The Sporting News articles from November 2003

The Sporting News archives from November 2003

Get a fresh start.(Sporting News.Com)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Not doing so hot in your fantasy football league? Looking forward to another shot at it? Don t worry--you don't have to wait until next year to start anew. SportingNews.com's midseason fantasy football games give you a clean slate starting with...

Showing your money.(Sporting News Radio)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... There are a million reasons to love Murray in the Morning! Log on to www.murrayinthemorning.com to register for a chance at a trip for two to Las Vegas and the opportunity to roll the dice for $1 million. Listen to Murray in the Morning, 7-10...

Better late than never.(Sporting News Books)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... The NBA season has started, but there's still time to order our Pro Basketball preview. It has everything you need for the season, from schedules and rosters to our expert predictions and analysis. Get it now at www.sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 6 treats, no tricks.(Know It All)
November 3, 2003... (1) NBA REALIGNMENT Divided they'll stand Standing beneath New Orleans Arena just before the tipoff of last season, NBA commissioner David Stern lobbed an idea to a small group of reporters: With Charlotte scheduled to become the...

Bob Hille's starting 5.(Know It All)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... (1) Virginia Tech. Man, against West Virginia, the Hokies weren't even in the same time zone, which, interestingly enough, is the same thing you could say about the Sugar and Continental Tire bowls. (2) Baseball free agents. The...

Caught on the fly.(Know It All)
November 3, 2003... After a fast start, the Redskins have hit a "downward spiral," says Steve Spurrier. That's still an upgrade over last season, when they didn't have a spiral all year. Walker gets run out of Beantown By trading Antoine Walker, Danny...

On air.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... James Brown says: "With Dusty Bake's leadership and the young pitching staff, the Cubs should contend for years to come." Kevin Wheeler Doug Russell 2-6 a.m. ET ...

Walking the talk: when media worlds collide.(Know It All)
November 3, 2003... If nothing else, I'm a quick learner. Only hours earlier, the shuttle driver at the rental-car agency in Chicago nearly forced me off the bus when I hopped on with a Marlins cap. Him: "What're ya, a freakin' comedian?" Me: "I'm Steve...

Awesome Bill slows down.(Going, Going ...)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Bill Elliott isn't saying one way or the other, but insiders believe this is his last full season in NASCAR. Elliott has faded from public view in recent years, but he has left an indelible mark on the sport. Consider this: Fans voted him...

Riley gets out of the kitchen.(... Gone)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Why is Pat Riley out as Heat coach? Because he thought he was getting Mark Cuban as an owner, and instead found out Micky Arison would eventually hold the line on spending, starting with this season's across-the-board pay cuts that cost...

A model of success.(My Turn)
November 3, 2003... Since I was one of the first prominent minorities to play in the NHL and will be the first black player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, a lot of people refer to me as a role model for young, black players. But that's not something...

Your turn.(Know It All)(Letter to the Editor)
November 3, 2003... * After watching both the Red Sox and Cubs blow their chances to be in the World Series, I am convinced that curses still do exist. Somewhere, the Bambino is puffing on a cigar, chuckling, as he pulls along his pet goat. Steve Sankner, Old...

Who is the NFL's first half MVP?(Counterpoints)
November 3, 2003... STEVE McNAIR My friend Dennis Dillon believes Dante Hall, the Chiefs' return man, has been the most valuable player in the NFL so far. On one kickoff against the Packers, Hall was blinded by the sun and missed the ball. Well, the same...

College basketball preview.(On Deck)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... It was a rough offseason, but now it's time to focus on the good stuff: the most electric athletes, teams oozing with unbelievable talent, fearless freshmen bursting onto the scene. The sport you know and love is back, and this season will be...

Still no NFL overexposure.(Static)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Still no NFL overexposure: Pete Rozelle commissioned an operating system of "always leave 'em wanting more." Ah, what irony at the dawn of NFL Network. It's everything you'd expect from a 24/7 channel owned and operated by The League,...

