MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / May 24, 2000

Things to ponder while waiting for the NCAA Regionals to begin…It looks like Fusaichi Pegasus woke up and smelled the black-eyed susans this weekend. The run-away winner in the Kentucky Derby was relegated tosecond-place status at the Preakness by Red Bullet Saturday. Just another”the next Secretariat” who could not catch up to Big Red.

Whatever happened to Tiger Woods? It’s been, what, two months since he won a tournament? Of course, the U.S. Open is coming up and the evenmoney has to be that Woods will win his third major there.

So, each of the cast members for “Friends” will be making approximately $20 million per season now? Let’s see, that’s $120 million for the cast or more than the payroll for any major league team this year. Wonder ifMatthew Perry can pitch.

All the focus in recent years is whether Ken Griffey Jr. will one day surpassHank Aaron’s career home run record. The way Mark McGwire has beenknocking them out again this season, the question may be whether Griffey will ever be able to catch Big Mac.

Is there a better all-around player in the game right now than Montreal’s Vladimir Guerrero? And is there a better player that is lesser known to baseball fans? If he played in a bigger market, everybody would be comparing him to Willie Mays or Roberto Clemente.

Ok, if the ball is juiced, then what are Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson throwing? And the theory that hitting is up this season because of all the writing on the ball reminds me of the old quote by Aaron that he didn’t come up to the plate to read.

How bad can things get for the Los Angeles Clippers? The Clippers perennially have the worst record in the NBA, have their best players leave at the first chance they get and have a hard time attracting free agents. Now theycannot even get the first pick in the draft despite having the best chance of any team in the lottery to do so. Instead, New Jersey, which only had a 4.4percent chance, gets the top selection while the Clippers dropped to the third pick. Sounds like something that would happen to the Saints.So, the Miami Heat are blaming the officiating for being eliminated by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Guess it couldn’t have anythingto do with blowing an 18-point lead in game six. Or having two or its bestplayers, Tim Hardaway and Jamal Mashburn, go a combined 9-of-35 from the field in game seven. Or making just 11-of-21 free throws in the final game.Speaking of free throws, you think Shaquille O’Neal knows where the foul line is by now, especially after shooting 25 free throws Saturday? But after the way the Laker reserves were shooting, maybe that’s who the Trailblazers may think about fouling.

But what a difference two days makes. After being blown out for most ofgame one, Portland returned the favor in game two. This could be quite aseries yet.

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