Bob Hille's starting 5

Sporting News, The, August 18, 2003

(1)

Kobe Bryant. I don't want to say his trial has all the makings of a media circus, but among ESPN's team of legal analysts is Cirque du Soleil.

(2)

NFL exhibitions. I see great things for Joey Harrington and Charles Rogers in Detroit. Of course, I said the same thing about J-Lo and Ben in Gigli.

(3)

Dick Ebersol. The NBC Sports and Olympics chief paid $50,000 at a charity auction for Carly Simon to reveal to him the subject of her song, "You're So Vain." He's gonna die when he finds out it's Rowdy Gaines,

(4)

The dog days. President Bush is taking off the whole month of August. It's either a working vacation or a trick to gain support from undecided Cubs fans.

(5)

Mike Tyson. By his estimate, he blew $300 million. And unlike Cincinnati tax-payers, he doesn't have a major league stadium for a minor league team to show for it.