The buzz.(Static)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * The buzz: Brad Nessler remains ESPN's lead NBA voice, but analysts Sean Elliott, Dan, Majerle, George Karl, Bill Walton and Tom Tolbert are equals, competing in a seasonlong announce-off with winners advancing to the conference finals. *...

Do not adjust your set.(Static)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Do not adjust your set: Thea Andrews plays a reporter on ESPN's Playmakers but is a "real" reporter on ESPN2's Cold Pizza. E-mail: fquindt@sportingnews.com.

Sink the sooners! Don't let the perfect record or No. 1 BCS ranking fool you--Oklahoma can be beaten, and here's the blueprint to do it.(See A Different Game)
November 3, 2003... Let's go ahead and cancel the rest of the season and crown Oklahoma king. Someone find out Bob Stoops' head size. Where's that cape and scepter? Cue up "Boomer Sooner" and summon the Sooner Schooner. "If anyone asked me how to put together...

Close up.(College Football)
November 3, 2003... The Oklahoma staff will approach this weekend's game against Oklahoma State in a similar fashion to the way it has approached the Texas game the last few years: Beat them on the chalkboard, then beat them in the trenches and on the line, ...

Poked around.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Bob Stoops' proudest achievement at Oklahoma? It has to be his 11-1 record against teams ranked in the Associated Press top 10. Stoops' biggest frustration? Has to be his inability to make a redheaded stepchild of Oklahoma State. In the...

Pole vaulting: no one has been better at the finish this season than Ryan Newman, who has the most Winston Cup victories, but he and his team make their best moves at the start--in qualifying.(NASCAR)
November 3, 2003... One reason Ryan Newman is winning so many races is his engines get great fuel mileage without sacrificing horsepower. At that long-sought accomplishment his competitors marvel... and accuse him of cheating. The accusations were loudest after...

Landing the Big One: the Marlins' thumping of the Yankees in the World Series was no upset, given how well Florida played in October.(The World Series)
November 3, 2003... When Derek Jeter led off for the Yankees in Game 6 of the 99th World he figured hard-throwing Josh Beckett would start him with a fastball. He was right. Beckett's 95-mph heater roared waist-high down the middle of the plate, and Jeter smashed...

Yankees rebuild? That's crazy.(The World Series)
November 3, 2003... Here's a plan for the Yankees, one that will fall on owner George Steinbrenner's deaf, burning ears but would help restore sanity--hah!--to the Bronx: Accept that it's over. Reduce everyone's expectations. Take a year off from unrestrained...

Brick by brick.(The World Series)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria vows not to dismantle the franchise after winning the World Series. And even if he would want to, the turnover would pale in comparison to the infamous fire sale ordered by former owner Wayne Huizenga and executed by...

TSN power poll.(The World Series)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Baseball Insider Ken Rosenthal takes an early look at the 2004 season. 1. Cubs. Steve Bartman will lead the parade. 2. Braves. Another 100 wins, another first-round exit. 3. Red Sox. Will Nomar be the opening day shortstop? 4....

Call him 'snowbird jack'.(The World Series)
November 3, 2003... If you don't mind the sound of jackhammers at 8 a.m. or the smell of cheap disinfectant in the hallways, the Holiday Inn in Hollywood Beach, Fla., is a nice enough place. The rates are reasonable, and the inviting waters of the Atlantic Ocean...

It's up to Pettitte.(The World Series)
November 3, 2003... The Yankees want to keep free-agent lefthander Andy Pettitte. The question is whether Pettitte wants to stay. Pettitte, 31, has spoken of his desire to live closer to his wife and three children in the Houston suburb of Deer Park, Texas....

Too good to be true: the Red Sox and Cubs came up short in the postseason, but thanks to technology, we learn a Series between the teams would have been one for the ages.(The World Series)
November 3, 2003... Admit it: You really wanted the Red Sox and Cubs to meet in this year s World Series, if only so one group of fans would stop whining about curses. The next best thing, naturally, is a highly realistic computer simulation by the Strat-O-Matic...

