The Sporting News articles from April 2003

The Sporting News archives from April 2003

Drop the fantasy puck. (SportingNews.com).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Even if your favorite NHL team fizzled in the regular season, there's still every reason to get excited for the postseason with SportingNews.com's free Playoff Fantasy Hockey. Draft your team by April 9 and update your roster throughout the...

Follow the madness. (SportingNews Radio).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Tune in as Tim Brando tips off Sporting News Radio's Final Four coverage this Thursday, live from New Orleans. Listen for visits from the biggest names in college basketball, plus in-depth game previews and reviews. Don't miss the Tim Brando...

Draft crazy. (SportingNews Books).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... The NFL draft is just weeks away. Get a jump on all the moves with the Pro Football Draft Guide. It includes The War Room's rankings of prospects and outlooks for every team. Get your copy at www.sportingnews.com/ books or call 1-800-825-8508,...

To know list: 7 tips that may change your life but won't break your losing streak in the office pool. (Know It All).
April 7, 2003... (1) DAVID FEHERTY ON THE MASTERS This Tiger won't be tamed There's still a tremendous sense of denial--no one is supposed to be that much better than his peers, not in golf, where you're up against 120 players at a time--because what...

Bob Hille's starting 5. (Know It All).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... (1) The Final Four. College basketball`s signature event makes the pulse race. Unless you've got no pulse, in which case you do color commentary with Enberg and Guokas. (2) MLB '03. Now that the season has started, I can't help...

Caught on the fly.(Column)
April 7, 2003... One reason the Cardinals signed Emmitt Smith was to boost attendance. Wouldn't it have been easier to offer Phoenicians an early-bird special on hot dogs? A desperation shot Someone should call a flagrant foul on the Pacers for their...

Winston cup surprises. (Stock Exchange).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Fox analyst and former crew chief Jeff Hammond talks about what has worked unexpectedly well and not so well so far this season. Bobby Labonte. Changing cars, got a new crew chief--if he were struggling, it wouldn't surprise a lot of...

Spring--a wondrous thing. (My Turn).
April 7, 2003... Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens... oops. Wrong script. My real favorite things: March madness. I call it March Gladness. What other time of year holds such hope for the players, students and fans of basketball dynasties like...

Your turn. (Know It All).(Letter to the Editor)
April 7, 2003... * Everyone is saying the Bengals should draft Carson Palmer, but Palmer and Akili Smith had the same number of good seasons in college (one). The Bengals should trade for more picks and fill much more urgent holes. David Piper Eugene,...

Ragin' for Cajun: with the Final Four in his kitchen, Emeril Lagasse invites you to add a taste of the French Quarter to your championship-viewing experience.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... (1) Heat the oil in a large, cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, 2 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the cayenne. Stirring often, brown the vegetables for about 20 minutes, or until they are caramelized...

You know you're watching March Madness when ... (Static).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... The NCAA extends halftimes by 5 minutes for Dan Rather's embedded war bulletins.... CBS' best-in-show play-by-play is on parade. Dick Enbeng, Verne Lundquist, even Gus Johnson--who blurted, "Missouri dodges a bullet!" and apparently didn't get...

The buzz. (Static).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... * The buzz: TBS is unceremoniously pulling Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren off its broadcasts after 27 years, renaming Braves games MLB on TBS and removing Tomahawk graphics and America's Team references to "broaden national appeal."

The buzz, too. (Static).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... * The buzz, too: The NFL tabled talk of expanding to 14 play off teams until it determines how much more ABC/ESPN/Fox/CBS will pay for additional postseason games.

Soundbitten. (Static).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... * Soundbitten: "Pick up the lingerie!"--CBS' Bill Raftery, exposing us for a second straight year to his new signature phrase after Wisconsin's Devin Harris beat his Kentucky defender on a dribble-drive.

