The Sporting News articles from June 2004

The Sporting News archives from June 2004

Tee it up.(SportingNews.com)
June 7, 2004... Get ready to hit the links this summer with Fantasy Golf--Season 2. It's your chance to manage a dream team of four pros, with the most accurate and realistic best-ball scoring system on the Web. Sign up before the season begins June 24 at...

Be a weekend warrior.(Sporting News Radio)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Don't fall behind on the weekends--tune in to Sports Saturday and Sports Sunday for up-to-the-minute scores, news and info. Bob Berger and Bob Stelton deliver highlights, plus expert guests and TSN Insiders weigh in with insight and analysis....

Conference call.(Sporting News Books)
June 7, 2004... Get ready for the college football season by grabbing a conference yearbook. Choose from the SEC, Big 12, Big Ten or ACC--or buy them all. Find them on newsstands, call 800-825-8508, or order online at www.sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 7 ways to get caught up to heaven.(Know It All)
June 7, 2004... (1) THE GOLF STAT THAT MATTERS Does Tiger really need to straighten up? The irony is apparent to golf fans and PGA Tour players alike. Tiger Woods, with a note of wonder at his bah being lost in the trees, voices over the Buick ad on...

Bob Hille's starting 5.(Know It All)
June 7, 2004... (1) The Stanley Cup. The NHL has been pointing out how W interest is way up, but it's all a sham. The ratings are skewed by the other Sutter brothers tuning in to watch Darryl coach. (2) The Lakers. I don't want to say this is a...

The worst wedgie Daniel Snyder ever got.(Caught On The Fly)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... In the continued WWE-ization of NASCAR, it took bad boy Kurt Busch punting his Roush Racing teammate (that would be Greg Biffle) to take the heat off worse boy Tony Stewart of Joe Gibbs Racing fame. But these good-guy, bad-guy things are...

On air.(Caught On The Fly)
June 7, 2004... Who are the best and worst NBA lottery picks ever? Rick Ballou 10 p.m.-2 a.m. ET weekdays Best: It will end up being LeBron James. He already is the face for the NBA. Worst: Michael Olowokandi has been embarrassing to the league....

It's where you're known, not from, that counts most: TV's dream teams.(Know It All)
June 7, 2004... Sure, David Stern and the networks are prone to a case of the shakes whenever the Lakers trail in a playoff series--they root, root, root for teams that produce the biggest ratings. Stars, trophies, big-market pedigree... by TV standards, the...

Superstation kryptonite.(Static)(TBS Superstation to be relaunched as all comedy channel)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... * Superstation Kryptonite: This summer TBS, the original "superstation," will cease to be known as Superstation TBS when it relaunches as an all-comedy channel (new marketing slogan: "TBS: Very Funny"). Which helps delineate TBS from sister TNT...

The buzz.(Static)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... * The buzz: The NBA is unhappy with ABC promotion, complaining it ain't like NBC used to do. ABC is unhappy the league doesn't make big-name players available for promos.

Read all about it.(Static)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... * Read all about it: Brandi Chastain, the 1999 World Cup heroine, is writing her soccer memoirs, due in October. Working title: It's Not About the Bra.

FYI.(Static)(Stephen A. Smith of ESPN)
June 7, 2004... * FYI: Stephen A. Smith ESPN NBA studio analyst, has acquired the nickname Screamin' A. Smith. Guess why.

Hanging loose: lunch hour at the virtual races with NASCAR nice guy Kenny Wallace requires a lead foot, a strong stomach and ... hey, you want fries with that shake?(Know It All)
June 7, 2004... I was virtually dead, sliding upside down on the hood of my racecar somewhere along Lowe's Motor Speedway. The Sporting News 352 1/2 wasn't half over, and already I was out of it. It could have been worse, though. I could have been spending...

Let passion be your guide.(My Turn)
June 7, 2004... Sometimes I think I was put on this earth to beat the odds. It seems God dropped me off at a housing project in North Philadelphia but didn't give me the directions to get out. Nobody is really supposed to get out of North Philly. A lot of...

Your turn.(Know It All)(Letter to the Editor)
June 7, 2004... * Recently, I plopped myself down in front of the TV for a springtime playoff bonanza: Game 6 of the NHL's Eastern Conference finals and Game 7 of the NBA's Eastern Conference semifinals. The hockey game was a classic--the Flyers forced...

The man next door: Tim Frisby, All-American.(Know It All)
June 7, 2004... The age thing never was an issue until he pulled out his driver's license before practice one day and blew his teammates' minds. Now they call him "Pops." Say this much for Tim Frisby, South Carolina's oldest ever football walk-on: He's closer...

Just getting started: the play of the Flames' defensemen and the Lightning's forwards will be worth following even after the Stanley Cup finals.(NHL Stanley Cup finals)
June 7, 2004... The Stanley Cup finals have pitted the young, little-known Flames defensemen against the mostly up-and-coming Lightning forwards. This matchup has been a key in deciding who will win the Cup, while also providing a glimpse into the future....

In defense of 'dee-fense!' The emphasis on limiting scoring this postseason could result in the most exciting Finals in years.(NBA Playoffs)
June 7, 2004... In the world of sports, there is no shortage of axioms to describe the benefits of good defense. For example, it always beats good offense. Or, sometimes, it's the best offense. It never rests. It wins championships. It is hereby submitted...

Lucky number? 1: thanks to its draft lottery win, the Magic owns the No. 1 pick. The problem is figuring out what to do with it.(NBA Draft Spotlight)
June 7, 2004... Pat Williams, the Magic's senior vice president, was not supposed to be here in the first place, sitting at a podium in Secaucus, N.J., with representatives from the league's other dregs. Things were looking good in Orlando when the season...

Steady as he goes: an under-the-radar attitude and recalling a little brotherly mentoring have Bobby Labonte quietly climbing the top 10.(NASCAR)
June 7, 2004... Bobby Labonte meanders to his appointed spot, a round table draped with a black cloth, a long-legged director's-style chair behind it. The table, like the others at this media day event, was designated with a cardboard placard bearing his name....

'My head was spinning inside my helmet': Bills quarterback J.P. Losman compares his transition from college star to NFL newbie with driving a fast car. It's exciting and challenging--and it's all a blur.(NFL)
June 7, 2004... The other day at minicamp practice, I became a little confused. I was in such a hurry to get the play called that I guess I mixed in some terminology from my days at Venice (Calif.) High School and Tulane University. My Bills teammates...

Growing their own: the draft and the farm system are fertile areas for the revenue-strapped Twins, who find players--and a way to win--by emphasizing patience, stability and flexibility.(Baseball)
June 7, 2004... At first glance, nothing appeared out of the ordinary about the Twins' 9-1 victory over the White Sox two Saturdays ago. No. 1 starter Brad Radke allowed one run in seven innings and got scoreless relief help from Juan Rincon and J.C. Romero....

Seeing is believing.(NHL)(Stanley Cup)
June 7, 2004... It seems so overdone, this Stanley Cup stuff. Cheesy television voice-overs talk about the history and lure of Lord Stanley's Cup. It can't mean that much. It can't be that good. Then you see it, sitting in grass, reflecting the Florida...

It's time for the Spurs to pay up.(NBA)
June 7, 2004... It has been two weeks, so the shock of Derek Fisher's dagger jumper--the one that took a scant four-tenths of a second to dash the title hopes of the defending champion Spurs and the pre-playoff prediction of yours truly--has settled in and run...

Playing nice isn't always an option.(NASCAR)
June 7, 2004... Since the concept of teammates was first introduced in motorspots, there has been friction to go along with it. Many of us have experienced sibling rivalry--"Mom loves you more than she loves me." Here's how it sounds in the garage: "Joe has...

Rick Hendrick: owner, Hendrick Motorsports.(Q & A)(Interview)
June 7, 2004... Even before Jimmie Johnson dominated the Coca-Cola 600, it had been a rewarding season for Hendrick Motorsports, racing in its 21st season. Q: Take us through an overview of your 20 years in racing. Has it exceeded your expectations? ...

Can the Reds roll on? In a word, no.(Baseball)
June 7, 2004... All right, I'm the guy who ranked the Reds 30th--dead last--in a preseason power poll. I also had the Brewers 25th and the Pirates 29th, which shows how much I knew about the wacky National League Central. Let me also confess that I picked...

