SHOT AT NBA TESTING: White House Drug Policy Dir Barry
McCaffrey "questioned" the NBPA for suggesting its players
how they "could avoid testing positive for ... marijuana."
McCaffrey, on letters sent by the NBPA to players that
"warned" marijuana "can be detected" between 60 and 90 days
after use: "I am disappointed about a discussion on how to
beat a drug test. ... We shouldn't be coaching an athlete on
how to cheat." NBPA Dir of Communications Dan Wasserman:
"We represent the players. We have an obligation to provide
the players with information" (USA TODAY, 11/11)
BRACKING OUT OF IRL FOR CART: '99 Indianapolis 500
winner Kenny Brack "will defect" from the IRL and drive for
CART's Team Rahal beginning next year (K.C. STAR, 11/11).
In Indianapolis, Robin Miller reports that Rahal's sponsors,
Miller and Shell, "have expressed interest in participating"
at the Indy 500 and that Brack said that he "would welcome a
return engagement" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 11/11).
STILL A PARTNER: SMI President Humpy Wheeler, on the
IRL financing the Las Vegas and Atlanta races at SMI's
tracks and absorbing any losses. Wheeler: "Essentially, we
want to get out of taking the financial risk at Las Vegas
and Atlanta." In Indy, Bill Koenig noted that SMI "has
been a major ally" of the IRL, spending about $500,000 to
"promote each race," and an SMI exec said that the
organization will "do certain things and help them promote"
the two races. Wheeler: "We didn't want to leave the IRL
high and dry" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 11/10).
OTHER LEAGUE NOTES: In N.Y., Joe Lapointe profiles
Devils C Scott Gomez, the first Hispanic player in the
history of the NHL: "[He] is another piece of hockey's
growing mosaic." Lapointe adds, "No other major North
American team sport boasts more diversity than hockey; this
makes the N.H.L. intriguing to more fans" (N.Y. TIMES,
11/11)....MetroStars GM Charles Stillitano, on the signing
of German star Lothar Matthaeus: "We haven't seen a player
of this caliber in Giants Stadium since the Cosmos." In
Atlanta, Wendy Parker writes of Stillitano's comments,
"That's a big admission from an official in a league that
has studiously avoided making any reference to the NASL,
which folded in 1984" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 11/11).
