The N.Y. Daily News "took the bizarre step of attacking" its sports columnist, Mike Lupica, yesterday on its editorial page, according to "Page Six"'s Richard Johnson of the N.Y. POST. The bottom of yesterday's editorial page read, "For two Sundays, a diminutive sports columnist has failed to deliver his regular fluffy mention of a certain radio man. An oversight? A billing dispute? Inquiring minds want to know." Johnson writes the mention gave the "impression the News was blowing the whistle on Lupica for supposedly taking payoffs from Don Imus, whom he frequently plugs." But it "turns out that this oddity was just the latest outburst in a childish spat" between the editorial page and Lupica, who has criticized the News' editorial page "of being too cozy" with Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner in his pursuit of a ballpark. Johnson: "Sources at the Daily News said Lupica was 'enraged' by the editorial ambush and demanding an apology" (N.Y. POST, 7/22). HE GOT ONE: An editorial at the bottom of today's DAILY NEWS is titled "Foul Ball," and reads, "Next to the weather, where the Yankees will play after 2002 is the hottest topic in town. So hot that this page yesterday responded to a colleague's criticism with a swipe that was out of bounds. The debate will continue to rage. But on the merits. All ad hominum attacks are hereby benched" (DAILY NEWS, 7/22).
