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Big Ben's Sunday Rumors & Notes

Baseball Rumors & Notes

Though pitching isn't the Dodgers' need, Greg Maddux could be a good fit at Dodger Stadium. His signing could make it easier for Evans to trade a package of pitchers, including Odalis Perez and highly sought prospects Edwin Jackson and Greg Miller.

A Detroit Web site reported Saturday that free agent catcher Ivan Rodriguez and the Seattle Mariners had all but reached agreement on a multi-year contract - which came as a surprise to the Mariners. "There is absolutely nothing to that story," general manager Bill Bavasi said. "They either have bad sources or they're fools, or both."

The Pudge Rodriguez plot - or soap opera as Dmitri Young called it - took a new twist Saturday in the form of support for Brandon Inge, the Tigers incumbent catcher. During the annual TigerFest at Joe Louis Arena, Young and Bob Cluck, the Tigers pitching coach, came out in favor of Inge over Rodriguez, who is waiting for the Tigers to reply to the offer his agent, Scott Boras, submitted Friday.

While everyone knows the Jays may be hard-pressed to keep Carlos Delgado - Toronto will let the first baseman play out 2004 before starting negotiations - Ricciardi is not conceding anything. ``I called him (Thursday) and told him we haven't forgotten about him,'' Ricciardi said. ``We're going to try to be creative and keep him here.''

Twins outfielder Jacque Jones said he no longer is bothered by trade rumors. "It's actually kind of flattering to know other teams think I can play; I'd be worried if there were no rumors," he said.

Aside from Ellis Burks, the Red Sox may have interest in either Eric Karros or Andres Galarraga, depending on the price. The obvious connection between those players is that all three are veteran right-handed hitters who maul left-handed pitching, at least based on their performances in 2003.

Bud Selig's decision to sell his share of the Brewers means he'll probably stay on as commissioner beyond 2006, when his current term expires. He regretted saying he would leave almost from the moment the words left his mouth. "I promised the owners I wouldn't say that again so I won't," he said.

He is no longer dodging the inevitable. "I'm through, man," Mo Vaughn said. "I'm through." This does not come as news to the New York Mets. Earlier this month, Vaughn announced in a conference call that he would not play for the Mets in the 2004 season because of his arthritic left knee and, barring a medical miracle, was not likely to play again. But he avoided declaring himself retired, no doubt an exercise in legal semantics, since he is still guaranteed $15 million this season by the Mets, who by keeping Vaughn on the disabled list for the year will be insured for all but $3.75 million of that sum. Vaughn said he would have some interest one day in managing, but for now he needs to step away from the game. He has no plans to report to spring training with the Mets next month. "The cut grass and smell of the dirt right now is tough for me," he said.

Twins LF Shannon Stewart no sooner agreed to a three-year contract extension last month than the team seemed to disintegrate before his eyes. "I didn't know what to think, really,'' said Stewart, who agreed to an $18 million deal a few days after pitcher Eric Milton was traded and pitcher LaTroy Hawkins signed with the Cubs as a free agent, and just a few days before closer Eddie Guardado signed with Seattle as a free agent.

Don't be surprised if rumors surface involving the Orioles this spring, but a club source said neither Ramon Ortiz nor Jarrod Washburn is a high priority because both are fly-ball pitchers who might not be well-suited to Camden Yards.

The White Sox were among 11 teams watching former Baltimore Orioles right-hander Scott Erickson work out Tuesday in Tempe, Ariz. Erickson, who has only 10 victories in the last four seasons, impressed scouts with his slider and has high-80s velocity.

Even though the Jays lost Kelvim Escobar to free agency, they have added solid starters Ted Lilly, Miguel Batista and Pat Hentgen and relievers Kerry Ligtenberg, Justin Speier and Terry Adams. The staff isn't spectacular, but it may be stable enough to take advantage of an offense that ranked second in the American League in runs last year.

Scott Podsednik doesn't put a lot of stock in the sophomore jinx. "I don't really believe in that kind of stuff," he said. That's a good thing, because Podsednik will be hard-pressed to repeat his rookie performance with the Milwaukee Brewers. Coming out of nowhere in 2003 to win the starting center-field job five weeks into the season, Podsednik batted .314 with nine homers, 58 runs batted in, 100 runs scored and 43 stolen bases.

