The Sporting News articles from June 2003

The Sporting News archives from June 2003

We're full of second chances. (SportingNews.Com).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... So, your fantasy team isn't doing quite as well as you imagined? Or maybe you were too busy in March even to think about starting up with fantasy baseball. That's why SportingNews.com is offering you the chance to start from scratch. Beginning...

Calling all fantasy junkies. (SportingNews Radio).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Join Kevin Wheeler weekdays 2-3 a.m. ET for a look at who's hot and who's not in the fantasy sports world, plus a roundup of all the hot topics of the day with plenty of caller interaction, insight, information and entertainment. You also can...

A special treat for Dad. (SportingNews Books).(Book Review)
June 2, 2003... Father's Day is coming soon, so place your order now for your favorite sports fan. At www.sportingnews.com/books, you can get our latest book, Roadside Baseball, a one-of-a-kind travel guide and trivia book, and 15 issues of SPORTING NEWS...

To know list: 7 things that will push the Indy 500 farther back in your rearview mirror. (Know It All).(Interview)
June 2, 2003... (1) UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL The goods on Annika Perhaps Aaron Barber and Dean Wilson never again will be as famous as they were for two days last week. The PGA Tour rookies played 36 holes with Annika Sorenstam at the Colonial, a...

Bob Hille's starting 5. (Know It All).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... (1) The Stanley Cup Finals. The Ducks wanted to use the Rally Monkey, but unfortunately he was too expensive and Tie Domi wasn't available to stand in. (2) LeBron's feet. Nike's $90 million bid further ingrains the old...

Low rubber makes pitchers duck. (Caught On The Fly).
June 2, 2003... The home-road splits on the stat sheets of Aaron Boone and Austin Kearns scream that their home is a Great Hitters Ball Park. The downswing to those big swings, though, is all those runs aren't just going to the pitchers' ERAs, but also to...

Which Winston Cup drivers are progressing or regressing with age? (Stock Exchange).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... "That's a much tougher question than it sounds," says Fox analyst and former crew chief Larry McReynolds, who provided the answers. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 28 I remember at Martinsville, his rookie season, he hit everything, including an...

I'll keep telling it like it is. (My Turn).
June 2, 2003... OK, I'll get it out of the way at the top. I am following what the Mets do. I still consider myself a fan. I think their talent just isn't clicking yet. They're better than their record indicates and are not the worst team in the National...

Your turn.
June 2, 2003... * Let this be a lesson, Shaq. Get your toe surgery the day after the victory parade. Jeffrey H. Baer New York * The day the Cubs find a decent third baseman--finally filling the gap left by Ron Santo (paging Mike Lowell)--will be...

Learn it. Love it. Lacrosse: hockey's older brother--rich in history, with an upstart pro league bent on delivering a game fans of all sports will embrace--is worth getting to know. (Know It All).
June 2, 2003... Try this trick question on your friends: What's the original national sport of Canada? Hint: It helped make Wayne Gretzky "great." The answer? Lacrosse, the national sport from 1859 until 1994. (It's now the national summer sport; hockey...

Conspiracy theory: my mission: go behind closed doors and uncover the secret pingpong-ball plot. (Know It All).
June 2, 2003... I am dispatched to Secaucus, N.J., to witness the drawing of the pingpong balls that determine the order of the first 13 picks in the NBA draft. I arrive certain I will find some sort of conspiracy afoot. This is the NBA, after all, and when it...

Terry, we hardly knew ye. (Static).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Terry, we hardly knew ye: There's Terry Bradshaw, the presumed happy-go-lucky football legend and studio bumpkin savant, on a media blitz acknowledging his "mental illness." Joltingly on Fox News Channel, then New York talk shows and Jimmy...

Vital stats. (Static).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Vital stats: Buoyed by primo Western Conference matchups, TNT's NSA plaoff ratings are 18 percent better than ESPN's.

Soundbitten. (Static).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Soundbitten: "You know, there is housing available in Cleveland."--Mike Fratello (ex-Cavaliers coach and real estate owner) to TNT co-analyst Jeff Van Gundy (candidate for the Cavs job).

