Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL) articles from March 2001

Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL) archives from March 2001

Airline stocks fall as analysts expect more weakness.
March 1, 2001... Byline: John Schmeltzer Shares of the nation's biggest airlines plunged Thursday after Wall Street analysts downgraded most of their stocks in the wake of a profit warning from US Airways. The warning came as officials of UAL Corp....

Mike Sirotka ruling expected on Friday.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Paul Sullivan TUCSON, Ariz._Commissioner Bud Selig will announce his final ruling on the Mike Sirotka saga Friday, according to a spokesperson for Major League Baseball. Toronto has asked for compensation from the White Sox...

Old man solves Rauch, but rookie looks sharp.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Paul Sullivan TUCSON, Ariz. _ Two eras collided in the White Sox's intrasquad game Wednesday when 41-year-old Harold Baines singled off top prospect Jon Rauch. In was the 22-year-old Rauch's first outing against major-league...

Thomas' spring has sprung leak.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Paul Sullivan TUCSON, Ariz. _ Frank Thomas was spotted smiling on Wednesday morning, but his spring of discontent continued as the day wore on. The two agents who represented Thomas resigned, citing philosophical differences...

Pitching competition keen in White Sox camp.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Paul Sullivan TUCSON, Ariz._It's expected to be a duel between Kip Wells and Jon Garland, but with a month to go before Opening Day, one or both of the White Sox starters could wind up back in the minors. There's one spot...

McGwire's new deal could affect Sosa's.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Teddy Greenstein SCOTTSDALE, Ariz._Sammy Sosa believes Mark McGwire's contract extension could affect his future, but not in the way you might think. Sosa downplayed the fact McGwire settled for a figure deemed below his market...

Starting a relief for Tavarez.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Teddy Greenstein MESA, Ariz. _ Spring training games generally carry as much importance as Groundhog's Day. But when the Cubs make their spring debut Thursday against San Francisco, the moment will have extra meaning for Julian...

Cubs' Zuleta must prove himself again.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Teddy Greenstein MESA, Ariz. _ Julio Zuleta met the love of his life while standing in line to send his parents money at a Western Union. So when Zuleta says he's content to rest his fate in the hands of God, believe him. ...

Mark McGwire gets two-year extension for $30 million.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Phil Rogers Making a statement about his happiness, Mark McGwire agreed to a contract extension with the St. Louis Cardinals that might have insulted another superstar. McGwire will earn $14 million in 2002 and $16 million in...

Illinois boasts a great Scot; Robert Archibald excels despite a back problem.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Gary Reinmuth CHICAGO _ The top five least surprising things about Illinois junior center-forward Robert Archibald: 1. He not only knows what haggis is, he actually likes it. "You take the heart, liver and lungs of a sheep,...

Creighton favored for Missouri Valley crown.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Bob Foltman CHICAGO _ Like a double shot of espresso, conference basketball tournaments have a way of reinvigorating the system. "I think this is a great time of year," Bradley coach Jim Molinari said. "Most Division I college...

If Illinois women want NCAA bid, they'll have to earn it.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Bill Jauss CHICAGO _ Postseason chances for Illinois' women's basketball team depend upon "how much we want it," coach Theresa Grentz said on the eve of Thursday's first round Big Ten tournament game against Northwestern. ...

Tired team hopes Ruffin brings relief; Bulls' top post defender returns.
March 1, 2001... Byline: K.C. Johnson CHICAGO _ General Manager Jerry Krause recently chided some acquaintances for underestimating the effect of Michael Ruffin's loss to the Bulls. They in turn tweaked Krause for overstating Ruffin's importance. ...

Rockets retain mastery over Bulls, 95-78.
March 1, 2001... Byline: K.C. Johnson CHICAGO _ Blowouts blow up normalcy. Convention doesn't cut it in clunkers. The last two times the Bulls had faced Houston before Wednesday night, the Rockets had prevailed by an average _ that's correct, average...

Court-sanctioned exclusion of gays thrusts scouts to the brink of our cultural divide.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Karen Brandon For as long as anyone could remember, the Boy Scouts sold Christmas trees at the church on Main Street in Kingston, Mass. The church was happy. The scouts were happy. It was as simple as that. But nothing about...

House committee OKs tax cut plan.
March 1, 2001... Byline: William Neikirk WASHINGTON _ Republicans have put President Bush's across-the-board tax cut on a congressional fast track that Democrats fear could prematurely commit a huge chunk of future budget surpluses and create pressure for...

