The Sporting News articles from August 2003

The Sporting News archives from August 2003

The final countdown. (SportingNews.com).(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... The first exhibition game kicks off this weekend, so what are you waiting for? Sign up for SportingNews.com's Preseason Countdown, which keeps you updated with exclusive analysis from around the league. It's all part of the Pro Football Ticket,...

Get plugged in. (SportingNews Radio).(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... Looking for the best place to catch up on everything happening in sports? Look no further than Coppock on Sports, 7-11 p.m. ET Saturdays and Sundays. Known for having one of the largest Rolodexes in the industry, Coppock brings you the biggest...

Stats alert. (SportingNews Books).(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... Whether you need statistics to help you pick your fantasy team or you just want the numbers to back up your opinions, the Pro Football Register has it all. Every player's entry is complete with bin, career notes and statistics. Order your copy...

To know list: 8 straight winners--top that, Lance Armstrong. (Know It All).
August 4, 2003... COLLEGE FOOTBALL REVS UP (1) COMEBACK KIDS Pain, pain, go away The words are trite and tiring. Frank Gore was this, Frank Gore was that. Frank Gore could've been this, would've been that. "Who cares about that stuff?" says Gore,...

Starting 5. (Know It All).(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... (1) College football. It's that time of year again--buying books, meeting professors, locating classrooms, finding someone to finish Maurice Clarett's homework assignments. (2) NASCAR's Iron Man. Ricky Rudd's consecutive start...

Oakland watchers thrown a curve. (Caught On The Fly).
August 4, 2003... Ask a baseball guy, any baseball guy will do, what makes the As go, and he'll rattle off Hudson, Mulder and Zito faster than Billy Beane can calculate someone's OBP. But a numbers crunch shows that the Z-man has been checking in with about a...

On air. (Know It All).
August 4, 2003... ON AIR James Brown says: "For anyone to question whether or not the Tour de France is a sport is simply amazing to me. The Tour is a test of teamwork, physical condition, endurance, strategy and tactics." ...

What's cooking? Character. (My Turn).
August 4, 2003... I don't know why they call August the "dog days of summer." If you ask me, dogs live a pretty charmed life. All the dogs I saw growing up spent their hot Oklahoma summer days lazing under a shade tree, lapping up cool water and scratching...

Your turn. (Know It All).(Letter to the Editor)
August 4, 2003... * I don't believe in anointing an NBA champion in July. Plus, weren't the mighty Lakers considered the early favorites last July. too? Ed Juarez, Brooklyn, N.Y. * I don't care if Barry Bonds hits 800 home runs, he'll never save...

Just for kicks: what happens when a desk jockey plays Gramatica? The feel-good story of '03 dissolves into one big pain in the ... leg. (Know It All).
August 4, 2003... Quick, pick the best position to play in football. Quarterback? Too much thinking to do in 3 1/2 seconds or less, and too many concussions. Receiver? Maybe, just don't ask me to go over the middle. No, the best job belongs to the kickers....

To show 'em what you've got on the playgrounds of NYC: how's that feel?
August 4, 2003... Whenever you step on a New York City playground, you always feel like you've got to prove some thing because no one fears you. New York is loaded with players who have great talent, even if you don't know much about them. They may have messed...

On deck: in the August 11 issue of the Sporting News.
August 4, 2003... College football preview. The night took a dramatic turn for College Football Insider Matt Hayes at the airport in Atlanta, when his connecting flight--the second leg of a long journey to the city of our preseason No. 1 team--was unpredictably...

Kobe team coverage. (Static).(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... Kobe team coverage: It's predictable, and OK, I guess, that anyone with an FCC license gorged on the Kobe Bryant Developing Story. The district attorney filing charges, retorts released through defense lawyers, the Bryants' tearful news...

Do not adjust your set. (Static).(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... * Do not adjust your set: Deion Sanders will host Year 2 of ESPN's The New American Sportsman, maybe in hunter orange pinstripes.

Soundbitten. (Static).(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... * Soundbitten: "Even though he didn't win, he will never forget that walk."--ABC's Curtis Strange, as Ben Curtis reached the final hole of the British Open. (Whoopsie. Minutes later, when that Thomas Bjorn guy pulled a Jean Van de Velde. Curtis...

