The Starting Five

Sporting News, The, August 16, 1999

1 Baseball milestone mania. Trivia answer: 500. Trivia question: What's the combined IQ of the umps' 10-man labor-negotiating team?

2 The NFL and L.A. It looks like the league won't add a team there, leaving the city without pro football or major league baseball.

3 Rashaan Salaam. We misunderstood the scouting report: "Can't take a hit without coughing it up."

4 The Cubs in Japan. Never mind how you say baseball, how do you say basement?.

5 NBA free agents. People with no ties to an area move in looking for a big payoff. Think of it as sports' version of a senate race in New York.