With cross-country travel, Bush governs like the campaign never ended.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Naftali Bendavid ATLANTA _ When President Bush took office six weeks ago, many expected his laid-back, hands-off governing style to translate into a stay-at-home presidency, in which he would rarely venture off the White House...

Pitfalls ahead for the Bush budget.
March 1, 2001... The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Thursday, 3-1: X X X President Bush presented his first budget to the nation Wednesday and it seems to allow that, even as the economy slows, all things are possible. Taxes...

Census Bureau urges using unadjusted 2000 headcount.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Frank James WASHINGTON _ The Census Bureau handed a victory to congressional Republicans on Thursday, recommending that the government use the actual results of the 2000 population headcount for the remapping of political...

For an award on passion, `In the Mood for Love' is a shoe-in.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Gary Dretzka HOLLYWOOD _ In a film that fairly smolders with repressed sexuality, Maggie Cheung makes a scintillating case for belated international stardom. In Wong Kar-wai's deceptively titled "In the Mood for Love," the...

Drug firms pair up to make, multiply, market sleeping sickness pill.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Jon Van CHICAGO_The standard treatment for the dreaded African sleeping sickness, up to now a series of potentially fatal injections derived from arsenic, is about to be transformed by two small Chicago-area companies. Working...

Blundering Hatley just what Bears need.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Rick Morrissey CHICAGO _ I want you to try to stay with me here because it's going to take a little work to understand how and why the Bears are on the cusp of greatness. The reward for your patience will be a trip to next...

Veterans feel wrath of cap; Dilfer, Norton, Stubblefield among cuts.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Don Pierson CHICAGO _ Trent Dilfer became the first free-agent quarterback under the current NFL system to lead his new team to a Super Bowl victory. That was five weeks ago. This is now. The free-agent free-for-all begins...

Blackhawks get ready for playoff push.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Neil Milbert CHICAGO _ Memo to Los Angeles Kings coach Andy Murray: Don't forget about the Hawks. Eleven days ago, after Jocelyn Thibault shut out the Kings 3-0 in the United Center, Murray was asked if he was "worried" about the...

Smith brings backup Passmore back.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Neil Milbert CHICAGOT _ Absence has made the heart of Blackhawks General Manager Mike Smith grow fonder for backup goalie Steve Passmore. Passmore was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in May for a fourth-round choice in last...

Goalie Passmore thrilled to be back.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Neil Milbert CHICAGO _ Goaltenders Steve Passmore and Robbie Tallas switched places Thursday. Passmore went to 1901 W. Madison St. to rejoin the Blackhawks and serve as their backup goalie in Thursday night's United Center...

Kraft ad muscle draws Miller's business to NYC.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Jim Kirk When it comes to buying media, clout is still king at the bargaining table. At least that appears to be the case with Philip Morris Cos. The company's Miller Brewing Co. unit has quietly told Bcom3 Group Inc.'s...

These are dog days for reporters covering a dog team.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Ed Sherman CHICAGO _ Reporters didn't want to ask the questions, which was just as well_Elton Brand didn't appear to want to answer them. It was minutes after the Bulls' loss to Golden State on Monday night. Nothing special or...

Clinton aides say they fought Rich bid.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Mike Dorning WASHINGTON _ Three of former President Bill Clinton's senior advisers testified Thursday that they had presented a united front against pardoning fugitive financier Marc Rich and that Clinton's decision during his...

HEADLINE HERE.
March 1, 2001... Tact, Tark style College Basketball Writer FRESNO, Calif._One morning last week, a soft rain fell outside the only window in Jerry Tarkanian's cramped office. The mood was no brighter inside. Dressed in a black cap and warm-up...

Northwest residents clean up, go back to work following earthquake.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Kim Barker and V. Dion Haynes SEATTLE _ For years, people here have talked about the Big One. They keep earthquake kits in their cars, fresh water in their refrigerators, and regularly use the word "retrofit" as a verb. Businesses...

`X-Files' writer hoping Fox gives his new `Gunmen' a fair shot.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Allan Johnson Writer/producer Chris Carter says he won't hold a gun to Fox's head if the network wants another season of "The X-Files," even if it mistreats his new series, "The Lone Gunmen." But with visions of "Harsh Realm,"...

Lawmakers look to easing sanctions on Iraq after Powell visit.
March 1, 2001... Byline: John Diamond WASHINGTON_Conservatives are pressuring a divided Bush administration to develop a harder-line policy toward Iraq, including possibly using the northern and southern no-fly zones as sanctuaries for Iraqi opposition...

Bomb survivors want Japanese government to pay medical costs.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Uli Schmetzer NAGASAKI, Japan _ Fifty-six years after an atomic bomb nicknamed "Fat Man" blasted him off his bicycle and destroyed his city, retired mail carrier Sumiteru Taniguchi is still fighting for compensation. The thin,...

