All five candidates have spirited defenders as well as detractors.
St. John Hendricks declined to praise any of his favorite players during his brief speech, saying: "Last year I praised Gro Espeseth, and look what happened: She went and retired," in reference to the spirited Norwegian defender whose knees gave out after one year in the W.U.S.A.
And that will bring out the best in the Giants' defense, said right tackle Keith Hamilton, who is perhaps the most spirited Giants defender but has a sore right hamstring that kept him out of the last game, a victory Sept. 21 against Washington.
On Sunday, however, he was spirited, pushing forward and challenging the defenders early with sharp runs into the seams of the German back line.
But Wozniacki, one of the game's best defenders, is clearly a spirited young woman, one who cares about her public image and is not afraid to fight for it.
Hendricks' ruling came after a spirited argument by Lecroy's attorney, federal public defender Erica Soderdahl, who said race didn't play a role.
In the capital a quick, spirited game was not robbed of its venom when the Ajax defender Thomas Vermaelen was sent off for taking out Heerenveen's breakaway attacker Roy Beerens on Saturday.
It will be interesting to see how Diallo, a striker from Senegal, blends into a team that includes defenders Mike Petke and Steve Jolley, two players who have had a spirited rivalry with Diallo.
PROPOSAL UNDER SCRUTINY N.F.L. owners, coaches and general managers had what John Mara, the Giants' president, called a "pretty spirited" discussion Tuesday about a rule proposal that would prohibit running backs and defenders from striking a forcible blow with the crown of their helmets outside the tackle box and more than three yards from the line of scrimmage.
WASHINGTON, April 25 — The Supreme Court put defenders of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law on the defensive on Wednesday in a spirited argument that suggested the court could soon open a significant loophole in the measure.
