COLD AS ICE IN MINNESOTA LAKERS ALREADY SURPASS LAST YEAR'S LOSS TOTAL MINNESOTA 96, LAKERS 83.(Sports) - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

MINNEAPOLIS - Kobe Bryant tucked his Afro under a ski hat, pulled on a heavy leather coat, directed his eyes straight ahead and departed briskly from the visitors locker room at Target Center on Wednesday, leaving reporters' probing questions unanswered.

It was the least resistance Bryant saw all night, the only time he moved from Point A to Point B without running into a wall.

And as for those pesky inquiries about the Lakers' flagging fortunes, well, no one seems to have those answers anyway.

``Don't have much to say, man,'' Bryant said as he walked away. ``We stunk it up.''

And with that, he was gone. Just as quickly as the Lakers' optimism and their hopes for a winning road trip.

A 96-83 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves left the Lakers with a 1-2 record on this Shaq-less trip. They return home today more depressed than when they left, with fewer healthy bodies and with a record (28-16) that includes one more loss than the Lakers had all last season.

Shaquille O'Neal missed his third consecutive game because of a sore foot. A sudden knee ailment took out Horace Grant before tipoff. Bryant kept playing through his mosaic of injuries, and no one could be blamed for not trying hard.

But no amount of aggression and hustle could save the Lakers from another costly setback.

``We don't know how to win without Shaq,'' Lakers forward Robert Horry said. ``We only won, what, one game without him? You can't substitute for Shaq. He's a big presence in there and no matter what happens, we need to hope that he gets well soon.''

Bryant came up with just 24 points on 6-for-17 shooting. Mark Madsen's career-high 15 points looked nice, but also stood as an indictment of how little anyone else did: The rookie with limited offensive skills outscored all his veteran teammates.

The Lakers shot just 39 percent and scored 18 points below their season average.

Minnesota dominated the paint and the second-chance points and extended its winning streak to a franchise-record eight games, while snapping its losing streak to the Lakers at seven games.

``You've got to take advantage of them not having their superstar. You don't have any sympathy in this league,'' the Timberwolves' Terrell Brandon said.

The Lakers are just 2-3 in games without O'Neal this season. They finished January with a 6-6 record, the first non-winning month since going 6-6 in February 1997.

``I think that the thing that we need to learn is, we have to play as a team and we need to use guys the way they know how to play,'' Lakers guard Ron Harper said. ``And we've got to find guys shots and we have to hit shots, too. We have to go out and just play. I think we played hard. The last two games, I think our team has played harder. That's encouraging.''

This game was lost in the first quarter, when the Lakers faced a 10-point deficit. They played the Wolves to a virtual draw in the final three quarters but never got closer than 8 points in the second half.

Bryant, still hampered by a sore right shoulder, tried replicating his 47-point, attack-the-basket effort of the night before. But the Wolves were quick to cut off the lanes, and Bryant missed nine consecutive shots during one stretch. He was blocked three times, twice by Kevin Garnett.

``He went a little bit too hard in the first half and he got himself in jeopardy,'' coach Phil Jackson said. ``And I thought he was much better in the second half, moving the ball and eventually when he did try to go, they were prepared.''

The Lakers' other four starters combined for just 20 points and, although the Lakers equaled the Wolves in rebounding, they clearly missed the defense of O'Neal and Grant, their two most physical big men.

``That wasn't the actual game,'' Jackson said. ``Obviously, we miss Shaq and Horace . . . but we really didn't shoot the ball very well, we didn't take care of the basketball well, we didn't protect fast-break points. . . .

``The big picture is, come April 19, when you start the playoffs, is the big picture. We're just getting ourselves through the season right now, hopefully go into that period of time with our guys all intact and playing good basketball.''

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Photo: (color) Lakers guard Tyronn Lue (10) pursues T'wolves' Terrell Brandon.

Anthony thrilled to be back fans share feeling Excited forward gets loud reception as he gets back on court.(Sports) - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)

Byline: Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News

When the alarm clock went off Monday, Carmelo Anthony had an extra bounce in his step as he climbed out of bed.

His game-day routine was back to normal.

Wake-up at 8:45, a quick egg-and-bacon sandwich for breakfast and out the door for the Nuggets' morning shootaround.

Greeted by clear, blue skies in the wake of Denver's latest round of snow, Anthony enjoyed the short commute to the Pepsi Center as his older brother Justice shuttled him to work.

Fresh air, fresh start.

'This is like the beginning of the season,' he said.

As Anthony returned from a 15-game suspension, he tried to maintain the routine that has served him well in his three-plus NBA seasons.

