As Someone Whose Clasroom Experience.

As Someone Whose Clasroom Experience. . . Ended during the early days of the first Bush Administration, I couldn't help but be facsinated by Jeff Cooper's latest post on laptops in the classroom, and how they might be hurting the educational experience. The one passage that really drew my attention was this one:

Finally, students—especially first-year students—should not underestimate the impact that failure to pay attention in class may ultimately have. I'm now in my seventh year of teaching, and I've noticed that over time student comprehension of material covered in class has declined as laptop use has increased. In particular, the results of last year's exams showed that large numbers of students failed to grasp and retain points that I emphasized in class. Time after time, students memorized the so-called black letter law but failed to understand any of the subtleties of application. It's those subtleties that make up much of the practice of law, and it's those subtleties that provide fodder for classroom discussion. It's possible, to be sure, that I've become a worse teacher, although I like to think that's unlikely, given that both my command of the material and my comfort in front of the class have improved dramatically over time. More likely, I think, is that students simply aren't paying attention as they used to—and they're paying a price.

It's a passage like this one that makes me wonder if I shouldn't return to school immediately, if not sooner. According to every indication I've seen, the desire and work ethic of the generation behind mine has been seriously compromised by many of the high tech toys that many of us now take for granted. As for me, I would never consider bringing a laptop to class, as I've always been able to take notes faster with paper and pen than I ever could with a keyboard. If anything, I'd think a microrecorder, combined with speech translation software would be a far more effective supplement to handwritten notes than anything one could type into any text editor. Ditto when it comes to exam taking -- I can't ever imagine wanting to trade in my Bics and Blue Books to finish a test on a keyboard (especially one that's locked down to prevent me from accessing any information off of said laptop, as I understand virtually every law school requires).

I consider it a gross violation of the ethics of the classroom to bring a laptop along. As Jeff notes in his own post, today's laptops are a true carnival of mischief. Mix wireless Internet access in the classroom, and you have a potent combination for all sorts of newfangled trouble. I can't imagine how a student could possibly absorb enough information to make the classroom experience worthwhile, especially with so many potent distractions close at hand.

Despite this, I don't think we should be letting professors off the hook either. While a number of students in every classroom are going to be genuinely lazy, there are a greater number who can certainly be convinced to pay attention. And in this case, I'm afraid some institutions of higher learning need to pay closer attention to the quality of instructors they often foist on an unsuspecting student body. More often than not, if I was sleeping through a lecture in college, it was because the instructor was performing at less than an optimum level. Something tells me this hasn't changed much in the since I strode out of my "Money and Banking" final in May 1989. In the end, some wounds are self-inflicted, and colleges and universities are famous for putting the quality of the classroom experience last in a long list of priorities.

A Few Days Ago. .

A Few Days Ago. . . I wrote a quick post rounding up the criminal troubles of various athletes, including Pittsburgh Steelers runningback Jerome Bettis, who was being investigated on charges that he sexually assaulted a 22-year old women who had been seeking an autograph. As it turns out, the whole story seems to have been fabricated by the woman in an attempt to snare Bettis in an extortion scheme.

It was this news that led fellow sports blogger Dan Lewis to apologize for thinking that Bettis might be guilty:

For this, I apologize. And not only because you're probably innocent.

You see, I spent a good deal of time this summer writing up football rumors every day, and every day it seemed that another NFLer was being charged with, well, something. Heck, one of my first columns focused on Mark Chmura. Mark Chmura!

But I digress. When you see all these guys, the words "National Felons League" begins to ring true. So you'll understand my error.

Still, that doesn't make it acceptable. I -- and anyone else who thought you were going up the river -- should know to presume innocence and to avoid assigning guilt by association. Sure, it is often times safe to ignore these tenets, but one error like this is one too many.

Which left me puzzled: just what did Dan have to apologize for? From where I sit, absolutely nothing at all. All he did was draw a perfectly logical conclusion from the facts as he saw them at the time. In fact, Dan didn't even write about the charges in his own blog -- making me wonder if he's subtly pointing a finger at folks like me who reported them in the first place.

It's not an easy call to make. When I first heard of the charges against Bettis earlier this week, I hesitated to post them. Then, the ghost of the Washington Post's Sally Jenkins whispered in my ear, and asked why I was letting Bettis off lightly. After all, if he had been charged with another crime that wasn't of a sexual nature, I probably would have written about it. And, as Jenkins said in her book, Men Will Be Boys, the folks who cover football usually gloss over any athletes trouble with the law. (Though in this case Al Michaels and John Madden did discuss the investigation during Monday night's Steelers-Patriots game.)

In the end, the best you can do is this. Report the charges as they come in, and report them as they get thrown out, or as the athletes get convicted. It's the only fair solution.

A Senseless Decision: Indianapolis Colts

A Senseless Decision: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, a player who has steadily developed a reputation for being a decent guy as well as a fantastic football player, had an idea. Why not wear a pair of black hightop cleats during Sunday's game as a way to honor the memory of Johnny Unitas, the former Baltimore Colts great that passed away this week at the age of 69?

But the powers that be at NFL headquarters in New York had other ideas. They said no:

Both Manning, who already ordered four pairs of the black hightops, and team president Bill Polian said they understand the league's decision. But that didn't change their feelings.

"Somebody's passed away. I don't want to create a controversy over it,'' Manning said. "I did talk to one of (Unitas') sons, Joe, last night. He said he thought that it would be great, he'd love it.

"But the league called Bill this morning and said absolutely not. It would result in a horrendous fine, so Bill just said that he would recommend that I don't do it.''

Polian agreed with Manning, although he was disappointed in the league's decision.

"It was Peyton's intention to do the right thing for a man who's done magnificent things for the NFL,'' Polian said. "How that squares with not being allowed to do it is beyond me, but I don't make those decisions.''

Apparently, only the Baltimore Ravens will be allowed to wear anything on their uniforms to honor Unitas. This isn't the first time this issue has surfaced, as the league denied every team other than the Chicago Bears from honoring Walter Payton after he died a few seasons ago.

Perhaps one could make the case that the league is simply trying to be consistent with the decision it passed down on honoring Payton. Perhaps it's just a short-sighted policy on the part of the league's marketing department. And, given the league's decisions in other areas (excessive celebration, banning the sack dance, penalizing for tossing a helmet), and it's determination to keep things as clean as possible for the television audience at home, we can hardly be surprised.

I have just one thought, and it's aimed at the next player who would like to do something decent and honest to honor a former player who just passed away. It's always easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. To borrow a slogan from someone's marketing department, next time, just do it.

The NFL Sells Out: The

The NFL Sells Out: The league announced today that for the first time since 1998, all of its home games have been sold out 72 hours prior to kickoff. As a result, local television blackout restrictions will be lifted.

