The Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, PA) articles from July 2001

The Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, PA) archives from July 2001

Home weather station works to a degree.
July 2, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Takiff ROYAL THERMOSOLUTIONS WS44 DESKTOP WEATHER STATION Just the facts: Digital Wireless Thermometer, $69.99, displays indoor and outdoor climatic conditions. Why it's cool: Clues you when to turn off the air...

Campaign begins: Make Croce Philly's sports czar.
July 2, 2001... Byline: Sam Donnellon PHILADELPHIA _ Pat Croce is in Italy riding a bike. When he gets off the bike and comes home, he might look for a new job, a job that could take him away from Philadelphia. Rather than fretting over the...

7-2 boxer inspires big-time fear in foes.
July 2, 2001... Byline: Bernard Fernandez ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. _ There is a look _ of fear, of resignation _ that dooms some fighters to defeat before the opening bell sounds. It is a look many of Mike Tyson's opponents have worn, a look that fairly...

Poker player keeps his hand in summer-league baseball.
July 3, 2001... Byline: Ted Silary Al Barbieri makes his living as a professional poker player, but it took his love for baseball to get him to redefine brass. Barbieri, 42, a product of South Philadelphia (Rosewood and Wolf) and then-Bishop Neumann...

This is why Flyers' Bob Clarke is smiling.
July 3, 2001... Byline: Rich Hofmann PHILADELPHIA _ George McPhee, the Washington Capitals' general manager, is quoted as saying the deal, announced two days before the dealing period was supposed to begin, "reeks of impropriety." Is this why Bob...

Philadelphia Daily News Plugged In Column.
July 3, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Takiff Jul. 3--ROYAL THERMOSOLUTIONS WS44 DESKTOP WEATHER STATION Just the facts: Digital Wireless Thermometer, $69.99, displays indoor and outdoor climatic conditions. Why it's cool: Clues you when to turn off the...

Phillies in an All-Star controversy.
July 4, 2001... Byline: Paul Hagen ATLANTA _ Bobby Valentine, who will skipper the National League All-Stars, placed one more phone call to Phillies manager Larry Bowa after the completed rosters were revealed. "I kind of apologized, in so many...

Allen Iverson (A.I.) frees us all.
July 4, 2001... Byline: Sam Donnellon I am the man. Not a man. Not another man. The man. I am the penetrator. I am the guy you kick it out to. I am the point guard, the shooting guard, the little go-to guy. I am going to be running,...

Hot dogs in the ring on boxing's card.
July 4, 2001... Byline: Bernard Fernandez PHILADELPHIA _ America Presents president Dan Goossen thought he had come up with the perfect catchphrase for Saturday's bout headlined by flamboyant junior welterweight Hector Camacho Jr. "Boxing's biggest...

NASCAR at midseason.
July 4, 2001... Byline: Bil Fleischman With the Winston Cup series moving to Daytona for Saturday night's Pepsi 400, it's time to file the annual midseason report. BIGGEST STORY: Dale Earnhardt's death in a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500. Racing...

Face to face with sport's greatest women.
July 4, 2001... Byline: Stan Hochman There's a fascinating photo of Jim Thorpe, wearing a plaid suit and a polka-dot tie, one beefy arm wrapped around Babe Didrikson Zaharias' shoulder, in "Game Face: What Does a Female Athlete Look Like?" They'd...

The old tune `Ridge on the National Stage' returns.
July 5, 2001... Byline: John M. Baer Here we go again. The sideshow of speculation hitched to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge's wagon for the last five years is rolling one more time. Watch and listen. It's a calliope at the national circus tooting a...

Phillies fall to Braves again.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Paul Hagen ATLANTA _ Sometime during the next few days, the Phillies' brass will sit down and map out the pitching plans to begin the second half of the season. The events of Thursday night at Turner Field could end up having a...

Omar Daal might pitch first game after All-Star Break.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Paul Hagen ATLANTA _ Omar Daal says he's absolutely, positively 100 percent healthy. Manager Larry Bowa says he has no reason to doubt the veteran lefthander, not even that 9.64 earned run average he's thrown up in his last...

Sixers waiting for Pat Croce verdict.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Rich Hofmann PHILADELPHIA _ You don't know if Pat Croce will continue being the Sixers' president for much longer, I don't know, and Ed Snider says he doesn't know, either. "I've known Pat forever," says Snider, the chairman...

David Reid stung by criticism.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Bernard Fernandez PHILADELPHIA _ Olympic gold medals are like tattoos. Once you have one, it's pretty much with you forever. Not that a piece of metal on a ribbon should permanently define who you are, but those fortunate enough to...

NASCAR braced for emotional weekend.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Bill Fleischman Low on the track, Michael Waltrip led the tightly bunched Daytona 500 field into Turn 3 on the final lap. Behind Waltrip, inches from his rear bumper at about 190 mph, was Dale Earnhardt Jr. Behind Dale Jr. was his...

King of the World empties thoughts ...
July 6, 2001... Byline: Bill Conlin When I'm king of the World . . . Columns that fly over the heads of verbally challenged readers will be clearly labeled "satire" . . . Of 162 e-mails that bored into my hard drive reacting to Monday's column calling...

Delmore finds the fun.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Edward Moran PHILADELPHIA _ Sometime around 1 in the morning, Andy Delmore looked out on the ice and thought, "What the hell am I doing?" By that time, the Flyers' defenseman had been playing in a charity hockey game for...

Flyers sign Weinrich to three-year deal.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Les Bowen PHILADELPHIA _ Now the Flyers can say it and really mean it: The major pieces are in place. They expect to challenge for the Stanley Cup whether or not they are able to trade Eric Lindros. The Flyers gained at least...

Players chosen for All-Star Game a contentious affair for TV.
July 6, 2001... Byline: Bill Fleischman PHILADELPHIA _ Boston Red Sox fans are angry manager Joe Torre chose seven of his New York Yankees to play on the American League squad in Tuesday's All-Star Game. Only one Red Sox player, starting outfielder Manny...

How many `Big Brother' fans are going to pay for its Web feed?
July 6, 2001... Byline: Ellen Gray "Big Brother" may be watching, but who else will be checking out the show's Web feed now that CBS is charging for its 24-hour-a-day peep show? That's the question some fans of the claustrophobic reality series have...

Knight Commission misses its mark.
July 8, 2001... Byline: Rich Hofmann The Knight Commission says it wants to change college athletics for the better. One proposal it makes is this: Teams that don't graduate at least 50 percent of their players should not be eligible to participate in...

Camacho-Leija debacle a show of mindlessness in New York.
July 9, 2001... Byline: Bernard Fernandez PHILADELPHIA _ He doesn't claim to be a Jeane Dixon or a Carnac the Magnificent, but last week Lester Bedford foretold the future. And, truth be told, he wishes he hadn't. There are times when being right brings...

Cordless Gizmo has a can-do attitude.
July 9, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Takiff Just the facts: Black and Decker Gizmo cordless can opener is available this month at stores, priced at $29.99-$34.99. Also can be purchased directly at www.applicainc.com. Dealer location info: 800-231-9786. ...

Migrating songbirds losing battles vs. skyscrapers, windows, radio towers.
July 9, 2001... Byline: Ramona Smith PHILADELPHIA _ They steer by the stars, as their ancestors have done for generations. Hundreds of miles from their goal, they're staking their lives on celestial navigation. Suddenly, something bright and confusing...

Delware County, Pa., Nature Center Includes Protections for Birds.
July 9, 2001... Byline: Ramona Smith Jul. 9--When bird expert Keith Russell glanced at an early drawing of the new nature center planned for the Tinicum marshland, he suspected he was looking at a potential killer building. He fired off a note to the...

Jimmy Rollins typifies Phillies' fresh face of 2001.
July 10, 2001... Byline: Rich Hofmann PHILADELPHIA _ The face that the Phillies are showing to the baseball world during the All-Star break belongs to a kid named Jimmy Rollins, which is just about perfect. Because if they are him, they are back. This...

Where would the Phillies be with Curt Schilling.
July 10, 2001... Byline: Paul Hagen SEATTLE _ Curt Schilling, named the National League's starting pitcher for the All-Star Game, was one seat removed from the honorary league president on the dais. As fate would have it Hizzoner was Bill Giles, the...

Chaney, Temple near agreement on extension.
July 10, 2001... Byline: Mike Kern PHILADELPHIA _ John Chaney will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in October. Three months later, he'll celebrate his 70th birthday. And three years from now, he'll be getting ready for his 23rd season on North...

Sixers showing interest in Christian Laettner.
July 10, 2001... Byline: Phil Jasner PHILADELPHIA _ The only time Christian Laettner ever reached NBA All-Star status was in 1996-97, as a teammate of Dikembe Mutombo with the Atlanta Hawks. There are wheels turning that might reunite the 6-11 forward...

Jekyll ovrecomes Hyde at Centre Court.
July 10, 2001... Byline: Bill Conlin In the end, with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde trying to rip the racket out of his hands, the only man who could beat Goran Ivanisevic was Goran Ivanisevic. Mr. Hyde, known for sulking and skulking at the most inopportune...

If only `Night Visions' were a `Twilight Zone' revisited.
July 10, 2001... Byline: Ellen Gray The scariest thing about Fox's "Night Visions" is that much of the target audience was born after Rod Serling died in 1975. So while I could tell them that this mildly spooky anthology series pales in comparison to...

Mexican Eatery Chain Adds Surcharge To Cover Energy Costs.
July 10, 2001... Byline: Gloria Campisi Jul. 10--Planning to gas up at Chi-Chi's on refried beans? Expect to pay a 25-cent surcharge per entree because of the spiraling price of natural gas -- the kind that heats ovens and powers air conditioners --...

Philadelphia Daily News Plugged In Column.
July 10, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Takiff Jul. 10--Cordless Gizmo has a can-do attitude JUST THE FACTS: Black and Decker Gizmo cordless can opener is available this month at stores, priced at $29.99-$34.99. Also can be purchased directly at...

Convertibles make a comeback.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Sono Motoyama PHILADELPHIA _ America's love affair with the convertible has blown hot and cold over the decades. Cars such as the Ford Thunderbird and those cute little British MGs were all the rage during the `50s and `60s,...

Ripken lifts American League past National League.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Paul Hagen SEATTLE _ The All-Star Game, supposedly a showcase for baseball's best and brightest stars, turned into a star turn for a .240-hitting infielder who plays only three of every four days. Then again, Cal Ripken Jr....

Schilling the first pitcher to be scratched since 1969.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Paul Hagen SEATTLE _ FOR A full day, Curt Schilling let the intrigue build. Would he start the All-Star Game for the second time in three years? Or would the major league leader in innings pitched make the call to the bullpen...

Hopkins trying hard to push the irritation button.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Bernard Fernandez PHILADELPHIA _ Don't expect Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins to turn up in any commercials for Puerto Rico tourism. Hopkins (39-2-1, 28 KOs), the IBF/WBC middleweight champion who takes on Puerto Rican...

Eagles sell PSLs and SBLs.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Marcus Hayes PHILADELPHIA _ He presented the plan with the reassuring smile of a surgeon telling a patient that, come morning, he will be minus one significant body part. Eagles chief operating officer Joe Banner on Tuesday...

Eagles not committing stadium seat robbery.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Rich Hofmann PHILADELPHIA _ Why are the Eagles selling personal seat licenses? Why? Because they are like the dog that licks itself. They are doing it because they can. They are doing it because they know you. They are doing it...

Animal tranquilizer high on fad-drug list.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Jose Antonio Vargas PHILADELPHIA _ Users say the drug brings you to another world, one that separates your mind from the rest of your body. But unlike the other designer drugs popular at nightclubs _ Ecstasy ("e"), LSD ("acid")...

