THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 28, 1995 TAG: 9504280620
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Jurisprudence: By handing down a ridiculously light sentence for federal tax evasion, the judge might have simply been saying that Darryl Strawberry suffers enough by living with himself.
Sapp rising: There's an easy way for Tampa Bay Bucs No. 1 draft pick Warren Sapp to end speculation about his alleged drug use - begin inhaling NFL quarterbacks.
Tubular: Although Opening Day attendance was down in both major leagues, a better test of the public's alleged disenchantment with baseball will be the television ratings.
Didn't make the cut: Was anybody really surprised that the Washington Redskins weren't picked for the 1995 Monday Night Football schedule? There were some weeks last season when they shouldn't have been allowed to play on Sunday.
Don't know: I'd have a better chance of predicting the color of Dennis Rodman's next rinse than choosing an NBA champion for this season.
Guessing game: What will play a bigger role in the postseason, Michael Jordan's fresh legs or his frosty shooting touch?
Disappearing act: Shaquille O'Neal cannot be the league's MVP when his poor free-throw shooting keeps teammates from passing him the ball in the closing moments of tight games.
Still amazing: Even now, it's odd to stop and think that David Robinson, the Admiral of the NBA, once played in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Ice chip: George Gervin Jr., son of George ``Iceman'' Gervin, is expected to play basketball next season for Arizona State.
Kinder and gentler: Maybe it was just a coincidence, but after introducing new rules restricting grabbing and pushing, the NBA had the fewest number of fights - 3 if you count Vernon Maxwell's mad dash into the stands - in league history.
Just asking: Whatever happened to Rosie Ruiz?
No risk: White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf put a $350,000 incentive clause in Frank Thomas' contract for winning a Gold Glove at first base. The owner's money is safe.
Look who's talking: When the St. Louis Rams drafted Jesse James, team publicist Rick Smith said, ``Our people think getting him with our second pick in the second round was highway robbery and that he could be the steal of the draft.'' Cute. But, then, St. Louis knows something about larceny.
Inflation: There will be 271 different events at the '96 Atlanta Olympics, 48 more than were at Barcelona in '92. One of the additions is mixed doubles in badminton. Oh, the anticipation.
Loaded: The New York Yankees' bench could finish first in the American League West.
Retirement fund: Lee Trevino has won more than $5 million on the PGA Senior Tour since turning 50 in 1989, almost twice as much as he raked in on the regular PGA tour.
Net gain: Wimbledon keeps increasing its prize money - this year to $9.6 million - for reasons of vanity; even tennis mercenaries would play Wimbo for car fare.
Down again: Injuries could turn out to be as big a threat as Andre Agassi to oft-hobbled Pete Sampras' tennis aspirations.
New listing: If the league created from the former Great Midwest and Metro conferences can go by the absurd name of Conference USA, the ACC should be allowed to call itself NBA Southern Division. by CNB