The Sporting News articles from April 2004

The Sporting News archives from April 2004

Still time to play.(Sporting News.com)
April 5, 2004... The Yankees and Devil Rays have opened the season in Japan, but it's not too late to get your fantasy team together. Sign up for any of our fantasy games and let the experts at the Fantasy Source be your assistant G.M.s throughout the season....

Hey, check out the new guy.(Sporting News Radio)
April 5, 2004... Sporting News Radio welcomes Arnie Spanier back to the weekday lineup with The Arnie Spanier Show from 7-10 p.m. ET. Arnie delivers a fun, zany perspective and urges listeners to have strong opinions. His laugh is contagious, his opinions are...

Scouting the draft.(Sporting News Books)
April 5, 2004... Get ready for the NFL draft with TSN's 2004 Pro Football Draft Guide. Experts rank and evaluate players at every position and dissect each team's needs. Order your copy at 800-825-8508 or www.sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 6 straight hits--somebody get that pitcher outta there!(Know It All)
April 5, 2004... (1) APRIL 2004 All times Eastern THU 1 WNBA All-Stars take on the McDonald's All American boys. April Fools! But wouldn't that be sweet to watch? FRI 2 Senators at Flyers. Last time they met. Springer broke out--only...

Bob Hille's starting 5.(Know It All)
April 5, 2004... (1) The Final Four. Part of the fan activities in San Antonio is a mascot rodeo, but, sorry, no, there won't be a Rick Majerus-riding competition. (2) Major league empires. Their union is exploring affiliating with the Teamsters,...

Caught on the fly.(Know It All)
April 5, 2004... Good night, Seattle It isn't receiving as much hoopla as another NBC sitcom that also is ending its run, but Frasier filmed its final episode last week after 11 years on the air. For a while it seemed like there always would be a place for...

On air.(Know It All)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... from the Century 21 Studios Arnie Spanier says: "Without a doubt, the most overrated head coach in the NFL is Marty Schottenheimer. He is 20-28 the past three years--a record that would get anyone else fired." ...

The possibilities are endless.(Your Turn)(Letter to the Editor)
April 5, 2004... What if the Trail Blazers hadn't passed on Michael Jordan with the second pick of the 1984 draft? We posed that question--and others--in the March 8 issue striking a chord with SPORTING NEWS readers, who sent in their own "What it?." scenarios....

!Viva la adiccion! A hardcore player visits fantasy baseball's Mecca: Las Vegas, site of the world championship.(Sins And Losses)
April 5, 2004... My name is Brendan Roberts, and I am a fantasy sportsaholic. It started about 14 years ago, when my buddy Jon got me into an A.L.-only league. Before I knew it, I was in too deep, taking on six or seven leagues at once, sneaking around to see...

Scott Pioli, Patriots.(TSN NFL Executive Of The Year)
April 5, 2004... If you search long enough in the shadow of Patriots coach Bill Belichick, you will find Scott Pioli, his face illuminated by the light of game tape. The Patriots' vice president of player personnel isn't the best known executive in the NFL, but...

T.D. always had fun in Big D.(Glory Days)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... Beyond the Glory, Season 4, continues Sunday on FOX Sports Net with a breakaway run inside the life and career of Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett. (Check your local listings.) Fast and free--that's how the...

Upon further review ...(Correction Notice)
April 5, 2004... Upon further review... Second baseman Aaron Miles was in the White Sox organization during the 2003 season. The information was incorrect in the March 22 issue.

The trouble with Tiger.(Static)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... * The trouble with Tiger: There are certified strategies for capturing The Masters' splendor--go light on commercials, heavy on piano, and ixnay the blimps, Gary McCord and Martha Burk. But what to do when the bloom is off Tiger Woods' azalea?...

The buzz.(Static)
April 5, 2004... * The buzz: FOX finally will join the high-definition broadcasting dance with baseball's All-Star Game and will continue it with every NFL game this fall.

FYI.(Static)
April 5, 2004... * FYI: YES Network sent its announcers to Tokyo for the Yankees-Devil Rays opener; ESPN2 planned to have its crew call the game off a monitor in Connecticut.