Do not adjust your set. (Static).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... * Do not adjust your set: Keith Olbermann is back on MSNBC, suavely doing straight-news anchoring. Would Dan Patrick? Could Stu Scott? E-mail: fquindt@sportingnews.com

On air with the personalities of Sporting News radio. (Know It All).
April 7, 2003... ON AIR James Brown Says: "Are golfers athletes? Yes. My only aim during the handful of outings per year I get on a golf course is to not look like Charles Barkley with his horrendous swings on any kind of shot!" ...

Jordan rules: it's no suprise who has graced our cover more times than anyone else. (Know It All).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Lucky Rolling Stone! No one ever has written a pop song about being on the cover of the SPORTING NEWS, but we'd like to think the front of our magazine connotes the same attainment of fame as our rock `n' roll sister's, just in a different...

Hands off my masters. (SNR'S Papa Joe Chevalier).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Ordinarily, an assignment to cover the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club provides an occasion for me to shout, "I love this job!" The Masters is one of those events like the Kentucky Derby, opening day in baseball, the Indy 500 or the Rose...

Finishing school: with instruction and inspiration, coach Tom Crean gives Marquette final four polish. (College Basketball).
April 7, 2003... In a moment, the lights will dim and the screen will be illuminated with the featured attraction: Kentucky vs. Michigan State, which is a must-see film only if you are a Spartans fan or a basketball team searching for a means of ending UK's...

Live, from New Orleans.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Can't get to New Orleans? Let Sporting News Radio bring the atmosphere to you. Tim Brando broadcasts from the Final Four this week and will have all the big names at the Big Easy. Tune in to your local affiliate or listen online at...

Texas will win; bank on it.
April 7, 2003... Why the Longhorns will win it: Despite not playing his best basketball, T.J. Ford was in complete command throughout the South Regional, with 19 assists and only three turnovers. Brandon Mouton is becoming more assertive as a scorer, and the...

Marquette Golden Eagles. (Midwest).
April 7, 2003... WHEN THEY'RE ROLLING Marquette is best when it is dictating tempo--running with outlet passes or off turnovers and draining the shot clock when necessary. The Golden Eagles like to create action on the perimeter that opens creases for...

Kansas Jayhawks. (West).
April 7, 2003... WHEN THEY'RE ROLLING The Jayhawks excel in transition when they can push the ball with long outlet passes, even after made baskets. They get the ball from baseline in a blink. The Nick Collison-Kirk Hinrich inside-outside combination is...

So tough he prefers eating glass.(basketball player James Thomas)
April 7, 2003... Michigan State freshman Paul Davis watches Texas' James Thomas play and thinks: "That guy's just a junkyard dog." Connecticut star center Emeka Okafor says simply, "He's a big, strong, tough man." Michigan State strongman Aloysius...

Texas Longhorns. (South).
April 7, 2003... WHEN THEY'RE ROLLING The more Texas plays in transition, the more T.J. Ford's special skills shine. He has a knack for finding teammates who have a seam in which to operate. Brandon Mouton is the team's only true scorer, and he has been on...

Syracuse Orangemen. (East).
April 7, 2003... WHEN THEY'RE ROLLING Syracuse's 2-3 zone isn't that complicated, but teams that don't often face zones find it daunting, particularly because Jeremy McNeil is a threat to block any shot inside the lane. Syracuse likes to get Carmelo...

Driving force: regardless of where A's shortstop Miguel Tejada plays, he has a passion and focus worthy of an MVP. (Baseball).
April 7, 2003... Offers, Miguel Tejada had offers. Not free-agent offers--those are coming in the off-season. The offers Tejada received this past winter were invitations to functions in the Bahamas, Jamaica, Palm Springs--offers he never imagined when he was...

Getting a handle on it: Martin Brodeur and Marty Turco are two of a kind--star goaltenders who shoot and move the puck well. But is that always a good thing? (NHL).
April 7, 2003... Stars goaltender Marty Turco moved behind the net to play the puck, as he has hundreds of times before. This time, however, his skate caught a rut in the ice, and he sprained his ankle. Turco, a key player on a team with Stanley Cup hopes,...

