The Sporting News articles from April 2000

The Sporting News archives from April 2000

Voice of the Fan.
April 3, 2000... Choice voice `Thank you for not picking the Rangers to win the A.L. West. It will be nice to see you eating crow in your midseason report. Again.' --Steve Batson El Centro, Calif. Repeating history For the 15-plus years...

Caught on the Fly.(sports items and personalities)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... Hey, didn't you used to be in the fast lane on the Road to Indy? * Sorry, Starksie, no selective-bargaining agreement (read: NYC playoff run) in this here league. How bad've things gotten in the NB-I-I-I, Me-Me-Me? Never mind...

Bob Hille's Starting Five.(items of sports figures, and a look back at the accomplishments of basketball coach John Wooden)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... 1 The Final Four. Unless you have courtside seats, you're better off watching it at home--that's what 60 coaches are telling their boosters. 2 Robbie Ftorek. The surprise isn't that the Devils canned the coach with the best record in the...

Leaving his mark in shifting sands.(Bill Polian receives his fifth National Football League Executive of the Year award)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... Colts president Bill Polian gains TSN's NFL Executive of the Year for the fifth time Bill Polian says that because of free agency, today's NFL teams are built on foundations of sand. If that's true, then he is the league's premier...

The Sixth Sense.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... Regis Philbin and Dr. J version: Nobody has been getting more "face time" recently than Regis Philbin, the hyperactive, sharp suit-wearing, on-TV-nearly-every day-of-the-week (morning and night) host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. So we...

A role he was MEANT to play.
April 3, 2000... In his first season in Indiana, Jalen Rose was a bit player, an effective reserve, for the Pacers. Three seasons later, Rose has moved to center stage--he's the key component in the Pacers' drive for an NBA title. Such range. And we're not...

Utah's playoff fate rests on performance, not age.
April 3, 2000... If you look up directly into Karl Malone's face, as a bunch of us were required to do during a standing postgame chin-wag a few weeks ago in New York, you'd see that not much has changed about him. He still looks 26 not 36, handsome in a...

Bill Walton's Mailbag.(Brief Article)(Column)
April 3, 2000... NBC Sports basketball analyst Bill Walton fields questions from NBA fans on MSNBC. To read his entire mailbag or to send in your question, go to msnbc.com. Bill, Who should win the Most Improved Player award? Bob Sura? Vince Carter?...

Time to ride into the sunset.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... Last week, doctors told Hakeem Olajuwon to stop playing for two to three weeks to allow a nagging respiratory problem to get better. I have another suggestion. Hakeem, call it a career. The Rockets have had a fairly miserable...

COUNTDOWN TO THE PLAYOFFS.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... The week that was Team on the rise: 76ers. Injuries continue to cripple the front line, but it doesn't seem to matter. The Sixers entered the week with a five-game winning streak. Suddenly, Philly is not just looking for home-court...

EASTERN CONFERENCE.
April 3, 2000... Atlanta Wright, Terry make strides with more playing time The losses are piling up, but the Hawks are happy with the play of PG Jason Terry and PF Lorenzen Wright With consistent playing time, each has shown a feel for the game. Most...

WESTERN CONFERENCE.
April 3, 2000... Dallas Nash, Strickland will receive more minutes PG Robert Pack will play sparingly the rest-of the season, leaving most of the backcourt minutes to PG Steve Nash and G Erick Strickland. Nash recently has been showing signs of life in...

A COUPLE OF ODD COUPLES.
April 3, 2000... Within the last month, Wisconsin appeared NIT bound, UNC's Bill Guthridge had far more foes than friends, and Florida saw an outright SEC title slip away. Now two eight seeds and a five are dancing in Indianapolis with Michigan State, the one...

At last, Michigan State is playing at its best.
April 3, 2000... With "home-court victories over Syracuse and Iowa State in the Midwest Regional, Michigan State became the only No. 1 seed to survive the first two weeks of the NCAA Tournament and became one of the rare teams to reach the Final Four in...