Do not adjust your set.(Static)
April 5, 2004... * Do not adjust your set: Except for his opening declaration of Gonzaga as "the best team in the country," Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis has guest-starred as CBS' smartest studio analyst throughout the NCAAs.

Mane attraction: Iowa tackle Robert Gallery isn't cutting any corners--or one strand of his shoulder-length hair--as he prepares for the NFL. Considering his impeccable credentials and the recent success rate of highly drafted offensive linemen, he is the most foolproof pick on the board.(NFL)
April 5, 2004... On a chilly, cloudy morning in early March, a parade of minivans creeps along the road leading to the recreation building on the University of Iowa campus. The local elementary schools are closed today because of a teachers conference, so...

Alex the greatest for the second straight year, general managers put A-Rod at the top of our list of baseball's 50 best players.(Baseball's Top 50)
April 5, 2004... It has been said that the SPORTING NEWS never has met a list it didn't like. And there are few in the home office who would dispute that point. We like our lists. Greatest teams, toughest players, most-boneheaded personnel decisions, best...

Bowling over perceptions: throw a few games with NASCAR bad boy Tony Stewart, and out rolls evidence that he is amiable, generous and even fun. But there's one stereotype that can't be dislodged: his passion for--make that obsession with--racing.(NASCAR)
April 5, 2004... Jillian's Billiard Cafe is a popular hangout in Concord, N.C. It has a restaurant, a bowling alley, an arcade and a pool hall. It's in the heart of NASCAR country, in a suburb of Charlotte, so it's not uncommon to find Nextel Cup drivers there,...

Finally, there are four: four teams packing plenty of talent and loaded with desire will slug it out for the NCAA championship.(NCAA Final Four)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... We started with 65 and are down to four, arriving at college basketball's biggest stage. Most of the attention will focus on the traditional powers in one semifinal--Duke and Connecticut. The Blue Devils and Huskies will meet in a rematch...

Riding high: with a roster full of transfers, Oklahoma State Cowboys coach Eddie Sutton has proved once again that he can win with any type of team.(NCAA Final Four)
April 5, 2004... Every bit of Eddie Sutton's genius was evident on that last play, wasn't it? One of his guys botches a play call, loses his grip on the basketball, stumbles--and somehow the ball winds up in the hands of Oklahoma State's most prolific jump...

The forecast is gloomy.(Baseball)
April 5, 2004... Cubs manager Dusty Baker sits in the dugout before a Cactus League game, talking about the clouds of suspicion that are enveloping the major leagues entering the 2004 season. "I know about clouds," says Baker, who was ordered by...

The new-look Orioles can make an immediate impact in the A.L. East with four home games against the Red Sox.(Coming Attractions)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... The new-look Orioles can make an immediate impact in the A.L. East with four home games against the Red Sox. An interesting sidebar: Derek Lowe will face Miguel Tejada for the first time since last season's ALDS, when an enraged Tejada vowed...

Welcome to the A.L. West, Alfonso Soriano.(Coming Attractions)
April 5, 2004... Welcome to the A.L. West, Alfonso Soriano. First up are the A's, against whom Soriano hit .118 last season with no homers and one RBI. The Rangers and A's play six times in the season's first 11 days....

Barry Bonds will resume his pursuit of Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in Houston.(Coming Attractions)
April 5, 2004... Barry Bonds will resume his pursuit of Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in Houston. Bonds was homerless in eight at-bats at Minute Maid Park last season, and he will face Roy Oswalt, Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens....

D-backs ace Randy Johnson will get an early test against the Rockies.(Coming Attractions)
April 5, 2004... D-backs ace Randy Johnson will get an early test against the Rockies....

The world champion Marlins will start at home against Montreal.(Coming Attractions)
April 5, 2004... The world champion Marlins will start at home against Montreal. Florida was 13-6 against the Expos in '03.

Ailing stars.(Spotlight)
April 5, 2004... A number of key players are coming back from injuries, and several others have been hurt in spring training. How healthy these guys are will go a long way in determining the fate of their clubs. Nomar Garciaparra, SS, Red Sox Imagine...

