The Sporting News articles from December 2002

The Sporting News archives from December 2002

Go head-to-head. (Sportingnews.com).
December 2, 2002... Looking for ways to get your baseball fix in the offseason? Check out SportingNews.com's Strat-O-Matic Head-to-Head baseball game. You can challenge a friend to a best-of-seven series in which you choose your setup from more than 800 players...

Late-night gab. (Sporting News Radio).
December 2, 2002... When the games are over, tune in to the Rick Ballou Show, weeknights from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. ET, for scores, highlights and interviews with the biggest names in the games. The issues of the day are never sugar-coated as Ballou gets to the...

`Hey, didn't you used to be a courtside seat at the Garden?' (Caught On The Fly).
December 2, 2002... * Welcome to COTF, which now has to ignore the Expos in three languages. * Fly usually takes the Fifth when talk turns legalese, but even the fine print is easy to read when it comes to interpreting a baseball no-trade clause, which goes...

On injured quarterbacks getting ready to play. (Sound Bites).
December 2, 2002... "The question of being ready physically and then sharp game-wise is always the variable that you look at. He can go out, he can run around on his ankle, he can cut OK, but he's been out of football for a month, six weeks, two months. He hasn't...

On the Trail Blazers' Damon Stoudamire and Rasheed Wallace getting cited for marijuana possession. (Sound Bites).
December 2, 2002... "The next time you pay a hundred dollars to go see (an NBA game) and you watch teams go 3-for-34 from the field, now you'll know--they're stoned out of their minds. There's a good way to market your product: `Our team is high for every...

Bob Hille's starting 5. (Caught On The Fly).
December 2, 2002... (1) Baseball blockbusters. They've gotten so complicated. The Mike Hampton-to-Atlanta-via-Florida deal included four pitchers, a catcher, two outfielders and an infielder, plus a Swiss banker and tax accountant to be named later. (2)...

First to the front: Ohio State, rarely spectacular but never boring, is one win from completing its most improbable season ever with a national title. (College Football).
December 2, 2002... Here we go again. It's late, Ohio State barely is holding on, and this joint is one play from detonating with unbridled joy or succumbing to utter despair. Why can't they just make things easy? Why can't the Buckeyes, one of two unbeaten teams...

Fran's the man for coach of the year. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... Tyrone Willingham's turnaround of Notre Dame has been impressive. And the fact Ohio State coach Jim Tressel has the Buckeyes in position to win the national title is awesome. My hat is off to Washington State coach Mike Price for winning big...

Miami isn't out of the woods just yet. (College Football: Insider).
December 2, 2002... Everybody seems to be writing Miami into the national title game. Well, I'm not ready to do that. Syracuse, which Miami faces Saturday in the Carrier Dome, is going to be a much tougher out than most people realize. The Orangemen see this as an...

Conference call.
December 2, 2002... West Virginia The Mountaineers' 21-18 victory last week against Virginia Tech, their first over a ranked team since 1998, has them one win from finishing second in the Big East. Not bad for a team that was seventh a year ago. West...

This week's spotlight: top turnarounds.
December 2, 2002... Penn State. Despite its return to the national rankings after two losing seasons, Penn State, 9-3, still must be wondering what might have been. The Nittany Lions' three losses--to Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State--were by a combined 16 points....

Pickin' & grinnin'. (College Football: Insider).
December 2, 2002... Arizona State (7-5) at Arizona (4-7): A conversation between Arizona coach John Mackovic and one of his seniors, days before the rivalry game vs. the Sun Devils: Senior player (read: mealy malcontent): "Yo, J-Mack, I'm skipping practice...

Scout's views: observations from the sidelines. (College Football: Insider).
December 2, 2002... The thing that strikes me about Miami's Willis McGahee is how patient he is for a young running back, following his blocks and then quickly bouncing outside to avoid piles. He also displays a great burst of speed through the hole and always...

