The Sporting News articles from March 2002

The Sporting News archives from March 2002

You pick 'em. (Sportingnews.com).(TSN's Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... If you had the first pick in your fantasy baseball draft, would you take Alex Rodriguez or Randy Johnson? Get TSN's Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit at http://ultimate.sportingnews. com/baseball/draftkit, and you'll know whom to take. Then sign up...

Take me out to the game.(Sporting News Radio)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Sporting News Radio swings for the fences with live broadcasts from spring training 2002. We'll take you on the field and inside the dugouts for the latest news, team reports and in-depth analysis on players to watch. Plus TSN senior writer Ken...

Hitting the hardwood. (Sporting News Radio).(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... As the college basketball season heads into the home stretch, Rick Ballou keeps listeners up to date with the latest scores, analysis and postgame interviews each weeknight, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. ET.

`Hey, didn't you used to be the Ball'more Ravens?' (Caught On The Fly: fly@sportingnews.com).(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... * Welcome to COTF, where Fly's never restricted and always your franchise player. * Out in La La Land, the Lakers barely break even when they go sans Shaq, but don't look for the big guy to get overly taxed down the stretch (April 15 not...

On this year's Lakers vs. last year's championship team. (Sound bites: heard on the air from Sporting News Radio program hosts).(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... "I think we're as good, if not better. We have more speed, we have a little better 3-point shooting attack. But the pieces that are missed are Ron Harper and Horace Grant... their moxie and experience." Phil Jackson can be heard 6-7 p.m....

On ESPN's movie, a season on the Brink. (Sound bites: heard on the air from Sporting News Radio program hosts).(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... "It has Ishtar, Waterworld and 3,000 Miles to Graceland written all over it. Brian Dennehy looks more like a gray-haired Ralph Kramden than Robert Montgomery Knight." Chet Coppock can be heard 7-11 p.m. ET Saturdays and Sundays.

On Al Davis' negotiations with the Bucs over Jon Gruden. (Sound bites: heard on the air from Sporting News Radio program hosts).(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... "The Raiders committed grand larceny. They got a lot younger awful quick and got some money to go with it as a result of the bosses of Tampa Bay embarrassing themselves." Tim Brando can be heard 2-6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

Bob Hille's starting 5. (TSN Sights).(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... (1) The NFL Combine. Four years of college can be rendered meaningless in one weekend. Most of us? It takes a lifetime. (2) The Winter Games. The U.S. team's avalanche of medals fanned the flame of patriotism. OK, actually it...

Choice voice. (Voice Of The Fan).(Letter to the Editor)
March 4, 2002... `Cheating in NASCAR (TSN, February 18)? The sport's bootlegging forefathers must be turning over in their graves after hearing all of those brutally honest admissions by today's racers.' --Joe Daudish, Westchester, Ill.

Weigh-in: power at the plate. (Voice Of The Fan).(Letter to the Editor)
March 4, 2002... The Mets and Rangers missed the playoffs last season, but after some offseason moves, many fans believe those two teams have built themsevles into baseball's best offenses. "Sure, Mo Vaughn and Jeromy Burnitz will strike out a lot, but...

Enough about New York. (Voice Of The Fan).(Letter to the Editor)
March 4, 2002... * The halcyon days when I could get excited about the Pirates' prospects are long gone. I sit here today (as do fans of 18 to 22 other teams) knowing that my team stands zero chance of making the playoffs. Can you at least give me until opening...

Let patriotism ring. (Voice Of The Fan).(Letter to the Editor)
March 4, 2002... It was fantastic to see New England win the NFL title. Thanks also to TSN for a great series of reports on the Patriots' grand title run. The majority of so-called experts who picked the Rams can stuff their predictions anywhere they...

NBA's raising the bar. (Voice Of The Fan).(Letter to the Editor)
March 4, 2002... In regard to hiring practices for coaching positions (TSN, February 11), I believe the NBA is not looking at color but rather at whether the coach can do the job. Right now the NBA has 13 African-American head coaches. The other leagues...

In the name of pride. (Voice Of The Fan).(Letter to the Editor)
March 4, 2002... In the February 4 issue, a sarcastic comment was made about Colgate's victory at Lafayette. The Patriot League prides itself on having true student athletes who have thousand of fans who do care about wins and losses. The league does not...

