The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • C3

Orlando Sentinel: PRODUCT: OS DESK: SPT DATE: 06-05-2005 EDITION: MET ZONE: MET PAGE: C3.0 DEADLINE: 0.39 OP: ashiver COMPOSETIME: 00.17 CMYK Orlando Sentinel FINAL SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2005 C3 THE SECOND SPORTS FRONT Rain of boos hard shower for Johnson Jemele HILL By SANDRA MCKEE THE (BALTIMORE) SUN DOVER, Del. Nextel Cup driver Jimmie Johnson will stand just offstage at Dover International Speedway this afternoon, waiting for his name to be called during pre-race driver introductions for the MBNA RacePoints 400 and steel himself against what he knows will come. "Driving the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, Jimmie Johnson," the track announcer will intone. The boos will surely cascade from grandstands, just as they have for weeks now, and fill his ears as he walks onstage, smiling, waving.

"I don't claim to be a bad guy nor do I try to be the one the fans don't like," Johnson said. TODAY'S RACE "They threw a few beer cans at me in Charlotte last week, but that's OK. As long as I have the respect of the people in the garage area, that's all that matters. And it's there. It's always been there." Johnson is one of the least likely drivers in the sport to be cast in the role of bad guy.

He is polite, respectful and very good at his job. Johnson has been the Cup series runner-up for two straight years. He cur CRISTOPHE SIMONAFPGETTY IMAGES Justine Henin-Hardenne missed most of 2004 with illness, but shines Saturday after winning the French Open Comeback complete NASCAR MBNA 400 at Dover, Del. 12:30 p.m. TV: FX rently leads the Nextel Cup points race and will start on the pole today.

Last week's win at the Coca-Cola 600 made him the first driver in history to win three straight 600s. But what seemed to finally push the fans over the edge was not Johnson's driving success but back-to-back weekend tangles with Tony Stewart and Jeff Burton at Phoenix, and Talladega, respectively. The boos have increased in the weeks since. "It's easy to say people are being too aggressive, but the competition is so close now it's almost impossible to pass people," said Johnson, explaining the mishaps. "We have to race that hard to be competitive.

"Things happen and comments are made. I see those guys and they laugh about it, think it's funny, apologize that it's taken on the form that it has. But I can't stop that momentum that's going on in people's opinions. It made me stronger in realizing that the respect I have in the garage area and the respect I have with other drivers that's what I really have to focus on." Sandra McKee writes for The (Baltimore) Sun, a Tribune Publishing newspaper. Starting lineup, more racing I C7 After battling sickness and injury, Justine Henin-Hardenne battles back, rolling to the French Open title.

By CHARLES BRICKER MIAMI BUREAU PARIS In a French Open final that was more symbolic than sensational, Justine Henin-Hardenne put an exclamation point on a three-month comeback from illness and injury, and thoroughly trounced Mary Pierce in the second-worst championship rout in tournament history. It took all of 62 minutes for the 5-foot-6 Belgian to shut down her bigger, stronger opponent 6-1, 6-1 without the loss of serve, and she did it just the way it was drawn up in the scouting report. Henin-Hardenne used her quickness to run down Pierce's shots and the slow, plodding Pierce looked clumsy as she tried vainly to cover the court to use her power game. "I played very well, very aggressive at the beginning and I served good the whole match," Henin-Hardenne said after her second French Open title. The scene on court after this victory seemed odd as the French crowd only politely applauded her conqueror.

They seemed more interested in consol ing Pierce than in praising Henin-Hardenne, who raised both arms high in a subdued celebration. Meanwhile, Pierce, one of the tour's veterans at age 30, was overcome with emotion. When handed her runner-up trophy, she launched into a meandering, tearful series of thank-yous. "I just had such mixed emotions and it was just so difficult. Right at that point I was definitely sad that I lost and sad that the match went by so fast and I didn't play well," Pierce said.

"But happy that I was there, actually able to stand there as a finalist at this tournament. This is my third time in the finals here, which is unbelievable. I just get very emotional when I think about it." After winning the French Open and U.S. Open in 2003, most of Henin-Hardenne's 2004 season was wiped out by an attack of cytomegalovirus, which attacks the body's immune system. She thought she was over it in the summer and easily won the Olympic Games.