Blocking down with the Buffs. (Closeup).
December 2, 2002... Colorado's Chris Brown is among the nation's leading rushers for three reasons: 1) He can break tackles because he is big and fast and runs hard; 2) The coaches do a great job with the running game in terms of scheming for opponents; and 3) The...

24 with 47: a trip inside the hours before, during and after the biggest game of the season with the Bucs' John Lynch. (NFL).
December 2, 2002... An NFL player's game groundwork isn't finished when he walks off the field after Saturday's practice. During much of the 24-hour period that commences with his arrival at the team hotel the night before a game and ends with his departure from...

Brady. (advertisement).
December 2, 2002... (Continued) Tom Brady's brilliance continues in NFL GameDay[TM] 2003, where he'll take the helm for the Patriots again. This time as the starter, not the young kid waiting for a break. One thing's for sure: he's the guy that every other team is...

Cowboys balance a flawed future with a declining legend. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... Lost between Troy Hambrick's low blows and Patti LaBelle's high notes is the fact that Emmitt Smith still can rock a defense. Without allowing for sentimentality, the Cowboys should bring Smith back next year at a significantly reduced...

Endless Summerall. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... I've spent this season working with the greatest living legend in pro football. That's a mouthful, I know, but can you think of anyone who has had a stronger presence in the NFL in the last half century than my Fox broadcast partner, Pat...

Week 13 matchup.
December 2, 2002... by THE WAR ROOM Jeremy Shockey TE/Giants vs. Tank Williams SS/Titans Though a rookie, Jeremy Shockey has become one of the five most dangerous tight ends in the NFL At 6-5, 255 pounds, he is quick off the line, has 4.6 speed,...

Keeping the faith. (I-nformation).
December 2, 2002... I hate to lose. Losing is something I never will be able to accept or get used to. Saying this has been a frustrating year for our coaches, my teammates and me is the understatement of the century. We're all competitors, and losing gnaws...

TSNumber 6. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... Players who have led the NFL in rushing and scoring in the same season, a feat Priest Holmes has a good chance of accomplishing this year. All are in the Hall of Fame or headed there: Steve Van Buren (1945), Jim Brown, Jim Taylor (1962), Leroy...

Four-CB defenses work--but watch the run. (The war room: what we saw on film this week).
December 2, 2002... It seemed like every time we watched film of the Bills' defense earlier this year, it was giving up big plays to right ends. In the Bills' first nine games, they gave up six touchdowns to tight ends, who caught a lot of passes against the Bills...

Roll call: draft whiffs.
December 2, 2002... Texans general manager Charley Casserly held the same position with the Redskins from 1990-99. He ranks the players he wishes he had selected when he had the opportunity in Washington 1. Brett Favre (Falcons, second round 1991). We took...

League leaders. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... RUSHING Atts. Yds. Avg. TDs. Holmes, K.C. 255 1209 4.7 17 Tomlinson, S.D. 248 1098 4.4 9 R. Williams, Mia. 252 1056 4.2 10...

TSN Scoreboard.
December 2, 2002... TSN SCOREBOARD NFC EAST PHI NYG WAS DAL W-L 7-3 6-5 5-6 4-7 PCt. .700 .545 ...

Fearless forecast.
December 2, 2002... Denver at San Diego. When these teams met in Week 5, the Broncos' run defense was up to the task against LaDainian Tomlinson, who was held to 48 yards rushing in Denver's win. The key for Denver to take the rematch is hitting on a few big...

Fantasy source.
December 2, 2002... With the turkey, the afternoon nap and the Lions and Cowboys behind us, here are some Week 13 matchups to chew on: Bears at Packers. Despite a load of injuries, the Bears' defense remains formidable against the run--especially recently. For...

AFC. (NFL).
December 2, 2002... SCOUTING REPORT ERNIE CONWELL, TE, RAMS 6-2, 265 Age: 30 STRENGTHS: A fluid athlete who does a nice job of getting a clean release off the line of scrimmage. Can find the soft spot in zone coverage and knows how to get open...

