Caught on the Fly

Sporting News, The, March 6, 2000

Hey, didn't you used to be a blockbuster deadline deal?

* Buzz is John Randle's unwillingness to answer Vikesuits' salcap SOS will come to a head (as in: "What's goin' on in his?") in July. More obliging teammates--read: the ones who reworked their deals--don't understand this stand, no matter how honked off J.R. is about recent lack of attention paid the D amid Denny Green's staff/roster purges.

* Fly hears if/when the Nets dump Don Casey, they'll look for college coach with high Q-rating. Buzz is Coach K's on short list and might not resist NBA siren song this time. But note this tidbit: The Spies say Bob Huggins is eyein' the pay-for-play boys (insert Bearcats joke here).

* Speaking of UCincy, Hug's got this stroke-o-scheduling genius goin' for him: By playing win-it-all pick du jour Temple in the regular season, ex-numero uno will less likely be paired in the same region.

* Bobbin' along in NH-hell's not-so-great Northwest, Colorado players're givin' out advice like it's come-from-ahead losses. In-room rumble: The front office Absolutely has to make a deadline deal. The impatient coach's rebuttal for Fly: "The help is right in our dressing room."

* Conspiracy theoristas have constructed this Fly-pothetical scenario: The Mets play hide-n-seek with Bobby V's extension to provoke lame-duck M-G-R, who finally blows perfectly coifed stack ("Someone's gonna ask me the right question on the wrong day," V says). Owner Fast Freddie Wilpon's bestcase scenario for no-muss/no-fuss exit of 97-W skip: Valentine quits, the Mets save $1 mil in salary, and Plan B goes into effect thisquick.

* Speaking of the Mets, when Mike Hampton shuts down contract talks, it ain't good news. Whispers one bird dog who knows the lefty well: "He's a true Southerner, a NASCAR kinda guy, a big hunt-and-fish guy. He's got `Atlanta Braves' written all over him."

* Now that the NBabies're roster-locked, Fly can broadcast the predeadline Big Stiffs Shopped/Shopping List: Bryant Reeves, Shawn Bradley, Greg Foster, Luc Longley and Danny Ferry.

* NFL personnel wonks're squeezin' ripe pre-draft trade rumors; Fly's freshest of the bunch: The Cardinals're hot to deal DE Simeon Rice, who's long on QB-sackage (16 1/2 in '99) but short on runstoppage.

* Fly's Top 5 or "Keep those change-of-address cards handy, Hoss": 1. John Rocker; 2. Brad Radke; 3. Jim Edmonds; 4. Dennis Cook; 5. Rondell White.

* Finally, the Broncos're in hyperebuild mode, throwin' big signing-bonus bucks at ... whoa! NYGints DB Jeremy Lincoln? He didn't exactly have a ssstellar season. Whispers a league worker bee: "What? They don't have VCRs in Denver?"