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Highs and lows

By MIKE STEPHENSON, BRUCE LOWITT, JAMAL THALJI and JOHN C. COTEY

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 17, 2000

Highs

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL: The 28-year-old Lakers center, who has a contract for more than $152-million through the 2005-06 season, earned a bachelor of science degree in general studies from Louisiana State, which he left after three seasons to turn pro. "There's real life, and there's fairy tale life," he said. "This is real life. I promised my parents I'd do it; I promised myself I'd do it."

THE BUCS: They have elevated "winning ugly" to an art form. The essential word, of course, is "winning." If they can win ugly Monday night against the Rams (and get even for that little, umm, contretemps in St. Louis last Jan. 23), they'll prove themselves the Pablo Picassos of the NFL. Okay, the Jackson Pollacks.

A-ROD: Shortstop Alex Rodriguez's jaw-dropping 10-year, $252-million contract with the Texas Rangers is catching flak nationwide. Is any professional athlete worth that much? Of course not. Did he trade post-season glory for cash? Probably. But who turns down a quarter of a billion? Think of it this way: It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. It's not Rodriguez's responsibility to rein in the game's excesses; he's just taking what the market -- albeit an obscene one -- will pay him.

Lows

BASEBALL'S CRITICS: It's easy to take shots at baseball and the megabucks contracts received by Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and Mike Hampton, but did anyone notice that baseball set an all-time attendance record last season? Or that the Rangers project revenues of about $160-million and a payroll of about $80-million next season? "We can pay this kind of money and make a profit," owner Tom Hicks said. Isn't it better for the money to go to the players we pay to see?

CONFERENCE USA: Tuesday night football? And Wednesday? We know television exposure is important, but Tuesday night football?

THE DAN: So much for the $100-million Daniel Snyder plunked down on the Washington Redskins payroll. He offended as often as he fired, and saddled his injury-plagued, playoff-phobic 7-7 team with outrageous hype and unreal expectations. He's not the first, or the last, pro owner to become a nationwide punching bag ... and why should it be any different here? Hey Dan, got that concession speech ready?

BOXING: Sigh. This should have been a high on the heels of last week's tremendous fight between Felix Trinidad and Fernando Vargas that exceeded all hype and was arguably the Fight of the Year. But then Tony Ayala Jr., convicted criminal given a second chance after serving 16 years of his 35-year sentence for a 1983 New Year's Day rape, is shot by a women after he entered her home around 3 a.m. Tuesday. For a sport so desperately trying to shed a sullied image, Ayala delivers another shot to boxing's chin.

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