NFC. (NFL).
December 2, 2002... Arizona Cardinals www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/cardinals SHIPP'S SHOT: The loss of RB Thomas Jones (hand) for the season shouldn't hurt the offensive productivity as long as Marcel Shipp stays healthy. Shipp was challenging for the...

Dodge gets a D, and it's not for different. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... Have you seen the ad campaign that uses the slogan "Dodge Different"? Well, the only thing different about Dodge in Winston Cup is this: Its, the only manufacturer that didn't put a driver in the top 10 in the final points standings. True,...

Driver reports. (NASCAR).
December 2, 2002... Tony Stewart 20 WHAT THE TEAM LEARNED: Stewart learned the value of friendship as his crew supported trim through his trials on and off the racetrack. The team faced plenty of adversity this season, including six DNFs. Starting with an...

'Tis a season of bargains. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... Everyone's looking for a good deal this time of year. NHL bargains are on a different scale, of course, than what you might find while shopping for clothes or electronics. Salaries are so high, it seems ridiculous to call someone a bargain if...

Rob Blake. (Advertisement).
December 2, 2002... With the preseason behind them, the Colorado Avalanche are poised to make another run at the Cup. But a few questions still remain. Can the club stay healthy? Will St. Patrick be able to have another stellar year between the pipes? Will the...

Overpaid and underwhelming. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... General managers, agents and players set the market for a player's salary. Sometimes, the market gets a little ahead of itself and a player is given a high-priced contract that he has a hard time living up to. Here are three players who have...

How do you feel? (Insider).
December 2, 2002... You're the general manager of a team whose offseason goal is to find a playmaking center for its second line, one who will take the heat off your star No. 1. With the new obstruction crackdown coming, you know size won't matter as much and that...

TSNumber 32. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... Consecutive power plays the Flyers went without scoring in a recent stretch. Jeremy Roenick broke the slump with a goal against the Sharks last week, snapping an eight-game drought in which the Flyers fell from 15th to 24th in power-play...

This is a team to try a man's soul. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... There are times when it seems Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks lives in another dimension, peddling out-of-whack merriness that makes you want to fold out his ears, slap a goofball smile on his face and tattoo "What, me worry?" across his forehead....

Better than '92? You're dreaming. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... We're still a long way from the 2004 Olympics, but because of the flop by Team USA in the World Championship last summer, the roster for the Athens games is already a hot topic. By finishing sixth last summer, the U.S. failed to secure an...

Yes, my trademark was a bit different. (Courtside Matters).
December 2, 2002... One of my nicknames when I played for the Lakers was Superman, not for my ability but for those big, black Clark Kent glasses. I wore them every time I played from the seventh grade through 14 seasons in the NBA. Without my glasses, if I was...

Eastern Conference. (NBA).
December 2, 2002... Atlantic Division BOSTON CELTICS The more coach Jim D'Brien uses Tony Delk and Shammond Williams at point guard, the more he likes the combination. They scored 21 points each against the Nets and combined to make nine of 10 3-point shots....

Western conference. (NBA).
December 2, 2002... Midwest Division DALLAS MAVERICKS Though it's surprising the team is ranked among the league leaders in defense, it isn't a shock that it is relying on zones. Before the league abolished the illegal defense rule last season, opponents...

Soft scheduling makes things hard on Big East teams. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... If the dawn of the current season had been any more disastrous for members of the Big East Conference, they'd be looking at fire kind of quick cancellation that shoved Push, Nevada into pop-culture oblivion. In its first five games against...

Fresh faces keep it fun. (Coach's Court).
December 2, 2002... As another college basketball season gets under way, the theme seems to be "The run to the Final Four is wide open." Everybody loves Cinderella teams in March, and this season could produce more candidates than ever. Why are things so wide...

The Rockies' problem is the house that Coors built. (Insider).
December 2, 2002... The Rockies are a mess. Their cleanup will take three years, minimum. And when their payroll finally is close to spotless, club officials still might not know the answer to the question that caused all their problems: How the heck do you win at...