'I'm calm,' he said, standing amid a pool of microphones, cameras and recorders more commonly seen during the playoffs. 'I'm going to try to be calm, but I know it's going to be hard.'

If Anthony was showing any signs of anxiety, those closest to him didn't notice.

His fiancee, La La Vazquez, shared his excitement about rejoining the Nuggets after a 36-day layoff. Nearly eight months pregnant, Vazquez got stuck making breakfast but said it was an otherwise tranquil day in the Anthony household.

'Just happy to be back,' she said as she sat courtside at the Nuggets' game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Before the game, Justice Anthony and Vazquez's mother, Carmen, were able to spend time with their high-profile relatives, but the house guests did not interrupt Anthony's routine.

He was able to take a 2-hour nap between shootaround and tipoff. Sporting a dark-brown leather coat and matching hat, Anthony was a picture of cool when he walked into the Pepsi Center at 5:30 p.m.

It was the first time he was able to join his teammates in the 2 hours leading to a game since Dec. 16 when he took the floor against the Knicks.

Anthony was one of 10 players ejected in that game, and he was subsequently suspended for throwing a punch that caught New York rookie Mardy Collins in the jaw.

'I wish I could take that punch back,' Anthony said. 'But things happen.'

During his exile, Anthony lost 4 pounds but gained an immeasurable appreciation for the game he has been playing since he was about 8.

He said as much during a morning meeting with coach George Karl.

'I give him credit. I think he's respectful,' Karl said. 'I asked him what he learned, and he came out very clearly that he missed the game and how much he wants to fight back and be responsible and respectful to the game.'

Back in his element, Anthony was not immune from razzing.

Equipment manager Sparky Gonzales quipped Anthony's shoes had cobwebs and teammate Eduardo Najera turned off the music Anthony had selected just a few minutes earlier.

Unfazed, Anthony walked upstairs to the Nuggets' practice court for some more pregame work and later attended a chapel session. It wasn't until he saw his jersey hanging in his locker that the magnitude of the moment hit him.

'I was like a kid,' Anthony said. 'I stared at it. I put it over my head. I smelled it. I missed it. I don't ever want to leave this uniform here until I'm ready to retire.'

Nuggets fans certainly don't want to say goodbye anytime soon. The welcomed Anthony back unconditionally, cheering him during warm-ups and honoring him with homemade signs.

One sign near the tunnel to the locker room read: 'All Hail King Melo.'

When the lights went out for pregame introductions, Anthony was the last Nuggets starter introduced, with public address announcer Kyle Speller pronouncing: 'He's ba-aack!'

The sellout crowd, already on its feet, went wild as Anthony bounded onto the court with the enthusiasm of a 22-year-old with fresh legs. He received a big hug from teammate and close friend J.R. Smith, then took a moment to thank everyone who supported him through his suspension.

Tipoff couldn't come soon enough.

'The national anthem, it took about 5 minutes, but it felt like an hour,' Anthony said. 'I really wanted it to hurry up and get the first couple minutes going. My chest was burning. I felt like I was going to pass out, but I fought through it.'

Anthony was understandably rusty, missing all eight jump shots he took, but he still managed to score 28 points on 8-of-25 shooting. He added five rebounds and six assists in a 115-98 rout of the Grizzlies.

After leaving the floor to more adulation, Anthony found Vazquez and gave her a hug before heading to the locker room.

It was a day of celebration, a day of relief, a day of redemption.

For the first time in 2007, Anthony felt a sense of normalcy. He no longer was an outsider in his own locker room.

'I've never been away from the game of basketball this long except for in the summertime,' he said. 'This was different because I was punished. Now it's like I'm back off punishment and I'm good to go now.'

INFOBOX

RATE OF RETURN

Return of Jordan

* After riding buses and whiffing at fastballs in the minor leagues, Michael Jordan gives up on his baseball dream and returns to the Chicago Bulls on March 19, 1995. He scores 19 points on 7-of-28 shooting in an overtime loss against the Indiana Pacers.

Return of Saturn

* After achieving multiplatinum status with Tragic Kingdom, frontwoman Gwen Stefani and No Doubt release Return of Saturn in April 2000. The album is received well critically but does not achieve the commercial success of Kingdom nearly five years earlier.

Return of the Jedi

* After rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, young Luke Skywalker tries to lure his father, Darth Vader, from the Dark Side. Luke prevails in a light-saber duel with Vader on the Death Star and fulfills his destiny to return balance to the Force.

