The Sporting News articles from May 2001

The Sporting News archives from May 2001

Caught on the Fly.(sports humor)(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... Hey, didn't you used to be Howard Eisley? * Fly finds nothing more amusin' than watching the Patsies' brain trust (as in, trust us, if you put all these heads together, you'll come up with a brain) stackin' the draft board and comin' up...

Bob Hille's Starting Five.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... 1 Cup Crazy in L.A. Lakers games are still the Staples Center's biggest draw. But the Kings' playoffs are No. 2, edging past the Clippers' annual Lottery viewing party. 2 The slow-starting Braves, How dependably weak in the clutch has...

DEFT SHOT.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... `I'd like to say I rented a convertible, it was sunset, and I was driving down Highway 1 with my arm around a babe when I strayed into the valley of death.' --Utah coach Rick Majerus, on how he wishes he could explain a fall in a...

DUSTBIN.(Everett Scott)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 7, 2001... May 6, 1925 A record-setting longevity streak ended when shortstop Everett Scott removed himself from the Yankees' starting lineup. Scott set a major league record by playing in 1,307 consecutive games. The streak started when Scott was...

Welcome, Ichiro.(Ichiro Suzuki)(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... They threw quarters and ice cubes at him in Oakland. They stole $4,000 in Japanese yen from his father's rented van in Seattle. They called a radio station in Chicago and vowed to taunt him from the Bullpen Sports Bar, a double-decked den of...

Dot-coms do mustn't-see TV.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... By power vested in me as a Junior Online Sports Surfer, I pronounce the Internet honeymoon over. A wondrous courtship, it was. (Click back on your browser.) First the 'Net delivered up-to-the-minute scores, making 900-scorelines obsolete;...

Voice of the fan.(Letter to the Editor)
May 7, 2001... Choice voice `The owner of the Cowboys should call the president of the team into his office and have him fire his general manager after a draft like this. Wait a minute. Jerry Jones is the owner, president and general manager. Never...

Ace in the hole.(Reds pitching coach Don Gullett)
May 7, 2001... Pitching coach Don Gullett's keen eye for mechanics and his fatherly manner have resurrected several careers and salvaged a pitching staff season for the Reds Ken Griffey Jr. hits home runs, Danny Graves rolls up saves and Barry Larkin...

Martinez keeps the hits coming despite eye disorder.(baseball player Edgar Martinez)
May 7, 2001... Edgar Martinez was in a panic. He was losing sight of pitches. He appeared headed to the disabled list. He told the Mariners' eye specialist, Dr. Douglas Nikaitani, that he might retire. "We were concerned that if the ball was thrown at his...

Michael Kinsley In The Hole.(sports humor)(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... Slow start doesn't mean the A's have cracked Alfred E. Neuman would be proud. The cover boy from Mad magazine made a fictional career out of the line, "What, me worry?" So here are the Oakland A's, limping into May in last place or close...

TSN's Power Poll.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... TSN's Power Poll Rk. Team W-L 1. Seattle 20-4 2. Toronto 15-8 3. Boston 16-8 4. Cleveland 13-9 5. Los Angeles 14-10 6. Minnesota...

Around the AL.
May 7, 2001... TSNumbers 13 Number of extra-base hits among Red Sox 1B/DH Brian Daubach's first 17 hits. 5 Starts Texas ace Rick Helling needed to get his first win of the season. 5 The homers Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney has hit against...

Scouting Report.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... Eric Milton Twins Ht./Wt.: 6-3/220 B/T: L/L Age: 25 Grading Out (20-80 scale) Fastball: 65 Slider: 65 Curve: 47.5 Control: 65 Overall Potential: 65 Delivery: Deceptively easy arm action and fluid delivery mask...

AMERICAN LEAGUE.
May 7, 2001... Anaheim 10-14: 3rd Because of spasms, Erstad can't carry offense on back The team ranked 11th in the A.L. with a .241 average through 24 games. One of the players struggling the most is CF Darin Erstad, the team's best player. He...

