Relief in the Texas heat

Sporting News, The, August 16, 1999

Caught on the FLY

Hey, didn't you used to be in the NBA Finals?

* Think these strangers ain't for real? They have a familiar (championship) ring to 'em, one A.L. player whispers: "They remind me of the Yankees when Wetteland was dosing for them and they had Mariano Rivera setting up. ... They can make it a six-inning game."

* Yes, yes, Super Marlo still hasn't gotten Pens to paper; that's why Steel City suits were rollin' eyes at potential fan fallout over the Jagr-meister's comment that corning back to Pittsburgh from the Czech Republic is "like going from heaven to hell." Which, come to think of it, is what life as a Pens fan has been like the past seven, eight years.

* So, why's Chitown bearish on Cede McNown? This star-starved squad's fans love the li'l guy's guts-n-grits (course that's what folks loved about Ryan Leaf last year, too, and look how that turned out). Better to like, NFL wonks say, is that among '99's five first-round QBs, McNown's got the best chance to be effective as a rook ... even with the Bears.

* Fresh from the Rumorama (where drinks're comp as long as yer pumpin' dollars into slots): No sigh-o-relief in Vero. Rupe's Troops ain't 'Zone-bound, but Vega$ is lurkin' with visions of them bein' anchor tenant-with the `Stros, strangers and Jays-in a $50 mil spring complex/tourist destination that'd render Codgertown yesterday's news.

* Call Coach Rick over(t)ly optimistic. Fly looks at the Celts' remade roster and sees it half-full (of retreads, castoffs and underachievers) and half-empty (of postseason promise).

* Fly hears that locker-room rumble threatens to become a roar in Gints camp. Seems teammates're gettin' ssserious red-fanny over a certain CB's superstar a) behavior and b) treatment. They're this close to fed up, Coach, especially because the guy's logged not one single solitary down into these many months.

* Speaking of how-tos on the red-fanny front, the D-Rays' Chuck LaMar, after failing to squeeze trigger on deadline-day deals (again), is not amused by his new nickname: "Chuck E. Tease, the only G.M. with a no-trade clause in his contract."

* Fly hears Cecil the Diesel's standin' head-n-(lowered-)shoulders above all others in the `Phins overcrowded backfield. He's got big-play potential J.J. loves/cuh-raves and also has teal staff droolin' when he says things like, "I've got to give all the credit to my offensive line."

* Finally, the Spies say, tree, Bobby V's gone from goat to gloat since retain' 55-game hourglass upside down June 6, but no number of W's'll guaranfreakin'-tee job security come this offseason.

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