DATE: Friday, September 19, 1997            TAG: 9709190961

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO

                                            LENGTH:   55 lines

SHULER IS IN A SACK OF TROUBLE WITH DITKA

Worse than ever: In New Orleans, Heath Shuler continues to be a danger to himself, but since when did the presence of Mike Ditka on the sidelines ever have a beneficial effect on a quarterback? Ask Jim Harbaugh about that.

A league of its own: How weak must Big East football be when Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer says the conference could strengthen itself by following a Boston Globe suggestion and adding Army, Navy and Central Florida? Sounds like it's time to start those ODU football rumors again.

Celebrity sighting: Hampton hero Ronald Curry didn't let his verbal commitment to U.Va. stand in the way of a visit to Chapel Hill Saturday for the Tar Heels' victory over Stanford. It fuels rumors that Curry only came out for U.Va. in order to get recruiters off his back, and that he still has Carolina on his mind.

Pitcher from the Far Least: Word has it that among Yankee players, Hideki Irabu is the most disliked member of the team, unless you count Steinbrenner. Bad attitude, say insiders. Not to mention poor pitching.

Early returns: To the surprise of many, little Warrick Dunn, the former Florida State game-breaker, is off to a fast start for the Tampa Bay Bucs. But three games into the season is no time to evaluate the running back's durability.

Ringwise: Nobody can say that Oscar De La Hoya isn't a great defensive fighter. He's been ducking Sweetpea Whitaker since April.

TV timeout: De La Hoya's recent bout with Hector ``Macho'' Camacho broke the record for most pay-per-view orders, set by De La Hoya and Whitaker.

Weighty subject: When Sylvester Stallone packed on 40 pounds for his role as a puffy sheriff in ``Cop Land,'' he finally qualified as the heavyweight he played in those Rocky films. You weren't buying into a 168-pound Rocky Balboa as heavyweight champion, were you?

Patience required: After catching the game-winning pass against Arizona, Redskins wide receiver Michael Westbrook said, ``This is what I was drafted to do.'' And it took him only two full seasons.

Medical watch: Bulls second-banana Scottie Pippen will test his sore left foot Saturday at his annual charity basketball game in Chicago. If the foot hurts too much, he says he may opt for surgery, which would knock him out for two months.

Cy Old: Fellow pitcher Erik Hanson, on Roger Clemens, who is enjoying a spectacular season with the Toronto Blue Jays: ``Roger's been called up to a higher level. It's a September callup to Greek mythology.''

For love or money: Ryder Cup players do not get paid for their services, but America's top tennis players are rewarded with $100,000 bonuses for each round of the Davis Cup in which they compete.

Isn't it rich: If you're thinking about driving to Washington this weekend to watch Pete Sampras and Michael Chang play for the U.S. against Australia, drop by your bank first and take out a loan. A decent seat can run you $160 for the afternoon.

Futurewatch: Curtis Strange has been tabbed as a leading candidate to head up the 1999 U.S. Ryder Cup team in Brookline, Mass.

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