Gem of a deal. (The Closer).
December 2, 2002... It used to be if you needed a free agent you went out and got what you needed to compete. It's not that easy anymore. Now that salaries are through the roof, it takes the best poker skills to be a top-notch G.M. This was never more evident...

A.L. scouting reports. (A.L.).
December 2, 2002... ANAHAEIM ANGELS RHPs Kevin Appier and Aaron Sele may be on the trading block. Appier and Sele were acquired before last season to provide innings and a veteran presence. But neither won a game after September 4, including the playoffs. LHP...

N.L. scouting reports. (N.L.).
December 2, 2002... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS The team seems prepared to play Craig Counesll at third base. It had interest in free-agent 3B David Bell, but he signed with the Phillies. Counsell didn't play after August 8 because of a pinched nerve in his neck...

The dog days of November.
December 2, 2002... After leaving Seventh Avenue on a rainy night and passing through a security checkpoint manned by agents with metal detectors, I came to a ticket window at Madison Square Garden where I said, "What's the cheapest ticket?" "Forty-five" said...

A true web gem. (Sportingnews.com).
December 9, 2002... Saving yourself a trip to the bookstore isn't the only reason to download the online version of TSN's 2003 Baseball Register. You'll also save money off the cover price and receive a Spring Training Update bonus. it's already available at...

Get the inside dish. (Sporting News Radio).
December 9, 2002... When you tune into The Bill Parcells Show, you'll hear Parcells, Will McDonough and Bruce Murray highlight the weekend's biggest NFL matchups with game analysis and strategy. You'll also get the insiders' perspectives on the latest news from...

`Hey, why are you still coaching the Lions?' (Caught On The Fly).
December 9, 2002... * Welcome to COTF, where we've got more leftovers than the Orange Bowl. * Fly's thinkin' (shaddup!) about zippin' out Nashville way for the winter meetings. Deals seem imminent (howzabout this junk fer that trash?), but they probably won't...

On the 2004 U.S. Olympic men's basketball coach. (Sound Bites).
December 9, 2002... "I don't see what the fuss is over Larry Brown being named head coach of Team USA for the Olympics. With the kind of talent Team USA has, I could coach them to gold. No matter who coaches the team--Brown, Phil Jackson or even me--a healthy and...

On the clash between Warren Sapp and Mike Sherman. (Sound Bites).
December 9, 2002... "It wasn't a cheap shot. It was a clean hit. There's kind of an unwritten rule in football that you never block a guy who is obviously out of the play. I'm not thinking for Mike Sherman, but I think his reference was that Chad Clifton was out...

Bob Hille's starting 5. (Caught On The Fly).
December 9, 2002... (1) The SEC championship. "How can our winner not be in the Fiesta Bowl?" is the third-most asked question in the conference... right after, "How many scholarships?" and "How long?" (2) Goal posts. You want to protect them? Don't use...

NHL opts for quick fix. (Remote Patrol).
December 9, 2002... We weren't willing to give three hours out of our busy schedules to the NHL, and neither was Disney when it got a basketball jones (read: NBA contract). This season's 71 NHL exposures on ESPN/ESPN2 are 45 percent fewer than two years ago; ABC...

Yo ESPN raps! (Static).
December 9, 2002... * Yo ESPN raps! But does that deserve props in an NBA production? You can be down wid ESPN2's Fast Break Tuesdays wraparound with Kevin Frazier-Tim Legler-Sean Elliot or say Bill Walton is da freak when he's not in a three-man announce team,...

The buzz. (Static).
December 9, 2002... * The buzz: In lieu of "flex schedules"--i.e., switching attractive late-season afternoon games to prime time--the NFL may schedule multiple games on Sunday and Monday nights.

Vital stats. (Static).
December 9, 2002... * Vital stats: In a Salon.com column intended to illuminate his exit from ESPN five years ago, Keith Olbermann offers five retractions and mea culpas, plus one flat-out "I'm sorry," for napalming bridges at The Worldwide Leader.

