This Field Won’t Put Washington on Cutting Edge

Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post is teed off because of President Bush’s plans to build a T-ball field on the White House grounds:

“A T-ball field? That’s what he wants to do with his share of the tax cut?

“So, we’re not getting a major league team? We’re getting a team we can stuff in the back of a minivan? I know the economic downturn is making everybody downsize, but this is ridiculous.

“ ‘We got a pretty good-sized backyard here,’ President Bush said. So do I. But I don’t see the Montreal Expos moving here to play on it.”

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Trivia time: Who holds the record for the highest field-goal percentage in a men’s NCAA championship game?

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Old folks: Jerry Greene in the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel: “Kansas City Coach Dick Vermeil was asked about possibly picking quarterback Drew Brees in the first round of the NFL draft. ‘I like him, but I’m 64 years old. I don’t know if I can wait three years for him to develop.’

“The answer is obvious, Dick: Take Chris Weinke, somebody your own age.”

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Or, they ignored them: Blackie Sherrod in the Dallas Morning News: “Once again, the pulled muscles and tendons and such are the major news coming out of spring training camps. This from our new sophisticated, scientifically derived physical training from millionaire players who have their own personal trainers and in-house gyms.

“Which recalls this observation from ex-manager Whitey Herzog: ‘Players never had so many injuries when they trained on beefsteaks and beer.’ ”

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Poor excuse: Cincinnati basketball Coach Bob Huggins wants a contract extension. “I’ve been here for 12 years,” he says, “and every year people have been killing us [in recruiting] saying I’m not going to be here the next year.”

Comment from Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle: “Would an extension really stop that kind of talk? After all, his current contract runs through 2005.”

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Fans beware: Tim Kawakami in the San Jose Mercury News, on Chuck Knoblauch’s move from second base to left field: “Yeah, so he can throw out all those runners trying to advance to the mezzanine seats.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1995, Connecticut completed an unbeaten season (35-0) by defeating Tennessee, 70-64, for the NCAA women’s basketball championship.

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Trivia answer: Bill Walton of UCLA, 95%, 21 of 22 against Memphis in 1973.

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And finally: Dallas Maverick Coach Don Nelson, commenting on Shaquille O’Neal’s 35 points, 13 rebounds and 13-of-17 free-throw shooting in the Lakers’ 98-89 win over the Mavericks Friday night:

“We don’t have an answer for Shaq. We never have, and we never will, probably.”