Caught on the Fly

Sporting News, The, Jan 31, 2000

NOTHING PERSONAL? Private matters drove Hampton out of Houston, and the Mets would like to inspect his baggage before signing him long-term.

Hey, didn't you used to be an NFC laughingstock?

* Now that Wannie's firm hand's on 'Phins helm, Fly hears ripple effect-turned-tsunami's gonna make J.J.'s first year look like lap, lap, lap of waves on South Beach. New offense, new QB (bet the beach house, Dan-o), new guy to oversee draft-n-free agency. But no matter how many deck chairs're moved, the Titanic questions remain for the new guy that were here for the old guy (and the legend who took it on the before him): Where to find an O-line, how to find a star RB and (eek!) how to address ever more evident D-ficiencies.

* Speaking of Miami coaches, Fly's gotten a peek at Houston's short list-o-candidates for 'O2 NFL comin'-out party, and Butch Davis is right there with Gary Kubiak, Dom Capers and Ty Willingham. Davis never set a timetable for his goal of returning to the NFL, but when junior TE Bubba Franks, dominant player in the 'Canes O, ran an early-out pattern, Davis knew his national-title hopes went with him.

* Cancel that Czech farewell tour, the Spies say. That was (shhh!) Dom Hasek agent in tow, quietly takin' meeting with his equipment manufacturer to say yes, indeedy, he'd be mindin' net again next season.

* The Spies say San Antone's struggles are no Spur-of-the-moment thang. Word's out on the NBabies' defenseless champs: Slash to the hoop at one end and collapse on/outquick Tim Dunkin' and The Rear Admiral at the other. The result: "It's getting frustrating" says a Spurs lineup drone.

* Mike Hampton's exit from Houston had nothin', zip, zero to do with dead presidents, and his willingness to talk long-term deal with the Mets is Exhibit A. Why'd he want outta Texas so bad? "Personal matter," a 'Stros mole whispers. Now comes the fun part: Will the Mets give in to the urge to sign Hampton--like, yesterday--or play it safe to see if his baggage accompanied him to NYC?

* Yeah, oh, yeah Bob Knight put on his best boor when Li'l Stevie Alford came to town last week, but the Spies say you gotta taste this prime 'vine: The General's consensus is Alford shares blame for the Big Chill ever since he was talkin' daily with Luke Recker when the former was at SWMo and the latter still wearin' red-n-white.

* Fly's Top 5 or "It's called the RPI crash diet ... you bulk up on non-coherence cupcakes then starve to death come league play": 1. Ole Miss; 2. Cal; 3. Georgetown; 4. Pitt; 5. Tulane.

* Finally, it's taken Fly this long to do the math: Aaron Sele did cost himself $13 mil in one week by inkin' pact with the Ms. Whispers a Spy: "I apologize for calling Kenny Rogers the dumbest pitcher the Rangers have ever had."

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