The Sporting News articles from February 2003

The Sporting News archives from February 2003

Get a head start. (SportingNews.com).
February 3, 2003... Alex Rodriguez might not take the Rangers to the playoffs this season, but he can carry your fantasy baseball team any day--and give you a shot at more than $75,000 in prizes in TSN's Ultimate Fantasy Baseball. Take advantage of early-bird...

Aloha means football. (SportingNews Radio).
February 3, 2003... Just when you thought the football season was over, it's time for... the Pro Bowl. Tune in to Sporting News Radio all week for Brian Baldinger's fun- and sun-filled reports from Hawaii, plus hear interviews with Pro Bowl players and coaches....

Summer's on the way. (SportingNews Books).
February 3, 2003... Get ready for the 2003 big-league season with TSN's baseball preview magazines. It features in-depth reports on all 30 teams, including rosters, lineups, schedules and statistics. Order your copy online now at www.sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 5 little pills to ease your football jones. (Know It All).
February 3, 2003... (1) Fun-filled February Don't despair--the next month will be super, too The Super Bowl is over, baseball isn't here yet and the real NBA and NHL seasons--the playoffs--are months away. But February is no time of darkness... you just...

February 2003. (Know It All).
February 3, 2003... SUN 2 Action-packed Arena Football goes for the gusto with a broadcast network deal (up to 70 games on NBC) and an infusion of cash from NFL owners. How did this league make such high-rolling friends? Because it gave us Kurt Warner and...

Bob Hille's starting 5. (Know It All).
February 3, 2003... (1) The NFL offseason. It's always sad when the Super Bowl is over. On the bright side, though, now we can go back to calling the Bengals' front office "the Black Hole." (2) Pete Rose. Apparently he's negotiating an end to his lifetime...

The great race that isn't. (Caught On The Fly).
February 3, 2003... Gentlemen, start your whining. A sure topic of controversy at the Daytona 500--aside from the cruddiness of the track, hamstringing of the horsepower and anticlimacticness of the race--will be all the new templates. There's no telling how...

2003 NFL draft prospects. (Stock Exchange).
February 3, 2003... The War Room serves up the scoop on who's rising and falling after the college all-star games, plus projects first-round picks. For a weekly updated mock draft, Super 99 prospect rankings and more, order TSN's Draft Central at...

Ushering in a new ring bearer. (Know it all: my turn).
February 3, 2003... Watching the buildup and then the Buccaneers' victory last Sunday in the Super Bowl brought back a flood of great memories for me. I was fortunate to play in--and win--three Super Bowls, but there is nothing like that first one. No one,...

Your turn. (Know It All).
February 3, 2003... * Who needs Shaq vs. Yao when I can watch Vin Baker vs. Derrick Coleman? Jason Prime Baltimore * How many times must we endure the story about how several Eagles watched the Rams celebrate their NFC championship last season? Maybe...

A few good men gone bad. (Know It All).
February 3, 2003... There was the ugly little loss to the football archrival, the archrival that went on to win the national championship. Then the 0-6 start by the University of Michigan basketball team. And we won't even mention the affirmative action thing. ...

Use 'em or lose 'em. (Static).
February 3, 2003... * Use 'em or lose 'em: ABC had 300 employees and 1,234,567 cameras in San Diego, plus Hank Williams Jr. ridesharing with Kid Rock. So all totaled, the Super Bowl show amounted to a gross squandering of talent, same as the Raiders' offense. ...

Grading on a curve. (Static).
February 3, 2003... * Grading on a curve: Al Michaels-John Madden compatibility, B with a bullet Madden resisting rooting for his homeys (the Raiders), A. ABC/ESPN nailing down The Barret Robbins Story, D-. Stu Scott wearing sunglasses for three hours on NFL...

Vital stat. (Static).
February 3, 2003... * Vital stat: ESPN's Lakers-Rockets, i.e., Shaq-Yao's first meeting, did a 3.8 Nielsen--cable's second most-watched NBA game ever, behind TNT's 1996 Bulls-Lakers, i.e., Magic Johnson's second game out of retirement.