West.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... All-Regional Team G Mike Kelley, Wisconsin G Jon Bryant, Wisconsin F Mike Robinson, Purdue F Brian Cardinal, Purdue F Andy Kowske, Wisconsin IMPROVED HIS NBA STOCK: Casey Calvary, Gonzaga. COACH WHOSE STOCK...

Midwest.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... All-Regional Team G Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State G Jamaal Tinsley, Iowa State F Marcus Fizer, Iowa State F Andre Hutson, Michigan State F Morris Peterson, Michigan State IMPROVED HIS NBA STOCK: A.J. Granger,...

South.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... All-Regional Team G Ed Cota, North Carolina G Joseph Forte, North Carolina F Eric Coley, Tulsa C Brendan Haywood, North Carolina C Brandon Kurtz, Tulsa IMPROVED HIS NBA STOCK: Johnny Hemsley, Miami. COACH WHOSE...

East.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... All-Regional Team G Brett Nelson, Florida F Shane Battier, Duke F Fredrik Jonzen, Oklahoma State F Desmond Mason, Oklahoma State F Mike Miller, Florida IMPROVED HIS NBA STOCK: Shane Battier, Duke. COACH WHOSE...

KNOWING WHEN TO SAY WHEN.
April 3, 2000... For CAL RIPKEN, the time to walk away isn't at hand--not after the way he swung the bat in 1999. Yes, his body is betraying him, but baseball's next 3,000-hit man won't betray the game he loves by retiring when he still can play at a high...

Roll out the red carpet for these award winners.(professional baseball)
April 3, 2000... George Steinbrenner gets my Oscar for his dramatic behind-the-scenes emoting in the midst of the Yankees' sorry spring. Here are some predictions, observations and thoughts dreamed up while wondering how long Steinbrenner, who spent the spring...

AMERICAN LEAGUE.(team-by-team analysis)
April 3, 2000... Anaheim TWO HOLES FILLED: The team believes it solved two problems in trading CF Jim Edmonds to the Cardinals for RHP Kent Bottenfield and 2B Adam Kennedy. Bottenfield won 18 last season, and should bolster a rotation many consider the...

NATIONAL LEAGUE.(team-by-team analysis)
April 3, 2000... Arizona RUSTY UNIT: LHP Randy Johnson will not face big-league hitters again until opening day, and the team hopes he improves before then. Without an exhibition game the day of his next scheduled start, Johnson was expected to face Class...

It's no longer advisable to mess with Texas.(University of Texas football)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... Texas football. Remember when that used to mean something? When the Longhorns were a fixture in the top 10, or, at worst, the top 20? Remember when the Texas-Oklahoma matchup had as much marquee appeal as Florida State-Florida does now? ...

Draft notice.(professional football)
April 3, 2000... Here's the skinny on multiple-choice teams, junior eligibles, genetic mutations and other topics surrounding the NFL's talent hunt Having multiple first-round draft choices will give the Redskins, Ravens, 49ers, Buccaneers, Jets and...

STACKING THE BOARD.(National Football League draft)
April 3, 2000... The funny-looking chart in front of you may appear to be some sort of newfangled board game, but NFL teams are not playing games when they do what is known as "stacking the board." This exercise shows a team where each player should be...

QUARTERBACKS.(professional football draft choices)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... This year's class is quite a letdown from last year's. It is possible that only one quarterback, Chad Pennington, will be chosen in the first round. And if Pennington had come out last year, he probably would have been rated only the sixth-best...

RUNNING BACKS.(professional football draft choices)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... A lot of teams will find backup running backs in this draft. How many find starters is another matter. There are a few top-end players, but there aren't many sure things. Look for a number of teams to take running backs in the second to fourth...

FULLBACKS.(professional football draft choices)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... It often is said that great fullbacks are made, not drafted. For the sake of teams that need fullbacks this year, they'd better hope so. The pickings are slim, indeed. It's possible that the first fullback won't go until Round 4. TSN...

