Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service articles from December 1999

Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service archives from December 1999

As AIDS devastates Africa, orphans are left to fend for themselves.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... HARARE, Zimbabwe _ Brenda Shamayarira was 15 years old when she became the mother of three. On that day in 1998, her mother died of AIDS, two years after her father. Grown- ups divvied up the dead woman's cooking pots and clothing, but...

AIDS epidemic places new burdens on Africa's elderly.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... KALAGARA, Uganda _ In the language of southwestern Uganda, this settlement's name evokes the fertility that makes the green leaves of banana trees grow broad, which is good because they must spread to cover many graves. Bena Nakayima has...

Lady in distress: A state's official tall ship lies damaged and idle.(The Seattle Times)
December 31, 1999... ABERDEEN, Wash. _ Lady Washington is becalmed. After a decade sailing Northwest waters, the state's official tall ship sits idle at the edge of an asphalt sea, its stately mainmast barely visible behind the parked cars that surround the...

Sin city hasn't laid out welcome mat for Wal-Mart.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... LAS VEGAS _ Odds were this would be the last place to tell Wal-Mart ``no sale.'' It is Sin City gospel that restrictions on retail development should be as loose as a $1 slot machine. The sort of commercial sprawl defined by Wal-Mart's...

In the year in architecture, historic landmarks were renovated and restored.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... As America enters the 21st century, American architects are furiously restoring and renovating historic landmarks, as though the millennium were a last call to get the national patrimony in order. In the past few years Grand Central Station,...

Poor customer service makes shoppers feel like they've in voice-mail purgatory.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... At Cellular One, some callers are warned: "The current wait time is more than 30 minutes." At CompuServe, service may not even come to those who stay on hold. After a maze of voice-mail prompts, some callers hear: "Due to...

NFL Week 17 game capsules.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... ^SUNDAY'S GAMES< ARIZONA (6-9) AT GREEN BAY (7-8) SERIES: Packers lead, 39-21-4. LAST MEETING: Packers won, 24-21, on Nov. 18, 1990 THE LINE: Packers by 7 1/2 THE SCOOP The Packers are still alive for the final NFC wild-card playoff...

Rams coach Dick Vermeil rescusitates a downtrodden franchise in St. Louis.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... PHILADELPHIA _ He returns to the city he loves every bit the conquering hero. But on the whole, Dick Vermeil would rather not be in Philadelphia. "Maybe it's a little special in that I live in Philadelphia, my friends are there and I...

SportsPlus stories that moved in past week; call (202) 383-6091 for resends.(Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service)
December 31, 1999... ^ALLEN IVERSON -- THE COMPLETE STORY< IVERSON-SPORTSPLUS:PH_Allen Iverson the player is a creative and kinetic genius. A centerpiece of the post-Jordan NBA. A certified national figure just named by Esquire magazine as one of the "21...

A sampling of opinions from some Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service columnists.(Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service)
December 31, 1999... ^BILL REYNOLDS, Providence Journal, on JOHN ROCKER: PROVIDENCE _ It's an interesting juxtaposition that John Rocker's foolish vitriol was all over the news in the same week as all the end-of-the-year lists were coming to fruition. As...

Stanford coach Tyrone Willingham has overcome bigger hurdles than Wisconsin; Through.(The Orange County Register)
December 31, 1999... LOS ANGELES _ His arms are folded, his Stanford polo shirt tucked neatly into pleated, khaki shorts, his white socks pulled exactly to the mid-calves and his sneakers laced tightly and bound with double-knots. Cardinal coach Tyrone...

The ABCs of 1999.(Orange County Register)
December 31, 1999... It might have seemed confusing, but The '99 Sports Year really was as simple as ABC, which, no, does not stand for A Bizarre Century: Accident. Iona coach Jeff Ruland is disappointed with his team's uneven effort in a 105-73 loss to UCLA...

VETERANS VS. UPSTARTS: Florida State meets Virginia Tech in Sugar Bowl.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... NEW ORLEANS _ Every few moments Friday morning, one or two Virginia Tech subs walked up to the national championship trophy that Nokia Sugar Bowl officials had perched at the Superdome's 50-yard line and with a combination of...

