Volume CXXXIII, Number 10 November 16, 2001 f

Pro sports notables
J.P. BOX
ORIENT STAFF

TENNESSE TITANS: We all remember Kevin Dyson - twisting, turning, slicing - desperately trying to earn one more yard and win Super Bowl XXXIV. It was perhaps the greatest Super Bowl finish of all time, as the Rams won by less than a yard.

This week's Monday Night Football game featured the Titans and former Super Bowl champ Baltimore Ravens. With the ball spotted on the one-yard line and only seconds left, Tennessee QB Steve McNair took the snap and bull-dozed his way into the endzone for the game-winning touchdown.

There was only a minor problem, however. A Ravens' offside penalty - prior to the snap - nullified the play. The referees edged the ball closer to the goal line and let the Titans take another crack at it.

There was only a minor problem, however. The Ravens waited on a McNair quarterback sneak and prevented the game-winning touchdown as time expired. With the 16-10 victory, the Ravens move to 6-3, while the Titans drop to a disappointing 3-5 record.

If only football fields were 99 yards, the Titans would enter the midway point of the season with a .500 record and a Super Bowl XXXIV trophy on the mantle at home. Too bad the actual length of the field is 100 yards.
Anyone want to place a bet on when the Titans' management will petition the league for a shorter field?

NBA DISHING OUT THE FINES: What is up with the NBA fining players for voicing their opinions?

Denver Nuggets point guard Nick Van Exel shelled out 30 grand over the past week due to his distain for referee's treatment of his team.

Said Van Exel, "Cowards don't make it any easier for you, I'll tell you that much. It's ridiculous some of the calls we get, some of the calls other teams get. It's like we are the scrubs of the league. We don't get no respect. None. It ain't gonna change, so I'm going to keep cussing them out."

With the Nuggets making it into postseason play once in the past ten years, they will not receive much respect around the league. But, what's wrong with Van Exel demanding it through the press and criticizing the officials? Isn't that what free speech is all about?

Charles Oakley of the woeful Chicago Bulls was also recently fined to the tune of 50 grand. Bull's General Manager Jerry Krause fined one of his few veteran players after a 53 point loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

After the game, Oakley attacked Head Coach Tim Floyd's substitution patterns: "If we're not trying to win, we might as well play the young guys and get blown out by 50 every other night." The Bulls responded with a hefty fine.

The NBA needs to allow its players to voice their opinions. If the league succeeds in its quest to silence dissenters, we may hear remarks like: "Well, it was a team effort. It takes 12 guys working together to lose by this much. But, thanks to our coach and the organization, we didn't lose by 60! We'll get them next game!"

BASEBALL NEWS: What's new? Big Mac is retiring, Roger Clemens is not, and neither is Barry Bonds.

Mark McGwire: Lacking the physical and mental ability to fight off injuries and the fatigue of being a Major League Baseball player, one of the greatest power hitters of all time decided retirement was the best looking pitch to hit.

After batting only .187 in 298 at-bats last year, Mark McGwire realized that he is not the same player who captivated the nation with 70 home runs in 1998.
Big Mac finishes his storied career with 585 home runs, which is fifth overall in the record books. He is also leaving a Cardinals organization that is very much a contender in the National League. Who will replace this first baseman? His good friend and free agent, Jason Giambi of the Oakland A's of course.

Roger Clemens: At age 39, Clemens has no intentions of retiring any time soon. A week ago, the Rocket claimed a record-setting sixth Cy Young Award thanks to his 20-3 record and 213 strikeouts.

This mention of the ex-Red Sox pitcher is the part where New Englanders stop reading my column and mutter a foul comment about how he should have stayed with Boston. Ready to continue?

Roger should share his secret with Michael Jordan, who has not regained the swagger and style of his younger self thus far in his comeback.

And now onto another old man: the 37-year-old Barry Bonds who enjoyed the greatest season of his career, as he hit 73 home runs and claimed the highest slugging percentage in baseball history.

However, during his chase for Mac's 70, he received several death threats from jerks who wanted the title to stay in the hands of McGwire.

Bonds said, "I really didn't start hitting (home runs) at first because I was really nervous. It was like, 'I could get shot out here.' I was thinking, did I tell my mom I loved her? Did I tell my dad? All these scary thoughts were going through my mind."

Giants Manager Dusty Baker reminded Bonds that Hank Aaron, a former Giant who holds the record for most homers in a career, also dealt with the same crap. It's called poor sportsmanship. Worse than that though, it's called racism.