Funny, but although I would never seriously trade radio coverage of a game for television, it was these very same blackout rules that introduced me to one of the classiest men in sports: Marty Glickman. Back in the 1970s, when I first became a New York Jets fan, it wasn't uncommon for the team to fail to sell out games at Shea Stadium in time to cancel the blackout rules. Hence, I would turn to coverage on 880 AM WCBS Radio. Glickman handled the play-by-play with Spencer Ross and Sam Deluca. Though Glickman spent many years broadcasting both the Giants and the Knicks, I'll always remember him descibing the Jets, "marching left to right across your radio dial."

But it was as I got older that I began to appreciate just what sort of man Glickman really was. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Glickman, along with University of Michigan student Sam stollar, had won places on the U.S. 400 meter relay team. But when it came time to run the race, Avery Brundage, the head of the U.S. Olympic Committee, removed the two in favor of Jesse Owens and Ralph Metcalfe, two African-American runners. Till the end of his life, Glickman contended that it was Brundage's bigotry that kept him off the track in Berlin:

As I walked into the stadium, I began to get so angry. I began to get so mad. It shocked the hell out of me that this thing of forty-nine years ago could still evoke this anger… I was cussing...I was really amazed at myself, at this feeling of anger. Not about the German Nazis …that was a given. But the anger at Avery Brundage and Dean Cromwell for not allowing an eighteen-year-old kid to compete in the Olympic Games just because he was Jewish.

To say the least, though, Glickman didn't let this setback keep him from success. Glickman, an All-American in football at Syracuse, was the original jock turned broadcaster. Here's a transcript of ESPN's the Sports Reporters when the topic was Glickman. Do yourself a favor and read it. Glickman was one of a kind, and is sorely missed.

With A 6-5 Win In

With A 6-5 Win In Anaheim Last Night. . . It looks like the race for the American League West division title between the A's and the Angels is going to go down to the wire. And at the end, once the two teams have given it their all, and battled down to the final day of the season. . . they'll both make the playoffs anyway.

So much for drama, huh? At the end of the day, the only thing these two teams are playing for is the right to avoid the Yankees in the first round of the American League playoffs. And don't tell me that the drama of the old division races wasn't inherently superior to the drama of a close Wild Card race. 50 years from now, is anybody going to recall how the 1999 New York Mets kept winning down the stretch to force a one-game playoff with the Cincinnati Reds for the Wild Card playoff spot? Then again, 50 years from now, who doubts that baseball historians will lovingly recall the 1951 chase between the Dodgers and the Giants?

Then again, we live in a world where sports and television are permanently joined at the hip. Televising 162 games of drama is a lot less profitable than broadcasting nearly three weeks of playoff baseball in October.

Heart Surgery For Augusta's Johnson:

Heart Surgery For Augusta's Johnson: Hootie Johnson, the 71-year old chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, underwent heart surgery today. A spokesman for the club says Johnson is expected to make a full recovery.

Postrel On Fourth Down: Last

Postrel On Fourth Down: Last week, I wrote a little bit about a study completed by an economist at Berkeley that reccommended that football coaches need to go for it on fourth down more often.

Today, one of the darlings of the blogosphere, Virginia Postrel, dives a little deeper into the methodology and mathematics behind the study in her monthly New York Times column on economics. Also, be sure to take a look at Bob Tedeschi's piece concerning how the same principles are being applied to good use in the retailing business.

Write-Ricky-Write: Ever since the Internet

Write-Ricky-Write: Ever since the Internet became big business, there's been a lot of blather about how it's advent was going to change the way fans watched sports and interacted with athletes. And, while there's no denying that's been true to a large extent (who could imagine life without ESPN.com?), for the most part business is business. If someone can figure out a way to make a dollar off of it, then it's going to get done.

Well, thanks to regular reader, Ilway, I've found something that is blessedly commercial free, though I'm not sure for just how much longer. What I'm talking about is Miami Dolphins runningback Ricky Williams Web site, Run Ricky Run. While it isn't a world beater design-wise, Williams delivers what he promises: an inside look into his life and how he sees the world.

There are photo galleries (Williams is an avid photographer), as well as some biographical information, but the center of the site is his online diary.

While some entries -- like realizing that some real estate in South Beach is beyond his budget -- is a little hard to relate to, on the whole Williams is refreshingly unfiltered. And truth be told, his writing isn't half bad either.

In some of his latest entries (I can't link to them directly, as Williams has yet to discover permalinks), Williams discusses fans seeking autographs, treatment of his depression, and his frustration at not being closer to his infant daughter, Marley. And lately, Williams has been talking about something we should all watch closely -- namely, his budding friendship with Hall of Fame runningback, Jim Brown. Here's a portion of Ricky's diary entry from September 9:

Ok, back to last night.  The music was loud, and I was starting to get hungry, so we headed to a table to order some sushi.   As I walked to our table, I noticed someone was inhabiting it. A big, strong-looking older man. You might know him. I think his name is Jim Brown.  Yeah, that Jim Brown, the greatest and most socially influential football player ever. I have met Jim before. We did a cover shoot for Sports Illustrated a few years back. We actually did half of it at his house. I can remember how much in awe I was (and still am) of him. Not because of his football-playing ability but because of all the things he was able to do through football. I have told him before that I wish athletes today could have the same impact on social reform as they did when he was playing. When the likes of Ali, Malcolm X and Jim Brown all sat in the same room and discussed their views on America.  Nowadays, it seems all some of us are interested in is how much money we can make.  I love playing football, and I love making money, but I am starting to realize that those aren't the only reasons God has given me so much talent.  Jim and I talked until about five in the morning.  We talked about everything from how the Browns lost yesterday to prison riots. It was rewarding for me to be able to it and chat with one of the only people I truly admire in this world. What was even better was that I was no mystery to Jim. He has  walked in my shoes, has been where I am, has been where I want to go.  I don't think any of you realize how few people there are in this world who could possibly understand where I am coming from the way Jim does.  Needless to say, I have grown as a person in the past 24 hours.

One other thing: Williams needs to discover shorter paragraphs.

I don't want to pretend to think that much of what Williams writes and thinks about is terribly profound. In the end, he's just a blogger who happens to be one of the most talented athletes in the world -- something which makes it a whole heck of a lot more interesting than 95 percent of what's out there.

So, even as the Internet promised interaction with athletes that was honest and unvarnished, for the most part, it's simply delivered the same old stuff, just packaged as pixels. When it comes to sports and entertainment, that usually means vulgarity and posturing re-packaged as the truth (don't believe me, just look back at either of the two editions of HBO's Hard Knocks).

I'd like to think that Williams would keep writing, and keep doing it without an editor, or running it through a publicity machine. So far, that's been the case. Here's hoping he keeps it up.

Nancy Lopez Heads Toward Retirement:

Nancy Lopez Heads Toward Retirement: One item I had missed over the past few weeks, is the impending retirement of LPGA legend Nancy Lopez. As more should remember, Lopez burst onto the golf scene in 1978, and became the youngest member of the LPGA tour to win ten titles. Over the course of her great career, she's won 44 in total. But for me, I'll always remember spying Lopez after game 1 of the 1986 World Series between the Mets and the Red Sox. She was pushing a stroller with an infant inside, having just watched her husband, Ray Knight, play that evening for the Mets. Here's hoping she enjoys her retirement.

The Three Stooges -- In

The Three Stooges -- In Cleveland: Putting a "salt into the wounds," coda on Sunday's Browns-Chiefs game, the NFL has fined LB Dwayne Rudd, K Phil Dawson, and P Chris Gardocki $5,000 each for unsportmanlike conduct. As you may recall, Rudd flung his helmet in joy, not realizing the game wasn't over. The resulting penalty put the Chiefs in position for the game winning field goal. As for Gardocki, he was penalized for taunting after Dawson kicked what looked like the game winning field goal for the Browns as time ran out. Later review of the videotape showed that Dawson had pointed a finger at some Chiefs players, so the NFL fined him too.

Where Is Bison Dele? Two

Where Is Bison Dele? Two months ago, former NBA player Bison Dele (once known as Brian Williams) and his girlfriend, Serena Karlan, set sail from Tahiti bound for Hawaii. On board along with them were two crewman. That was on July 8th. They haven't been heard from since. The Coast Guard has been searching for their boat since August 27th, and now, as the strange details begin to pile up, the FBI is investigating.

To get the whole story, including links to all the press items on the case, go to whereisbison.com. Over at ESPN, NBA columnist Stan Smith has his own rememberance of a player he refers to by his former name of Brian Williams. After reading it, you get the idea that Dele was just a gentle soul locked inside the body of a man who could play the inside game. Unfortunately, until more details become available, Smith's piece reads like an obit.

UPDATE: This morning's LA Times is reporting that Dele's catamaran has been found in Tahiti, where it has been since July 8. The focus of the investigation is now shifting to Dele's brother, Miles Dabord, who was found trying to buy $152,000 in gold while masquerading as his brother.

ANOTHER UPDATE: The FBI is searching for Dabord now.

ONE LAST UPDATE: The FBI is about to open a murder investigation along with French Police. A number of witnesses have also reported that Dabord returned to Tahiti on July 20 on Dele's boat, and that he was alone. Finally, Dabord and Dele's mother has reportedly been in contact with Dabord, who said he wasn't capable of murdering his brother.

Athletic Police Blotter: Just in

Athletic Police Blotter: Just in case you missed any of these items, here's your chance to catch up on your favorite athlete's troubles with the law. First, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jerome Bettis has been accused of sexual assault and police are investigating. Everywhere else, though, the news is a bit better, depending on your point of view.

In Oakland, Raiders DT Darrell Russell has escaped being charged with drugging a 28-year old women, and then videotaping his friends as they raped her. And yes, his pals got off too. Police are also declining to press charges against Anaheim Angels pitcher Jarrod Washburn, who earlier this week had been accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year old girl. Denver Broncos TE, Dwayne Carswell, will not be tried for a third time on charges he pushed his girlfriend out of his truck after an argument. As part of a plea agreement, Carswell will pay some expenses for his ex, as well as perform community service.

Finally, after dominating sports headlines earlier this Summer, charges involving Philadelphia 76ers G Allen Iverson have been dropped by prosecutors as well.

Remember, according to our adverserial system of justice, everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

UPDATE: Luke Cyphers has his own take on Russell, a man who looks like his life is completely out of control.

Officer Shaq? I couldn't believe

Officer Shaq? I couldn't believe my eyes when I read this story out of the bayou:

The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's office says it has cleared basketball megastar Shaquille O'Neal of any wrong doing when he rode along with deputies during a September 3rd drug raid on Old Hammond Highway in Baton Rouge.

"There is no indication that O'Neal or any of the other officers there did anything that would have violated our office policy or the law," said Colonel Mike Barnett.

O'Neal was the subject of an internal affairs investigation after a complaint was filed by a drug suspect following the raid.

"He pushed me in the toilet once, he punched me in the stomach twice and he choked me about 15 times, " claims Philip Mueler.

The 24-year-old's roommate, Joshua Brock, filed the complaint against O'Neal. Both men claim Shaq manhandled them during a heated question session for names of alleged drug dealers.

"And, they kept on questioning and questioning," said Mueler. "I guess he got mad. He brought me to the toilet and put my head down." 19-year-old Brock and his girlfriend, 21-year-old Rikki Bewley, were issued summons for possession of marijuana.

Hmm. Sounds like someone was practicing a little, "Shaq-Fu." As it turns out, O'Neal is also a "commissioned officer in the Los Angeles area," and often goes on ride alongs there as well. Just what the heck does, "commissioned officer" mean? Anybody out in LA know?

Farewell, Johnny U. With a

Farewell, Johnny U.

With a crew cut and a jut jaw, Johnny
Unitas was a poster boy for 1950s
America. But the way he passed
the ball served as a bridge between
the NFL's early days, and the way
the game is played today.

Johnny Unitas Dead At 69: Of an apparent heart attack he suffered while working out in a gym in Timonium, Md. His death, though a body blow to the city of Baltimore, can hardly be a surprise, considering Unitas underwent bypass surgery in 1993.

Unitas' hometown Baltimore Sun is all over the story, using a team of people to cover Johnny U's passing. In addition, metro columnist Michael Olesker and sportswriter John Eisenberg also weigh in.

The next time anyone tells you that Washington-Baltimore aren't in the same media market, don't believe them. The Washington Post assigned their own set of reporters to chronicle Unitas's life and times, while Baltimore native Bill Gildea also recalls those bygone days on 33rd Street in Memorial Stadium when Unitas revived a moribund Baltimore Colts franchise.

Over at ESPN, Len Pasquarelli and Sean Salisbury have both penned tributes, and and is also featuring the HTML version of their Sportscentury profile of the quarterback. But when it comes to the definitive documentary on Johnny U., it has to be HBO's Sports of the 20th Century. Back in 1999, they won an Emmy for the simply titled warts and all treatment called Unitas

For me, my memories of Unitas are tied up in four events. First of course is Super Bowl III in Miami -- a game that while I can't recall seeing live, I feel as if I did because of NFL Films. In that highlight reel, Unitas was the face of the establishment, while the Jets Joe Namath was the fresh faced representative of the upstart AFL as well as American counterculture. Though an injured Unitas didn't start the game, he led the favored Colts to their only touchdown in a 16-7 loss. But to this day, as a Jets fan, I still feel fear when the Super Bowl III highlights focus on Johnny U.'s fourth quarter charge to get the Colts on the board again. I actually thought he was powerful enough to change history.

The next memory concerns the first time I ever remember watching football on television. In this case, a 44-34 Jets victory over the Colts at Memorial Stadium. Both oft-injured Namath and Unitas were well past their prime at the time, but that didn't stop them from putting up an incredible offensive show that sold me on pro football for life.