The Reds were among the teams who scouted Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez in Miami last week. Asked if there was a chance the team would sign him, general manager Dan O'Brien said, "Based on the scouting report, no."

It seems to be a given that Doug Glanville will make the Phillies' opening day roster, and that means the team would probably carry six outfielders, unless it deals Jason Michaels, who has value after hitting .330 in 76 games last year.

Pete Rose's gambling problems might keep him out of the Hall of Fame, but they won't keep him out of a casino. Rose - baseball's all-time hit king who is on the sport's lifetime banned list - was at the Foxwoods Resort Casino last night, signing his book, "My Prison Without Bars," and schmoozing with about 300 of the casino's "preferred players."

New Pirates pitcher Rick Reed, 38, is from Huntington, W.Va., pitched for Marshall University and is pleased to sign with a club within a four-hour drive of home. Terms were not disclosed, and the deal is contingent on him passing a physical. The Pirates had been looking to add some depth and spur some competition among starting pitchers. Reed, who made his major-league debut with the Pirates in 1988, figures to bring a veteran presence to a young rotation that features Kip Wells, Kris Benson, Oliver Perez and Josh Fogg.

Since signing a minor-league deal with the Houston Astros, John Valentin has put his home in New Jersey up for auction. The house has a two-lane bowling alley, a racquetball court and an ``activity room'' that is large enough to serve as a batting cage.

Twins manager Eric Wedge said Milton Bradley ``is in outstanding shape and his back is great.'' He added if the outfielder can stay healthy, ``he should have a terrific year. His attitude has been very good this off-season, as he's stayed in town and worked out hard with us.''

The man who summed up the past five years of the Padres' existence with perhaps the greatest quote in franchise history, ex-pitching coach Greg Booker, will be back in uniform in that same capacity with the Rockies' Class A affiliate in Asheville, N.C. "You can prepare a donkey to run in the Preakness," Booker said after being fired by San Diego last year, "but he probably won't run very well."

"I want to win here and be part of a team that builds something rather than going out and just trying to sign with a team that has the best chance to win." -- So said AL Cy Young winner Roy Halladay in signing a four-year, $42 million with the Blue Jays while taking a subtle shot at Roger Clemens, who forced a trade from Toronto to the Yankees a few years back because he wanted a better chance at winning a ring.

Speaking of the Marlins, baseball ought to be alarmed at their inability to sell even 5,000 season tickets so far. Even the Brewers and Expos have sold more. Marlins ownership has done a commendable job this off-season, retaining most of the key players of their world championship club in the face of the uncertain stadium situation there.

Jeremy Guthrie returned to Stanford during the off-season. He took a course load of 22 hours in one quarter. "I got straight As for the first time in my college career," Guthrie said last week while participating in the Indians' winter development program. "I'm two quarters short of my degree."

Just for kicks, here's a copy of a story that recently appeared in the Kyodo news service: ``Yakult Swallows infielder Shinya Miyamoto, who has agreed to a five-year deal, re-signed with the Central League club on Friday for an annual salary of 180 million yen plus bonuses - a 25 million yen pay raise from last season. Miyamoto, 33, will receive the same amount in the first three years of the deal and either a pay increase of 60 million yen or a pay cut of 40 million yen thereafter, depending on his performance.

Remember Sang Hoon Lee, the Korean reliever who was a bust with the Red Sox after being given more than $3 million by Dan Duquette? According to the Korean Times, Lee signed a $500,000 contract with his new team, the SK Wyverns, the same salary he had with his former team, the LG Twins, last season. That made him the highest-paid player in Korea. He was traded by the Twins, the paper said, "due to a conflict with the manager over his increasing focus on playing guitar."

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who canceled his appearance at this week's UM baseball banquet for personal reasons, sent the school a $25,000 check that will be given to the baseball program.

Darren Daulton, who walked away from a coaching job with the Rays in 2001, will be a spring training catching instructor for the Phillies with a chance it could lead to full-time work.

