The Sporting News articles from March 2004

The Sporting News archives from March 2004

Gear up for spring.(SportingNews.com)
March 1, 2004... Teams already are reporting to Florida and Arizona, so if you've been itching to put together a fantasy league, why wait any longer? There are all kinds of ways to play, including with our great market-based games as well as with Draft & Trade...

Going on tour.(SportingNewsRadio)
March 1, 2004... Sporting News Radio is now the official radio partner of the PGA Tour, so tune in for exclusive coverage of tour events, player interviews and golf tips. Plus, catch "This Week on the PGA Tour," a segment of the Tim Brando Show that features...

A scout's view.(SportingNewsBoooks)
March 1, 2004... See major leaguers through the eyes of big-league scouts. The 2004 Ultimate Baseball Scouting Guide includes grades, rankings and evaluations for every player. It's available in bookstores or by calling 800-825-8508, or going online at...

To know list: 6 years till Alfonso Soriano turns, what, 40?(Know It All)
March 1, 2004... (1) A GUIDE TO THE COMING MONTH Are you ready for some brackets? MARCH 1, 2004 All times Eastern TUE 2 Are you sitting down, Horizon Conference hoops fans?... Hello?... Hello? The first three of a seemingly endless stream of...

Bob Hille's starting 5.(Know It All)
March 1, 2004... (1) Colorado football, Well, well, well. Turns out that "We didn't know" is the main ingredient of a big, steaming slice of Ralphie pie. (2) The Yankees' lineup. You look at Nos. 1 through 8 and think, "My God!" Speaking of...

These mug shots aren't the problem.(Caught On The Fly)
March 1, 2004... With the trade deadline near, Blues G.M. Larry Pleau says his team isn't in selling mode because it still is in the hunt. There you have it: the Dennis Kucinich of the NHL. The NCAA is getting close to passing legislation that would ban...

On air.(Caught On The Fly)
March 1, 2004... ON AIR from the Century 21 Studios SPORTS OSCARS Bob Berger Says: "The Pats and Marlins were weak at the start and became blockbusters. A great ensemble cast beats a superstar every time." Kevin...

Living the dream.(My Turn)
March 1, 2004... Basketball is a game, but it has defined my life. My successes and failures have revolved around basketball. Right now, I'd have to say things are pretty good. I am the head coach of the Manhattanville College men's basketball team. You might...

Your turn.(Know It All)
March 1, 2004... * Once again, the Red Sox have allowed the Yankees to steal a player that should have been theirs. It seems the Red Sox are continually setting themselves up to be upstaged by the Yankees. This latest blunder thoroughly convinces me that I will...

Reel sports: the Oscar Madisons.(Know It All)
March 1, 2004... Remember how proud of yourself you were in elementary school when your teacher put a gold star on your math homework and wrote, "Great job!!!"? The desire for recognition doesn't stop when you grow up--which is why Hollywood invented awards...

Static.(Know It All)
March 1, 2004... Fifty years ago this month, Milan High (enrollment 162) won Indiana's state basketball championship, inspiring the 1986 hit Hoosiers. But screening The Milan Miracle--an ESPN Classic documentary, including interviews with actual participants...

Live and let live.(Static)
March 1, 2004... * Live and let live: Should sports be broadcast on 5-second delay, just to be "safe"? Nyet. That would be an overreaction, like reinstating Up With People as halftime entertainment. Actually, television broadcasters are voluntarily...

Memphis marvel: after a lifetime of losing, the Grizzlies--that's right, the Grizzlies--have their sights set on the playoffs.(NBA)
March 1, 2004... If Michael Heisley hadn't become the majority owner and moved the team out of Vancouver, then Jerry West wouldn't have left retirement behind and headed for Memphis. If the Grizzlies hadn't started last season 0-8, then West wouldn't have...

Polished steel: College basketball: toughness and steadiness form the foundation of Pittsburgh's mettle, but this team has more flash than past panthers squads.
March 1, 2004... A remote control rests in Jamie Dixon's left hand, but it might as well he a magic wand. As he watches tape on a flat-screen TV in the hack of his office, Dixon makes dead air disappear. As one play unfolds, he points his right index finger at...