Advancers and decliners: after a volatile first half, the NFL market will be in for more surprises in the next two quarters. Get ready to buy (Peyton Manning, Chiefs offense) and sell (Steve McNair, Chiefs defense) at a furious pace.(NFL: second half preview)
November 3, 2003... The first half of the NFL season has provided a volatile market, full of unexpected upswings and surprising downturns. At the halfway point, every portfolio needs to be re-evaluated. Some stocks are about to go through the roof, others are...

AFC East.(NFL: second half preview)
November 3, 2003... BUFFALO BILLS HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: An overreliance on the passing game made the offense predictable and easier to defend because opponents knew the team would throw on most third-down situations. As the weather deteriorates, look for a...

AFC North.(NFL: second half preview)
November 3, 2003... BALTIMORE RAVENS HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: With a rookie quarterback in Kyle Boller and a system with little history of success throwing the hall, the team has its work cut out in trying to improve its passing offense. But the Ravens at least...

AFC South.(NFL: second half preview)
November 3, 2003... HOUSTON TEXAS HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: As the team gets healthy, it will unveil more of its defensive package. Coordinator Vic Fangio spent the first half of the season piecing together healthy bodies. The result was a so-so run defense and a...

AFC West.(NFL: second half preview)
November 3, 2003... DENVER BRONCOS HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: With backup QB Danny Kanell showing his limitations in the loss at Baltimore, the team will pin its second-half hopes on the health of QB Jaka Plummer. Without him, the offense has stalled. Plummer's...

NFC East.(NFL: second half preview)
November 3, 2003... NEW YORK GIANTS HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: The offense must maintain the attacking mode it was in late last year and flashed again in the upset over the Vikings. Early on, coach Jim Fassel was trying to protect his young line, but he is trying...

NFC North.(NFL: second half preview)
November 3, 2003... CHICAGO BEARS HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: Once the playoff dream is officially dead, rookie QB Rex Grossman will get the call. Of course, if QB Chris Chandler doesn't stay healthy, the call will come sooner.... The running game will take a big...

NFC South.(NFL: second half preview)
November 3, 2003... ATLANTA FALCONS HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS: Even if coordinator Wade Phillips doesn't switch to a 4-3 front exclusively, he must find ways to free LE Patrick Kerney, who has one sack after getting a total of 22 1/2 in the last two seasons. Lack...

NFC West.(NFL: second half preview)
November 3, 2003... ST. LOUIS RAMS HALFTIME ADJUTMENTS: Even with young Shaun McDonald and Kevin Curtis getting healthier, look for the team to continue to rely heavily on Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce. The Rams aren't spreading the ball around as much as in...

These guys deserve full credit for a job half-done.(NFL)
November 3, 2003... The real hardware won't get distributed for a few months, but that doesn't stop me from citing a few people whose first half performances have caught my eye. Offensive MVP: Steve McNair, QB, Titans, His numbers are amazing, particularly...

Week 9 matchup.(NFL)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Randy McMichael TE, Dolphins VS. Mike Doss SS, Colts Doss fits the Colts' cover 2 defense perfectly. The rookie is big and strong enough to play close to the line and be aggressive against the run, but he also is...

Many teams still can make a run.(NFL)
November 3, 2003... I've always thought football teams start to define themselves about the time the weather gets cold and leaves start falling. We had an Indian summer throughout the country, and that's appropriate because it's taking a bit longer than usual to...

Redskins must fix the protection plan.(NFL)
November 3, 2003... Steve Spurrier has watched his Redskins lose two ways: his (last year) and theirs (this year). His way keys on the offense he used at Florida: a free-spinning, down-the-field, heck-with-the-percentages approach that was ill-suited for his 2002...