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Carmelo Anthony salutes the crowd after leaving Monday's win against Memphis with 28 points and six assists in his first game back from a 15-game suspension. EVAN SEMON / ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

CAPTION: Gwen Stefani

SHOT!: NOW IT'S V-ROO-M V-ROO-M WAYNE..(Sport) - The Mirror (London, England)

BLACK Lamborghini, black hat, black leather coat.. nowadays the only thing blue about Wayne Rooney is his language

Dartmouth coach is confident Fiedler can do job.(SPORTS) - Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)

There were snapshots Sunday that foretold the immediate future of the Vikings' quarterback situation. These scenes were available in the first hour after the Purple had defeated New Orleans 31-24.

Brad Johnson, still in game pants, came walking down a corridor in the Metrodome basement. Already, an X-ray had been taken of his right thumb, and Johnson knew it was broken. He was ashen and silent as he made his way through the media types to the home locker room.

A half-hour later, Randall Cunningham, looking elegant in a suit and leather coat, climbed the 30 steps from the Dome's basement to street level with only a slight limp.

Out in the parking lot, Jay Fiedler was with a group of Vikings and their families, sipping on a Corona and smiling at the conversation.

By Monday, the outward appearances had not changed much:

Johnson was wearing a purple-painted cast on his right hand and dealing with the somber news he was gone for another month, minimum. Cunningham was walking with little indication of discomfort after having two particles plucked from his knee in a one-hour arthroscopic procedure.

And Fiedler? He still was smiling, not at the continuing misfortunes of Johnson and Cunningham, but at the probability he will make his first NFL start Sunday against Cincinnati.

Coach Dennis Green called Cunningham 'questionable' and said he would not shy from using him Sunday, even though the lowly Bengals will be followed to town by Green Bay.

With Green being so emphatic in saying this to the media, that makes the following almost a certainty: - Fiedler will start, and the Vikings will concentrate on running the ball against a Cincinnati defense that rates 30th overall and 30th against the rush. - Cunningham will be listed as the second quarterback and will play only if the Vikings are in trouble, since Green wants to make sure Randall will be available to again drop bombs over Green Bay's too-short secondary.

'We're excited here,' Roger Hughes said. 'We feel the only thing Jay Fiedler has lacked in being an NFL quarterback is the opportunity to play.'

Hughes is the offensive coordinator at Dartmouth. Fiedler was his quarterback in an Ivy League championship season of 1992 and again in 1993. Fiedler won the Bushnell Award as the league's MVP in 1992 and was the all-Ivy quarterback in 1993.

'Jay was a decathlete in track and could outrun our receivers,' Hughes said. 'He was throwing to a bunch of 5.2 [seconds for 40 yards] guys, but he moved around and threw the ball well enough to make them look pretty good.'

Hughes did not hesitate when asked if there was a moment that he recalled from Fiedler's career.

'We were trailing Harvard by four, five points in Jay's senior season,' Hughes said. 'It was fourth-and-10 late in the game. If we didn't make it, we lost the game.

'Harvard blitzed and their guys were right on top of Jay. He took off right. Jay was on the dead run when he threw the ball back left and hit the receiver - Dave Scherer - for the first down.

'It was the best play I've ever seen a quarterback make. His arm is not a gun, but it's good enough to make plays at any level.

'Yes, this is the Ivy League and there aren't pro prospects at all positions. But there are a half-dozen players who wind up with NFL teams in most seasons. We see a few standout athletes every year in this league, and Jay was one of them.'

Fiedler was signed by Philadelphia and spent two seasons as an unused quarterback. He was briefly with Cincinnati in 1996. He coached receivers at Hofstra in 1997, then was signed by the Vikings to compete with Todd Bouman for the third quarterback spot in this season's training camp.

The Vikings chose Bouman. Monday, a Vikings veteran said many players were surprised by that decision, because Fiedler had clearly outplayed Bouman in the exhibitions.

Green repeated Monday that Bouman was kept when the third quarterback was looked at as a developmental spot on the roster - and Fiedler was retrieved from Hofstra as soon as Johnson was hurt in the season's second game.

Back in Hanover, N.H., Dartmouth's Hughes has taken sizable interest in the minor drama surrounding Fiedler and Bouman.

'Is it a small world or what?' Hughes said. 'I coached Jay here, and Bouman's father, J.B., was my high school coach in Crawford, Nebraska.'

The minor drama has turned into something more than that for the Vikings in the 11th week of the NFL season. Fiedler will make his first NFL start. And, if Cunningham's knee would prove more balky than expected, the untested Bouman would be No. 2 vs. Cincinnati.

'The Vikings don't have to worry about going with Jay this week,' Hughes said. 'He's talented enough to play, and he's definitely smart enough. He graduated from Dartmouth in 3 1/2 years with an engineering degree.