Sunnyside up: after stumbling through a dismal 2003, Elliott Sadler and Robert Yates Racing are starting 2004 with a bright outlook.(NASCAR)
March 1, 2004... Elliott Sadler's out-of-control ride last September at Talladega was emblematic of his entire first season with Robert Yates Racing. Sadler started the race from the pole position--the second pole of his five-year Cup career--but while...

Dirty deeds, done dirt cheap: with dark labor-war clouds gathering beyond the trade deadline, bargains exist for teams willing to pay a little now for what might be a big hit later.(NHL)
March 1, 2004... The analogy of a black hole seems appropriate. The looming darkness of the expiring collective bargaining agreement has 30 teams preparing their Stanley Cup space shuttle a little differently. And so when it comes to the postseason, there's no...

Cover charge: Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor help make cornerback the deepest position on the market, but the Eagles' duo and other name players might not find a big payoff in a changing business climate.(NFL Free-Agent Preview)
March 1, 2004... BY THE WAR ROOM The Eagles' defense starts with pressure up front and heavy blitzing from the linebackers and safeties. But it wouldn't have clicked with clockwork precision for so many years if Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor, a pair of...

Free-agent preview.
March 1, 2004... ARIZONA CARDINALS CAP STATUS: The team is about $13 million under the cap and has about $8 million it could spend on free agents. The team has most of its key players signed to long-term deals, so it will spend most of its budget on...

Keep Martin in a classy ride.(NASCAR)
March 1, 2004... Don't despair, Mark Martin. As far as the Nextel Cup championship goes, it might be better to crap out in the Daytona 500 than to win it. You wouldn't be the first NASCAR driver to go from worst to first after rolling snake eyes in the...

One on one with ... Lesa France Kennedy: NASCAR board member and president of International Speedway Corp.
March 1, 2004... TSN" With your brother, Brian, now NASCAR chairman and CEO, will we see ISC and NASCAR working more closely together than in the past? LFK: Like everyone in the industry, it depends upon the projects that you're working on. We work closely...

Players want a pretty package.(NHL)
March 1, 2004... It is the center of the firestorm, this innocent-looking piece of paper. Ever since the October 1 meeting when the NHL presented its collective bargaining proposal to players--in the form of a singular sheet--the players and their union have...

One on one with ... Chris Pronger, D, Blues.
March 1, 2004... TSN: You've come back from wrist and knee injuries and are playing Norris Trophy-caliber hockey. How does this season compare to some of your other good seasons? CP: I think it's comparable. I feel very comfortable on the ice and reel like...

Marian Gaborik, RW, Wild.(Scouting Report)
March 1, 2004... 6-1, 183 Age: 22 A year ago, Gaborik was being hailed as the league's next great star. However, he missed the early part of the season while in a contract dispute, and it has taken time for him to get his game back. He won't reach his...

Ahem! The Yankees are not evil.(Baseball)
March 1, 2004... The Yankees are not bad for baseball, and neither was their trade for Alex Rodriguez. Fans who want Major League Baseball to become more like the NFL conveniently overlook the outcomes of the past three World Series. The Yankees did not win any...

Guts and money are a winning combination.(Closer)
March 1, 2004... Did you ever play Monopoly growing up? Didn't you hate it when someone had Park Place and Boardwalk? Didn't you really hate it when that person got up enough money to put hotels on both? Once that happened, it was just a matter of time before...

Matchup of mashers.(Baseball)
March 1, 2004... Matchup of mashers The Yankees and Red Sox will meet just twice in spring training, but you would expect that both teams will field their "A" lineups in the early innings. Which lineup will be more productive in the regular season? A...

Check out our latest books.(Baseball)
March 1, 2004... The players are getting ready for opening day, and fans can, too. The best way to prepare for the 2004 season--and to follow the game throughout the year--is to have the SPORTING NEWS baseball library at your side. The Baseball Guide, the...