History Channel delves into baseball on Wednesday.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Bill Fleischman PHILADELPHIA _ Anyone who enjoys baseball history will like Wednesday night's "Stories from the Press Box" documentary on the History Channel (8 o'clock). Clips of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, Mickey...

Congressman's once low-key profile now gone forever.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Ron Goldwyn Rep. Gary Condit thought he was sitting pretty. The California Democrat's middle-road politics, including votes for President Bush's tax cut and budget, spotlighted him as a swing vote courted by both Republicans...

With De Niro and Brando, Edward Norton helped even `The Score'.
July 11, 2001... Byline: Francesca Chapman NEW YORK _ He's had significant roles in just half a dozen pictures and has only one directing credit to his name, but Edward Norton won't just act anymore. In making "The Score," the 31-year-old star had the...

Why can't the Phillies pull them in.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Sam Donnellon PHILADELPHIA _ It traces to the outdated ballpark. It traces to the strike. It traces to tightfisted owners and their inability to land big free agents. These days, people can list more theories about why the...

Phillies should fare well at start of second half.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Paul Hagen PHILADELPHIA _ In the beginning, the Phillies expressed the belief they would be better than most people thought. Then again, you expected them to say they thought they'd have trouble beating the Syracuse SkyChiefs?...

Temple-Cincinnati game in jeopardy.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Mike Kern PHILADELPHIA _ If you expected to see Cincinnati's basketball team play at the Liacouras Center this season or any time soon, don't hold your breath. Temple athletic director Dave O'Brien has confirmed the game is in...

Busy time of the month for Sixers.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Phil Jasner PHILADELPHIA _ Randy Ayers could be leaving the 76ers. Antonio Davis is not coming. Todd MacCulloch is visiting New Jersey. Dikembe Mutombo is receiving another humanitarian award. Pre-summer league camp opens Thursday....

NASCAR becomes hotbed for conspiracy theorists.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Bill Fleischman PHILADELPHIA _ Watching Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s dramatic victory Saturday night at Daytona, my reaction probably was among the majority: His winning was the perfect ending. The Pepsi 400 was the first Winston Cup race...

Eagles' brass raises the ire of fans.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Bill Conlin PHILADELPHIA _ There will be 66,000 addicts in The House That Ruthless Built when the Eagles play their 2003 home opener. And there still will be 66,000 addicts there for the eighth home game of the 2032 season, the...

Flyers open against Panthers.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Bill Fleischman PHILADELPHIA _ If Eric Lindros winds up in a New York Rangers uniform (boo!), he won't make an appearance (boo!) at the First Union Center until Jan. 12 (boo!). According to the NHL schedule announced Wednesday,...

Philadelphia Chef Accused of Sex Harassment.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Jim Smith Jul. 12--Restaurateur Georges Perrier yesterday denied allegations that he groped one employee`s breasts and another`s backside at one of his Center City eateries, Brasserie Perrier, on Bastille Day 1999. Perrier,...

Philadelphia City Council President Unveils Urban Revitalization Initiative.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Mark McDonald Jul. 12--After a springtime of frustration, waiting to get details on Mayor Street's blight-elimination plan, City Council President Anna Verna has made her move to take control of the issue. In a letter to Street...

Closing of J.C. Penney Poses a Critical Problem for Philadelphia Mall.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Marc Meltzer Jul. 12--The loss of J.C. Penney not only leaves the Gallery mall with a gaping absence of an anchor store. It also exposes a problem with Center City retailing, said one market-watcher. Downtown is becoming a...

Rite Aid Sees Improved First Quarter.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Benjamin Y. Lowe Jul. 12--Rite Aid Corp., the nation's third-largest drugstore chain, said yesterday that it cut its first-quarter loss by more than half from a year ago. The Camp Hill retailer credited higher prescription drug...