WANT THE REAL AWARDS? HERE'S WHAT INSIDERS SAY.(Sports) - The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY)

Byline: Mike Waters and Kim Baxter Staff writers

The Big East Conference handed out its postseason awards Tuesday night, including player of the year, coach of the year and rookie of the year. Yawn.

Wasn't Carmelo Anthony's rookie-of-the-year award a shocker?

The Big East's awards are like the part of the iceberg that's above water. There's a whole lot more underneath, and that's where we wanted to go - behind the scenes, into the locker rooms and the coaches' meetings.

In the fourth annual Big East poll, The Post-Standard asked an assistant coach or a player from every Big East team - and did it anonymously to get honest answers - to find out what the insiders think. We got responses from 12 of the 14 schools, so everyone has plausible deniability if the final votes offend anyone.

Here is what we found, with selected comments attached from the respondents:

Best dunker: Hakim Warrick, Syracuse. 'He took off from a long ways away against us.'

Most overachieving team: Seton Hall. The Pirates just edged out West Virginia.

Most overachieving player: Drew Schifino, West Virginia. The only player who received more than one vote.

Worst underachieving team: Georgetown.

Worst underachieving player: Jerome Coleman, Rutgers. 'Just look at his percentages.'

Best screener: Donatas Zavackas and Chevy Troutman, Pittsburgh.

Biggest homecourt advantage: Syracuse.

Worst road-trip: Virginia Tech. 'You can't get there from here.'

Toughest fans: Pittsburgh. The Panthers' fans beat out Providence, which had won this award three straight years.

Most apathetic fans: Miami. 'The new arena hasn't helped.'

Best official: John Cahill. 'He never gets emotionally involved in the game no matter how much you're yelling at him.'

Worst official: John Clougherty.

Next year's surprise teams: Seton Hall and Providence.

Next year's surprise player: D'or Fischer, West Virginia. 'He'll give them an inside presence.'

Best garbage player: Andre Sweet, Seton Hall. 'He's the reason why they're winning.'

Assistant coach on the rise: Mike Hopkins, Syracuse, and Anthony Solomon, Notre Dame. Both received three votes.

Best trash-talker: Ryan Sidney, Boston College. 'The Julius Hodge of the Big East.'

Best crossover move: Chris Thomas, Notre Dame.

Biggest whiner (player): Ryan Sidney. 'Is Troy Murphy still in the league? Can I still vote for him?'

Biggest whiner (coach): Craig Esherick, Georgetown. 'His Mike Sweetney rant blows everyone else away.'

Most predictable team: Syracuse.

Player most likely to get a referee's call: Troy Bell, Boston College. 'He fakes getting fouled on threes and still gets the call.'

Best-dressed coach: Jay Wright, Villanova.

Worst-dressed coach (a.k.a. The Gale Catlett Leather Coat Memorial): Mike Brey, Notre Dame. 'The lack of neckware is getting stale.'

Funniest moment: Seton Hall goes 6-on-5 against Georgetown.

Most athletic player: Hakim Warrick, Syracuse.

Least athletic player: Terry Taylor, Virginia Tech. 'He's heavy, but he's effective.'

Best jump shot: Matt Carroll, Notre Dame.

Dirtiest player: James Jones, Miami, and Donatas Zavackas, Pittsburgh. The only players to receive more than one vote.

Strongest player: Mike Sweetney, Georgetown.

If you could add any player in the league to your team: Mike Sweetney, Georgetown.

Best passer: Andre Barrett, Seton Hall.

Road story of the year: Pittsburgh's bus got stuck in the snow on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. The Pitt players had to get out and push.

Best player introductions: Notre Dame.

Best home locker room: Rutgers. 'It's state of the art.'

Road story of the year - Part II: The Miami bus broke down in Morgantown and the team had to walk 200 yards up a hill to the hotel.

Best visiting locker room: Georgetown. 'I guess the NBA takes care of the visitors.'

Worst visiting locker room: St. John's (Alumni Hall). 'It's so small. It's one little bathroom.'

Best player stuck in the wrong system: Darius Rice, Miami. 'He's good enough to win. If he were somewhere else, he'd be winning.'

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Stephen D. Cannerelli/Staff photographer

BEST SHOOTER: Notre Dame's Matt Carroll, with apologies to UConn's Ben Gordon, who edged out Carroll in 3-point shooting percentage (41.2 percent to 41.0). Color

Stephen D. Cannerelli/Staff photographer

STRONGEST: Georgetown's Mike Sweetney, a 260-pound load with skills. Color

Stephen D. Cannerelli/Staff photographer

SKATER BAIUL REQUESTS ALCOHOL PROGRAM.(SPORTS) - Albany Times Union (Albany, NY)

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -- Olympic figure skating champion Oksana Baiul applied Monday for admission to an alcohol education program in hopes of having a drunken driving charge against her dropped.