FYI. (Static).
February 3, 2003... * For just the fifth time in 32 years, AFC playoffs (on CBS) out-rated the NFC (Fox).

On air. (Know It All).
February 3, 2003... Chuck Powell says: "Mark Cuban could never give up the Maxs, but he'd be a great commissioner. He's the most progressive figure in sports." WITH THE PERSONALITIES OF Chet Coppock Bill Lekas SPORTING NEWS RADIO ...

3 of a kind: which all-star game matters least? (Know It All).
February 3, 2003... 3 of a kind Which all-star game matters least? NFL Location Hawaii. The fortunate get a week of lavish pampering and a game half speed. They relax, they ...

Gaffes, laughs and other TV oddities. (Know It All).
February 3, 2003... From his home office in San Diego, media columnist Fritz Quindt's Super 7 wacky moments in the big game's TV history: 7. When ABC couldn't lure Howard Cosell out of retirement for SB19, it benched O.J. Simpson (network chairman Leonard...

2002 NFL awards presented by GMC: we are professional grade[TM]. (Know It All).
February 3, 2003... PLAYER OF THE YEAR Rich Gannon RAIDERS He is not the poster boy for why evaluating quarterbacks in the NFL is an inexact science. He's the poster patriarch. He was drafted as a defensive back in 1987, and he was a journeyman for...

Lord of the Rings: after leading the Bucs to a Super Bowl championship in his first season, Jon Gruden has established himself as the NFL's elite leader and galvanized the value of star coaches in a challenging climate. The scary thing is, he has only begun. (Super Bowl 37).
February 3, 2003... This one was about defense, of course. Fast and opportunistic, this Tampa Bay defense turned the NFL's best quarterback into a bungler, tormented the league's No. 1 offense with guile and execution, took hold of this Super Bowl and left no...

The best-laid plans: an inside look at how coach Jon Gruden and the Bucs prepared themselves to be Super Bowl champions. (Super Bowl 37).
February 3, 2003... In the Thursday practice before the Super Bowl, the Bucs' offense walked up to the line of scrimmage. Coach Jon Gruden got the attention of his team by announcing, "This play right here wins the Super Bowl. This is the play." Quarterback...

`You live and die as a team--and we died': for the Raiders fullback, a wonderful season comes to an unexpected end just short of the team's ultimate goal of winning an NFL championship. (Super Bowl 37).
February 3, 2003... I'm stunned. This is about the worst I can feel. Having such high hopes and making it this far, to the pinnacle of achievement as a football team and to fail--how do you describe that? It's a helpless feeling. This was the opportunity of a...

A scheme come true.
February 3, 2003... If you're a defensive coordinator, you won't be relaxing much this offseason. Not after opposing offenses made your life miserable on an almost weekly basis in 2002. Just look at the 69-point spectacle that was the Super Bowl. Sure, the...

State of readiness: Warriors coach Eric Musselman uses specialized software, ever-present videotape and epic scouting reports in an effort to turn Golden State into a contender. (NBA).
February 3, 2003... Antawn Jamison, looking sharp in his Warriors home whites, is almost ready to take the floor for a Monday matinee against the Kings, But first he has to wait for teammate Jason Richardson to finish with the computer. Against the Kings, the...

A so-called rivalry: in Alberta's tale of two small-market neighbors with the same fiscal challenges, the Flames can't keep up the Oilers. (NHL).
February 3, 2003... You can't miss the mural. On a parking garage across the street from Skyreach Centre, the home of the Oilers, five massive rings, six stories high, have been painted to symbolize the franchise's Stanley Cup championships. "And now for...

Unquestioned commitment: connecticut's Emeka Okafor is plotting a course for early graduation and basketball domination--on offense as well as defense. (College Basketball).
February 3, 2003... The after-hours calls come to Ted Taigen's house with enough regularity that even the ones that have come at, say, 3 or 4 in the morning aren't accompanied by jolts of anxiety. Taigen simply rubs his eyes wipes away his dreams, picks up the...

