MLB: See (#27) for a full listing of MLB's opening day
attendance....A comic in USA TODAY by Jeff Stahler notes
MLB's opener. It shows two men reading the newspaper, one a
sports fan donning a baseball cap reading the sports section
saying, "I love following baseball." Next to him is a
business exec in a suit and tie reading the business section
saying, "Me, too" (USA TODAY, 4/1)....Opening day was noted
on all three networks' evening newscasts, as well as "Public
Eye with Bryant Gumbel" (THE DAILY)....On the "Late Show,"
David Letterman's Top Ten Rejected Major League Baseball
Expansion Teams: 10) The Fort Wayne Philbins; 9) The Omaha
Underachievers; 8) The Rapid City Rappin' Grannies; 7) The
Sacramento Floridians; 6) The Honolulu
Hakamalahainamukululeis; 5) The Old El Paso Taco Kits; 4)
The Georgia Groinpulls; 3) The St. Paul Shaffers; 2) The New
Orleans Nancy Boys; 1) The Washington Interns (CBS, 3/31).
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: In Portland, Jason Quick wrote on
the ABL and WNBA recruitment of college players at the
women's Final Four: "When it comes to recruiting the top
college players, the WNBA and ABL are even. None of the top
five ... said whether one league made a bigger impression
this weekend, and all said they are undecided on which they
will choose." Quick added that "many" have speculated that
UConn's Nykesha Sales would not go to the WNBA as her
ruptured Achilles tendon would not be healed by the start of
its season. But Sales said, "Not true. There are still
other things I can do with the WNBA, like public speaking on
the league's behalf" (Portland OREGONIAN, 3/31).
BURN, BABY: MLS Commissioner Doug Logan was in Dallas
and said that "concerns over the Burn are moving down on his
worry list." He is encouraged as the team is "selling more
group and season tickets." Logan "realizes the liability
the team battles in selling the well-worn Cotton Bowl, with
tricky parking, uncomfortable seating and inadequate
concession areas and bathrooms." Logan: "We don't make life
easy for the fan here. We make life tough. ... We know it
won't happen in Dallas this week, nor the next week, but it
will happen here" (Steve Davis, DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/1).