Baiul, 19, regrets her conduct, realizes she made a mistake and is ``determined to never let it happen again,'' said Paul Collins, one of her lawyers, following her brief appearance in Superior Court.

Most of the docket had been cleared by the time Baiul arrived at the courthouse with her three lawyers during the lunch recess.

Wearing a black leather coat over a ski sweater, she took a seat in a bench near the back of the courtroom with one of her attorneys. Reporters filled the three front rows. Her name was the first called when the afternoon session began.

Looking straight ahead, Baiul answered questions from Judge Terence Sullivan but did not discuss her actions early Jan. 12, when she ran her Mercedes off the road while driving an estimated 97 mph.

She suffered a concussion and needed 12 stitches in her scalp after driving her car into a cluster of trees in Bloomfield. Ari Zakarian, a fellow skater who was a passenger, was left with minor injuries.

A hospital report obtained by The Associated Press a day after the crash showed Baiul's blood-alcohol level was .168 percent, well above the state limit of .10 percent. Baiul also is two years under the legal drinking age.

Baiul, a Ukrainian who lives in the Hartford suburb of Simsbury, is charged with drunken driving and reckless driving.

HE SHALL RETURN MUSSELMAN, NBA COMING TO KNICK.(Sports) - Albany Times Union (Albany, NY)

Byline: Keith Marder Staff writer

Coach Bill Musselman says he will make his return to Albany in October when the Minnesota Timberwolves play the New Jersey Nets in a National Basketball Association exhibition game at the Knickerbocker Arena.

Although Arena manager Pat Lynch said those plans are not yet final, he promised other major league exhibition games at the Knick. He said the Knick will have 'definitely two, maybe three' National Hockey League exhibition games, and there is the possibility of another NBA game.

The NHL exhibition season runs from mid-September until early October.

Musselman, who coached the Albany Patroons to a Continental Basketball Association championship in 1988, confirmed the Timberwolves' game at the Knick. Musselman is in his first year as coach of the expansion Timberwolves.

The Nets-Timberwolves game will be part of a Knick exhibition schedule that may include many as five games, according to Lynch.

The NBA exhibition season usually runs during the final three weeks of October.

Lynch said he has been in contact with many teams, adding he would only bring in one with a high profile.

'I'm sure you'll see one of the New York (NHL) teams,' Lynch said, 'and you can expect you'll see the Flyers.'

The Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL are owned by Ed Snider, who also owns the Spectacor Management Co., which runs the Knickerbocker Arena.

Other NHL teams he said he is actively seeking include the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings and Montreal Canadiens. NBA teams include the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls (who are coached by Phil Jackson, another former Patroons coach), New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers.

'We're talking to all of them,' Lynch said. 'We'd like to stick to the big names. If I didn't think the fans would accept it and come to it, I wouldn't book it.'

Musselman and the Timberwolves seem like a natural draw. Besides Musselman, four other members of the championship 1987-88 Patroons are currently members of the Timberwolves. Tod Murphy, the championship series Most Valuable Player, 1988 CBA Player of the Year Tony Campbell, Scott Roth and Sidney Lowe are on the 'Wolves' roster. That team played in the Washington Avenue Armory.

'I would enjoy it,' Murphy said. 'But I would rather play in the Armory.'

When pressed further, Murphy added: 'Not really, but that sounds good doesn't it? But I do look forward to playing in Albany and seeing the people.'

Musselman, who said he will leave his CBA-trademark leather coat in the closet, said he suggested the game to Timberwolves vice president of marketing and sales Tim Leiweke.

'That game should create some interest,' Musselman said. 'The people of Albany really treated me great. There are a lot of basketball fans there. When we played in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York, a lot of them came to see us. I think it's a hell of a thing; it should draw a great crowd. It's a great thing for Albany.'

Lynch said the Nets became involved when vice president of basketball and business development Willis Reed came to the Knick to scout players in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament in March. Reed, who also scouted players at Patroons games, spoke to Lynch and said he was impressed with the new facility.

Lynch also said that the exhibition season is a good time to book an event for the Knick because the Patroons don't start until November. The Albany Admirals of the proposed Global Hockey League would not start until November.

'Down the road, we plan to go after more events,' Lynch said. 'We haven't had a hell of a lot of time to showcase the arena yet.'

In the past, there have been exhibition NHL games at RPI's Houston Field House and exhibition NHL and NBA games at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

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