Two absent friends, Paul Owens and Tug McGraw, will no doubt be remembered during opening ceremonies at Citizens Bank Park on April 12. And wouldn't it be cool if Tim McGraw, son of the Tugger, were on hand to sing the national anthem? Yes, it would, but Phillies insiders say Tim doesn't do anthems. They know this because they tried to get him to close out the Vet.

The Reds have known for more than a year that Joe Nuxhall would be cutting back his schedule this season and retiring before the 2005 season, you would have thought Marty Brennaman's new partner would have been chosen long ago. But the Reds' radio broadcast team for 2004 is still Marty and Joe and an announcer-to-be-named-later. That could be the situation at Wednesday's luncheon. Chief operating officer John Allen confirmed that Dan Hoard, Chris Welsh, Tracy Jones and Jeff McCarragher were candidates and added that Joe Sunderman and Steve Stewart were being considered.

NFL Rumors & Notes

There was widespread speculation here that the Redskins will be among a few teams that will try to trade for Corey Dillon, Cincinnati's veteran runner who reportedly is on the trading block. Two NFL team officials said the price tag for Dillon would include at least a third-round pick.

Bill Parcells needs a big- time running back, and Corey Dillon has worn out his welcome in Cincinnati. Two free- agent possibilities for Parcells: Oakland's Charlie Garner and Philly's Duce Staley.

The likelihood that Norv Turner will become the Raiders' head coach and Marc Trestman will be the Dolphins' quarterbacks coach is increasing by the minute. Turner, Miami's offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, had a second interview with Oakland owner Al Davis on Saturday, a Raiders source said.

Former Washington Redskins coach Norv Turner is the latest candidate to interview for the job, but it's believed that Davis is waiting on New England offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. If Weis knows what's good for him, he'll wait for a better opportunity next year.

The Ravens could be close to adding former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel to their offensive brain trust. Fassel, one of the league's most reputable offensive coaches, is interested in becoming a club senior adviser somewhere in the NFL and appears to be leaning toward the Ravens, league insiders said last night. They said his friendship with coach Brian Billick and the proximity of his New York-area home to Baltimore make the Ravens the best fit for him.

Things could get interesting come February. What if the Steelers do not rework Tommy Maddox's contract and then don't draft a quarterback? What if they rework his contract and then draft a quarterback in the first round? And will Batch be used by the Steelers as a hammer over Maddox?

Is Browns head coach Butch Davis hedging his bets on previous plans to dump unhappy backup RB Jamel White? Word is Davis has privately told interested parties there's now no guarantee White will be traded, and lavished praise on the runner, calling him the NFL's best third-down back.

Don't be surprised to see Eagles coach Andy Reid procure a contract extension this offseason. When Reid signed his six-year, $15 million deal 2 1/2 years ago, he was one of the game's six highest-paid coaches. Now he is in the league's bottom dozen, and the Eagles are determined to change that.

The Miami Dolphins, who are apparently searching for help at the quarterback position, are bringing in Ricky Ray, who's rated the top young passer in the Canadian Football League, for a workout this week.

Another quarterback on the hot seat will be Cincinnati's Jon Kitna. Although Kitna was, in many people's eyes, the comeback player of the year, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is ready to challenge him with young Carson Palmer because he believes Palmer has much more upside.

Bears DC Ron Rivera's old team the Eagles are expected to let veteran cornerbacks Bobby Taylor, 30, and Troy Vincent, 32, hit the free-agent market. If they can still play- and Rivera knows but isn't saying-the Bears may be tempted to take a look. Among the Eagles' other free agents is running back Duce Staley, who could provide the receiving threat out of the backfield the Bears missed badly.

The Dolphins will hire former Oakland Raiders offensive coordinator Marc Trestman as their new quarterbacks coach, according to a South Florida radio report. WQAM reported Saturday that Trestman has agreed to join coach Dave Wannstedt's staff. Trestman was fired along with Raiders coach Bill Callahan at the end of the regular season.

What the Eagles also need is a pass-rushing defensive end. Of course, who doesn't? But the Eagles might have the ammunition to pull off an interesting trade. Third-string quarterback A.J. Feeley is scheduled to be a restricted free agent, as is Miami defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, who led the AFC with 15 sacks. Is it just me, or would a Feeley-for-Ogunleye trade not make a bit of sense for both sides?