Do not adjust your set. (Static).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Do not adjust your set: With the Mets leading the Giants, 5-1, and desperate to prevent the Game of the Week theater from emptying, Fox producer/conductor Michael Weisman played the Spider-Man soundtrack as background music continuously during...

On air. (Know It All).
June 2, 2003... ON AIR T.J. Shanoff says: "Hey, Shaq, you're too talented to become so fat and disinterested. Do something before you become your old LSU buddy, Stanley Roberts." T.J. Shanoff appears on Murray in the Morning on SNR. ...

An enviable view from atop Fenway's sacred wall. (Green-Eyed Monster).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... I'm staring down at Yankees left fielder Hideki Matsui from the top of the Green Monster, thinking that I could swipe his cap with a fishing rod. Then again, it might be more fun to hit Matsui with a paper airplane. From the "Monster seats,"...

Future stocked: The Nets' Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson have more upside than any pair of forwards in the league. If Jason Kidd sticks around to pass to them, this Finals likely won't be their last. (NBA Playoffs).
June 2, 2003... You usually can get Byron Scott to say just about any old thing if you try hard enough, and his responses can range from provocative to profound, from well-informed to Waltonesque. So once in a while, you try to catch him in midthought, just to...

Old habits come in handy: Mavericks guard Michael Finley likes winning big more than scoring big--but he can do the latter if needed. (NBA Playoffs).
June 2, 2003... The Mavericks know something about being underestimated. Even after winning their first 14 out of the gate this season--the Cowboys never did that--they had more doubters than teams playing .500, much less one that for nearly a month was twice...

Playoff dish. (NBA Playoffs).
June 2, 2003... With the Nets' success and the further development of the backcourt in San Antonio, the possibility of PG Jason Kidd leaving for the Spurs as a free agent this summer has dwindled. More compelling--and the reason Kidd probably would have stayed...

2 fast 2 furious. (NBA Playoffs Insider).
June 2, 2003... Oakland native Jason Kidd and Santa Clara alum Steve Nash have spent many summer days driving against one another in pickup games around the Bay Area. Their styles are different--Kidd charges full speed ahead for the Nets, and the Mavericks'...

An Eastern uprising would be short-lived. (NBA Playoffs Insider).
June 2, 2003... After the Nets won 10 straight playoff games, including sweeps over the Celtics in the conference semifinals and the Pistons in the East finals, some folks seized the notion that New Jersey can make this year's Finals more than a Western...

Up and running: once a prisoner in his own bed, Packers tackle Chad Clifton has made remarkable progress in his recovery from a career-threatening injury and is focused on becoming the player he used to be. (NFL).
June 2, 2003... Six months ago, Chad Clifton lay on a table with a 5 1/2-ounce hockey puck on his navel and had barely enough strength to lift his midsection an inch. The thought of being able to run a simple straight line wasn't even on his radar. So...

Vroom with a view: what's it like to sit in a Winston Cup weekend office on wheels? Hop in. (NASCAR).
June 2, 2003... It's the perfect environment in which to drive a car at incredibly fast speeds. Surrounding you is lightweight, aerodynamically engineered sheet metal that disintegrates into millions of large and small fragments when you crash. The decor is...

Circle K Pit Stop: Brandon Thomas. (Advertorial).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Though Brandon Thomas is just 29 years old, his stout racing resume proves his experience far exceeds his years. After earning a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech, Thomas spent two years as a race engineer in Dan...

More equal than others: the quality of player's bat often is relative to his place on baseball's totem pole--the higher, the better. (Baseball).
June 2, 2003... The next time you see a big-league hitter at the plate, check out his bat. Is it black, which, when used at night, makes it more difficult for outfielders to read the swing? Is it made of maple, the timber made trendy by Barry Bonds? ...

