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JOEMAHONEY—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILE Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips pumps his fist during a Dec. 13game against the Oakland Raiders. The Broncos defensive coordinator is a character cut from the same cloth as his dad. ByEddiePells TheAssociatedPress SANTA CLARA Afewweeksago, Broncos defensive coordina- tor Wade Phillips went to great pains to describe glowingly a cer- tain coach with the initials "B.B." — a coach he would go on to out- scheme and beat a few days later to punch his ticket to the Super Bowl. "I've said it before," Phillips said. "He's a great coach because he can take his guys and beat yours, but he can also take your guys and beat his." If that sounded familiar, it was a de-Texas-ized version of his dad's old homage to Don Sh- ula: "He can take his'n and beat your'n, and take your'n and beat his'n." Though Wade may be missing the 10-gallon hat and the cowboy boots, the coach with the Twitter handle (at)sonofbum really is a chip off the ol' block — sharp as a tack and quick with a quip. And, just like his dad, Son of Bum can coach a little, too. No magic to it, he insists, as he gets ready for the season's biggest challenge — stopping Cam New- ton and the Panthers. Essentially, Phillips says, the key to coaching — the key to life, really — is to keep things simple. And stay ag- gressive. And never forget, first and foremost, this is a game about connecting with people. "My dad was my hero, not just my dad," Phillips said. "Every- thing I learned about football and about people, and about how to work with people, is from him." The testimonials from his cur- rent players are consistent. "He's hilarious. He'll dance and goof around," defensive lineman Derek Wolfe said. "But then when it's time for business, it's time for business. We take on that person- ality as a team." It's possible that the close, per- sonal connections he builds with SUPER BOWL 50 Phillipsgetsbestfromdefense Coordinator has fun side, but knows how to take care of business SUPERBOWL50 Sunday: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers, 3:30p.m., TV on CBS. TUNEIN By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stew- art was hospitalized Tuesday with a back injury and Stewart-Haas Racing said the team was unsure of the extent of his injuries just a week before he is expected in Daytona to prepare for his final season in Sprint Cup. The 44-year-old Stewart was injured Sunday during an acci- dent while he was riding an all- terrain vehicle somewhere on the West Coast, SHR spokesman Mike Arning told The Associated Press. He was being evaluated at an undisclosed hospital and able to move all extremities. Arning indicated Stewart's con- dition will not be updated again until Thursday. Stewart was in Arizona on Saturday night at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scott- sdale and interviewed on live tele- vision from the event. Stewart is retiring at the end of this NASCAR season, and he was due to report next week to Daytona International Speedway to begin preparing for the Feb. 21 Daytona 500. "We have received word from Stewart-Haas Racing of Tony Stewart's accident and injury," NASCAR chairman Brian France NASCAR SPRINT CUP Stewart in hospital from ATV accident By Stephen Wade The Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO The Zika virus is overshadowing the final prepara- tions for the Rio de Janeiro Olym- pics, even eclipsing concerns over deep budget cuts and severe wa- ter pollution. Hundreds of reporters packed Olympic headquarters on Tuesday to hear about ticket sales, venue construction and a reminder that Friday marks six months until the opening of the games on Aug. 5. Instead, they got the organiz- ers' medical director, Dr. Joao Grangeiro, and government health officials offering assur- ances that the games will be safe from Zika and that only pregnant women are at risk from the mos- quito-borne virus with its epicen- ter in Brazil. "Athletes should come to the Olympic Games," said Grangeiro, who said organizers are following guidelines of the World Health Organization, which calls the spread of the virus an "extraor- dinary event and public health threat." "They (athletes) are not at risk," Grangeiro added, promising the mosquito count will fall in August during Brazil's winter. 2016 OLYMPICS Zika virus overshadows buildup to Rio By Janie McCauley The Associated Press SAN JOSE Vernon Davis got to sleep at home for a night in the Bay Area, stay in the same ho- tel where he lived during 49ers training camp last summer, and the equipment staff even prom- ised him his old locker at Levi's Stadium this weekend. No matter that he might play a bit part in this Super Bowl for theDenverBroncos,Davisisback where he has made a home for more than a decade and ready to win a championship ring after coming up just short three years ago with San Francisco. It just so happened he arrived Sunday for Super Bowl week on his 32nd birthday, too. "It hasn't been that long since I left here, so it kind of seems like I was just here," said Davis, who was traded from the 49ers to the Broncos on Nov. 2. "I'll look around a little bit and get a gauge on things and I'll come to the realization that I'm actu- ally playing in the Super Bowl at Levi's Stadium." The veteran tight end has had discussions with many a team- mate already on the importance that they "just stay together, just stay in this moment, and don't get caught up on the outside be- cause the moment you do there's a lot of risk." Davis didn't even have plans to stop by the Jamba Juice store he owns. He would love nothing more than to leave his mark on this Super Bowl, somehow. Even if he has played all of 11 snaps this postseason with one target and no catches. "You haven't seen me but there's a chance that you could see me," he said. "I don't know. I'm all about faith, anything could happen just like that. The moment it does, I have to take advantage of my opportunities. They will come. ... I'm a patient guy and I'm ready whenever the opportunity presents itself." Davis' short time in the of- fense — and playing with two different quarterbacks in Peyton Manning and backup Brock Os- weiler — made for a challenging transition to his new team. According to Football Per- spective, Davis is one of just four players to have competed in home games on the Super Bowl field during the regular season then return for the champion- ship game with a different team. For Davis, that three-point loss to Baltimore in the Super Bowl following the 2012 season has stuck with him — just as it has for many of his former 49ers teammates. "It just weighs heavy on you when you make it to the Super Bowl and you can't pull off the victory," Davis said. "It's not a good feeling at all. I stressed that to some of my teammates, I wanted to make them aware of what it can feel like if things didn't go our way — just give them that fire and that motiva- tion." SUPER BOWL 50 DAVIS HOPING FOR BIG ROLE ON TEAM Former 49ers tight end was traded to Denver in November, lands in title game JOE MAHONEY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Denver Broncos tight end Vernon Davis (80) signals first down as teammate Owen Daniels (81) looks on during the first half of a game against the Oakland Raiders in Denver. He may well play a bit part at this Super Bowl. But Davis is back in the Bay Area he has called home for more than a decade. He's also ready to win a ring a er coming up short three years ago with the San Francisco 49ers. DAVID ZALUBOWSKI — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Denver Broncos tight end Vernon Davis, right, celebrates with teammate Ryan Harris following the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots on Jan. 24, in Denver. The Broncos defeated the Patriots 20-18to advance to the Super Bowl. SUPER BOWL 50 Sunday: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers, 3:30p.m., TV on CBS. TUNEIN DAVIS PAGE 2 PHILLIPS PAGE 2 ZIKA PAGE 2 STEWART PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Wednesday, February 3, 2016 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1