Knight's tale lacks depth. (Remote Patrol).('A Season on the Brink')
March 4, 2002... After an advance screening, the movie critic's duty is to provide pithy phrases suitable for use in trailers and newspaper notices. Me, I'm perspiring to produce the definitive slogan for the first made-for-ESPN flick, A Season On the Brink....

Static. (TSN Sights).(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... * Grading NBC's Olympic medal-winners: SimulCam ski graphic... Gold. U.S.-Russia hockey I and II... Silver. Bob Costas... Bronze. Mary Carillo... Brass. Russia and Belarus scoring game-winners with MSNBC in commercials... Lead. U.S.-Russia...

The new 1-2: Shaq and Kobe top our list of the NBA's 50 best players, as chosen by general managers and personnel men. (NBA).
March 4, 2002... How can you be sure Shaquille O'Neal is the best player in the NBA? Imagine the league without the Laker's 7-1, 360-pound (we're not buying the 335-pound media guide estimate) center. There would be no talk of a Lakers dynasty and less...

Mavs make their move, but at what cost? (NBA Insider).
March 4, 2002... When I was a young lad, my father taught me there were three things you should never trust: yellow lights, seafood that has been put on clearance sale and very, very rich men. Though I appreciate that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is a self-made...

Trade week winners and losers. (NBA Insider).(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... This much is certain about last week's trading-deadline deals: 1) The Celtics went from playoff hopeful to conference finals contender by adding two solid scoring options at a minimal price. 2) The Warriors officially botched the Marc Jackson...

Eastern Conference. (NBA).
March 4, 2002... Atlantic Division BOSTON CELTICS: The deal that brought SG Tony Delk and SF Rodney Rogers to the Celtics for SG Joe Johnson, PG Milt Palacio, PG Randy Brown and a 2002 first-round draft pick is good for Boston. Johnson and Palacio weren't...

Western Conference. (NBA).(brief notes on professional basketball teams and players)
March 4, 2002... Midwest Division DALLAS MAVERICKS: F/C Raef LaFrentz, one of four new Mavs acquired in a deal with the Nuggets, is a better fit for the team's style than PF Juwan Howard was. LaFrentz can run the floor, is 13th in the league in 3-point...

Lords of the rinks: fifty years to the day since winning its last gold medal, Team Canada broke its Olympic drought with its `stupid' dump-and-chase style. (NHL).(hockey)
March 4, 2002... American coach Herb Brooks called it "stupid" hockey. Twenty-three hockey players--and all of Canada with them--called it golden. Canada won its first Olympic gold medal in 50 years for doing what has made Canadian hockey players...

Olympics fallout could change the game. (NHL Insider).(hockey)
March 4, 2002... Now that the dream hockey final has become a golden moment for Canada, the big top is down and the five-ring winter circus has left town for another four years. But a few questions linger like the aroma from Sweden's quarterfinals loss to...

Eastern Conference post-olympic needs. (NHL).(hockey)
March 4, 2002... Atlantic Division NEW JERSEY DEVILS: The Devils lack consistency. If new coach Kevin Constantine wants to change that, he will have to find a way to spread out the scoring. The `A' line of LW Patrik Elias, C Jason Arnott and RW Petr Sykora...

Western Conference post-olympic needs. (NHL).(hockey)
March 4, 2002... Central Division CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: G Jocelyn Thibault remains the beast of burden, so G.M. Mike Smith might seek an upgrade for Thibault's backup, a job now held by Steve Passmore. The team got a look at Panthers G Trevor Kidd before the...

Minor league status major league cost: after a change in direction, the Busch series is struggling for drivers, funding and attention. (NASCAR).(automobile racing)
March 4, 2002... Since the mid-1980s, the Busch Series has functioned as NASCAR's Class AAA circuit, providing a stable, reliable minor league racing series that represented the final steppingstone to Winston Cup. During most Cup weekends, fans could spend...

Race recap: subway 400, Rockingham, N.C.(automobile race)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Winner Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Ford. Average speed: 115.478 mph. Move of the race Kenseth, strong all day, passed Sterling Marlin and Bobby Labonte with seven laps to go after those two slowed because of an oil slick. See a...

This year, Roush hits the track running. (NASCAR Insider).(Jack Roush, automobile-racing team owner)
March 4, 2002... It's not too late to wish Jack Roush Happy New Year. Of course, nearly any performance would be an improvement over last season, when it took Roush until the 29th race of the season before one of his four cars, the one driven by Jeff...