Around the NL.
May 7, 2001... The Book on: Albert Pujols It took the Cardinals' rookie third baseman/outfielder/first baseman all of a few innings to become a fan favorite in St. Louis. On opening day, Pujols made a sensational running, barehanded grab-and-throw on...

A.L. LEAGUE LEADERS.
May 7, 2001... A.L. LEAGUE LEADERS AVERAGE Stewart, Tor 413 Ramirez, Bos 402 Gonzalez, Cle 371 Mientkiewicz, Min 365 Olerud, Sea 356 Ja. Giambi, Oak 355 RUNS Stewart, Tor 24...

N.L. LEAGUE LEADERS.
May 7, 2001... N.L. LEAGUE LEADERS AVERAGE Aurilia, SF 392 Hollandsworth, Col 380 Pujols, StL 379 Vander Wal, Pit 377 Edmonds, StL 373 RUNS Gonzalez, Ari 25 Helton, Col ...

The Closer.(the role of reporters)(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... They report, you decide Reporters are a necessary evil in the life of a ball player. I've learned that--for the most part--they are just doing their jobs. The various news media are there to tell a story. Most reporters try to be...

STRESSED OUT.
May 7, 2001... Capping a strife-filled season, the Blazers succumbed to the pressure applied by Shaq, Kobe and the Lakers in a first-round sweep This not what coach Mike Dunleavy needed, not after the regular season his Trail Blazers had. He did not need...

New York's playoff insanity hardly matters now.
May 7, 2001... Insanity is endemic to New York in the spring. The natives know this. The other three seasons are not exactly a stroll in Central Park, but spring is unique. Spring is the time of the Knicks' postseason, an annual ritual that invariably results...

EASTERN CONFERENCE.
May 7, 2001... Atlanta HARD TO PART WITH: The Hawks player who has the most trade value likely is SF Toni Kukoc. At 6-10, he can play in the low post, shoot from the perimeter and take defenders off the dribble. Better yet, he is a quality passer who...

WESTERN CONFERENCE.
May 7, 2001... Dallas GETTING AN EDUCATION: The first two games of the team's first playoff series in 11 years offered some bitter lessons for a young team. Primary lesson: Playoff experience does matter. Coaches warned that the more physical Jazz would...

Jerry Green Syndrome has coaches on the move.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... This wasn't the first time somebody phoned Skip Prosser about a job. "It happened more than anyone ever knew," says his (former) boss, Mike Bobinski, the Xavier athletic director. When Wake Forest called during its search to replace Dave...

New season New plan.(Stanley Cup hockey playoffs)
May 7, 2001... What worked during the season might not necessarily work during the playoffs. With this in mind, teams have changed their ways to take one step closer to Lord Stanley's Cup. Rangers center Mark Messier once said the first round of the...

Here's all you need to know about the NHL playoffs.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... At this time of year, it's often hard to keep track of the winners and losers, the haves and have-nots, the goons and the goners. So, in the name of simplification, here are the main stories collected so far in what has been one heck of a wild...

Deadmarsh becomes a father figure for the Kings.(Adam Deadmarsh; Los Angeles King hockey team)
May 7, 2001... We could wait to see who wins the Stanley Cup to declare which team was the big winner at the NHL's trading deadline. But two little girls named Madison and Alexis Deadmarsh already have helped convinced me which team deserves that title. ...

Your cheatin' car.(how NASCAR teams break the rules)
May 7, 2001... NASCAR teams will do anything to win a race, including cheat. But exactly how do they break the rules and get away with it?. We decided to find out. NASCAR has taken steps to make sure its drivers play by the rules. But despite changes in...

Fox mixes technology, insight to raise the TV bar.(Fox Sports Net coverage of stock car racing)(Statistical Data Included)
May 7, 2001... Why does Fox TV analyst Larry McReynolds get so excited when he calls Winston Cup races? Sometimes it's because he was a crew chief for 15 years, and he feels the adrenaline just as when he was standing on top of the tool box. Other times he's...

