Cheap Seats

Not so fast

Billy Wagner knows there’s absolutely no shame in being on Mark McGwire’s lengthy list of victims.

The Houston Astros’ closer gave up one of McGwire’s more memorable homers, an 11th-inning, three-run, game-winning drive into the upper deck on July 11. He only wishes it had traveled more than a measly 485 feet.

“I got cheated on distance,” Wagner said. “I thought it was 500 feet easy.

“What’s 15 more feet? Come on now, I don’t want to be down there in the mix with everybody else.”

Five of McGwire’s 68 homers have been measured at more than 500 feet. Wagner’s gopher ball is seventh on the length list, which he says isn’t nearly good enough for a player of his stature.

“I consider myself a power pitcher, and he’s a power hitter, and I’m going to go right at him,” Wagner said. “I gave him my best fastball and all he did was hit it 485 feet?”

Don’t forget the wolverine on the mantel

You can make flight reservations on the Internet, order books and records and now you can even buy a log cabin once owned by the late Woody Hayes, the former Ohio State football coach.

On Friday, there will be an auction on the Internet for the cabin. There are small details in the cabin that will delight the most avid Ohio State fan - a bathroom with a gray bathtub and a scarlet sink, a red and white rug with a large No. 1 is at the foot of a leather armchair near the fireplace, and there are two scarlet and gray lawn chairs with the initial H on them.

Facing the music

When the Kansas marching band took the field for the recent game between the Jayhawks and Missouri, Tigers fans pelted the band with liquor bottles.

This was the first time in years the Kansas marching band had appeared at Faurot Field.

Foster said the Jayhawks usually brought only a pep band to Missouri games because the smaller unit was “not in full uniform, not such a large target, not such a vulnerable target - more mobile.”

Is this a marching band or an armed forces unit?

Who says band isn’t a sport?

A brawl erupted among members of the Southern University and Prairie View A&M marching bands at halftime last Saturday night when one band began its performance before the other was off the field.

At least three people were taken to a hospital, including a member of the Prairie View band who reportedly was hit in the face with a musical instrument, officials said.

The fight reportedly lasted about 20 minutes before Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies and Lamar University police finally brought things under control.

Sounds like something the WWF might be able to use.

Playing out the string

Ken Griffey Jr. played all three outfield positions and took a turn at first base in the Seattle Mariners’ 5-2 victory over Texas on Saturday.

So much for integrity of the game.

The last word …

“You’ve got the emotion of liking the players so much, and then you’ve got the emotion of getting your rear kicked so much.”

- Florida Marlins manager Jim Leyland, on deciding whether to remain with the team in 1999.