Work Ethic

— For the time being, Tim Tebow will be less improv artist and more pocket passer. The faster the Denver Broncos rookie quarterback learns the system, though, the quicker those restraints may come off. Tebow got off on the right foot during the Broncos' rookie minicamp this weekend, impressing his new coach, Josh McDaniels, with his motivation to improve. Then again, that's never been the issue. The knock on Tebow has centered around his throwing mechanics and footwork, precisely why McDaniels is taking a keen interest in Tebow this spring, a work-in-progress McDaniels selected with the 25th pick in last week's draft.

Navy is 5-6, no longer in contention for a berth in the Patriot League Tournament and on the cusp of ending its season against Johns Hopkins for the second consecutive year. But Blue Jays coach Dave Pietramala said he has no intention of overlooking the Midshipmen, who welcome No. 9 Johns Hopkins (9-2) to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis this Saturday. “Whenever we've stepped onto Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, we're playing against the United States Naval Academy,” he said Wednesday.

When he wasn't busy hitting grand slams and chowing down unsatisfactory meals at P.F. Chang's with Cameron Diaz , Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez found some time during his recent weekend getaway in Baltimore to discuss shortstop Manny Machado , the Orioles' top minor-league prospect. "If I was an Orioles fan, I would be really excited to see what this kid has to offer for the next -- at least for the next -- decade or so," Rodriguez told MLB.com. "It's going to be very exciting.

A senior captain, Goodman put on an impressive display of endurance and control Wednesday as he went the distance in a 6-0 victory at then-No. 7 Atholton. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound pitcher, described by his coach as being "built like a rock," allowed just two singles and a walk, and he struck out 10, matching his career high. Goodman is a third-year varsity player, and coach Kyle Campbell credits Goodman's physical strength and off-season work ethic for his performance. Goodman is scheduled to make his next start Wednesday against Baltimore County rival Owings Mills.

Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said yesterday Americans are losing "a work ethic" and no longer have a drive to "live by the sweat of their brow." Two weeks ago, another Japanese politician said U.S. workers are lazy.The Evening Sun would like to know what you think. Have Americans lost their work ethic? Have standards "loosened" too much in recent years? Will this controversy make you more or less likely to think about "Buying American?"To register your opinion, call SUNDIAL at 783-1800 (or 268-7736 in Anne Arundel County)

THE JAPANESE are not all wrong in their assessment of the work habits of Americans. They have noticed that we spend a lot of time at work but don't seem to be doing anything.I first noticed this pattern in the homes of depressed welfare women. They would "work" all day at cleaning up their houses, but nothing would get cleaned up. I noticed it again when I took my VCR to a very small shop for repairs and didn't get it back for two weeks. And although the owner complained to me that business was terrible, no one was doing anything whenever I walked by the store.

Cal Ripken got a $30.5 million contract on his 32nd birthday, but there was no celebration.No quiet dinner with his wife, Kelly. No family gathering for a toast to success and security.Instead, at 12.30 a.m., a half-hour after he had concluded a news conference, Ripken pulled off his uniform -- and put on his workout clothes. His birthday and the signing of a new contract coincided with the post-game workout schedule Ripken religiously adheres to every other day, and this wasn't an exception.

Virginia and Maryland have different perspectives on their 1992 meetings with Clemson.For the past nine months, the Terps pointed to a season-ending upset of Clemson as the type of effort possible under coach Mark Duffner. It came a week after an embarrassing blowout at Florida State that was the only game in its last seven that Maryland, which finished 3-8 after an 0-4 start, wasn't in position to take in the fourth quarter.The Cavaliers were 5-0, ranked No. 10 in the nation and at home in Charlottesville last Oct. 10, when they took a 28-7 halftime lead over Clemson.

* Floyd Cox, 48, of Ellicott City, works for Brunswick Normandy Lanes in Ellicott City:No. We do have the work ethic; it's just that we haven't put ourselves to the test. We've had a good life, an easy life for so many years. It's time we buckle down. In a sense, we got a little lazy. Between management and unions and the work force itself, we were looking for the almighty dollar (rather) than in improvement in ourselves. We just haven't sat back and recognized it. Now, it's starting to catch up on us.

Chain gangs of inmates, shackled ankle-to-ankle like on Old South highways, are coming to Massachusetts.For the first time in the state, a county sheriff will lock teams of nonviolent convicts together in leg irons and send them out to clean streets, paint curbs and pick vegetables at farms.Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson said the inmates, dressed in bright red jumpsuits and followed by two armed guards, will learn teamwork and gain valuable life experience."This is not punitive," Hodgson said.