Ace in a hole: years of overuse have left Pedro Martinez, the king of mound two years ago, at a crossroads in his career. (Baseball).
March 4, 2002... The pen is out of ink. Pedro Martinez, signing autographs at the Red Sox training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., shakes the instrument with his right hand, trying to get it working. Immediately, a fan goes into a near-panic. "Shake the pen...

The team of brotherly angst. (Baseball Insider).(baseball team Philadelphia Phillies; includes related article)
March 4, 2002... The Phillies are the eternal nerds, trying to prove they're with it. Scott Rolen is the coolest kid in class, refusing to even nod their way. Both sides need to grow up before they ruin a perfectly promising season. They might have ruined it...

A.L. (Baseball).(brief notes on American League)
March 4, 2002... Anaheim Angels www.sportingnews.com/baseball/teams/angels THE TIME IS NOW: It's time for farm-system products RHP Ramon Ortiz (age 28), LHP Scott Schoeneweis (28) and LHP Jarrod Washburn (27) to come of age. But if any of the three doesn't...

N.L. (Baseball).(brief notes on National League)
March 4, 2002... Arizona Diamondbacks www.sportingnews.com/baseball/teams/diamondbacks LONG-TERM GOOD: Manager Bob Brenly intends to give LF Luis Gonzalez some games off this season. Gonzalez, whose 57 homers in 2001 were 26 more than his previous high,...

It's high time for a change. (College Football Insider).(use of two-interval play clock during games; includes related article)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Spot the ball. That's all West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez wants the officials to do. In his world, time is of the essence. The quicker the ball is spotted, the quicker his no-huddle offense can run a play. All the better to catch a defense...

It's all good: which is the best conference in college basketball? The only right answer is yours. It is, after all, a matter of personal preference. (College Basketball).
March 4, 2002... Sure, the NCAA Tournament does a nice job of deciding the nation's best team, but when it's over, what does any fan have to show for it but three weeks of intense basketball? It's the dessert course of a season that stretches out over four...

Homing in on a better NCAA bracket. (College Basketball Insider).(NCAA Tournament)
March 4, 2002... No one can promise this year's NCAA Tournament will match the fabulous frenzy of last year's, when the first day of competition featured one overtime game, nine contests decided by 4 or fewer points and seven upsets of higher seeds, including...

TSN Power Poll: through Saturday. (College Basketball).(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... TSN POWER POLL Through Saturday Rk. Team (last week) W-L NCAA Tournament stat or fact 1. Kansas (2) 24-2 Kirk Hinrich career 55.6 3-pt% 2. Duke (1) 24-2 Jason Williams career 30.6...

On Air Ball: a calendar of events. (College Basketball).(televised tournaments)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... ON AIR BALL MARCH Saturday Florida at Kentucky, 12 p.m. ET, CBS 2 Fitch As the 'Cats Turn: Gerald Fitch, Erik Daniels and fake IDs. Fitch, Cory Sears scuffle. Rashaad Carruth might ...

Overrated. (College Basketball).(media coverage of players' future plans)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Coming out. It's now the time of year for sports reporters to browbeat underclassmen with questions about whether they'll play more college ball. It happens every season. Somebody like Florida's Brett Nelson will be looking ahead to an SEC...

Underrated. (College Basketball).(Senior Day in appreciation of senior players)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Senior Day. Many feel that honoring senior athletes before their final home game is hokey, but players such as Southern California forward Sam Clancy deserve applause for the dedication needed to spend four years at this level. After leading...

Player of the week. (College Basketball).(Ugonna Onyekwe)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... As the Quakers kept themselves in the race for an Ivy League title and NCAA Tournament bid with victories over Brown and Yale, no one contributed more than Onyekwe, a 6-8 junior, who averaged 21 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks and shot 67...

Conference call.(college basketball coaches Bob Knight, Paul Westphal)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Bob Knight, Texas Tech During an Oklahoma-Texas Tech game January 26, a player was replaced for ineffective play. After he returned to the bench, he was chewed out by his coach, who punctuated his displeasure by emphatically grabbing the...

This week's spotlight: coaches of the year.(college basketball)(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Herb Sendek, NC State. Sendek entered the year knowing his team--though relying heavily on freshmen--had to show significant improvement, or he would lose his job. Well, the Pack is headed for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991....

