LEADING OFF

Hands-on Coach

Before taking the field against Oregon State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum last Saturday, the USC Trojans gathered around their coach, Pete Carroll, who had a touching moment with at least one player. The Trojans beat the Beavers 42--36 and will play at Oregon on Saturday in a game that could help determine the Pac-10 title (page 50).

Learning Curve

In the world's largest wind tunnel, at the General Motors aerodynamics laboratory in Warren, Mich., Jan Hudec, a member of Canada's Alpine skiing team, tested his tuck position last Saturday with the help of Frank Meinert, who sent a jet of smoke over Hudec.

Drop Zone

Although the referee would rule that Darren Sharper scored a touchdown—even after looking at the replay—the Saints' free safety seemed to lose control of the ball before reaching the end zone in the third quarter of New Orleans's 46--34 win over the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday (page 44). Sharper picked off a pass from Chad Henne and returned it 42 yards for his third touchdown off an interception this season.

Fall Guy

BASE jumper Paul Morton of New Zealand performed an acrobatic dive off the roof of the Kuala Lumpur Tower, 1,099 feet above the streets of the Malaysian capital, during the International Tower Jump last Friday. Morton, one of 82 BASE (Buildings, Antennas, Spans, Earth) jumpers from 18 countries who took part in the event, parachuted to safety.

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Photograph by Jon SooHoo/PeteCarroll.com

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Photograph by Nathan Denette/CP/AP

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Photograph by Simon Bruty

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Photograph by AFP/Getty Images