One on one with ... Randy Johnson, LHP, D-Backs.(Baseball)(Interview)
April 5, 2004... The Diamondbacks ace enters 2004 in an unusual situation--coming off a rare poor season in which he battled a knee injury. For the first time since 2000, Johnson will not be paired with Curt Schilling in a powerful 1-2 tandem in the...

Putting things in order.(Baseball)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... In what spot does a team bat its best hitter, third or fourth? On the Giants, manager Felipe Alou was planning to move Barry Bonds to third until Bonds nixed the idea. The White Sox, on the other hand, have moved their best hitter, Magglio...

A.L. reports.(Baseball)
April 5, 2004... ANAHEIM ANGELS RHP Dorrick Turnbow, once considered a lock for the bullpen, has been overthrowing this spring and has lost command of the two-seam fastball that became his out pitch. He might not make the club, especially because he has one...

N.L. reports.(Baseball)
April 5, 2004... ARIZONA DIAMONDSBACKS RHP Mike Koplove's command has improved throughout spring, training. Koplove, a reliever who had shoulder surgery last September, was rushing his delivery, which elevated his pitches and made them flatten out. When Koplove...

These names shouldn't be foreign to you.(NBA)
April 5, 2004... Andris Biedrins is only 17, and in many ways, it's obvious. He's sitting with his older brother, 21-year-old Uldis, at a hotel in Los Angeles during All-Star weekend in February, talking about his experiences playing professionally for Skonto...

One on one with ... Lamar Odom, PF, Heat.(NBA)(Interview)
April 5, 2004... After four disappointing seasons with the Clippers, Lamar Odom has emerged as a team leader in his first season with the Heat and has the team involved in its first playoff race in three seasons. TSN: Did you think this was a playoff team...

Scouts' views: an NBA scout breaks down the game of Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley.(NBA)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... For the first two years with Tinsley, it was three things: He didn't defend; he gave away too many turnovers, and his shot was just awful. Rick Carlisle's arrival was a great stroke of luck for Jamaal, because Rick also brought in Kenny...

Top five: playoff injury concerns.(NBA)
April 5, 2004... Playoff injury concerns: 1 Jason Kidd. Really, it's quite simple: If Kidd is healthy, the Nets can make another run at the Eastern Conference crown. If his left knee doesn't cooperate, say bye-bye to a third consecutive trip to The Finals....

Pleasant surprises and unpleasant demises.(Straight Shooting)
April 5, 2004... This has been a season chock-full of surprises. Some have been positive, such as the strong showings of the Jazz, Heat and Grizzlies, and some have been downright ugly, like the collapse of the Mavericks and the impotence of the Magic....

Hands down, St. Louis is the MVP.(NHL)
April 5, 2004... After a practice early last March, Lightning right winger Martin St. Louis gave in to the request from his teammates. In the tiny visitors locker room at a suburban Long Island rink, St. Louis walked across the floor on his hands to entertain...

Ryan Smyth, LW, Oilers.(Scouting Report)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... 6-1, 190 Age: 28 The Oilers selected Smyth sixth overall in the 1994 draft. This is his ninth season with Edmonton, and he is leading the way as it makes a late push to reach the playoffs. This is the first season since 2000-01 that...

Getting primed for the playoffs.(Straight Shooter)
April 5, 2004... Some teams already know they're in the playoffs. We've been fighting for our spot. That can be a positive or a negative. We basically have to play playoff hockey now to make sure we'll be in the postseason, and that can work for us. On a...

The West won't be lost for long.(College Basketball)
April 5, 2004... So now we know the NCAA Tournament can be conducted without a West Region--and pretty much without the West. The Pac-10 Conference packed up all its sneakers when things got serious. Gonzaga went home after two games. Five years into its...

Put the field fillers out to pasture.(NASCAR)
April 5, 2004... It took the death of Dale Earnhardt to bring the issue of safety to the top of NASCAR's priority list. Now there's another issue that needs immediate attention: keeping the field fillers off the track and out of the way of the competitive...

Thou shalt draft impact players, regardless of position.(NFL)
April 5, 2004... One of the most revered of the Ten Commandments of Drafting is, "Thou Shalt Not Taketh a Safety or a Tight End High." Far be it from me to recommend flouting commandments. But perhaps we should burn this amendment into the tablet:...

