THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 29, 1995 TAG: 9509290699
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
A horse race: Colorado's Dante Bichette and Cincinnati's Barry Larkin are favorites for the National League MVP award, but Greg Maddux has a chance to become the first starting pitcher in the NL to win the MVP since Bob Gibson.
Outrageous: Delaware State's 11th-hour decision to move its football game against Norfolk State from Philadelphia to Dover should make the Spartans wonder if a jump to Division I-AA is really a step up in class.
Laugh track: Former heavyweight champ Max Schmeling, who turned 90 this week, received dozens of birthday cards - and a challenge from Larry Holmes to fight him.
Price is right: Mark Price is a 31-year-old guard with a rebuilt knee who has seen his best days on the court . . . and yet, he is exactly what the Washington Bullets need to organize all that young frontcourt talent.
The big bust theory: So now everybody is calling the Big East the ``Big Least.'' It's a terrible cliche, but what can you expect when the league's eight teams are 7-13 against nonconference opponents?
Rim shot: Now that a summer of weightlifting has added 20 pounds of muscle to Shaquille O'Neal, his free throws may start bouncing out to halfcourt.
Rapid rise: Former Norfolk Tide and current Mets pitcher Jason Isringhausen is 20-4 with three different teams this season.
Tube talk: The TV networks have pegged Hampton Roads as a National League area for the purposes of determining which baseball playoff games we will see. So much for watching the Red Sox against the Indians.
TV timeout: Compared with ESPN college football boob Craig James, Joe Theismann sounds like Walter Cronkite.
Factoid: Of Norv Turner's 20 games as Redskins coach, seven have been decided in the last minute.
Making his way: New Knicks coach Don Nelson is trying a concept that apparently never occurred to Pat Riley - humility. ``I'm a good coach,'' says Nelson, ``not a great one, but I'll do a good job.''
Lazarus: Detroit Lions coach Wayne Fontes is nothing if not a survivor.
Hoop dreams: In searching for an audience, the founders of the American (women's) Basketball League need to understand that more males than females watch the women's game.
Who's he kidding? Barry Bonds will retire from baseball when Deion Sanders takes a vow of modesty.
Still no luck: Jack Kent Cooke suffered another setback Wednesday when civic groups in Prince George's County, Md., filed lawsuits that will slow down his plans for a new Redskins stadium near the Capital Beltway.
Spirit of '76: Now that he's playing in the City of Brotherly Loathe, rabbit-eared Vernon Maxwell won't have to leave town to be abused by fans.
Less is more: When Dan Marino throws only 73 passes in three games, it may be a sign the Miami Dolphins are built to go the distance.
For what it's worth: I was impressed by the emotion of the golfers competing in the Ryder Cup, but I can't say I understand it.
Quick hit: Probably by now, some memorabilia collector has figured out how to make money on O.J.'s DNA. by CNB