TIGHT ENDS.(professional football draft choices)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... The tight end class was enhanced greatly by the decision of Miami (Fla.) junior Daniel "Bubba" Franks to leave school early. He is expected to be the first tight end taken. Anthony Becht of West Virginia also could sneak into the first round....

WIDE RECEIVERS.(TSN's rating of players)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... This is the best position in the draft. Receivers come in all varieties to fill every need. There are fast ones such as Laveranues Coles, big ones such as Plaxico Burress, strong ones such as Dez White and all-around ones such as Peter Warrick....

OFFENSIVE TACKLES.(TSN's football player ratings)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... There are a number of legitimate first- and second-round caliber tackles in this draft, but the supply won't meet the demand. There aren't a lot of good candidates to be taken in the later rounds, so teams that need tackles will have to strike...

GUARDS.(TSN rating)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... Converted tackles really enhance this guard class. Many teams, fed up with the lack of athleticism of college guards, are moving tackles inside. Several players who played tackle in college likely will become guards in the NFL, depending on the...

CENTERS.(TSN rating)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... This is a thin crop of centers, and there aren't any blue-chip prospects. It will be an upset if a center is picked before the second round and if there are more than three centers picked on the first day of the draft. TSN PLAYER RATINGS...

KICKERS.(rating)
April 3, 2000... POSITIONS STRENGTH 1 Sebastian Janikowski([dagger]) Florida State 6-0, 260 Wowed 'em at combine with booming kickoffs and perfect accuracy. A big, strapping, long-range weapon with tremendous power. Like another linebacker on kick...

PUNTERS.(professional football draft choices)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... POSITIONS STRENGTH 1 ShaNe Lechler Texas A&M 6-1, 234 Consistent punter with a live leg. Has improved at directional punting. Needs better hang time and height on his punts. Former quarterback with athleticism and good size. Can kick...

DEFENSIVE ENDS.(TSN rating)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... This class of defensive ends is top-heavy. As many as four players could be selected in the first round, depending on how far teams are willing to stretch for need. But it is a thin group, and the drop-off after the top half dozen or so players...

DEFENSIVE TACKLES.(TSN rating)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... Florida State did its part to keep the defensive tackles class strong, contributing two of the top three ranked prospects in Corey Simon and Jerry Johnson. Without them, it would be a below-average class. With them, it isn't bad. TSN...

INSIDE LINEBACKERS.(TSN rating)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... Teams looking for thumpers for the middle of their defenses won't find many of them in this draft. Some of these inside linebackers could wind up as outside linebackers. Others have injury concerns. Still others lack intangibles. TSN...

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS.(TSN rating)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... If outside linebackers were a stock, the recommendation for April would be "buy." Given the depth at the position, a number of linebackers should be good values at the point of their selections. And the best player in the entire draft may be an...

CORNERBACKS.(TSN rating)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... This is a solid class of cornerbacks. Although there are no can't-miss prospects, it wouldn't be surprising to see as many as 15 cornerbacks selected by the end of Round 3. Teams are all over the board on which ones they like best, however. ...

SAFETIES.(TSN rating)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... There is depth at this position, but it isn't good depth. Simply put, there are a lot of mediocre safeties. As a result, many safeties likely will be chosen in the late rounds or signed as free agents. In many cases, the flee agents could wind...

Pickin' and grinnin'.(National Football League draft)
April 3, 2000... You know; this whole draft thing is a lot of fun, There's drama, there's intrigue, and above all, there's mystery. Will your favorite team get an impact player who will change everything? Or will another team snatch him up before anyone...

TO GOOD TO BE A GOON.(hockey player Chris Simon)
April 3, 2000... Chris Simon still has fists of fury, but he also has a hands-on goal-scoring skill that makes Mm too valuable to be sitting in the penalty box for the hot Capitals It's late in the 1992-93 season, and a hard thwack! reverberates through...

