Jim Meehan

PLAYER MATCHUPS Passing PC-PA Yds. TD Int. Rick Mirer, Seattle 120-234 1,390 4 11 Mark Brunell, Jax. 316-502 3,914 17 20

Williams

NIC's Mark Janko has shouldered his share of injuries. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

All it took for Seattle to win was nine quarterback sacks, five forced turnovers, a missed tackle by sure-fire Hall of Famer Bruce Smith and a couple of hideous throws by Canton-bound quarterback Jim Kelly. Even with all that, it wasn't easy. Of course, if you had taken the beating Buffalo's Kelly took, you might have tossed a couple up for grabs, too. The Seahawks squeezed out 20 points after Buffalo turnovers and upset the Bills 26-18 on Sunday as 41,373 watched in the Kingdome.

Despite this touchdown grab by Eric Moulds, Buffalo couldn't beat Seattle. Photo by Associated Press

It's the spurts that hurt. North Idaho College will go along, trading baskets, looking like a so-so club. Then come those 3-minute stretches when the defense kicks in, helter-skelter ensues and the opponent wilts.

Seahawks vs. Bills The game: 1 p.m. at Kingdome, Seattle Coaches: Seattle - Dennis Erickson, 13-16, second season. Buffalo - Marv Levy, 105-58, 10th season with Bills; 136-100, 16th overall.

Bruce Smith has sent a message to the likes of Ty Detmer and the rest of the NFL: He's not ready to quit. Photo by Associated Press

NIC's Tammy Goyne shows Utah Valley that her defense is as lethal as her offense. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Steven Ryan and North Idaho College find little resistance from Utah Valley. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

The North Idaho College men's basketball team made Myles of improvement on Tuesday. Leonard Myles, cousin of current Cardinals point guard Todd Myles and a member of a national champion AAU basketball team, is expected to join the team in January. He's taking his GED tests this week in hopes of becoming eligible.

A Scenic West Athletic Conference title may be within reach for NIC's Bo Johnson, left, and James Rahming. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Visiting Palomar College, which lost to North Idaho College in a men's basketball tournament Saturday night at Christianson Gym, has agreed to pay for damages to a locker room caused by its players, NIC athletic director Jim Headley said. Palomar, from San Marcos, Calif., was in the visitor's locker room that serves as NIC wrestling's locker room. The damages included a $350 weight scale, a chalkboard and a safety bar on a door. NIC wrestling coach John Owen said some practice gear - T-shirts and shorts - was missing, but hadn't been properly secured in lockers. "I talked to (assistant) coach Keith White and he said there would be no problem, they'll pay for the damages," Headley said. "They were very apologetic." Headley still was assessing the amount of damage, but it's expected to be about $500. NIC drilled Palomar 113-67 in the championship game of the Thanksgiving Classic. The contest was marred by a fight between Palomar's Tommie Blanks and NIC's Andre McKanstry. Both were ejected and McKanstry will miss Thursday's showdown with unbeaten Utah Valley at Christianson Gym.

The fight lasted roughly 30 seconds, which is about how long the basketball game was in doubt after the bout. North Idaho College didn't back down from a scrappy Palomar squad - heavy on the scrappy - cuffing the Comets 113-67 on Saturday night in the championship game of NIC's Thanksgiving Classic at Christianson Gym. Community Colleges of Spokane edged Grant MacEwan 72-65 in the consolation game. CCS 72, Grant MacEwan 65 The Sasquatch's first win wasn't achieved easily, but it was rewarding. Spokane fiddled with blowing out the Griffins, but couldn't deliver the knockout. Spokane (1-3) led by seven at half and by seven, 65-58, with 5 minutes left. The Griffins (7-5) rallied within 65-63 before freshman forward Kurt Long grabbed the first of two key offensive rebounds. Long converted two free throws, Jason Smith added a three-point play and Bob Strahl's two free throws closed out the visiting Canadian club. "It was good to win the way we did," Spokane coach Sam Brasch said. "They came back on us and we did a nice job when we needed to." Kasey Ahrens and John Mammenga each scored 14 for Spokane. Rob DeBeaumont added 12 points and eight boards, the same rebounding total as Long. Grant MacEwan's Pat Sasseville had team highs with 16 points and nine rebounds. NIC 72, Palomar 65 The main event actually had an undercard.

The fight lasted roughly 30 seconds, which is about how long the basketball game was in doubt after the bout. North Idaho College didn't back down from a scrappy Palomar squad - heavy on the scrappy - cuffing the Comets 113-67 on Saturday night in the championship game of NIC's Thanksgiving Classic at Christianson Gym. Community Colleges of Spokane edged Grant MacEwan 72-65 in the consolation game. First, the undercard. It was a bit of a mismatch as wiry NIC guard Andre McKanstry tangled with Palomar's sturdily built Tommie Blanks, a 6-foot-6 forward.

PLAYER MATCHUPS Passing PC-PA Yds. TD Int. Rick Mirer, Seattle 98-183 1,066 2 9 John Elway, Denver 245-397 2,887 13 23 Rushing Att. Yds. Avg. TD Chris Warren, Seattle 164 660 4.0 5 Lamar Smith, Seattle 94 465 4.9 5 Terrell Davis, Denver 269 1,277 4.7 10 John Elway, Denver 43 237 5.5 3 Receiving Rec. Yds. AVG. TD Joey Galloway, Seattle 46 762 16.6 5 Brian Blades, Seattle 41 533 13.0 2 Shannon Sharpe, Denver 71 1,005 14.2 9 Anthony Miller, Denver 45 622 13.8 3 INJURIES Seahawks: Out: RB Steve Broussard (hamstring); S T.J. Cunningham (knee). Questionable: LB Michael Barber (hamstring); WR Brian Blades (rib). Probable: CB Dexter Seigler (hamstring). Broncos: Questionable: C Tom Nalen (knee); G Mark Schlereth (knee). Probable: CB Randy Hilliard (ribs); T Gary Zimmerman (shoulder).

Brian Brennan will most likely step in at QB next season. File/The Spokesman-Review

Brennan

Kermit Davis hopes to draw on his winning tradition at Idaho. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

The Seattle Seahawks didn't have much of an alternative Monday - review Sunday's demoralizing 27-21 loss to Oakland or look forward to a road game with AFC bully Denver? It's a little like choosing between painting your house or going to the dentist. Neither option is too appealing.

Seattle coach Dennis Erickson seems downcast as the Seahawks struggle for a break before losing to Oakland. Photo by Associated Press

The fake punt didn't work exactly as Idaho football coach Chris Tormey had envisioned. He wanted a first down. Instead, the Vandals scored a touchdown. Shucks. Joel Thomas sped 47 yards for the score, expanding UI's 43-6 lead to 50-6 early in the third quarter. Idaho eventually destroyed Boise State 64-19 on Saturday. The fake punt undoubtedly will stick in both teams' memories and find a place in the lore of this intense rivalry. Running up the score? BSU coach Pokey Allen thought so. Tormey adamantly disagreed.

This week's guest on "Coach on the Hot Seat" is Mike White of the Oakland Raiders. White, who didn't volunteer for the role, replaces Detroit's Wayne Fontes, a regular visitor to COTHS. Of course, Fontes kindly took the COTHS mantle last week from Minnesota's Dennis Green. If it seems lately that the Seattle Seahawks are playing an enemy with an embattled coach, well, it's because they are. White escorts a 4-7 Raiders team that has lost three straight into the Kingdome today. Two weeks ago, Green visited the Kingdome and left a 42-23 loser. According to a Bay Area rumor, Green's waiting to catch a ride on the coaching carrousel and stop - viola! - at Oakland next season. Resigned Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz apparently has moved his work desk into the hallway outside Green's office. Last week, Fontes wriggled off the coaching hook as Detroit edged Seattle 17-16, but he's expected to return to COTHS in the near future. The Raiders, who have pro football's best record since 1960, have lost touch with their swaggering tradition. There are no Stablers, Tatums or Biletnikoffs on the roster. The media guide cover still has the slogan "Commitment to Excellence," but the current team fails to play up to the boast. "I don't think we have any kind of mystique," tackle Chester McGlockton said. "We're just a team struggling to get along. We're 4-7 and we haven't been playing well the last 20 games or so. Those guys (Stabler, Tatum) don't play here anymore." White began last season with an 8-2 record before a six-game slide to finish the year. After a 1-4 start to '96, the Raiders climbed back to 4-4. But three straight losses - to Denver 22-21, to Tampa Bay 20-17 in OT, and to Minnesota 16-13 in OT - leave a lot of what-ifs. "As a coach in this league, you're always talking about having a chance to win being the key," White said. "These last three games we've certainly had our opportunities and didn't get it done." Still, the players have remained loyal, White said. "You're always going to take a shot or two, but their (attitude) is one of the things we feel good about." Oakland is in danger of its worst season since a 5-10 mark in 1987. "I don't think anybody at the beginning of the season could convince me or anyone else on this team that we'd be 4-7 at this point," said offensive lineman Lincoln Kennedy, a former University of Washington star. "I don't pay attention to the papers. Spirits are pretty high for the simple fact that we know that we've got a good ball club." "They've got talent, we all know that," Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson said. White's job is to mold that talent into a winner. "This team has to learn how to win and understand what it takes and understand we have to execute from the first minute to the last," White said. If they don't, White's seat belt tightens on the hot seat.

Idaho's Joel Thomas has his way with the Boise State defense. Photo by Associated Press