THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 22, 1997 TAG: 9701220540
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 69 lines
If William Fuller has his way, he'll be playing close to home next year.
The Indian River High graduate, a Pro Bowl defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles, becomes a free agent Feb. 15. One team has shot to the top of his list.
``The Washington Redskins,'' Fuller said. ``Hopefully, they'll give me a call. That's where I've always dreamed of playing.''
Fuller, who was presenting an award at the Norfolk Sports Club Jamboree, spent three seasons with the Eagles after eight years in Houston. He signed with Philadelphia in part because it was closer to home.
``We talked to the Redskins last time, but we weren't able to agree on a contract,'' Fuller said.
So what would it take for Fuller to sign this time?
``What Reggie White got, a five-year, $20 million deal. . . . Something along those lines would be wonderful,'' he said.
Fuller laughed to show he was joking, but said an annual salary of $3.5-$4 million would suffice.
Fuller turns 35 in March, but has shown no sign of slowing down. He's been invited to three straight Pro Bowls.
INTERCEPTION KING: Dre' Bly didn't have an interception Tuesday, one of the few times recently that he's appeared before a large audience and not had one.
Bly, who was given the General Douglas MacArthur Award as the top college player from the area, had a school-record 13 interceptions for North Carolina this season.
Bly, a redshirt freshman from Chesapeake's Western Branch High, had 11 picks during the regular season and two in North Carolina's Gator Bowl win over West Virginia.
You might think quarterbacks would stop throwing in his direction. But Bly said that wasn't possible, given the play of fellow cornerback Robert Williams.
``He led the ACC in pass deflections,'' Bly said.
Williams broke up 27 passes, including four in the Gator Bowl.
Bly was named a first-team Associated Press All-American, only the fifth freshman to receive the honor. He said getting the MacArthur award was extra special, because it was presented by Fuller, an ex-Tar Heel.
``For him to be from Tidewater, and from Carolina, and to go on to do what he's done as a pro, it's an honor,'' he said.
Fuller was a three-time All-American.
``But not as a freshman, Dre','' Fuller said. ``That's pretty impressive.''
PATERNO SPEAKS OUT: Penn State coach Joe Paterno, the jamboree's keynote speaker, did not mince words when asked about the NCAA's new rule allowing scholarship athletes to hold part-time jobs.
``It's terrible,'' Paterno said. ``I've lived through that before, and I don't see how you can demand that they graduate, expect a kid to do a good job academically, and expect him to reach his full potential as an athlete and work at the same time.
``Unless the jobs are phony. I don't want to go back to the days where you paid kids to wind a seven-day clock.''
Other award winners announced Tuesday night:
Ellis Loveless Memorial Award, outstanding metropolitan scholastic athlete: Angela Hucles, Norfolk Academy (soccer);
Bob Bates Award, outstanding metropolitan scholastic coach: John Ingram, Cox High (baseball);
Joe Brown Memorial Award, sports club member of the year: Bruce Melcher;
MACE award, presented to an individual or group whose outstanding efforts are in keeping with the philosophy of the club: Jimmy Howard (posthumously). MEMO: Staff writer Jim Ducibella contributed to this story.