Before George Seifert's name gets dragged through the mud any further, consider this: Had it not been for many of the players he brought in during his ill-fated three-year stint from 1999- 2001, the Panthers probably wouldn't be in the Super Bowl. The former San Francisco 49ers head coach, who won two Super Bowls after taking over for Bill Walsh, went a miserable 16-32 with the Panthers and ruined any chance he had of winding up in the Hall of Fame. But he left behind some terrific players to lead the Panthers' resurgence. More than half the starters on the roster that will face the New England Patriots were brought in by Seifert.

Adam Meadows, formerly the Colts' starting right tackle, is expected to be released because of his $8.75 million cap number in 2004. The Colts prepared for this inevitability by demoting Meadows to the bench last season.

When Jake Delhomme of Carolina faces Tom Brady next Sunday in the Super Bowl at Houston, it will mark the third consecutive season in which the NFL's biggest game features a pair of quarterbacks drafted in the fourth round or later. Although fans everywhere crave a larger-than-life quarterbacks, it's unclear if that's the way to build a team.

The Browns haven't announced it but they have signed quarterback Todd Husak, a journeyman who last was with the New York Jets in 2002.

It looks like Brentson Buckner, the talkative Panthers defensive tackle, will be this year's Warren Sapp during Super Bowl week. Asked by Charlotte Observer columnist Tom Sorensen what it felt like to win the NFC Championship in Philadelphia, Buckner replied, "It felt like you conquered a city. It felt like you were part of the Roman Empire." And what did Buckner, noble Roman that he is, wear to Philly? "A leather outfit with a chinchilla fur coat."

Who do the running back-needy Redskins take with the top pick? The top two tailbacks are juniors: 6-foot-3, 233-pound Steven Jackson of Oregon State and 6-foot, 225-pound Kevin Jones of Virginia Tech.

Who Knew? CB Terry Fair makes six former Lions on the Steelers' roster and at least two others who have played for them since former Detroit personnel man Kevin Colbert became the Steelers' director of football operations in 2000.

How are the Patriots winning so much? "We don't have a lot of want-to-be-the-man guys on this team," Larry Centers said. "On every other team I've been on, other things seep in -- contracts, stats, going to the Pro Bowl, who's going to be the featured guy on TV this week. We don't have that here."

Super Bowl Fashion News: The Panthers will be the road team and wear white, the Patriots as the home team will wear their dark blue jerseys.

"They've got a lot of pressure on them to win this thing," Panthers receiver Muhsin Muhammad said of the Patriots. "And I don't think we have as much pressure on us."

You don't know the other side to the Bill Belichick story. You don't know the "other Bill," as his friends like to say. The Bill, a child of the '60s, who can recite verses from any Beatles song. Who listens to Bruce Springsteen, U2 and, if he's in a playful mood, The Jerky Boys on those long nights in his office. Who counts among his best friends Jon Bon Jovi, the rock star. Who fancies himself as a "closet drummer" and a "classic-rock kind of guy," at least according to Bon Jovi.

Carolina has two rookie starters, offensive tackle Jordan Gross and Ricky Manning Jr. The Panthers would not be in the Super Bowl if it weren't for Manning, who intercepted three passes to help Carolina beat Philadelphia last week, and saved a victory in St. Louis the previous game with an overtime interception. New England's starting center is Dan Kippen, a fifth-round draft choice from Boston College. He's one of a gaggle of rookies who made the Patriots' roster this season.

It was a rough Senior Bowl week for the Falcons staff. Six of them, including GM Rich McKay and assistant GM Tim Ruskell, got sick with food poisoning Tuesday night. Earlier Tuesday, McKay said Ruskell got run over watching practice on the sidelines and broke his leg. McKay was watching from the stands, but didn't realize it was Ruskell who was hurt until his cell phone rang. "He said, "Rich, did you see that guy get run over on the field? It was me,'" McKay said.

The significance of Brentson Buckner's last name around New England isn't lost on the former Steeler. He wouldn't mind perpetuating the curse begun by former Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner, who booted away the 1986 World Series for the Red Sox. "I'd like to be the one to score the winning touchdown or block down the pass at the end of the game ... so the Curse of the Buckner would live," Buckner said.

