ATLANTA -- gleans New Hampshire Wildcats Thunder and baseball wildcats conclude Lightning were nothing special, and Clemson's special teams were downright horrible. Georgia Tech stifled the dynamic running duo of James "Thunder" Davis and C. J. "Lightning" Spiller and took advantage of a stunningly poor performance by Mark Buchholz and the rest of Clemson's kicking game Saturday, upsetting the 13th-ranked Tigers, 13-3. The Yellow Jackets (3-2, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) ended a two-game losing streak and avoided their first 0-3 start in league play since 1994. The Tigers (4-1, 2-1) missed four field-goal tries, had a punt blocked to set up the only touchdown and fumbled on a kickoff return, setting up a field goal that gave Georgia Tech a 10-point lead with 11 1/2 minutes left. For good measure, Clemson had a touchdown called back because of a silly personal-foul penalty, and gave Georgia Tech a do-over at the end zone with a pass interference penalty. Clemson's Cullen Harper was sacked six times and was 17 for 39. . In a matter of seconds, Arizona State turned a close game into a blowout. Rudy Carpenter threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Rudy Burgess late in the second quarter and Omar Bolden returned an interception for a score on the next play from scrimmage to lead the 23rd-ranked Sun Devils to a 41-3 victory over Stanford at Palo Alto on Saturday night. Arizona State (5-0, 2-0 Pac-10) had been struggling offensively up until that point, giving up five sacks and being held to a pair of field goals by a woeful Stanford defense. Then on a third-and-8, Burgess took a pass from Carpenter and sped past the Cardinal defenders to the end zone for the first touchdown of the game with 2:31 left in the half. After a touchback on the ensuing kick, T. C. Ostrander tried to connect with Richard Sherman for Stanford (1-3, 0-2). But Robert James knocked the ball away and into the hands of Bolden, who raced 29 yards for Arizona State's second touchdown in a span of nine seconds. Arizona 48, Washington State 20 -- Willie Tuitama threw for five touchdowns and freshman Nicolas Grigsby rushed for 186 yards in his second start for the Wildcats in the lopsided victory at Tucson, Ariz. Grigsby, who rushed 30 times, caught nine passes for 76 yards, including a 22-yarder for a touchdown. Tuitama completed 22 of 31 passes for 346 yards with no interceptions. He also had a one-yard sneak for a score as Arizona (2-3, 1-1 Pac-10) scored 28 consecutive points after Washington State rallied to tie the score, 20-20, early in the second half. . In a development that took Los Angeles leaders by surprise late Friday, City Atty.
Rocky Delgadillo issued a legal opinion challenging the City Council's attempt to ease term limits so members would be able to serve an additional four years. The opinion said that a ballot measure proposed by the council for the Nov new hampshire wildcats basketball . 7 election was flawed because it contained not only a term limits provision but others aimed at curtailing the influence of lobbyists. In essence, Delgadillo's opinion stated that term limits and the other reforms should not be linked and doing so could invite a legal challenge. The reason, Delgadillo wrote, is that the term limits provision -- permitting council members to serve a maximum of three terms instead of two -- requires voters to amend the City Charter basketball wildcats . But the ethics provisions would be more appropriate for the council to directly enact, which it could do at any time. The package of ballot measures was presented to the council earlier this month by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters. Chamber and league leaders believe that the current limits discourage officials from tackling some of the city's most complex problems because they know the time it would take to resolve them might outlast their terms. Ethics issues were added to give the package a better chance of passing because California voters have historically embraced the concept of term limits. The civic leaders even titled the provision to avoid mentioning "term limits. " Instead, it was called the City Government Responsibility, Lobbying and Ethics Reform Act. The council does not have to accept Delgadillo's advice camp wildcat nh . It would be unusual for lawmakers to reject the opinion, however. Council President Eric Garcetti was unavailable for comment but an aide released a statement saying his "office has received the report and is in the process of evaluating its contents. ""I haven't read it, but I'm disappointed," said Councilman Herb Wesson, who has been pushing for the term limits extension cheerleaders wildcats . "I think it would be dumb of us to think that the businesspeople who put this together didn't have their legal eagles put it together. "Wesson said he would talk with colleagues Monday over how they should proceed. The council has until Friday to vote on whether to put the measures on the ballot. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Ron Gastelum also said that he had not yet seen the opinion but that he was aware of it. Gastelum said he thought the opinion "flies in the face of the history and tradition of what we do here in California -- the people enact law all the time. There are many laws that the Legislature is empowered to do but for many reasons the electorate decides to do. "When the 15-member council agreed to consider the ballot measure, it opted not to include the three officials who hold citywide office: the mayor, the controller and the city attorney. Delgadillo's office immediately rejected the suggestion that politics had anything to do with the opinion. "Whether it helps or hurts term limits extension was not a factor in our decision," said Nick Velasquez, a Delgadillo spokesman. He added: "The city attorney's office is not going to rubber-stamp measures.
This office was tasked with issuing a legal opinion about these proposals. "Council officials, however, said the attorney's office was asked only to shape the measure's language into proper legal form. "We asked him to draft the ballot measure; I don't think we asked for his opinion," said Councilman Dennis Zine, who said he would review the opinion next week. new hampshire wildcats football . LONDON -- It was only one game. One very good game. It would be crazy, on the basis of a 26-save performance in a raggedy season opener, to predict that Jonathan Bernier will solve the goaltending problem that has plagued the Kings for most of their 40 years. But wouldn't it be something if he does?He showed so much promise that Saturday's game at the O2 arena may be remembered not as the NHL's first regular-season venture in Europe but as the day a star was born. He's ready: he has "Hollywood" on his mask. It's not every goalie who could remain serene while making his NHL debut against the defending Stanley Cup champions, who threw big-bodied Todd Bertuzzi in front of him to block his view at every opportunity. Who could keep his wits in a game played 5,500 miles and eight time zones from the city he represents. A game whose start was delayed 16 minutes because the house lights didn't brighten after being dimmed for a shaky performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" and a rousing, sing-along rendition of "God Save the Queen. "Any one of those circumstances might have shaken a less confident athlete. Bernier, barely 19, never lost his poise during the Kings' 4-1 victory over the Ducks. "It's always the same game," he said, shrugging football wildcats . "I felt great in preseason games and I just tried to do the same things. "When the lights wouldn't regenerate and the teams were sent back into their respective locker rooms, Bernier removed his jersey and chest protector and quietly awaited the signal to reclaim his crease. "I skated over to him and said, 'This is how it always is in the NHL,' and he just said 'OK,' " said Rob Blake, the Kings' captain new hampshire athletic . "Nothing is a big deal to him. "But he may turn out to be a very big deal to a team that has lacked credibility -- and routine saves -- for too long. He is keenly aware that Kings fans have had their fill of goalies who can't stop a beach ball, who are befuddled by shots from the blue line and recoil from rebounds as if they were allergic to rubber. "I heard that a lot of times," he said with a smile. "I just try to do my things and for right now, I just try to go day by day and we'll see in the future. "Among his "things" is a ritual he follows during the national anthem. "I kind of say what I need to do for the game, and I talk to five persons that are dead and were important for me in my life," he said, adding that his late grandfather, uncle and surrogate grandfather are his main sources of inspiration. LONDON -- It was only one game. One very good game. It would be crazy, on the basis of a 26-save performance in a raggedy season opener, to predict that Jonathan Bernier will solve the goaltending problem that has plagued the Kings for most of their 40 years. But wouldn't it be something if he does?He showed so much promise that Saturday's game at the O2 arena may be remembered not as the NHL's first regular-season venture in Europe but as the day a star was born. He's ready: he has "Hollywood" on his mask. It's not every goalie who could remain serene while making his NHL debut against the defending Stanley Cup champions, who threw big-bodied Todd Bertuzzi in front of him to block his view at every opportunity. Who could keep his wits in a game played 5,500 miles and eight time zones from the city he represents. A game whose start was delayed 16 minutes because the house lights didn't brighten after being dimmed for a shaky performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" and a rousing, sing-along rendition of "God Save the Queen. "Any one of those circumstances might have shaken a less confident athlete. Bernier, barely 19, never lost his poise during the Kings' 4-1 victory over the Ducks. "It's always the same game," he said, shrugging new hampshire baseball . "I felt great in preseason games and I just tried to do the same things. "When the lights wouldn't regenerate and the teams were sent back into their respective locker rooms, Bernier removed his jersey and chest protector and quietly awaited the signal to reclaim his crease. "I skated over to him and said, 'This is how it always is in the NHL,' and he just said 'OK,' " said Rob Blake, the Kings' captain. "Nothing is a big deal to him. "But he may turn