The Road to Super Bowl XXXV

Super side line By GREG AUMAN, SHARON GINN and SCOTT PURKS © St. Petersburg Times, published January 25, 2001 Web site of the day buyyourteam.com Now that everybody knows the Bucs aren't for sale, here's another local opportunity to buy into a pro franchise. The Tampa-based Web site is a "grass-roots effort to establish fan-based ownership of pro sports franchises." You send it a minimum of $40, which is held in an interest-bearing account until there's enough money to buy the team you designate. Maybe this thing is wildly successful, but we're thinking it's still a few hundred million dollars short of locking up its first team. Not that we want to get any new rumors started ... . eBay item of the day No trash talk allowed Everybody gets his 15 minutes of fame, and for several people, that apparently involves talking to Giants cornerback Jason Sehorn on the phone. If you want to chat with Sehorn and have $630 to spare, there's a charity auction that will give you (sometime in the next three months) 15 minutes to talk with Sehorn. The auction had 44 bids Wednesday, and bidding closes at 5:58 p.m. today. Sehorn's base salary for 2000 is $3.12-million, which works out to $39,000 for each 15-minute quarter this season. In other words, the Giants are paying 62 times as much for his services as the high bidder. -- GREG AUMAN Super Bowl heroes: Where are they now? Jim Plunkett Former Oakland Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett was the MVP of Super Bowl XV (1981) after throwing for 261 yards and three touchdowns in leading his team to a 27-10 victory over Philadelphia. He led the Raiders to a second Super Bowl title three years later, a 38-9 victory over Washington in Tampa, capping one of the most remarkable comebacks in NFL history. He had been waived by the 49ers in 1978 and did not play that season even though the Raiders picked him up. Now 53, he is a majority owner in a Coors distributorship in the Stockton, Calif., area. He also gives motivational speeches to major corporations. He told the Oakland Tribune a year ago that his body is "falling apart" and that he had had 13 surgeries and likely faced back surgery. -- SHARON GINN Obscure player of the day Joe Montgomery Joe Montgomery came to the NFL last season as a rookie with an Ohio State pedigree. He was a second-round pick of the Giants. He led -- led! -- New York in rushing last season (okay, so he had only 348 yards). So what happened to him? Ron Dayne and Tiki Barber. And injuries. When the Giants selected Dayne, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Wisconsin, and Barber exploded with 144 yards in the season opener, Montgomery became the other running back. Before he got a chance to defend his position as the Giants starter, injuries knocked him from the race. What's new? For a 5-foot-10, 230-pound running back, Montgomery has proven himself brittle. -- SCOTT PURKS Past 14 Days March 16, 2008 March 15, 2008 March 14, 2008 March 13, 2008 March 12, 2008 March 11, 2008 March 10, 2008 March 9, 2008 March 8, 2008 March 7, 2008 March 6, 2008 March 5, 2008 March 4, 2008 March 3, 2008 Search further back Today's Super Bowl story lineup Nothing but blue skies For Ravens' Lewis, no answers, just pain At decisive moment, Armstead went right Celebrities can eat; the rest can forget it We paid for it; it paid off Be cool, be cool A reward for being unique Football, hard? Try owning a club or two AFC Guest analyst NFC guest analyst Sports Babe planning long vacation to regroup Dilfer in his glory Sharpe remarks Reselling tickets is big business Super side line Autograph demands are a sign of Faulk's times Ravens quotebook Whether wide or short, every kicker has a friend Some Sharpe words greet Lewis critics Reluctant convert finds his bliss on O-line Celebrity predictions Hilliard can take a hit Lomas Brown in line for a title Giants quotebook Celebrity watch A field guide to the celebrities Media follows the NFL's food trail Super volunteers have more answers than Regis Philbin Rooms are available, but they'll cost you Super Bowl side line Lots of money, but not for all Sand sculptures fill tall order Complaint brings an apology, tickets Art of the game Highlights of the week New rumor, new denial: no Parcells Bucs' Lynch takes a ride into the wild blue yonder Redner to teams and NFL: I must get this off my chest Loving every minute of it