Rebates and incentives have lost their potency with buyers.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Jim Mateja CHICAGO _ Do incentives work in getting consumers into showrooms, where they hand over a check and drive away with a new set of wheels? The answer, it appears, is that incentives do work, but not the same way they...

D/C revamps, generally speaking.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Jim Mateja Those looking for specifics were provided a wealth of generalities when DaimlerChrysler detailed its turnaround program this week. "These are Germans. This wasn't about details, this was about strategy and how to...

Navistar introduces new truck, joint venture and job cuts.
March 2, 2001... Byline: James P. Miller LAS VEGAS _ For Navistar International Inc., it's showtime. In a giant "event center" where the Mandalay Bay hotel/casino hosts prize fights, hundreds of Navistar dealers waited in mid-February for the unveiling...

Sirotka trade ruling delayed; lefty may help White Sox's argument.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Paul Sullivan TUCSON, Ariz._The more Mike Sirotka talks about his shoulder, the weaker Toronto's claim for compensation appears. Commissioner Bud Selig's ruling on the Sirotka case has been postponed until at least Monday,...

Foulke will bite his lip if Howry closes.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Paul Sullivan TUCSON, Ariz._Keith Foulke didn't pay much attention to media reports that Bob Howry would get more save opportunities this year. Foulke clearly believes that he can handle the closer's role by himself. ...

Location, location: Bere gets help from a friend.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Teddy Greenstein MESA, Ariz._Jason Bere isn't living in the past, but he's striving to perform like he once did. Bere, who went 24-7 for the White Sox in 1993-94, knows he hasn't been the same pitcher since having...

Coaching great ends long run; Denny Crum resigns after 30 years at Louisville.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Andrew Bagnato ouisville CHICAGO _ When this basketball season tipped off, only two of the coaches who made it to the Sweet Sixteen in the 1986 NCAA tournament were still with the same school. Now there's one: Mike...

Curtin, Illinois oust Northwestern; defense lets Illini move on.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Bill Jauss GRAND RAPIDS, Mich._Illinois' women found a way to extend their season Thursday on a night when their offense sputtered and balked. That "way to win," as coach Theresa Grentz put it, was defense. After...

Evander Holyfield risks title to prove a point.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Michael Hirsley CHICAGO _ John Ruiz wants to be the first fighter of Latin American descent to make an elite list, while Evander Holyfield intends to make Ruiz No. 6 on a far less desirable list. "I would be the first Latino...

Appeals court reverses decision limiting number of cable customers.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Tim Jones CHICAGO _ In a major victory for large cable television companies, a U.S. appeals court on Friday set aside federal rules that limit the number of customers one cable company can serve. The unanimous decision by a...

Where do all the ducks go?
March 2, 2001... Byline: William Hageman About those ducks... One of the things that Holden Caulfield ponders in "Catcher in the Rye" is what happens to the ducks in the Central Park duck pond when winter arrives. The ducks' disappearance is one...

Apartment blaze on Chicago's South Side kills four, including baby.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Maria Kantzavelos CHICAGO _ Five people, including a 7-month-old boy and his grandmother, were killed Thursday in a fire at a South Side apartment with locked burglar gates on the rear entrance. It was the deadliest blaze in the...

Village elections offer tantalizing prospect that China is a `democracy in progress'.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Michael A. Lev HOUSHI, China _ The election for chief of the village council in this northern farming hamlet pitted the local Communist Party boss against a restaurant owner who once was turned down for party membership. In...

Old businesses trying to clip Internet's wings.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Frank James WASHINGTON _ Using their clout in state capitals and in Congress, so-called "old economy" businesses are pushing for measures that make it harder for consumers to purchase many goods and services on-line. In...

Theme park struggling to survive Japan's grinding recession.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Uli Schmetzer HUIS TEN BOSCH, Japan _ When this exact replica of a traditional Dutch town was painstakingly recreated in 1992 on Japan's Kyushu Island for $2.5 billion, the economy was booming and developers envisioned huge...

Bears fans, beware; Phillips era is upon us.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Skip Bayless CHICAGO _ The letter is signed by Bears President and CEO "Theodore P. Phillips"_the first hint former accountant Ted Phillips really is starting to take himself seriously. Theodore P. didn't even have enough...

Strange as it sounds, Flutie's return is a sound strategy.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Melissa Isaacson CHICAGO _ Don't laugh. Granted, this is not the ideal way to start a column. But then, spewing coffee through your nose isn't the best way to start your morning. Anyway, this makes sense... more and more...