Blues' playoff hopes start with Roman's numerals.(hockey player Roman Turek)
April 3, 2000... It's less than a week after the Stars won the Stanley Cup and coach Ken Hitchcock still is receiving congratulations for his team's great effort. He's positively glowing--until I bring up Roman Turek's name. "Boy, do we hate to lose...

A master of putting it in writing.(sportswriter Jack Mann)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2000... Ashland is a pretty, little town in the Rogue Valley of southern Oregon. It's east of the Siskiyou Mountains and about 35 miles up Interstate 5 from Yreka, Calif. There on a Tuesday in March, Ashland High School's junior varsity baseball...

Voice of the Fan.
April 10, 2000... Choice voice `I don't see why Florida State kicker Sebastian Janikowski should worry about a police record adversely affecting his draft status. Having a rap sheet in the NFL is becoming as common as having an agent.' --Michael Perricone...

Caught on the Fly.(gossip from various sports)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2000... Hey, didn't you used to be the N.L. West fares? * Hey-yo, Fly's as bullet-proof as any W-2 stiff comes (read 'em and weep: 114 calendars-n-still flippin', baybee), but tryin' to open a can-o-whupass on the boss is stuh-rictly verboten,...

Bob Hille's Starting Five.(brief observations about sports)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2000... 1 The Final Four. OK, so you tanked in the office bracket pool. Look on the bright side: No more Billy Packer for seven months. 2 Opening day. We don't want to say small-market teams' playoff hopes are DOA, but they're already arguing over...

DUSTBIN.(Lenny Wilkens' selections for NBA MVP in 1990)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2000... April 3, 1990 Listing his choices for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award, Cleveland Cavaliers coach Lenny Wilkens neglected to include Bulls guard Michael Jordan, who finished the season averaging 33.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists...

Staying power.(NCAA Tournament championship game between University of Florida and Michigan State University)
April 10, 2000... While the heart, desire, leadership, shooting and defense provided by Michigan State's Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson and A.J. Granger were vital against Florida in the national title game, it was the senior trio's stick-to-itiveness that...

A new college trend: Returning for senior year.(basketball players do not join draft early)
April 10, 2000... When Shane Battier stood at a podium for a news conference on the first day of this month, it might have been an occasion for the most passionate fans of this sport to wince, cringe or weep. Another Duke Blue Devil "coming out?" Shane...

COMPLEX.(evaluation of college football players who will likely be drafted)
April 10, 2000... In the final analysis of wide receiver Plaxico Burress, NFL teams must decide which factor weights more. On the cusp of the NFL draft, wide receiver Plaxico Burress has encountered few spare moments. When he got one recently, sandwiched...

`Workout warrior' needn't be a derogatory term.(college football players who are likely to be drafted and have reputations for extensively working out)
April 10, 2000... Calling a football player a "workout warrior" is somewhat derisive. Kind of like calling a soldier a "boot camp hero." It's easy to stereotype all so-called workout warriors such as running back Curtis Keaton of James Madison, receiver Chris...

AFC.(analysis of football teams)
April 10, 2000... Baltimore STILL POSTURING: Vice president of player personnel Ozzie Newsome has denied that the team is close to submitting an offer sheet to the Bengals for RB Corey Dillon. The Ravens don't think Cincinnati will make Dillon...

NFC.(analysis of football teams)
April 10, 2000... Arizona UNANSWERED QUESTIONS: Coach Vince Tobin says he is concerned with the stares of DE Simeon Rice and DT Eric Swann. Tobin says that trading the disgruntled Rice before the draft is a possibility but unlikely. Tobin also says that...

Advanced PLACEMENT.
April 10, 2000... Forget the prom. Tennessee's Casey Clausen and John Rattay are part of a growing bend of quarterbacks who are graduating early from high school to get a jump on their college careers Quarterback controversy? It's not that simple. What...