TSN insider.
February 3, 2003... Speed read "If LeBron James somehow ends up with the Cavaliers, he'll be grateful John Lucas is out."--Page 34 NBA 34-39 INSIDER The Bulls Jay Williams is taking heat for going on the injured list, but Sean Deveney says he's not the...

A second wind in the second city. (NBA).
February 3, 2003... Last Sunday, before an afternoon game against the Rockets, Bulls rookie Jay Williams was working with assistant coach Bob Thornton on making cuts to the baseline, curling around an imaginary screen and launching shot after shot. Whether...

Ray Allen. (Advertisement).
February 3, 2003... Ray Allen, the guy you didn't pick to break 100 points. (continued) In his relatively short NBA career, Ray Allen has established himself as a tremendous talent. He is a very exciting player to watch and to support. He's capable of...

Oh, give me a home game. (Courtside Matters).
February 3, 2003... Traveling in the NBA isn't what it used to be. Today, players fly on luxury charters, steering clear of the hassles of commercial flying. Teams stay in only the best five-star hotels. Even the visitors' locker rooms are much nicer than they...

Big impact.
February 3, 2003... There have been 20 players listed under 5-10 in NBA history, five since 1990. A few have had real impact on their team, but none, before the emergence this season of the Warriors' 5-5 Earl Boykins, has created a new role: the basketball closer....

Eastern conference. (NBA).
February 3, 2003... Atlantic Division BOSTON CELTICS PF Antoine Walker (knee) is expected back before the All-Star break, but the team is scrambling to replace him in the meantime. SF Eric Williams has moved into Walker's power forward spot, and Kedrick Brown...

Western conference. (NBA).
February 3, 2003... Midwest Division DALLAS MAVERICKS The Mavericks are starting to get more production from C Raef LaFrentz, who initially struggled after returning from an ankle injury. Rockets C Yao Ming abused Dallas' zone defense in November, so the...

The playground of the chosen few. (NFL).
February 3, 2003... You always know who's calling the plays on an NFL sideline. He's the one with the headset on, the laminated sheet of plays in his hands and the bull's-eye on his back. Play-callers are like presidents in that they are blamed for everything...

AFC. (NFL).
February 3, 2003... Baltimore Ravens www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/ravens SINGLETARY ON BOARD: Former star LB Mike Singletary was hired as linebackers coach. Singletary was one of the best to play the position, but it's a gamble because he has no NFL...

NFC. (NFL).
February 3, 2003... Arizona Cardinals www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/cardinals WISE SPENDING: The team should consider re-signing OLB Rob Fredrickson. He has been the team's best defender in recent seasons but also has been injury-prone. Levar Fisher, 23,...

A jagged piece of the puzzle. (NHL).
February 3, 2003... In the chess match to establish a playoff edge, Stars general manager Doug Armstrong made his move, and the rest of the Western Conference is in check. Make your move, Red Wings. Need a final piece, Canucks? Better get on that. The Stars,...

All-Star time is show time. (Straight Shooter).
February 3, 2003... The All-Star Game, which this year is being played Sunday in Sunrise, Fla., is extremely laidback and noncontact. You've got to let the players with the skills display those skills, so the game is very open, and there's always lots of scoring...

Sebastien Caron, G, Penguins. (Scouting Report).
February 3, 2003... 6-1, 160 Age: 22 The Penguins' third-round (86th overall) pick in 1999, Caron played his first professional season last year for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL, where he was 14-22-8 with a 3.12 goals-against average and a .903 save...

Depth of character. (College Basketball).
February 3, 2003... As Lute Olson strolls gallantly down the sideline, the young men comprising the nation's deepest bench are challenged to stay alert. "You never know when he's going to grab you," says Arizona freshman Hassan Adams. "I just hope he doesn't...