Take a rest--it's for your own good.(Closer)
June 7, 2004... As you know, a season consists of 162 games played in roughly 180 days. That leaves us basically 18 off-days, and they are like gold. For West Coast teams, however, many off-days are travel days. You might be off the field on travel days,...

Top five.(Baseball)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Performances by a 40-something player in May: 1 Randy Johnson, 40. His perfect game against the Braves provided us with the perfect opportunity to do this list. 2 Roger Clemens, 41. In a season of strong performances, he threw seven...

Statscape.(Baseball)
June 7, 2004... Want to cook up a quality bullpen with leftovers? The recipe is simple: Take a starter who has trouble getting through a lineup more than once. Get him to shelve one or two of his least dependable pitches. Give him a limited role so he...

The draft can be a fool's gold mine.(Baseball)
June 7, 2004... Successful forecasts of the baseball draft are met with longer odds than Jessica Simpson on Jeopardy. Since the maiden free-agent draft in 1965 ("hey--they're drafting maidens?!"), every scouting director and general manager emerges "cautiously...

Coming attractions.(Baseball)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... After this weekend's series wrap up, interleague play begins for all but two N.L. teams. The interleague schedule isn't too intriguing yet (Royals-Expos!), but there are some good matchups. For example, the Phillies and White Sox, who both have...

Scout's views.(Baseball)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Jason Schmidt had one of the best changeups I've ever seen in his recent win over the Diamondbacks. He threw 40 percent changeups. And they were hard. His changeup was 88 and his fastball was 94. That's not a very wide separation, but it's a...

Matt Holliday, LF, Rockies.(Scouting Report)
June 7, 2004... Ht/Wt: 6-4, 235. B/T: R/R. Ago: 24. First season. Vital stats: Called up because of injuries to outfielders Larry Walker and Preston Wilson, this rookie is taking advantage of his opportunity--especially at Coors Field. He entered the week...

One on one with ... Craig Wilson of Pirates.(Baseball)(Interview)
June 7, 2004... The Pirates' Craig Wilson is making the most of his first fulltime opportunity in the majors. The outfielder/first baseman entered the week leading the club in RBIs and tied for the lead in homers. He was fifth in the National League in batting...

A.L. reports.(Baseball)
June 7, 2004... ANAHIEM ANGELES LF Jose Guillen's recent criticism of Angels pitchers for not retaliating against Blue Jays hitters after he was hit by a pitch is a telling byproduct of his frustration over opponents busting him inside regularly.... RHP...

N.L. reports.(Baseball)
June 7, 2004... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS After RHP Casey Daigle struggled, the club nearly sent him to Class AAA but instead gave him another start. He talked with ace LHP Randy Johnson, who told him to pitch to his strengths rather than to hitters' weaknesses....

Willingham needs wins.(College Football)
June 7, 2004... He is a portrait of poise and presence, of faith and fortitude. This is Tyrone Willingham because there is no other way. This is how you deal with a distinguished alumnus who spouts idiotic, racially insensitive comments about the state of...

Something's fishy in Miami.(NFL)
June 7, 2004... This has been a curious off-season for the Dolphins. In the wake of a season in which Miami missed the playoffs, the organization has raised eyebrows around the league with some puzzling changes. It's hard to see how those moves will make the...

AFC reports.(NFL)
June 7, 2004... BALTIMORE RAVENS The staff is confident RB Musa Smith can carry the ball 15 to 18 times a game if legal problems sideline Jamal Lewis. The coaches have spent the offseason working on Smith's confidence. He's a big back like Lewis but lacks...

NFC reports.(NFL)
June 7, 2004... ARIZONA CARDINALS The versatility of rookie OLB Karlos Dansby should be an asset to a defense that desperately needs playmakers. Dansby runs well, and he looked good in coverage at a recent rookie camp. Coaches also are intrigued by his...

Maintaining Cardinal rule will be tough.(College Basketball)
June 7, 2004... Only four days passed between the announcement that Mike Montgomery would leave Stanford to coach the Golden State Warriors and the revelation that Nevada's Trent Johnson would replace him. But there was no rush to make the formal announcement....