Fortunes of Elvis Grbac, Rich Gannon always will be linked.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Elvis Grbac and Rich Gannon stalked each other for two years like a couple of TV private eyes, relentless in their pursuit of the same prize. Gannon finally had to get out of Kansas City to free himself and Grbac from...

Stanford defeats Davidson on Thursday night to win Stanford Invitational.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... STANFORD, Calif. _ Stephen Marshall, Davidson's leading scorer, pumped through the Wildcats' first three baskets Thursday night against Stanford. Then Mark ``Mad Dog'' Madsen entered the game. The next thing Marshall knew, he was on the...

Don't underestimate the value of unsung George Lynch in 76ers' scheme of things, and other notes.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... PHILADELPHIA _ The Los Angeles Lakers traded him away to help clear salary-cap space to acquire Shaquille O'Neal. The Vancouver Grizzlies never seemed to recognize his value and basically wasted him. Maybe it's a function of being at the...

Lance Armstong shows sports can be a beacon of strength, courage, determination.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... PHILADELPHIA _ Just about the time Pat Croce was entertaining thoughts of the unthinkable, ready to give in to despair, to give up all hope, to resign himself to losing his mangled leg, along came a man on a bicycle. Lance Armstrong. ...

Former coaches reflect on 1969 Texas-Arkansas clash.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... DALLAS _ For Frank Broyles, the peculiar thing is that the butterflies came on Monday. It usually doesn't happen this way. Most of the time Broyles, Arkansas' athletic director and football coach during 1958-76, said he can make it until...

Cardinals coach Vince Tobin seeking contract extension -- or else.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... PHILADELPHIA _ You've got to love Arizona Cardinals coach Vince Tobin's guts, if not his timing. With one game left in a disappointing season that has seen the 6-9 Cardinals drop out of playoff contention with three straight losses,...

Sounds like something sinister between U.S. Soccer Federation and U.S. women's team.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... PHILADELPHIA _ It seems as if the good ol' boys at the United States Soccer Federation have little faith in Y2K. Rather than waiting for the millennium bug to possibly destroy the best thing to happen to American soccer in a generation,...

From Russia to the Roses with love.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... LOS ANGELES _ Nov. 30, 1992, was a bleak day in Moscow. Then again, aren't they all? It was an especially bleak day for 14-year-old Vitaly Pisetsky, who suddenly found himself confronted with a clean break from the only life he had ever...

Troy Walters injury leaves Stanford in the hands of DeRonnie Pitts.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... LOS ANGELES _ Losing flanker Troy Walters three days before the Rose Bowl cannot be viewed as anything less than a harsh blow for Stanford, but it isn't as if the Cardinal has to burn the midnight oil to draw up a new game plan. This...

Stanford still on defensive about its generous defense.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... LOS ANGELES _ It appears as if Wisconsin offensive coordinator Brian White is a student of the ``Lou Holtz School of Humility.'' He lauded the Stanford defense, repeatedly reading out their positives at Tuesday's press conference. ...

Coach John Ralston inspires Cardinal players with pep talk.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... LOS ANGELES _ Stanford held its final Rose Bowl practice Thursday, and when it was over, former coach John Ralston addressed the team. Ralston guided the Indians (as they were then known) to back-to-back Rose Bowl victories after the 1970...

Chiefs' fans gonzo for Tony Gonzalez.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... ALAMEDA, Calif. _ The nights of enjoying quiet dinners on the town are over. So are the days of walking down the street unrecognized. For Tony Gonzalez, there are only mob scenes now. He has caught 70 passes, including 10 for touchdowns,...

Agent says Dolphins on list of teams Barry Sanders would play for -- if he ends retirement.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... MIAMI _ Barry Sanders would include the Dolphins high among the teams he would want to play for if he comes out of retirement next season, according to his agent. Agent David Ware also said while Sanders has not decided whether to return...

Few problems with computer glitches crop up around the globe.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... The world entered a new millennium one time zone at a time Saturday, as governments, businesses, computer experts and ordinary people watched carefully for signs of inadequate preparation for the programming glitch known as the Y2K bug. ...