But it reappeared and she spent the rest of the year recuperating. Now, with four Grand Slam titles, equaling Venus Williams, as well as a 24-match win streak, this French Open has become a symbol of Henin-Hardenne's work and dedication to get back to No. 1 Charles Bricker writes for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, a Tribune Publishing newspaper. SENTINEL COLUMNIST B-CC softball needs funding to help it thrive It was Maiy McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman College, who said, 'Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible." Bethune-Cookman's softball team probably has heard that quote a million times, but it should be more meaningful to the Wildcats now that the Daytona Beach school's incredible postseason run is over.

No team in this year's NCAA softball playoffs had as many far-reaching accomplishments as B-CC. It won its first NCAA playoff game, first regional and appeared in the super regional for, yes, the first time. It lost to Texas at the super regional in Austin last week, just missing out on the College World Series. The Wildcats' grandest achievement was being the first historically black college or university ever to make it that far in the NCAA playoffs. But if it took this long for B-CC to get there, it makes you wonder if it's possible for an HBCU to get there routinely orwhetherwejust should accept that these one-time magical runs will happen only from time to time.

B-CC has been a quiet force in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for years, but five straight conference titles can start to lose their value when you keep floundering on the most important stage. "I think it validated a lot for the kids," B-CC Coach Laura Watten said. 'Who cares about being MEAC champions when you're regional champions?" B-CC's run shows both the good and bad of the situation in which most HBCUs find themselves. HBCUs have a hard time competing against the big-name, better-funded schools. Talent gaps aren't as hard to overcome as financial ones.

For that reason, HBCUs almost always struggle in the NCAA postseason, if they make it there at all. 'We've always talked about one day being the first historically black college to be in a College World Series," shortstop Amber Jackson said. "Even though we didn't make it that far, we realize we've made incredible strides for HBCUs." Those strides maybe negated if somebody doesn't start fishing in their pocketbook. There are 105 HBCUs in this country. Many are in shaky financial shape, especially their athletic departments.

HBCUs still maintain an important function in an integrated society. The schools were created because African-Americans systemically were denied their rights to an education until desegregation and the 1964 Civil Rights Acts. That's no longer the case, but asking why they're still necessary is like asking why we have Black History Month. HBCUs were intended to preserve black culture, history and heritage, a key part of our larger American history. Black people aren't the only ones who benefit from HBCUs.

Remember, it's historically black, not all black. Nearly 1 8 percent of the students at HBCUs are white, meaning the HBCU perspective has broadened with the times. "I've always felt like every single white person needs to walk through this campus," said Watten, who is white. "It's not what you think. It's a very family-oriented, tight-knit community." It's difficult to determine whether B-CC has the resources to stay competitive nationally in softball.

The team needs more money. B-CC is a private school, so it relies heavily on fund-raising. It raised 1 million for a football training center, so someone there must be pretty good at soliciting donations. While softball isn't the moneymak-ing entity that football is, an aggressive fund-raising campaign should be started forthe Wildcats. Right now, the softball team rents a field from the city for $6,000 a year.

Stet- son only will play B-CC during the day because there are too many dead spots on the field at night. The Wildcats don't even have locker rooms. They can't op- erate like that forever really not even short term. Who knows how long Watten will be there, given her success. B-CC needs to make a permanent investment in the program to make it attractive to players and coaches.

Maybe Mary McLeod Bethune's quote should be amended. Without money, faith doesn't mean a thing. Jemele Hill can be reached at jhillorlandosentinel.com. THE MORNING BUZZ A presidential' shot A day after the identify of Deep Throat was revealed, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch got a call saying Richard M.

Nixon had made a hole in one on a 1 25-yard hole at a golf course in Alton, III. Clerk Dennis Cutter double-checked and found that Richard Mark Nixon, born three years after Richard Milhous Nixon had resigned his presidency, had indeed scored a hole in one. "When we turned it in, my friends said someone will think it's a joke," the 27-year-old Nixon told the newspaper. 'They said someone's going to call bull on this." Nixon lives in a St. Louis suburb and is an assistant high school football coach.