He's got next: Kellen Winslow was the prototype for tight ends--until his son came along. Now, Miami's Winslow Jr. is making the position--and the name--his own. (College Football).
August 4, 2003... The young tight end had just put on a Kellen Winslow-type performance, which is fitting since he is Kellen Winslow. In a game that meant everything, he caught all those passes all over the field--a field littered with superstars--yet it was...

Slipping away: coaches and personnel men are dismayed that one of the game's essentials--tackling--has declined steadily, if it has not become a lost art. (NFL).
August 4, 2003... When the Ravens' defensive players convened in May for their first meeting at minicamp, they viewed a 6-minute video that looked like a collaboration of NFL Films and Wild Kingdom. They saw a quartet of Chicago Bears converge on former running...

Belief and beyond: behind manager Tony Pena, who has taught a young, low-payroll team to have unshakable faith in itself, the Royals continue to flush the notion they can't win. (Baseball).
August 4, 2003... Four months before this wild season began, Royals manager Tony Pena was riding in a van through Puerto Rico with general manager Allard Baird. They were off to see Chris George, one of the many young pitchers the Royals would count on after an...

Set in brick: finding the proper setup at Indy--adjusting the suspension to get the best balance of speed and handling--yields benefits far beyond one big race. (NASCAR).
August 4, 2003... Desperately Seeking Setups: NASCAR race teams searching for the best combination of shocks, springs and sway bars. Must be able to produce optimum adhesion to the racing surface and enhance the aerodynamic balance of a racecar at Indianapolis...

A's plan doesn't add up right now. (Baseball).
August 4, 2003... Michael Lewis should write another book. Team Moneyball is 10th in the American League in runs, 10th in on-base percentage and 11th in slugging. It's the third straight season of offensive decline for the A's, and not all of it can be blamed on...

Feeding the beast without getting bitten. (Closer).
August 4, 2003... When you go to a big market, a lot changes--the expectations, the pressure and the media scrutiny. If you can't handle the media, Boston and New York are the toughest places to play, followed closely by Philly. In Boston, there is a...

Young Taiwanese star makes leap to majors. (Baseball).
August 4, 2003... With its history of dominance on the Little League field, you might expect Taiwan to have fielded more major leaguers. But last Friday, Rockies righthander Chin-hui Tsao became only the second Taiwanese player to play in a big-league game and...

Coming attractions.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... The Giants have shown no interest in relinquishing their N.L. West lead, but the Diamondbacks figure prominently in the wild card race. The Cubs are in a similar situation in the Central, and the two teams will meet this weekend at Wrigley...

Sophomore studs. (Spotlight).
August 4, 2003... Second-year players are about as easy to explain as computational aerodynamics--or egg substitute. To compile a list of the best second-year players, you've got to have some guidelines. Setting a number of innings or games played doesn't work....

Top five. (Baseball).(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... Pitchers with the goods to become closers: 1 Francisco Rodriguez, RHP, Angels. He showed a flash of his potential in last year's postseason but flashes of his youth early this season. A mid-90s fastball and a nasty slider will get him out...

Scouting report. (Baseball).
August 4, 2003... Mike Maroth LHP, Tigers Age: 25 Height: 6-0. Weight: 190. 2003: Heading into the week, Maroth was well on his way to losing 20 games. After 21 starts, he was 5-14 with a 5.28 ERA. 2002: In 21 starts, he was 6-10 with a 4.48...

Statscape. (Baseball).
August 4, 2003... What in the name of Bernie Brewer happened to Glendon Rusch? The Milwaukee lefthander has gone from dependably average (a 4.45 ERA from 2000-02) to atrocious (1-12, 7.50 ERA) this season. Evaluating Rusch and other disappointing pitchers...

Minor league update.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... Prospects included in recent trades: Victor Diaz, 2B, Mets. Diaz was acquired from the Dodgers in the Jeromy Burnitz deal. He's a very good hitter who hasn't yet found a position. He may wind up at first if he develops a little more home...

A.L. reports. (Baseball).
August 4, 2003... ANAHEIM ANGELS Scott Spiezio has moved from first base to third base in place of Troy Glaus, who went on the D.L. last week with a bruised right shoulder. Spiezio came up as a third baseman before being converted to the right side of the...

N.L. Reports. (Baseball).
August 4, 2003... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS With OF Danny Bautista (hamstring) and C Rod Barajas (wrist) activated from the D.L. last week, the roster finally is near full strength. And that has manager Bob Brenly envisioning a true luxury in Phoenix: an...