Green has tangible value, but only for the Chiefs.(Trent Green; Kansas City Chiefs football team)
May 7, 2001... Is Trent Green the dog-pound mongrel who, with an 8-11 record as an NFL starting quarterback, wisely was snubbed by every team but one this offseason? Or is Green the ribbon-winning bichon frise who, with the highest passer rating in the NFC...

AFC.(American Football Conference team analyses)
May 7, 2001... Baltimore STAYING PUT: It appears S Rod Woodson, an unrestricted free agent, will be with the team this season. The Ravens did not pick up an option in Woodson's contract a few months ago, but the two parties are close to a deal. Woodson...

NFC.(National Football Conference team analyses)
May 7, 2001... Arizona NO TEARS SHED: Strange is the best way to describe how CB Aeneas Williams left the team after 10 seasons. The club obtained two draft choices from the Rams in exchange for Williams. At 33, Williams had spent all of his career with...

The best of the spring promise great fall success.(college football)(Brief Article)
May 7, 2001... Ah, spring. It's a time to celebrate a new beginning. The tomorrows on the calendar seem filled with endless potential. That's especially true for the guys on TSN's all-spring team. Let's begin with the offense: QB Kurt Kittner,...

The sweetheart called Pops.(Willie Stargell)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
May 7, 2001... Willie Stargell's intentions were plain when he stood alongside home plate and looked out to the man with the baseball. That man was in trouble. Stargell warned him this way: He began winding the bat clockwise, the barrel moving toward the...

Caught on the Fly.(Brief Article)(Column)
May 14, 2001... Hey, didn't you used to be a washed-up goalie? * Fly got a load of the missive to Trojan fans Hancocked by SoCal head doofus Pete Carroll, in which Smilin' Pete says, "I had the chance to take this job three years ago, but the timing just...

DEFT SHOT.(Brian Rafalski's goal)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... `Biggest goal of my career so far. To get an overtime winner in the playoffs, that's what you always dream about. Maybe 15-20 years later it'll be top shelf--greatest shot ever.' --New Jersey defenseman Brian Rafalski on his centering that...

Bob Hille's Starting Five.(Brief Article)(Column)
May 14, 2001... 1 Deion Sanders' return. He went 3-for-3 in his first major league game since 1997, which, amazingly, is the same number of hits he has had in the NFL since 1997. 2 Hideo Nomo. He breached postbeaning baseball etiquette in two countries....

DUSTBIN.(catcher Benny Distefano)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... May 14, 1989 Pittsburgh's Benny Distefano became the first lefthanded catcher in nine years when he played in the ninth inning of a 5-2 loss to Atlanta. Primly an outfielder, Distefano hit .247 over 96 games that year and made brief...

Hearing an ugly side to athletes.(problem of bigotry in professional sports)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Where are we, a European soccer stadium? What is this madness around us, some sort of sporting apocalypse, or maybe the movie Rollerball coming hauntingly to life? Here we thought these games involved a team against another team, an athlete...

Preaching to the SportsCenter congregation.(televising sports news)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Coincidentally, the Leonard H. Goldenson Theater in North Hollywood resembles a church with a 20-foot Emmy crucifix out front. There, on a heaven-sent night last week, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences held an unprecedented worship...

STATIC.(evaluations of television broadcasting of sports)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... * Fox attitude: "Controversy? What controversy?" NASCAR on Fox conspicuously avoids mention of The Dale Earnhardt Probe--no accident, lest the rights-holder jeopardize its good greasy thing. With the sport redlining in Seatbeltgate, Fox aired...

Voice of the fan.
May 14, 2001... Choice voice `Scottie Pippen is no longer a first-team NBA All-Defensive player, but he remains a star on the All-Whiners team. He has never committed a foul. If you don't believe me, just ask him.' --Rick Grandstaff Marshalltown, Iowa...

