Cheap Seats

On-line with Kerri

NBC drew so many Internet users to its Olympic web site Friday for a live chat with U.S. gymnast Kerri Strug that it had to temporarily restrict access. NBC Interactive Media said it estimated that 50,000 people entered the on-line auditorium for the chat with the hero of America’s team gold medal in gymnastics.

“The response to NBC’s Olympic Web site has been phenomenal. We have broken all our previous records for attendance at a chat and on visits to our site,” said Edmond Sanctis, senior vice president and executive producer of NBC Interactive Media.

Strug chatted on-line for more than 30 minutes, fielding questions about her Olympic performance, her talk with President Clinton, her fan club and her tastes in music.

Mementos spared

Fire has damaged a house in Colleyville, Texas, owned by Super Bowl MVP Larry Brown, but it didn’t ruin his most valued mementos.

People were running in and out of the house Sunday when firefighters arrived, trying to save Brown’s prized football possessions.

Brown, a defensive back who had two interceptions in the Dallas Cowboys’ win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in this year’s Super Bowl, subsequently signed a multiyear contract with the Oakland Raiders. He is in training camp in Napa, Calif.

The fire caused damage to the home’s garage, second floor and attic.

As for the MVP trophy. Brown took that with him to Oakland to show his new teammates what one looks like.

Ripken-like hackers

The Terrible Twenties, a group of golf lovers from Los Angeles, recently conducted their 840th consecutive monthly tournament since its inception in May of 1926. That’s 70 years without a miss.

But certainly not 70 years without a missed 2-foot putt.

From free barking to expensive parking

Instead of dog masks, that were made famous by the Cleveland Browns’ adoring Dawg Pound, the Baltimore Ravens fans showed up at their team’s first exhibition game with kazoo-like instruments that supposedly made the sound of a Raven.

Edgar Alan Poe, or a reasonable facsimile of, didn’t make it - perhaps he didn’t have a ticket, or maybe he was still looking for a parking place by the time the game started. Spots were going for about $15.

What sound does a Raven make anyway? The sound of Art Modell coughing up lies?

Jerry Lewis has company

O.J. Simpson was at the Olympics as a guest of the French TV channel Canal Plus.

According to the producer of the channel’s sportstalk show, Simpson analyzed the events and chatted. He’s said to be very popular. With French viewers.

The last word …

“I played for a team with the worst-looking uniforms in the NFL the Cincinnati Bengals, so anything is a step up.”’ - Quarterback Boomer Esiason when modeling the Arizona Cardinals new uniforms at a fashion show.

, DataTimes