$hop $mart: the 2002 free-agent class isn't bursting with stars, but teams seeking to fill specific roles can find what they need. (Free Agents Preview).(football)
March 4, 2002... Call it the Patriot Plan. A year ago, New England made some ripples, but no real splashes, in the free-agent market: Antowain Smith, Mike Vrabel, David Patten, Marc Edwards, Terrell Buckley, Terrance Shaw, Larry Izzo. Bill Belichick and...

AFC. (Free Agents Preview).(football)
March 4, 2002... Baltimore Ravens www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/ravens OUT ROUTE: CB Duane Starks and SS Corey Harris, both starters, might not return. In addition, LB Jamie Sharper is gone, and he could be followed by FS Rod Woodson, DE Rob Burnett and DE...

NFC. (Free Agents Preview).(football)
March 4, 2002... Arizona Cardinals www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/cardinals OUT ROUTE: The club will let RB Michael Pittman test the market. It's a gamble, as backup RB Thomas Jones has shown only flashes of being worth his lofty draft status (seventh...

Texans will spend wisely for free agents. (NFL Insider).(football team Houston Texans)
March 4, 2002... For general managers around the NFL, the words "Houston Texans" are so frightening they could be used interchangeably with the interjection "boo!" The mere mention of the expansion team causes complexions to go from healthy to ashen;...

How the mighty has fallen. (NFL Insider).(Brief Article)
March 4, 2002... Muhammad Ali wanted us to know how pretty he was. So the red tassels on his shoetops were long enough to swing in sweet rhythm with the dancin' man. Mike Tyson had a different idea. His were the theatrics of menace. Black shoes, no socks....

`Hey, didn't you used to be action-packed, fast-paced hockey?' (Caught On The Fly).(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... * Welcome to COTF, where Fly's with Nolan Richardson on this one: No home phone calls, please. * Fresh from Rumorama ("Where the prime 'vine always comes from NoCal"): Night owls at the Worriers' practice facility say Chris Mullin's been...

On coach Nolan Richardson. (Sound bites: heard on the air from Sporting News Radio program hosts).(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... "The sad part of the whole affair is that whenever a high-profile member (of the coaching fraternity) makes a comment that relates to black and white, it opens up the floodgates for racists to air their displeasure with the opposite race." ...

On what the Knicks need. (Sound bites: heard on the air from Sporting News Radio program hosts).(short new form the National Basketball Association)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... "I just think they're a big guy away--even with Marcus Camby... This is a team that's been relying on its defense, and when they haven't got the strength of a shot blocker or a plugger back there behind them, it's really hurt." Phil...

On the purpose of college. (Sound bites: heard on the air from Sporting News Radio program hosts).(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... "If you choose to go to college to become a better basketball or football player, good for you. The next time a science major hits 20 points in a game, I'll worry if the football player gets a 3.9 GPA in biophysics." Peter Brown can be...

Bob Hille's starting 5. (Caught On The Fly).
March 11, 2002... (1) Selection Sunday. I'm interested in the bracket only because I'm a big college basketball fan... just like I'm interested in casinos only because I'm a big cigarette smoke and slot-machine noise fan. (2) John Madden. He left...

Choice voice. (Voice Of The Fan).
March 11, 2002... `The Lakers should be favored to win another title. As long as officials refuse to call charing on Shaquille O'Neal when he throws his shoulder into a defender .. the Lakers can't be beaten.' --Jim LaRose, Scranton, Pa.

Icing on the cake. (Voice Of The Fan).
March 11, 2002... Hats off to Salt Lake City and the USA for an excellent Olympics. But, as the Canadian women showed first and then the Canadian men reinforced, hockey is still OUR game. Moreover, Canadian ice hockey superiority is deep enough where the...

Startling oversight. (Voice Of The Fan).
March 11, 2002... In regard to "Startling outcomes" (TSN, February 11), you could have included Michigan's 24-12 victory over Ohio State in 1969. That Ohio State team has been called the best college football team ever. The game was in Bo Schembechler's first...

Weigh-in: their cup chances runneth over. (Voice Of The Fan).(hockey news)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... The Red Wings and the Flyers seem to have fans convinced they will carry their regular-season success right on through the NHL playoffs and into a meeting for Lord Stanley's silverware. "Philadelphia has everything. Good goaltending,...

Road to stardom? (Voice Of The Fan).
March 11, 2002... After leading the Bears to a winning record, the division championship and a first-round bye in the playoffs, Jim Miller is still being disparaged as a quarterback. Perhaps he should adopt a catchy nickname. He would have a better chance of...