Steal this base.(why base stealing needs to become a tool in baseball)
May 14, 2001... One of baseball's best weapons is ripe for a comeback, says the first man to swipe 100 bags in a season To me, the stolen base is a fantastic offensive weapon that seems to have gone by the wayside. I don't think there is any secret why:...

The cure seems worse than the knockdown pitches.(policy to punish pitchers and teams for poor behavior are criticized)
May 14, 2001... The zero-tolerance rule on knockdown pitches sounds like a good idea. But by tinkering with the game s delicate balance, Major League Baseball is creating new problems. No longer can players and teams police themselves, answering knockdown...

In The Hole.(attitudes of baseball players toward beaning by pitchers)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... The hits just keep on coming The Mets might have a point. Maybe they've been victimized more than most teams by the new enforcement of the old retaliation rule, in which no warning is needed before an umpire can "86" a pitcher for throwing...

TSN's Power Poll.(ranking of baseball teams)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
May 14, 2001... TSN's Power Poll Rk. Team W-L 1. Seattle 23-7 2. Cleveland 19-9 3. Toronto 18-12 4. Los Angeles 17-13 5. Boston 18-12 6. Minnesota 20-8 ...

The seventh-inning stretch.(news about baseball players and teams)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... 1. Tastelessness. The Japanese media are offering $2 million for photos of Ichiro Suzuki in the nude. The Canadian media are offering $2 million for the destruction of photos of Larry Walker in the nude. 2. Johnny Oates. His parting wish:...

Around the AL.(news about American League baseball teams)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... TSNumbers .984 The Yankees' Chuck Knoblauch's fielding percentage, fifth-best among A.L. left fielders. 3 Times the White Sox have been swept this season. When they won the A.L. Central last year, it happened only once. 8 Career...

The book on ... Russell Branyan.(evaluation of Cleveland Indians third baseman)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... In recent seasons, teams trying to make trading deadline deals with the Indians were turned away when they asked for third base prospect Russell Branyan. The Indians got burned when they traded prospects Brian Giles and Jeromy Burnitz, who...

April fuel.(baseball cliche about winning in April examined)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... So which baseball cliche is true? Do wins in April count as much as wins in September?. Or are championships never won at tax time? The truth is a combination of both, but Seattle fans naturally favor the former. The Mariners are the first team...

AMERICAN LEAGUE.(Statistical Data Included)
May 14, 2001... Anaheim 14-16: 2nd Molina's injury thrusts Fabregas into starting role C Bengie Molina will be out for at least three weeks and probably more because of a strained right hamstring. Jorge Fabregas, who takes over behind the plate, is a...

A.L. LEAGUE LEADERS.(American League baseball)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 14, 2001... A.L. LEAGUE LEADERS AVERAGE Ramirez, Bos 407 Mientkiewicz, Min 398 Gonzalez, Cle 372 RUNS Stewart, Tor 27 4 players with 26 HITS Ramirez, Bos 48 Suzuki, Sea ...

N.L. LEAGUE LEADERS.(National League baseball)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 14, 2001... N.L. LEAGUE LEADERS AVERAGE Edmonds, StL 383 L. Walker, Col 366 Aurilia, SF 365 Hollandsworth, Col 364 Jenkins, Mil 363 Pujols, StL 361 RUNS Helton, Col ...

Around the NL.(National League baseball)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... TSNumbers 1 Day off in May for the Marlins. Every other N.L. team has at least two, and many have three. 3 Errors committed by Benny Agbayani in the first four innings of an April 29 game. He had zero before the game. 9...

The book on: Byung-Hyun Kim.(Diamondbacks pitcher)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Byung-Hyun Kim speaks just enough English to politely decline an interview request. But if you road batters' lips as they walk back to the dugout, they'll tell you all you need to know about the 22-year-old's near-underhand delivery. ...

Always on call.
May 14, 2001... Did Babe Ruth really call his home run that day at Wrigley Field? They're still debating that one 68 years later. If you want something more up-to-date and definitive, such as the call Bruce Froemming made this afternoon at Dodger Stadium, log...

