DAILY NEWS ALL-STAR VALLEY CLASSIC: EMOTION PLAYS OVER SIZE : WESTLAKE RECEIVER GAINS NEW PERSPECTIVE ON FIELD.Byline: Nevin Barich Nevin Barich (born August 6, 1979) is a former American sports journalist now working as the Senior Editor of The National Notary, a trade magazine based in Los Angeles with a circulation of more than 300,000 nationwide. Special to the Daily News Joey Joey after Joseph Grimaldi, famous 19th-century clown. [Am. Hist.: Espy, 45] See : Clowns Cuppari couldn't believe his eyes. He had seen some big guys in the Southern Section while playing wide receiver for the Westlake High football team. But while he was standing on the sidelines On the sidelines An investor who decides not to invest due to market uncertainty. on the sidelines Of or relating to investors who, having assessed the market, have decided to avoid committing their funds. before last year's Daily News All-Star Valley Classic, he gazed upon some of the players on the City team. And suddenly, big had a whole new meaning. ``We were in awe,'' said Cuppari when reflecting upon that day. ``Those guys from the city were huge. The CIF (1) (Common Intermediate Format) A standard video format used in videoconferencing. CIF formats are defined by their resolution, and standards both above and below the original resolution have been established. The original CIF is also known as Full CIF (FCIF). team came in first. We looked at them and said, `Yeah, they're pretty huge.' But then the City team came on to the field, all dressed in black, and these guys were humongous. We went up to a couple of them, the 300-pounders, just to see if they were really that big.'' Cuppari saw how big the City All-Stars were as a spectator Spectator, English daily periodical published jointly by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele with occasional contributions from other writers. It succeeded the Tatler, a periodical begun by Steele on Apr. 12, 1709, under the pseudonym Isaac Bickerstaff. . But he'll have a chance to size them up on the field, up close and personal, when he competes in the All-Star game An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games this Saturday at Cal State Northridge. ``I'm really looking forward to it,'' said Cuppari, a 6-1, 170-pound senior. ``We play against them (the City schools) all the time in passing leagues, in normal wars. Now I get to go out there to prove that I can compete with them. I'll be going up against the best DB's (defensive backs) in the city.'' True, but those defensive backs will also be facing one of the best wide receivers in Cuppari. In his two years on the Westlake squad, Cuppari caught 144 passes for more than 2,000 yards. He also holds the team scoring title with 151 points. And he's no slouch slouch v. slouched, slouch·ing, slouch·es v.intr. 1. To sit, stand, or walk with an awkward, drooping, excessively relaxed posture. 2. To droop or hang carelessly, as a hat. v. on defense, either. Cuppari is Westlake's second all-time leader in interceptions with 12 (Travis Campbell has 13). ``He's an awesome athlete,'' said Westlake coach Jim Benkert whose team went 8-4 this season and advanced to the second round of the Division III
Division III (or DIII) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association of the United States. playoffs. ``He's one of the most phenomenal athletes, in terms of football. He has tremendous ability.'' Football is not the only sport that Cuppari excels in. He was a starting point Noun 1. starting point - earliest limiting point terminus a quo commencement, get-go, offset, outset, showtime, starting time, beginning, start, kickoff, first - the time at which something is supposed to begin; "they got an early start"; "she knew from the guard for the basketball team and currently bats leadoff lead·off n. 1. An opening play or move. 2. One that leads off. lead  off and plays center field for the baseball team which is currently in the
hunt for a Division III title.
``I don't really like any sport better than the other,'' Cuppari said. ``I like whatever I'm playing at the time.'' Cuppari is a major player on all three teams. He attributes this to his intensity on the field. ``I have seen a lot of the players on the field that have friends on the other teams and have that buddy-buddy thing on the field,'' Cuppari said. ``Not me. I don't care
"Don't Care" is a 1994 (see 1994 in music) single by American death metal band Obituary. if it's my best friend on the field.'' Perhaps it's this attitude that's the main reason behind many of Cuppari's teammates looking to him for leadership. ``I think it just comes naturally,'' Cuppari said. ``The coaches, during the year, will appoint different leaders but as the season goes on, on the field, my teammates listen to what I have to say. I think it's because I say it like it is. Some of them like it and some of them don't.'' Cuppari plans to attend Colorado State in the fall. Originally, he was just going to play football but, with the year he's had in baseball, (his batting average batting average n. Baseball A measure of a batter's performance obtained by dividing the total of base hits by the number of times at bat, not including walks. Noun 1. is well over .300) Cuppari's going to have some tough decisions to make. ``Last season, I had a great football season and so I figured I would just pursue football,'' Cuppari said. ``I look back on it now and I may be facing some problems. This year, I had a good football season but, while I hit over .300 last year, I'm having a great baseball season. So I've been thinking of pursuing that but I already gave Colorado State my word that I would go. So I think I'm going to play some minor-league ball during the summer.'' Cuppari was a major star in high school and maybe he'll be one at the college level. But will he ever consider going pro? ``If I'm good enough, then sure, I'd like to go pro,'' Cuppari said. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1) ``I have seen a lot of the players on the field that have friends on the other teams and have that buddy-buddy thing on the field. Not me. I don't care if it's my best friend on the field.'' - Joey Cuppari on his aggressive style (2) Westlake High wide receiver will face his foes Saturday at the Daily News All-Star Valley Classic. David Sprague/Daily News |
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