Reports of the Big East's demise were premature.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2000... A year ago, it was all gloom-and-doom talk. Miami was being courted by the ACC. A television contract was in limbo. Ratings were down. People, even within the league office in Providence, R.I., wondered about the future of Big East football....

Trying to regain FOCUS.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2000... The devastating eye injury to defenseman Bryan Berard has the team thinking of togetherness. But that may net be enough for the Maple Leafs to be successful in the playoffs. The closer the playoffs get, the more unpredictable the play of...

Chemistry was never part of Rangernomics.
April 10, 2000... Let the buyer beware. Oh, I'm sorry, I think I used that phrase last summer, when the Rangers went on a wild signing spree and many refused to look beyond the team's $61 million payroll. You know, it's still amazing that nobody at Madison...

Smooooooth.
April 10, 2000... With a blend of potent offensive options and big-game experience, Toni Kukoc has helped the 76ers emerge as the team no one wants to plays in the Eastern Conference playoffs (and Iverson likes him, too) Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia...

The NBA has become a mad, mad, mad, mad world.
April 10, 2000... What does Kenny G say when he walks into an elevator? "This place rocks!" Just a bit of levity there to break the mood that is sweeping the league at the moment, because it is becoming increasingly apparent that the 1999-2000 NBA season has...

Bill Walton's Mailbag.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2000... NBC Sports basketball analyst Bill Walton fields questions from NBA fans on MSNBC. To read his entire mailbag or to send in your question, go to msnbc.com. Bill, How dangerous of a team do you think the Raptors will be in the...

New York's hopes still center on Ewing.(Brief Article)
April 10, 2000... March Madness and all of those TV highlight shows from past NCAA Tournaments still are fresh in our memories. In those games, Patrick Ewing is skinny but a dominant force on both ends for Georgetown, leading it to three NCAA title games in four...

COUNTDOWN TO THE PLAYOFFS.(Letter to the Editor)
April 10, 2000... The week that was Team on the rise: Magic. Doc Rivers' charges eased above 500 for the first time since December 30 and moved closer to the No. 7 seed. Entering the week, the club had won six straight, including victories over a quintet of...

EASTERN CONFERENCE.
April 10, 2000... Atlanta Wright's improved offense, aggressive effort promising Among the team's young players, F Lorenzen Wright probably has made the biggest impression. Wright has played hard and aggressively and without getting into the constant...

WESTERN CONFERENCE.(brief basketball notes)(Column)
April 10, 2000... Dallas Strickland provides spark for team, Davis With SF Michael Finley starting in the frontcourt, Erick Strickland will continue to log the most minutes at off-guard. Strickland has played the point and small forward and has defended...

Oh, what a start.(baseball season in Japan)
April 10, 2000... Highlighted by a Sadaharu Oh-style grand slam, the season openers in Tokyo hit a financial and cultural home run. They also revealed the Mets still are living on the edge and that the Cubs have a new game plan. Mets pitcher Rick Reed says...

Father, son and Mother Nature.(Ken Griffey Jr., baseball player)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2000... On baseball's traditional opening day, Ken Griffey Jr. finally got to play where his dad became a star--and he got both a resounding welcome and a washout Rain was the only winner on opening day in Cincinnati, but it didn't dampen the...

a CAN'T-MISS tag.(baseball players performance expectations)
April 10, 2000... It's a label of distinction, all right, but it can wear thin in a hurry when a phenom falls short of being phenomenal. Pressure, scrutiny and daunting situations take their toll, but it usually comes down to this: A player is geed enough, or he...

Torre: Not to worry, Yankees fans.(Joe Torre, baseball manager)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2000... Joe Torre tells this cautionary tale over and over. It's a story about the days when he managed the Cardinals and took a pitching staff without a prayer into Denver's mile-high air for a four-game series. It's a story about his pitchers back...

Small-market teams; big-shot mentality.
April 10, 2000... Teams with small-to-medium-sized payrolls aren't supposed to compete. That's what everyone thought, anyway. That's what Bud Selig keeps telling us. Then, a funny thing happened to the Reds and A's on their way to also-ran status last season....