When Jordan became Jordan: even after Michael Jordan plays his last game sometime this spring, his legend will continue to grow. Once, however, he was just another scorer who couldn't win the big one. On a night in June 1991, that changed. (NBA).
April 7, 2003... When he retires at the end of the Wizards' season, Michael Jordan will leave behind a body of work as heavy on record-book rewrites as it is light on failed expectations. It's the stuff of which legends, not to mention Madison Avenue...

Running debate: Willis McGahee, well ahead of schedule in his recovery from a devastating knee injury, boldly predicts he will be a first-round pick and lead the league in rushing within two years. Now he just has to convince the NFL. (NFL).
April 7, 2003... While most elite college players prepare for the NFL draft at performance-enhancing training facilities, trying to reduce their 40 times and increase their bench-press reps, Willis McGahee is sweating it out at HealthSouth Doctors' Hospital in...

The field: in the ever-changing world of Winston Cup, sometimes you can't tell the drivers without a program. So, here it is. (NASCAR).(Directory)
April 7, 2003... NASCAR is one of the few sports that allows teams to change "uniforms" every season--sometimes more often than that. (Did you see the car Bobby Labonte drove at Bristol?) With that in mind, we compiled a handy program you can use all...

Four simple steps to fix the Pacers. (NBA).
April 7, 2003... On his way out of Chicago after a trade to the Pacers last February, former Bull Ron Artest got hold of a large framed photo of himself on the wall of the team's practice facility, the Berto Center, and in one fearfully quick motion, tore it...

Upgrading to a new class. (Courtside Matters).
April 7, 2003... As in every profession, there are different levels of players in the NBA. There are stars, starters, rotation guys and the guys who want to be in the rotation. Usually, by the end of their third or fourth season, most players have settled into...

The MVP vote. (NBA).
April 7, 2003... Sorry, Tim Duncan. You won Most Valuable Player last year, which is bound to cost you this season. Too bad, Kobe Bryant. The longer the season goes, the more obvious it becomes that you're not even the MVP of your own team. Don't get your hopes...

Eastern conference. (NBA).
April 7, 2003... Atlantic Division BOSTON CELTICS The themes of the team's recent six-game losing streak were clear: poor defense and poor rebounding. Five opponents shot 47 percent or better, and the Celtics were outrebounded by an average of 6.3 boards...

Western conference. (NBA).
April 7, 2003... Midwest Division DALLAS MAVERICKS The team has been content to give SG Michael Finley as much time as needed to rest his sore left hamstring. It's the same hamstring Finley had problems with last season, and the Mavericks don't want him to...

Doherty doesn't deserve this. (College Basketball).(basketball coach Matt Doherty)
April 7, 2003... It may be tough to remember now, but there was a time when North Carolina did not operate its program as though it were Hickory High, allowing the players to dictate policy and the rowdier members of the community to escalate negative...

Beware this bambino's curse. (Baseball).
April 7, 2003... April was not yet over last year, and four managers already had been whacked--five, if you count the Red Sox's spring-training dismissal of Joe Kerrigan. I stared across the breakfast table at my son, Sammy, and asked, "A little soon for the...

Pins and needles. (The Closer).
April 7, 2003... As an older player, I find the end of spring training is tough. Every club in the big leagues has to set its roster of 25 men. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but this is the worst time to be an older player or a fringe guy. See, there are...

Penny unwise. (The Closer).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Agents complained all winter about the depressed free agent market and the number of veterans who had no choice but to agree to minor league contracts. But the release of several players near the end of spring training demonstrated that certain...

Short in the tooth. (The Closer).
April 7, 2003... It's no surprise teams such as the Padres, Tigers and Royals are building for the future with young starting pitchers. What's shocking is how young their starters are. The three youngest rotations in the big leagues were a combined 362...

A.L. Reports.
April 7, 2003... ANAHEIM ANGELS 3B Troy Glaus battled tendinitis in his right wrist all spring, and it showed. Glans says he has been bothered by a sore wrist for yeats but has managed to play through the pain. When the pain is greater than normal, it affects...

