The Virginian-Pilot
                            THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, October 20, 1995               TAG: 9510200658
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   61 lines

HIS AIRNESS SETS SI COVER RECORD WITH HIS WEIRDNESS

Mike and Dennis: This week marks Michael Jordan's 34th appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated, but the first in which he is pictured with an extraterrestrial.

Tubular: With nine college football games on TV Saturday in Hampton Roads, many are wondering why the best game of local interest - U.Va. at Texas - is not. You'd think one station would have picked up the feed from Austin.

War cry: Even people who couldn't care less about Native American sensitivities have got to admit that the idiotic logo on the Cleveland Indians' hat truly is racist.

Aches and pains: We've heard the doctors' report. We've heard what his coach has to say about bringing Steve Young back the week after the 49ers visit Dallas Nov. 12. Now forget everything you've heard. Does anyone honestly believe that Young won't be under center against the Cowboys?

Rimming in the new: If asked, college basketball coaches would tell you that they consider Midnight Madness to be a big waste of time.

No class: For allowing his current manager, Phil Regan, to swing in the wind while he publicly courts Davey Johnson and Tony La Russa, Orioles owner Peter Angelos deserves to be treated like a common Steinbrenner.

Up the road: The NCAA men's Division I soccer Final Four scheduled for Dec. 8 and 10 at the University of Richmond Stadium is sold out. I mention this as a reminder that South Hampton Roads still doesn't have so much as a single venue good and big enough to attract such an event (or much of anything else). Why not?

Mixed blessing: The good news for Jim Leyland is that he has signed a contract to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates through the year 2000. The bad news for Jim Leyland is that he has signed a contract to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates through the year 2000.

Not happening: Bob Uecker never was particularly funny on the Johnny Carson shows, but who thought he'd be so lame working the American League playoffs for NBC?

Anybody out there? This week's negative Big East note comes from Miami, where only 19,747 showed up at the Orange Bowl Saturday to watch the Hurricanes beat Rutgers.

Working on his slice: Maybe O.J. Simpson isn't relaxing on a Florida golf course. Maybe he's auditioning for a job with the Golf Channel.

Devilish: Explaining what's wrong with baseball, Kevin Malone, former general manager of the Montreal Expos, told Christian Week, ``The game is controlled by Satan.'' Is that any way to talk about Bud Selig?

Another chance: Now that George Steinbrenner has signed Dwight Gooden, Yankee Stadium once again becomes the Halfway House That Ruth Built.

Uncovered jewel: Not until the Cleveland-Seattle playoff did most baseball fans realize what a brilliant fielder the Indians have in shortstop Omar Vizquel.

In passing: Expect the people paid to follow ACC basketball to install U.Va. as their preseason favorite.

Kid's stuff: Lisa de Villiers, a South African sprinter and long jumper, recently tested positive for steroids a second time within six months. What's the big deal? you ask. Well, she's only 14. by CNB