An estimated 800 million people worldwide will watch the Super Bowl courtesy of 24 foreign-language organizations telecasting the game to 220 countries and territories from Afghanistan to Zambia.

Super Bowl Did you know? Each of the two teams -- the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers -- receives 11,000 tickets for friends, family, employees and VIPs. The NFL reserved 575 hotel rooms for each team to distribute, but New England has pushed beyond 1,000 rooms.

Super Bowl excess is back. After being hobbled by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a sputtering economy and concerns about corporate greed the last two years, the National Football League championship game in Houston next Sunday will ooze a Texas-size lode of wealth and glitz. Luxury suites at Reliant Stadium are selling for $175,000 on the Internet. Ticket brokers are charging fans $2,000 for a basic seat and $7,750 for a 50-yard line seat. For those who have them, tickets have a face value of $400 to $600. The television commercials are big, too, costing $2.3 million for a 30-second spot -- the pre-9/11 rate. The broadcast will reach about 130 million Americans.

So you think those couple minutes you spent at work this week setting up the office pool didn't hurt anybody? Think again. Super Bowl chatter is expected to run $821.4 million worth of interference at U.S. companies. Employees who huddle in groups or around watercoolers to discuss the big game are costing their employers $2.59 every 10 minutes thanks to lost productivity, according to a report from employment firm Challenger Gray & Christmas.

No Dolphin has a greater passion for world travel than Ricky Williams. He ventured alone to Australia last week to explore the country for the first time. He also attended the Australian Open. After traveling to Houston for appearance commitments at the Super Bowl, Williams will return to Australia for a month.

NBA Rumors & Notes

Sixers coach Randy Ayers is in trouble. Ed Snider, chairman of Comcast-Spectacor, hasn't said so. Neither has his subordinate, Billy King, the 76ers president and general manager, Ayers' boss, and the man responsible for the present Sixers roster - one that's bound to cost Ayers his job if the players continue to be inconsistent.

While there's talk of Zydrunas Ilgauskas or Theo Ratliff winding up in Dallas, it's not coming from Don Nelson, who doesn't want a big man who needs more than 20 minutes a night. Nellie still is firmly committed to 20 minutes per game of small ball, featuring five scorers on the floor. As for a backup for Nash, whom the Mavs fear will wear down, Travis Best isn't getting the job done. He doesn't push the ball and attack the basket off the break nearly enough to suit Nelson.

Terry Stotts had better not get too comfortable as coach of the Hawks. Insiders say Doc Rivers will be hired this summer as the team's new coach and general manager. That's part of the shakeup the new owners want, which means operations chief Billy Knight -- if he is kept -- either will be moved into another position or keep the title but surrender some of his personnel power.

The Lakers have considered Cherokee Parks and Tyrone Hill, both currently out of work, as they seek another frontcourt player to replace Malone and Cook. The signing, if it occurs, probably would be a 10-day contract or two until Malone returns.

Marcus Camby had another big night at Phoenix (22-18-6) Wednesday, and immediately started flirting with the Suns' cap space. It's his prerogative: The 29-year-old Denver center is likely to opt-out this summer (walking away from $7.75 million) and look for a long-term deal, even if it means taking a smaller salary in the first year. Good for him: If he maintains good health (only five games missed) and good production (9.3 boards per game), he is expected to ask for Brad Miller money (seven years, $68M).

Former Wolves All-Star Tom Gugliotta, an afterthought in the Suns' plans, might be on his way to Utah by the trading deadline. The Jazz is in the market for a big forward, with Matt Harping done for the season because of knee surgery.

Danny Ainge left a message on Vin Baker's answering service yesterday, but it wasn't returned, just as it wasn't returned during the Celtic forward's previous suspension two weeks ago. The difference now is that with coach Jim O'Brien looking at a variety of ways to fill Baker's role, there may be no looking back at the troubled power forward, regardless of when he may feel ready for another comeback.

Every time Kenyon Martin plays the Spurs, he shows why he's not a "max player." Meanwhile, while Nets were in Dallas, K-Mart told more than a few people he'd like to play for his hometown Mavs.

Sam Cassell said he wants to finish his NBA career in Minnesota. "That's the plan: two more years after my current contract, and that's it," Cassell, 34, said. "That's all the longer my body will be able to play at a high level."