Do not adjust your set. (Static).
December 9, 2002... * Do not adjust your set: Phyllis George, pregame queen emeritus, had a Thanksgiving walk-an at Fox NFL Sunday. (Et tu, Brent and Irv?)--F.Q. FRITZ QUINDT/REMOTE PATROL fquindt@sportingnews.com

Winning isn't everything: Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey almost never loses--yet he can't get critics off his back. (College Football).
December 9, 2002... Ken Dorsey pulls off his shoulder pads, losses them to the ground and takes a seat near the practice field. He tries to get comfortable, but the cold metal bleacher doesn't allow it. The conversation makes him even more restless. How many times...

Fairness isn't part of BCS equation. (Insider).
December 9, 2002... If it walks like a BCS team and talks like a BCS team, it must be a BCS team. And Southern California sure looked and sounded like one after its 44-13 thumping of Notre Dame. I hope the BCS bigwigs noticed. Really, I'm afraid those bowl...

Pickin' & Grinnin'. (Insider).
December 9, 2002... Navy (1-10) vs. Army (1-10): The Corps of Cadets. The Brigade of Midshipmen. The prisoner exchange. The Leapfrogs and the Golden Knights. Finally, The Game and the memories of a lifetime. Army's lone highlight this season: a 14-10 victory...

Turtle hurdle: if Maryland wants to prove prognosticators wrong and make a run at another title, the Terrapins must forget their success and reaffirm their hard-shell attitude. (College Basketball).
December 9, 2002... You don't imagine Gary Williams ever could go soft, not when you've seen him sweating through suits, chewing out Maryland reserves for mistakes the starters made and skewering reporters whose questions he didn't particularly like. Gary Williams...

UCLA has time, but why wait? (Insider).
December 9, 2002... Nearly 14 minutes remained in what would be a double-digit loss to Duke when UCLA called timeout because the five Bruins on the floor had lapsed into a paralysis of disorganization. Oh, boy--you didn't have to be a writer to appreciate that...

A handle on freshmen. (Coach's Court).
December 9, 2002... We've already seen several freshmen have a big impact on their teams. Indiana's Bracey Wright was tournament MVP in the Maui Invitational, as was North Carolina's Rashad McCants at the Preseason NIT. Carmelo Anthony is scoring at will for...

Trackspotting: the 2002 season featured the implausible (a gracious Tony Stewart), the improbable (two rookies finishing in the top six) and the inconceivable (Rusty Wallace going winless). Next season could produce much of the same. (NASCAR).
December 9, 2002... There lurks in the hearts and minds of some a sense of dread as Tony Stewart's reign as Winston Cup champion begins. What will he do at the annual awards banquet, folks fret, as if Stewart were expected to pound a massive leg of lamb on the...

The circle K pit stop. (Advertorial).
December 9, 2002... Jeff Cook Jeff Cook grew up in North Carolina watching his father race midget cars. However, Cook's athletic skills led him to football and baseball, and he went on to become a linebacker at Wingate University. It was not until 1996 that...

Driver of the year: Tony Stewart. (NASCAR Awards 2002).
December 9, 2002... Tony Stewart's championship season won't be remembered for the numbers. Stewart won just three races, the fewest for a champ since Terry Labonte's two in 1996, and he failed to finish six races, the most for a champ since Darrell Waltrip's...

Comeback driver: Mark Martin. (NASCAR Awards 2002).
December 9, 2002... There was no other choice. Mark Martin was voted TSN's comeback kid--OK, he's 43--by his peers because his turnaround was nothing short of remarkable. No other driver received more than one vote. Owner Jack Roush said it best: "This is the...

Dale Earnhardt toughest driver: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (NASCAR Awards 2002).
December 9, 2002... For the second straight season, drivers chose Junior for the award that bears his late father's name. Earnhardt, who edged Sterling Marlin by one vote, calls the honor "cool" and says he is determined to build a team that would make his father...

