By John Marshall
The Associated Press

BOULDER, Colo. - Colorado officials believed they had a plan that would allow Jeremy Bloom to accept skiing endorsements and still play college football.

Once again, the NCAA wasn't buying it.

Sticking to the position that college athletes can't accept endorsement money and still keep their eligibility, the NCAA rejected Bloom's latest request Tuesday. Colorado has filed an appeal on the decision, but the setback means the two-sport star will likely have to stick with skiing.

"It's a sad day, I think," Colorado coach Gary Barnett said. "I think it's a really sad day that the NCAA takes a stand like this and can't be flexible enough and tolerant enough to deal with individual differences. They seem to be situational in some of these things and that's the way it is."

Bloom, a junior, has been battling with the NCAA over his eligibility for over two years.

A world champion freestyle skier, Bloom tried to sue the NCAA for not letting him accept endorsement money while training for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Saying he could no longer afford to train without financial support, Bloom started accepting money from sponsors last winter and had all but given up hope of playing college football when the Colorado Court of Appeals denied his request for an injunction in May.

Bloom's outlook changed about two weeks ago with a new waiver request that led the NCAA to ask for several more documents from Bloom and the university.

The waiver was believed to be similar to an agreement former Iowa football player Tim Dwight reached with the NCAA in 1999. Dwight played for the Atlanta Falcons during the 1998 NFL season, but was allowed to retain his track eligibility after paying back endorsement money.

The NCAA has said the two cases are different because Dwight stopped receiving endorsement money during the reinstatement process.

Bloom has maintained the only way he can generate enough money to compete is through sponsorships since he does not receive a salary as a professional skier. Under NCAA rules, collegiate athletes are allowed to receive salaries as professionals in other sports but can't receive endorsement money.

"On matters of amateurism, the colleges and universities in the NCAA have made it clear: student-athletes are not permitted to endorse products and retain their eligibility," said Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president for membership services. "Twice Mr. Bloom asked the NCAA whether he could accept endorsements, and twice he was told it was impermissible and would violate NCAA rules. Bloom then pursued options through the Colorado legal system to set aside the NCAA rules. Again, he was told 'No' twice by the courts.

"And still, he entered into contracts to endorse products, in violation of NCAA rules."

Bloom practiced with Colorado the first five days this season before heading to Chile for a camp with the U.S. Ski Team on Sunday. He hoped to return to Boulder if the NCAA ruled in his favor, but will now stay with the ski team.

"I am shocked and saddened by the NCAA's decision," Bloom said in a statement through Colorado's media relations department.

Barnett said he wasn't surprised by the decision, but hopes it will lead to change within the NCAA.

"Probably this will turn everybody's head and they will make a better decision next time, and Jeremy will have been the one who started it," Barnett said. "I think it's too bad that the NCAA misses this opportunity."

The speedy Bloom was expected to have a huge impact on Colorado's program over the next two years.

He was expected to compete for a starting spot this season and has already proven to be a superb kick returner. Bloom is second on Colorado's all-time list with five touchdowns of 75 yards or longer and last year he returned 44 punts for 625 yards and two TDs and returned 24 kickoffs for 589 yards and one TD.

Bloom also caught 24 passes for 458 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore.

Preseason Top 25

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press preseason college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2003 records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and final ranking:

	Record	Pts	Pvs
1. Southern Cal (48)	12-1	1,603	1
2. Oklahoma (11)	12-2	1,529	3
3. Georgia (5)	11-3	1,480	7
4. LSU (1)	13-1	1,446	2
5. Florida St.	10-3	1,291	11
6. Miami	11-2	1,287	5
7. Texas	10-3	1,236	12
8. Michigan	10-3	1,223	6
9. Ohio St.	11-2	1,005	4
10. West Virginia	8-5	937	-
11. Florida	8-5	836	24
12. Kansas St.	11-4	763	14
13. California	8-6	744	-
14. Tennessee	10-3	658	15
15. Clemson	9-4	638	22
16. Virginia	8-5	627	-
17. Auburn	8-5	540	-
18. Missouri	8-5	525	-
19. Iowa	10-3	518	8
20. Utah	10-2	446	21
21. Wisconsin	7-6	328	-
22. Maryland	10-3	310	17
23. Oregon	8-5	200	-
24. Purdue	9-4	153	18
25. Minnesota	10-3	142	20

Others receiving votes: Louisville 125, Nebraska 112, N.C. State 76, Memphis 56, Boise St. 47, TCU 39, Toledo 33, Oregon St. 29, Washington St. 24, Fresno St. 13, Oklahoma St. 13, Alabama 12, Hawaii 11, Boston College 7, N. Illinois 7, Texas Tech 7, Marshall 6, Mississippi 6, Southern Miss. 6, Virginia Tech 6, Georgia Tech 5, Miami (Ohio) 4, South Carolina 4, Arkansas 3, Texas A&M 3, Bowling Green 2, Connecticut 1, North Texas 1, Notre Dame 1, Penn St. 1.

AP Preseason No. 1s

2004-Southern Cal

2003-Oklahoma

2002-Miami

2001-Florida

2000-Nebraska

1999-Florida St.-x

1998-Ohio St.

1997-Penn St.

1996-Nebraska

1995-Florida St.

1994-Florida

1993-Florida St.-x

1992-Miami

1991-Florida St.

1990-Miami

1989-Michigan

1988-Florida St.

1987-Oklahoma

1986-Oklahoma

1985-Oklahoma-x

1984-Auburn

1983-Nebraska

1982-Pittsburgh

1981-Michigan

1980-Ohio St.

1979-Southern Cal

1978-Alabama-x

1977-Oklahoma

1976-Nebraska

1975-Oklahoma-x

1974-Oklahoma-x

1973-Southern Cal

1972-Nebraska

1971-Notre Dame

1970-Ohio St.

1969-Ohio St.

1968-Purdue

1967-Notre Dame

1966-Alabama

1965-Nebraska

1964-Mississippi

1963-Southern Cal

1962-Ohio St.

1961-Iowa

1960-Syracuse

1959-LSU

1958-Ohio St.

1957-Oklahoma

1956-Oklahoma-x

1955-UCLA

1954-Notre Dame

1953-Notre Dame

1952-Michigan St.-x

1951-Tennessee-x

1950-Notre Dame

x-won national championship

*Polls started in 1950