Rookies to watch.
April 7, 2003... Miguel Olivo, C, White Sox Already blessed a powerful throwing arm and speed that belies his position, Olivo just needs some batting experience. He should develop into a decent gap hitter. Jose Leon, IF, Orioles He had a sizzling...

N.L. reports. (Baseball).
April 7, 2003... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Experience mattered little when the team finalized the pitching staff. RHP Oscar Villarreal, 21, and LHP Stephen Randolph, 28, became the first rookie pitchers in team history to make the club out of spring training....

Dodge's road still runs uphill. (NASCAR).
April 7, 2003... Just hours before Ryan Newman scored Dodge's first victory of the season last Sunday at Texas, three of the manufacturer's bigwigs huddled with Mike Helton in the NASCAR trailer. Helton, NASCAR's president, can pull many strings. But unless...

TSN 10: the 10 big races to watch this year.
April 7, 2003... Track Skinny This place was designed for speed The backstretch is 4,000 feet long, wide enough to rein five- and six-wide, should the drivers grow that daring. Unique to `Dega. the start finish line is well down the frontstrecth, nearly to...

Silver? Where? (NHL).
April 7, 2003... Henrik Zetterberg is having a great rookie season for the Red Wings. Blues defenseman Barret Jackman has exceeded expectations. The Blue Jackets' Rick Nash and the Blackhawks' Tyler Arnason have put up good offensive numbers. But my pick from a...

The Texans can't be certain about Suggs. (NFL).
April 7, 2003... The Texans are facing one of the most critical decisions in their short NFL existence: Who should they select with the third pick in the draft? It will come down to a guess Can Terrell Suggs, a defensive end at Arizona State, play outside...

AFC. (NFL).
April 7, 2003... BALTIMORE RAVENS ON THE HUNT: With DE Michael McCrary set to retire in June, the Ravens are looking for a pass-rushing specialist in the free-agent market. They have had talks with DE Chike Okeafor (49ers) and have interest in LB Charlie...

NFC. (NFL).
April 7, 2003... ARIZONA CARDINALS QUESTIONABLE MOVE: The signing of RB Emmitt Smith doesn't make sense, based on playing ability alone. If the club wanted a complement for Marcel Shipp, whose instincts and vision make up for a lack of speed, it shouldn't...

Answer is easy for sooners. (College Football).
April 7, 2003... Oklahoma coach Bo Stoops has a big decision to make. It might be the most crucial choice any coach makes in the next few months. Who's going to be the Sooners' starling quarterback this season? The competition is raging this spring, though a...

Ultimate fantasy source.
April 7, 2003... Insights and opinions from the editors of the Fantasy Source, your online authority for fantasy news and analysis. We help you WIN! http://fantasy.sportingnews.com ROTO RAP DAVE DARLING OK, you did the smart thing: You ordered our...

Matchup heaven & hell.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... Favorable and unfavorable schedules for hitters during the week of April 7-13. HEAVEN Astros. Six games at home in Minute Maid Park, which, according to TSN's ratings, is the third-best hitters park over the past three seasons. ...

The curious mix of basketball and bombs.
April 7, 2003... Because it's March Madness, because it's a national office pool obsession, because it's spectacle that dances with joy and because it's happening even as bombs fall on Baghdad, I mentioned the NCAA basketball tournament to a dear friend. She...

You'll love this game. (SportingNews.Com).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The NBA playoffs are coming, and it's time to get your team ready in SportingNews.com's free Playoff Fantasy Hoops game. Draft your six-player team by April 19, and challenge friends and co-workers to play. Update your roster throughout the...

Tee time. (SportingNewsRadio).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Augusta National may bring out in the best in Tiger Woods, but this year's Masters will bring out the best in sports radio as Papa Joe Chevalier hits the links for three days of shows from Stool Pigeons Sports Bar in Augusta, Ga. Papa Joe will...

Baseball tour. (SportingNewsBooks).(Book Review)
April 14, 2003... Travel across America and experience baseball history in Roadside Baseball. The one-of-a-kind road atlas takes baseball fans to birthplace and final resting places, and site where baseball history was made. Pre-order now at...

