General
Art Spander, Sunday, March 3, 1996Spander: Scales rarely balance when stars are dealt
Zone columnist Art Spander finds that teams which get marquee names in trades usually fare better than those who pile up prospects.
Charlie Vincent, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1996A matter of Pride
Tigers outfielder Curtis Pride wants to be known as a major-league ballplayer -- not a deaf major-league ballplayer.
Frank Deford, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1996Training -- not hope -- springs eternal
Frank Deford says free agency was the final, telling blow to baseball's once-wondrous spring training.
Stan Isaacs, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1996Top TV sportscaster -- what about Bob?
When it comes to talking about games on the tube, nobody does it better than NBC's Bob Costas.
Bob Drury, Monday, Feb. 26, 1996A phenomenal boost for baseball
Flame-throwing Mets phenom Paul Wilson represents all that is right with the game.
Wayne Robins, Friday, Feb. 23, 1996Strike three for the beauty and the bat
It's all over for Halle and Dave, and it is time to mourn the end of a storybook romance.
Major League Baseball
Bob Nightengale, Sunday, March 3, 1996NL West: Dodger farmhand has star quality
Young Karim Garcia is in ilne to be the next great Los Angeles rookie. To listen to some, he might be even better than that.
Jeff Horrigan, Sunday, March 3, 1996
NL Central: Rijo takes his best Schott
Jose Rijo has battled back from arm surgery, but he's not ready to battle Reds owner Marge Schott any more.
Paul Hagen, Friday, March 1, 1996NL East: A foot in the door
Rookie Paul Wilson says he'll do virtually anything -- anything -- to be in the Mets rotation.
John Hickey, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1996AL West: A's reliever looks to close "Unsolved Mystery"
Oakland's Mark Acre turns to a popular television show for help in his quest to find his birth parents.
Paul Hoynes, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1996AL Central: Indians have everything -- except worries
Hoynes says this division race boils down to the Indians and the four dwarfs, because Cleveland is loaded from top to bottom.
Bob Klapisch, Sunday, Feb. 25, 1996AL East: A time for great expectations
Klapisch looks at 10 players who are expected to make 1996 the best of times for their teams.
College football
Mark Blaudschun, Sunday, Feb. 11, 1996Osborne proves he still doesn't get it
Nebraska coach Tom Osborne knows a lot about becoming No. 1, but he doesn't understand the responsibilities that go with it.
NFL
Howard Balzer, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 1996Back to basics for 49ers offense with Walsh back in San Francisco
Look out George Seifert, or the new assistant will be running the 'Niners show.
Bill Wallace, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 1996Tagliabue's year starts off with a bang
With franchises uprooting, owners not honoring contracts with the league, and possible Congressional action, the NFL is desperate for strong leadership from its commissioner.
Ron Borges, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 1996Give credit where credit is due: Switzer is a winner
Cowboys coach Barry Switzer won with great talent and a team that wanted to win for him.
NBA
Martin McNeal, Sunday, March 3, 1996Pacific: Three teams, two deals, one dilemma
Golden State, Sacramento and Portland all had decisions to make. The Warriors and Kings dealt; the Blazers held 'em.
Mike Monroe, Sunday, March 3, 1996Midwest: Mavs dialing long distance
Ma Bell isn't getting rich, but size-challenged Dallas has decided that its best chance to win is from behind the arc.
Jeffrey Denberg, Sunday, March 3, 1996Central: Hawks offense will pass through Laettner
Christian Laettner gives Atlanta coach Lenny Wilkens what he wanted in Danny Manning -- a player to base an attack around.
Mitch Lawrence, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1996Knicks could leave Riles in Mourning
Hurricane Riley blew through Miami last week, dealing away five players in an attempt to rebuild the Heat around Alonzo Mourning. But guess who could ruin that plan?
NHL
Dave Luecking, Sunday, March 3, 1996Central: At last -- a Gretzky-free zone
Enough about Wayne -- there are plenty of other tidbits buried amid a league-wide epidemic of trademania.
George Johnson, Sunday, March 3, 1996
Pacific: Will L.A. warm to hockey without Gretzky?
Los Angeles has already lost two football teams. Now it must do without its hockey superstar. Will the Kings can survive?
Men's College Basketball
Randall Mell, Thursday, Feb. 29, 1996Big East: Kittles paying hefty phone bill
Those "free" long-distance calls will end up costing Villanova's Kerry Kittles quite a bit.
Mark Blaudschun, Thursday, Feb. 29, 1996Mass-ive pressure finally takes it toll
No longer unbeaten or No. 1, UMass is showing signs of cracking as the NCAA Tournament approaches.
Jim Molony, Thursday, Feb. 29, 1996SWC: Red Raiders find no time to celebrate
Texas Tech is so focused on the postseason that a measley conference title was no cause for excitement.
Randy Holtz, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1996WAC: Annual whine festival under way
Expecting a slight from the NCAA committee, WAC coaches are already crying for respect.
Jeff Faraudo, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1996Pac-10: Talented Bears begin to awaken
Faraudo says Cal is finally starting to look like the conference's most talented team.
Vic Feuerherd, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1996Big Ten: Just call it the Bubble Ten
With Selection Sunday less than two weeks away, Feuerherd says nine teams still have hopes for the Big Dance.
Eddy Landreth, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1996ACC: Coach K to Illinois: No, I'm not
Mike Krzyzewski says enough with the rumors that he might be headed elsewhere.
John Clay, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1996Conference USA: Cincy's Huggins T-eed off
The frustration boiled over last week for Bearcats coach Bob Huggins, who was tossed once and nearly twice.
Randy Holtz, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1996Big Eight: A Jacque of all trades
Versatile guard Jacque Vaughn has done it all for Kansas. That's why Holtz calls him the conference's player of the year.
Jerry Tipton, Monday, Feb. 26, 1996The SI jerk?
Sports Illustrated's less-than-flattering depiction of Kentucky coach Rick Pitino has caused another uproar in the Bluegrass State.
Jim Molony, Thursday, Feb. 22, 1996SWC: Even in Texas, this one's big
In the final SWC home game for Texas, the 'Horns try to derail Texas Tech's quest for a perfect conference mark.