Like a Duck to ice water: the fairy-tale Mighty Ducks have taken to a style that reminds people an awful lot of another team--the Devils, whom they're meeting in this year's Stanley Cup finals. (NHL Stanley Cup Finals Preview).
June 2, 2003... Mickey Mouse vs. Mickey Mouse? Get the jokes out of the way early. The Mighty Ducks were named after a Disney movie. The Devils once were called a "Mickey Mouse organization" by Wayne Gretzky. Isn't it funny they are meeting in the Stanley Cup...

These Sox have plenty of holes. (Baseball).
June 2, 2003... Firing the manager is the easy way out for underachieving teams, and the White Sox are the American League version of the Mets, only less expensive. They can justify dumping the laid-back Jerry Manuel in the middle of their third straight...

They beat you before you swing. (Closer).
June 2, 2003... In the last few weeks, we have run into the two best closers in the N.L. With Trevor Hoffman and Robb Nen out for the year, Billy Wagner, Eric Gagne and John Smoltz are the best things going. There is something that separates, just a little...

Same story, different draft. (Baseball).
June 2, 2003... Despite discussion of a world-wide draft during last year's labor negotiations, nothing has changed. The 2003 amateur draft will proceed June 3-5 just like all the recent drafts, meaning some teams will draft purely for talent and others will...

Coming attractions. (Baseball).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Interleague action returns as June arrives. One of the most intriguing matchups features the Yankees and Reds. Both have been among the league leaders in home runs, and they will meet at the bandbox Great American Ball Park. Ken Griffey Jr....

Speed kills. (Spotlight).(baseball players)
June 2, 2003... These guys make the most use of their speed, whether they are at the plate, on the bases or in the field. 1. Ichiro Suzuki, RF, Mariners Ichiro is the standard by which others are measured. When Johnny Damon, no slowpoke himself, raved...

Top five. (Baseball).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Charlie Hustle award winners: 1 David Eckstein, SS, Angels. When we think of this guy, Rudy just comes to mind. Picture Charles S. Dutton uttering these words to Eckstein: "You're five feat nothin' 100 and nothin', and you have nearly a...

Kevin Millwood, RHP, Phillies. (Scouting Report).
June 2, 2003... Age: 28 Height: 6-4 Weight: 220 2003: 7-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 11 starts. Last year: 18-8, 3.24 ERA. At this point in the season, he was 3-5 with a 4.39 ERA in 12 games. Throws: Fastball (four-seamer, sinker, cutter), slider,...

Statscape. (Baseball).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... When you're losing half a billion dollars a year, as Major League Baseball claims it is, you probably are making some big mistakes. Like throwing millions at "prospects" who never will make the big leagues, much less become stars. ...

Minor League update. (Baseball).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Big names with big problems: Wilson Betemit, 3B, Braves (AAA). He's one of Atlanta's top prospects, but he's having trouble hitting at Richmond (250, 36 strikeouts in his first 40 games). Mike Gosling, LHP, Diamondbacks (AAA). Gosling...

A.L. reports. (Baseball).
June 2, 2003... ANAHEIM ANGELS Closer Troy Percival went on the D.L with a hip injury. He had hoped to pitch through the discomfort because it wasn't an arm or shoulder problem, but the team acted cautiously. Manager Mike Scioscia will choose his...

N.L. reports.
June 2, 2003... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS After recovering from a bruised ankle, RHP Byung-Hyun Kim was about to come off the D.L. when he strained his left hamstring while trying to beat out a double play last week in a rehab start for Class AAA Tucson. He'll...

Good hiring is grand larceny. (NASCAR).
June 2, 2003... So where are NASCAR's cops when we really need them? They're out there busting Rusty Wallace for speeding on pit road when they should be helping owners protect the trade secrets that make the cars go fast in the first place. Money does...

Driver reports: what do these underachievers have to do to rebound? (NASCAR).
June 2, 2003... Tony Stewart 20 It's much harder to repeat a championship than it is to win the first one. This year, Stewart's team is learning just how hard. It appears external distractions have caught up with this team, even though Jimmy Makar,...

No one else deserves it. (NHL).
June 2, 2003... Ladies and gentleman, your Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP in the playoffs is... Mighty Ducks goal-tender Jean-Sebastien Giguere. But the playoffs aren't over yet, you say. The most important series hasn't been completed. True, but the...

