Other Words, He Should Be the Bear for Punishment

Former UCLA quarterback Cade McNown is about to start his third year with the Chicago Bears. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Rick Telander assesses his chances:

“Cade McNown is a smallish, left-handed, mentally scattered walking question mark.

“Some critics say he’s toast, that his lack of development since being picked in the first round of the 1999 draft means he’s never going to make it at the NFL level.

“Others feel the same skills that enabled him back at UCLA to pass for 512 yards and five touchdowns against a national power like Miami will soon bear fruit.

“Personally, I think there is something squirrelly about McNown, as if he doesn’t quite get the fact that he’s supposed to be tough and lead this team, and if not be liked, then certainly be respected by his teammates.”

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Trivia time: Who is the only four-time winner of the Los Angeles City Amateur golf tournament?

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Sweet swings: Most major league bats are made from white ash, but the San Francisco Giants’ Barry Bonds has his made from sugar maple wood.

“If Bonds breaks Mark McGwire’s [home run] record, will he get an ash-terisk next to it?” Bert Sugar asks in SportsBusiness Journal.

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Reluctant: Pat Summit, who coached Lisa Harrison at Tennessee, was discussing the Phoenix Mercury star’s decision about posing nude for Playboy when Summit was asked if she would ever have considered it.

“Not even in my most fit days,” Summit said.

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It’s not N.B.: Did you notice where In Bee Park won the PGA’s junior girls championship at Westfield Center, Ohio. She shot 72-74-70-73--289.

What is remarkable is that in an event for girls 17 and under, In Bee only turned 13 on June 12.

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Awards time: Jerry Greene of the Orlando Sentinel offers his Emmy nominations in the “excellence in sports television” category:

“Best scriptwriting: Pepsi 400 (honorable mention to MLB All-Star game.)

“Best comedy: XFL.

“Best actor in a comedy: He Hate Me.

“Biggest waste of time: NBC (honorable mention to Dennis Miller).

“Bozo of the year: Dick Ebersol and Vince McMahon.

“Humpty dumpty of the year: Tommy Lasorda.”

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Warning: Says John Van de Kamp, president of the Thoroughbred Owners of California:

“Sometime in the next three years we’re going to have a major earthquake in California’s horse racing industry unless we expand our fan, owner and handle bases.”

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Trivia answer: Tim Hogarth of Northridge, the current champion.

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And finally: Two-time Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen is scheduled to pitch Friday for the Boston Red Sox against the Chicago White Sox, making his first start since the 1999 American League playoffs against the New York Yankees.

“I’m not Seattle Slew anymore, but I’m not a donkey in the pasture,” Saberhagen told the Boston Globe. “I’ve still got some innings in me, but you’ve got to ride me while I’m strong. You’ve got to whip me while you can. I don’t know how many more whips I’ve got in me before they send me to the glue factory.”