Irish eyes defying. (Voice Of The Fan).
March 11, 2002... This year's coverage of football recruiting (TSN, February 11 and 18) was good and much improved over last year. However, it was not up to the standards of two years ago. It left out Notre Dame and many other conferences and schools. Why? I...

A valid case for Valpo. (Voice OF The Fan).(Letter to the Editor)
March 11, 2002... In your recent article about teams from midlevel conferences (TSN, February 25), I was disappointed to see that you left out Valparaiso. Over the last decade, Valpo has been one of the best and most consistent mid-major teams in the NCAA. It...

Upon further review ... (Voice Of The Fan).(Letter to the Editor)
March 11, 2002... * Moises Alou is expected to be the No. 5 hitter in the Cubs' lineup once the season starts. His name was incorrect in the March 4 issue. * A picture in the February 18 issue identified as Xavier basketball player David West was actually...

The weigh-in. (Voice Of The Fan).(Letter to the Editor)
March 11, 2002... The Houston Texans are on the clock. According to most mock drafts, including TSN's, the expansion franchise has its sights set on David Carr. But some experts and fans think Joey Harrington is a better choice if the team wants a quarterback....

Information, please. (Voice Of The Fan).(Letter to the Editor)
March 11, 2002... To subscribe to The Sporting News: call 800-777-6785. To purchase a TSN yearbook: call 800-825-8508, Dept. TSN To purchase a TSN book: call 800-825-8508, Dept. TSN. For subscription/delivery problems: call 800-777-6785 or e-mail at...

A cease-fire in the bracket wars. (Remote Patrol).(television coverage of college basketball)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... Office pools ready? GENTLEMEN, START YOUR PENCILS! Surely you'll watch the unveiling of the NCAA Tournament bracket on CBS, since Selection Sunday has been designated a demilitarized zone. For the 20th year, The Eye sees and shows the field...

Static. (Remote Patrol).(brief notes on television coverage of sports)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... * Can this marriage work? Pat Summerall made John Madden a star by giving him a wide berth. Al Michaels likes to talk and lapses into analysis. Forgive us skeptics for asking if this instant Monday Night Football duo will save Western...

Mount McKinnie: with his enourmous size, athletic ability, signature `reach' move and upside, Miami left tackle Bryant McKinnie could set a new standard for NFLoffensive linemen. (NFL).(football player)
March 11, 2002... Clothes are strewn across the floor. Bud Light is in the fridge. Burglar bars are on the windows. And, oh yeah, the Outland Trophy sits on a wobbly TV stand, in a place where someone might drop his keys. It's fitting this is the home of...

The hit parade at left tackle. (NFL Insider).(football draft; includes other notes)
March 11, 2002... Teams in search of a left tackle need not dispatch scouts to Saskatchewan, Barcelona and Grand Rapids. They need not set up a visit with every street free agent who fills up a doorway. They need not butter up agents of undrafted players with...

AFC. (NFL).(brief notes on National Football League)
March 11, 2002... Baltimore Ravens www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/ravens NO DEAL: Releasing QB Elvis Grbac, who would not take a $5 million pay cut, is best for the team, even though coach Brian Billick wanted him back. Considering the team's dramatic...

NFC. (NFL).(brief notes on National Football League)
March 11, 2002... Pittsburgh Steelers www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/steelers TOO GOOD TO LOSE: Three restricted flee agents were tendered offers last week: OLB Joey Porter, RB Amos Zereoue and DE Aaron Smith. The player the team can least afford to lose is...

A `desperate' man: nine years into his career, Kings forward Chris Webber knows this season represents his first real chance at a championship. (NBA).(basketball player; includes related article)
March 11, 2002... It was early May last year, and the Kings still were playing basketball, an oddity in Sacramento, one that called for celebration. After all, it had been 20 years since the Kings had won a postseason series, and heck, 20 years ago, the local...

Young wizards face `growing-up time'. (NBA Insider).(basketball team Washington Wizards; includes related article)
March 11, 2002... Playoffs? Doug Collins does not want to talk about playoffs. How can he talk about the playoffs when his team lost nine of its last 10 games and faces a 13-day, seven-game road trip through the meaty section of March? How can he talk such...

Identity crisis? Pacers hope not. (NBA Insider).(basketball team Indiana Pacers)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal sat in front of his locker, his legs sprawled in front of him, his bottom lip swollen and bloodied. He had caught an elbow in the paint in his team's grinding overtime win over the Warriors, though he was not...

One on one with ... Jason Richardson. (NBA Insider).(basketball player)(Interview)
March 11, 2002... After winning the slam dunk contest and receiving MVP honors in the rookies vs. sophomores game on All-Star weekend, Warriors rookie guard Jason Richardson has parlayed that success into more confident performances. He has averaged 16.3 points...

Eastern conference.(brief notes on professional basketball)
March 11, 2002... Atlantic Division BOSTON CELTICS: Added to the urgency of ending the team's four-game losing streak entering last weekend was the pressure of incorporating SG Tony Delk and SF Rodney Rogers. Acquired in a February 20 trade, the two...

Western conference. (NBA).(brief notes on professional basketball)
March 11, 2002... Midwest Division DALLAS MAVERICKS: Coach Don Nelson says G/F Tariq Abdul-Wahad may be the key to the recent trade with the Nuggets. Nelson says Abdul-Wahad, known for his defense, is valuable because of defensive specialist SG Greg...

Imperfect beauties: sure, powerhouses such as Kansas, Maryland and Duke are rich with stunning attributes, but that doesn't mean they don't have their birthmarks. (Selection Sunday Preview).(college basketball)
March 11, 2002... Perfection is out there if you look for it. You can feel it sitting in the plaza outside Rome's Pantheon on a warm summer night. You can see it as Jennifer Aniston smiles from your television every Thursday night. It's there if you catch Denzel...

Bracket breakdown. (College Basketball).
March 11, 2002... * Who will get the fourth No. 1 seed? Oklahoma. * Where will Duke and Maryland be sent? Duke, South; Maryland, East. * How many teams will get in from the Big East? Six. * Who's going to win it all? Considering Illinois was our...

Running in the shadows: you might be surprised at the list of drivers who never have won a Winston Cup championship. (NASCAR).(automobile racing)
March 11, 2002... Many Winston Cup drivers have demonstrated tremendous driving talent, recorded memorable victories and achieved a measure of stardom in their careers. But just as with Dan Marino, an all-time great NFL quarterback who never won a Super Bowl,...

Evernham found an anchor in Elliott. (NASCAR Insider).(automobile racing personality Bill Elliott; includes related notes)
March 11, 2002... Bill Elliott means a lot to a lot of people. To his fans, he remains "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville"--they have voted him the most popular driver 15 times, more than any other competitor in the history of Winston Cup. To his...

Don't blow it: if the Hurricanes don't win the `Southleast' division, they very well could miss the playoffs. Have they got what it takes to play in the postseason? (NHL).(hockey team Carolina Hurricanes)
March 11, 2002... As the leading scorer on an NHL team that showed up on the playoff scene a year ago, Hurricanes winger Jeff O'Neill figured everything was falling into place. His career was blossoming, and hockey finally was showing signs of catching on in...

Mario's costly hip check. (NHL Insider).(hockey player Mario Lemieux; includes related article)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... Mario Lemieux is the No. 7 scorer in NHL history, a six-time scoring champion, a three-time league MVP, an Olympic gold medalist. Not a bad resume by any measure, but Pittsburgh general manager Craig Patrick says Lemieux's absence for the...

Scouting the East.(hockey)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... TRADE RUMORS: Talks started brewing over the Olympic break, but with the March 19 deadline looming, a cauldron has stirred in recent days. In Boston, the rumor of RW Bill Guerin going to Colorado for C Chris Drury won't die. The Islanders and...

Scouting the West.(hockey)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... TRADE RUMORS: The Olympics gave Offers D Tom Poti a chance to showcase his passing and puck-handling ability, qualities many teams covet for their blue line. So the time is right for Edmonton G.M. Kevin Lowe to deal Poti for a much-needed...

Hat trick.(notes on hockey)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... 1 Salt Ache City. Stanley Cup contenders and playoff hopefuls alike are struggling as the number of injured Olympians grows. It seems everyone is complaining--except the Russians. Go figure. 2 Who's next? Curtis Joseph's broken hand means...

Capture the moment.(Team Canada-related memorabilia)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2002... Team Canada's medal at the Winter Olympics means you have a golden opportunity to collect memorabilia celebrating an accomplishment 50 years in the making. To order your 11x14 keepsake covers--or to get your souvenir copy of the Team Canada...