Governors may loosen grip on drinking water from Great Lakes.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Jeff Long CHICAGO _ States and Canadian provinces bordering the Great Lakes are considering a fundamental shift in policy that would make it easier for communities outside the Great Lakes Basin to divert water for drinking. ...

Body, Mind, Spirit: Go easy on the cheese, group urges.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Bob Condor If you love cheese, maybe you should skip this item. Or maybe not. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is a Washington, D.C.-based consumer group that might be better known as the "food police." The...

Child-restraint laws frayed to the point where kids are in danger.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Bob Condor How 4- to 8-year-olds can be so widely overlooked, it's hard to imagine. But a new report by the National Safe Kids Campaign, a private child-advocacy group, says about 20 million children throughout the country are...

Magazine writer tells how Hillary became senator from New York.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Cheryl Lavin New York magazine writer Michael Tomasky spent 16 months covering the first lady as she traipsed across New York running for the Senate. She started out as an untested carpetbagger and wound up a winner in a...

Goaltenders get right to the point; tie puts Hawks, Kings a point nearer playoffs.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Neil Milbert CHICAGO _ It was a tale of two goaltenders when the Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings dueled to a 2-2 tie in their showdown Thursday night at the United Center. Felix Potvin of the Kings made a game-saving stop on...

Ice jams, flooding are watershed for struggling Illinois towns.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Oscar Avila CLEVELAND, Ill. _Even for a town accustomed to a river's fury, the massive ice blocks that turned a 7-mile stretch of the Rock River into a floating jigsaw puzzle this week have shaken the resolve of longtime residents....

Watchdog group seeks IRS probe of agency tied to Jesse Jackson.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Monica Davey and Sabrina L. Miller WASHINGTON _ A conservative watchdog group wants the Internal Revenue Service to investigate a charitable organization linked to the Rev. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. The National...

Congress urges Bush to cool relations with North Korea.
March 2, 2001... Byline: John Diamond WASHINGTON_Senior lawmakers urged the Bush administration Friday to reconsider the U.S. commitment to provide North Korea with two nuclear reactors that could produce enough weapons-grade plutonium for 100 nuclear...

Mall tells early-morning walkers to take a hike.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Lola Smallwood CHICAGO _ Linda Nash pulled on a pair of loose-fitting slacks and her black Rockport shoes, picked up her fluorescent-pink dumbbells and headed with her husband to Evergreen Plaza, where they learned that their days...

`Groundhog Day' home going once, going once ...
March 2, 2001... Byline: Ruth E. Igoe CHICAGO _ One of Woodstock's famous buildings _ the turreted and rambling home portrayed as the Cherry Street Inn in the Bill Murray film "Groundhog Day" _ is being advertised on the online auction site eBay for...

They're off _ and trying to lure fans.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Dave Surico CHICAGO _ Opening day for the 2001 Chicago thoroughbred racing season went off without a hitch Friday at Sportsman's Park. "I'm extremely pleased with what I see," Illinois Racing Board Chairman Ralph Gonzalez said....

Unity party wields enormous influence in Russia.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Colin McMahon ST. PETERSBURG, Russia _ The Russian political party Unity, born of President Vladimir Putin's rise to power, takes its name to heart. It has no ideology, except to support Putin. It has no agenda, except to...

Riots and quake rattle Seattle.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Don Terry SEATTLE _ If this keeps up, the mayor of this city of coffee and computers will be a natural choice for an extra-strength aspirin commercial. The last few days have been one big headache in Seattle. First came a riot...

New study shows 18 states are facing revenue shortfalls.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Judith Graham DENVER _ In another significant sign that the economy is weakening, 18 states report revenues are falling short of projections, according to a new study. Things have become so tight that 11 states are cutting...

No easy solution to Western Wall crumbling.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Colin McMahon JERUSALEM _ As if there were not enough stones already raining from the sky in and around Jerusalem, now comes word that the Western Wall is casting its own. Stones from the top of the wall are coming loose, and a...

Illinois-Based Abbott Labs Completes $6.9 Billion Purchase of Pharmaceutical.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Bruce Japsen Mar. 3--Abbott Laboratories said Friday that it has completed its purchase of BASF AG's Knoll Pharmaceuticals unit for $6.9 billion in cash, a month ahead of scheduled. The acquisition, the largest in Abbott's...

Court Sets Aside Limits to The Number of Customers One Cable Firm Can Serve.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Tim Jones Mar. 3--In a major victory for large cable television companies, a U.S. appeals court on Friday set aside federal rules that limit the number of customers one cable company can serve. The unanimous decision by a...