Nick Barnett, MLB packers.(Scouting Report)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... STRENGTHS: Is an outstanding athlete, has the range to make plays sideline to sideline and plays with a nonstop motor. His instincts have improved significantly in the last year. Does a nice job of breaking down and wrapping up and Is a...

League leaders.(NFL)
November 3, 2003... LEAGUE LEADERS RUSHING Atts. Yds. Avg. TDs. J. Lewis, Ral. 166 977 5.9 6 Davis, Car. 163 839 5.1 5 Holmes, K.C. 165 770 4.7 12...

For whom the clock ticks loudest.(NASCAR)
November 3, 2003... For the star-crossed, the under-funded and--lately--for the older generation, the optimism of a new season fades with each passing race. The elation and anticipation produced by January testing deteriorates into disappointment and frustration....

Driver reports: what will these drivers try to accomplish in the last three races?(NASCAR)
November 3, 2003... Ryan Newman With his methodical mind, Newman won't give up on the championship until his team has mathematically eliminated He is in distance of Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. but easily could slip to sixth. Newmans crew is not in a...

Odds and coaching ends.(College Football)
November 3, 2003... The program is falling apart and might not win another game. The coach is a @#$%! buffoon, and he's got to go. What's the athletic director waiting for? Welcome to the twisted and tumultuous side of college football, where unreasonable...

TSN power poll.(College Football)
November 3, 2003... TSN POWER POLL The TN Power Poll is determined by TSN writers and editors. Rk. Team (last week) W-L Last week 1. Oklahoma (1) 8-0 W, 34-20 at Colorado 2. Miami (2) 7-0 Idle ...

QB Brad Smith, Missouri.(Player of the Week)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Texas Tech has one of the nation's most explosive offenses, but Smith's solo performance in a 62-31 ligers victory eclipsed it. He ran 19 times for five touchdowns and 291 yards, just 17 off the NCAA record for QBs. Hear from our Player of...

Hayes' six picks.(College Football)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Oklahoma 30, Oklahoma State 20. Emerging OU run game results in too much balance for the inconsistent OSU front seven. Virginia Tech 24, Miami 23. Hokies get back to feeding TB Kevin Jones; Hurricanes' shaky offense exposed. Georgia...

Scouts' views.(Observations from the sidelines)
November 3, 2003... Miami QB Brock Berlin is a lot better than I thought he would be. He made some bonehead plays earlier this year, but he has been throwing the ball a lot better and has better pocket presence than I thought he'd have. I didn't think Jarrett...

Conference call.
November 3, 2003... UCLA With the school's Westwood location, there's a premium on appearance and being beautiful on the UCLA campus. Though that makes for good star gazing, being pretty isn't the proper image for a football team that already wears powder...

Little-known defensive standouts.(This Week's Spotlight)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Clemson. The sum of the Tigers' defense is better than its parts. But some of those parts are extremely talented. Among them is T Donnell Washington (6-6, 315) He's an NFL-caliber run stuffer who excels at dogging the middle. Rutgers. E...

Defense isn't part of Nelson's equation.(NBA)
November 3, 2003... Don Nelson is not like everyone else, and he seems to be going out of his way to prove it. Most NBA suits, when considering the construction of an offense, work in the realm of X's and O's. Nelson works in differential equations. He embraces...

Setting some reps right.(Straight Shooting)
November 3, 2003... As another NBA season unfolds, we will be overwhelmed at times by prime-time reruns of acrobatic dunks and fancy passes, by breathless hype designed to reaffirm that certain players are super-duper stars. It's not always true, however. Who,...

One of New York's finest.(NHL)
November 3, 2003... No matter what problems people have with today's NHL, there is little argument the league is filled with seriously talented players who have size and speed and skill. But there is something missing from the game now that was once there, and...

One on one with ... Mike Dunham, G, Rangers.(Interview)
November 3, 2003... TSN: It's still early in the season, but are you starting to feel more pressure to be the difference as your team struggles? MD: No. Like you said, it's early. It's still the beginning of the year, and as a team, we're still trying to get...

