NO BIRD FOR THE WORM: In Chicago, Sam Smith reports
that friends of DENNIS RODMAN say that he "is so upset"
about his marital problems that "he has been working late
into the morning hours at some swanky clubs frequented by
Hollywood's high rollers." Smith: "Whether Rodman is still
in that category is in question." Smith, who questions
whether "a sports franchise has any responsibility for a
player's well-being": "This is a man ready to go off, and
it's too bad" (CHI. TRIBUNE, 3/16). In L.A., Bill Plaschke
calls on the Lakers to "cut" Rodman: "Do it quickly, before
he returns from spring break" (L.A. TIMES, 3/16).
NAMES: Devil Rays CFO RAY NAIMOLI passed away Sunday
night after a long battle with cancer. Naimoli, 56, was the
brother of Devil Rays Managing General Partner VINCE
NAIMOLI, and was responsible for the team's financial
structure, information systems management and long-term
strategic planning (ST. PETE TIMES, 3/16)....NEWSWEEK calls
76ers G ALLEN IVERSON's corn-rows the "envy of the league,"
as Iverson travels with his own hairdresser, who rebraids
his hair every few days during road trips (NEWSWEEK, 3/22
issue).... Former NFLer WALT SWEENEY has written a book
titled "Off Guard," which he is shopping to publishers
(BOSTON GLOBE, 3/14)....Giants RB TIKI BARBER will be at the
All Star Cafe in N.Y. on Wednesday to promote his appearance
in the off-broadway play, "Seeing Double" (All Star Cafe).