out to be a very big deal to a team that has lacked credibility -- and routine saves -- for too long. He is keenly aware that Kings fans have had their fill of goalies who can't stop a beach ball, who are befuddled by shots from the blue line and recoil from rebounds as if they were allergic to rubber. "I heard that a lot of times," he said with a smile. "I just try to do my things and for right now, I just try to go day by day and we'll see in the future. "Among his "things" is a ritual he follows during the national anthem. "I kind of say what I need to do for the game, and I talk to five persons that are dead and were important for me in my life," he said, adding that his late grandfather, uncle and surrogate grandfather are his main sources of inspiration. Whether his strength comes from the spirit of his departed loved ones or from his technical skills, he made a favorable impression Saturday that went beyond holding the Ducks scoreless until Bobby Ryan backhanded home a power-play rebound at 13:09 of the third period. He wasn't subjected to much sustained pressure by the Ducks, who sorely missed the energy and creativity of the apparently retired Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer. But he made the necessary saves, the ones that kill flurries before they can grow into rallies. The saves the Kings couldn't count on getting last season. "After they got that goal in the third he smothered two or three pucks right after that and you could see our team calm down," Blake said.
"That's what great goaltenders do. "Winger Dustin Brown saw it, too. "He has a calmness to him that makes it easy to play in front of him," Brown said. "On routine saves he's calm, but big saves you don't expect him to make, he just makes them and goes back to his net and has that calm look to him which calms everyone else on the ice. "Bernier learned Friday that his stellar training-camp efforts had earned him the start new hampshire wildcats hockey . Bill Ranford, the Kings' goaltending coach, went over some points Bernier might not have picked up in exhibition games, such as the tendencies of the Ducks' shooters and their power play. "The big thing was for him not to get too excited," Ranford said. Fat chance "He has presence around the dressing room," Blake said new hampshire basketball . "He's an NHL player. "First, though, the Kings must be sure he's the real deal and not ahead of everyone else only because his season began more than a month ago, during the Canada-Russia junior Super Series. Ranford attributed Bernier's success to the Quebec native's skills and sharpness under duress new hampshire cheerleaders . The latter talent may come in handy for someone expected to make up for four decades of goaltending follies. "He's not going to put that type of pressure on himself," Ranford said "He just relishes the opportunity to go out there and play new hampshire football. That's always been his approach and I don't think he's going to change that. "Bernier's polish defies his youth He was born on Aug . 7, 1988 -- two days before the Kings acquired Wayne Gretzky from Edmonton. "That's pretty amazing," said Blake, who will be 39 in December. "I'd probably get along with his parents better. "But they can't stop pucks like Jonathan can. "He's definitely up for the challenge," Blake said.
"He wants to play in the NHL, and what better opportunity is there than to come in with a franchise like the Kings?"Who thought anyone would ever say those words, in that order, in a sentence? Bernier has already made history, the best thing likely to emerge from this marketing exercise disguised as a hockey series. --Helene Elliott can be reached at helene. elliott wildcats new hampshire . To read previous columns by Elliott, go to latimes /elliott. new hampshire hockey . Hawaiian-like ocean temperatures have surfers shedding their wetsuits and anglers reeling in exotic warm-water fish, such as mahi-mahi, along the Southern California coast. "It's almost tropical jumping into the water," said Andy Cox, a Huntington Beach State Park lifeguard new hampshire softball . "It's wonderful. "The 75-degree surf has lured more swimmers to the beach -- and kept lifeguards busy new hampshire sports . "We've had a lot of rescues, but that's good for us," Cox said. "It keeps everyone up on their skills. New Hampshire Wildcats tickets "Ocean temperatures have fluctuated considerably in recent days. Last week, underwater thermometers along Orange County dropped from 69 degrees to 62 in two days, then bounced back to 67 and continued to climb into the 70s this week, Cox said. On Friday, one gauge near a Huntington Beach buoy registered 80 degrees.