A.L. reports.(Baseball)
March 1, 2004... ANAHEIM ANGELS G.M. Bill Stoneman insists IF Alfredo Amezaga has a chance to take the shortstop job away from David Eckstein, but that might not be realistic considering Amezaga looked overmatched at the plate in 105 at-bats last season. Before...

N.L. reports.(Baseball)
March 1, 2004... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS One concern the club had in making Bobby Hammock the starting catcher was how his slight frame (5-11,180) would hold up. Hammock spent the offseason bulking up but injured his knee and had surgery February 13. He should be...

Some work better under deadline pressure.(NBA)
March 1, 2004... A six-game losing streak creates tension, especially when the skidding team thinks of itself as an NBA Finals contender. Such were the fortunes of the Detroit Pistons as the trade deadline neared. Detroit was mired in a stretch in which it...

It's beginning to look a lot like last season for the Spurs.(NBA)
March 1, 2004... The similarities are eerie: Massive roster turnover, player confusion, questions at the center spot and a ho-hum start. These were realities for the Spurs early last season, and those realities returned this year. The Spurs brought in a bunch...

Underseeds sprout discontent.(College Basketball)
March 1, 2004... Gonzaga coach Mark Few doesn't need any favors. He has Blake Stepp. He has Ronny Turiaf. He has a team that had lost only twice, that so far was beaten only by the unbeatable, that hadn't let an opponent finish within a dozen points in nearly...

TSN Power poll.(College Basketball)
March 1, 2004... TSN POWER POLL The TSN Power Poll is determined by TSN writers and editors. Rk. Team (last week) W-L Most improved player 1. Stanford (1) 23-0 Chris Hernandez has gone from steady PG...

Chris Paul, PG, Wake Forest.(Player of the Week)
March 1, 2004... In a season dominated by players and teams with extensive experience, Paul has been one of the few great freshmen. He missed few opportunities to damage his opponents in victories over Cincinnati and Duke. He missed only seven minutes of...

Mike Decourcy'S 3 questions.
March 1, 2004... 1 Is Air Force a bubble team? Don't believe that talk-show conversation. Barring a complete collapse, there is no way the Falcons won't make the NCAA Tournament field. They won their first three games against top 50 teams. They're 21/2 games...

Observations from the sidelines.(Scouts' views)
March 1, 2004... Mississippi State's Lawrence Roberts dominates the boards and dunks everything. He's just got a killer instinct. He's got some skill and can shoot the 3. The next best power forward might be Vanderbilt's Matt Freije. Roberts and Oklahoma...

In the field: Oklahoma State.(Tournament watch)
March 1, 2004... Season to date: Eddie Sutton's Cowboys entered Big 12 play without having accomplished much, mostly because they weren't asked to. The preconference schedule included only four major-conference opponents, and Oklahoma State lost to the best of...

On the bubble: Michigan.(Tournament watch)
March 1, 2004... Season to date: In defeating N.C. State at home, Michigan became one of the few Big Ten teams to succeed in the league's challenge against the ACC. That was the high point of the season, which declined with home losses to Boston University and...

Who is ... Jaime Lloreda?
March 1, 2004... 6-9/245, Sr., F/C, LSU Brandon Bass, one of the top freshmen in the nation, represents the future of LSU basketball. But the focal point of its present is Jaime Lloreda (HI-me, YA-raid-uh). He averages 17.2 points, and his 11.6 rebounds...

Jump in the pool.(College Basketball)
March 1, 2004... Think you're a genius at making tourney picks? Then beginning Friday, sign up to play the Pontiac Performance Bracket Drive on SportingNews.com. It's free to enter, and you'll have the chance to win a personal computer while competing against...

Rivers belongs in great QB debate.(NFL)
March 1, 2004... Now that the NFL has barreled through the Scouting Combine and is heading toward the draft, the debate escalates: Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger? The problem with this debate is its narrowness. Any discussion about which quarterback...

Louisville's class conflict.(College Football)
March 1, 2004... A hotshot 17-or 18-year-old saunters in front of a television camera, and grown men wait breathlessly for him to announce where he'll play college football. Moments later, some program's future never looked so bright. Last year, Michael...

