OPENING OVERSEAS? In Chicago, Mike Kiley reports that
the Cubs and Mets will play a two-game regular-season series
March 29-30 in the Tokyo Dome after playing exhibition games
March 27-28 against Japanese teams. Kiley, on the series:
"You can expect it to be approved shortly" (CHICAGO SUN-
TIMES, 8/18). The Cardinals were MLB's "first choice," but
after Mark McGwire said that MLB "belongs" in the U.S., St.
Louis "bowed out" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/18). But in NJ, T.J.
Quinn cited a source as saying that the deal is "far from
done" and added that "logistics and promotional expenses
have not been resolved" (Bergen RECORD, 8/18).
REACHING OUT: The effort of several NFL players to
support the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation's Race
for the Cure was examined by ESPN's Steve Cyphers on last
night's "SportsCenter" Cover Story. NFL Manager of
Corporate Communications Brian McCarthy: "We found through
canvassing different players that [breast cancer] touches
everyone's lives -- if it's a player's mother, a spouse, a
daughter, a sister. It really touches everyone." A woman
participating in the event said of the players' involvement,
"I've had women walk up to me and say, `I will never watch a
professional football game again the same way. They truly
care about me'" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 8/17).
NOTES: ESPN NBA analyst David Aldridge, on the effect
of the NBA's CBA on veteran players: "I think what's
happening is that -- what a lot of people expected would
happen -- guys like Mitch Richmond and Rod Strickland are
finding that there's no market for veteran players with 10
or more years of experience -- at least not at that maximum
number. Teams are trying to get bargains for the older
players" ("NBA Today," 8/17)....GOLFWEEK's "Forecaddie"
reports that the Tour Players Association (TPA) is "in the
process of forming" a board of several "top-20 type" players
who will "request access" to PGA Tour financial records.
The TPA has hired Boston-based law firm Ropes and Gray as
legal counsel. TPA President Danny Edwards: "We just want
to see where the money comes from and where it goes." The
TPA "contends" that Tour players compete for 20% of gross
revenues, comparing "unfavorably" with the 55-70% for
athletes in other leagues (GOLFWEEK, 8/14 issue).
