THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 6, 1996 TAG: 9609060746
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: WEEKLY BRIEFING
SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO
LENGTH: 60 lines
Indestructible: Not even Cowboys haters can deny that Emmitt Smith is made of sterner stuff. The Dallas running back rebounds better than Dennis Rodman.
Misplaced priorities: At least some of the Redskins' woes can be attributed to Norv Turner devoting too much attention to his quarterback quandary. When it comes to moving the ball, it's the offensive line that matters most.
Idle thought: Wonder what the over and under is for length of ovation Brett Butler will receive when he comes up to bat for the first time tonight at Dodger Stadium?
Setting a standard: If it's lucky, Virginia Tech will hire a new basketball coach as good as Bill Foster. Finding a classier one will be tougher.
No great demand: If they put it to a vote in each International League city, the Governor's Cup Triple-A baseball tournament might be canceled on account of apathy.
Disposable: You notice that after 30 years, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium is being prepared for the wrecking ball, and that a new center-court facility is being built for the U.S. Open after less than 20 years at the present venue, and it occurs to you that no country goes through stadia faster than ours.
Warped vision: University of Arkansas football coach Danny Ford, on recent NCAA ban on all-jock dorms: ``This worries me. What are these players going to do for the first time without supervision?'' As if colleges should be in the business of baby-sitting.
Raven-ous: One tasty tradition at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium picked up just where it left off with the Colts - crab cakes in the press box.
Quoth the owner: With the Ravens playing at Pittsburgh Sunday, it's recalled that Baltimore's Art Modell recently referred to Steelers fans as a ``hard-drinking, menacing'' crowd. Meant it as a compliment, Art says. Isn't that obvious?
Tough patch: After catching a break Sunday with a game against the New York Giants, the Dallas Plowboys must survive meetings with the Colts, Bills and Eagles before Michael Irvin slinks back into the picture.
Expectations: Quarterback Ron Powlus would need to win at least two Heismans this season to justify the media overkill that has greeted each of his seasons at Notre Dame.
Ethics 101: The quagmire that is the University of California basketball is but the latest reminder that big-time college sports too often fail the smell test.
Swoon time: Like some of his teammates, Yankees pitcher Dwight Gooden has been coming up real small of late. In his last four starts, Doc's ERA is 11.00.
Pacing herself: Pushy parents of brat tennis players aren't going to like it when word gets out that 15-year-old U.S. Open phenom Martina Hingis practices only an hour or so each day.
Mild stuff: TV talking heads who make such a ta-do about the rare racket toss or verbal explosion from a pro tennis player should visit the public courts if they want to witness examples of genuine human anguish.
TV timeout: To my surprise, John McEnroe has developed into a competent color commentator. Still, there is not enough for anybody to say about a tennis match that can fill two or three hours.
Zzzzz: Debate over Major League Baseball's labor talks must be heating up in accountants' offices all over the country. by CNB