TAYLOR MADE? CBS SportsLine's Mike Kahn wrote that for T'Wolves Owner Glen Taylor to put a future long-term contract with F Joe Smith in writing while Smith was already signed to a one-year deal by the team (see THE DAILY, 9/11) "is incredibly naive and downright stupid" (CBS SportsLine, 9/11). ESPN.com's Jeffrey Denberg wrote that Taylor could "have hardly committed a more serious breach of trust" to the NBA and his fellow owners, who "can only look upon Taylor's flagrant violation of the rules as an act of fiscal treason" (ESPN.com, 9/11). In St. Paul, Charley Walters: "It is believed [NBA Commissioner David] Stern, as a means to stop questionable free-agency deals of this type, will severely punish the Wolves" (PIONEER PRESS, 9/12). NOTES: In Toronto, William Houston writes that Montreal-based broadcaster and business exec Serge Trudeau "confirms that he has put together an investment group that will try to buy" the Expos and keep the club in the city if current team Managing Partner Jeffrey Loria decides to sell or move the team (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 9/12)....Grizzlies President Dick Versace said he is working to change the image of the Grizzlies and Vancouver: "The word around the league is that there's a whole different atmosphere up here now. There were things I thought needed changing. The plan was to bring in an inordinate number of draftees and to generously treat each person that came in. Those persons were treated like royalty. ... We had to close the gap between the perception and the reality of Vancouver" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 9/12)....In San Jose, Darren Sabedra writes that the Raiders have not sold out Network Associates Coliseum in time to "lift the local television blackout" since September 8, 1997, but at 2-0, "they appear to have their best chance in a while" with this weekend's game against the 1-1 Broncos (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 9/12).
