Colleges

Stirrups in pretrial intervention program

By TIMES WIRES
Published November 3, 2006

TAMPA - Former Hillsborough High all-state defensive lineman Leslie Stirrups, arrested in July on six felony charges relating to the alleged theft of two digital cameras, has entered into a pretrial intervention program for first-time offenders.

Under an agreement reached Monday, Stirrups will serve 100 hours of community service and pay full restitution, and if he completes an 18-month probationary period without further troubles, all charges will be dropped.

Stirrups signed with USF in February but failed to qualify academically.

N. Colorado punter talks about attack

GREELEY, Colo. - The University of Northern Colorado punter who was knifed in the kicking leg says he's not surprised by the severity of charges against his backup, who police say attacked Rafael Mendoza to capture his starting job.

"No, not at all. Everyone else is surprised. Not me," Mendoza said Thursday.

Mitch Cozad, 21, faces up to 48 years in prison if convicted on charges of attempted first-degree murder and second-degree assault. Free on $500,000 bail, he's scheduled for his first court appearance Monday.

In his first extensive interview since charges were filed last month, Mendoza said he often ponders his attacker spending decades behind bars.

"I think about it, but I don't worry about it. Because he did it to himself. That's exactly how I see it," Mendoza said.

Asked if he thought his attacker deserved to spend 48 years behind bars, Mendoza said, "I don't know. I don't have any opinion on that. That's for a judge and jury to decide. I think he should pay for what he did."

Mendoza limps and often stands in class because it's too painful to sit.

Mendoza said he had twice taken Cozad out for steak dinners with the other kickers after Cozad walked on in August.

"I tried to do whatever I could to help him because he didn't know anybody when he first got here," Mendoza said. "I even asked him if he wanted to live with me, to be my roommate and share my apartment. I was waiting for his answer when I got attacked."

Western Kentucky: The university's board of regents approved a move from Division I-AA to I-A football.

OBITUARY: Adam Matthews, a former star running back at Northern Colorado and the son of ex-NFL running back Bo Matthews, died of a seizure at his home in Thornton, Colo., on Thursday. He was 25.

[Last modified November 3, 2006, 02:35:03]