To know list: 6 more sports insights than the Masters has TV sponsors. (Know It All).
April 14, 2003... (1) THE LEBRON JAMES REALITY TOUR There's doubt who's the best NBA prospect--but no doubt who will go No. 1 I am sitting with an NBA general manager here at the United Center in Chicago, watching LeBron James and his fellow high school...

Bob Hille's starting 5. (Know It All).(Brief Article)(Column)
April 14, 2003... (1) Our times. Uncertainty is rampant. Dissatisfaction growing. Consumer confidence is down, unemployment up. But enough about North Carolina basketball... (2) The NFL draft. If you look at how some players' values are changing...

A declining stock. (Caught On The Fly).
April 14, 2003... There's an awful lot not to like about Matt Doherty getting quick-canned. The players and their parents whined that he, get this, got mad and worked the kids too hard in practice--and the administration listened. (The parents' next target: dorm...

The final four. (Stock Exchange).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Fox Sports analyst Marques Johnson looks at how it's better--and worse--than when he began his 1970s All-American playing days at UCLA. [up arrow] [down arrow] Bigger venues. Playing the games Bigger...

A baseball life comes full circle. (My Turn).
April 14, 2003... This is where I came in. In August 1934, I wrote my first piece for the SPORTING NEWS. Now, almost 69 years later, I'm at it again. I didn't really deserve that job in 1934. I was 16 years old, still in high school. I had never written...

Your turn.(Letter to the Editor)
April 14, 2003... * The Mets' defense will make Tom Glavine want to retire and change his name. Kevin Sheets Houston * Chris Stevenson describes the Maple Leafs (TSN, March 24) as "Canada's Yankees. Without the championships." That must make the...

How to ... pick a 3-on-3 team. (Fanscape).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Unless you're the M.J. of the blacktop, a well-balanced team is crucial to winning, says Scott McNeal, founder of the legendary Gus Macker Tournaments that pop up around the country as the weather gets warmer. "If you start off with the right...

A road trip around the bases. (Fanscape).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... If you've never made it to Cooperstown, don't fret... Cooperstown is coming to you. The Hall of Fame packed up more than 500 items for its "Baseball As America" exhibit, sending them on a four-year road trip (concluding in 2005) with stops in...

No vacancy in the 500-channel universe. (Static).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... No vacancy in the 500-channel universe: Funny, most of those start-up Why-didn't-I-think-of-that? channels can't find a place to stay. An exception is College Sports Television--"ESPN is a department store; we're the specialty store," says CEO...

The buzz. (Static).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * The buzz: Facing flat ratings, labor angst and no suitors for network contracts expiring in 2004, the NHL wants to extend its $120 million-a-year ESPN/ABC deal this offseason.

Vital stats. (Static).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * Vital stats: MLB's announced opening day attendance was 543,444; MLB.com announced 10 million passed through its virtual turnstiles.

Soundbitten. (Static).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * Soundbitten: "All I've seen is more commercials.... Timeouts are so long you can take a nap."--Kansas coach Roy Williams, on the extended breaks and halftimes in the NCAA Tournament that were ostansibly intended for CBS war news.

Do not adjust your set. (Static).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * Do not adjust your set: NBC golf's AIG Sports Desk included updates on Peacock-friendly Arena Football, tennis, LPGA... and nada on the NCAAs. Property of other networks, silly. E-mail: fquindt@sportingnews.com

On air.
April 14, 2003... Scott Wetzel says: "The Cardinals went from out of the fire back onto the frying pan by replacing Jake Plummer with Jeff Blake." Bruce Murray WITH THE PERSONALITIES OF ...

Bound to be hits for baseball lovers. (Spring Reading).(Book Review)
April 14, 2003... The annual spring flood of baseball books can provide a season of entertainment for fans. David Wells' literary debut dominated headlines, and publishers will tout high-profile nostalgia writers David Halberstam, Roger Kahn and the late Stephen...