Fruit of The Loom Reports Reduction in Operating Loss.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Ameet Sachdev Mar. 3--Fruit of the Loom Ltd. said Friday that it significantly narrowed its fourth-quarter operating loss, reflecting lower manufacturing costs and other operational improvements made since filing for bankruptcy...

Observers Believe Nasdaq Will Rise Again.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Janet Kidd Stewart Mar. 3--Soap bubbles burst only once, but the popping of the great technology stock bubble seems to keep going and going. As the Nasdaq composite index approaches the one-year anniversary of its record high...

Trouble at Chicago-Based Internet Consultancy Takes Toll on Employees.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Rob Kaiser Mar. 3--For a while, MarchFirst looked like the perfect place to get rich quick. Riding the tech bubble, the Chicago-based Internet consultancy saw its market capitalization swell to nearly $12 billion as of December...

Chicago Tribune Retail Notebook Column.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Susan Chandler Mar. 3--RETAIL EXECUTIVES NEVER tire of blaming their problems on one of two things: the weather or the economy. Sometimes, such as last December, they point their fingers at both. These days, it's definitely the...

Bonus baby gets a look; ex-QB Borchard on White Sox fast track.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Paul Sullivan TUCSON, Ariz._When Harold Baines became the No. 1 pick in the 1977 draft, he was signed, sealed and delivered by the time he went to sleep. White Sox owner Bill Veeck had offered Baines a $75,000 bonus, which was...

Sosa starting with style; homers off first spring pitch.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Teddy Greenstein MESA, Ariz._Against his better judgment, manager Don Baylor penciled a familiar name in the lineup Saturday_Sammy Sosa. Baylor was reluctant to play Sosa because he had not taken any live batting practice since...

Two former White Sox reunited in Cubs camp.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Teddy Greenstein MESA, Ariz._Chris Snopek, the infielder from Kentucky, spots Robert Machado, the catcher from Venezuela, across the clubhouse. Neither has been a Cub for more a week. But when they shake hands, introductions...

Vizquel blames A-Rod deal for clubhouse grumbling.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Phil Rogers CHICAGO _ No one is enjoying all the subplots in the White Sox camp more than the Indians and Royals, who have targeted the defending American League Central champs. They hope that Sox's pain ultimately will be their...

Innings eaters: Value of strong bullpen incalculable.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Phil Rogers PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla._Getting leads was seldom a problem for Bobby Valentine's teams when he managed the Texas Rangers. But protecting leads, that was a problem. While the likes of Rafael Palmeiro, Julio Franco,...

Tirapelle now top Illini in pins, wins; senior smashes both marks on way to finals.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Reid Hanley to finals CHICAGO _ Adam Tirapelle didn't waste any time Saturday in showing how ready he was for the Big Ten wrestling championships. The Illinois 149-pounder barely broke a sweat in his preliminary-round...

Illini know Williams may bolt for NBA.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Gary Reinmuth For Illinois and gifted sophomore point guard Frank Williams, life in the slow lane is about to come to a halt. In the eight days since their rout of Iowa, the hardest thing the fifth-ranked Illini have had to do...

Artest maintains composure; Robinson fight put in the past; Mercer still out.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Sam Smith MILWAUKEE_There was lots of anticipation heading into Saturday night's game after the Feb. 20 fight that got Ron Artest and Glenn Robinson ejected after an elbowing incident in the team's last meeting. But Artest was...

Bulls, rumors rule the evening; Is Floyd going to Louisville.
March 3, 2001... Byline: K.C. Johnson CHICAGO _ For one night the strain of an extremely trying season took a reprieve. Rumors, however, did not. The Bulls stunned the Knicks, 81-72, on Friday night before a sellout crowd of 21,779 at the United...

Only in America: They have it all and still not happy.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Sam Smith CHICAGO _ Brad Miller was sitting at his locker stall the other night reveling in episodes of his favorite TV show, "The Simpsons." He talked about setting his VCR so as not to miss it on game nights. Ron Artest was...

UConn can't dwell on Irish.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Avani Patel CHICAGO _ They were a good team. Even with Nykesha Sales out, hurt, sitting on the bench, they were a good team. Good enough to be in the Final Four. "We were in the NCAA tournament a few years ago, and I started...

Dallas, Illini oust Wisconsin.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Bill Jauss GRAND RAPIDS, Mich._During Cindy Dallas' first two years at Illinois, she spent hundreds of hours in lonely, painful, sweaty rehab from two knee operations that limited her playing to 48 minutes in four games. ...