Jaguars have a QB for every occasion. (NFL).
June 2, 2003... One month and several lifetimes ago, the Jaguars appeared set at quarterback with the capable veteran Mark Brunell and David Garrard, a quarterback of the future if ever there was one. Then along came Byron Leftwich. Now the Jaguars...

All systems go for the real Spurrier. (NFL).
June 2, 2003... For those of us who are convinced Steve Spurrier is a gifted coach, it is simply best to consider his first season with the Redskins as a misprint on an otherwise sparkling resume. Everyone is allowed a stumble, and that is what Spurrier...

Scouts' views. (NFL).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Observations by pro scouts from around the NFL. I don't think last year's suspension will be a negative factor for Julius Peppers. If anything, it probably will motivate him more. If he had gone on to the Pro Bowl, he might have said, "Hey,...

Not much to offer on June 1. (NFL).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Many fans believe June 1 is significant for NFL teams looking to unload or acquire veteran talent. But when we talk with coaches and scouts, they insist June 1--when teams can release veterans so portions of their contracts don't count against...

AFC. (NFL).
June 2, 2003... BALTIMORE RAVENS GOING FOR TWO: Because the team has several new receivers and little experience at quarterback, it wants to use a two-tight end scheme more often. The Ravens are strong at the spot with Todd Heap and Terry Jones. But for...

NFC. (NFL).
June 2, 2003... ARIZONA CARDINALS NEED FOR SPEED: The development of WR Bryan Gilmore could be the key to the offense. If he is fully recovered from a broken leg by training camp, Gilmore could be the club's top deep threat.... TE Freddie Jones was...

Now, Cavs' real work begins. (NBA).
June 2, 2003... Warren Thaler, president of Gund Investment Corp. and representative of the Cavaliers at the NBA draft lottery, never had been to a lottery before, let alone one this important. A No. 1 pick would mean local hero LeBron James and an influx of...

Stars audition, teams sweat. (College Basketball).
June 2, 2003... Short of the Final Four, the most important competition of the 2003-04 season will be conducted in Chicago. Next week. You may think no games of importance will be played until November. Not true. At the NBA predraft camp, expect at least a...

A view of the new league landscape. (College Football).
June 2, 2003... Mike Tranghese was standing in the lobby of a posh beachside resort in northeast Florida last week, grandstanding like a man with one last request while waiting for the red phone to ring. The Big East has a proud history. The Big East has won...

Ultimate Fantasy Source. (Fantasy).
June 2, 2003... ROTO RAP "Is he for real?" That's a question we Fantasy Source-ers see often in our e-mails. An owner has made a great draft pick or free-agent pickup and is wondering about his hot but unproven player. As I said last week, young...

Matchup heaven & hell. (Fantasy).(Brief Article)
June 2, 2003... Favorable and unfavorable schedules for hitters during the week of June 2-8. It's interleague time! HEAVEN Astros. Yahtzee of the week: The Orioles and Devil Rays come to Minute Maid Park. Braves. Don't expect their torrid hitting...

James is a king, but not the king.
June 2, 2003... LeBron James mentions God a lot. "God will lead me in the best direction, and I will follow his footsteps," he told reporters two months ago. He spoke to them after an all-star game for high school children. As to which NBA team would be at the...

Ready for some football. (SportingNews.Com).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... With NFL training camps just around the corner, it's time to catch up on all the off season wheeling and dealing. The SPORTING NEWS' Ultimate Preseason Countdown gets you up-to-date with in-depth analysis of all 32 teams and identifies the...

Thrice as nice. (SportingNews Radio).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Funny Cide can become horse racing's 12th Triple Crown winner with a victory in Saturday's Belmont Stakes. Get ready for the race by tuning into the Papa Joe Chevalier Show for a complete preview, 6-10 p.m. ET Friday from Mickey Mantle's...