Press perfection. (Baseball).
February 3, 2003... Is anyone surprised by Louisville's quick turnaround? I'm not. When Rick Pitino took over as coach last season, it was just a question of when, not if, the program would find a stable home in the national rankings. Coaching and talent fuel...

Pudge a big fish in an empty pond. (Insider).
February 3, 2003... It's difficult to figure out who looks dumber, the Marlins for their misguided public-relations grab in signing catcher Ivan Rodriguez, or Rodriguez for gambling that he can rebuild his value by switching leagues, spending a year in south...

A.L. reports. (Baseball).
February 3, 2003... ANAHEIM ANGELS Scott Schoeneweis was the only proven lefty in the bullpen, so the club signed veteran LHP Rich Rodriguez to compete for a relief job in spring training. Rodriguez, 39, pitched for the Rangers in 2002, going 3-2 with a 5.40 ERA...

N.L. reports. (Baseball).
February 3, 2003... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS RHP Byung-Hyun Kim gladly will relinquish his closing duties to pursue a spot in the starting rotation. Kim was a starter in his native Korea and says be has felt uncomfortable in the bullpen the past four seasons. INFIELD...

The gas NASCAR didn't see. (NASCAR).
February 3, 2003... Where the health and safety of its drivers are concerned, NASCAR needs to change its modus operandi from reaction to action. Not until Dale Earnhardt died in a final-lap crash in the 2001 Daytona did NASCAR begin in earnest the examination...

The toughest sell. (Insider).
February 3, 2003... For Jackie Sherrill, selling Mississippi State football on the recruiting trail is sort of like trying to peddle canned heat off a flatbed truck in August in Texas. In fact, Sherrill's sales pitch is the toughest of any coach from a BCS league....

The nightmares let Bucs live a dream.
February 3, 2003... Mr. Warren Sapp, historian and menace, cited as precedents the work of the Purple People Eaters, the Steel Curtain, the Cowboys who brought Doomsday and the Fearsome Foursome of a time before time--before football became so important it needed...

Ready to race? (SportingNews.com).(Stock Car Fantasy Draft Kit and Season Guide)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... There's no better way to gear up for the NASCAR Winston Cup season than with SportingNews.com's Stock Car Fantasy Draft Kit and Season Guide. We break down each driver, race and track to help you make smart moves for your fantasy league, and it...

Hit the hardwood. (SportingNews Radio).(Calendar)
February 10, 2003... Are you a hoops fanatic? Then tune in this weekend to Sporting News Radio, which has the hardwood covered with live reports from the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta. You'll hear interviews with your favorite NBA stars and reports from...

Spring into summer. (SportingNews Books).(TSN baseball preview magazine )(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... The 2003 TSN baseball preview magazine has in-depth team reports and the predicted finish for each club. It tells you which team will win the World Series--all before players report to spring training. Order your copy at...

To know list: 5 more reasons books are useless. (Know It All).(Column)
February 10, 2003... (1) DRIVERS ED Here's the deal Another NASCAR season is upon us, and for all you stick-and-ball snobs, it's time to pay attention. As the fastest-growing sport (and one of TSN's Big 7), NASCAR isn't going to go away. All we are saying...

Bob Hille's starting 5. (Know It All).(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... (1) The NBA All-Star Game, It's not so much the game as all of the weekend's related festivities. My favorite: the Coaches vs. Opposing Players vs. Referees Ultimate Fighting Tournament (2) The Winter X Games. To paraphrase the...

At least there was no mention of Ryan Leaf. (Caught On The Fly).
February 10, 2003... Sure, it's good to be Carson Palmer these days, as his draft-day wait figures to be shorter than his Heisman speech. But at least one NFL scout is putting on the brakes when it comes to proclaiming him a can't-miss kid. The rap is he's...

Winston cup drivers. (Stock Exchange).
February 10, 2003... With the season looming, Fox analyst and former crew chief Jeff Hammond explains who's in the fast lane and who's headed south. Kurt Busch. He's got the total package. He can win at the short track and the superspeedway. He has shown a lot...