Former Oklahoma quarterback Jamelle Holieway knows what it takes to lead a team to national title as a freshman.(The Virginian-Pilot)
December 31, 1999... NEW ORLEANS _ A man in Carson, Calif., will watch Tuesday night's Sugar Bowl with a truly rare perspective, understanding at once the magnitude of the task before Virginia Tech wonder child Michael Vick. His name is Jamelle Holieway, and...

Terry Glenn's arbitration hearing set for next week, meaning he will miss finale.(The Providence Journal)
December 31, 1999... FOXBORO, Mass. _ An arbitration hearing in regard to the suspension of Terry Glenn will not be scheduled until next week at the earliest, a spokesman for the NFL said Friday. As a result, the talented-but-troubled wide receiver will not...

Pat Riley says he might acquire another guard if Tim Hardaway is not healthy.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... MIAMI _ Even though Pat Riley is pleased with Anthony Carter's development, the Heat coach and president said he might be inclined to acquire a veteran point guard if Tim Hardaway does not recover fully from his jammed right knee in the next...

New book looks at the sleaze and slime of college basketball.(The Providence Journal)
December 31, 1999... PROVIDENCE _ Looking at the end-of-the-century lists of all-time greats, it's very easy to get caught up in the splendor of sports. Then a new book puts much of it into perspective. Of just how far sports has sunk into the ooze as we...

Lawyer Milloy says he may leave Patriots to avoid sea of negativity.(The Providence Journal)
December 31, 1999... FOXBORO, Mass. _ It may have been difficult to hear through the thunderstorm surrounding Terry Glenn's suspension, but Lawyer Milloy fired a pretty loud cannon shot across the bow of the fast-sinking S.S. Patriot the other day. The...

Stock market celebrated New Year's Eve with gains that put all 3 major indexes at record highs.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... The stock market celebrated New Year's Eve with gains that put all three major indexes at record highs by closing time. Friday's records capped a spectacular year on Wall Street _ a year in which Bill Gates' net worth swelled to more than...

Names in the news.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... Former James Bond star Sean Connery, reportedly denied a knighthood two years ago because of his passionate Scottish nationalism, won the honor Friday in Britain's traditional New Year's honors list prepared by Prime Minister Tony Blair....

In Jerusalem, ceremonies evoke a spirit of brotherhood.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... JERUSALEM _ At midnight atop the Mount of Olives, hundreds cheered as fireworks lit up the skies over Jerusalem, while just below at the Church of Gethsemane, about 2,000 Catholics held a candlelight prayer vigil to usher in the third...

For new millennium, sports needs more civility and less inhumanity.(The Providence Journal)
December 31, 1999... PROVIDENCE _ The final seconds had ticked away, the New England Patriots had lost another game, and now they were faced with their toughest chore of the day _ the walk back to their dressing room. As walks go, it's not much in terms of...

Despite glitch, advertising agency captures first light of new year.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... PHILADELPHIA _ As the faintest edge of dawn grew bolder and the first sun of 2000 nudged its way above the horizon, Brian Green looked away for a moment. "Just as the first light turned into actual sunlight, behind us, to the left, was...

Yeltsin's resignation throws the preoccupied world in a tizzy<.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... MOSCOW _ Russian President Boris Yeltsin, who fought to break communism's long hold on this vast nation, closed the 20th century and his own historic career on Friday with the stunning news of his resignation. Yeltsin immediately...

Y2K watch: Bug bite highlights.(Knight-Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... OK, so this isn't the Emmys. But after covering this year 2000 thing for nearly 17 months, it's time for the first and only Bug Bite Highlights, our way of drawing attention to the good, bad and indifferent of the Y2K world. Here...

Here's picking Wisconsin over Stanford.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... PASADENA _ You never know. Except sometimes when you do. It would be a shock if Stanford rolls over and is routed by Wisconsin on Saturday in the Rose Bowl. It would be a much larger shock if Stanford actually won. Oh, Stanford will try....

