Cheap Seats

In Chicago, he could vote anyway

Having been turned down to host the Winter Olympics four times, Salt Lake City was understandably nervous about last week’s vote that landed it the 2002 Games. Local organizers fretted even more when it was reported that three IOC members supportive of the city’s bid - Jose Veracierto of Uruguay, Prince Faisal Fahd Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia and Slobodan Filipovic of Yugoslavia - would not be voting.

“Filipovic died at home Wednesday night,” read the Associated Press report from Salt Lake, “and Veracierto and Prince Fahd have been officially excused.”

Death, apparently, is no excuse.

Any bets the chef got a vote of confidence?

Don’t try going to Buddy Ryan’s Bar and Grill in Phoenix to gripe about the Arizona Cardinals anymore: the joint is closed.

Mike Lafferty, one of the investors, said the downtown restaurant which opened in mid-August has been sold, but refused to say to whom. Ryan, contacted at his home in Kentucky, said he didn’t know what was going on with the bar which he co-owned.

The bar and eatery is around the corner from Dan Majerle’s Sports Grill, and the Phoenix Suns guard’s place has been far more successful.

“I love Buddy,” Lafferty said. “Buddy’s a great guy. But Phoenix, I don’t know how it’s accepted him. Phoenix has never given Buddy a fair shake. He came into town and went .500. He could have done better, sure, but look at the team.”

You don’t suppose that maybe - just maybe - it was a lousy place to eat and drink.

Great moments in Little League No. 322

A father angry that his son was not playing an infield position threatened a baseball coach with a bat and gun at a 7- and 8-year-olds’ practice in Raytown, Mo.

The gun, which turned out to be a starter’s pistol, fired when parents tried to disarm James Aldridge, who first threatened a coach with an aluminum bat before he left the field and returned with the pistol. Aldridge has been charged with assault and has been banned from attending games, though his son will still be allowed to compete.

Corporate raider

Michael Harwell willingly gave up his key to the executive washroom, his ID badge and confidential manuals when he left Houston Cellular to take a new job with Pagenet. But his tickets to the NBA Finals? No way.

Not until State District Judge Richard Bianchi ruled that Harwell had to surrender the six series tickets and the seat options for next season to his old employer.

Harwell had been given the go-ahead to buy six season tickets for use by clients before the season - paying nearly $10,000, which he was later reimbursed. Then he jumped to Pagenet and when Houston Cellular contacted the Rockets to order playoff tickets, the company discovered Harwell had purchased its allotment.

Both parties, ruled Bianchi, “have managed to make a black lining from what has been a very silver cloud for this city.”

The last word …

“I’m going to give 110 percent on every play. You can’t give any more than that.”

- Illinois quarterback Johnny Johnson

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo