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Talented Texan headed to Grizz? Prep Notebook By GREG STILES Well, at least it looked good on the Internet. A 6-foot-2, 235-pound fullback from Texas headed for Ashland. Just what the defending state champion Grizzlies needed to keep opposing defenses honest, right? Earlier this month, word of such a possibility appeared on the Oregonlive.com high school sports forum. It all started with a posting titled "Othello comes to Ashland" by Dean Laun from points unknown. "Word's out that Othello Bruggins, the 232-pound back from Texas who moved to Oregon last year is moving to Ashland. Look out Roseburg, this guy's a plow horse that could go for 2,000 yards next season. You Bums in Ashland are in for some dumb luck." That sparked eight more Internet entries, some raving about Bruggins' exploits at perennial powerhouse Plano High in Texas. "I saw Bruggins play last year in a scrimmage game and he tore up the turf to the tune of 180-plus yards," wrote Quincy Beauchamp. "When he gets a head of steam he's really hard to bring down. Look for Ashland in the playoffs and the State championship ... again." A coach in California remembers when he visited his cousin at Elk Grove. "I coached Bruggins' cousin at Elk Grove, California," wrote Ed Lombardi. "Othello came down to visit last year and let me tell you this kid has got legend potential. I only met him once and he made an impression on me right away." The wisest comment from cyberspace might have come from someone with a memory long enough to scrutinize imported wunderkinds. An author using the pseudonym Houdini Malstrom notes that Ontario was stripped of a 1997 state football championship when the Tigers failed to thoroughly check out a transfer student from Hawaii's eligibility. "Shades of Ontario?" cautions the writer. "Someone in Ashland better check this Bruggins kid's transcripts. We've heard how great he is, but if he's from Texas he could have played under another name, be 30 years old, or worse yet be an undercover agent from the OSAA." And yes, there are cyber rabbit trails waiting to swallow up an hour or two of your time. Somebody named Deak Camarillo either is into disinformation or just very confused. "Bruggins' given name is Cory Orthello Brady. He lived in Plano, Texas, then moved and played fullback at Mineral Wells. This is in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He moved to Oregon last year with his mom, moved back to Texas, then back to Oregon." The Mineral Wells, Texas star rushed for 3,000 yards in a three-year varsity career, finished second in the state power-lifting championship and is favored to win district shot put and discus titles next week. He's hoisted 600 pounds in the deadlift, according to Craig Holamon, sports editor at the Mineral Wells Index and had a 1,300-pound total with military and bench presses. But if Cory Brady is the man, the Grizzlies are plum out of luck. Brady is a great talent, but he's a senior. "His middle name isn't Othello and he never lived in Plano," says Jackie Harvey, Mineral Wells track coach. "He grew up here and I even coached his dad." Nobody at the Dallas Morning News had heard of Othello Bruggins. Nothing on the papers' computer library, either. And at Ashland High, Jim Nagel hasn't seen or heard of anyone matching the Texan's description. "If he's pretty good-sized and expressed any interest in football, I'm sure word would get back to me," Nagel says. With the Japanese all-stars, followed by road trips to Marshfield and Roseburg kicking off the season, the coach wouldn't mind an extra hand. "I think he's a phantom," Nagel says. "It would be a pleasant surprise if he showed up. But it would be a surprise if he were to be here. "We'd probably find a place for him some place." ROGUE RIVER BASEBALL -- You can view the glass half-empty or half-full. At Rogue River, there's one less baseball coach after a pair of first first-year coaches settled their differences the old fashioned way. Rogue River's school board fired varsity coach Larry Perez after he initiated a fist fight with junior varsity coach Cliff Roberts. Neither is a member of the school's teaching staff. The incident took place March 30 after a non-conference game with Grants Pass at Umscheid Field when the game was called off and then back on again. Roberts, who suggested the game could be played, was getting the field ready when Perez walked up and a verbal dispute ensued. Then in front of assistant coaches and players, Perez struck Roberts twice, who then fought back before they were separated by assistants. Rogue River athletic director Brian Richards said practice was canceled and that the program was turned over to the volunteers until the board removed Perez. "We had to go through due process," Richards said. Roberts is guiding the team with volunteers Steve Pergin, Butch Guilbert and Israel Brotherton until a new coach is hired. GOLF SWITCH -- Todd Couch is out as South Medford's golf coach and Josh Jamieson is in. Couch took a job recently that conflicted with golf schedules. (Greg Stiles is a Mail Tribune sports writer. He can be reached at 776-4483.) Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.