Learned how to sleep yet?
JERRY-RIGGED
Milwaukee Brewers owner Bud Selig becomes permanent commissioner Thursday, replacing Fay Vincent.
Vincent was run out of office in 1992 because owners felt he would interfere in their dispute with the players union. The owners, spearheaded by Chairman Reinsdorf, to hear people tell it, managed to have a strike and cancel a World Series without Vincent, anyway, damaging the game, perhaps permanently.
“The only way to build the game is with the union’s help,” Vincent said, “painful as that is for the Reinsdorfs of the world.”
Wait, you mean pathetic attendance, White Flag trades and loathsome stars who need to be “ornery” aren’t the model for a franchise?
MONEY TALKS
Richard Jacobs, the successful and committed owner of the Cleveland Indians, said he might bid on the new Browns franchise.
Hey, pal, how about bidding on the old Bears franchise?
LAW AND DISORDER
A lawsuit scheduled to go to trial Thursday is expected to unearth the seamier side of Notre Dame football.
Joe Moore claims he was fired as offensive line coach because he was too old, but Notre Dame witnesses will say he was an abusive coach who punched players, while Moore’s side will relate a history of rules violations by Fighting Irish coach Bob Davie.
For Irish bashers looking for sordid secrets and embarrassing revelations about the nation’s haughtiest program, this incestuous trial is pretty much the Fiesta Bowl.
TEE IT UP
In his first public appearance around here since the rally in Grant Park, Michael Jordan will play in the Ameritech Senior Open pro-am next Thursday at Kemper Lakes Golf Course.
And Tim Floyd will be carrying his bag, right?
BIG DEAL?
The Mets believe that starter Al Leiter will be out for another five weeks because of a knee injury, so they’re calling around for pitching, including Juan Guzman of Toronto.
Think the Mets could be suckered into taking Wipe Sox starter Jaime Navarro the way they got hosed into taking Cubs reliever Mel Rojas last year?
Here’s the deal: The Mets pay for Navarro’s plane ticket and the Sox pop for the U-Haul to move his ERA.
KICK BALL
After 45 minutes of the usual nil-nil futbol that is the World Cup, France beat Croatia 2-1.
Must’ve played the game at Coors Field.