The Sixers' poor play is wearing on the them, particularly on team captain Eric Snow, who said bluntly, "Maybe we're just not as good as we think we are," and suggested that trades could be part of the team's near-future.

Cavaliers insiders insist Zydrunas Ilgauskas is staying put for the rest of the season, despite trade rumors. He is making more of an effort on defense, and Silas might want to consider playing him more at the end of games, when the Cavaliers' offense bogs down and they need someone to score inside, or even make a jumper from the foul line.

The Knicks talks with Toronto for Lamond Murray are expected to start up again. The problem is getting the salaries to match: Shandon Anderson makes $6.7 million, Murray only $4.5 million.

One NBA general manager said it could take an entire year for Caron Butler to regain his explosiveness after knee surgery.

An NBA scout's view of the Clippers small forward Quentin Richardson: Anybody who says he expected "Q" to turn out as well as he has in the NBA is a liar. At 6-5 and 238 pounds, people in the business tend to call him a "tweener" because they say he's too heavy and slow to be a shooting guard and too short to be a small forward. But that's hogwash. "Q" is what you call a player

Jamal Mashburn is coming back to a Hornets nest tomorrow, his first day of practice this season. Out since late October following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, he didn't exactly ingratiate himself with his teammates by staying away during his entire rehab. He opted to work on his knee in Miami, where he still lives. Some teammates were miffed that when the Hornets played in Miami earlier this season, Mashburn didn't attend the game.

The big question in Sacramento isn't just when Chris Webber will return, it's when he'll start bothering to show up at games. A few people in the organization were said to be shocked when Webber didn't bother to show for a game in Los Angeles against the Clippers despite the fact that he had hitched on the team plane from Sacramento. One Sacramento radio report had him dining with Tyra Banks while the game was going on. Ben's Take: JT the Brick of Fox Sports Radio was the one who spotted Webber eating in LA.

Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan said he expects Steve Blake and Juan Dixon, former back-court mates at Maryland, to play together more often after both have had better games alongside one another.

Pretty soon, more general managers are going to figure out that guys who played four years at Kentucky end up being pretty solid pros. We know that here in Detroit, with wise-beyond-his-years Tayshaun Prince. Orlando is figuring it out with Keith Bogans, who is outplaying the Magic?s prize rookie Reece Gaines.

Center Wang Zhi-Zhi signed with the Heat on Dec. 1, but it was made perfectly clear back then that his career in Miami wouldn't truly begin until he was in the proper condition. For the Chinese native, that meant losing 19 pounds in about a month and getting down to a trimmer 247 pounds. It also meant cutting rice, a staple in the Chinese diet, almost completely out of his diet.

Chuck Daly never did talk to Isiah Thomas about the New York Knicks coaching job because Daly was in the shower when Thomas called. Thomas talked to Daly's wife, and Daly was going to call him back but never did. While admitting that Thomas can be rather persuasive, Daly says he's really not interested in coaching anymore. "The odd thing is, I'm 73 now and all the offers are coming in," said Daly. "I'm going to sue for age discrimination. I never got such interesting offers 10 years ago."

Keith Van Horn spent nearly as much time on the Knicks bench as the injured Allan Houston in the fourth quarter last night despite being perfectly healthy. Head coach Lenny Wilkens opted to stay with his exhausted bench players -- Michael Doleac, Penny Hardaway and Frank Williams -- leaving Van Horn to sit and watch.

Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal, whose slow-healing strained calf has generated some controversy: "I'll be reevaluated [this] week. Hopefully they'll let me start practicing, and after that happens I'll be ready to roll. You put the toast in the toaster, and it ain't done until the toaster says, 'Ding.' "

If Seattle's Brent Barry wins the all-star three-point shooting contest, he will become the only player to ever win that event and the dunk contest.

In the NBA, where at least 17 teams are fated to lose a combined $150 million this season, winning, indeed, means everything. Especially for those who aspire to make money, and for those who fail to make that happen.

Did you know? Isiah Thomas had only one DNP-coach's decision in his 13 years in the league - a Pistons game against Cleveland late in the 1993-94 season. The coach who held him out? Don Chaney.