AMERICAN LEAGUE.(brief baseball notes)(Column)
April 10, 2000... Anaheim MAKING A SWITCH: Acquiring OF Edgard Clemente and releasing C Todd Greene allows the team to replace a righthanded DH who was limited defensively with a righthanded DH who can hit lefthanders better and play all the outfield spots....

NATIONAL LEAGUE.(brief baseball notes)(Column)
April 10, 2000... Arizona TRIPLE THREAT: Closer Matt Mantei, who got by almost exclusively on fastballs in 1999, now may be a three-pitch pitcher. His plan is to test out his curve and slider in the bullpen and choose one or both as his offspeed pitch for...

After the ankle, he danced.(Mateen Cleaves, basketball player)(Brief Article)
April 10, 2000... Before the ankle, Mateen Cleaves did everything. After the ankle, he did more. Before the ankle, he'd decided how he would play this last game: "I'd leave it all on the floor." After the ankle, he limped and hobbled and moved with a hitch in...

Voice of the Fan.(Letter to the Editor)
April 17, 2000... Choice voice `In your baseball preview issue, Trevor Hoffman was described as `the National League's best entertainment and most consistent performer.' A better show than Mark McGwire's pregame batting practice?' --Jim Ramsey Charlotte,...

Caught on the Fly.(brief sports notes)(Brief Article)
April 17, 2000... Hey, didn't you used to be a can't-miss pick? * While you-n-Fly're pleadin' temporary Vinsanity, the Spies say there's no Raptor 'room rapture. Fact is, vet big men're pointin' finger at Carter-n-McGrady for bein' ball-pass black hole....

Starting Five.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2000... 1 The NFL draft, This year it's on April 15, lending further credence the old adage that only two things are inevitable: a hard-luck Bengals first-round pick and taxes, 2 The Masters. After tour days of gut-wrenching competition, the...

DUSTBIN.(George Brett, baseball player)(Brief Article)
April 17, 2000... April 20, 1983 Royals third baseman George Brett went 4-for-5 with three home runs in an 8-7 victory over the Tigers. That raised his average to .475, a particularly satisfying start for Brett, who was booed in the Royals' opener. In the...

A whiff of reality.
April 17, 2000... Week 1 in the N.L. Central produced a lot of swings and one big myth --the there's no stopping the division's fearsome foursome of power hitters Greetings from Groundout Central, also known as Strikeout Central, occasionally referred to as...

Henderson's antics tarnish his brilliant career.
April 17, 2000... For 20 years, Rickey Henderson has thrilled us. Now, he is just amusing us, and not in a good way, either. As his career nears its end, this is no way for an all-time great to leave. With his incessant complaints overshadowing owing his...

Attitude vs. arrogance.(Brief Article)
April 17, 2000... Baseball is a game of confidence. It's essential a player be absolutely sure of his ability, considering even the best hitters are unsuccessful 65 to 70 percent of the time. But it's also important not to cross the line from confidence to...

INSIDE THE A.L. EAST.
April 17, 2000... Baltimore 4-1: 1st Hairston is sent down se he can play every day 2B Jerry Hairston was sent to Class AAA when the dub activated fifth starter Jose Mercedes. Hairston, 23, failed to win the starting job from Delino DeShields this...

INSIDE THE A. L. CENTRAL.
April 17, 2000... Chicago 4-2: T 1st Valentin off to rocky start at short; Manuel not worried The team traded for SS Jose Valentin because it didn't think Mike Caruso could get the job done defensively at the key infield position. Valentin has more...

INSIDE THE A.L. WEST.
April 17, 2000... Anaheim 3-2: T 1st Great sign: Erstad appears to have the old hack back OF Darin Erstad has started 2000 in a groove that is reminiscent of his torrid first half of 1998, when he hit .313 with 18 home runs and 59 RBIs. Erstad is...