AFC reports.(NFL)
April 5, 2004... BALTIMORE RAVENS QB Kyle Boller needs major improvement in his footwork. While playing in 11 games as a rookie last season, Boller never seemed to drop back the same way twice. He also seemed aloof. But this offseason, he purchased a house in...

NFC reports.(NFL)
April 5, 2004... ARIZONA CARDINALS With the exception of Levar Fisher, coach Dennis Green likes his starting linebackers. OLB Raynoch Thompson is one of the team's few playmakers. Some thought MLB Ronald McKinnon had lost a step last season, but the coaches...

Corn-fed to Callahan: win now.(College Football)
April 5, 2004... Nebraska fans are among the classiest, most knowledgeable and most supportive fans in college football. Bowl directors love them, and opposing coaches appreciate the way the Children of the Corn conduct themselves at games. Still, don't assume...

Fantasy source.(Fantasy)
April 5, 2004... ROTO RAP ROB HURTT The baseball season has begun. Your chance to join a fantasy league has passed you by. When the dog days hit and your favorite team is buried in the standings, your interest in the season will fade, and you will...

Matchup heaven & hell.(Fantasy)
April 5, 2004... Favorable and unfavorable schedules for April: HEAVEN Cardinals. A four-game home series against the Brewers is a nice way to start the season. St. Louis also goes to Milwaukee later in the month and visits homer havens in Houston and...

Talking about race is a sign of progress.
April 5, 2004... So, a wise-cracking sportswriter said Vanderbilt University's basketball team has "too many white guys" to beat Western Michigan in the NCAA dance. The scribbler was Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe, yakking on national radio. Good for him. No...

Playoff hockey and hoops.(Sporting News.com)
April 12, 2004... It's playoff time for the NBA and but you don't have to just sit back and watch. Manage your own team with Playoff Fantasy Hoops and Playoff Fantasy Hockey from SportingNews.com. Both games are free to play and feature game-time trading. Go to:...

Take yourself to the ballgame.(Sporting News Radio)
April 12, 2004... Celebrate the start of the 2004 baseball season with Sporting News Radio. Catch interviews with players, managers and owners, plus get insight, analysis and breaking news from TSN baseball Insider Ken Rosenthal. Tune in, and root for the home...

Scouting the draft.(Sporting News Books)
April 12, 2004... Get ready for the NFL draft with TSN's 2004 Pro Football Draft Guide. Experts rank and evaluate players at every position and dissect each team's needs. Order your copy at 800-825-8508 or at www.sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 7 awards from us to you--and you didn't even go to St. Joe's.(Know It All)
April 12, 2004... (1) THE MASTERS At Augusta, straight beats long by a mile Three guys whose footsteps the leader will hear when he tees It up at Augusta National on Saturday: In the physical and psychological mold of three-time Masters champion...

Caught On the fly.(Know It All)
April 12, 2004... His training really is basic On the heels of Tiger Woods' announcement that he will spend four days in basic training with the Army right after The Masters, John Daly said he plans to scale back his trips to strip clubs that week to three....

On air.(Know It All)
April 12, 2004... from the Century 21 Studios James Brown says: "Salary cap restrictions have made for some painful decisions. The loss of several key players will be too tough for the 49ers to overcome. The Rams and Seahawks are clearly better." ...

Bob Hille's starting 5.(Know It All)
April 12, 2004... (1) The Masters. Let me take a moment to explain to young NHL fans north of the border the concept of a defending champion from Canada. (2) Mark Prior. His injury has jumpstarted Cubs fans' pessimism. They're saying he'll open the...

Baseball must pass the test.(My Turn)
April 12, 2004... Dear Don Fehr, Get a clue. Do something about steroids. Believe me--you don't want the government running your business. Trust me on this. Your friend, J.C. I made my athletic mark playing football, but for the sheer thrill of...

Your turn.(Know It All)(Letter to the Editor)
April 12, 2004... * I appreciated Paul Attner's article on the Mannings (TSN, March 22). In troubling times of steroid use, violence in sports and collegiate sex scandals, it's refreshing to hear about a family of athletes that represents the core values of true...