Knicks brass won't make any official statements about the Nets' move to Brooklyn, but when Garden chairman Jim Dolan addressed the possibility in October, the prospect of a neighbor moving into the five boroughs didn't seem to bother him. "I don't think New Yorkers care if the (Nets are) located in New Jersey or Brooklyn or Long Island," Dolan said in October. "I don't see anyone usurping the Knicks' place. Knicks fans are Knicks fans, and this is Madison Square Garden."

NBA fever continues to die a slow death in New Orleans. The Hornets now are giving away some 3,000 tickets a game to avoid a fine for having fewer than 10,000 season ticket-holders ? something they promised the league before the franchise gained league approval. They only sold 8,500 season tickets in 2002-03. The Hornets? average attendance this season is down to 14,684 a game. They were at 15,406 last season.

The Lakers, Rick Fox, zinging the Kings, Peja Stojakovic in this week's Sports Illustrated: "Peja is the best shooter in league right now. But, is he the best since Larry Bird? No. I think you've got to be able to make them in the playoffs too."

Timberwolf Mark Madsen was asked about the best restaurant in the NBA? "I'm not very picky when it comes to food, but there's a great restaurant in L.A. called Crustacean. Great seafood. It's in Beverly Hills. When I first got out there with the Lakers, I was told that was the place to go. I also like Houston's in L.A. That's good, too."

Mike Kozlowski has purchased a megaphone, and he's not going to be afraid to use it at a fan rally before today's 1 p.m. Nets game against Boston at Continental Airlines Arena. "We're going to get some people together and show our disapproval," said Kozlowski, who runs the Web site, JoeNetsFan.com

NBA commissioner David Stern has said he believes the league should expand in Europe before considering an American city, and not before the end of the current decade.

Add Michael Ruffin, journeyman forward plugging an injury leak in Utah lately, to the list of pro athletes with exotic (i.e., weird) pets. When Ruffin headed to Spain last season to play, he had to part with his coatimundi, a rare Central American racoon. So he donated to his hometown zoo in Denver. "His name was Cecil," Ruffin said. A collection that once had 15 exotic animals now is down to about seven, Ruffin said. Among those his family members care for: Muffet and Bigfoot, two African spurred tortoises that are about 1 1/2 feet in diameter.

Bill and Cindy Van Gundy, parents of Heat coach Stan and Houston Rockets coach Jeff, are Heat season-ticket holders but are split about whether to attend Monday's game between their sons' teams. Cindy plans to attend, but Bill said he's reluctant because by not going, ``there's nothing said or any action that leads people to thinking there's favoritism. People in the stands are not very considerate of families.'' Instead, Bill said he will take two of Stan's children to basketball practice, then watch the game on TV.

College Rumors & Notes

Maryland Coach Gary Williams -- making his presence felt courtside -- doesn't save himself a seat on the bench for the simple reason he wouldn't use it with his whirlwind teaching style.

Penn Hills quarterback Anthony Morelli, Pitt's marquee recruit, told Panthers coaches last week that he would listen to overtures from other schools. This weekend, Morelli took a closer look at an in-state rival, making an official visit to Penn State.

Former University of Wisconsin Chancellor Donna Shalala says in the January edition of Golf for Women magazine that she uses golf as a tool for fund-raising. Shalala is now the president of the University of Miami. She said she plays two rounds a week and is a 26-handicap.

Mike Jarvis, who can be seen on ESPN's "Cold Pizza" on Fridays, is back coaching again at St. John's . . . in the movies. Paramount Pictures releases a new film, "The Perfect Score," Friday that casts Jarvis as St. John's coach recruiting the Cavaliers' Darius Miles (known as Desmond in the movie). In real-life, Jarvis tried to recruit Miles. If Miles had not gone to the NBA, maybe St. John's would have gone to the Final Four and Mike would still be at the university.

Odd Notes & Stuff

Mike Tyson is taking another swing at acting. The former heavyweight champ, who had a memorable scene in James Toback's "Black and White" in which he menaced Robert Downey Jr., plays himself again in Toback's upcoming "When Will I Be Loved," starring Neve Campbell. "I get into a confrontation with [Toback's character]. I call him 'Osama,' " Tyson told us. "It's crazy. I would like to do some more acting, but I'm just taking it easy right now."

