The Sporting News articles from February 2001

The Sporting News archives from February 2001

Caught on the Fly.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... Hey, didn't you used to be an All-Star? * Fly hears Shaq's loggin' serious personal training time, a self-admission that halfway into title-D season he's short on stamina and long on excess pounds. Team worker bees won't say his...

Bob Hille's Starting Five.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... 1 The Pro Bowl. I don't want to say players will be wooed among the sun, sand and surf a full month before the NFL's free-agency period begins, but this is where Fox got the concept for Temptation Island. 2 Fun at the old ballpark. A fan...

DUSTBIN.(National Football League returned to Baltimore February 9, 1996)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... February 9, 1996 The NFL returned to Baltimore after nearly a 12-year absence when the league approved the transfer of its Cleveland franchise. Owner Art Modell, who said the move was necessary for his team to remain competitive, agreed to...

XFL on NBC: Must-See or must-flee TV?(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... Are you ready for some more football??!! And not the Pro Bowl, Hank Williams Jr.-breath. The post-postseason shall be ruled by the XFL, another fine product from Vince McMahon and Dick Ebersol, the people who brought you the World Wrestling...

Voice of the fan.(Letter to the Editor)
February 5, 2001... Choice voice `There is really nothing new about the concept of "reality" television. The Cubs have been on the tube for years. And there's nothing more rooted in grim, gritty reality than the Cubs.' -- William Carsley, Chicago What...

Shows toppers.(Baltimore Ravens)
February 5, 2001... The overall defensive thrust this season, culminating with the Ravens' suffocating victory over the Giants, produced a less-than-memorable season and finish. But fear not, offenses will be back within two years. They have the...

D-constructing history.(Baltimore Ravens)
February 5, 2001... The Baltimore defense polished off an impressive season, but its proper place among the great teams can't be determined until the Ravens finish their story Let the Ravens defenders crow and cackle. Allow them to be swept up in the...

Kickball.(Baltimore Ravens)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... The game wasn't a thrill a minute, unless you fantasized about a championship game that would feature 21 punts and a big-time role for special teams Strange dreams, these punters have. Take the Ravens' Kyle Richardson--world champion...

In the right spot.(Baltimore Ravens)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... Jonathan Ogden probably could play a host of positions for Baltimore, but at left tackle he is a driving force who gives the Ravens a chance to return to the Super Bowl The way Ravens left tackle Jonathan Ogden sees it, you could pack an...

The trend points toward more running next season.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... One year after the NFL went pass-happy, the run is on the rebound. In 2000, teams rededicated themselves to the running game, committing more resources, time and patience. Expect the run to be stronger than ever in 2001. You can have...

Draft watch.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... CORNERBACKS The cornerback class has some elite talent and some excellent depth. That's good news for a league that is starved not only for nickel and dime corners but for quality starters. 1. Fred Smoot, Mississippi State, 5-11, 175....

Some restricted free agents might be worth the gamble.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... Sifting through restricted free agents has become almost forgotten as a personnel tool. Most front office men resign themselves to the idea that teams with the right of first refusal will match any offer extended to a restricted player, so they...

AFC.
February 5, 2001... Baltimore QB TALKS: Look for the team to play hardball in negotiations with free-agent QB Trent Dilfer. The Ravens aren't expected to sign him to a long-term contract. The Ravens have interest in unrestricted free-agent QB Rob Johnson,...

NFC.
February 5, 2001... Arizona FOLLOW THE MONEY: Free agency is approaching, and the team must weigh its options with CB Aeneas Williams and RDE Simeon Rice before it arrives. If the Cardinals use a franchise tag on one of them, it would help to sign the other...

Nothing lost.(Atlanta Braves and)
February 5, 2001... JOHN SMOLTZ and BILLY WAGNER say elbow surgery hasn't cost them a thing. Their teams hope they're not blowing smoke. John Smoltz knows what you're thinking. You're thinking maybe it's a flip of the coin whether he'll rediscover that nasty...

Selig is ready to act for the sake of the game.(Bud Selig)(Brief Article)(Interview)
February 5, 2001... Bud Selig frequently draws criticism as an "all-talk, no-action" commissioner. Well, Selig is talking again, and he's vowing action on everything from revenue disparity to enforcement of the strike zone. From his Milwaukee office, Selig...

AMERICAN LEAGUE.
February 5, 2001... Anaheim WALLY WORLD II: It will be the starting first base job or bust for veteran Wally Joyner, who signed an incentive-laden contract to return to the Angels as the likely replacement for the injured Mo Vaughn. Joyner made it clear that...

