Detroit Free Press

NEW YORK -- Didya hear the one about Patrick Ewing not scoring a point in the entire first half? Heh heh. Pretty ...

News Item: Pistons coach Chuck Daly will meet this weekend with NBC Sports executive producer Terry O'Neill to discuss Daly joining the network as an NBA analyst next season.NEW YORK -- "Good morning, Chuck. Great to see you.""Thanks, Mr. O'Neill.""Terry. It's Terry. Have a bagel. Say hi to our lawyers.""Geez. There's a lot of them.""Thirty-seven. The others couldn't make it. Now then, Chuck, we're very excited about you joining our team. We see big things for you at NBC. Really big things."

I used to know where Maurice Cheeks lived. I knew because he lived in the same Philadelphia apartment building as ...

Good morning, New York, and how are we feeling toda --Ooh, sorry. Are we talking too loud? Bad headache, huh? Here. Try some of these aspirin. It was a nasty fall you took last night. All the way from the clouds to the pits. Lie back, and we'll try to explain what happened.

Forget it. This series is over. I don't mean to sound cocky, but the Pistons can't lose, not now, not since the ...

On the one hand, I really don't want to write this column. It's a pretty foolish issue. On the other hand, sometimes foolish issues grow into serious ones, and it's best to nip them in the bud.First, let me say I like Sparky Anderson. I always have. He's a bona fide legend in baseball, even if the Tigers lose the rest of their games this season, which we are praying very hard won't happen.

The letters began coming a few weeks ago. They were small. Very small. I'd say they were small enough to fit inside a comic book panel.The return address read: "Riverdale, USA."There was no stamp."Please help us,' the first letter said. "Tell them it's not true." (signed) Betty.I had to use a magnifying glass to read it. The second one was much the same."It's not us." (signed) Jughead. Then came the third one."Give us a break. That guy doesn't even look like me. How are the chicks up there?" (signed) Reggie.

Hell is over for Chuck Long. He goes free now. The golden boy with the quarterback savvy who four years ago was ...