On deck.
April 14, 2003... in the April 21 issue of the SPORTING NEWS: This is what NFL expert Dan Pompei wrote about Miami tight end Jeremy Shockey last April: "Should make a quick impact as a receiver." Shockey had 11 catches for 198 yards by his fourth...

Fresh-squeezed orangeman: Carmelo Anthony carries Syracuse to its first NCAA championship and proves to have the juiciest game of any college freshman--ever.
April 14, 2003... Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim already was feeling queasy when his Orangemen gathered to watch videotape in preparation for their Final Four semifinal against Texas. Soon after assistant coach Mike Hopkins arrived, he began to grow seasick, too,...

The greatest playoff show on earth. (Tournament Diary).
April 14, 2003... Welcome to the most tiring, exhilarating three weeks of the year. My NCAA Tournament breakdown: By cities: Oklahoma City, San Antonio, New Orleans. By teams: California, N.C. State, South Carolina State, Oklahoma, Memphis, Arizona...

Red herring: a new ballpark won't divert attention from Cincinnati's problems: a tenuous front-office situation and roster shortcomings that got worse the moment Ken Griffey Jr. suffered his latest injury. (Baseball).
April 14, 2003... Everything sets up so nicely: Perfect spring day, gleaming new ball-park, a healthy Ken Griffey Jr. at the plate, swaying his hips, wagging his bat, looking like his All-Century self. The moment is worthy of a snapshot: Griffey, the hometown...

Smarter by the mile: Winston Cup drivers can learn valuable lessons when they moonlight in the Busch Series. (NASCAR).
April 14, 2003... Jamie McMurray's backup Busch car at Las Vegas was a sight to behold. Pulled out of the hauler after the main car was wrecked in practice, the backup was covered in signatures. The car had been headed for the show circuit, and somebody...

Circle K pit stop: Darren Jolly. (Advertorial).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Darren Jolly delivers for UPS--in more ways than one. During the week, Jolly works as a UPS feeder driver out of Statesville, N.C. On Sundays, he sheds the company's trademark brown get-up and hits pit row to carry front tires for Dale...

Character sketches: forget the superstars. In the playoffs, the guys grinding it out in the corners hold the key to an extended run at the Stanley Cup. (NHL Playoff preview).
April 14, 2003... When you think of former Islander Bob Nysttrom, his Game 6 overtime goal in the 1980 Stanley Cup final comes to mind. His signature goal against the Flyers gave the Islanders their first of four straight Cups and with it, Nystrom became a...

Best on the board: forget his injury history and lack of mobility. Byron Leftwich's strong arm, accuracy and leadership make him the premier choice in the draft. Any team that doesn't realize it is making a mistake. (NFL).
April 14, 2003... Their friendship began on the 50-yard line inside the Marshall football stadium. The upperclassman, who was the starting quarterback, casually asked the freshman, who was ending his first day on campus, if he could throw a pass into the end...

It was great seeing you, Michael. (NBA).(Michael Jordan)
April 14, 2003... Michael, you failed. You did not do what you set out to do, and you had two years to do it. Come to think of it, I am not quite sure what it was you set out to do. To teach the youngsters--Kwame Brown, Courtney Alexander, Rip Hamilton--how to...

Can you handle the pressure? (Courtside Matters).
April 14, 2003... With the playoffs about a week away, get ready to hear one of the most repeated axioms in sports: Defense wins championships. While certainly true, in the NBA that could be expanded to: Pressure defense wins championships. A basic primer...

One on one with ... Caron Butler.(Interview)
April 14, 2003... Miami's rookie swingman has been more productive than Amare Stoudemire and more consistent than Yao Ming. He has started all season and leads rookies in scoring, minutes and steals. But because he plays for last-place Miami, beating out...

Eastern conference. (NBA).
April 14, 2003... Atlantic Division BOSTON CELTICS Coach Jim O'Brien would like to get reserve PG Tony Delk in a groove by playoff time. Delk recently missed games for personal reasons and hasn't been as consistent as he was early in the season. The Celtics...