NATIONAL LEAGUE.
February 5, 2001... Arizona HEALTH KICK: One reason the team failed to return to the playoffs in 2000 was the poor play of 3B Matt Williams. He was never healthy enough to get in a groove and finished with his lowest home run and RBI totals in 12 years. So...

Unity from mutiny.
February 5, 2001... The Nuggets, on the brink of collapse in December, are the surprise of the first half Are the Nuggets for real? Can a team lose by 38 points to the Jazz in Utah the day before Thanksgiving--a Jazz team playing without Karl Malone--and talk...

Coaches are only as good as their players make them.
February 5, 2001... The immortal Joe Lapchick said it first and said it best: "The coach who thinks he is more important than his talent is an idiot." Hence, the midseason grades herewith probably better reflect the performances of the teams than the men who...

NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... WHO'S HOT Don't blame SF `Jamal Mashburn for the Hornets' January chill. In six games after returning January 14 from a knee injury, Mashburn averaged 21.8 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists, Problem is, the Hornets lost five of the six...

NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE.
February 5, 2001... WHO'S HOT Sonics PG Gary Payton's one-game suspension for arguing with teammate Ruben Patterson and coach Nate McMillan must have cleared his head. In the four games after the suspension, Payton led Seattle to a 4-0 record by averaging...

At the half ...(basketball)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... Checking out the makes and misses on our predictions--plus, five more locks for the second half 5 things we expected would happen--and did 1. The Bucks would rule the Central Division. Bucks believers were everywhere on Halloween, but...

MIDSEASON REPORT.(basketball)
February 5, 2001... Atlanta BACKCOURT CHANGES: It was a busy week in the backcourt. Veteran SG Tony Smith was signed in response to PG Brevin Knight's most recent injury (groin). That ailment was magnified by PG Matt Maloney's presence on the injured list...

The New Original Six.(hockey)
February 5, 2001... Pronger on defense with Lidstrom. A line of Kariya, Forsberg, Hull. That's no All-Star team but what the NHL looked like when five G.M.s and a TSN managing editor squeezed today's players onto six teams--just like the old days. SEE A...

Not just an All-Star, Bourque is a warrior for all ages.
February 5, 2001... The thought of tiptoeing from era to era to era and planting his imprint in each segment during his 21-plus years in the NHL brings a smile to defenseman Ray Bourque's face. The smile is a sign that he appreciates what he has done....

NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... WHO'S HOT Bet you can't name the NHL's leading goal scorer. Mario Lemieux is not a fair guess, and you know it (but he is gaining). No, the answer" is Markus Naslund, the best Naslund to lace 'em up since Mats. Through Saturday he had 31...

NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE.
February 5, 2001... WHO'S HOT Pavel Bure must be getting a complex--people keep leaving him for others in Detroit. Igor Larionov took a chance on Florida sun. After all those losses, he decided the Motor City wasn't so bad after all. And then there's the...

Shakeup in the ACC brings some familiar faces home.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... Somewhere in Maryland, Ralph Friedgen is sitting in a Pizza Hut. He's taking a break from the recruiting trail and wants something to eat--salad, no pizza. But he can't sit and talk long. Maryland's new coach is busy building his team, one that...

Big shots.
February 5, 2001... With the flick of the wrist, five standouts are shaping their teams' seasons. The shooting decisions they make will mean everything as the games grow more crucial. We've known since grade school that February is the month with the fewest...

The Eagles, once nearly extinct, are soaring.
February 5, 2001... Those of us stunned to see Boston College at the top of the Big East Conference standings rather than the bottom should be comforted to know the Eagles didn't expect this, either. "We saw the schedule was kind of soft, so we knew we should...

OSU crash brings tears, reflection.(Oklahoma State University)(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... There were two topics of conversation that were sure to bring a smile to Will Hancock's face--his 2-month-old daughter, Andie, and college basketball, especially Oklahoma State basketball. While some gave him a good ribbing for his...

CONFERENCE CALL.
February 5, 2001... [TABULAR DATA NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]

So near, yet so far, far away.(Brief Article)
February 5, 2001... A year ago, in the morning hours after Super Bowl 34, leaving an Atlanta nightclub called the Cobalt Lounge, young linebacker Ray Lewis entered a darkness he would call hell. In the morning hours after Super Bowl 35, he had other plans. ...

Join us on the fast track.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Yes, that is Dale Earnhardt on the cover of your copy of THE SPORTING NEWS. And, yes, that means we are expanding the magazine that has focused on the "Big 6" sports for the last several years to cover the "Super 7"--the first national...