And boaters several miles off La Jolla have reported 83-degree waters, said Bob Vanian, who runs the fishing website 976bite . Such readings normally would signal El Nino conditions, weather experts said, but not this year. The culprit is the wind -- or lack thereof. Most summers, northern breezes cause deeper, cooler waters to upwell toward Southern California shores, said National Weather Service forecaster Philip Gonsalves. That isn't happening this year, he said, so water temperatures are rising university of new hampshire wildcats . Does that mean the surf will feel like bathwater by mid-August? No, Gonsalves said new hampshire unh New Hampshire Wildcats - unhwildcats . Water temperatures should remain as they are now. Anglers and surfers are thrilled. "It's a fisherman's paradise," said Bob Burhans, curator of fish at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla. Yellowtail, dorado, skipjack tuna and other tropical fish are swimming up the coast, he said new hampshire univ New Hampshire Wildcats - unhwildcats . Mahi-mahi have been caught a mile from Newport Beach, according to FishRap, a newspaper for anglers. Such catches are "unusual but not unheard of," Burhans said. Meanwhile, rockfish, albacore and other coldwater sea denizens are moving to deeper, cooler waters. The warm water has been a boon for the surf industry, said Sean Collins, founder of Surfline softball wildcats . Some surf shops are selling out of clothing and gear, he said. "It's like Hawaii has come to Southern California," Collins said "Even if the waves are lousy . . . to be able to jump in and surf without a wetsuit is just nice. "But the warm ocean has a downside New Hampshire Wildcats . "Kelp forests are shrinking," Burhans said. And heat-related power outages have disrupted some of Surfline's operations. Collins, who serves as Surfline's chief forecaster, predicted that the warm surf would continue into September. However, if breezy weather returns, Southern California's wetsuit-free era will quickly dissipate. Water temperatures respond rapidly to winds, Gonsalves said. . San Diego Chargers first-year Coach Norv Turner has taken some heat for his team's disappointing start, but he should get some relief against the Kansas City Chiefs today at Qualcomm Stadium. Although both teams have 1-2 records, Kansas City will take the field as a hefty 11. 5-point underdog.
Why? Because the Chiefs have a bad track record against the spread. In their last six games as underdogs, the Chiefs are 1-5 against the spread, and the last time they covered the spread against the Chargers in San Diego was 2002. It should be noted, however, that San Diego has been anything but a lock lately . Dating back to last season when Marty Schottenheimer was still the coach, the Chargers are 1-5 against the spread in their last six games overall, including a 1-2 mark this season. Maybe that's why the line on the game dropped after opening with the Chargers favored by 14 points. After three weeks of NFL play, seven teams remain undefeated against the spread -- including Arizona, which doesn't even have a winning record. The main reason behind the 1-2 Cardinals' success against the spread has been their ability to score points late when they trail by large margins sports . That's been the case over the last two seasons, thanks to wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. Arizona is a six-point underdog at home today against Pittsburgh, which is also 3-0 against the spread. However, the Steelers are also 3-0 on the field, and that's probably why big money has flowed their way -- registering 66. 69% (2,160-1,079) of the action as of Saturday afternoon, according to Wagerline . Injuries always play an important role with oddsmakers, especially when quarterbacks are sidelined. Today, three teams are expected to sub backup signal-callers for banged-up starters -- Oakland (Daunte Culpepper for Josh McCown), Carolina (David Carr for Jake Delhomme) and Buffalo (Trent Edwards for J. P Losman). The lines on each game? They barely moved sports wildcats . The Raiders have been four-point underdogs against Miami all week and the Panthers have been three-point favorites over Tampa Bay since Monday . The only movement came with the Bills going from three-point to 3. 5-point underdogs against the New York Jets. Pro HockeyBettors who like underdogs had to be pleased with the results of Saturday's season opener with the Kings defeating the Ducks, 4-1, in London The Ducks were favored at -135 and 1. 5 goals. --lonnie. white. A Garden Grove man convicted of killing his estranged girlfriend by shooting her 14 times at an Anaheim gas station was sentenced Friday to 80-years-to-life in prison, authorities said. Gary Clifford Laine, 51, saw Kim O'Hara, 44, of Anaheim and a male companion eating lunch in a food court area attached to a gas station in February 2004. He asked her to come outside for a talk and, when she did, shot her 11 times, then pulled up next to her in his truck and shot her three more times.
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