Third, I'll never forget a confrontation Unitas had with a young John Elway in 1983 on Nightline not long after the Colts had drafted Elway with their first round pick in the draft. Elway, who was a minor league ballplayer in the Yankees system back then, was threatening to play baseball if the Colts didn't trade him to a West Coast team. Unitas, who was cut from the Pittsburgh Steelers in his first go-round in the NFL (something which forced him to play semi-pro ball for a season at $6 per game), was having none of it, and told Elway he should just take his medicine and show up in Baltimore for training camp. Of course, the Colts eventually traded Elway to Denver, but Unitas won some points for sticking up for his adopted home town.

Finally, as I became a Baltimore Ravens season ticket holder in the late 90s, I was happy to see up close just how much Baltimore loved Johnny Unitas. Though he wasn't a fan of the way Art Modell had left Cleveland, he still embraced the Ravens when pro football returned to the city, and would often be seen walking the sidelines during the games. And when he did, it wasn't long before his face was on the Jumbotron, something which the crowd always responded to with unrestrained joy. And when it happened, he always smiled. I'm glad he got to hear that adulation many times after his career ended before he died.

UPDATE: The Baltimore Ravens are planning a tribute to Unitas for this Sunday's home opener against Tampa Bay.

I Hate To Say I

I Hate To Say I Told You So, But. . . Back in July a had a lengthy back and forth with fellow sports blogger Dan Lewis on the subject of steroids in Major League Baseball. In one of my posts that concerned Barry Bonds and his claim that he used nutritional supplements to bulk up, I had this to say:

Beginning to connect the dots here? So Bonds says he uses nutritional supplements. Supplements that the experience of the IOC shows are regularly contaminated with steroids. But, like Jovanovic, Bonds, if he ever got caught, could fall back on some plausible deniability -- saying he didn't know the supplements were contaminated.

Yesterday, Ray Buchannan, a cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons, was suspended for four games for steroid use. Here's what he had to say:

The league's suspension begins with the home opener Sunday against the Chicago Bears, a rare sellout for the team. Buchanan can have no contact with the Falcons during his suspension, which will last through the Oct. 13 game against the New York Giants.

"Evidently, I took a supplement of some sort that had a steroid derivative in it,'' Buchanan said in a statement.

"Either way, it was my mistake, and I will serve my penalty. I would like to apologize to my teammates, the Falcons organization and the Atlanta Falcons fans. I will learn from this.''

Well, say this for Buchannan: he's taking his medicine (so to speak), without complaint. In any case, he's been caught, and gets to use the plausible deniability defense. Who? Little old me take steroids? Oh please.

A Black Spot On One

A Black Spot On One Man's Past: Late last night, a reader of mine who identified himself as Joel, left the following comment after a post concerning the fitness of RFK Stadium to host major league baseball next season:

Is this the same Fred Malek who was in charge of making the US Government Judenrein for Richard Nixon? Under his leadership, would Shawn Green be prevented from playing in RFK Stadium?

For those of you unfamilar with Nazi Germany, the term "Judenrein" means Jew-free. While I had read about the particular incident that Joel refers to sometime in the past, I felt I needed to brush up on the details. Here's how the History News Network, run by George Mason University, describes the incident in a longer article discussing President Richard Nixon and his behind closed doors anti-Semitism:

At least once the anti-Semitism appears to have had hard consequences. As Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein first reported in The Final Days, and as White House memos later confirmed, Nixon feared that a "Jewish cabal" at the Bureau of Labor Statistics was skewing data to make him look bad, and he instructed his aide Fred Malek to tally up the Jewish employees at the bureau—a count that probably resulted in the demotion of two Jews. (It later forced Malek's own resignation from George Bush's 1988 presidential campaign.)

According to another account at Public Domain Limited:

This purge did not come to light for 17 years. In the fall of 1988 The Washington Post discovered Malek's memorandum in the Nixon archives. Fred Malek had just completed running the New Orleans Republican convention for Bush, and was then deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee. The day after the Post article appeared, Malek resigned. Mike Dukakis, the Goldilocks of high-minded campaigning, never raised the issue, and it was quickly forgotten.

Next, courtesy of Slate's Chatterbox, Tim Noah, we have an account of Malek's comeback:

Malek's rehabilitation was breathtakingly swift. Within a year, he was part of George W. Bush's syndicate to purchase the Texas Rangers baseball team. The year after that, Malek took on an official (though unpaid) role in Bush père's administration organizing an international summit. In 1992, he was an influential adviser to Bush's presidential campaign. Jewish leaders forgave Malek. "One mistake does not an anti-Semite make," said Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League of B'Nai B'rith. Indeed, Foxman might have added, one mistake a penitent contributor to Jewish causes makes! Malek joined the board of the American-Israel Friendship Society, traveled to Israel, and in general made his admiration for the descendants of Abraham well-known.

Already quite a wealthy businessman, Malek grew significantly richer as founder of Thayer Capital Partners, a firm engaged in what financial writer Michael Lewis has astutely described as "access capitalism." By 1999, a Washingtonian profile by Owen Ullmann put his net worth at $250 million. Gore campaign chief Tony Coelho was a close friend, and former Urban League President Vernon Jordan was on Thayer's board of advisers. "With Friends and Partners Spanning Politics and Business, Fred Malek May Well Be the Best-Connected Man in Washington," read the subhead. "A Dumb Misstep During the Nixon Years Has Kept Him Humble."

So, the answer to Joel's question is yes -- it's the same Fred Malek that you referred to. As to what his moral culpability is, and whether or not he deserved or earned forgiveness for his obvious trasngression, I'd like to hear what my readers think. Needless to say, it still sticks in my throat.

POSTSCRIPT: Mother Jones has its own take on Malek's political career, here. Dayn Perry, normally on the case at ESPN, wrote a piece on Malek's Washington baseball ownership group back in 2001. The prolific Tim Noah also wrote a piece concerning Nixon's anti-semitism, something which he (and I for that matter), thinks should simply be treated as an historical fact.

The late Herb Stein, who served as chairman of Nixon's Council of Economic Advisors, had his own thoughts about Nixon -- which were rather positive. Of course, when you mention Herb Stein, how can you not mention his son, Ben Stein, better known as a character actor and host of the recently cancelled, Win Ben Stein's Money. And though I don't have any links, I've seen more than a few interviews where Ben Stein has spoken approvingly of Nixon.

NHL Cracks Down, Again: NHL

NHL Cracks Down, Again: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman wants more scoring in his league. So Tuesday in Toronto, he laid down the law:

"What we were trying to get straight today is, here's how officials are going to be calling it, not necessarily do we agree with the interpretation, but we all know what will be called," Toronto Maple Leafs coach and GM Pat Quinn said.

The latest interpretation is expected to cut down on clutching and grabbing in the neutral zone and eliminate players from picking off forwards trying to get at the puck in the offensive zone. Basically, if a player doesn't have the puck, his progress can't be impeded.

The result should be more turnovers in the offensive zone from defensemen who feel the heat from incoming forecheckers and thus more offensive chances -- and more goals.

This isn't a new story in the NHL. Since the early 90's, roughly around the time Wayne Gretzky was traded from the Edmonton Oilers the Los Angeles Kings, scoring has been dropping league wide. There are a variety of reasons why. Players are simply bigger and faster, and in effect, have shrunk the rink. Goalies, despite some recent rule changes, wear equipment that helps them cover more of the net. That equipment is lighter too, making goalies quicker -- and that's before we even consider the fact that true athletes have begun to make the net their home.

Finally, we can't discount the effect of expansion -- especially the expansions that have taken place since the early 1990s. After the Florida Panthers made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996, a blueprint for creating a competitive team quickly was created. Team after team began implementing a version of the neutral zone trap. Combined with clutching and grabbing techniques that even the least talented players could implement, the squeeze on scoring was on. In part, this development eventually drove Mario Lemieux into retirement (though he would return).

(While trapping teams existed before, and the New Jersey Devils won with a version of the trap in 1995, the dearth of talented players who could carry the puck in traffic made the trap the method teams could use to become competitive quickly.)

So, how can we fix this? I'm not quite sure. Every four years during the Winter Olympics someone suggest widening the ice to the same size of the international game. Unfortunately, that move would eliminate rows of the most profitable seats in every arena. And every year, the league promises to crack down on clutching and grabbing. The result: for the most part negligible.

Will any of the changes that Bettman proposes do any good this time? Probably not. But then again, perhaps we should consider something else. The greatest increase in scoring occurred roughly at the same time that the most talented offensive player in the game's history took to the ice. Perhaps a player like Gretzky, and the magic that came part and parcel with him, passes our way only once in a lifetime. I hope not, but I'm afaid it might be true.

Note To Readers: Regularly scheduled

Note To Readers: Regularly scheduled sports blogging will resume later tonight. As both a native of New York City, and a former resident of the neighborhood around the Pentagon, the events of September 11th have never been, and will never be, far from my thoughts. Words didn't come easy today, and after I had posted the photos, it didn't seem right to follow them up with the latest on Chris Webber's legal troubles.

So, no worries. We'll be back to the mundane world of sports, and the release it gives us from the everyday, in just a few hours. Thanks for your patience.

Tower 2, moments before

Tower 2, moments before impact. Tower 1, already ablaze.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.

The Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.

Firefighter glances skyward moments before collapse of Tower 2.

It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground.

Casket of FDNY Chaplain, Fr. Mychal Judge

The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

Sun sets behind Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pa.

It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us. . .

"Ground Zero" flag raised above USS Teddy Roosevelt.

--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. . .

Members of 26th Marines chopper into Afghanistan.

--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
November 19, 1863

RFK Stadium: Ready For Baseball

RFK Stadium: Ready For Baseball in D.C.? That's an open question for some, but not for Bobby Goldwater, president of the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission

The third-base dugout is gone from the field at RFK Stadium.

"It's downstairs. In the basement," said Bobby Goldwater, who oversees the ballpark as president of the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission. "The frame for the dugout is literally sitting in what would be left field. It's part of the stands."

Coming up with the best way to reassemble the dugout and reconfigure the ballpark is one of Goldwater's pressing projects lately. Now that relocation is a viable topic within major league baseball, he has to come up with a plan to get RFK ready as quickly as possible should the Montreal Expos move to Washington on short notice for the 2003 season.

"We believe it can take about six weeks to get it all done," said Goldwater, outlining the most basic, no-frills scenario.

That would mean that whatever ownership group purchases the Expos would need to get the word by about mid-February to have the stadium ready in time for a potential April 11 home opener against the New York Mets. Basically, it can be done, but that doesn't mean any potential owners wouldn't like to have more time:

That's where Fred Malek and Bill Collins come in. Both head groups that have worked for years to bring a team to the area, and both have visions of how to make RFK a grand baseball place. Malek has spoke of spending as much as $20 million over several months to upgrade RFK.

"Can we be ready? Yes," said Winston Bao Lord, executive director of Malek's Washington Baseball Club. "But in terms of the way we can envision RFK, we'd love to have time."

While all the parties involved would like to fix RFK up right, no one will be complaining if baseball gives them late notice. The city has waited too long to be picky.

"If they told us March 31 we were getting a team, I'd be out there lining the field from home to first base," Lord said. "I'll bring out my own rake if that's what it takes to get it ready."

There Are Some Pieces Of

There Are Some Pieces Of News. . . You don't want to get in the middle of your team's first real pennant race in seven years. Like having your ace pitcher charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year old girl.

Sabres On Thin Ice: Looks

Sabres On Thin Ice: Looks like the fall of former Cable TV giant Adelphia Communications is about to pull down the NHL's Buffalo Sabres with it:

The Buffalo Sabres might be forced to declare bankruptcy to settle their $157 million debt to Adelphia Communications before being cleared for any potential sale.

"(Bankruptcy) might be inevitable," Erie County executive Joel Giambra said Tuesday. "That's how screwed up the books are."

Giambra said bankruptcy became a possibility after he had numerous discussions with various ownership groups that have expressed interest in buying the team.

After the NHL, which took over operational control of the Sabres in June, Giambra holds considerable influence in helping determine the team's next owner in part because Erie County has a large stake in the team. The Sabres signed a 25-year lease to move into HSBC Arena in 1996.

Not exactly the news that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman needs to hear right now. Four of the league's six Canadian teams are perpetually teetering on the brink of insolvency, and having the Sabres, a team that looked secure up until not very long ago, on the brink of bankruptcy must be a real headache. But someone tell me this: what the heck is a municipal government like New York State's Erie County doing with a piece of a professional sports franchise? If there is a worse way to invest taxpayer dollars, I don't know what it is.

Can Anything Stop The Ratings

Can Anything Stop The Ratings Slide. . . At ABC's Monday Night Football? Well, at least for one night, John Madden did. Unfortunately, I don't think it was what the folks at ABC Sports were hoping for:

The New England Patriots' 30-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on ABC on Monday drew an average overnight rating of 14.5 and 23 share, the same as a year ago when the Denver Broncos beat the New York Giants.

ABC had the highest rating of the four networks between 9-11 p.m. EDT with a 15.6/23.

Viewership peaked Monday night just before halftime when the Patriots held a 10-7 lead. The final 30 minutes of the telecast saw the rating drop to 10.2, down from a high of 16.7 between 10-10:30 p.m.

Madden jumped to ABC from Fox in February with a four-year, $20 million deal to join play-by-play announcer Al Michaels. "Monday Night Football" dumped comedian Dennis Miller and analyst Dan Fouts after two years in which ratings fell more than 15 percent total.

The number of people watching "Monday Night Football" viewership has declined for seven straight years.

Webber Issues Denial: Now that

Webber Issues Denial: Now that word has leaked out that Sacramento Kings forward Chris Webber has been indicted for lying to a grand jury, I've been waiting to hear what Webber has to say. This morning, we got it:

"I didn't lie," Webber told USA Today in a story published Tuesday. "The truth always comes out. What this case is about is a 70-year-old man dressed in hip-hop clothes who befriended kids and said he loved kids, and I believed him.

"I didn't know he saw my potential before I saw it. Threats were made. Those threats have come to reality. I believe this is extortion. After the trial, and I am vindicated, this case will be bigger than me lying to the grand jury, which I did not do."

Webber told the Sacramento Bee he had not spoken to former booster Ed Martin in more than 10 years.

"Why would I go into court like it's being said and lie to help a man who has been threatening me?" Webber told the Bee in a story published Tuesday. "I went to court to help the prosecution."

According to the Bee, Webber said he was speaking against the advice of his attorney, and he planned to hold a news conference Tuesday in Sacramento, although no time was announced.

This is going to be a very interesting press conference. Stay tuned.

Throwing Your Helmet, And The

Throwing Your Helmet, And The Game, Away: By now, most sports fans have heard about the bizzare ending of the Browns-Chiefs game in Cleveland yesterday. For those of you who didn't, here's what went down. With time running out, and Kansas City down 39-37, Chiefs quarterback Trent Green was being wrestled to the turf by the Browns' Dwayne Rudd when:

Dwayne Rudd is puzzled. What happened?

Rudd yanked off his helmet and tossed it to the ground with both hands when he saw 0:00 on the clock and Kansas City quarterback Trent Green on his back on what should have been the final play.

But Rudd turned his back to the continuation of the play and didn't see the bizarre sequence that followed.

Before Green landed, he managed to lateral the ball to right tackle John Tait, and the 325-pound lineman lumbered 28 yards to the Browns' 25. Referee Ron Blum flagged Rudd for one of the NFL's pet peeves - taking off and throwing his helmet - and moved the ball half the distance to the goal line.

With the game clock expired, Morten Andersen trotted out and kicked a 30-yard field goal to blunt the Browns' season of great expectations with a 40-39 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The video of this one should be arriving at the nearest Ripley's "Believe It or Not" museum this morning.

One important detail: as most dedicated NFL fans know, a game can never end on a defensive penalty -- which is why the Chiefs got a shot at the game winning field goal.

Lost in the uproar over the Rudd penalty was the fact that punter Chris Gardocki, who is also the Browns holder on field goals, was penalized for taunting after Phil Dawson hit what at the time looked like the game-winning field goal. As a result, the Browns had to kick off from their own 15 instead of the 30-yard line on the ensuing kickoff -- another mistake that kept the Chiefs alive and put them in position to accept a gift from above.

Meanwhile, big John Tait was rumbling downfield.

But tonight on Monday Night Football, John Madden blamed, guess who, the referee, when he said that a game shouldn't be lost on a call like that.

Far be it for me to defend the referees (and can you believe they actually have a fan site?), but Madden really has no place in putting the onus on Referee Blum. After all, as Tim Polser noted in an NFL Insider column before the start of the 2001 season:

During training camps across the country, NFL players will be shown a video explaining the new sportsmanship rules. It addresses the acceptable forms of celebration and communication with opposing players, teams, and spectators. The league is counting on its officials to enforce the new edicts.

Furthermore, we need to remember what might have happened if the referee hadn't made the calls on Rudd and Gardocki:

Pereira and Upson have saved one of the touchiest subjects for the last day of the clinic. The league’s evaluation system naturally raises the defense mechanism of most officials, but the league utilizes regular-season grading to maintain quality and to reward the best officials with postseason assignments.

Pereira unveils a revised evaluation system "that is fair and involves officials to a greater degree."

"You are right until we come to a consensus that a wrong call was made," Pereira says. "Grades will not be a surprise."

Seven game reviewers from the league officiating department will grade game films, noting plays and calls that deserve review. The process eventually includes conversations with the referee of that crew and the official who did or did not make the call in question. (For more on the officials evaluation system, please see the Kickoff Issue ofNFL Insider, on newsstands in early September.)

Pereira assures the officials that all considerations will be included in their evaluations.

Upson details the revised grade-point system for correct calls, marginal calls, and incorrect calls, causing most in the room to do some quick math. He also announces that 10 percent of each official’s season grade will be based on his personal evaluation of aspects such as professionalism.

The room is anxious about the evaluation system. For officials, led by referee Gerald Austin, who worked Super Bowl XXXV, working the postseason not only brings another paycheck -- each Super Bowl official is paid $11,900 -- it is quite an honor.

Upson also announces that the top-rated crew of officials will be assigned to this year’s Pro Bowl, giving those who don’t qualify for New Orleans a consolation trip to Hawaii.

So, basically, if Rudd fails to make the call, it might wind up hitting him where he lives: in the wallet. So, when time comes to assign blame, look no further than Gardocki and Rudd. After all, how hard is it to get a holder to keep his mouth shut after a field goal? And just how much brains does it really take to remember to never take your helmet off when you're on the field?

UPDATE: Gregg Easterbrook, of Tuesday Morning Quarterback fame, has corrected the record. Apparently, the referees made a mistake in assessing the penalty to Gardocki. Instead it was the placekicker, Dawson, who should have been flagged for excessive celebration.

Hicks To Sell NHL's Dallas

Hicks To Sell NHL's Dallas Stars: As in Tom, also owner of the Texas Rangers. Hicks says he's looking to sell the Stars because he wants to concentrate his efforts on getting the Rangers to the World Series, and who can blame him:

"As much as I love hockey and the Stars, I have met and exceeded the goals I set six years ago," Hicks said in a statement Monday. "After much thought and private discussion with my family, I have decided this is an appropriate time to become a one-team owner rather than a two-team owner."

Hicks purchased the Stars in 1996 for $84 million, and the team won the Stanley Cup three years later. The Stars missed the playoffs last season for the first time under Hicks' ownership, which resulted in the firing of coach Ken Hitchcock midway through the season.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., the company hired by Hicks, declined to specify a proposed purchase price for the Stars and the half-ownership in the Center Operating Company that operates the $420 million American Airlines Center that opened last year. A sale could take months to complete.

Stars fans should be grateful to Hicks. It was his millions that brought Brett Hull and a Stanley Cup championship to Dallas. And with the exception of last season, the Stars never missed the playoffs while Hicks was owner. Even better, he was always generous when it came to acquiring new players with high salaries, something that kept the Stars challenging for the Cup for so long.

So, what's the "net-net" as they like to say in business? First of all, Hicks probably isn't kidding when he complains about the losses he might be experiencing running the Rangers. I wouldn't doubt that Hicks might just need the money from a Stars sale to reinforce his bank account, or even set out to buy some pitching for the Rangers. On the other hand, the Stars have had one of the highest payrolls in the NHL for some time now, and that might change with a new owner.

ISU Readies New Scoring System:

ISU Readies New Scoring System: I'll believe it when I finally see it work, but the International Skating Union says it's ready to implement a new computer scoring system that will be invulnerable to the sort of manipulation we saw at the Salt Lake City Winter Games.

Over At National Review. .

Over At National Review. . . There are two quality pieces of sports writing you should check out. First, Stephen Moore takes a break from evicting RINO's, or "Republicans in Name Only", from office, to blame the NBA for America's embarassing finish at the World Basketball Championships:

Let me be clear on this: The U.S. losses in the World Basketball Championships (on our home soil, no less) is no embarrassment for America. But it is a well-deserved black eye for the NBA. And please, please, please, I don't want to hear any pathetic excuses that if only we had had Shaq, or Alan Iverson, or Hercules, or Spiderman, we would have won. Goodness, the game against Argentina wasn't even close. The U.S. was down 20 at half-time to players who make less money in a year, than the all-stars on U.S.A. Nightmare Team #1 make playing one-quarter of an NBA game. What do we pay these people for anyways?

Then, you have Jay Nordlinger's profile of Tiger Woods, and how he's dealing with the expectation of those who think he should be more "socially active":

The pressure on Tiger Woods is mounting, and it has nothing to do with golf: It’s the pressure to blacken up — to be a social activist, a racial spokesman. Throughout his young career, Woods has resisted this, standing on individualism, and universalism. But it would be hard for even the strongest person not to crack.

Rams Coach Mike Martz. .

Rams Coach Mike Martz. . . Refuses to second guess his play calling in yesterday's 23-16 loss against Denver:

The Rams, favored to reach the Super Bowl for the third time in four years, failed to convert on a fourth-and-2 play from the Denver 10 late in the third quarter that would have tied the score.

Kurt Warner's pass to fullback Chris Hetherington was incomplete and the Rams never challenged again before losing 20-17 to the Broncos on Sunday. (SCORE INCORRECT, SLOPPY EDITING ON PART OF AP -- EMc)

"That's not something that, 'Oh boy, gee, I think I'll go for it,'" Martz said Monday. "I just felt like it was right, I didn't bat an eye. "We're just not going to be afraid to do those things. I trust they'll work out."

Glad to see that Martz is confident in his judgement and his players, but it's easy to see that the Rams were wasting timeouts left and right yesterday -- especially in the second half when they were desperately needed. And it wasn't like I was the only one who noticed -- the Fox team of Joe Buck, Chris Collinsworth and Troy Aikman couldn't bring the point up often enough last night.

As for Martz's decision making, reporters aren't getting at him for being too aggressive. They're going after him for being careless. And if the Rams aren't more careful, they'll be dropping games like yesterday's more and more often.

A Belated Happy Birthday To.

A Belated Happy Birthday To. . . Mrs. Jeff Cooper, wife of the proprietor of Cooped Up, and mother to child prodigy Noah Cooper. From one Virgo to another, I hope you had a great night out.

Chris Webber Indicted: Back in

Chris Webber Indicted: Back in August, I mentioned some reports that the U.S. Attorney in Chicago was considering indicting Sacramento Kings forward Chris Webber for lying to a grand jury investigating a former University of Michigan basketball booster.

Just a few minutes ago, the other shoe dropped:

Sacramento Kings star Chris Webber reportedly has been indicted on charges that he lied to a grand jury about his dealings with a former basketball booster at the University of Michigan.

WWJ Radio in Michigan, citing sources in the Detroit office of the FBI, reported that Webber has been charged with making false statements to a grand jury and with obstructing justice.

The radio station also reported that Webber's father, Mace, and an unidentified aunt were charged with obstruction of justice.

If convicted, Webber could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the charge of making false statements.

Now, if anything, this story should receive as much coverage, if not more, than the arrest of Allen Iverson did this past Summer. You never, ever, lie to a Federal grand jury. Not if you don't want a U.S. Attorney to remember for the rest of their lives.

More as details become available.

UPDATE: Here's the full story off the AP wire. According to Reuters, Webber is looking at a possible 5 years in jail and $250,000 in fines.

Thoughts On NFL Week One

Thoughts On NFL Week One (With apologies to Mike Lupica):

Despite losing to a Jets team that was luckier than it deserved to be, Drew Bledsoe and the Buffalo Bills look sure to challenge for the AFC East title this season. Bledsoe had the Buffalo offense clicking great, mixing the run and the pass so effectively that they were able to keep posession of the ball for almost two-thirds of the game. . . To those who thought Drew Brees wasn't ready to start in San Diego, it looks like coach Marty Schottenheimer was right to go with him, and give last year's starter Doug Flutie an early taste of what retirement will be like. . . Just who did what to screw up the football karma in Cleveland yesterday?

Sure, Atlanta lost to Green Bay in OT, but it sure looks like Michael Vick is more than ready to be a starter in the NFL. . . The Titans' Eddie George looks like he's all the way back. . . Remind me to get excited about the Dolphins and the Redskins once they face some real competition. Despite this, I'm happy to see former Patriot Robert Edwards score two touchdowns for the Dolphins after spending three years recovering from a freakish knee injury . . Sure, Tampa Bay managed to force OT in their season opener against New Orleans before losing, but Brad Johnson is going to find himself on the bench in favor of Shaun King before long if he keeps it up the way he did yesterday.

Lost in the aftermath of the Rams loss to the Broncos, was the inexplicable play calling of St. Louis coach Mike Martz. Down three in the second half and deep in Broncos territory, Martz told Kurt Warner to go for it on fourth down. The Broncos, with quarterback Brian Griese reeling, held on defense and got the ball bak on downs. Since when does a coach say no to easy points on the road when there's a chance to tie the game? Just one series later, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan was ready to pull Griese -- until a Jeff Wilkins miss convinced him otherwise.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I'm wondering if Dick Vermeil didn't serve as a sanity check on Martz's loonier tendencies. In Super Bowl XXXVI, it was clear that Martz's game plan completely neglected the running game -- something that the Patriots easily anticipated. Never mind mentioning the fact that Martz manages the clock worse than perhaps any other coach in the league. It almost seems as if he thinks that his offensive scheme, combined with the talent he has, is more than enough to overcome just about any aggressive mistake that he makes. I think we're beginning to see that the converse is the case.

With Time Ticking Away On

With Time Ticking Away On The 2002 Baseball Season. . . Bud Selig needs to do some hard thinking about what to do with the Montreal Expos. Rob Neyer thinks that the team should split it's 2003 schedule between the three cities mentioned as a possible new home -- an idea even he admits is a non-starter. The fact is, that there is only one place the Expos could call home in 2003 other than Montreal: Washington, D.C.

The next question is this: would the other 29 franchises stiff Washington again, if it meant: 1) avoiding a legal confrontation with Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos; 2) awarding a franchise to a city where it could gain them some political capital. It's been reported before that a number of MLB franchises have generous lines of credit with Bank of America, a company with its corporate HQ in Charlotte. One more season in Montreal might be just buy a potential Charlotte ownership group enough time to get a temporary home in place for 2004 and 2005, with a brand new stadium ready for 2006.