Caught on the Fly.(Brief Article)(Column)
February 12, 2001... Hey, didn't you used to be a Canadian-owned institution? * Buzz is Hakeem's dreamin' if he thinks he's gonna play in south F-L-A this season. "It's supposed to be confidential," he whispers, "but the idea is to play there." Cap-o-nomics...

DEFT SHOT.
February 12, 2001... `Aren't you all glad we didn't build a museum?' --Baltimore mayor Martin O'Malley to fans attending a rally for the Super Bowl-champion Ravens, whose move to the city was aided by promises of a new stadium built with public money.

Bob Hille's Starting Five.(Column)
February 12, 2001... 1 National signing day. Major college football programs claimed recruiting victories. Of course, letters of intent aren't official until head coaches dot the lies and double-cross the Ts. 2 Allen Iverson. Some say he deserves the benefit of...

DUST BIN.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... February 14, 1988 At Daytona International Speedway, Bobby Allison outdueled son Davey down the stretch to win his third and final Daytona 500--just the second time in NASCAR Winston Cup history and the only time in the "Great American...

Remote Patrol.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Fox spins its wheels gearing up for Daytona As if it ain't enough that Fox has to "reinvent the wheel" for NASCAR, its premiere is at the Daytona 500, the Super Bowl for gearheads. What pressure! Welcome to another 21st Century Fox...

STATIC.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... * The peril of live microphones: Two wash-your-mouth-out-with-soap incidents on Super Bowl Sunday--the 76ers' Allen Iverson on NBC, and the Ravens' Tony Siragusa on CBS. Shouldn't networks just use a seven-second delay?. "That would be a...

Voice of the fan.
February 12, 2001... Choice voice `What an injustice it is that Trent Dilfer has a Super Bowl ring and Dan Marino doesn't.' --Kevin Cronin, Green Township, N.J. Bucking the trend In the January 29 issue, THE SPORTING NEWS talks about the flat...

Hard core to the finish.
February 12, 2001... Better hold on tight or get out of the way. Dale Earnhardt smells an eighth Winston Cup championship, and he won't be slowed by age or the competition. Dale Earnhardt had to quit. It was August 3, 1996, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway,...

New faces, new places.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... That Scott Pruett T-shirt you wore last season when he drove the No. 32 Ford--OK, somebody out there had one--still is good for something. Dusting furniture. Cleaning windows. Just don't wear it to the race track. Pruett got canned at the...

Driver profiles.(2001 Winston Cup drivers answer personal questions)
February 12, 2001... We picked the 10 drivers we feel will be tops on the 2001 Winston Cup race odyssey, and had our Lee Spencer track them down (pun intended) to get their responses on some very important questions for the back of our trading cards. Ever wanted to...

NASCAR is facing pressure to get up to speed.
February 12, 2001... Pressure to perform is nothing new in Winston Cup racing. These days, drivers lose rides and sponsors in the blink of an eye. As quickly as Tony Stewart loses his temper. As suddenly as Jimmy Spencer loses control. As inevitably as Michael...

Miles high.(basketball player Darius Miles)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Clippers rookie Darius Miles takes TSN on one of his frequent flights When the Clippers made Darius Miles the third choice in the draft last June, it was the highest pick ever spent on a high school player--two spots higher than Kevin...

There are three reasons Almost Stars miss the game.(All-Star basketball game players)
February 12, 2001... Some of us are staying away from the All-Star Game this year because, like Michael Jordan, some of us have an aversion to watching basketball in Washington. There are others who want to go but were not among the chosen. We have a place for them...

NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... WHO'S HOT The Celtics won eight of their first 12 games after the departure of coach Rick Pitino, and SF Paul Pierce has been on a tear. Pierce has averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 steals since Jim O'Brien replaced...

NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... WHO'S HOT It has been a season of fits and starts for Spurs PF Tim Duncan, but his latest hot streak appears to be a permanent return to the form he exhibited before offseason knee surgery. After scoring a season-low 8 points on December...

Look, don't trade.(basketball trade deadline)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Most teams do little more than window shop as the trade deadline approaches Last season offered the ultimate proof of how the NBA trade deadline no longer stands as the primary personnel date on the league calendar. As the deadline...

EASTERN CONFERENCE.
February 12, 2001... Atlanta KEEPING IT IN: Coach Lon Kruger has been upset with team's perimeter shooting in recent games. He wants to work the ball inside to C Dikembe Mutombo and PF Lorenzen Wright then back out. Too often, the players ignore what Kruger...

