One Hint: The Dreadlocks Are Only Half the Story
Before there was Kobe, there was Cobi.
As famous as the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant is becoming, he still wouldn’t attract the crowd Cobi Jones would if they walked down a street together in Europe, South America or any other continent except North America.
Until this year, I would have argued that the roots of Jones’ fame were beneath his scalp, sprouting dreadlocks distinguishing him from other players.
Now, he also should be recognized for his play.
Jones has had either a goal or an assist this season in each of the Galaxy’s seven games, all victories, and leads the MLS in scoring with five goals and seven assists.
It also was evident in the United States’ recent 3-0 victory over Austria that Jones, 27, is becoming an increasingly important player for the national team.
Fully aware they are paying the U.S. team a backhanded compliment, opponents usually point to conditioning, diligence and persistence as the Americans’ most dangerous weapons.
But with this summer’s World Cup approaching, opponents also must contend with the speed provided by midfielders such as Jones and another former UCLA player, Frankie Hejduk.
Unfortunately for the Galaxy, the better Jones becomes, the less the team can count on him.
He begins full-time duty with the national team after the Galaxy’s game tonight at the Rose Bowl against Colorado and will be lost to MLS for at least 10 games.
In his honor, the Galaxy will present him before tonight’s game with a 110-yard-long good luck card.
The team also is sponsoring a Cobi Jones look-alike contest.
Team officials say they have a contract waiting if the winner also can play like him.
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No one should blame the Lakers’ fourth-quarter collapse Monday night at Seattle on Del Harris. . . .
It wasn’t coaching that caused that woeful outside shooting. . . .
It was choking. . . .
Where is Mitch Richmond when you need him? . . .
For those who believe Jerry West was firmly committed to the proposed Eddie Jones- for-Richmond deal, the Laker vice president was defending the decision not to do it as late as Christmas. . . .
He said Richmond had an increasingly prominent, uh, lower body. . . .
The Louisville Courier-Journal released its respected Super 5 prep basketball team this week. . . .
UCLA had signees on the second team in Dan Gadzuric of Byfield, Mass., third team in JaRon Rush of Kansas City, Mo., and fifth team in Ray Young of Alameda. . . .
Kentucky-bound Tayshaun Prince of Compton, the only Californian besides Young listed, was on the fourth team. . . .
Rashard Lewis, the 6-foot-10 center from Alief, Texas, who made himself eligible for the NBA draft, is the best player ever to come out of that state, his coach, Jerrel Hartfiel, told the newspaper. . . .
Better than Shaq? . . .
Before Tuesday night’s game, former USC outfielder Geoff Jenkins was batting .333 with four home runs after he was promoted two weeks ago from triple A to the Brewers. . . .
Jenkins, however, is getting more attention in Milwaukee because of his resemblance to Brett Favre. . . .
USC’s baseball team, trailing Stanford by two games with three games to play on the Cardinal’s field Saturday, Sunday and Monday, will feel better about its chances if doctors tell catcher Eric Munson the stress fracture in his foot has healed. . . .
Wonder if Stanford’s First Fan, Chelsea Clinton, will see the games? . . .
Her new boyfriend, Matthew Pierce, is the NCAA champion in the 200-meter butterfly. . . .
As encouraging as NFL President Neil Austrian’s glowing comments were for New Coliseum Partners during Monday’s unveiling of a plaque for Pete Rozelle, they would have meant more if Paul Tagliabue had been there to endorse them. . . .
Tagliabue and other league officials have been in Los Angeles to confer with the judge in Al Davis’ lawsuit du jour, but the commissioner couldn’t arrange his schedule to attend the ceremony. . . .
Shouldn’t there be a plaque at the Coliseum for Peter Ueberroth? . . .
I have no complaint with the job Skip Caray and Joe Simpson are doing in announcing the Dodger-Brave series for TBS. . . .
I prefer Vin Scully, though. . . .
No one else could refer to the price of lettuce in Pittsburgh, as he did during Sunday’s game, and tie it into baseball by talking about a player’s “salad days.” . . .
It’s easy to second-guess Bill Russell by saying he shouldn’t have let Hideo Nomo start the eighth inning Monday night in Atlanta after throwing 97 pitches in the previous seven. . . .
But I’m glad Russell is keeping the promise he made in spring training to leave the ball in his starters’ hands. . . .
Too many managers are on the phone to the bullpen at the drop of a hit.
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While wondering if there’s enough room in the trainer’s room at Edison Field, I was thinking: There’s nothing wrong with the Angels that couldn’t be cured by a sound Tim Salmon, or Chuck Finley, or Troy Percival, or Todd Greene, or Mike James or Randy Velarde.
