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Tuesday MLB — Giants at Phillies, 4 p.m., CSNB MLB — Rangers at Rays, 4 p.m., MLBN MLB— Blue Jays at Athletics, 7 p.m., CSNC Little League Softball — Semifinals, 4 p.m., ESPN2 WNBA— Sky at Dream, 4 p.m., NBATV WNBA— Mercury at Sparks, 7:30 p.m., NBATV Don’t like it, but respect it When I rode my bike as a kid, I never wore elbow pads, knee pads or a helmet. When I played baseball, I used a metal bat and wore a normal hat. And yet, obviously since I'm writing this I'm still around. I survived without any of those safety precautions. It's those things in my mind that led my first reaction to the California Interscholastic Federa- tion's decision last week to impose changes of metal baseball bats and encourage high school infielders to wear protective head- gear to be one of disgust. Personally, I'm not one to support our government babysitting us. I hate seatbelt laws and I hate these new baseball rules. You can’t police accidents. I could make an entire list of reasons why the new CIF rule is dumb — these are random, isolated incidents, people get hurt with wooden bats as well, to the slippery slope argument of what's next ban baseball entirely. In the end the problem is all the reasons I can name are actually just excuses. Putting in these new rules is the wise decision. Don't get me wrong, I still think the new rules are Rich Greene dumb, but you can dislike a rule and still respect its pur- pose. I think we often forget that. When we were kids riding around without helmets, we hated our vegetables and brushing our teeth twice a day — yet we knew they were probably the right things to do. However as adults, we kind of get into the mindset that if we hate a rule then it shouldn't be one at all. And there’s nothing worse than a rule that goes against what we were used too. When I was a kid, I watched a lot of hockey. By the time I was born the National Hockey League had put in a rule requiring all players to wear helmets. They grand- fathered in the rule, so if you played before the rule went into effect then you didn't have to wear one. I remember asking my uncle why Craig MacTavish and Brad Marsh didn't have to wear helmets and him explaining to me how it used to be that no player wore a helmet. I never thought MacTavish and Marsh were cool or tougher — I just thought they were old. Ten years from now I bet high school baseball play- ers will think the same way when we recollect about the “good old days” of using whatever type of metal we could gimmick up to hit homers and trusted 100 percent polyester to protect our simple-minded brains. Ten years from now I’ll probably still think the new baseball hats look ridiculous, but in the back of my head at least I’ll be comforted knowing the kids are safer. ********** Want to hear some amazing news? Recent Red Bluff graduate Greg Dohmen has made the Boise State Bron- cos football team as a walk-on. Dohmen’s so much in the big time now, the Daily News has to go through the Broncos athletic department to schedule an interview with him. So expect an actual story soon, as the details of the interview get worked out. However, the Broncos couldn’t stop me from talking to mother Deb Dohmen and I absolutely loved hearing her talk about how proud of her son she is. “We’re so happy to share him with the community,” she said. On behalf of the community, we’re so happy to root for Greg and the Broncos. 49ers sign Westbrook; trade Balmer to Seattle San Francisco 49ers SANTA CLARA (AP) — Brian Westbrook so wants to be part of a winning team that he accepted a backup job across the country with the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers signed the free agent running back to a one- year deal Monday with a reported $1.25 million guaranteed, giving Westbrook the second chance he’s been seeking in recent months. The St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins were other teams considering West- brook, who ultimately said his decision wasn’t all about money at this stage. San Francisco finished 8-8 last season and will settle for nothing less than reaching the playoffs this year and ending a seven-year postseason drought. ‘‘My No. 1 concern throughout the process was going to a winning team, a football team that was coached by a man I respect and a team that had a winning tradition and players that would be able to achieve that,’’ Westbrook said when formally introduced Monday night. ‘‘I think I found all of those things here in San Francisco. It was a long process but in the end I think it turned out well for me.’’ Coach Mike Singletary made things perfectly clear with his would-be player: Frank Gore is the Niners’ No. 1 back. And that is unlikely to change. That’s fine with Westbrook, who still believes he can be an every-down back but that his banged-up body in recent seasons might be a sign he’s bet- ter suited to take on a lesser role now. ‘‘Frank’s the man,’’ Westbrook said. ‘‘He’s done tremen- dous things in the past, Pro Bowls, talented guy, I’ve respect- ed his game from afar. In Philly, I watched and studied him a whole lot. I’m going to go out there and push him as much as I can, help him as much as I can and I’m sure he’ll do the same for me to make me better. Of course he’ll be the starter but I’ll be the guy right behind him pushing him. Any chance I get, to go out there and make plays.’’ Westbrook, who turns 31 on Sept. 2, was released by the Philadelphia Eagles in February after an injury-filled 2009 season. He had been looking for a new team ever since, talk- ing to several coaches from various franchises. ‘‘When I talked to Brian Westbrook, I just wanted him to know how much I respected him as a player. The fact that he’s still there at this point, I’m just thankful that he was an See 49ers, page 2B Sports 1B Practice heats up Tuesday August 17, 2010 Daily News photo by Rich Greene Red Bluff Spartans’ receivers and defensive backs take part in a blocking drill, Monday. That’s not to say certain play- FOOTBALL Red Bluff Spartans By RICH GREENE DN Sports Editor Not that Week 1 was easy, but football practice started to heat up with Week 2. The typical Red Bluff August heat was back to physically tor- ment players on Monday and the looming sounds of school bells will return to take their mental toll beginning Wednesday. Then there’s that 5-team scrimmage in Sutter on Saturday to prepare for. With all that as background distraction, the Spartans — play- ers and coaches — are still try- ing to determine what their start- ing lineup will look like when they open up Sept. 3 at Pleasant Valley. First year coach John Miller opened every position up for competition before the season and through the first week of practice no one has solidified a spot. ers didn’t impress Miller through the first full week of practice. “If a game was today, Cory Lyon is defiantly a leader,” Miller said at Monday’s practice. While Miller certainly used a term most common with quarter- backs to describe the returning senior who threw for 696 yards in 2009, he made it clear even Lyon hadn’t solidified the spot. It could be because of the ath- leticism of Ty Smith. Miller described Smith as a versatile athlete who’s in the mix for both quarterback or a wide receiver position and defensively will surely fill in somewhere. At tailback, Miller said five guys are in the mix through the first week of practice. One of them is Tyler Demarath, who Miller said has had the most impressive work ethic so far on the team. “He’s one of the hardest work- ing kids in school right now,” Miller said. Demarath is also battling for a corner back position. One of those spots looks more and more likely to be filled by the Spartans leading returning tackler Ian Hill. “I see great things from him,” Miller said. Miller praised the previous coaching staff for their work with his returning players, espe- cially the football skills they instilled in everyone. He said former offensive coor- dinator Rich Hassay did a fabu- lous job with Lyon’s footwork. While Miller said he’s seen some talent in the skill positions, the Spartans line needs more work. On Monday the focus was on pad level. As the week progress- es Miller said the Spartans will be putting in their plays and establishing their new defensive philosophy. “They’re defiantly hard work- ers. They defiantly want to get better,” Miller said of his close to 60-man roster. Luckily for the Spartans, the start of the second week of prac- tice means there’s still three more weeks to get better. Brandt competes at Western Zone Courtesy photo Red Bluff’s Julia Brandt, 11, competes at the Western Zone Swimming Championships in San Jose. SWIMMING Western Zone Swimming Championships DN Staff Report Red Bluff’s Julia Brandt com- peted with 600 of the best swim- mers in the western United States at the Western Zone Swimming Championships in San Jose. Brandt was part of a Sierra Nevada team that placed fourth out of 14 teams. She competed in the 10-and- under age division at the meet and celebrated her 11th birthday during the five-day competition. Her 200-meter medley relay team placed sixth. Individually Brandt placed 16th in the 100-meter breast- stroke, 19th in the 50-meter breaststroke, 25th in the 200- meter individual medley and 34th in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle. Swimmers came from Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Ari- zona, New Mexico, Montana, Arizona and California. Brandt was chosen as one of 70 swimmers from Sacramento north and was coached by Sacra- mento-based coach Arden Hills. The swimmers stayed in a hotel and did everything as a team. Family members could not go on the pool deck and had to cheer from the stands. There were trials and finals each day of the five-day meet, which was run just like an Olympic style compe- tition.