Crazy? You bet. But who said the lords of baseball are sane?

In Minnesota. . . The

In Minnesota. . . The A's shut out the Twins 6-0. Meanwhile in Baltimore, the Angels downed the Orioles to win their 10th straight game. Right now, both teams are aloft somewhere over the Western U.S., crusing their way back to Southern California to meet in a four game series back in Anaheim -- the first of two series that will probably decide the AL West title.

Of course, due to the Wild Card playoff system, the two teams are really only dueling for the right not to face the Yankees in the first round of the American League playoffs. So, no matter how you slice it, the road to the American League Pennant leads through New York.

As much as I hate to admit it, Bob Costas is right about the Wild Card. Sure, we have an extra round of playoffs, and more games in October always means more exciting finishes. At the same time, however, we've sacrificed the grim finality of the pennant chase. Just how tense can the race between the A's and the Angels really be if we know they're both probably going to make the playoffs anyway?

What's the "Costas Solution"? Kill the Wild Cards, and limit the playoffs to the three division winners in each league. In turn, the division winner would get a first round bye, and play the winner of a series between the other two division champs. That way, having the league's best record really means something. Unfortunately, at this point, I can't see television executives buying into a "less is more" approach. For better or worse, we're stuck with this system for the time being.

Yes, Pete Sampras Winning. .

Yes, Pete Sampras Winning. . . The 2002 U.S. Open Men's Singles Title was a great story this weekend. And yes, having him win his first tournament since his 2000 Wimbledon title (a 33 tournament drought) was great too. Even better, he was able to win it on the court against Andre Agassi, his greatest rival, and perhaps the last of the game's great characters.

If anything, a match like this one between Sampras and Agassi has simply put an exclamation point on the end of an era. Nevertheless, as great as it was to see Sampras win, the match itself didn't, and perhaps couldn't, live up to the hype. In fact, the last compelling match on the men's side of the draw was the five set showdown between Agassi and Sampras in last year's Open quarterfinals. Since, there has been little reason to tune in, and I have little reason to hope it will be any different any time soon.

Karl Says Money and Greed

Karl Says Money and Greed Are Problem In NBA: Or so says a headline on an AP story that moved late Sunday afternoon. But as to what George Karl, coach of the sixth place U.S. National Team at the recently completed basketball World Championship, really said, you need to read a little more closely:

On one of the darkest nights in the history of American basketball, George Karl shed some light on the root of the problem.

"The money and greed of the NBA. Does that have an effect on our competitive nature? Yeah, you can write that," Karl said.

So, in fact, Karl never really said what the headline implies. Instead, Karl simply agreed with a statement that a reporter made, and then AP basketball writer Chris Sheridan built a story around a statement that he believed was true. Pretty tricky, eh?

Not that I have a real problem with the device Sheridan used to build his story, especially since it's a pretty good opinion piece. He makes a number of great points, including the fact that if the U.S. wants to secure a spot in the 2004 Olympic Basketball tournament, it will have to qualify in a regional tournament with other nations from North and South America.

Unfortunately, if that tournament is held in a nation without the traditional creature comforts NBA players are used to enjoying, say Cuba, recruiting a competitive U.S. team might be a real challenge.

But in fact, these are the sorts of problems that have been facing Canadian ice hockey for better than 30 years now. Though a team of Canadian NHL players won the golf medal in ice hockey in Salt Lake, it's easy to forget that was the first gold medal the first country of ice hockey had won in fifty years.

Likewise, getting the best in the NHL to play in the annual ice hockey World Championships is similarly problematic. Every year, that tournament is played in Europe, in a time period that roughly coincides with the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs. For the most part, the rosters for both Canada and the U.S. are made up of a core of minor league players, supplemented by whatever players become available as their NHL clubs are eliminated from the playoffs.

As you might imagine, getting a player to fly to Europe after completing an 82-game NHL schedule is no mean trick. Fortunately, appeals to individual patriotism seem to make the difference more often than not. Whether that will be enough to convince NBA players to come to the aid of their country is another question entirely.

(In case you care, Yugoslavia defeated Argentina 84-77 to win the gold medal.)

Over At ESPN. . .

Over At ESPN. . . The folks in Bristol have enlisted the help of a marketing research firm to determine who is winning the war of public opinion when it comes to the fight between Augusta National and the National Council of Women's Organizations over Augusta's membership policies. Taken at face value, the news looks to be bad for Augusta chairman William "Hootie" Johnson; but then again, when it comes to polls, it usually matters a lot just what sort of questions you ask, and how:

A scientific survey commissioned by ESPN reveals that while most Americans are not aware of the current Masters policy of not admitting women as members, they are overwhelmingly against the policy after learning of it.

Here are some other findings:

*That 46 percent say CBS should not broadcast the Masters with the current membership rule in effect, a number that jumps to a majority of women and 55 percent of African-Americans, and a majority (54 percent) would support their local CBS affiliate if it chose not to show the event even if CBS was broadcasting.

* That of those who did watch last year, more than a quarter of that television audience (27 percent) said that if Augusta's policy on women remains the same, they will not watch the Masters in 2003.

* That 46 percent agreed that CBS should not broadcast the Masters until women are accepted as August National members.

I know what the numbers say, but if you think viewership at The Masters is going to drop because of this controversy, you have to be nuts. If anything, if the flap over Augusta's membership policies continues for any length of time, I'm positive the ratings for the broadcast will probably reach similar levels to the final round of the 1997 tournament, when Tiger Woods was running away from the field and put away his historic first victory.

On Saturday Night In Flushing

On Saturday Night In Flushing Meadows. . . Serena Williams defeated her sister Venus in straight sets to win the 2002 U.S. Open Women's Singles title. All in all, the final, broadcast in prime time on CBS, lasted only 1 hour and 12 minutes. And when you come to think of it, that's way too short a time for two such incredible athletes to be on such a great stage.

Once again, in major tournaments, women's tennis needs to go to best of five sets. If not for the entire length of the tournament, then just for the final. To think that the match between the Williams sisters lasted only a little longer than a prime time teledrama seems like such a waste. Fans deserve to see more of these two, and soon.

With A Little More Than

With A Little More Than 12 Minutes Left. . . In the fourth quarter, the Houston Texans hold a 17-10 lead over the Dallas Cowboys. In light of this development, we should ask a few questions:

First, just how bad are the Dallas Cowboys? If they can't beat an expansion team, just how many games can they expect to win?

Next, after seeing the way the Cowboys running game has collapsed under the assault of an expansion team, might Emmit Smith's assault on Walter Payton's career rushing record be derailed, or at least delayed?

Finally, can it be more obvious that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones may be the most incompetent executive in pro football? Remember, it was only a few days ago that Jones said he expected his club to make the playoffs.

Leave your responses in the comments box below.

UPDATE: It's over, 19-10 Texans. Wonder what the conversation between Jones and Campo is going to be like after the game.