That's life in the big city.(Fanscape: a lifestyle guide for the dedicated nonathlete)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... Nothing is more sacred than a fan's right to grouse about his/her team, but some fans have more reason to grumble than others. A recent study by the American City Business Journals compiled fan frustration rankings for 115 teams in 37 U.S. and...

A wait watcher's dilemma.(Fanscape: a lifestyle guide for the dedicated nonathlete)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... As the NHL season progressed, my family's status as fans waxed and waned as wildly as our dedication to low-carb diets. Now, we are faced with the ultimate test: With a lockout looming, will we renew our partial season-ticket plan? The...

Yanks-Sox tix? It would be a privilege.(Fanscape: a lifestyle guide for the dedicated nonathlete)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... Boston hates the Yankees. And New Yorkers such as me hate that finding a ticket to a Yankees-Red Sox game is like trying to find a Red Sox fan with a college degree. Fortunately, Beantowners share our pain. The Yankees and the Red Sox play each...

Laker girls unite.(Static)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... * Laker girls unite: Only in Los Angeles. While Hornets-Lakers played on FOX Sports West last week, sister station FOX Sports West2 was debuting the first simulcast for women only. Lakers Living Room was conceived by Jeannie Buss, the club's...

The buzz.(Static)
April 12, 2004... * The buzz: Tony Kornheiser ceded his ESPN Radio chair to overproduced Colin Cowherd, all the while plotting a comeback. But getting dropped by New York, L.A., Chicago and Dallas affiliates in the past year curbed Kornheiser's enthusiasm.

Vital stats.(Static)
April 12, 2004... * Vital stats: ABC hit all-time network ratings lows with NHL (0.7) and NBA (1.1) March 20-21, which doesn't constitute "playoff momentum."

No hocus focus: free agent-to-be Carlos Beltran likely will leave the Royals family, but distractions won't hamper his game.(Baseball)
April 12, 2004... Carlos Beltran has a new toy. It's a pitching machine that blasts tennis balls at speeds of up to 140 mph. Beltran begins his workdays with 10 minutes in a batting cage trying to read the handwritten numbers on the DayGlo yellow blurs whizzing...

R & R it wasn't: a trip to Japan offered little rest for the Devil Rays and the Yankees--and no relaxation for the New Yorkers. How quickly the teams settle back into a normal schedule will shape the starts of their seasons.(Baseball)
April 12, 2004... There was a decided give and take to opening the major league baseball season in Japan. The Yankees never appeared comfortable while playing the first official games of 2004 in Tokyo. The Devil Rays, on the other hand, were much looser. It...

The center of it all: Emeka Okafor's three-year commitment to making himself an offensive force pushed UConn to the national championship.(NCAA Final Four)
April 12, 2004... It is a beautiful smile, and we have seen so little of it this season. Of all that is impressive about Connecticut center Emeka Okafor--his power, his intelligence, his commitment--his most striking feature is the bright, white smile that...

Special K: rookie Kasey Kahne's midget racing experience has helped him to a stunningly good Nextel Cup start, buoying Evernham Motorsports in a transition year.(NASCAR)
April 12, 2004... As this season opened, it promised to be a down year for Evernham Motorsports. Last winter, the two-car team lost legendary Bill Elliott, the only lead driver it had ever had, to semiretirement. Taking over for Elliott was Kasey Kahne, who had...

The one thing: the draft will be full of superb talents who could blossom in the NFL, but no player is perfect. There is rough in every diamond, a flaw that could prevent a top draft choice from becoming a star.(NFL)
April 12, 2004... Visual acuity is what allows the jeweler to spot a flaw in a diamond, the tailor to see a pinhole in a new suit and the NFL scout to uncover the slightest imperfection in any football player--even if that player is expected to be a top pick in...

Two for the show: Miikka Kiprusoff and Andrew Raycroft could be this year's versions of Conn Smythe winner J.S. Giguere--the goalie who comes from nowhere to save more than the day.(NHL Playoff Preview)
April 12, 2004... Goaltending is the name of the game in the playoffs. Last spring, Mighty Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere took over the big stage and won the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP, but few people knew of him before that. The playoffs are when...