NATIONAL LEAGUE.(team-by-team analysis)
May 14, 2001... Arizona 15-15: 4th Benching a veteran isn't easy when he keeps hitting Because he has an older team, manager Bob Brenly plans to give his veterans occasional days off, even this early in the season. But pulling the trigger on a day off...

Blue laws.(dealing with umpires)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... The rule of thumb when dealing with umps is they don't like to get embarrassed. If you are hitting, as long as you don't look at the home-plate umpire or make any gestures toward him, he will listen to you. You can make a point and move...

Big moves give Chargers chance to bolt from the blues.(San Diego Chargers looks to be much improved)
May 14, 2001... They are doing handstands, cartwheels and back flips in San Diego for a team that was 1-15 last season. And they are neither practicing their gymnastic floor routines nor trying to appear mentally unfit to stand trial. Southern...

Falcons must be careful in choosing Vick's mentor.(Atlanta Falcons and quarterback Michael Vick)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... If you have kids, the babysitter search probably has confronted you at some point. Finding someone trustworthy and caring enough to look after Junior can be a painstaking process. In many homes, the decision is left up to the wives. At the home...

AFC.(team-by-team analysis if American Football Conference)
May 14, 2001... Baltimore NOT DEEP ENOUGH: The team lacks depth. The Ravens kept their defensive front seven intact, and they added QB Elvis Grbac and OT Leon Searcy, leaving them only $3.19 million under the salary cap. But more than half of that must go...

NFC.(team-by-team analysis of National Football Conference)
May 14, 2001... Tennessee WEIGHT WATCH: Rookie RB Dan Alexander, who was fullback-sized at a chiseled 255 pounds when the Titans had the rookie class in for workouts, wants to lose about 10 pounds before returning for minicamps and training camp. Because...

The old guard.(basketball)
May 14, 2001... Some of the most experienced playoff teams have been eliminated, but the Spurs and Lakers continue to count on over-35 veterans, and San Antonio's Terry Porter is Exhibit A Terry Porter is old, and he does not need to read this article to...

Rating the imports.(basketball players Predrag Stojakovic or Dirk Nowitzki)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Who's better, Sacramento's Predrag Stojakovic or Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki? When David Stern scans the globe, he sees a billion potential consumers. When the Kings and the Mavericks look outside the United States, they see future All-Stars....

Carter puts aside childish things in the first round.(Toronto Raptors' Vince Carter)
May 14, 2001... It seems we have lost all our patience with kids these days. Exhibit A: Vince Carter was shooting 31 percent through the first three games of the second playoff series of his life, and he was scolded like he brought home a C- in advanced...

INSIDE the playoffs.(NBA)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... TSNumbers .514 Jason Williams' first-round shooting percentage, considerably higher than Chris Webber's (.354). 7 Years since a team, the Sonics, came back from a 2-0 deficit to win a five-game series before the Mavs did it vs. the...

FIVE on FIVE.
May 14, 2001... 1. Vince Carter's mom. Michelle Carter came to the defense of her son on TV after Vince took criticism from Raptors teammate Charles Oakley before Game 4 of the Knicks-Raptors series. Mom Carter vs. The Oak Tree: Sounds like an idea for MTV...

ATLANTIC DIVISION.(NBA)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... BOSTON CELTICS: Once the Celtics figure out whether to use or trade draft picks, they'll have a better grip on roster numbers and will be able to start figuring out where free agents fall into their plans. The no-brainers coming back are PG...

CENTRAL DIVISION.(NBA)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... ATLANTA HAWKS: The position that must be addressed is point guard. Brevin Knight, at 5-10, was a stopgap who got the Hawks through the season as Jason Terry played exclusively at shooting guard. Terry's emergence at that position has impacted...

MIDWEST DIVISION.(basketball)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... DALLAS MAVERICKS: The team advanced to the second round because players learned from two first-round losses. Dallas dropped the opening two games of the series against Utah in large part because the Mavericks spent too much energy bellyaching...

