PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: In DC, Wyche & Justice write
that Wizards President of Basketball Operations Michael
Jordan "scrimmaged with his new team" yesterday "for most of
a two-hour session that included everything from playful
trash talk to serious pointers." Reporters were "barred
from the session," but Jordan later spoke to the press about
the session and said: "I'm trying to set a precedent. ... If
that means I have to come in and chastise people and make
them get up and get here early, I will" (WASH. POST, 1/25).
ON THE RISE: The Mets increased ticket prices for next
season, making their top-priced seats "now more expensive
than the best boxes at Yankee Stadium." The top-priced
seats will increase $12, inner loge boxes $7, mezzanine
boxes $5, upper-deck boxes $3 and the least expensive
tickets $2 (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/25). FSN's Keith Olbermann,
on the increase: "The New York Mets have actually beaten the
New York Yankees in something" (FSN, 1/24).
NOTES: The Red Sox have sold out a "record" ten games
for next season, following a week of mail order sales
combined with ticket sales (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/25)....In
Detroit, Perry Farrell wrote that the public should "expect"
Pistons VP/Player Personnel Joe Dumars "to take a more
active and visible role in the day-to-day duties of the
basketball operation as he gets his outside businesses in
order" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 1/22)....The USBL announced that
it has awarded expansion teams to Dodge City, KS, and Enid,
OK, to begin play for the 2000 season, which begins in
April. The Dodge City franchise will be owned by Dodge City
Basketball, while the Enid franchise will be co-owned by
agent James Bryant and several of his NBA clients (USBL).
