MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / July 3, 1999

Thoughts to consider while waiting out a rain delay at Wimbledon…Recent weeks have shown that there are still many problems that collegiate athletics has to deal with. Lamar Odom’s decision and hissubsequent failed attempt to regain his college eligibility shows that athletes are still not getting the advice they need when the decision comes to whether or not to leave school early.

Stories like this show that there are athletes who are attending college for all the wrong reasons. Among which is which using the college game asa brief stopover before going to the professional level.

With athletic scholarships often in such limited supply, this seems like such a waste. Either make freshmen ineligible or go the way of baseballand make it that once entering college, you have to stay three years.

Until this week I had liked every move the Saints had made this offseason.

Trading for Eddie Kennison, drafting Ricky Williams and bringing in Wally Williams all seemed like solid moves.

And then the Saints reverted back to their old selves. Explain to me whyyou bring in Tommy Barnhardt, whom had fewer yards, fewer net yards and fewer kicks inside the 20 last season than incumbent punter Mark Royals at more money than you were paying Royals.

I was always a fan of Barnhardt when he kicked for the Saints in the early 1990s but Royals was getting the job done.

All he did was lead the NFL in punting in 1997 and the NFC last year. Andhow was he rewarded? By getting his walking papers Tuesday. So much forloyalty to your players.

Elton Brand may end up being a good player in the NBA but Chicago made a mistake in not making Steve Francis the first overall pick. Anyone whosaw Francis at Maryland knows that he has the potential to be something special.

Arizona’s Randy Johnson has struck out 31 batters over the last two starts and all he has to show for it is two L’s because the Diamond-backs have collected a grand total of one hit in those games.

Johnson could call Johnny Cochran and have a great case for non-support.

Sammy Sosa has a league-leading 30 home runs through Wednesday. So1998 was a fluke? I don’t think so.

Look up “perseverance” and “class” in the dictionary and you will see a picture of Juli Inkster next to both of them.

How time flies. NFL training camps open in matter of days. How time really flies. Tim Duncan mentioned that he doesn’t have muchtime to rest before NBA training camp opens. Weren’t the NBA Finals likelast week?

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