Belle weather

Sporting News, The, Nov 29, 1999

Caught on the FLY

Hey, didn't you used to be Wendel Clark?

* Fly's buzz-buster: Al Belle (and Moose or Scott Erickson) to the Indians for Manny Ramirez? Not when Albert's feelings (sniff) are (sniff) still hurt (honk!) from the business Cleveland fans gave him when he returned as a Pale Hoser. But, pssst, he'd waive his no-trade faster than you can say, "Big Hurt in a wO's uniform" to go back to Chicago.

* Yes, oh, yes indeedy, that was a look-o-surprise fly detected on Jerry Jones' face when he found out Deion'd been put on the Reds' 40-man. With a supe'star core age-age-agin', the `Boy$ owner's in dire need of Prime Time marquee, but buzz is any two-sport two-timing will end up on the bargaining table when the sides rework Sanders' mega-mil deal.

* Fly hears Disney'll never cough up the size coin it'd take to settle suit with MLB. Talk about a serious dice roll. ESPN's lost its slice-o-NASCAR. And there's only so much hockey, college football and once-a-week NFL that Fly can take. If ESPN's sans the national past-its-prime, yer gonna be watchin' ... summer tractor pull repeats.

* Prime `vine: The Sixers' Larry Hughes is fed up with ridin' he takes from jockey-sized coach with a one-size-fits-all rep for bein' hard on guards. Yo, Coach, maybe it's time you learned a lesson or two--1. Reggie Miller; 2. Jalen Rose--from past falling-outs with talented younguns.

* Fly hears the Bolts D is ready to pull Juniority (can you say, "Ow!"?) because it's sick/tired/fed up with carryin' San Dieg (look, Ma, no `O'!). Jimmy Harbaugh's recent nose-to-nose with a defensive worker bee is a sign of more to come.

* Speaking of diss-functional (as in, their ability to diss their own teammates is fully functional) families: The Spies say Mavwrecks players' behind-the-back name for Dirk Nowitzki is "Irk." No, D, get it?

* The Spies say that, yup, that was Brownies director of football ops Dwight Clark road-trippin' 330 miles to see Great Dayne and comin' away with visions of drivin' the next Bus home from the '00 draft. Two other names he'll consider: Peter Warrick and Courtney Brown.

* Fly's fearless forecast: When TexTech drives silver Spike from the football program, it's kick-start of revolving door. Big 12 or no, Lubbock's a layover on the way to something bigger/better unless yer a West Texan like, say ... Spike.

* Finally, Fly's Top 5, "A special toast to the state-o-Minnesota's major league contributions ... or let's lift a Heinie to Steinie": 1. Terry Steinbach; 2. Kent Hrbek; 3. Jack Morris; 4. Paul Molitor; 5. Dave Winfield.

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