Jiri Fischer, D, Red Wings.(Scouting Report)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... 6-5, 225 Age: 23 Fischer played only 15 games last season because of a knee injury that required reconstructive surgery. This season, as he works his way back, Fischer is under pressure to be the big man on the blue line after the Red...

TSNumber 9.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Paul Maurice is in his ninth season as Hurricanes coach, the reigning leader in longevity. He has been behind the bench since November 6, 1995, when the team was in Hartford. Senators coach Jacques Martin also is in his ninth year, he took over...

Numbers don't make the man.(Baseball)
November 3, 2003... Any Red Sox manager trying to win the franchise's first World Series since 1918 must have extreme confidence and very thick skin. Under John Henry's ownership, the job soon might include a third requirement: a willingness to obey numbers. ...

A.L. reports.(Baseball)
November 3, 2003... ANAHEIM ANGELS RHP Derrick Turnbow opened eyes with a fastball that topped out at 98 mph, and better command of his explosive two-seamer has made that pitch virtually unhittable. Turnbow will work on his curveball and changeup in Puerto Rico...

N.L. reports.(Baseball)
November 3, 2003... ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS RHP Matt Mantei, the team's closer, had pain in his right shoulder during the season, but the D-backs are confident it won't require surgery of hinder him in 2004. However, the team is trying to trim payroll and, with the...

ACC basketball is the big loser.
November 3, 2003... This season's ACC opener will send Wake Forest over to North Carolina's Smith Center on December 20. The Demon Deacons and Tar Heels are expected to be among the leading contenders for the conference championship, so it is an appropriate...

Fantasy source.(Fantasy: second half preview)
November 3, 2003... PLAY ACTION by ROB HURTT Owners in need of a second half boost could find it ha three stars who are returning from injuries. Even if you don't own one of these elite players, you still can benefit. Don't overlook the impact their...

Matchup heaven & hell.(Fantasy: second half preview)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Favorable and unfavorable matchups for the second half of the season. HEAVEN Kansas City. After being off in Week 9, the Chiefs will be rested for a rtm against the Browns, Bengals, Raiders and Chargers. Minnesota. The Vikings...

Jack and Josh: simply awesome.(Florida Marlins manager Jack McKeon, pitcher Josh Beckett)
November 3, 2003... As to how the MVP of this World Series felt minutes after work that made an old man quiver with joy, Marlins wunderkind Josh Beckett said he felt relief. "I can't believe," he said, "that we're not playing a game tomorrow." So he yawned,...

Second half spark.(Sporting News.com)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... So, your fantasy team looks like the Chargers? Then let our experts come to the rescue. Sporting News Fantasy Source Football and Weekly Forecast are being offered at reduced prices for the rest of the season. It's just what you need to regain...

What happens in Vegas ...(Sporting News Radio)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... You never know who will stop by to talk sports with James Brown and Papa Joe Chevalier--especially this week, when their shows originate from Las Vegas. Tune in to the James Brown Show, from 10 a.m.-noon ET, and the Papa Joe Chevalier Show,...

Hoops galore.(Sporting News Books)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... Crazy about high school basketball or college recruiting? Then get your hands on High School Hoops, a guide to the nation's best prep players and teams from the experts at SPORTING NEWS and SchoolSports. Get it at www.sportingnews.com/books.

To know list: 6 pieces of sportswriting Bob Knight wouldn't wipe his shoe with.(Know It All)
November 10, 2003... (1) NO MORE NOMAR? It's time for a Sox change The time is right for the Red Sox--unsuccessful in their first attempt to purge Manny Ramirez--to trade a superstar widely believed to be dissatisfied in Boston. His name? Nomar...

Bob Hile's starting 5.(Know It All)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... (1) LeBron. He's so yesterday. Scouts have found the Next Big Thing, and they say the video from last week's sonogram proves it. (2) The Marlins. I'm bummed out because I thought I had a great seat for the victory parade. Turned...