WESTERN CONFERENCE.
February 12, 2001... Dallas TOUGH DEFENSE: The team was encouraged by its halfcourt defense against the Heat, holding Miami to just over 40 percent shooting from the field. One of the raps against the Mavericks is that their supposedly soft defense will be...

Sweet assassin.(college basketball player Casey Jacobsen)
February 12, 2001... Stanford finally has its missing piece --a supremely confident superstar --in nice guy Casey Jacobsen Less than 24 hours have passed since Casey Jacobsen's brilliant second half against USC helped him retain the title of "best player on...

Jayhawks bent on beating reputation as March lambs.(University of Kansas basketball team)
February 12, 2001... When it is February in Kansas, it is time to talk about March. The Jayhawks are winning games, drawing poll votes, raising suspicions. They know what sort of greeting they'll receive the moment their name appears in a lofty position in the NCAA...

ONE ON ONE with Phil Martelli.(St. Joseph's coach)(Brief Article)(Interview)
February 12, 2001... TSN associate editor Jeff D'Alessio talks of Philadelphia ties and the Hawks' surprising start with St. Joseph's coach. TSN: With 17 wins already in the books, have you started thinking about how many more you'll need to make the NCAA...

CONFERENCE CALL.
February 12, 2001... [TABULAR DATA NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]

The Devils, you say.(Stanley Cup champions)
February 12, 2001... The defending Stanley Cup champs, with their combination of talent, discipline and unselfishness, are looking like league-beaters again The words were short and to the point, yet profoundly eloquent, spoken in a loud and snarly voice spiced...

Most All-Stars dream of gold ... as in medal.(National Hockey League All-Star players)
February 12, 2001... You've probably heard the question when you were looking for a job: Do you have any experience? Well, as funny as it might sound, millionaire athletes get asked the same question. Last weekend's All-Star Game in Denver gave players a chance...

TSN's No-Star team.(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Every year the fans pick the All-Star teams, and every year someone deserving is left off. To address that, we've named a player on each team who should have played in last Sunday's game but was overlooked. We're calling it the No-Star team....

Looking for instant impact? These recruits will have it.(high school football players)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... We all want it right now. Check that. We wanted it a second ago. Indeed, we live in the microwave popcorn era. Pass the remote control before you order that on-demand movie. And check the computer for any instant messages before you come back...

Kansas City king.(new Kansas City Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil)
February 12, 2001... New Chiefs coach DICK VERMEIL is being hailed by fans as a genius and magician rolled into one, but he faces the daunting challenge of delivering an immediate turnaround This is something new. You wouldn't think there would be anything new...

New at the helm.(new football coaches)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... TSN senior writer Dan Pompei's take on the league's seven new coaches: * Buffalo: The oddsmakers would have made GREGG WILLIAMS a 100-to-1 shot for this job, but Bills G.M. Tom Donahoe could not have found a better candidate. Williams...

The old school loses a master.(football scout Ron Wolf)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... For my first extended sit-down interview with Ron Wolf, we met for lunch in the cafeteria at the University of Pittsburgh hospital. I was soon to learn how much that setting revealed about the essence of the man. At heart, Ron Wolf is a...

More 'backers than backs will be helped by XFL.(pro football)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... The USFL helped produce future stars Reggie White and Herschel Walker. NFL Europe was a proving ground for quarterbacks Jon Kitna and Kurt Warner. Most recently, the Arena Football League sent Oronde Gadsden and Warner to the NFL. Now that...

AFC.(team-by-team analysis of American Football Conference)
February 12, 2001... BALTIMORE MAINTAINING CONTINUITY: The Ravens got an unexpected gift when defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis did not land the Bills' head-coaching job. That means Lewis win be back to lead a dominating defense--the team's foundation--for...

AFC/NFC.(team-by-team analysis)
February 12, 2001... Arizona WEAK LINK: The lack of quality tight end play has plagued the team the last few years. The question is whether that will change under new tight ends coach Pete Hoener. Terry Hardy is the incumbent starter. He is neither a good...

Show of strength.(Diamondbacks' Steve Finley's training program)(Interview)
February 12, 2001... Through an unusual conditioning program that stresses balance, the Diamondbacks' Steve Finley has turned back the clock and turned up the power Hidden amid the hills and valleys of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., an enclave north of San Diego for...

Sosa is going about this thing all wrong.(Sammy Sosa seeks more money)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... What does Sammy Sosa want? If it's top dollar, he should shut up, play out the final year of his contract and become a free agent. If it's Cubs immortality, he should use the team's offer of a four-year extension in the $70 million range...