Towns clamor for first sight of first light<.(The Providence Journal)
December 31, 1999... Observers clutching wireless telephones in early morning darkness will peer east over the sea, toward the dawn of New Year's Day, to answer a question astronomers cannot. Where will the sun rise first over America in 2000? From the...

All's quiet on the computer front, but noisy with celebrations.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... WASHINGTON _ The Y2K computer bug looked to be a no-show at America's New Year's Eve party, as the absence of early Y2K problems around the world Friday made U.S. officials increasingly confident about the outlook at home. As clocks hit...

As Troy Walters talks about playing, Stanford's Tyrone Willingham remains optimistic.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... LOS ANGELES _ Stanford Coach Tyrone Willingham considered the question, then seemed utterly baffled by it. Was this Rose Bowl team, he was asked, a reflection of himself? Clearly, he had never even entertained such a thought. ``I don't...

Weekly rankings for NFL.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... RANKINGS Rank, team, Prv., Comment, 1. Indianapolis, 1, 11-game winning streak 2. St. Louis, 3, Seven-game winning streak 3. Tennessee, 4, NFL's best non-dome team 4. Jacksonville, 2, Swagger gone without Brunell 5....

Of tidbits, quotes and numbers.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... CAP-O-NOMICS DALLAS _ Cleveland led the NFL in spending in 1999 but didn't get much bang for its buck. The Browns spent $76.8 million in salaries and signing bonuses but finished their inaugural season with the NFL's worst record at...

Around the AFC.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... RELIEF PITCHER DALLAS _ With Mark Brunell sidelined with a sprained left knee, Jay Fiedler will draw the start at quarterback Sunday for the 13-2 Jacksonville Jaguars in their biggest game of the season. A victory over Cincinnati...

Charlie Brown's life has been an uphill battle, and we'll remember it well.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... To hear Charles M. Schulz talk, you might think that ``Peanuts'' will go down in history as the world's bleakest comic strip. ``Drama and humor come from trouble and sadness, and mankind's astounding ability to survive life's...

Around the NFC.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... FREEZER FOOTBALL DALLAS _ The NFC Central race goes down to the wire Sunday with Tampa Bay trying to hold off a late dash by the defending champion Minnesota Vikings. The Buccaneers are 10-5 but on the road Sunday at Chicago. The Vikings...

Pride not required to make NFC playoffs.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... DALLAS _ Remember the days when a Notre Dame and a Penn State would turn down a bowl bid? Back then there was some integrity in football post-seasons. No such integrity exists in the NFL. The Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay...

The indispensable characters.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... Charlie Brown. Daunted, defeated, depressed but indefatigable. We identify with him. Snoopy. Popular, brave, multitalented, suave. He's the one we wish we were. Lucy. Assertive is the kindest way to describe her, though she'd never...

Of notes, quotes, tidbits and numbers.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... THE WEEK AHEAD DALLAS _ Must-see NBA games this week: _Milwaukee at Philadelphia, Monday: Something has to give as the NBA's No. 6 scoring team travels to face the league's next-to-last scoring team. The Bucks seemingly are anything...

Weekly rankings for NBA.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... Rank, team Prv. Comment 1. LA Lakers 2 Buying into Jackson's Zen 2. Portland 1 Bench members getting restless 3. San Antonio 3 Are the wheels coming off? 4. New York 4 Playing down to the competition 5. Miami 5 New arena...

It's official: U.S. completes transfer of Panama Canal.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... PANAMA CITY _ The Panama Canal became El Canal de Panama on Friday at a rain-drenched midday ceremony in which the United States formally relinquished control over one of the world's most strategic waterways. When the transfer moment...

Around the Eastern Conference.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... UNEASY RIDER DALLAS _ Isaiah Rider's latest run-in with the Atlanta Hawks wasn't exactly surprising. It was just the most bizarre. Rider was suspended indefinitely by the Hawks for missing the team plane to a game in Detroit. What...

Despite appearances, league's in good shape.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... DALLAS _ Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of the end of the NBA's 191-day lockout, and the league is still showing the bruises from what has been a rough 12 months. You can be sure NBA commissioner David Stern celebrated New...