U.S. pastes Costa Rica in World Cup qualifier With a big pro-American crowd cheering from start to finish, Landon Donovan and Kasey Keller took big steps toward putting the United States in next year's World Cup. Donovan regained his scoring touch with goals in the sixth and 62nd minutes, Keller came up with three huge saves and the United States beat Costa Rica 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier Saturday in Salt Lake City. Brian McBride added his 27th international goal in the 87th minute, scoring off the rebound of a shot by Clint Dempsey, who had taken a feed from Donovan. Donovan has 21 goals in 63 international appearances, a key factor in helping the Americans as they try to reach a fifth straight World Cup Heading into Wednesday night's qualifier at Panama, the United States (3-1) is second in the final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region with nine points, one behind Mexico (3-0-1), which won 2-0 at Guatemala.

Costa Rica, Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago (all 1-2-1) each have four points. MORE SOCCER: Ireland damaged its chances of qualifying for next year's World Cup, allowing a pair of late goals in a 2-2 tie with Israel. On a day with 32 qualifiers around the globe, Italy played a 0-0 tie at Norway and European champion Greece played a 0-0 tie at Turkey. Ukraine also remained on course to land its first World Cup berth by winning 2-0 at Kazakhstan. Nate Jaqua scored his first career hat trick to lead the host Chicago Fire past Chivas USA 5-2 and spoil Coach Hans Westerhof 's MLS debut New England extended its franchise-best start with a 1 -1 tie against visiting Kansas City.

FOOTBALL: Georgia boots White from team University of Georgia linebacker Derrick White, a senior projected as a starter, has been dismissed from the team by Coach Mark Richt following White's arrest Friday. White was charged with driving under the influence near Union City, according to a release issued Saturday by Georgia. White already was suspended forthe first two games of the 2005 season following his involvement in a bar fight in Athens on April 10. Following the incident, White was banned from downtown Athens at night for six months. ON THIS DATE 1937: War Admiral, ridden by Charles Kurts-inger, wins the Triple Crown after taking the Belmont Stakes.

1990: At 14, Jennifer Capriati becomes the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist after rallying from a 4-1 deficit in the final set to beat Manuela Maleeva 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 in the quarterfinals of the French Open. QUOTE OF THE DAY 'It's been a year and I haven't seen myself bum out yet. still here fresh as HARRY HOWGETTY IMAGES Landon Donovan regains his scoring touch in style, notching a pair of goals in the Americans' 3-0 victory over Costa Rica on Saturday in Salt Lake City. MORE FOOTBALL: Indianapolis Colts corner-back Nick Harper was arrested Saturday for allegedly hitting his wife. He'll remain in jail until his court appearance Monday.

Banks McFadden, an Ail-American halfback for Clemson in 1939, died at his daughter's home in Ormond Beach after a long battle with cancer. He was 88. McFadden, also a star on the basketball team, is generally regarded as one of the greatest athletes in Clemson history. SOFTBALL: Cal KO'd at College World Series Ally son von Liechtenstein's bloop single to left field in the 12th inning helped Arizona eliminate California 3-2 at the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. California's loss breaks a streak of three straight appearances in the championship.

Rain and lightning forced a suspension during the Alabama vs. DePaul game, pushing all other Saturday action to today. HORSES: Scrappy scratched for Belmont While Preakness winner Afleet Alex prepares for the Belmont Stakes, Preakness runner-up Scrappy was declared out of next Saturday's race by trainer Robbie Bailes. Bailes, who wrestled with his decision for more than a week, said the Belmont is coming up too fast for Scrappy and he's not sure whether the 3-year-old gelding is ready for the grueling 1 2-mile race. Compiled by Scott Andera a daisy.

If you see fire coming out of me let me Maria Sha-rapova, asked if she fears facing possible burnout THE LAST WORD: A reality check for those who think Dwyane Wade doesn't power the Miami Heat: Pistons 91 Heat 66. COLORSTRIP: I.