THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 9, 1994 TAG: 9412090738
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
Box office poison: Nobody needs a reason to avoid Shreveport, La. But if reports are true, U.Va. football fans are setting themselves up for even more disappointment. Cavalier fans, known for their apathy toward bowls, are outdoing themselves, having purchased about 200 tickets from the school's contracted allotment of 8,450 for the Independence Bowl. Burdened by these figures, athletic director Jim Copeland will have a tougher time selling U.Va. to a postseason promoter next time around.
Meanwhile: For Virginia Tech's Gator Bowl get-together with Tennessee, the Hokies have sold 13,200 tickets and are asking for more.
In passing: You've got to be impressed with the maturity Odell Hodge has demonstrated in the wake of his season-ending knee injury.
Back on the horse: No wonder quarterback Troy Aikman is in such a hurry to return to the lineup. By scoring 72 points in two games, the Cowboys made it look as if they don't miss him.
Quick hit: Joe Montana is still playing, but his arm retired two years ago.
Call it even: James Madison's basketball victory over Purdue and loss to Liberty sort of cancel one another out.
Hoop dreams: Jeff Jones' Virginia basketball team features several nice pieces. Now all the Cavs need is somebody to supply the glue.
Fashion mess: It looks like somebody got sick on the new Kentucky basketball uniforms.
Same guy: During a small-time tennis match last week against Mats Wilander in Key Biscayne, Fla., John McEnroe, soon to turn 36, smashed his racket, argued loudly over line calls and cursed at fans. It's like they say: Without Mac, tennis just isn't the same.
Printing money: When the Baltimore Orioles took out a newspaper ad blaming the baseball strike for a $5 hike in price on the best seats at Camden Yards, it was a case of arrogance before greed.
News travels slowly: Preseason basketball hype included the promise that the overrated Big East was back. Well, sort of. At the USAir Arena on Wednesday night, only 8,657 turned out to see Georgetown and freshman Allen Iverson begin their Big East schedule. Dean Smith draws bigger crowds when he gets his hair cut.
Not so fast: Don't be so sure the NFL has played its last card in its effort to keep the Rams in Southern California.
Rich get richer: Penn State beat out Florida State for the talents of quarterback Dan Kendra, a big, strong-armed Pennsylvania prospect and the consensus national high school player of the year.
The future: The Redskins season won't be a total loss if they get Miami tackle Warren Sapp in the draft.
Streaky: No NFL team has had a stranger season than the New York Giants, who have sandwiched two three-game winning streaks around a seven-game slump.
The right move: Considering the Redskins' dismal quarterback situation, leaving Washington when he did probably saved Art Monk's consecutive-game reception record.
The fast lane: In the wake of another auto accident involving football players, it's fine for Joe Gibbs to assert on ``NFL Live,'' ``We have an alcohol problem and the league has to do something about it.'' But shouldn't Paul Tagliabue be saying that? by CNB