Forget The Cougs; Now Let’s Discuss That Corner Office
Short-attention span theater:
Let’s file away those Jim Harrick/Lute Olson testimonials. If Washington State couldn’t beat a UCLA team that had Kevin Dempsey and Bob Myers gobbling up major minutes on Saturday, NCAA selectors won’t and shouldn’t - waste a second of valuable debate time on the Cougars today. It’s easier to buy Harrick’s other call - Cougs to win the NIT especially if they can ram through a no-substitutions proviso on all the teams before the tournament begins.
Phil Jackson thinks Dennis Rodman should be on the Dream Team? And I’m thinking Mark Fuhrman for the next opening on the North Idaho human rights commission.
Mary Slaney has announced she’s making another comeback and is shooting for a spot on this summer’s Olympic team. No word on whether Zola Budd has agreed to make a comeback as personal scapegoat.
Gary Cunningham is a finalist for the athletic director’s job at Arizona State. Wait a second, allow me to rephrase that: Gary Cunningham is America’s Finalist.
A women called in the other day to complain about our lack of Iditarod coverage. Now that the greyhounds no longer run at Stateline, dog-killing news must be hard to come by.
This just in from Arizona: the Mariners win 5-4 when Cubs pitcher Wade Walker, arguing a call at first with umpire Larry McCoy, ignores Alex Diaz scoring the winning run from second base. Nice to see the Cubs using spring training to work on their fundamentals.
Also from spring training: Craig Griffey makes errors in the outfield in three consecutive games. Meanwhile, the M’s send down 14 other young players to the minor league camp. Never underestimate the power of a last name.
I could have sworn Conference USA was a computer chat line until Cincinnati became the champion of it Saturday afternoon.
Phil Jackson thinks Dennis Rodman should be on the Dream Team? And I’m thinking Pat Buchanan as the perfect guy to head up the United Jewish Appeal.
Suffering through a 3-23 basketball season was bad enough. But it had to be just as dispiriting for the folks at Eastern Washington to watch Melvin Lewis invest such platefuls of heart and soul into his senior season, especially after they went to the mat with the NCAA to make sure he got one.
Bud Selig said he’s very encouraged by the tone of talks between baseball players and club owners toward a new collective bargaining agreement. Then he bummed a quarter, so he could call someone who cares.
Not meaning to soil the memory of a dead man, but it’s going to be hard keeping dinner down while watching “The Jimmy V Story” on the tube this week with Les Robinson, the man who had to clean up after the scandal and mess Mr. Valvano left at North Carolina State, about to get fired. I’m sorry, but contracting a fatal disease does not automatically make you made-for-TV heroic.
But then, neither does getting fired. So before anyone cues up the violins for Don Nelson, remember he has a $4 million parachute to bring him gently to earth at his home in Maui. What’s more, he knew exactly what he was getting into with the Knicks - an aging, spent team with an overindulged superstar - and goosed his dismissal along with indifference. As for Knicks management, didn’t they read the Bay Area papers?
Spokane Chiefs season-ticket holders recently received a mailer from owner Bobby Brett inviting them to buy soccer season tickets to watch his newest toy, the Spokane Shadow. Well, maybe if the Shadow signs up a couple feisty goons…
Phil Jackson thinks Dennis Rodman should be on the Dream Team? And I’m thinking Dexter Amend as grand marshal for the next Gay Pride Day march.
Which reminds me - I routinely ask insulting and irrelevant questions which offend people and prompt them to call up and say all sorts of nasty things over the phone. So when can I expect the county to build me a new office?
, DataTimes MEMO: You can contact John Blanchette by voice mail at 459-5577, extension 5509.