Starting Five

Sporting News, The, March 20, 2000 by Bob Hille

1 The NCAA Tournament. March Madness: A player takes $2,500 to keep his mom from being evicted and is banned from a tournament that if you pick every game correctly, you get $10 million.

2 Cameras in NBA locker rooms. They got the idea from the Internet; unfortunately, the Laker girls said no.

3 Monday Night Football. Boomer Esiason knew he was in trouble when an assistant said, "Coach wants to see you, and bring your hair spray."

4 Texas vs. Hawaii. When the Longhorns cancelled their football game in Honolulu, Texas coach Mack Brown's manhood was questioned by Rainbows coach June Jones. He'd be the guy in the orchid necklace and flowered shirt.

5 The Lakers. They've been so good, NBC is thinking about preempting "The Vince Carter Game of the Week" to show them.

DUSTBIN

March 19, 1966

Texas Western upset Kentucky, 72-65, to win its first and only NCAA basketball title. Beyond the final score, the game served as an important social landmark because the Miners, coached by Don Haskins, started five black players against Adolph Rupp's all-white team. Bobby Joe Hill's 20 points paced the Miners; Louie Dampier and current Heat coach Pat Riley each scored 19 for the Wildcats. Rupp retired in 1972 after compiling an 876-190 record with four NCAA titles in 41 seasons at Kentucky. Haskins coached at Texas Western (which would later changed its name to the University of Texas-El Paso) for 38 seasons, compiling 719 wins before retiring on August 24, 1999.