MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / September 25, 2000

Thoughts to ponder while trying to figure out what the officials were thinking about on Florida’s touchdown pass Saturday…You hear all the complaints about the Olympics, the overcommercialization, the delayed telecasts, the drug scandels, the pulling out of top athletes.

Then you get the reaction of Misty Hyman after she realized she had upset Susie O’Neill to win the gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly and all of that is forgotten. Take a picture of it, frame it and file it among the greatmoments in sports history.

Missing in the Phoenix area, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ playoff chances. Iffound, please send to Buck Showalter as soon as possible (although it’s probably already too late.) Speaking of teams that ran a fade pattern during the stretch run, remember when the Cubs were in the hunt in the National League Central? Now there is not a telescope strong enough for the Cubs to see the Cardinals. Of course ifthe Cubs want to to see the playoffs this year, all they have to do is head across town to Commiskey Park.

On that note, the White Sox have named Mike Sirotka as their starter for the first game of the playoffs. Smart move. LSU fans know that Sirotka is toughto beat come crunch time.

Check the economic indicators in October. The unemployment rate will begoing up – well at least in Major League Baseball when as many as 13 managers could find themselves with different jobs.

Another week, another three teams (Michigan, Texas and Tennessee) who can now watch the National Championship game on television come January.

Next up on Who Wants to Lose a Few Million – UCLA. The Bruins will fall todayin the not-so-friendly surroundings of Oregon.

Steve Spurrier’s Florida Gators appear to be on their way to another SEC Eastern Division title but Spurrier is slipping in the Most Hated SEC Coach category. Fast approaching – Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville. First it was OleMiss, now it’s LSU after Auburn scored a meaningless touchdown at the end of Saturday’s game. At least Spurrier showed class at the end of theTennessee game Saturday.

Can you believe the NHL is already playing exhibition games? Do these guys ever take a break? You could build a pretty good team with the players that have turned down the Chicago Bulls this offseason.

OK, so Washington D.C. has a reputation for spending millons on projects thatfail to deliver. Does it have to spread to its sports teams? Maybe the Orioles’Mike Hargrove and the Redskins’ Norv Turner should get together and share notes.

Dallas, Green Bay and San Francisco are a combined 2-7. Remember whenthose three were the teams to beat in the NFC?

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