Caught on the Fly

Sporting News, The, Nov 20, 2000

Hey, didn't you used to be Dusty Bonner?

* Buzz is MJ's bidin' two seasons' time. That's when Rod Strickland-n-Mitch Richmond'll be cleared for $20 mil cap-room take off and all eggs'll be in one free-agent-eligible basket: a certain 6-6 high-flyin' human-highlight Heel who came out after his junior year (sound familiar, Mike?).

* Speaking of the Wiz, fans in Nashville're gonna love cheerin' for Vince Carter & Co.

* Agent/author Scott Bore-Us tells Fly the digits don't lie: "Everybody says Griffey is so great. A-Rod wipes out Griffey in every category at 24." The National Past-Its-Prime's de facto commish made his point in Florida with a best-selling three-ring binder, "Alex Rodriguez: Historical Performance," a page-turner that'd make Amelia Isle time-share honks blush.

* Yep, the Spies confirm, that was Chris Mullin givin' post-practice personal shooting lessons, the better to scrape mortar off Larry Hughes' bricks.

* Job uno for the University of Misery's next football coach: Persuade DE Justin Smith not to declare. "He's the best that I've seen or played against," whispers one hand-to-hand foe. "He's got it all. Speed, strength, his size, his motor." Good news you could use, though, Coach: NFL personnel wonks say he could use another year.

* Hey-yo, 'nother memorable fortnight(mare) for minority job candidates. Yer mega-qualified, Willie Randolph ... blew 'em away in the interview, Chris Chambliss. Sly Croom for burnt-crisp Bobby Ross? Fly'd be Lion if the thought hadn't occurred. Instead, with one notable exception, the newest members of Coaching Country Club're TV foofs-turned-skippers and retread coaches from ol' Alma Mater.

* Speaking of equal-opp. employers, Bob Simmons' replacement at Okie State? One rrrrumble 'round Eskimo Joe's is it's the best ex-'Poke available: Mike Gundy.

* Hoops recruitingistas tell Fly that Lute's in a `Zona his own, and here's why: Teamin' Will Bynum with Salim Stoudamire, Damon's cousin, and the Cats've already reloaded replacements for Jason Gardner-n-Gilbert Arenas.

* Prime `vine is the NHL's paddin' fannies-in-seats count. The fuzzy math for this here garage league's attendance growth: Announce 13K (tickets sold) when only 6,000 actually attend. Explanation for the ducat differential: The corporate suits couldn't give 'em away. The red flag: Parking, concession, other revenue lost.

* Finally, Fly's hearin' bicoastal buzz on Pat Ewing's arrival/departure. Impact in Seattle? "I don't wanna comment. I'll just leave it at that," says one Sonic about a less-than-super start. Meantime, Knicks guards're frettin' that Marcus Can't-be, in the low-post O, can't fill Ewing's go-to shoes.

Buzz in daily for Fly's hottest dish at sportingnews.com.

DEFT SHOT

`Hey, if it was the Raiders involved, they would have called the FBI.'

Raiders owner Al Davis, on the NFL's investigation of the 49ers' salary-cap violations.