The state of soccer in the U.S. was examined by Marissa
     Silvera of the SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS.  U.S. Soccer
     Federation President Alan Rothenberg "hopes the public can
     show some patience" before judging the viability of the pro
     game in the U.S.: "I don't expect the public to give us 40
     years, but give us at least 10 years."  He alluded to the
     U.S. team's first win over Brazil in the Gold Cup semifinals
     last month and said, "In many ways, this year has already
     been a success for U.S. Soccer.  The only way that it's not
     successful is if we are embarrassed in Paris or something
     horrible happens in the MLS" (EXPRESS-NEWS, 3/1).
          NUVEEN TOUR SANS CONNORS? The prospects of the Nuveen
     Tour without founding member Jimmy Connors was examined by
     Meri-Jo Borzilleri of the MIAMI HERALD.  Connors said
     recently that he may have lost some desire to continue
     playing.  Tour co-Founder Ray Benton said without Connors,
     "the tour might put more emphasis on its international
     market."  Benton has had discussions with Boris Becker,
     Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander about joining when they turn
     35.  Citibank, which is an event sponsor, said it will
     continue backing the Tour.  Citibank President & CEO Frits
     Seegers: "We believe big-time in the concept.  And the
     concept is bigger than one player" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/1).

          The NBA's rookie wage scale was examined by Bryan
     Burwell on "Inside the NBA."  He said the system "that
     management and even some star players wanted so desperately
     three years ago ... no longer looks like such a great idea." 
     Burwell: "Yet in reality, is it the system that's causing so
     many problems or just this particularly poor 1995 draft
     class?"  The first ten picks of the '95 draft have produced
     only one All-Star, the worst ratio of any draft from '92-95. 
     Burwell: "But as one general manager told me, 'If you leave
     this one alone it might just correct itself.'  Yet just
     about everyone else -- players, agents and management --
     believes they won't leave well enough alone, and the rookie
     contract system will be one of the major battlegrounds in
     this summer's labor wars" ("Inside the NBA," TNT, 2/27).
          NOTES: FAME's David Falk, on possible NBA action toward
     players who refuse to accept trade assignments: "I don't
     know what else they can do.  If a guy says, 'If I had to
     play somewhere I'd retire instead,' and he's sincere about
     it and willing to follow through, I don't know what you can
     legislate to force him to do that.  You can't have specific
     enforcement of a personal services contract.  A guy doesn't
     have to play" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/28)....Pacers Coach Larry
     Bird answered questions for an MTV crew Thursday.  Afterward
     he said, "I don't like MTV.  Our league is going MTV and
     that's what's wrong with it" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS, 3/1).

          Bruins President Harry Sinden "thinks the NHL should
     get a commitment from the Olympics and NBC to show the big
     hockey games -- US-Canada; Canada-Russia; US-Russia -- in
     prime time without interruption before guaranteeing NHL
     players would play in Salt Lake City four years from now"
     (Will McDonough, BOSTON GLOBE, 2/28).  Fox's Dave Maloney,
     on the NHL's Olympic participation: "This was a wonderfully
     contested tournament, games were close, there were
     spectacular stories.  Let's move on, folks.  Do it again." 
     In a Fox/TMG poll conducted last week, 64% said NHL players
     should participate in the 2002 Winter Games, 19% were
     opposed and 17% were undecided ("Fox NHL Saturday," 2/28).
          WHAT ABOUT BOB? In N.Y., Larry Brooks wrote that while
     NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman "has been crystal clear in
     addressing the issue" of the NHL's investigation into Team
     USA's vandalism at the Olympic Village, NHLPA Exec Dir Bob
     Goodenow "has been conspicuously silent."  Brooks questioned
     why Goodenow hasn't issued a statement "urging the guilty to
     cooperate and come forward."  Brooks: "We don't understand a
     Players' Association that from appearances seems more
     concerned with protecting the rights of the minority than of
     the majority" (Larry Brooks, N.Y. POST, 3/1).

          In the tentative deal reached by the NFL and NFLPA to
     extend its CBA through 2003, there is "some ambiguous
     language in the agreement to redirect some TV money to help
     needy teams pursue new stadium construction," according to
     Tony Grossi of the Cleveland PLAIN-DEALER.   Steelers
     President Dan Rooney: "The problem with that is the
     confusion.  The (people in) Pittsburgh and Denver, they'll
     think, 'OK, now the league's going to pay for stadiums.' 
     That is not going to help.  All this does is help a little." 
     Grossi added that the union "held the advantage in
     negotiations, but it declined to hold out for such givebacks
     as eliminating the restrictive franchise player and
     transition player designations" (PLAIN-DEALER, 3/1).  In San
     Diego, Jerry Magee examines the "dogging-it" clause in the
     tentative deal which applies to a player with a guaranteed
     contract being warned by the team over the "intensity" of
     his performance.  Magee: "Intensity is not a matter that can
     be legislated.  It is a character thing.  It should be left
     that way" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 3/1).
          OTHER FOOTBALL NOTES: ESPN's Chris Mortensen said that
     members of the Black Coaches Association "feel progress is
     being made" where "the pool of coordinators -- black
     coordinators -- is starting to get deeper."  Mortensen: "We
     now have ten black coordinators on the offensive and
     defensive side of the ball in the NFL, which has widened the
     pool.  They're happy with that.  What they're not happy with
     is what's going on in the NCAA, where there are only five
     head coaches out of 114 schools, and the coordinators, just
     about ten, really, what they have in the NFL" (ESPN, 3/1).
     ...USA TODAY's Gordon Forbes reports that Joe Kapp's planned
     pro football league includes former Rams exec Don Klosterman
     and ex-NFL QB Craig Morton.  The league "targets Hispanic-
     American fans in New York, San Antonio, Los Angeles,
     Orlando, Mexico City and San Jose" (USA TODAY, 3/2).