Caught on the Fly

Sporting News, The, Jan 29, 2001

Hey, didn't you used to be the AFL-NFL World Championship Game?

* Think 365 days make a diff? Rams insiders say only three defensive starters' jobs are safe going into Camp '01: E Grant Wistrom, LB London Fletcher and CB Dexter McCleon. Meantime, the cap-stropped Titans're nagged by whether QB Steve McNair, entering the last year of his contract, has peaked physically.

* The Spies say when the NBA's competition committee meets during the All-Star break, it'll be looking at anything/everything to jazz the game. On the table: zone Ds, a shorter shot clock and--whoa!--four-on-four games? Says a Fifth Avenue worker bee: "At some point, we will have to take some risks."

* Prime 'vine from Senior Bowl is that FSU WR Snoop Minnis didn't make the grade with NFL scouts, either Figure tiffs: Guy's lack of attention to academic detail costs the 'Noles dearly, then he shows up in Mobile with major attitude in tow?

* The Spies say the Mets had great interest/delight (plus crossed fingers) in the arbitration-numbers gulf between Jeter and the Yankees, for two reasons: If Jeter had gone open market, then Chez Shea's stats could make 1) fans forget how badly they botched the A-Rod talks, or 2) The Boss squirm before payin' tiptop dollar.

* NBA scouts tell Fly they're not impressed with DePaul coach Pat Kennedy as a teacher or game coach, and now his solid image as a recruiter's lookin' iffy. The Spies' bottom line: The Demous're high on hype, low on team chemistry, savvy and guts. In short, the Chicagoland kids're too cool to play hard.

* The Bosox're wage-ring large on Pedro and the Dozen Dwarfs when pitchers (pitchers and more pitchers) and catchers report to Fort Myers, Fla. Among the B-list starters are Cone, Arrojo, Homo, Wakefield, Mercker, Saberhagen and Schourek. Looks to Fly like Duke's pannin' for 24K rotation gold and found a bunch of pyrite-banders.

* Net effect of impending NH-hell trade deadline? Playoff bubble teams're trollin' for goalies. Sure, names like Mike Vernon, Jamie McLennan, Ron Tugnutt and Jeff Hackett pop up. But, pssst, if a team really wants to make a splash ... it'll call about Dom Hasek or Ed Belfour, who Fly hears may be verrry available.

* The Spies say answers to teams' trade inquiries prove the Grizzlies're trying to clear cap space, knowing no free agent wants to play in Vancouver. That can only mean Mike Heisley's about to make a push to move the team to St. Loo.

* Finally, flipping through Angels G.M. Bill Stoneman's phone messages ("Telephoned, re: no MO"): agents for Wally Joyner, Henry Rodriguez, Hal Morris and Mike Stanley.

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