SkyCam, the cable-supported overhead camera seen at major sporting events, is hardly new technology. Its predecessors date to the early 1980s, and it has been in extensive use since Carolina Panthers running back Rod Smart was known as "He Hate Me" in his XFL days three years ago.

The Rangers, desperate for a goaltender, should pursue a deal that would send Alexei Kovalev to Tampa Bay for 2002 Russian Olympic teammate Nikolai Khabibulin.

Plans have been revived to build an arena in Newark with a different main tenant - the Devils - plus Seton Hall and Big East basketball. If that plan falls through, the Devils are out of here, possibly to Portland, Ore. There's one hitch: Developers can't do the Newark project unless Continental Airlines Arena closes. Not that there are going to be enough events there now to justify its existence anyway.

Lou Lamoriello said there were never any feelers from developer Bruce Ratner to acquire the Devils along with the Nets and to move the two teams to Brooklyn. "Not to my knowledge," Lamoriello said. He also said it would not be proper for other cities to court the team. "You cannot get into any rhetoric like that while you're under contract," Lamoriello said, referring to the club's Meadowlands lease, which runs until 2007. "No one has come to me."

Mighty Ducks forward Sergei Fedorov said he would consider playing soccer if there is no hockey next season. "It's just my dream, because my father was a professional soccer player," he said.

Theo Fleury, who was suspended last April for violating substance abuse rules, said he never entered the league's rehabilitation program and doesn't care if he ever plays in the NHL again. "I never was in rehab and basically have had nothing to do with (NHL doctors)," Fleury said. Fleury would have to participate in the rehab program before the league lifted his six-month ban. But Fleury, now living in Calgary, said he doesn't care what happens.

Washington Capitals defenseman Sergei Gonchar, a trade target of many of the NHL's contending teams, is expected to miss at least a month with a second-degree ligament tear in his shoulder, sources said yesterday.

Financial advisers say NHL teams could save a significant amount of money on insurance if the league made wearing protective visors mandatory. Insurance premiums now cost teams and players more than $15 million a season.

With 21 victories and almost $24 million in career winnings, Phil Mickelson ranks fourth on the PGA Tour's all-time money list, trailing only Tiger Woods, Davis Love III and Vijay Singh. Still, his lackluster '03 dropped him from No. 2 to No. 16 in the world rankings.

Who Knew? Oklahoma State leads all schools this year in alumni on the PGA Tour with nine. Florida, Texas and UCLA have seven each, followed by Georgia Tech and Wake Forest with six each

A demonstration sport has been added to the 2004 Olympics: women's wrestling. Wanna bet the TV ratings are spectacular?

Even though all signs point to a Benoit or Goldberg victory tonight, "Raw" and "Smackdown" will provide a few more wildcards to the mix, including a returning Kurt Angle, a hot John Cena and the Intercontinental champion, Randy Orton.

Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher will make his TNA debut Wednesday night in the corner of his good friend Erik Watts. Watts will face Don Callis in a match for full authority in the company. Watts has warned Callis not to cross Urlacher or he will become a tackling dummy.

During a meeting right before the ''SmackDown'' tapings last week, Vince McMahon ripped into the roster about leaking inside information to Internet writers and even threatened to fire anyone who dished the scoop.

The Richmond Roosters are showing their support for Michael Jackson, inviting anyone with the same name to attend a game free this summer. The promotion does come with a stipulation. "We'll invite anyone named Michael Jackson free to Don McBride Stadium this summer for any Roosters home game, provided he's a Rooster fan," said Deanna Beaman, vice president and general manager of the two-time defending champions of the independent Frontier League.

Robert Redford is mulling a return to Broadway for the first time since he starred in "Barefoot in the Park" in 1962. "It was a great period of my life, and live performance is something I really miss," Redford told Post film critic Lou Lumenick at a Sundance party.

Man of the people Michael Moore has turned into a diva, New York magazine reports. Before the "Bowling for Columbine" gasbag agreed to present an award for the best 30-second anti-Bush ad at a MoveOn.org benefit earlier this month, his handlers insisted on a supply of Evian backstage. "Even Poland Spring wasn't good enough," a source told the Intelligencer column.

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