ONE ON ONE with Donald Fehr.(director of Major League Baseball Players Association)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... Baseball's collective-bargaining agreement is set to expire this fall, which means Donald Fehr again will become one of baseball's central figures. TSN senior writer Ken Rosenthal explores the mindset of the executive director of the Major...

AMERICAN LEAGUE.(team-by-team analysis)
February 12, 2001... Anaheim LESSON LEARNED: You wouldn't think a closer who had 32 saves last season would be in need of a fresh start, but closer Troy Percival is looking forward to one this spring. His 2000 numbers are deceiving--he wasn't that good....

NATIONAL LEAGUE.(team-by-team analysis)
February 12, 2001... Arizona HEALTHY PAIR: RHP Todd Stottlemyre and SS Tony Womack, who both had surgery on September 26, say they are ready to go for spring training. Stottlemyre had a nerve in his right elbow moved--to prevent a recurrence of the tendnitis...

Seashells and balloons.(remembering coach Al McGuire)(Brief Article)
February 12, 2001... It's December 21, 1974. We're in Milwaukee, and it's snowing. The coach is late for practice because his car was stuck in the snow and the arena door was locked. Now he's standing at midcourt, aggrieved. "This is the fourth straight time...

Caught on the Fly.(brief notes about sports personalities)(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... Hey, didn't you used to be an NFC Central juggernaut? * Whispers 'round Dave Stern's league are that this extended look at a Shaq-less Lakers team conjures up a clear image: They're the Raptors in yellow and purple. Conventional wisdom is...

Bob Hille's Starting Five.(brief observations)(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... 1 "Pitchers and catchers report." They're baseball's four sweetest words, followed very closely by "Yankees lose! Yankees lose!" 2 The Daytona 500. Sunday's Winston Cup event is billed as "the Super Bowl of NASCAR," which means one of two...

DUSTBIN.(Phil Esposito sets scoring standard in 1971)(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... February 20, 1971 Phil Esposito set a new standard for scoring by becoming the first NHL player to notch his 50th goal of the season in the month of February. In a 5-4 loss at Los Angeles, the Bruins' 58th game, Esposito beat Kings goalie...

Wishing on a star for meaningful games.(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... "It just doesn't matter! It just doesn't matter!" Words to live by during All-Star February from Bill Murray--who last was seen whacking away on CBS at Pebble Beach, the most relevant game in this month of sports purgatory. He uttered the...

STATIC.(sports broadcasting news)(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... * Clockwatching: Damn the 14-hour difference, TNT will show 55 hours of its August 29-September 9 Goodwill Games from Australia live. Et tu, NBC? The plausibly live Peacock is asking Athens 2004 to change starting times of Olympic events to...

Voice of the fan.
February 19, 2001... Choice Voice `Doug Williams, Steve Young and Trent Dilfer got run out of Tampa Bay and won Super Bowls with other teams. My advice to Shaun King: Get the hell out of Tampa Bay.' -- Willie Roberts, Hanover, Pa. A lesser game I just...

Select company.(attitudes of basketball team executives about teams and players)
February 19, 2001... In a TSN poll, NBA executives share their insights on the best of the best It's a pretty good job, being an NBA executive. Consider the perks: Interesting work, pretty good seats--and who needs to pay for a fantasy-league team when you are...

Change is inevitable, but who will reap the rewards?(basketball rule changes)
February 19, 2001... In case you haven't heard, there is something wrong with the NBA. But determining what that "something" is is as difficult to figure out as logarithms. There is always the Michael Jordan factor, the belief that M.J.'s departure has given...

NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE.(basketball players)(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... WHO'S HOT Last season. Bucks PG Sam Cassell went into a funk after learning he didn't make the All-Star team alongside teammates SF Glenn Robinson and SG Ray Allen. Cassell's second-half slump nearly cost Milwaukee a playoff spot, but this...

NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE.(basketball players)(Brief Article)
February 19, 2001... WHO'S HOT Jazz PF Karl Malone was said to be on the decline when he went through a shooting slump during the holidays, but the truth is the Mailman is as ageless as ever in his last 13 games before the All-Star break, Malone averaged 25...

EASTERN CONFERENCE.(professional basketball)
February 19, 2001... Atlanta TERRY THRIVES IN NEW ROLE: Since Jason Terry's recent move from point guard to shooting guard, he has been spectacular. Coach Lon Kruger relieved him of ball-distributing responsibilities and told him to look for his shot. Terry...