Fantasy source.(Fantasy)
June 7, 2004... ROTO RAP ROB HURTT "Strikeouts are boring. Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls. It's more democratic." It's apparent from Crash Davis' "political" views that this Bull Durham character didn't dabble in fantasy...

Matchup heaven & hell.(Fantasy)(Brief Article)
June 7, 2004... Favorable and unfavorable schedules to keep in mind when setting June lineups: HEAVEN Braves hitters. There are two series against the Marlins, but the Tigers, Royals, Indians and Orioles also are on the docket. Can Chipper Jones and...

Pomp amid fun-filled circumstances.
June 7, 2004... Does anybody play ball in a schoolyard anymore? The bats are broken, the balls wrapped in black tape. The bases are a milk carton here, a tin can there. Maybe a knee gets skinned when you slide across rocks. Maybe a window gets broken with a...

Rev up the fantasy engine.(SportingNews.com)
June 14, 2004... Test your racing savvy by managing a team of six drivers under a salary cap in Fantasy Stock Car Challenge. A new season is about to start, and it's a great way to compete with your friends. There is more than $50,000 in prizes, so sign up at...

A worldly experience.(Sporting News Radio)
June 14, 2004... Catch future NFL stars before they make it big in the battle for NFL Europe bragging rights. Frankfurt will face Berlin in World Bowl XII this Saturday on Sporting News Radio. Kevin Slaten and Dave Lapham will bring you all of the exciting...

He'll love it.(Sporting News Books)
June 14, 2004... Looking for that perfect last-minute Father's Day gift? Get Dad a copy of Baseball Chatter, a collection of stories from baseball's insiders. It's available at bookstores, or call 800-825-8508, or order online at www.sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 7 games--if you can last that long.(Know It All)
June 14, 2004... (1) YOU HEARD IT HERE 'Sooner or later, he's going to have to run into me.' --Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, last week on Sporting News Radio's Tim Brando Show, still angry about Terrell Owens' offseason dis of the Ravens (2) U.S....

See you next year, Smarty? What if ...(New-Age Thinking)
June 14, 2004... Unless you're Secretariat, you don't win the Belmont Stakes after running the first mile and a quarter faster than you ran that distance to win the Kentucky Derby. In the Belmont, there's still a killer quarter to go. Which is why poor...

Bob Hille's starting 5.(Know It All)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... (1) The NBA Finals. I watch the Lakers vs. the Pistons and think "the 80s," but only because I don't know how old Karl Malone really is. (2) Dodgeball. Are you like me? You read the plot summary (underachieving oddballs and...

Caught on the fly.(Know It All)
June 14, 2004... Not to say the NFL's post-June 1 free-agent period was much ado about nothing, but Fly has seen better on the cutting-room floor at UPN. Rave reviews? Hardly The Ravens added veteran quarterback depth last week by signing Kordell...

On air.(Caught On The Fly)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Which NFL quarterback will make the best comeback in 2004? Arnie Spanier 7-10 p.m. ET weekdays Chad Pennington. He injured his wrist last season, but now he is back and ready to roll. As soon as he went down in 2003, the Jets' season...

Simmering over the flame.(My Turn)
June 14, 2004... I used to look forward to the Olympics. Because the Olympics came around only once every four years, I got even more excited about the Games than I did about the first kickoff of the fall. I am partial toward the Summer Olympics. As a kid...

Your turn.(Know It All)(Letter to the Editor)
June 14, 2004... * The media attention on Dale Earnhardt Jr. is really starting to be a pain for some of us non-Earnhardt fans. Matt Kenseth has come across as the Rodney Dangerfield of NASCAR. Kenseth didn't get any respect last year while he was winning the...

Which MLB team is likeliest to win its division?(Counterpoints)
June 14, 2004... It's the Angels In a runaway Johnny Damon says the Angels are the best team in baseball. And that's with half their lineup on the D.L. Just imagine how scary the Halos will be when Garret Anderson, Tim Salmon et al. come back. Yes,...

The soft spot of ESPN25's hard sell.(Remote Patrol)
June 14, 2004... It's ESPN's world. We only consume it. Last week I bought a Happy Meal that included an ESPN25 hand-held game for dessert, hit the supermarket for ESPN25 Gatorade (limited edition--only 1.3 billion bottles produced) and deodorant (with flee...

