DATE: Friday, February 28, 1997             TAG: 9702280823

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Column 

SOURCE: Bob Molinaro 

                                            LENGTH:   60 lines

IN MARCH, COLLEGE HOOPS COULD USE A TV TIMEOUT

Glut: If you were to glance at the TV schedules for this Saturday, Sunday and Monday which list 43 men's and women's college basketball games, you might start to begin to get the impression that the sport is overexposed.

Mickey Mouse stuff: Disney has plans to open ``ESPN - The Store'' in Glendale, Calif., The shop will sell team apparel, memorabilia and ESPN-brand items. How much for a ``Tickle Me Dickie V'' doll?

Covers all bases: You'd be hard pressed to find a more appropriately named baseball player than Paul Leatherwood, Granby High pitcher and third baseman.

In passing: Most surprising revelation from the basketball Rating Percentage Index used by the NCAA for tournament seedings - Princeton at No. 38.

Inside scoring: Virginia's tournament aspirations won't be hurt by the presence of Terry Holland, chairman of the NCAA selection committee.

Time line: On the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's arrival in the big-leagues, baseball is happy to celebrate the lifting of the color barrier by the Brooklyn Dodgers. Left unsaid is how reluctant some other franchises were to follow suit. The Red Sox became the last team to break the color line with a second baseman by the name of Pumpsie Green. That was in 1959, 12 years after Robinson's rookie season. Outrageous.

Numbers game: With all the hullabaloo over Bill Parcells' move to the Jets, who would ever guess that he coached the Patriots to a 35-35 record.

Right time and place: Two years ago, Steve Lavin tried to get a job as No. 3 assistant at Duke. Now he's running UCLA's basketball team, with a new four-year contract.

Back to the starting blocks: Guess enough time has passed to evaluate the effect of the Atlanta Olympics on track in America. Zero. And even less for field.

Rim shot: David Letterman, on the new Dennis Rodman doll: ``It's $19.95, assault and battery not included.''

Less means more: Microscopic earned run averages may be harder to come by for Atlanta Braves pitchers in new Turner Field, which features only 45 feet of foul ground between first and third bases and the dugouts. That's compared with 100 feet of foul ground in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

That was then: New Oakland Raiders coach Joe Bugel speaks of the need for his team to do a better job protecting the quarterback. And who coached the offensive line last season? None other than Bugel.

One man's vote: Charles Barkley, on Vancouver Grizzlies first-year player Shareef Abdur-Rahim: ``He's the real rookie of the year. Allen Iverson is the playground rookie of the year.''

Moving time: Don't be surprised when Rick Pitino leaves Kentucky after this season in order to resurrect the Celtics. Now that Boston has two lottery picks, the timing is right.

Making a difference: Very quietly, Dave Cowens is getting a lot done with the Charlotte Hornets.

Not so haute: Asked which NBA team wore the ugliest uniforms, Bulls' critic Scottie Pippen said, ``Flip a coin between Atlanta and Houston and hope it doesn't come down.''

Color them odd: Disney, which owns the California Angels, is thinking of adding to the team's fashion rotation a third jersey color - periwinkle. Kid you not.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu