THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 18, 1996 TAG: 9610180782
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Weekly Briefing
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
LENGTH: 62 lines
Unhappy returns: Asked recently for an assessment of Orioles manager Davey Johnson, general manager Pat Gillick said, ``He did a pretty good job.'' With a ringing endorsement like that, why would Johnson consider working anyplace else?
In passing: Joe Torre is getting too much credit, the way all managers do when their teams reach the World Series, for the Yankees' togetherness and unselfishness. Big-league managers don't create team chemistry, they inherit it.
Money matters: Best audible of the year was called by Gus Frerotte when he passed on the Redskins' offer of a two-year contract extension for $1.4 million, and elected to toil for $196,000 this season and take his chances on the open market. You gotta like Gus' chances to land a big contract.
Bottom feeding: What's the secret behind the football resurgence of Army and Navy, now a combined 9-1? Simple. Scheduling footwipes. Army's so-called competition collectively is 7-21, Navy's 9-20.
Comeback kids: Do you think Sugar Ray Leonard and Magic Johnson have an agreement whereby each takes turns announcing his unretirement?
From the top: When University of Rhode Island president Robert Carothers forfeited his school's football game this Saturday in order to discipline 31 players for vandalizing a fraternity and beating up some of its members, he raised the bar on administrative responsibility and courage. I'm guessing that this disqualifies Carothers for the president's job at Nebraska.
Name game: University of Virginia women's basketball player Monick Foote is recovering from surgery on her right ankle.
Wondering: Have you noticed that the television reception for Fox's postseason baseball coverage is not as sharp and vivid as when NBC's cameras handle games?
Tubular: Bob Costas improved TV's coverage of the playoffs just by showing up.
Please, no: Instant replay for baseball? What, and guarantee that every game runs four hours?
Blackout: One of the sweetest fruits of cable television in Hampton Roads has been Bulls basketball via Chicago's WGN. No more. Thanks to the efforts of the NBA, Bulls games will not be seen on WGN outside Chicago.
Futurewatch: I've got a hunch that Chicago and basketball fans in general will not find Dennis Rodman quite so amusing this season.
Grant-ed, he's rich: Who would have guessed that the second highest paid NBA player this season behind Michael Jordan is Orlando's Horace Grant, with a salary of $17,857,142 to Michael's $30,140,000.
Idle thought: Reports of Shaquille O'Neal's improved free-throw shooting are always premature.
Movable feast: After leaving his front-office position with the Hampton Roads Mariners, longtime local personality Ed Nagourney says he is retiring from the sports world to join his wife in her catering business, where he will serve as director of marketing and ``Head Food Taster,'' for which he is eminently suited.
Quick hit: Florida State's convincing victory over Miami last week gives more ammunition to critics of the Big Easy football conference. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
O's skipper Davey Johnson was only ``pretty good,'' according to GM
Pat Gillick. by CNB