A conspiracy theorist's delight.(Static)
June 14, 2004... * A conspiracy theorist's delight: Maybe the NBA should've moved ESPN Radio to the auxiliary press box during The Finals. At courtside for Timberwolves-Lakers Game 6, Brent Musburger and analyst Tim Legler heard referee Eddie F. Rush ask the...

The buzz.(Static)
June 14, 2004... * The buzz: ABC, eating the dust of FOX's Coca-Cola 600, is petitioning to run the Indianapolis 500 in prime time.

Vital stats.(Static)
June 14, 2004... * Vital stats: FOX Sports Net's average rating of 3.9 for baseball this year is beating regular-season network ratings for NBA (2.5) and NHL (1.1) combined.

FYI.(Static )
June 14, 2004... * FYI: Al Michaels is the first to call the four major championships (NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, Super Bowl, World Series) on TV. His first ABC assignment, in 1977: World Barrel Jumping Championships.

The running man: no one in the NBA is in better shape than Pistons guard Richard Hamilton--just ask him. And few players have made more progress toward stardom this season--just ask anyone else.(NBA Finals)
June 14, 2004... Coatesville sits in the hills of southeastern Pennsylvania, 46 miles west of Philadelphia off 1-76. It's a mill town, population 10,800, tight-knit, hard-working and blue-collar. It's not the kind of town that is accustomed to national...

Hard reigns: the flames and lightning owe their success to coaches Darryl Sutter and John Tortorella, who lead with tenacity--and without apologies.(NHL)
June 14, 2004... There was a time when the coaches held the hammer. Players fell in line because they had no choice. The coach was the one with the secure job. He called the shots. Now, the players know coaches come and go. They can choose to buy into the...

Hello to arms: hitters have had their way for years, but a growing pool of up-and-coming pitching talent just might even the score--or at least lower the scores.(Baseball)
June 14, 2004... So you're not a fan of the 13-10 slugfest? Don't get your kicks sitting through 3 1/2 hours of pitching changes? Has all this offense become so much like Survivor? You know, so much yesterday's news. Well, if you're a purist who prefers...

Different strokes: for golf to remain Tiger Woods' domain, the king of swing must fix his game--which U.S. Open contenders Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson already have done.(Innovations In Sports)
June 14, 2004... Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh see life on the PGA Tour the same way: Each believes he can be the No. 1 player in the world. Only Woods knows what that feels like; he has led the world rankings since 1999. But both Singh and...

Primetime: in sports, the great ones prolong their run at the top by recognizing when it's time for a change.(Innovations In Sports)
June 14, 2004... Early in his career, and even through the Bulls' first three-peat, Michael Jordan was most dangerous facing the basket. He relentlessly pursued closer shots, and his unmatched quickness enabled him to go wherever he wanted. In his second tour...

Turned on but still ticked off: though he hasn't flushed out his bitterness toward the 49ers, Terrell Owens is stoked about his new start in Philadelphia, where he has an opportunity to craft a legacy as the premier receiver in the NFL--and provide the missing piece in the Eagles' Super Bowl quest.(NFL)
June 14, 2004... Just inside the soaring entry hall of his mini-mansion in suburban Atlanta is a bust of Terrell Owens. Sitting on a pedestal, molded from stark white plaster, it radiates a godlike aura, his chest and abs cut in ripped symmetry, his head...

The fast lane is faster--and better.(NASCAR)
June 14, 2004... Jimmie Johnson had one mission: Get to the front of the pack. It's not as if he didn't have the dominant car May 30 at Lowe's Motor Speedway--he led all but 66 laps. But with 25 laps remaining, Johnson didn't have the patience to wait. He says...

A thinking man's racer: Danny Gill's business education and mechanical know-how--not to mention a huge competitive streak--make him one of the truck series' savviest crew chiefs.(NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series)
June 14, 2004... Danny Gill has learned that the grass isn't always greener in the other NASCAR garages. But after a short stint in working at NASCAR's highest level, Gill is perfectly content to be leading the points race in the Craftsman Truck Series as...

