ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 15, 1992                   TAG: 9201150048
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium


BASKETBALL CONFERENCES LACK DEPTH

Column as I see 'em:

The toughest assignment each week for some sportswriters is trying to figure out how to vote in the college basketball rankings. After unbeatens Duke, UCLA and Oklahoma State, who knows who should be where. Seton Hall has gone from the preseason top 10 to 2-3 in the Big East.

The depth of quality in the Big East, ACC and Southeastern Conference is down this season, which makes it tougher for the pollsters. The Big Ten, Big Eight and Pacific 10 are improved, but the spreading of the talent in the sport is evidenced by the records not only among some of the preseason picks, but also down through the second- and third-tier conferences in Division I.

The NCAA's Sweet 16 will be dominated again by the top five or six conferences, with perhaps 14 teams from those leagues. However, who gets there from which league will keep the sport intriguing past the Ides of March.

Dell Curry is better than a long shot with his long shot.

Curry will learn within 48 hours whether he will be part of the NBA's All-Star Weekend at Orlando Arena early next month. Charlotte's Curry, the former Virginia Tech marksman, may be invited to the All-Star 3-Point Shootout.

The NBA hasn't announced its long-distance shooters yet, but Curry is the first alternate on the list. The NBA uses eight shooters in the contest, and Curry ranks sixth in the league in 3-point percentage. If someone drops out, Curry, deservedly, would get his shot.

Miami's decision to match the Los Angeles Lakers' seven-year offer to Sherman Douglas was bad NBA news for Bimbo Coles. Although Douglas was traded to Boston for Brian Shaw, the Virginia Tech career scoring leader still figures to get fewer minutes in the Heat backcourt.

During Douglas' holdout, Coles was backing up rookie Steve Smith at the point for Miami, but averaging about 24 minutes per game. Then Douglas returned and Coles' time diminished greatly until Smith went down with a knee injury.

Coles has been starting because Shaw just arrived after the trade. Once Smith is back and Shaw learns Miami's system, Coles will be fortunate to get 10 minutes per game.

Don't expect any decision from the ACC and Big East on bowl options until at least next week. The conferences still are trying to get detailed, firm commitments from the bowl alliance and the Blockbuster Bowl on long-term plans. In the alliance, questions remain about how the Fiesta Bowl will select its teams when it does not have the national championship game.

John Daly's golf honeymoon is over. The ball-mashing PGA champion got himself into a hazard Sunday at the Tournament of Champions, when ABC's Brent Musburger asked Daly about trashing hotel rooms, drinking beer on courses, intentionally signing an incorrect scorecard to get disqualified from a tournament in Jamaica and switching club endorsements. Pro golfers aren't used to getting teed off in the 18th tower.

Is this an omen? Super Bowl XXVI is scheduled Jan. 26 and the Washington Redskins are plus-26 in turnover margin.

Of the 15 finalists in this year's Pro Football Hall of Fame class, the one lock should be Raiders owner Al Davis, whose controversial career always has engulfed his success. Former Redskins back John Riggins, four-time Super Bowl-losing coach Bud Grant and TV guys Dan Dierdorf, Bill Walsh and Lynn Swann are among the candidates. The chosen ones will be announced Jan. 25.

The 1992 NFL regular season won't end until Jan. 4, 1993. With the NFL spreading its 16-game schedules over 18 weeks, there will be no Sunday break - thankfully - between the conference championships and Super Bowl XXVII.



by Archana Subramaniam by CNB