PACIFIC DIVISION.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: F/C Marc Jackson becomes a restricted flee agent July 1. He looked like a worldbeater for two months, winning Rookie of the Month awards for December and January, but faded after the All-Star break and ended his season...

There's no place like Philly for Villanova's Wright.(Jay Wright)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... He grew up in the Philadelphia area, went to Big Five games as a kid and built the foundation of his career as an assistant coach for the last several Villanova teams coached by Rollie Massimino. Jay Wright calls Philly "the best college...

Instant heroes.(National Hockey League playoffs)
May 14, 2001... Nothing in sports tops the drama of overtime games in the NHL playoffs, when a player's legacy can change in a heartbeat In the end, it's not about winning. It's about refusing to lose. It's about ignoring legs that are heavy and lungs that...

Q&A.(Brief Article)(Interview)
May 14, 2001... Being the captain of the Maple Leafs is a pressure-packed job. It's like being a quarterback in San Francisco or a home run hitter in New York--past heroes have set such high standards that everything accomplished by these who follow tends to...

Tkachuk adds an element the Blues never have had.(Keith Tkachuk)
May 14, 2001... He has ugly, black-and-blue welts on his rear legs and lower back. For those who say he was a coach killer or team cancer and that he isn't worth his $8.3 million salary, those battle scars are evidence that they don't know the real Keith...

Body shots.(hockey player injuries)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... This season's playoffs are becoming known for all the overtime--put in by the trainers and medical staff. Despite the fact NHLers are known for enduring the wear and tear of battle no matter the wound, an unprecedented number of injuries has...

FIVE-HOLE.(hockey news)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... 1. A Devil of a Time. Tie Domi's hit on Scott Niedermayer turned into a big headache for both parties. Domi, who says he feels "really bad" about it, wishes the league would forget the whole sordid mess, and Niedermayer wishes he could just...

Busch's emergence makes the rookie race fun to watch.(Kurt Busch)
May 14, 2001... The yellow duct tape on their cars' bumpers is all that gives away their secret. Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick are rookies. So is Casey Atwood, 20. And Ron Hornaday, 43. Clearly, all are advanced, considering their limited experience at the...

OVAL OFFICE INTERVIEWS.(Brief Article)(Interview)
May 14, 2001... How did you first get involved in racing? Jeff Burton: I began driving at the age of five, so I've been doing this almost 30 years. I guess driving just came naturally for me. With two older brothers racing ahead of me, I was following them...

SIX-PACK.(automobile racing)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... 1. Orange crush. Tony Stewart's win at Richmond, the track on which he scored his first Winston Cup victory, gives-him three straight top-fives. Don't count him out of the race for the championship. 2. Pay your premiums. Kenny Wallace got...

Northwest passage.(college football)
May 14, 2001... Overcoming financial obstacles and a small local talent base, Oregon and Oregon State have taken wild rides to elite status. Now, they face the challenge of sustaining their runs. It flashed on the scoreboard: 41-9, 41-9, 41-9. But...

Spring brakes.(college football)
May 14, 2001... HEY, slow down--STOP, in fact--and take a look at the 25 most important things to come out of spring practice, the time when teams try new things, break in new players and gain knowledge about their squads before fall drills 1 Florida...

Despite NCAA concessions, pay for play is wrong way.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... We're inching closer and closer to the pitiful payoff with each passing year. A couple thousand dollars here, a few hundred there. What's a cash? The NCAA is making millions using student-athletes as cheap labor anyway, fight? Dress them in...

Feeling like a kid again.
May 14, 2001... They're all dreamers. They believe life is romance. They believe anything can happen. They believe--believe--in dreams, and why not? Why not wake in the night and tell your lover about the dream of that waking moment? Tell her you'd won the...

Cool game gets red-hot.(2001 Stanley Cup Playoffs)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2001... When Sean Hill smacked Chris Dingman and sent him to a world outside the Pepsi Center in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals last Saturday--even though the outcome of the Blues-Avs game long had been derided--it was a reminder of what...