JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?~48}{rk? 'i+-tijYXDdoOa]T o?PHR@ tE|3i{m ʺdTUF↮ cwK.-E?p< ylJó{n$C*s"Cwpc Bލe CA!$V9==q]ƪ8B~o^ЬOųҤմC#%Vr`_[jS n'JdGsONb[B `UMo\m8o]і Tv1-rьaӚok7ήgH qY7gLʉ|CCG;aE ?u5o1EH&Kn('+'K7$Ê5cRI{' =A'9=MlkBQK8"-\,d9cllEX&#}3ZVDJ^)E|X滏GZY%rg6Z*P0%P'ٮuVn?Š-{~Wsҷ:`1 ӵ˹lxf2N m[<+BvW8iǙ {B!QnhC[Pjo +<3yu1OoH6ʣ!+jRtjnyE֣k%s3djCH\Cs}P 6V軮e'~Z\Zn ԫ&𒐬GW챼;UC`$yM-S=d^(ӕkxtϽyȟ+u_{k$l7gTv;Eyv$+zƽ{W[ۈAtpUSc<%΢!qRvtjv9$Uunz})VB?yZ)-yMtpIg$|} m)ex(g>^<Տ:QmNjxg!Tǀ$_k|=8,7yߢ{cH^ȚZYipa9?ʫt'ZV{m!E LOq]g %aMOK:EvsUJ"ħEGz,?*V$vN9ȷ$l `&N C?Q֭U@ jN76 GL Z+\ `޷1ہ>XWR?#XkBAI s`#^2@bZ[m߈d5sCmnSmL*zSE'P6 9b`1NzU09Ȏ K;lFrrS F*r+j-Xȁ_ Oi$CL5)8$v[nrGG\t +/Űv%2G+FBjGdVzעqo8 *++#qy݄WkoEƩD֑!b`EhuxKn y*Ԟ8a8^']Op/*\o.3Bc9Eצθ2YJɎM4Fq$z:Gj"8l8Uk߈к!!al%.ex"xEt\>Fh|KMkyOv"OP3% ۅ^s2,ߚ[^w]('ʎLZ<2g<Ϯ#V|7xn v,?ZQb=βF63"R;*8ؼcsU@|V !rejSvL\ EԱUj?3Wm`)= fݓ4/Gfrj{xK,WscAkVd3ỸѲEmNg< KU%d-WER:N$b<ϿZ+6ա0A>$,N5F"O_r\֠$""ngi&B\(ʗ}jb֗9< k*coid6w~GTf6>՗v Ń|i=pW8>V1F,p i$~&jF{8pFaw{_Ax1ʚ-rwc<ݛ1KCӤ89]$[]v9=4< r:⺋x9<=E*:fLQxqI(}Ψүjb6?*ҲRqGߡʄA Vwf)`T!?U+;oFeծFqO3@*g{xu XZ:WԷ=[6Uǭv_o;k7h10)C pֻ j$HsMD:KMsxS:Sp8?J/S~5Q6-'ź% ˚m [vrn9\pk ?V K$ޙ,BEdcH9 dXO e?ʕ1[XBw)Pz\ۼ+9ڪA\t5b4~47{VH=+riv5VUgcK6 {Q6?tUmk**ߺ Says Ben,  I was optimistic, but I knew I had to work hard to become bigger, faster and stronger. <br>By the 2000 season, Ben had achieved a 385 Bench, a 390 Hang Clean, a 330 Power Clean, a 525 Parallel Squat, a 5.0 forty and a 32.5 Vertical Jump. He can dunk a basketball now at 280 pounds. Coach Hartman says,  Ben numbers aren t as great as some others but what sets him apart is his athleticism and flexibility. So he is a great athlete who has gotten continually stronger and better. <br>Ben was a 1999 All-American and a pre-season 2000 All-American. He has also been selected as a 2000 Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award Candidate. Ben states,  While growing up in Wayzata, playing for the University of Minnesota was always a dream for me. After my freshman year, I wasn t sure what to expect for the rest of my college career because of coaching changes. But, Coach Mason came in and changed the attitudes and expectations of Gopher football. I am very proud that I was part of transforming this program back into a winner. <br>Ben believes that hard work has gotten him where he is.  I ve used goal setting, says Ben.  Goals help you to stay focused. On a big day in the weight room or on the football field, I visualize being successful. I visualize beating the weight. I do the same in football by visualizing great execution. <br>The most inspirational person in Ben s life has been his father.  He has always been there for me, says Ben.  My father has been a good example. Ben s father was a former Minnesota Viking offensive lineman. He taught Ben well. Ben is the first offensive lineman to be named All-American since Outland Trophy winner Bobby Bell in 1962. <br>Ben red-shirted his first year and was a Scholar-Athlete winner. He started as a freshman in 1997 in all 12 games and was an All-Big Ten selection. The next year Ben was a pre-season honorable mention All-American. In addition to being a first team All-American last year, Ben was named the team s Paul Giel award winner, which honors the player who exhibits total unselfishness and most concern about the University of Minnesota. <br>One of the pre-season teams that Ben made was the Playboy All-American team. He turned them down.  My relationship with God is the most important thing in my life, explained Ben.  Turning down Playboy was hard because lineman don t get many honors. But I didn t want to give a mixed message. If you are a Christian, you should lead by example. <br>Ben leads by example in other areas. He doesn t smoke, chew or do drugs.  You can find that stuff, Ben says.  I ve just never wanted to try it. Ben carries a 3.2 GPA. He is never late to class. In fact, one of his traits is that he is always early. Ben has missed zero tests.<br> I don t miss things, says Ben.  You have to pay attention to time management. I have a day planner type of calendar. Besides, I really like my classes, especially math and my major. Ben will graduate in Civil Engineering and, after whatever happens in pro football, wants to manage construction projects. <br>Karon did not lift weights at Martin Luther King High School in Detroit.  Because, says Karon,  I was always in sports. I played three sports and I was naturally strong. Karon was All-State in both football and basketball. He also ran a 10.8 100 meters at 210 pounds. Karon carried a 3.65 GPA.<br>Karon never did drugs or drank alcohol in high school.  Never, exclaimed Karon!  I was petrified. I was scared to drink. A lot of my friends did. I was usually the mediator. Detroit is not a