Four years of high school wrestling have not changed Nathan Kraisser's basic reason for pursuing the sport: "It's still fun just to roll around on the mat and wrestle," he said. It hasn't been so much fun for his opponents. The senior became only the fifth wrestler ever to win four Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association state titles over a career. In his final season he went 36-3, winning his fourth Howard County, East regional and Class 4A-3A state titles. He finished 152-6 overall for his career and is ranked 11th in his weight class nationally by Intermat.

Monday's entry is the fifth installment of a week-long series taking a look at each of the eight Division III programs in this state according to their order of finish from last season. The Sun's lacrosse preview is slated to be published on Friday, Feb. 17. This is Washington's turn. Overview: After going 4-10 in 2010, the Shoremen improved just one game in the win and loss columns last season, finishing 5-9. The team knows that record could have been much better if not for four one-goal losses and one two-goal setback.

In 2010, Lafayette was the feel-good story in the Patriot League, finishing third in the conference with an 8-6 record and securing its first berth in the league tournament in the school's history. However, those vibes ended quickly the following season as the Leopards dropped 11 of 13 contests and finished in last place in the conference. Coach Terry Mangan said not many players and coaches bring up the 2010 season as they are intent on turning the program around. “We still have guys on that team, guys that got some playing time on some of those good teams, and we've got to remind guys that we just didn't roll out of bed one morning and look around and say, 'Hey, we're pretty good.

Kenneth Allen Maylath, a veteran Baltimore broadcaster who had been host of "Conference Call" on WFBR-AM and was later news director at WCBM-AM, died Saturday of sepsis at Franklin Square Hospital Center. The longtime Parkville resident was 75. Born and raised in Westchester County, N.Y., Mr. Maylath was a 1954 graduate of Croton-Harmon High School in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. Mr. Maylath's love of radio began in the 1940s, when he listened to the network broadcasts of Arthur Godfrey, one of his favorite on-air personalities, on WCBS Radio.

Lake Clifton boys basketball coach Herman "Tree" Harried was conducting morning practice on Martin Luther King Jr. Day when a visitor stopped by. It was one of his former players who just wanted to tell Harried that he was doing well with a good job and family. He also said 'Thanks.' Harried, a Dunbar and Syracuse grad who went on to play professional basketball overseas, has piled up 256 wins in his 15 years as coach at Lake Clifton....

During spring football in 2008, Minoso Rodgers met a mature-beyond-his-years running back named Albert Reid and immediately predicted big things for the eighth-grader. “I loved his build,” said Rodgers, the running backs coach at Friendship Collegiate High in Washington. “He had a nice, thick frame and he definitely got started in the weight room and looked like a football player. He got himself on the field, making some upperclassmen look [silly] in spring ball … making them miss.

South Carroll lacrosse coach Gene Brown likes to talk about Cavaliers midfielder Brad Blizzard. Brown quickly will praise the senior's blazing shot, his quickness and his dodging ability.But bring up the subject of Blizzard's work ethic, and Brown becomes effusive in his praise."I know I'm going to get the best effort out of [him]," said Brown. "He's the kind of guy I love to coach."Brown said that Blizzard is one of the hardest workers on the South Carroll squad. That work ethic helped make Blizzard the team's second-leading scorer through seven games with 15 goals.

Edward B. Lauer, co-founder with his wife of Lauer's Supermarket & Bakery in Anne Arundel County, whose motto was "Make the customer feel like a king and queen," died Monday of complications from Parkinson's disease at his Severna Park home. He was 85. "It was his passion and lifelong dream to own a supermarket," said a daughter, Bernadette L. Snoops of Millersville, who now operates the two supermarkets with her sister, Babette M. Poyer, who also lives in Millersville. The son of a Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. paymaster and a homemaker, Mr. Lauer was born in Baltimore and raised on Edmondson Avenue.

When the Detroit Lions meet the New Orleans Saints in the NFC wild-card playoff game Saturdaysome current and former Ravens staff members will be celebrating for Lions coach Jim Schwartz before the game even begins. It's not because the Lions will be making their first playoff appearance in almost a dozen years. But because Schwartz is a Baltimore native who learned a lot about the game as the Ravens quality control coach from 1995 through 1998. "He always had that strong work ethic," Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said.