America's Cup to resume on Jan. 1.(The Providence Journal)
December 31, 1999... PROVIDENCE _ Amid rumor and rancor, racing for the America's Cup is scheduled to resume Saturday in New Zealand. Six teams, three of them American, survived the preliminary rounds and are competing in the semifinal round of the Louis...

Weekly rankings for NHL.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... Rank, team Prv. Comment 1. Detroit 1 Lidstrom picking up pace. 2. Toronto 2 Cujo the best goalie in the world. 3. Philadelphia 3 LeClair with sneaky 21 goals. 4. St. Louis 4 Quenneville Coach of the Year? 5....

The biggest civil defense exercise in America went off without a hitch.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... WASHINGTON _ The government on Friday staged its biggest civil defense exercise since World War II, manning millennial battle stations and reporting few problems on the computer or criminal fronts. The prospect of a terrorist attack on...

Around the Eastern Conference.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... EAST PLOTTING AGAINST PRIMEAU? DALLAS _ Is it collusion to be downright mean? Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos is tired of trying to work out a contract with unsigned center Keith Primeau, who turned down a two-year, $6 million...

Around the Western Conference.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... WEST MORE TO COME? DALLAS _ If the San Jose Sharks don't have a Part II to the deal that shipped out veteran goalie Mike Vernon on Thursday, they likely have traded away any chance of competing for the Stanley Cup this season. And...

Obstruction an injustice for all hockey players.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... DALLAS _ The theory goes something like this: If you can't get defensive obstruction out of the NHL, why not allow offensive obstruction. Y'know, allow blocking like in football or clean picks like in basketball. If a player is going to try...

Officials praise smooth transition of power in Russia.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... WASHINGTON _ U.S. officials welcomed what they said was a smooth transition of power in Moscow Friday, but some experts said they worried about the long-term future of Russia's democracy. Acting President Vladimir Putin, who assumed...

Ron Dayne savors Wisconsin experience.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... PASADENA _ Wisconsin tailback Ron Dayne and Coach Barry Alvarez eventually will ride into the sunset together, but it won't be at the end of the Badgers' Rose Bowl showdown with Stanford on Saturday. Dayne and Alvarez, who led...

Expect a U.S. women's roster shakeup, regardless of next coach.(Orange County Register)
December 31, 1999... It is becoming increasingly clear that U.S. Soccer Federation officials have narrowed the field of candidates to replace U.S. women's national team coach Tony DiCicco to two: University of Portland men's and women's coach and U.S. Olympic...

Todd Harvey brings energy, leadership to Sharks.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ Sharks left wing Jeff Friesen, twice a teammate of Todd Harvey's in the World Junior Championships, knows exactly why San Jose gave up veteran goaltender Mike Vernon to obtain the feisty winger. ``Todd is a real...

A secret to success? Just keep it a secret.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... LOS ANGELES _ In 1993, THE SECOND YEAR of his second term at Stanford, Bill Walsh had a massive banner hung on a fence adjacent to the football team's practice field. If Walsh didn't actually hang the thing himself, he certainly approved...

HOLD ON: Now, Troy Walters and Willie Howard may play afterall in the Rose Bowl.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... LOS ANGELES _ If coach Tyrone Willingham is to be believed, Stanford somehow seems to be channeling the spirit of Ernie Nevers. Willingham said Friday there is a chance defensive tackle Willie Howard and flanker Troy Walters could play...

49ers, Falcons usher Monday Night Football off on low note.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ The 49ers did not bother renting speakers this week to pump crowd noise into their practices. Last season when the 49ers played the Atlanta Falcons twice at the Georgia Dome, they were met by capacity crowds of...

Rich Gannon returns to Arrowhead Stadium.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Quarterback Rich Gannon wasn't re-signed after last season by the Kansas City Chiefs, who opted for Elvis Grbac despite Gannon's four successful seasons as a backup who started almost as much as he watched from the sideline....

