FROM THE SI AWARDS: During SI's "Sportsman Of The Year" award show in N.Y., CBS' JIM NANTZ commented on ALEX RODRIGUEZ'S new contract: "We were hoping that A-Rod could be here tonight, but he's apparently over in Rockefeller Center trying to get the [Christmas] tree moved to his new living room in time for the holidays. ... I hope Alex's girlfriend isn't watching, because today he bought her something very special for Christmas. The Montreal Expos. And when he learned about the declining value of the Canadian dollar he said, 'Great, I'll take the Blue Jays, too'" ("SI Sportsman Of The Year 2000," CBS, 12/14). The AP cites a WCCO-TV report stating that the MN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION (MCLU) plans to file suit against the NEW PRAGUE school, two teachers, and a principal for allegedly not allowing a fourth-grade student to go on a field trip to a VIKINGS practice because he wore a PACKERS jersey on the day of the trip. MCLU claims the move violated the student's free speech rights (AP, 12/15)....MUHAMMAD ALI will "ring in the new year" by lowering the ceremonial crystal ball over TIMES SQUARE (AP, 12/14)....Canada's Prime Minister JEAN CHRETIEN called GEORGE W. BUSH yesterday to congratulate him on winning the presidency and said the two "broke the ice with baseball talk." Chretien: "We talked baseball" (Edmonton SUN, 12/15)....HANK WILLIAMS, JR, who has performed the "MNF" theme song for the past 11 years, will sing the national anthem for the STEELERS' final regular season game at THREE RIVERS STADIUM Saturday (Steelers)....The BACK STREET BOYS will sing the national anthem and RAY CHARLES will sing "America The Beautiful" at RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM for SUPER BOWL XXXV (NFL).