Make his day extra special. (SportingNews Books).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... There's still time to get the dads in your life the perfect Father's Day gift. From Roadside Baseball to the annual college football preview, from Legends of College Basketball to NASCAR Superstars, we have all the sports covered. Order now at...

To know list: 7 performances good enough to get a 50-win coach fired. (Know It All).
June 9, 2003... (1) JOHNNY MILLER TEES UP THE U.S. OPEN It'll take great drive--but not the driver--to win the tournament Heeere's Johnny Miller's short list of players he thinks--no, knows--would be gimmes to contend for the U.S. Open title at...

Bob Hille's starting 5. (Know It All).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... (1) The NBA Finals. If the series goes seven games, it'll take 15 days. Or, interestingly, longer than three of Larry Brown's gigs. (2) The Yankees. Do their recent struggles prove they're vulnerable? Yeah, and my P.C. crashing...

Philly needs to close on a deadline deal. (Caught On The Fly).
June 9, 2003... ESPN is planning a reality show depicting a search for a SportsCenter anchor among amateur applicants. You mean, that's not how Neil Everett got his job? The Phils have become one of the phew teams willing to take on phat contracts. So...

On air. (Know It All).
June 9, 2003... Father's Day edition of ON AIR Chet Coppock says: "I care about Phil Mickelson winning a major as much as I care about who is going to be the next fencing coach at Bowling Green." ...

It's a Jersey thing. (My turn).
June 9, 2003... You from Jersey? What exit?" Yeah, I wrote that. A long time ago. Ya gotta have a sense of humor. But let me tell you how I ready feel about my home state. If you've got an attitude, if you show one ounce of insincerity or...

Your turn.(Letter to the Editor)
June 9, 2003... * Enough hoopla. Can we please have a lady actually qualify for a PGA Tour event from the men's tees before another one is invited to play this century? Bart Brewer Santa Monica, Calif. * My hat goes off to Annika Sorenstam for...

How to ... do right by Dad on Father's Day. (Fanscape).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... You probably gave Dad plenty of paperweights and neckties over the years on Father's Day, plus more than a few ulcers. Now that you have a bank account and a better understanding of why he did all that he did--for you!--do something for him....

The next generation of bobbleheads. (Fanscape).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Baseball's latest giveaway gimmick is the Babooshkas. They're a ripoff of traditional Russian nesting dolls, which open and reveal smaller dolls inside. Fanscape sees you shaking your head, perhaps muttering, " Not another silly collectible to...

Pining for a better grip without the tar. (Fanscape).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Take a pinch of walnut shells, a dash of sunflower seeds and a fine blend of sand and... batter up. This mixture gives the Tacktion Grip bat from Akadema--the innovative company behind the Reptilian and Praying Mantis baseball gloves--a...

Where art thou looking for Father's Day gifts? (Fanscape).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Got no time? No ideas? That's the Father's Day blues. Don't fret: All you need is Fanscape and Google.com and you can surprise Dad with a work of art featuring that one subject you bond over: sports. For less than $100 you can get a print;...

Hold those Annika Network plans. (Static).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Hold those Annika Network plans: USA Network's coverage of Everybody Loves Annika set a PGA weekday record, with the Colonial's 1.6 rating more than doubling the usual. Still, Sorentam's foray into coed golf hardly alters the reality that...

The buzz. (Static).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... * The buzz: Like TNT teammates Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Fratello, Inside the NBA's Kenny Smith Is posturing for a coaching job--he'd like to rejoin the Rockets team he played for.

Vital stat. (Static).(Budweiser Boxing)(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... * Vital stat: NBC's Budweiser Boxing, pugilism's first network miniseries in 11 years, ended its run top-rated in six of nine Saturday periods.

Soundbitten. (Static).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... * Soundbitten: "I am confident that at some point, the passion of our sport will translate into higher ratings."--Gary Bettman, in his State of the NHL Stanley Cup news conference. E-mail: fquindt@sportingnews.com

TSN 2003 NHL Awards. (Know It All).
June 9, 2003... EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR Doug Risebrough COACH OF THE YEAR Jacques Lemaire WILD Doug Risebrough and Jacques Lemaire were the team behind the team that surprised the league in the regular season and wowed everyone in the...