A flawless execution of Plan B. (NHL).(management of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks)
August 4, 2003... Mighty Ducks general manager Bryan Murray was under fire just a few weeks ago. Paul Kariya had walked away when the Ducks, who were hoping to sign him for less than he made last season, didn't make him a qualifying offer. No Kariya meant no...

A plea for more provisionals. (NASCAR).
August 4, 2003... Scrap the provisional system! That's a cry heard every season from those who fail to fathom the long-term outlook for Winston Cup racing. They'd like to do away with the rule that awards provisional starting positions to seven drivers who...

The 700 Club: Ricky Rudd sets a standard for endurance as his streak of consecutive starts reaches another milestone. (NASCAR).(stock car racing)
August 4, 2003... Ricky Rudd and Cal Ripken Jr. share more than the distinction of being Iron Men who hold longevity records for their sports. They are also excellent role models and ambassadors. The striking difference is that at 46, Rudd still is going...

TSN 10: the 10 big races to watch this year. (NASCAR).
August 4, 2003... Track Skinny Because they tiptoe through the turns (at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway), compared, at least, with the Indy Cars, the Winston Cup machines don't come close to matching the speeds of their smaller, distant cousins.......

Tracking Tedford's next big thing. (College Football).(University of California, Berkeley football coach Jeff Tedford and his opinion about quarterback Aaron Rodgers)
August 4, 2003... A warm welcome, please, for Aaron Rodgers. The next big thing on the West Coast. The next can't-miss prospect who will have every-one from Mel Kiper to Mel Tillis singing his praises for years And the kid hasn't played a down of major college...

Williams must push Heels past the limit. (College Basketball).(North Carolina Tar Heels coach Roy Williams)
August 4, 2003... Before anyone gets going in the next couple of months with the self-righteous mathematics, the answer to the question is: Yes, Roy williams can add. If he accepts two more commitments from recruits for North Carolina's next freshman class, the...

Letting Sapp play out his contract is a risk worth taking. (NFL).(Tampa Bay Buccaneers tackle Warren Sapp)
August 4, 2003... As much as any player in the NFL, Warren Sapp is the center of his team's universe. Everything red and pewter revolves around his global girth. But because Sapp is in the last year of his contract and the Bucs have yet to do anything about...

AFC. (NFL).(football team analysis)
August 4, 2003... BALTIMORE RAVENS GROWING PAINS: OLB Terrell Suggs, the team's first-round pick, continues to raise eyebrows. After being late for several functions, Suggs missed one of two scheduled meetings with his position coach--and he arrived about...

NFC. (NFL).(football team analysis)
August 4, 2003... ARIZONA CARDINALS WALKING THE LINE: In a move designed to get the best linemen on the field, Pete Kendall began camp at center instead of left guard, where he started the past two seasons. The club is deep at guard, with Chris Dishman,...

Pass up bucks, don't pass the buck. (NBA).(management of the Minnesota Timberwolves; news about other basketball teams)
August 4, 2003... A year ago, Warriors coach Eric Musselman was reminiscing about his early days as an assistant on the staff of his father, Bill, the first coach of the Timberwolves. The team was mediocre, winning 51 games in its first two years, then got bad...

Ultimate fantasy source: baseball. (Fantasy).
August 4, 2003... ROTO RAP by BRENDAN ROBERTS Everyone from TSN Insider Ken Rosenthal to big-league general managers acknowledges that A's general manager Billy Beane has a certain charm about him. He's able to act friendly and flexible with most...

Matchup heaven & hell. (Fantasy).(baseball )(Brief Article)
August 4, 2003... Favorable and unfavorable schedules for hitters during the week of August 4-10. HEAVEN Astros. Six games at cozy Minute Maid Park. Blue Jays. Yahtzee of the week: They face the two worst pitching staffs in the American League...

Ultimate fantasy source: football. (Fantasy).
August 4, 2003... PLAY ACTION by JASON LANGENDORF You'd think based on sheer girth, offensive linemen could at least earn themselves a Q rating up there with, say, beefy American Idol star Ruben Studdard. Even if linemen don't show up in a box...

A little sense might save a lot of pain.(Kobe Bryant's sexual assault case)(Column)
August 4, 2003... A professional basketball player whose name is no longer important once told a story about a night in a Seattle bar. It was a late night, a beery night. He sat in a booth in a dark corner of the bar. With him was a young woman of striking...

Draft alert.(Sporting News .com)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... If you're like most fantasy football junkies, your draft is right around the corner. Want the inside edge to help you win your league championship? Study up with our Fantasy Football Draft Kit, which provides rankings, mock drafts and much...

We love L.A.(Sporting News Radio)(sportscaster to travel to Los Angeles, California, to cover athletic events)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... Tim Brando is going from the Chateau to Tinsel Town. Join him this week for live broadcasts from Los Angeles, hosted by Sporting News Radio's L.A. station, KMPC-1540, The Ticket. From the Chargers to the Trojans and all points in between,...

Kings of the gridiron.(Sporting News Books)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... Pro Football's Heroes of the Hall is a special hardcover book filled with vintage black-and-white and color photographs that relive the contributions of every NFL Hall of Famer. Order your copy at www.sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 6 hard hits--more than slithery Marcus Allen used to take in a season.(Know It All)
August 11, 2003... (1) 2003 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Fairways are the only way Ask anyone who knows Oak Hill Country Club, site of the 85th PGA Championship (August 14-17), and they'll tell you: You absolutely have to drive it straight, and being long doesn't...

Bob Hille's starting 5.(Know It All)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... (1) College football practice. New NCAA rules greatly curtail the number of two-a-days teams can hold, which in BCS conferences earns credits toward a degree in management: half the work for twice the money. (2) A-Rod. Who knew,...

A bunker mentality.(Caught On The Fly)(observations about sports and athletes)
August 11, 2003... When it comes to handicapping, Phil Mickelson seems to always hit the green. After all, the PGA golfer famously, and correctly, picked the long-shot Ravens to win the Super Bowl before the 2000 season. That resulted in a six-figure payoff. ...

On air.(Caught On The Fly)(opinions about athletes from radio broadcasters)(Illustration)
August 11, 2003... from the Century 21 Studios Scott Wetzel says: "You may question his ability, but don't ever question Donovan McNabb's toughness. One game, he throws a touchdown pass seconds after throwing up. Another game, he throws four TD passes on a...

Reading, writing and reform.(My Turn)(Column)
August 11, 2003... For many football fans, coaches and teams, the college football preview issue of the SPORTING NEWS conjures up the dreams, excitement and possibilities of the season to come. Maybe this will be that perfect season, that undefeated team, that...

Your turn.(Know It All)(Letter to the Editor)
August 11, 2003... * When George Steinbrenner said the Red Sox "haven't won anything yet" after the Yankees lost two straight games to Boston, I was more than angry. But the more I thought about it, the more I smiled. The leader of the Evil Empire is finally...

All Fore! fun: with comic relief accompanying every stroke--and there were many--from Charles Barkley and Dennis Miller, there's no calling golfing with these two a good walk spoiled.(Know It All)
August 11, 2003... Here is what it is like to watch Charles Barkley play golf It's trying to hammer a nail, but missing and hitting your thumb. It's mixing lemonade and toothpaste. It's the blackboard-scratching scene in Jaws. It's a laugh-off between The Nanny...

The best of booth worlds.(Remote Patrol)(sportscasters)
August 11, 2003... Notice a dearth of dream teams in college football? Announcing teams, that is. No dynasties in this dimension. Not a single Summerall-Madden nor a Michaels-Madden, has transcended the glut on Saturday afternoons for the last 20 years. Not...

Greasing the time trials.(Static)(time for commercials during broadcast of NASCAR events)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... Greasing the time trials: Since taking the wheel through the finish of NASCAR's season, NBC/TNT production is running bumper-to-bumper with Fox. But many a gearhead has observed, "Too many dang commercials." NBC claims its ad load is similarly...

Vital stats.(Static)(lack of success for golfer Tiger Woods)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... Vital stats: Tiger Woods is 0-for-3 in majors this year (cause), and golf ratings are down 6 percent (effect).

Do not adjust your set.(Static)(SportsCenter programming)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... Do not adjust your set: Sandwiched between serious reports on Kobe Bryant's alleged sexual assault and Mike Price's suit contesting his dismissal at Alabama for sexual misconduct, SportsCenter ran an unrestrained piece on streaking.

