MAGIC JOHNSON, signing off from his final episode of
"The Magic Hour" on Friday night: "It's been a great eight
weeks, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. ... [I]t's
made me a better man and a better person" ("The Magic Hour,"
8/7). Johnson, on his future: "I have five scripts in front
of me. They want me to be in movies. I might take a crack
at that. Or I may get back into sports" (L.A. TIMES, 8/8).
...In N.Y., Wallace Matthews: "Could it be that New Jersey
is looking for reasons not to give MIKE TYSON his license
back? Sure it could" (N.Y. POST, 8/9)....JONATHAN
NIEDNAGEL, who "has emerged as the guru of sorts in sports,
known as the 'Brain Doctor' in NBA front offices and NFL war
rooms," was profiled by Chris Dufresne of the L.A. TIMES.
The Suns and D'Backs "so value Niednagel's work, they have
signed him to an exclusive six-figure multiyear contract"
(L.A. TIMES, 8/9)....Yankees Owner GEORGE STEINBRENNER at
Saratoga, where his CONCERTO ran this past weekend: "There
is nothing quite like Saratoga in the world. It's different
than any other track" (N.Y. POST, 8/8)....CLARIFICATION: In
receiving full accreditation from the North American Society
of Sports Management (NASSM) for its Masters of Science in
Sport Administration, Canisius College becomes one of 12
NASSM-accredited schools in the world.