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Wednesday, December 27, 2000

By Shelly Anderson and Bob Smizik, Post-Gazette Sports Writers

PHOENIX -- In a twist on the Hollywood theme, Antonio Bryant's football life has been one of action, camera, lights since he established himself as perhaps the best college wide receiver in the country.

Reporters and photographers from all over -- newspapers, magazines, television, radio -- have pursued the Pitt sophomore, wanting to document his story since he won the Biletnikoff Award, was named an All-American and became the nation's statistical leader with 130.2 yards receiving per game.

Bryant, who didn't draw much media attention when he was at Miami Northwestern High School just two years ago, has handled the sudden increase in media attention calmly but with some resignation.

"It's a part of the process," he said. "I've learned that.

"Plus, that's how you get exposure. You don't want people to think that you can't talk to the media. It's a way to show your public-speaking skills as well."

Bryant has displayed no nervousness, even when surrounded by reporters and cameras as he was yesterday during a news conference for the Insight.com Bowl.

"That's how it is when you tell the truth," he said. "My coaches just tell me to just tell the truth and don't give them anything to put on the bulletin board. I just try to tell the truth and be realistic about everything that's going on. But they always try to fish something out."

Tennis, anyone?

Bryant was asked if he planned to watch the Penguins' game on television tonight to see the return of Mario Lemieux.

He said he has heard about Lemieux but doesn't plan to watch.

"I'm not a hockey fan. I can't watch that," he said. "I just watch the highlights. I love to watch the hits and the goals. But I can't sit there and watch the whole game. I don't understand all that strategy. Why don't they just go down there and shoot it in?"

For that matter, Bryant's attention is not held by most sports on television. He'll watch college football -- for obvious reasons -- and one other sport.

"The only thing I can watch the whole game is tennis because it's rapid movement," he said. "The ball is constantly moving. I love watching tennis."

Truce

Iowa State senior nose guard Ryan Harklau's family is here for the bowl game. That includes his sister, Michelle, who is captain of the cheerleading squad at cross-state rival Iowa.

"I only have to be her rival one week out of the year," Harklau said, referring to the annual Iowa-Iowa State game.

For this week, Michelle is a Cyclones fan.

"We made sure we got her a whole bunch of Iowa State stuff for Christmas," Harklau said.

Ames army

Iowa State's official traveling party to the Insight.com Bowl numbers 571 people, and the university's expenses for the trip expenses are expected to be around $900,000. It is the first time in 22 years Iowa State has been invited to a bowl game.

Of the group, 131 are members of the football team and 129 are with the athletic department.

But the biggest group is the school's marching band, which will send 267 representatives. Most Big 12 Conference schools send their bands to bowl games by bus, but Iowa State is flying its band here. Nebraska, for example, sent its band to San Antonio by bus and Oklahoma sent its band to Miami by bus.

Ripe for the picking

Iowa State's defense ranks among the worst in the country. Not only are the Cyclones 95th of 114 Division 1-A teams against the run, they're 88th in total defense, 70th in scoring defense and 51st in pass defense.

A simple plan

Defensive end Reggie Hayward, who led the Cyclones in tackles and sacks, was asked what kind of scheme his team would be playing against Pitt.

"I'm not going to be using a scheme at all," he said. "I'm going to be a man with his head chopped off running around trying to get the quarterback."