How come I never see brake lights during a race?(Driver's ed: a stick-and-ball fan's guide to NASCAR)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... NASCAR Winston Cup cars are covered with stickers. The stickers profess the driver's compensated allegiance to car parts, soda, car parts, breakfast cereal, car parts, detergent, car parts and other assorted products, most having to do with car...

Best Sports City, 2003.(On deck in the August 18 issue of the Sporting News)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... Get ready for our annual argument-starter and geography lesson as we rank hundreds of cities and towns across the U.S. and Canada. Sorry, Boston, there's a new No. 1, and it might surprise you. Since its genesis in 1993, the Best Sports...

The argument for Auburn: there's more than one reason the Tigers shouldn't win the national championship. But in a season of breakthroughs in college football, they will disprove each one--and that's no joke.(College Football Preview)
August 11, 2003... They know you're laughing Shoot, their friends are, too. Any respectable Southern-fried football fan worth his weight in homemade hangover tonics does a double take at the very thought of it. The Auburn Tigers, national champions? Couldn't be....

Scouting the nation: after a handful of seasons on the slide, the SEC will reclaim its place as the best conference around.(College Football Preview)(Southeastern Conference)
August 11, 2003... Oh, Vanderbilt. Those poor saps bang heads week after week with the brawny, bawdy boys of the Southeastern Conference, only to have fans mail the league offices and demand the removal of the dead weight in the next conference shakeup. Go after...

Pound away: driven by a difficult offseason, Cedric Houston is geared up to 'pound the rock' for Tennessee and help its ground game shake off a four-season slump.(Southeastern)(University of Tennessee)
August 11, 2003... Cedric Houston says the voices he hears in his head are motivating him in the dog days of summer leading to the 2003 season. Not one of them is the voice of Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer reminding Houston that another 8-5 record is not...

Reeling 'em in: Oklahoma State's pass-catch duo of Josh Fields and Rashaun Woods is working to make everyone a believer in the Cowboys' winning ways.(Big 12)
August 11, 2003... For all that Rashaun Woods and Josh Fields have accomplished together at Oklahoma State--making big plays, setting school reviving the program--there's one thing they haven't done. Fish. Woods, the standout wide receiver, is a serious...

Lovely linebackers: Al Groh's torrid affair with linebackers has made Virginia the place to be for future Lawrence Taylors.(Atlantic Coast)(University of Virginia)
August 11, 2003... Al Groh loves linebackers. Loves talking about them. Loves coaching them. Loves recruiting them. It all makes perfect sense, since his professional life has been all about the position--from his time in the 1970s at North Carolina, when he...

No blowing smoke: Ohio State's offense is more talented than its rock-solid defense, and quarterback Craig Krenzel will be freed up to make plays.(Big Ten)(Ohio State University)
August 11, 2003... You know that poor kid the coach used to hide out in right field when you were in Little League? The kid whose uniform pants--always pulled up too high--were as shiny-white at the end of the season as the day he got them? Well, he had it only a...

Back in the saddle: following in the footsteps of USC's original Wild Bunch, the defensive line will be the Trojans' driving force.(Pac-10)
August 11, 2003... When the perception of Southern California football goes beyond Tailback U., it's usually focused on other skill positions: free safety, receiver and, especially last season, quarterback. But the only full-body football statue at Heritage...

Some kind of controversy: Marcus Vick is ready to break into the lineup at quarterback, and starter Bryan Randall may not have much to say about it.(Big East)
August 11, 2003... Bryan Randall says he's the starting quarterback at Virginia Tech. His coach, Frank Beamer, says it too. There's just one nagging problem: A freshman named Vick isn't buying it. "I want it bad," Marcus Vick says, And that's enough to...

Other conferences.(College Football Preview)
August 11, 2003... MOUNTAIN WEST HAYES' QUICK HITS Colorado State coaches say the tailback spot likely will be shared by Colorado transfer Marcus Houston, Rahsaan Sanders and Tristan Walker. Don't believe it. If Houston is healthy, he'll be a workhorse.......

Memo to self: win it all: like much of corporate America, Jets quarterback Chad Pennington is being asked to do more with less this year. For a relentless self-critic, it's just part of proving he's no one-year wonder.(NFL)(New York Jets)
August 11, 2003... Chad Pennington waited almost two months before reviewing the tape of the Jets' playoff loss to the Raiders--an unusually long lapse for a player who believes tape study is vital to a healthy lifestyle. Diet. Exercise. Third-and-long...