Eyeing the easy target. (My Turn).(Tiger Woods and Augusta National)
February 10, 2003... Life in Congress is an oxymoron. There is no life in Congress. After my first year in Congress, I determined that if I knew I had only one year to live. I'd choose to live it in Congress because it was the longest year of my life. Now,...

Your turn. (My Turn).(Letter to the Editor)
February 10, 2003... * Matt Millen, the part-time G.M. of the hapless Lions, needs to go. He built this failure and now is placing the blame on the coach. Jeff Ruvolo Jacksonville * Matt Millen made the right call by firing Marty Mornhinweg. It's...

How to ... cash in from halfcourt. (Fanscape).(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... Focus on fundamentals. There's no need for a baseball-style hurl or a running start, even if you're the fan chucking it up at this weekend's NBA All-Star Game with a million bucks on the line. "It's like a normal jump shot with just a...

The buzz. (Static).(Olympic coverage)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... * The buzz: Bucking modern Olympic tradition, NBC will air the 2004 Athens Games live, in daytime.

Vital stat. (Static).(Super Bowl ads)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... * Vital stat: The final 18 minutes of Super Bowl 37 were the most watched--and that's where ABC placed the last commercials sold, those that probably were discounted from the premium $2.2 million per 30 seconds.

Read all about it. (Static).(national geographic cover)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... * Read all about it: National Geographic is publishing its first swimsuit issue, with a cover girl wearing just three scallop shells. (Memo to the boss: Are we neglecting a niche market?)

Radioactivity. (Static).(atellite radio)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... * Radioactivity: Satellite radio provider Sirius now offers NBA game broadcasts with $12.95 monthly subscriptions, so a Jazz fan can listen live to Hot Rod Hundley while driving from Memphis to Pascagoula.

Do not adjust your set. (Static).(hockey broadcast)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... * Do not adjust your set: Jeremy Roenick wore a microphone and earpiece for two-way conversations with ABC announcers during the NHL All-Star Game.

Soundbitten. (Static).(Tony Kornheiser)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... * Soundbitten: "I don't want 'em. They're idiots. I'd rather do a show with sportswriters."--ESPN's Tony Kornheiser, explaining his aversion to athlete guests. E-mail: fquindt@sportingnews.com

On air: with the personalities of Sporting News Radio.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... Because we just can't live without our Murray in the Morning, this Valentine's Day edition is devoted to the lovable bunch that broadcasts weekdays from 7-10 a.m. ET on Sporting News Radio. ON AIR WITH THE PERSONALITIES OF Kevin...

TSNumber 10.(Carolina Hurricans)
February 10, 2003... Teams that have failed to make the playoffs a season after losing in the Stanley Cup finals. The Hurricanes could make it 11.

What's the rush? (Baseball).(minor leaguer Rocco Baldelli, and other news)
February 10, 2003... He's Rocco Baseball, from the tattoo of the MLB logo above his left ankle to his vast knowledge about the sport. "If you ask him who got called up to the majors that day," his roommate from Class A Bakersfield, Dan Dement, says with a chuckle,...

Arizona vs. Florida. (The Closer).(where to go for spring training)
February 10, 2003... Which is better for spring training, Arizona or Florida? I need to say that I have spent 12 springs in Florida, and this will be only my second in Arizona, so I might be biased. But here goes. From a fan's perspective, each place offers...

New parks, old problem.(the Reds' Great American Ball Park)
February 10, 2003... You no longer can build a ballpark and say, "They will come," the way you could with Camden Yards, Jacobs Field and Coors Field. They will come, to be sure, but they won't come back unless he team lives up to its surroundings. The Reds...

A.L. reports. (Baseball).
February 10, 2003... ANAHEIM ANGELS LHP Scott Schoeneweis signed a one-year deal that includes bonuses for the number of games pitched beyond 45. Schoeneweis was moved from the rotation to the bullpen last season but would like to be a starter again. He could...