The casting director said they were naturals.(Caught On The Fly)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... Several Cavs spent 10 hours filming LeBron's first Nike commercial (are they all going to be that lame?) in which they basically just stood around and did nothing the whole time. Though that doesn't sound overly grueling, the players went...

On air from the Century 21 Studios.(College basketball preview edition)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... Tim Brando says: "LSU is clearly under the national radar. Remember the name Brandon Bass." Rick Ballou Tim Brando 10 p.m.-2 a.m. ET 3-6 p.m. ET ...

Sports reporting is colorblind.(My Turn)
November 10, 2003... By now, you likely have read and heard all you care to regarding Rush Limbaugh's ill-advised comments on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown several weeks ago. If so, count me among you. But there is an aspect of this episode that hasn't really been...

Your turn.(Know It All)(Letter to the Editor)
November 10, 2003... * Enough with the Bill Parcells love test (TSN, October 27). Every week, sportswriters fall all over each other trying to heap the most lavish praise on the Tuna. Admittedly, he has the Cowboys playing well sooner than expected. But two things...

Cold Pizza tastes half-baked.(Remote Patrol)
November 10, 2003... Experienced stomachs know: 1) Any cold pizza is deelish; 2) All morning TV is bad cheese. But now, live from New York at 7 a.m. ET weekdays, comes ESPN2's Cold Pizza, straining to shatter gastronomic stereotypes. As host Jay Crawford...

How does a car get its number?(Driver's ed: a stick-and-ball fan's guide to NASCAR)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... NASCAR assigns numbers to teams. If a team wants a number that nobody has, NASCAR generally is willing to work with the owner to make the request happen, if the number is taken already, tough kanoobies. A team keeps the number even if the team...

Cultivating professional relationship.(Static)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... Jim Gray didn't endear himself to Pete Rose or Mike Tyson, but Kobe Bryant respects his reporting. Ergo, Gray got his biggest "get" in 11 months at ESPN--a phone interview with the embattled (adjective mandatory) Bryant, who'd shunned beat...

The buzz.(Static)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... Disney will bank two October bombs, Falcons-Rams (for which Atlanta owner Arthur Blank literally apologized to ABC) and DolphinsChargers, as amino in its next battle for Monday Night Football "flex" scheduling.

Vital stat.(Static)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... The World Series ratings In Chicago and Boston were below Fox's 12.8 national average.

FYI.(Static)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... As owner/operator of college football's tournament, ABC receives "exclusive expanded" ratings and refers to teams by their BCS Top 25 rating. (Other media use a 15-deep list.)

Soundbitten.(Static)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... "I want him to do well. It's good for the NBA and for Nike, I have a lot of Nike stock."--TNT's Charles Barkley on LeBron James

Last in line: guard is no glamour position, but as defensive tackles grow more prominent somebody must stop them. Guess who.(NFL)
November 10, 2003... Yes, there are times when Ruben Brown feels like an anonymous part of the pile. He drive-blocks some 330-pound human stump for 6 or 7 seconds and then prays that the mass of humanity around him doesn't collapse on his knee or ankle. He pass...

The fun is back: Virginia Tech's upset of Miami wasn't just the latest in a lengthy list of surprising results this season. It also kick-started what should be a wild and wacky race to the Sugar Bowl finish.(College Football)
November 10, 2003... Well, well, well. Look what we have here. With fans scrambling out of the stands and onto the field, Lane Stadium looks like a kicked-over anthill. Bring in the cops? Please, this is practically Pamplona. Miami has just lost in the regular...

Sugar-free drama.(College Football)
November 10, 2003... It's cold and wet outside, the sky looks like a giant ashtray, and the home team's Sugar Bowl fire was just put out by its most hated rival. Jeff Smoker looks like he lost his best friend. Stinks, huh? "It's tough," agrees Michigan State's...