Is Stanford becoming Jock State.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... PASADENA, Calif. _ You know that around the country, in the athletic departments of schools such as Florida State and USC, of UNLV and Nebraska, they're pulling out their hair at recent developments. When the guys who run the NCAA's...

Algerian man held by police in Brooklyn as terror suspect.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... NEW YORK _ As FBI agents questioned people in several states, hoping to get to the new year without a feared terrorist attack, an Algerian man arrested in Brooklyn was ordered held without bail yesterday despite what his defense attorney said...

Onetime spy, now the acting Russian president, somewhat of an enigma.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... When ailing President Boris Yeltsin elevated Vladimir Putin to Prime Minister, then designated him as the chosen heir to the presidency, most Russians skeptically assumed that the little known Kremlin security chief would be just another...

In India, relief over freed hostages and a worldwide debugging well done.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... BANGALORE, India _ Some 1 billion Indians _ nearly one- sixth of the world's population _ seemed to breathe a sigh of relief Friday night as the new century began and a tense hijacking situation ended. As people all over India were...

Florida's speed signals passing.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... ORLANDO, Fla. _ Think Drew Brees. Think 509 passing yards. Think four touchdown passes. Think disaster. Now think Florida. Ninth-ranked Michigan State will play another pass-minded team Saturday, one that has enough offensive weapons...

Spartans hit the hay early on new year.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... ORLANDO, Fla. _ Michigan State faced a tough assignment Friday night. The Spartans had to adhere to a 10:30 p.m. curfew on the biggest New Year's Eve of the century. ``Everybody knows the importance of this game, so it won't be...

Blackhawks wonder: Why just us on Y2K?(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... DETROIT _ Playing the night Y2K arrived wasn't OK with the Chicago Blackhawks. ``I've played a lot of times on New Year's Eve,'' associate coach Lorne Molleken said before the Blackhawks faced the Red Wings on Friday night at Joe Louis...

Dennis Conner frowning over friendly race.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... AUCKLAND, New Zealand _ When his Stars & Stripes lost the America's Cup to Australia II in 1987, Dennis Conner called it ``The Race of the Century.`' Sunday, the burly American gets to sail the Race of Another Century when he opens the...

Big Ten vs. SEC: A three-act play.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... ORLANDO, Fla. _ It seems strange that Friday was a different century and a different millennium. It was just yesterday. What can really change in one day? The last day of the 20th Century wasn't the last day of sanity. Oh, we looked for the...

Pac-10 schools coming up yard or two short on football fields.(Orange County Register)
December 31, 1999... PASADENA, Calif. _ It once was the elephants' graveyard, the place where Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler pounded their chests and fought the wrong wars. But now the Rose Bowl is occupied territory. The Big Ten has won six of the past...

Coach Frank Beamer is Hokies' guiding light.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 31, 1999... NEW ORLEANS _ Frank Beamer was a home boy, a good guy, an alum, one of their own from way, way back. But that did not matter much. Frank Beamer's football team was losing, and losing football coaches don't tend to last long anywhere, no...

Psychic says: Chan exits, Norv enters in Dallas.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... DALLAS _ When your noble soothsayer peered into the coming year in the world of sports, I saw clouds. I saw flashes of great lightning. I heard Ricky Martin music and I couldn't turn down the volume. How was I to know that the crystal...

West hopes Russia's ambitious acting president will bring stability, order to chaotic, demoralized country.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... WASHINGTON _ Even as they praised Boris Yeltsin for his spectacular trashing of the communist system, Western leaders and analysts voiced hopes Friday that Russia's ambitious acting president will bring stability and order to that chaotic,...

Amid Dolphins report, specter of Barry Sanders still hovers over Lions.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... DETROIT _ The Lions will finish the regular season the same way they started it _ wondering what to do with Barry Sanders and how to get along without him. It was slightly more than five months ago _ July 27, 1999 _ that word of Sanders'...

Alabama tackle Chris Samuels likely to stay on sidelines.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 31, 1999... MIAMI _ It looked like the perfect setting for Chris Samuels' last college game: the Orange Bowl, national television, Samuels' Alabama team against Michigan. But as perfect as that setting is, it looks as if Samuels already has played...