What do these teams need to do to win their first Cup championship?(Driver Reports)
June 14, 2004... KURT BUSCH Busch's luck, especially with equipment, hasn't been the best. He says the team needs "to take care of the things you can control," which includes the initial car setup. Busch believes that testing wisely will help the team get...

The learning never stops.(NHL)
June 14, 2004... There might be a long way to go before another season gets started, but when it does, lessons can be learned from this one. Among them is that a well-constructed, low-payroll team with good goaltending can win. But the Wild and Mighty Ducks...

Pistons didn't need Anthony.(NBA)
June 14, 2004... Last offseason, things were much different in Detroit. The Pistons fired Rick Carlisle, their two-time 50-win coach, and replaced him with NBA drifter Larry Brown. The team had lucked into the No. 2 pick in the draft lottery, thanks to a trade...

Point guards have something to prove in Chicago.(Draft Spotlight)
June 14, 2004... Ivan Koljevic had a long day when he entered the country a few weeks ago. He started with a drive from Podgorica, Montenegro, to Belgrade, then hopped on a flight to Munich, where he changed planes for an eight-hour junket to New York. In all,...

Mullin willing to take chances with Warriors.(Draft Spotlight)
June 14, 2004... When a man pulls a rabbit out of his hat for his first trick, he doesn't just walk offstage. He grabs a saw and heads for the woman in the box. So one gets the impression that Chris Mullin has something else up his sleeve three weeks after...

Blue-light special seems fitting for the Expos.(Baseball)
June 14, 2004... Any group that buys the Expos should demand that Major League Baseball knock down the sale price for devaluing the franchise. If baseball balks, the prospective owners should point to the Expos' failure to land even a draft pick for Vladimir...

All the comforts of home.(Closer)
June 14, 2004... As I've said before, big-league life is awesome. The parks made just for us cost hundreds of millions. We fly on charter flights and never have to put our seatbelts on or our tray tables up. We don't even have to sit down for takeoff. We stay...

One on one with ... Melvin Mora: 3B, Orioles.(Baseball)(Interview)
June 14, 2004... Melvin Mora is off to another torrid start at the plate--he began the week leading the American League in batting at .379. Before a similar hot start last season, he probably was best known as the player whose wife gave birth to quintuplets...

Coming attractions.(Baseball)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... Ivan Rodriguez and Ugueth Urbina will see some familiar faces this weekend when the Marlins visit Comerica Park. Last season, Pudge and Ugie helped Florida shock the baseball world; now they are trying to do the same for the Tigers.... Remember...

Chris Carpenter, RHP, Cardinals.(Scouting Report)
June 14, 2004... Hi/Wt: 6-6, 230. B/T: R/R. Age: 29. Seventh season. Vital stats: After missing most of the past two seasons because of right shoulder problems, Carpenter is off to a strong start. He entered the week with a 6-1 record and 3.44 ERA and had...

Scouts' views: observations and opinions from major league scouts.(Baseball)(Brief Article)
June 14, 2004... National League pitchers are making the same mistakes with Sean Casey that American League pitchers did with David Ortiz last year. They keep throwing the ball right to his power zone, down and in. And Casey is not missing.... Barry Larkin...

A.L. reports.(Baseball)
June 14, 2004... ANAHEIM ANGELS RHP Kelvim Escobar's 4-2 record doesn't show how solid he has been. He has been able to throw his breaking ball for strikes, which lets him get back into counts and put hitters away. He has learned from his bullpen experience...

N.L. reports.(Baseball)
June 14, 2004... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS The early returns on RHP Elmer Dessens in the bullpen are good. He has thrown at 94 mph (as a starter, his fastballs usually were at 90-91 mph), and his fastball has late movement. He has thrown fewer curveballs and has...

Better off without the bully.(College Football)
June 14, 2004... The boys at the Big East don't know how good they've got it. The departure of Miami will be the best thing that ever happened to the league. And to think that frivolous lawsuit against the ACC still is out there, churning along, clogging the...

Shanahan merits a special exception.(NFL)
June 14, 2004... The criticism has become so common, it's almost a cliche: Mike Shanahan is nothing without John Elway. Yes, and Emeril is nothing without butter. Willie Nelson is nothing without that old guitar. And Santa Claus is nothing without flying...