This is where you turn: and brake. And accelerate. And shift. Road course specialist Ron Fellows leads you around the very unconventional layout at Watkins Glen in preparation for Sunday's race.(NASCAR)
August 11, 2003... Ron Fellows is the King of the Road... courses. If NASCAR is racing at Watkins Glen or Sonoma, you can bet that some savvy owner has him signed for the weekend. This year, it's Dale Earnhardt Inc. Fellows, a 43-year-old Canadian, tested last...

Shannon Myers.(Circle K pit stop)(pit crew member for race car team)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... Shannon Myers is the prototypical pit crew member for the new millennium--a world-class athlete with an air gun. A former NFL wide receiver, Myers retired from professional football after the 2000 season and signed up for the Petty...

Let the bidding for A-Rod begin.(Baseball)(Texas Rangers player Alex Rodriguez)
August 11, 2003... Trading Alex Rodriguez not only is possible, it will happen once Rangers owner Tom Hicks figures out that his beloved $252 million showpiece is a liability rather than an asset. Hicks is losing money on the Rangers--lots of it. And he can't...

A date with eight: dust off your scorecards, update the rosters and tell your kids to get plenty of sleep. Here's the early line on the teams we'll be talking about in October.(Baseball)
August 11, 2003... Start the postseason! OK, it's a little early. But the flurry of trade activity before last week's non-waiver deadline reshaped the pennant races, but left eight teams as the most likely playoff qualifiers. One caveat: Things likely will be...

Want to play the trade game? Ante up.(CLoser)
August 11, 2003... Making the right moves is tricky business. The first trade deadline has come and gone, and the usual suspects--Red Sox, Yankees and A's--helped themselves. While every year the deadline gets bigger and bigger for the media, the focus should...

Coming attractions.(Baseball)(team analysis)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... The A's and Red Sox still have their sights set on division titles, but they also are front-runners in the A.L. wildcard race. They meet for four games in Oakland, starting Monday. Pedro Martinez is scheduled to start the opener against Mark...

Minor leagie update.(Baseball)(Brief Article)
August 11, 2003... Prospects on the move in recent trades: Phil Dumatrait, LHP, Reds. Cincinnati acquired Dumatrait from the Red Sox for Scott Williamson. Before the trade, he was 7-5 with a 3.02 ERA in the Class A Florida State League. Dumatrait could be...

N.L. reports.(Baseball)
August 11, 2003... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS The offense has showed few signs of breaking out of a slump. One reason for the malaise may be the lack of tough at-bats--plate appearances in which hitters foul off multiple pitches before producing a hit or walk....

A.L. reports.(Baseball)
August 11, 2003... ANAHEIM ANGELS LHP Jarrod Washburn hasn't been 100 percent physically since taking a tumble during a fielding drill in spring training and landing hard on his shoulder. Though he says he has adjusted to pitching with discomfort, the injury...

Game plans that don't stand pat.(NFL)(success of game plans of the New England Patriots)
August 11, 2003... From season to season month to month, game to game, quarter to quarter and even play to play, New England's game plans are the least predictable in the NFL. The path of a fly is more predictable, and that is one of the reasons the Patriots...

AFC.(NFL)
August 11, 2003... BALTIMORE RAVENS BUSTING OFF THE RUST: RT Orlando Brown, who hasn't played since 1999 because of an eye injury, has looked good as a run blocker, but he needs to use ins arms better to keep pass rushers from penetrating the pocket. It's...

NFC.(NFL)
August 11, 2003... ARIZONA CARDINALS OFF THE MARK: For the team to succeed, two or three receivers must step up. Jason McAddley and Larry Foster have stood out so far in camp, but the offense has sputtered in red zone drills, partly because the wideouts have...

A rally that will run out of time.(NASCAR)(race car driver Ryan Newman)
August 11, 2003... Ryan Newman is an oddball. I don't mean that in a mean-spirited way. He's just different. Where many of us have trouble finishing what we start, Newman can't seem to start what he finishes. He's hell on wheels in the last half of the...

Too close to call: five drivers have a legitmate shot at winning the Busch Series title, but a pair of Winston Cup regulars predict it will come down to three.(NASCAR)
August 11, 2003... The way the Busch Series season has unfolded, selecting who might be standing at the end is a difficult task at best. At the halfway point in the schedule, the top five drivers were separated by just 99 points. There have been 13 winners in...