The ultimate audition: with the possibility of the Spurs choosing between one of their own, Tony Parker, and the Nets' Jason Kidd this summer, The Finals has become a point guard showcase--the No. 1 reason it is a good show. (NBA Finals Preview).
June 9, 2003... Tony Parker is a little tired of talking about it. But then, he has been tired of talking about it since November or so. He has talked about it on the East Coast, on the West Coast and just about every major point in between. He has talked...

Training days: the NFL's offseason workout programs are in full swing, and teams are using everything imaginable--from 'The Beast' to martial arts to steel chains--to give players the physical edge they'll need this fall. (NFL).
June 9, 2003... Maybe so. But when it comes to building bigger, stronger football players, there's still room for the kind of innovation that has less to do with software and more to do with hardware--the Home Depot variety, that is. Pick up some scrap pieces...

Crease keepers: the devils have proved that size, strength and positioning in front of the net are the keys to scoring--and preventing scores--in the Stanley Cup finals. (NHL).
June 9, 2003... In the Stanley Cup finals, great goaltending is a given. This year's series, with the Devils' Martin Brodeur and the Ducks' Jean-Sebastien Giguere in net, was no exception. But to beat the best, you must make the opposing goalie's life...

K-Rod is still a kid, after all. (Baseball).(Francisco Rodriguez )
June 9, 2003... We fell hard for Francisco Rodriguez last October, We exalted him and exulted in the "legendary feats" of the Angels' "rising star." We labeled him a "brilliant" righthander and a "babyfaced slayer of a reliever." We marveled at his...

How to make interleague play better. (Closer).
June 9, 2003... Baseball hits a slow time during June. Basketball and hockey are going into their finals, but the baseball playoff races don't shape up for a while and trade deadline rumors are a few weeks away, so it is the perfect time for an experiment. ...

Coming attraction. (Baseball).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Interleague action rolls on with some great matchups. The Cardinals visit the Red Sox for three games starting Tuesday in a rematch of the 1967 World Series. Both teams figure to be in contention again this season, assuming they can fight...

Feels like the very first time. (Baseball).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... With All-Star Game rosters expanding to 32 this season, there is even more opportunity for first-time participants. Some players ready to break through: American League Rocco Baldelli, CF, Devil Rays. The way his rookie season is...

Positions of weakness. (Baseball).
June 9, 2003... Think turnover where you work is bad? Since 1996, the Yankees have gone through 38 left fielders. The Dodgers have tried 22 center fielders since the 1998 season began. When such a problem spot arises, managers can wear themselves out looking...

Top five. (Baseball).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Utility players: 1 Miguel Cairo, Cardinals. With Fernando Vina hurt, Cairo has been starting at second base. Before Vina's injury, Cairo was busy playing every position except center field, catcher and pitcher. He is manager Tony La...

Stat scape. (Baseball).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Suppose Nomar Garciaparra is coming up with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, his team trailing by a run. You're the opposing manager; you have a righty sinkerballer and a lefty who throws high heat ready in the...

Scouting report. (Baseball).(Derek Lowe,)
June 9, 2003... Derek Lowe, RHP, Red Sox Age: 30 Height: 6-6 Weight: 214 2003: 4-3 with a 5.34 ERA in 11 starts. Last year: He moved from the bullpen to the rotation and responded well, going 21-8 with a 2.58 ERA. At this point last season,...

Minor League update. (Baseball).(Brief Article)
June 9, 2003... Best performances by power-hitting prospects: Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Martins (AA). Led the Southern League In average (.379) and RBIs (50) trough 50 games. He could replace Mike Lowell in 2004. Franklin Gutierrez, OF, Dodgers (A). He led...

A.L. reports. (Baseball).
June 9, 2003... ANAHEIM ANGELS While on the D.L., closer Troy Percival is refining his delivery, lowering his trademark high leg kick in order to place less stress on his injured right hip. Percival spends four hours per day in treatment, trying to...