N.L. reports. (Baseball).
February 10, 2003... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS The team is casting a wide net in its effort to assemble a bullpen. It has signed four veterans--LHP Ran Villone and RHPs Manny Aybar, Mike Jackson and Ricky Bottalico--to minor league contracts and has given them a chance...

Eagerness to play can pay off. (College Football).
February 10, 2003... You hear it from every recruit's mouth: "I want to play right away." And for the most part, U coaches tell them what they want to hear. Of course, few of those 18-year-olds are equipped for the increased speed and size in Division I-A football....

Don't blame King James.(the gifts of LeBron James)
February 10, 2003... The young man is not the problem. Grown-ups are the problem. Zealots among us have created a culture in which celebrity athletes believe they're entitled to pretty much anything they want. So LeBron James walks into a store. Sees a football...

Hardball heaven. (SportingNews.com).(fantasy baseball)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... If you haven't started organizing your fantasy baseball league, you're behind schedule. At http://fantasygames. sportingnews.com, you can choose from a variety of games, including salary cap and rotisserie. Then get a leg up on the competition...

Feeling zen again. (SportingNews Radio).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... The Phil Jackson Show is back on the air. Join the nine-time NBA champion coach and co-host Chris Myers for an in-depth look at all the hardwood happenings--featuring Jackson's exclusive access on the court and in the locker room with the...

Revved up for racing. (SportingNews Books).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... The Racertracks Book takes you on a journey to 26 of America's favorite racing grounds--from Watkins Glen to Talladega, Daytona to Chicagoland. It's available at your local bookstore, or you can buy it online at www.sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 5 noncommittal ways to talk diamonds with your Valentine. (Know It All).
February 17, 2003... (1) BASEBALL JOB LINE Will work for all-expenses-paid, three-day vacation (plus perks) in July Eventually, even the stars lose their luster. Spring training is here, and there are a bunch of former All-Stars still looking for work. We...

The wizard of ... Steel City? (Caught On The Fly).(Column)
February 17, 2003... When it comes to linking Ben Howland with UCLA, all the connect-the-dots fit. He is personable, energetic and a SoCal native, and he has been deemed the Next Big Thing in coaching. But moving to Westwood isn't the no-brainer you'd think...

The classes of 2003. (Stock Exchange).(college football)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Having survived another National Signing Day, recruiting analyst Bobby Burton of Rivals.com offers some pearls of college football wisdom. The Big 12 South. Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma all had classes in the top 15...

Bob Hille's starting 5. (Know It All).(Brief Article)(Column)
February 17, 2003... (1) The Daytona 500. Never mind the merits of restrictor-plate racing; check the infield and you'll see an ironclad argument for restrictor-plate dining. (2) Steve Mariucci. Sure, his contract is big, but think of the money the...

The law must be equal for all. (Fix it).
February 17, 2003... As a father of daughters who have participated in college athletics, I'm committed to fairness for females in sports. But reform is needed to address a fundamental imbalance that has resulted from Title IX interpretation, When some hear...

Fault football and foot dragging, not females. (Leave It Alone).
February 17, 2003... The good ol' boys who run big-time college football have spent three decades doing everything in their power to subvert Title IX, the landmark federal legislation that mandated equal athletics opportunities for all students. The good ol'...

Other opinions. (My Turn).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... * If you want me to be brutally honest, what we have is a group of people in this country who don't necessarily want to put anything into women's sports unless they absolutely, positively have to because the law demands that they do it.--Geno...

How to ... survive the infield. (Fanscape).(Daytona 500)
February 17, 2003... Life on the Daytona 500 infield involves much more than watching a race. It's about marking your territory, proclaiming your loyalties and, most important, having a big or party. And that booze-fueled party goes on for nearly a week. ...

On air. (Know It All).
February 17, 2003... ON AIR Tim Brando says: "Those of us in the so-called flyover states couldn't care less about MLB. It's spring training--nothing more than a media intrusion into March Madness. The media's treatment of college sports is a disgrace." ...