Fantasy source.(Fantasy)
March 1, 2004... ROTO RAP by BRENDAN ROBERTS There aren't many things more delightful for fantasy owners than a new team owner changing the prospective landscape of the American League and putting together a potential fantasy powerhouse. Angels owner...

Only 162 games will settle this score.
March 1, 2004... In his dual role as baseball commissioner and playground monitor, Bud Selig has ordered timeouts for John and George. The boys became unruly when arguing about a new A-Rod baseball card. John had it once, but then decided he didn't want...

Keep track of the draft.(SportingNews.Com)
March 8, 2004... Mike Williams and Maurice Clarett are going pro, so where will they be drafted? Find out with SportingNews.com's Draft Central, which projects the picks and analyzes hundreds of pro prospects. It also includes scouting reports for veteran free...

Tune in, turn on and hoop it up.(SportingNews Radio)
March 8, 2004... Brush up on your college hoops just in time for the big dance. The Jeff Rickard Show hits the airwaves this week, and Jeff will feature college basketball insider Matt Doherty weekly in March. Tune in to hear from a variety of personalities...

Behind the scenes.(SportingNews Books)
March 8, 2004... In Baseball Chatter, the game's insiders tell some of its greatest stories. Players, managers and others take you behind the scenes. Get your copy in bookstores, or order by calling 800-825-8508 or going online at www.sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 5 performance enhancers for your sports-centered brain.(Know It All)
March 8, 2004... (1) STEROIDS IN BASEBALL The heat is being turned up on the game and its players. Cubs manager Dusty Baker calls the increasing suspicion of players McCarthyism, and he isn't wrong. Others call it a witch hunt, and they're not wrong....

Bob Hille's starting 5.(Know It All)
March 8, 2004... (1) Jamal Lewis. Wow, if he's convicted of drug trafficking, you'd have to rank it as the second-worst crime by a 2,000-yard rusher, right behind Eric Dickerson's performance as a sideline reporter. (2) NCAA Tourney. Man, I know...

Speaking of big-shot owners ...(Caught On The Fly)
March 8, 2004... Mavs main man Mark Cuban will give some lucky contestant a million bucks this summer as the host of a reality show on ABC. And here's the best part: It's not a beauty pageant or a survival-of-the-fittest competition. The winner, in fact, will...

On air.(Know It All)
March 8, 2004... Bob Stelton says: "Phil Jackson has nothing left to prove. If he goes, Shaq goes. Kobe wants to prove he can succeed without Shaq and without any coaching. Bye-bye, Kobe." ON AIR Bob...

One awesome adventure.(My Turn)
March 8, 2004... What if Dick Vitale, basketball coach, hadn't become a basketball broadcaster 25 years ago? I would be dead today (the ultimate ziggy!). You've got to understand, sports were my life. Growing up in Jersey, I could name every player on the...

Your turn.(Know It All)
March 8, 2004... * Thank you, Fly, for pointing out what I've been saying ever since Roger Clemens signed with the Astros: It's going to be fun to watch Clemens find out what life is like on the other side of the plate (TSN, February 23). Go ahead, Rocket,...

See the game like a scout.(Ultimate Expertise)
March 8, 2004... So who's the best player in baseball--Alex Rodriguez or Barry Bonds? And who comes next? Maybe Albert Pujols or Derek Jeter? What's not to like about Vladimir Guerrero and Sammy Sosa? No pressure, just tell the general manager what you really...

A free taste.(Know It All)
March 8, 2004... A free taste In this excerpt from the Ultimate Baseball Scouting Guide, a major league scout rates the skills of the game's righthanded starters: Best heater: Best two-seam Best curveball: Mark Prior, ...

Selection Sunday preview.(On deck in the March 15 issue of the Sporting News)
March 8, 2004... Every year, you hear the same tenets for tournament success: You need senior leadership, you need to play great defense and so on. College basketball insider Mike DeCourcy will shed some light on which adages are truth and which are fiction....

