European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 22, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Gators Start out on top by Rick Warner a football writer the Florida gators no. 3 i their own state for the past dec Ade Are now no. 1 in the nation. Long overshadowed by Flor Ida state and Miami the gators Are the preseason pick As College football s top team in the associated press poll. Florida edged notre Dame by two Points the narrowest margin since the preseason poll began in 1950. The gators received 15 first place votes and 1,416 Point from a nationwide Media panel the Irish got 13 first place vote Sand 1,414 Points. Although Florida is the largest University in the state Florida state and Miami have been More prominent in football. Miami has won four National title since 1983 and compiled the Best record in the country Over that Span. Florida state has finished in the top four for seven straight years culminating with its first National title last season. Now Florida is ranked ahead of both teams. Florida state is no. 3 in the preseason poll and Miami is no. 6. It s Only the second time Flor Ida has been ranked no. 1, the gators topped the poll for one week in 1985 before losing to Georgia 24-3. However it s the fifth consecutive year that a team from the Sunshine state has been no. 1 in the preseason poll. Miami Goethe nod in 1990 and 92 Florida state was the pick in 91 and 93. See Page 25 for Complete poll see Page 28 for More College football twelve Start Eils return from last year s Florida team which pounded previously unbeaten West Virginia 41-7  sugar bowl. The gators must replace Ca reer Rushing Leader Ernst Rhett but quarterbacks Terry Dean and Danny Wuerffel Are Back to direct the explosive fun n gun offence. Notre Dame which finished no. 2 last season is starting in the same spot this season. That s one place ahead of Florida state which won the 1993 National title even though the seminoles lost to the Irish and both teams finished with one loss. Notre Dame coach Lou Holt thought his team was ranked too Low at the end of last season. Now he thinks they re ranked too High. People have As much business picking us no. 2 in the preseason this year As they did picking us no. 2 at the end of last year. Nei ther one of them makes  Nebraska which finished third last season after losing to Florida state 18-16 in the Orange bowl is fourth in the preseason poll de spite getting Trie most first place votes 18.Michigan is fifth followed by Miami Arizona Colorado Penn state and Wisconsin. Rounding out the top 25 Are Auburn Alabama Tennessee Urcla Texas am Oklahoma Southern Cal Texas North Caro Lina Ohio state Illinois Virginia tech Washington West Virginia and Clemson. The stars and stripes August 22,1994 Page 32 court helps Bonds lower strike zone new York a just like thou Sands of other out of work americans Barry Bonds went to court to lighten the Load of his child support payments. Bonds having to make due without his$4.75 million salary during the baseball strike obtained a court order cutting his $15,000-per-Monthchild and spousal support payments Aalf. After making the decision san Mateo county Domestic relations commissioner George Taylor asked for Bonds autograph. To have the courts look upon him As a superhero Bonds made her feel like she was not playing on a level play Ingfield said Lawrence Stotter the lawyer for Bonds wife Sun. As the strike completed its ninth Day Colorado owner Jerry Mcmorris said Small Market clubs have too much Power at times and said owners should allow some of the Small Market teams to  Council chairman Bud Selig said the expanded postseason would be jeopardized if the walkout continued. Fourteen More games were cancel saturday raising the total to 117. Management negotiator Richard Ravitch and Union Leader Donald Fehr both took the Day off and talks Aren t scheduled to re sume until tuesday or wednesday. Wet Way to get ahead Janet Evans of Placentia Calif has her ear to the Grindstone 24.24 seconds for her 42nd National title second to the 48 Hel during Ati swimming championships in Indianapolis. Holder of the world other . Swimmers leave tomorrow for the world Chamoni record in Thymn Irvan on life sunday update Brooklyn Mich. A Ern Eirvan one of the brightest stars in Nas car s elite Winston cup Stock car series remained in critical condition and on life support Early sunday following devastating crash saturday at Michigan International Speedway. The 35-year-old Irvan a native of Sali Nas calif., hit the Wall nearly head on at the exit to turn two on the 2-mile, High banked Oval during practice for sunday s pm Good wrench dealers 400. Witnesses said the incident apparently was caused by a Cut tire on the right front of theford thunderbird. He had been running at 176 Mph. Irvan who makes his Home in Rockwell,n.c., sustained multiple injuries the most severe a fractured Skull and collapsed lungs. He remained in critical condition and on life support systems Early sunday morning at St. Joseph mercy Hospital in Ypsilanti about 50 Miles away. Or. Errol Erlandson a vascular sur Geon who was the trauma surgeon on duty at the Hospital when Irvan arrived said during a mid afternoon news Confer ence his injuries at this time seem Tobe confined to the greatest severity to two areas the first a rather severe brain or head injury. He has sustained injury to the head including a fracture of the Skull which has resulted. In swelling of the brain throughout All areas of the brain including the brain Stem. Second his severest injuries seem to involve the lungs. His lungs have been severely bruised and Are accumulating lot of  & Unser leads Penske sweep Loudon . A Al Unser or. Led another High Speed replay of Penske domination by winning the Slick 50 200 when teammate Emerson Fittipaldi lost a fuel Gamble on the final laps. Unser collected his seventh win in 12 races this season and in creased his indy car series Lead with 173 Points. Paul Tracy was second and Fittipaldi third. Geoff Bodine triumphs Brooklyn Mich. A the Shadow of critically injured Ernie Irvan Hung Over Michigan International Speedway like the threatening skies As Geoff Bodine won the pm Good wrench dealers 400. 0"246850"000504i