`Hey, didn't you used to be Tony Stewart's temper?'

Sporting News, The, July 23, 2001

* From Fly's "Eat the Rich" file: After Gaps owner and Time-Warner honcho Ted Leonsis traded for $10-million-a-year-man Jaromir Jagr, he said, "This means I won't buy a boat. I was thinking of buying a yacht. Instead, I got Jaromir Jagr." Leonsis later said he'd jack up prices for Caps ducats by 15 percent, which adds another $3 mil per year to his coffers. Guess he wants that yacht after all. If so, Fly's thinking of the perfect place where Leonsis can stick it ... er, dock it.

* Fly's not big on change, but it's about time the BCS (the B is for big, the C is for crock-o and Fly'll let you figure out the rest) underwent some tinkerin'. With FSU puttin' its annual bruisin' on the ACC, Fly penciled in the 'Noles for that final bowl game every year around January 4. New plan takes some clout out of those 52-3 thrillers vs. Duke, and woulda put Miami in the title game last year.

* Fly knows everything's more frigid up north, but it sure is tough believin' the desert warmth is enough to melt long-standing ice 'tween former T-Wolf T-mates Tom Gugliotta and Stephon Marbury, reunited in Phoenix. Sure, team wonks, including Scott Skiles and Bryan Colangelo, are taking a Sun-shiny stand on the Googs-Steph bitterness ... but then, why've they been shopping Googs to the Knickleheads?

* Now, Fly don't know tai chi from chai tea, but after a steady helping of Ichiro, Nome, Chan Ho and Shinjo, Fly's got a taste for Far East diamond imports. The Spies're saying two more Japanese League stars could be coming stateside--lefty fireballer Kazuhisa Ishii and shortstop Kazuo Matsui. Big-league bidding could get up to $10 mil. Fly'd hate to know what that comes to in yen.

* Fly's top 5 or, "Did you say playoffs? Get a hold of yourself, tenderfoot!": 1. Butch Davis; 2. Gregg Williams; 3. Marty Mornhinweg; 4. Herman Edwards; 5. Dick LeBeau.

* Word outta Coffeetown has the Sonics unable to find a suitable suitor for Gary Payton, who has given new meaning to "disgruntled" (Glove's so disgruntled you have to wonder if he has ever been `gruntled'). Sure, plenty-o-teams need a point, but plenty-o-teams know Seattle needs to get rid of Payton. Askin' price figures to drop as the free-agent dust settles and the possibility of openin' camp with G.P. gets a little too real.

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