Hitting the high notes.(Static)
March 8, 2004... Hitting the high notes: ABC is offering an NBA schedule on Sundays through the end of the season, in case you've forgotten (and apparently you have, because LeBron James' network debut got just half the rating of FOX's NASCAR Subway 400). So...

The buzz.(Static)
March 8, 2004... * The buzz: News Corp's Rupert Murdoch is floating the notion of launching (abetted by Comcast and other cable heavies) a national sports channel; FOX Sports boss David Hill, deputized to study the feasibility of an anti-ESPN, muses, "Look what...

Vital stat.(Static)
March 8, 2004... * Vital stat: The suggested retail for the three-DVD box set of Playmakers, available April 20, is $49.95.

FYI.(Static)
March 8, 2004... * FYI: Replacing Max Kellerman (who has for FOX Sports Net) as host of ESPN s Around the Horn is Tony Reali (alter ego: "Stat Boy" on PTI).

Do not adjust your set.(Static)
March 8, 2004... * Do not adjust your set: Livin' on a prayer, NBC's AFL coverage featured live, in-game two-way communication with the Philadelphia franchise's owner, Jon Bon Jovi.

Success story: Sam Cassell has turned the page in Minnesota, giving the Timberwolves reason to believe there could be a happy ending come June.(NBA)
March 8, 2004... Think of this as a modern basketball fable. Let's call it, The Boy who Cried Timberwolf. You see, Sam Cassell plays basketball, and for him, it always has been a simple game. There's some running, there's some shooting, there's some...

In defense of respect: the world champion Marlins are eager to show disbelievers--and that means you--that last season was no fluke.(Baseball)
March 8, 2004... Is it March already? My, how time flies when you're ringing the bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange, dating lingerie models, receiving blessings from the pope and hanging out with Carson Daly, David Letterman and, of course, President Bush. ...

From front to back: a growing trend of putting scoring forwards on the blue line during the power play could be the secret to success down the stretch and in the playoffs.(NHL)
March 8, 2004... Standing inside the blue line, the forward swings his stick back, the blade pointing toward the ceiling of Toronto's Air Canada Centre as he winds up for the one-timer. Everybody watching the Senators and the Maple Leafs knows what will happen...

Wholly inspired: Larry Fitzgerald is the product of special forces--physical and emotional, collegial and professional, individual and familial--that have shaped him into an NFL-ready receiver and polished person at age 20.(NFL)
March 8, 2004... He is a lesson in complexity. He is a dual argument for heredity and environment. He is gloves and genetics and Dennis Green and the guys from the Minnesota Vikings. He is Minneapolis and Valley Forge Military Academy and the University of...

We are sports history.
March 8, 2004... We are living examples of moments that carved niches in time and the plot twists and turns that accompanied them. We set our allegiances to history. We set our disloyalty to it, too. But what if the events that set the foundation for our...

What if the Trail Blazers had drafted Michael Jordan instead of Sam Bowie?(NBA)
March 8, 2004... Michael Jordan, Portland Trail Blazers. Sounds strange, doesn't it? If not for the NBA's infatuation with big men in 1984, Jordan could have ended up playing in Nike's backyard. But centers--Hakeem Olajuwon to Houston and Sam Bowie to...

What if the players hadn't gone on strike in 1994?(Baseball)
March 8, 2004... In summer 1993, major league baseball fans set an attendance record, thanks in part to the arrival of the expansion Rockies and Marlins. Without a players strike in 1994, that momentum could have led to untold gains at the turnstile as the...

What if Richard Petty hadn't become a racecar driver?(NASCAR)
March 8, 2004... In a phenomenal career that spanned 34 years, Richard Petty started 1,177 races--127 from the pole--and posted 200 victories, winning seven championships in NASCAR's top division. Petty's accomplishments on the track, combined with his...

What if the Oilers never had traded Wayne Gretzky?(NHL)
March 8, 2004... On August 9, 1988, Wayne Gretzky was traded from (more accurately, sold by) the Oilers to the Kings. Gretzky, Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski went south, and the Kings sent Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three future first-round picks and...

