nine games as the Aggies head coach.

-- Compiled by Kay Hawes

Number crunching

Looking back

Paul "Bear" Bryant, legendary football coach at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, died 20 years ago this winter. Bryant, who also coached at the University of Maryland, College Park; the University of Kentucky; and Texas A&M University, College Station, compiled a 323-85-17 record in 38 seasons. He retired after the 1982 season, completing a 232-46-9 slate during 25 years at Alabama.

After his death January 26, 1983, coaches, administrators and national leaders talked about the impact Bryant had on college football and on the many student-athletes who prospered under his tutelage.

"He always appeared to be indestructible. He was a monumental figure in intercollegiate athletics, a man who set standards not easily attainable by men. He was a giant, and we will miss him."

Joe Paterno, head coach
Pennsylvania State University

"Everyone who knew coach Bryant professionally had great respect for him. He has contributed so much to the game, and he has been such a factor in developing young men who have played for him and who developed such a sense of loyalty."

Johnny Majors, head coach
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

"He won, but it was the way he did it -- the way he handled the whole thing. He was always the Bear. He didn't make a show out of it. The image he had was good for football. It will take a while to adjust to his not being with us."

Eddie Robinson, head coach
Grambling State University

"I don't know of any man who touched as many lives in a positive way as he did."

Jackie Sherrill, head coach
Texas A&M University, College Station

"He was more than the finest football coach who ever lived. He was a great teacher, a great man and a dear personal friend."

Joab Thomas, president
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

"Americans have lost a hero who always seemed larger than life -- a coach who made legends out of ordinary people. He was a hard but loved taskmaster, patriotic to the core, devoted to his players and inspired by a wining spirit that would not quit. Bear Bryant gave his country the gift of life unsurpassed. In making the impossible seem easy, he lived what we strive to be."

Ronald Reagan, United States President