Crew chief of the year: Matt Borland. (NASCAR Awards 2002).
December 9, 2002... Leave it to the crew chiefs to come up with a surprise finish: Rookie Matt Borland upset Winston Cup champion chief Greg Zipadelli by one vote. "It's an honor to be rewarded by all of your peers," says Borland, 31. "I can't believe how...

Pit crew of the year: the No. 17 team. (NASCAR Awards 2002).
December 9, 2002... This was no contest. The No. 17 team for Matt Kenseth, led by crew chief Robbie Reiser, overwhelming was voted the best crew in the garage, getting the nod on 60 percent of the ballots from crew chiefs. The No. 20 crew for Tony Stewart was the...

Rookie of the year: Ryan Newman. (NASCAR Awards 2002).
December 9, 2002... That Ryan Newman, he just can't be satisfied. It was near the end of the season, and Newman had been told he had been voted by his fellow drivers as TSN Rookie of the Year. Newman quickly turned it into a challenge. "That's awesome,"...

Owner of the year: Jack Roush. (NASCAR Awards 2002).
December 9, 2002... Jack Roush says he is "surprised but honored" to be recognized as TSN's top owner. "I didn't expect it," he says. "But after the season I've had, I'll always remember this year." Roush Racing finished with 10 victories, the best on the...

Message to junior: it's time to take the next step. (Insider).
December 9, 2002... When it's time for Winston Cup's top 10 drivers to take the stage at Friday's awards banquet in New York, there will be one notable omission. Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s name will not be called. For Earnhardt, there will be no practicing with the...

The rematch: beating a division rival is hard enough. Doing it a second time is harder. When Broncos coach Mike Shanahan revised his winning game plan for the return game with San Diego, the one thing he didn't figure on was a poor performance by his quarterback. (NFL).
December 9, 2002... When Mike Shanahan walked into the locker room at halftime Sunday, nothing about his team's game with the Chargers had gone as he had envisioned. His primary offensive package had struggled, his defense couldn't stop halfback LaDainian...

Injuries are a pain, but less so to the Packers. (Insider).
December 9, 2002... Now that December is upon us, many NFL teams resemble the grass fields on which they often play. That is, there isn't much left of them. With a little help from a partial resodding and an underground heating system, green grass still...

Official business. (I-formation).
December 9, 2002... I get held a lot. The guy I'm blocking probably feels the same way (although he's wrong). And neither of us is shy about alerting the officials to the other's transgressions. If it's not me, it's at least one lineman on each team...

Plenty of ends have the means. (Draftwatch).
December 9, 2002... The senior class features only one bona fide first-round defensive end, but it makes up for the lack of top-end talent with many prospects who figure to be taken in the second through fourth rounds. 1. Jerome McDougle, 6-4, 267, Miami. An...

Week 14 matchup.
December 9, 2002... by THE WAR ROOM Brad Hopkins Lt, Titans vs. Dwight Freeney RDE, Colts Taking a 250-pound defensive end with the 11th pick in the 2002 draft was a risk, but that risk is paying off handsomely for the Colts. After spending most...

League leaders. (Insider).
December 9, 2002... LEAGUE LEADERS RUSHING Atts. Yds. Avg. TDs. Holmes, K.C. 271 1322 4.9 19 Tomlinson, S.D. 285 1318 4.6 12 R. Williams, Mia. 279 1284 1.6 12...

TSN scoreboard. (Insider).
December 9, 2002... TSN SCOREBOARD NFC EAST PHI NYG DAL WAS W-L 9-3 6-6 5-7 5-7 Pct. .750 .500 .417 .417 PF...

Fantasy source.
December 9, 2002... For most fantasy football players, the regular season ends this week. If you need an extra push to get you over the hump and into your league's playoffs, consider your defense/special teams unit. It's regarded as an expendable commodity in...

Third quarter reports. (NFL).
December 9, 2002... SCOUTING REPORT DENNIS NORTHCUTT 5-10, 175 Age: 24 STRENGTHS: Possesses good speed and excellent acceleration. Creates separation from the defender quickly. Uses quick feet to avoid contact at the line of scrimmage. Excellent...