From today's Boston Herald...

["J. Mark Estepp" <esteppjm@conrad.appstate.edu>]

Cousy fears trouble 

                   09/11/98

                   By JIM BAKER 

                   Baseball's popularity is finally recovering
                   from the 1994 strike on the wave of Mark
                   McGwire's record home run drama and
                   classy relationship with Sammy Sosa, but
                   Bob Cousy doubts that pro basketball can
                   make a similar rebound from a protracted
                   lockout.

                   "Baseball has snapped back, but I'm afraid
                   that sport is more solidly based in the
                   American psyche than is basketball,"
                   declared Mr. Basketball in a Herald
                   interview. "This situation could do
                   irreparable harm and the season start
                   could be as late as Jan. 1."

                   The Cooz, who'll segue with Tom Heinsohn
                   from Ch. 38 to Ch. 68's three-year Celtics
                   road-game deal whenever the season
                   does start, knows fans are turned off by
                   the greed of multi-millionaire NBA players.
                   And in stating his own position, he relates
                   how markedly his sympathies have
                   changed.

                   "I started the Players Association, but I'm
                   leaning toward management now," Cooz
                   said. "No one is worth $36 million, but
                   that's our system. We've gone over the
                   moon with $120 million contracts -- to a
                   point where the team owners don't know
                   what they're getting into. We need new
                   guidelines and the owners are adamant.

                   "I'm disappointed and concerned. There's
                   plenty of money on the table, but we're
                   going through this for the sake of more.
                   The owners are determined this time and
                   it seems both sides have hardened. I think
                   the Players Association has cornered
                   (commissioner) David Stern and he's not
                   going to bend."

                   Cousy is upset about the state of his
                   game as he nears the quarter-century
                   mark on the tube at a fifth station.

                   "We're all in limbo," he lamented.



Mark Estepp				704 262 3111
Appalachian State University			704 265 8696 (fax)
Esteppjm@AppState.edu