THE LATEST LINE: EKU COACH DOESN'T BUY OVC POLL

Like a sly old fox, Roy Kidd --Eastern Kentucky's legendary football coach -- seemed somewhat incredulous Wednesday as he talked about his team being picked to win the 2000 Ohio Valley Conference championship.

Kidd, during the league's annual media day in Nashville, Tenn., wondered how a squad that finished tied for third in the conference a year ago could be tabbed as the preseason favorite.

The man who is closing in on 300 victories -- his 293 career wins are third among active Division I-A or I-AA coaches -- wondered why defending champion Tennessee State or Murray State (last year's runner-up) wasn't selected at the top.

But the reasons Kidd's Colonels are favored to add another championship notch to their extremely large belt are fairly obvious.

First, EKU returns 15 starters -- including all of their skill position players on offense -- from a team that went 7-4 in 1999.

But, the Colonels being picked as favorites in voting by the league's head coaches and sports information directors probably has as much to do with what the other notable contender lost as what EKU returns.

Tennessee State, which has won the past two OVC titles, must replace standout quarterbacks Leon Murray and Chris Perkins.

Murray State, which has finished second in the league the last two years, has to replace record-setting signal caller Justin Fuente.

Conversely, the Colonels welcome back their starter at the all-important position of QB in Waylon Chapman. Put that fact together with all the other returning regulars and a rich tradition and it makes perfect sense why the voters like EKU.

But most of the OVC's coaches believe this year's race will be wide open, with several teams having a shot to bring home the championship.

As Tim Billings, Southeast Missouri State University's first-year head coach, pointed out, even though Tennessee State has won the past two titles, one thing he's noticed about the OVC in recent years is that at least three or four teams are usually in the running.

Most people don't think Billings' Indians will be in the hunt for the title; they were picked to finish seventh in the eight-team league, ahead of only perennial OVC doormat Tennessee-Martin.

But you can bet Billings and his new-look squad believe they're going to contend. They wouldn't be competitors if they didn't.

Whether that's going to happen or not, only time will tell. But, as the time-worn saying goes, that's why they play the games.

* It's definitely an exciting time of the year if you're a sports fan, with baseball getting closer and closer to its stretch run and football about to kick off.

As far as area football goes, SEMO's newcomers began practice over the weekend and the full squad will start workouts Wednesday while high school teams kick off preseason practice Monday.

* SEMO's women's soccer team, entering its second year of play, won't begin the regular season for a few weeks, but the Otahkians will have their first exhibition game Saturday night when the Busch Soccer Club of St. Louis visits Cape Girardeau.

~Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.