Why we love the playoffs: let us count the ways.(NHL Playoff Preview)
April 12, 2004... The prize is the Stanley Cup, the oldest and most revered trophy in North America. It's also the only one that immortalizes its winners by engraving their names on the silver chalice. Rich in tradition, the Stanley Cup playoffs are the best...

Devils won't do it again.(NHL Playoff Preview)
April 12, 2004... Repeating as Stanley Cup champion is the most difficult accomplishment in professional sports. With the short summer, there isn't enough time for players' bodies to recover from the Cup-winning season before. Winners come to training camp...

Eastern Conference matchups.(NHL Playoff Preview)
April 12, 2004... KARA YORIO SAYS: The X-factor in the Islanders' favor is having confidence after succeeding (3-1-0) against the Lightning this season. The Lightning must get Isles G Rick DiPietro moving. He's overaggressive and will get out of position, and...

A worthy challenger: the Pistons are emerging as the best team in the East--and just might be good enough to knock out a heavyweight from the West. Just don't let Larry Brown hear you say it.(NBA)
April 12, 2004... Larry Brown is incredulous. He knows the league standings, and he knows his team, Detroit, is looking up--way up, six games up--at the Pacers, who hold the NBA's best overall record, and the best road record. Then, Brown channels the...

Orioles wing it with young rotation.(Baseball)
April 12, 2004... Thirty starts, 191 1/3 innings. Sounds like your average injury-interrupted season for Pedro Martinez. But, no--those are the combined career totals of the Orioles' four starting pitchers after ace Sidney Ponson. That's right; the Orioles...

Coming attractions.(Baseball)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... Kerry Wood and the Cubs visit Atlanta, where Wood beat the Braves twice in last season's NLDS. Greg Maddux will have to wait until the final weekend of the season to face his former teammates, which might be a good thing for him; ex-Braves...

The great ones bring it day in, day out.(Closer)
April 12, 2004... One of the great things about baseball is the grind; teams play 162 games in just over 180 days. The great thing about my job is I get to see guys compete--every day, every game, every pitch. The good players do it consistently well. ...

3 up 3 down.(Baseball)(Brief Article)
April 12, 2004... Up 1. Adam Dunn, LF, Reds. A scout says Dunn is looking like a monster again. His numbers during spring training were enough to put fear in opposing pitchers: an .894 slugging percentage and .404 batting average heading into April. 2....

A.L. reports.(Baseball)
April 12, 2004... ANAHEIM ANGELS The team broke camp without a lefthander in the bullpen, but the signing of LHP Yoshitaka Mizuo means it could add one soon. Mizuo needs a few weeks to regain his command, but the team is impressed with his vast array of...

N.L. reports.(Baseball)
April 12, 2004... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Closer Matt Mantel experienced problems with the nails on his index and middle fingers throughout spring training. He strengthened them by applying nail polish. When the index finger bothers him, his fastball is affected,...

Waltrip needs a rabbit's foot.(NASCAR)
April 12, 2004... No one looked forward to this off-week more than Michael Waltrip. After being touted as one of the favorites to win the Daytona 500, Waltrip and the No. 15 team didn't just hit a slippery slope, they got caught in a mudslide. To say...

A week in the life: early to bed and early to rise makes a racecar driver fast--hopefully.(On The Fast Track)
April 12, 2004... In the Busch Series, teams usually need to be at the track first thing Thursday morning to go through NASCAR's inspection process. It takes hours to get through inspection the first time. NASCAR goes over each car with a fine-toothed comb,...

A trip around the trading block.(NBA)
April 12, 2004... Start with a star player being paid something near the league's maximum salary. Add a good helping of tension between the player and his coach and teammates, throw in a decline in health and production, and top it off with an unexpected descent...

Draft picks are worth more to builders than to winners.(NFL)
April 12, 2004... Like $100 bills taken by the wind, the Redskins' draft picks are scattered across the NFL. There are two in Denver. One is in Jacksonville and another is in Chicago. You also can find one in New Orleans. The Redskins have only three draft...