THAT 'OL NEW JERSEY INDUSTRIAL SPIRIT

     The Nets are offering season-ticket holders full
"satisfaction guaranteed" refunds through October 20, as well as
refunds with interest "if any games are lost to labor strife"
next season, according to John Helyar in today's WALL STREET
JOURNAL.  Nets President John Spoelstra:  "We had players that
quit on us last year; we've got the possibility of losing games
to the lockout; we felt we had to do something different."
Helyar writes, "The Nets, like all NBA teams, have been unable to
trade old players or sign new ones because of the league-wide
lockout. ... Because of this, their renewal pitch is limited to
boasting of a new, improved attitude in pretty much the same old
team" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/18).  The Nets' pledge leads
Michael Hiestand's Sports Biz column (USA TODAY, 7/18).