[bde3f1e4]Seattle (AP)[/bde3f1e4] - The fourth-year quarterback slouched in the chair in front of his locker late Sunday afternoon. The defeat hung heavily on the young man's shoulders. His eyes were dreary, his voice gone. The man appeared to have been completely broken by the Oregon defense.

For two full quarters, Francis Burch had kept his sorely overmatched Thunderbirds in the game. Leaving the field down 10-9 at the half, there was a sense of quiet confidence about the young man. Somewhere in a brutal second half that saw the Seattle defense come unhinged in giving up twenty-four points, he lost it.

"We tried to throw the ball all over the field today," said the dazed Burch. "I'm exhausted. My arm is dead weight right now. I feel like I ran for my life the entire game. Those guys did a great job of getting pressure on me from all sides and from a variety of players. I was sort of comfortable out there in the first half, but after the break it was like they found a different gear." Of course, leave it to your mild-mannered reporter to point out the exaggeration in the young man's story. His response was a look of amazement. "Just five hurries? That's not what it felt like out there, let me tell you."

Burch can be forgiven for not knowing exactly how to react to a real CFL defense. This was his first professional start, after all. The Thunderbirds were aggressive on offense, scraping against the team record for pass attempts (39) set in the second week of last season against Atlantic City. It wasn't enough then (they lost 17-14) and it wasn't enough on Sunday, either.

Looking at the season through Francis Burch's already weary eyes, one has to wonder if he will ever manage to lead this team to victory. One thing is for sure; it won't be for lack of trying. It was obvious on Sunday that Burch plays an all-out style of football. Everything to him must be full speed. He will break his body to make plays for his team. For two seasons, he told reporters that he was a passionate football player. Now he finally has the bruises to prove it...