The Meek Might Inherit NFL’s Earth

Ready for a Patriot-Buccaneer Super Bowl?

NFL teams with the most flexibility in signing free agents and re-signing their own players are those far under next year’s salary cap, projected to be $35 million. This means, of course, that as far as turnaround time goes, the have-nots could soon be haves.

According to figures released by the NFL Players Assn., the teams with the lowest payrolls are New England ($21.9 million), Cincinnati ($22.5 million), Pittsburgh ($27.9 million) and Tampa Bay and Minnesota ($28.6 million each).

Add NFL: The average starter makes $1 million, the average player $500,000, and the average team payroll is $33.6 million.

Trivia time: Who was the last Laker to lead the NBA in rebounding?

Besides humility: Richard Dent of the Chicago Bears leads the NFC in sacks.

“God has blessed me with something great,” he said.

Why play it?Peter May of the Boston Globe previewed Thursday’s Boston Celtic game against the Clippers at the Sports Arena. Wrote May: “This game is unquestionably the Celtics’ best chance for a win on the trip.”

And fine carpet: Boston Red Sox first baseman Mo Vaughn told Alan Greenberg of the Hartford Courant his first impression of classical dance: “Nice velvet seats.”

Rumor mill: There is continuing speculation that the first NBA coach to be sent packing will not be Sidney Lowe at Minnesota or Kevin Loughery at Miami or Quinn Buckner at Dallas, but Charlotte’s Allan Bristow. If Bristow goes, he supposedly will be replaced by Doug Collins.

Glass cleaners: The Lakers have been outrebounded in 17 of their last 19 games. Maybe what they need is somebody like Kurt Rambis?

A Duck feather: Mighty Duck goaltender Guy Hebert, saying that everyone is surprised at how well the team is playing, added: “It’s a feather in the cap of the people who put this team together.”

Weather report: Thinking of attending the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway? Pack your woolen underwear. The average February high temperature is 18 degrees, with lows near 10 below. There are only 7 1/2 hours of daylight.

Scoring ugly: Mike Gartner of the New York Rangers made the record books when he scored his 600th goal, something only five other players have done. His milestone goal came when the puck hit the goalie’s stick and dropped to the ice in front of Gartner’s skates. Gartner kicked it across the goal.

Said Gartner: “It was a little scuzzy, but they all count.”

Add Gartner: The other 600-goal scorers are Gordie Howe (801), Wayne Gretzky (780), Marcel Dionne (731), Phil Esposito (717) and Bobby Hull (610).

Trivia answer: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 16.9 rebounds in 1975-76.

Quotebook: From Washington State Coach Kelvin Sampson on the bulk of this season’s players: “Guys we’ve had in the past could take a shower in a shotgun barrel.”