Russell Needs Help From Management

Poor Bill Russell. . . .

He gets to manage the Dodgers the rest of the season, but is given neither words of encouragement from management about his future nor the additional tools needed to make his job easier. . . .

The holes that opened in center field and in the leadoff spot after Brett Butler was stricken with cancer and at third base after Mike Blowers wrecked his knee remain after the trading deadline. . .

The center fielder/leadoff hitter acquired from Detroit, Chad Curtis, went three for 20 against Florida and Atlanta. . . .

Curtis was so lowly regarded by the team with the worst record in baseball that it practically gave him away. . . .

Starting third baseman Mike Busch is hitting .205. . . .

Typical of the Dodger frustration was the third inning Sunday. . . .

Braves left-hander Tom Glavine threw 38 pitches, but didn’t give up a run as Busch struck out on a 3-2 pitch with two outs and the bases loaded. . . .

Busch was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh and his defensive replacement, Juan Castro, made a throwing error in the ninth that gave the Braves an insurance run. . . .

Acquiring Todd Zeile if the Philadelphia third baseman cleared waivers wouldn’t carry the impact that the San Diego Padres’ trade for Greg Vaughn did, but, at least, it would show some support for Russell by management. . . .

It was an unusual Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. . . .

Tom Lasorda was not in uniform, Vin Scully was not in the broadcasting booth and Mike Brito was not in the dugout boxes. . . .

Lasorda retired as manager, Scully was on vacation, and Brito, who normally operates the speed gun that clocks pitches, was on a scouting trip. . . .

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Carl Lewis didn’t deserve a spot on the U.S. 400-meter relay team and his presence wouldn’t have made a difference in the result, anyway. . . .

Teamwork often is crucial in relay racing, and Canada, with its terrific baton passing, didn’t get enough credit for the win. . . .

Michael Johnson’s performance in the 200 meters rivaled that of Secretariat in the 1973 Belmont Stakes. . . .

Jackie Joyner-Kersee never was more impressive winning a gold medal on two legs than she was winning a bronze on one leg. . . .

This was the Olympics where some of the most emotional moments belonged to a non-participant, Muhammad Ali. . . .

It didn’t play as well as Dream Team I, but Dream Team III conducted itself with more class. . . .

The track and field meet was probably the greatest ever, but I guess it would be too much to expect the sport to have a revival in the U.S. . . .

There’s no way major league players will compete in the 2000 Olympic baseball tournament in the month of September. . . .

Dan O’Brien should have gotten the second day of the decathlon rescheduled. . . .

O’Brien received nearly as much attention for not making the U.S. team at the trials in 1992 as for winning the gold medal on the same day that Johnson smashed the world record in the 200. . . .

Best football team named Eagles to appear in the U.S. this year: Nigeria. . . .

Moody Andre Agassi ought to bottle the mood he was in Saturday. . . .

Change the format to team tennis, though, and there would be a lot more interest in the Olympic tournament. . . .

Best dressed: Australian women’s basketball team. . . .

There were other transportation problems, but Atlanta, like Los Angeles in 1984, learned that the surest way to cut down on freeway traffic during weekdays is to stage an Olympic Games. . . .

I can’t blame any outstanding young boxer who turns pro instead of remaining an amateur and risk losing a bum decision in the Olympics. . . .

Just who is the International Olympic Committee to accuse an athlete, gold-medal swimmer Claudia Poll of Costa Rica, for being too commercial? . . .

Of the 197 nations represented in Atlanta, 118 didn’t win a medal. . . .

Funny, but I haven’t heard one person complain that NBC didn’t show enough rhythmic gymnastics.