49ERS NEW PRESIDENT? The Santa Rosa Press Democrat
reports that the 49ers will name former FAO Schwartz exec
Peter Harris as the team's new President (7/12).
ALL EARS OF CORN: Bulls Senior VP Jerry Krause "denied"
yesterday telling potential draft pick Darius Miles that he
"couldn't have a cornrow hairstyle if he played for the
Bulls." Krause: "All you have to do is look at the team
pictures through the years. We haven't had rules on those
subjects, and I did not say what was supposedly said that I
said in that room" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/12). Bulls scout
Pete Myers, who was in the room with Miles and Miles' mother
at the time of the alleged comment: "The timing of this is
so bad for us with free agency going on. It's so
frustrating. It's been blown out of proportion. That was
never said" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/12). In Chicago, Rick
Telander writes that with the alleged comment, the Bulls
"are increasingly being perceived as a cautious,
conservative, 'white' organization, one that might not have
a policy against cornrows, but which is increasingly out of
touch with modern society and the dynamics of the
professional hoops biz" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/12).
NOTES: In Ottawa, Allen Panzeri reports that the
Senators were forced to unveil their new alternative jersey
yesterday because it had "prematurely" been posted on the
Internet. Senators Dir of Merchandise & Consumer Products
Bob Maxwell said that how the jersey "made its way onto the
Internet before it was released isn't exactly known." The
new jersey, which has a black background, is "similar" to
the current red away jersey, "in that the Roman Centurion
head is the main logo. But the striping is considerably
different." The team will wear the jersey in about 8-11
games (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 7/12)....In N.Y., Kevin Kernan
reports that the Knicks are raising ticket prices "once
again." Among the increases: Club Courtside up $15; Club
Seat Section up $10; and End Court-Loge Section up $5.
Kernan: "Ironically, the only ticket prices that weren't
raised this season were the ... VIP first and second rows.
They remain, $1,500 and $700." Kernan also notes that the
team added a third exhibition game at MSG, "forcing fans to
pay full freight for a meaningless game" (N.Y. POST, 7/12).