What if the NCAA had created an eight-team playoff, and there were no BCS?(College Football)
March 8, 2004... In spring 1992, the Bowl Coalition formed to slot champions of the Southeastern, Southwest and Big Eight conferences into the Orange, Sugar, Cotton and Fiesta Bowls. The system evolved into the Bowl Championship Series, which includes the SEC,...

What if Kentucky had gotten the death penalty in 1989?(College Basketball)
March 8, 2004... On May 19, 1989, the NCAA placed Kentucky on a three-year probation, banning the Wildcats from postseason competition for two seasons and from television appearances for one. It was a harsh penalty but could have been worse. The NCAA considered...

What if Barry Sanders hadn't retired early?(NFL)
March 8, 2004... On October 27, 2002, Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith surpassed Walter Payton's NFL career rushing record of 16,726 yards. Smith finished the 2002 season with 17,162 career rushing yards but was released by Dallas in the offseason and signed...

Success is bittersweet for Dalembert.(NBA)
March 8, 2004... Samuel Dalembert watches the news on television, and the images strike him. The places are familiar. He sees pictures in the newspaper, pictures of fires and crying children and men with guns. He recognizes them--maybe not explicitly, but there...

The Nets' M.O.: catch us if you can.(Straight Shooting)
March 8, 2004... One of the season's most startling development has been the resurgence of the Nets. Obviously, the most significant change has been in the command seat, where Lawrence Frank has succeeded Byron Scott. Because of his insufferable arrogance poor...

Message to NASCAR: stay out of gray matters.(NASCAR)
March 8, 2004... Perhaps the hardest thing for an athlete to hear is: "Your services are no longer needed," or some variation on that theme. Every time a jock reaches the next rung on the ladder, the competition heightens, and the chances of making the team...

Driver reports: drivers reports, written by Lee Spencer, analyze high-profile Nextel Cup teams. The reports will appear next in the March 29 issue: who has the best chance of winning the title for each manufacturer and why?(NASCAR)
March 8, 2004... Who has the best chance of winning the title for each manufacturer and why? DALE EARNHARDT JR. Earnhardt is leading the Cup points race for the CHEVROLET first time in his career. He knows that races and ...

Fearsome foursome: Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and newcomer Toyota each has talent capable of winning a championship.(NASCAR)
March 8, 2004... For the first time since Dodge became serious about the Craftsman Truck Series, there s a renewed interest among manufacturers and fans because of Toyota's arrival on the circuit. Having witnessed Toyota's success in other racing series, the...

Long bench has horns sitting pretty.(College Basketball)
March 8, 2004... Here in the handsome, manly new Texas dressing room, none of the Longhorns is likely to wander off into a corner and hide from his teammates. There are no corners. The dark wood lockers are arranged in a semi-circle, which seems a calculated...

TSN power poll.(College Basketball)
March 8, 2004... TSN POWER POLL The TSN Power Poll is determined by TSN writers and editors. Rk. Team (last week) W-L TSNumber 1. Stanford (1) 25-0 20.7: Josh Childress' scoring average over the...

David Harrison, C, Colorado.(Player of the Week)
March 8, 2004... As Colorado kept alive its NCAA Tournament pursuit with victories over Oklahoma and Texas A&M, Harrison extended his recent run of impressive outings by averaging 21.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks. He made 15 of 23 shots from the field...

Mike DeCourcy's 3 questions.
March 8, 2004... 1 Might this be the year RPI wonks are quieted? The RPI usually does well identifying the best teams by season's end, but this time it isn't helping the selection committee much. Before a blowout loss to Wisconsin on Sunday, Purdue ranked 92nd...

Here come the Spartans.(College Basketball)
March 8, 2004... A lot was made of Michigan State's struggles during its tough nonconference schedule--maybe the toughest I've ever seen. But after getting off to a rocky start, the true character of the team is coming through. The Spartans could have imploded...

In the field: Providence.(Tournament watch)
March 8, 2004... Season to date: A mysterious February loss at Virginia Tech might explain why poll voters have been reluctant to embrace the Friars. Even with five wins against teams with top 25 RPIs, Providence has not been able to crack the polls' top 10s....