Philadelphia School District Looks to Slash $20 Million from Budget.
July 12, 2001... Byline: Mensah M. Dean Jul. 12--Faced with having to slash $20 million from its unbalanced budget, School District of Philadelphia boss Philip Goldsmith this week declared that nothing is too small to ax. Banned are out-of-town trips,...

Chef's table: Cast-iron skillets; Caesar salad; grease fires revisited.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Jim Coleman and Candace Coleman Q: I bought two cast-iron skillets at a flea market and want to use them again. The problem is that they are both covered with rust. How can I get them ready to use in the kitchen? _Maggie L. A:...

Phillies fall to Blue Jays.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Paul Domowitch PHILADELPHIA _ There was Travis Lee again, with yet another opportunity to be a hero, with yet another opportunity to help the Phillies maintain their ever-so-tenuous hold on first place in the NL East. He had...

Phillies must tweak by July 31.
July 13, 2001... Byline: John Smallwood PHILADELPHIA _ Will they or won't they? Well, now, that's the 85- to 90-win question. And while I know I don't exactly have history in my corner, I believe the Phillies will do something before the July 31 trade...

Location, location, location: NCAA changes tournament bracket.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Dick Jerardi PHILADELPHIA _ Whenever the NCAA suggests it is doing something for the good of the "student-athletes," it's always a reasonable idea to look for hidden meaning. It was announced Thursday that the NCAA Division I...

Pat Croce to jump with Army's Parachute Team.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Phil Jasner PHILADELPHIA _ Pat Croce will jump Friday in tandem with the U.S. Army's Parachute Team. That it is Friday the 13th? Doesn't matter. That he is filling in for a local TV personality who didn't want to tempt fate?...

Pat Croce-Ed Snider power play in the works.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Sam Donnellon PHILADELPHIA _ There's a story 76ers exec Dave Coskey often tells about his first few weeks under the employ of Pat Croce, about a trip to a Jimmy Buffett concert at what now is called the Tweeter Center. Croce's...

Croce tells Derrick Coleman to stay away.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Phil Jasner PHILADELPHIA _ Even if these are his final days as 76ers president, Pat Croce forcefully said Thursday he would not want Derrick Coleman returning to the team. Croce made his stance clear after a published report...

Suzy Kolber headed to NFL sidelines for ESPN.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Bill Fleischman PHILADELPHIA _ When a prominent television personality says her main career goal was not to be on camera, the temptation is to scoff. Right, and Julia Roberts would prefer being a makeup artist. ESPN's Suzy...

Merger Specialists Say Pennsylvania Should Have Plans to Prevent Comcast Move.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Michael Hinkelman Jul. 13--Despite the chance of losing yet another corporate headquarters if the giant Comcast-AT&T Broadband deal goes through, Philly and state officials aren't planning much to make sure Comcast stays put. ...

Professor Say Philadelphia Should Consider Hosting Olympics.
July 13, 2001... Byline: Ramona Smith Jul. 13--It's a city on the brink of a massive and expensive war on blight. Now Philadelphia might also grab for a brass ring to help rebuild its future -- a bid for the summer Olympic games around the time of the...

Bad girls who've made for good TV.
July 15, 2001... Byline: Ellen Gray Some of these bad girls made for good TV: SUE ANN NIVENS Show: "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" Actress: Betty White Bad-girl M.O.: WJM-TV's "Happy Homemaker" aspired to be a happy home-wrecker, setting her...

TV's bad girls: Those voluptuous vixens are having all the fun.
July 15, 2001... Byline: Ellen Gray Recently, on HBO's "Sex and the City," I spotted what looked at first to be a dangerously "Ally McBeal"-ish moment. Samantha (Kim Cattrall) was attempting to hail a cab when a good-looking guy in a great suit swiped...

`Buffy' loses her `Angel' in switch to UPN.
July 15, 2001... Byline: Ellen Gray PASADENA, Calif. _ Could the letters WB really stand for Without Buffy? It's probably not good news for the teen-oriented network that all members of the Television Critics Association seemed to want to talk about...

The bottom line: MacCulloch improves net income with offer sheet.
July 16, 2001... Byline: Phil Jasner PHILADELPHIA _ This is the Todd MacCulloch equation: Two modest seasons with the 76ers, soft hands and an ability to finish plays equal an offer sheet from the New Jersey Nets worth $33.75 million over six years....

Cell phone doubles as FM radio.
July 16, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Takiff THE GIZMO: Motorola V120C wireless phone with FM radio, and Zing321 Interactive Media service. SYNERGY PLUS: Sometimes the Gizmo guy can't believe his good fortune _ to be introduced, simultaneously, to two new...

Cheney Says He Wants More, Cleaner Power.
July 17, 2001... Byline: Ramona Smith Jul. 17--Vice President Dick Cheney wants more. More power plants, more refineries, more drilling in search of gas and oil. But he also wants more conservation, more efficiency and more advanced technologies to...

Philadelphia Daily News Plugged In Column.
July 17, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Takiff Jul. 17----CELL PHONE DOUBLES AS FM RADIO THE GIZMO: Motorola V120C wireless phone with FM radio, and Zing321 Interactive Media service. SYNERGY PLUS: Sometimes the Gizmo guy can't believe his good fortune...

`Russell Rules' should be required reading for Iverson, Brown.
July 17, 2001... Byline: Stan Hochman PHILADELPHIA _ Bill Russell misses Wilt Chamberlain. Misses their long, late-night telephone conversations, misses Chamberlain's booming laugh, misses his convoluted opinions on the stock market, on heavyweight boxing,...

Yankees beat Phillies, 6-3.
July 17, 2001... Byline: Paul Hagen PHILADELPHIA _ After more than four hours that were packed with nail-biting drama, after a 13-inning passion play that left spectators and players alike drained, a raucous and roaring evening ended with a whimper. ...

Lauren Jackson makes a connection.
July 17, 2001... Byline: John Smallwood ORLANDO _ Well, at least her fellow Western Conference All-Stars didn't pull a Michael Jordan on Seattle Storm rookie Lauren Jackson. In the days before the WNBA All-Star Game, Jackson, the No. 1 pick in the...

Phillies' following filled with contrarians.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Sam Donnellon PHILADELPHIA _ The Phillies played the 93rd game of their season Tuesday night. They played the New York Yankees in front of 47,529, their third consecutive crowd of more than 40,000, and the third consecutive game in...

Doug Glanville showcasing his skills.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Paul Hagen PHILADELPHIA _ Doug Glanville leads the Phillies in hits and has the second-highest batting average among the regulars. He has a nine-game hitting streak, and in his last 16 games he's 29-for-72 (.403). He already has...

Jimmy Rollins adds speed dimension for Phillies.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Mark Kram PHILADELPHIA _ Because he was just a rookie and not sure how his immediate future would unfold, Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins figured before the season he'd steal 30 bases. For the season - not by July. But that is...

Phillies fall to Yankees.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Paul Hagen PHILADELPHIA _ The only things quieter than the Phillies' clubhouse after the game were the team's bats during the second straight loss to the Yankees. The defeats aren't particularly noteworthy. The Yankees are,...

Pat Croce's future is at stake.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Phil Jasner PHILADELPHIA _ There were tremors, but no eruptions. At least not publicly. All that is known concerning the ongoing Pat Croce-Ed Snider saga is that Croce, the 76ers president, met at the Rittenhouse Hotel on...

What happens to Sixers without Croce.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Edward Moran PHILADELPHIA _ Sometime this week, the future of 76ers president Pat Croce could be decided. With his contract up and a meeting Tuesday night with Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider, Comcast Corp. president Brian...

Tiger not kidding himself.
July 18, 2001... Byline: Rich Hofmann LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England _ In the last little while, Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman have had the monumental nerve to suggest in print that Tiger Woods ought to get married. And when they say it, we ask about it, drawn...