Scorecard

Cain Coldcocks Abel When Gary Payton and Vernon Maxwell of the Sonics had to be restrained from going after one another with a chair and a free weight, respectively, after a practice last week, we started thinking about other celebrated dustups between jocks sporting the same colors.
	KEITH HERNANDEZ DARRYL STRAWBERRY METS : MARCH 2, 1989	STEPHEN DAVIS MICHAEL WESTBROOK REDSKINS: AUG. 19, 1997	TRACY MURRAY ROD STRICKLAND WIZARDS: DEC. 10, 1997	KEITH PRIMEAU BOB PROBERT RED WINGS: JAN. 18, 1994	CRASH DAVIS NUKE LALOOSH DURHAM BULLS : WHENEVER
BACK STORY	Hernandez , longtime critic of Strawberry , tells reporters that Kevin McReynolds , not Straw, should have been 1988 Mets MVP.	After reports of bad blood between the two during previous season, Davis disparages Westbrook at practice, making statements suggesting Westbrook is gay.	Murray tells lady friend, who's tape-recording conversation, that he thinks Strickland is gay, and she plays conversation on Strick's answering machine.	Primeau complains about uncredited assist from night before. Teammates tell arena workers to announce assist for Primeau over P.A. system during practice. Primeau goes after instigators and fists fly when Probert intercedes.	Cold war sets in when fireballing rookie phenom Nuke begins sleeping with lusty, busty Bulls groupie Annie Savoy, whom Crash, the wily seen-it-all veteran catcher, is hot for too.
BLOW-BY-BLOW	At spring training photo shoot, Strawberry says, "I'd rather sit next to my real friends." Hernandez replies, "Why don't you grow up, you big baby?" Strawberry , saying, "I've been tired of you for years," leads with left jab.	Minutes later, as Davis stands on sideline, Westbrook sucker punches him, wrestles him down and savagely beats him in attack recorded by TV. After Westbrook is pulled off, Davis rolls on ground, gashed face buried in hands.	Later that day, hours before a game in Charlotte , Strickland knocks on Murray 's hotel room door; when Murray opens it, Strick launches haymaker that connects with Murray 's left eye.	Primeau lands several punches before Probert , who was not in on the joke, knocks him down; assistant coach pulls Probert off Primeau, who remains prostrate on ice.	Nuke called up to the Show, crushing Crash, who takes exception to the news as related by unabashedly happy Nuke during late-night poolroom Bull session; Nuke drops Crash with wicked left hook.
UPSHOT	Have joint session with team psychiatrist; during introductions before Mets ' home exhibition opener, Strawberry plants wet buss on Hernandez 's cheek.	Westbrook fined $50,000 by Redskins and suspended for one game. Most teammates reportedly outraged at attack. Westbrook apologizes without mentioning Davis , who leads NFC rushers two years later; Westbrook yet to fulfill potential.	Murray emerges with seven stitches and swollen lip; Strick, a bandaged left wrist. Both fined $25,000 by Wizards. Each player's girlfriend said to be upset about reports linking her man to tape-recording woman.	Primeau reopens cut on right hand, ultimately leads Wings to 1995 Stanley Cup finals; Probert emerges with scratches on face, and reputation as enforcer intact.	Crash congratulates Nuke for throwing punch with nonpitching hand. Nuke goes on to presumably successful major league career; Crash breaks minor league homer record, gets the girl.

A Piqued Pete
Davis Cup captain's McBarbs give Pete Sampras that upset feeling

As of Monday, no snarky words had been heard from John McEnroe on Andre Agassi 's recently sprained right ankle, but hey, there was still time. The U.S. Davis Cup team was to play the Czech Republic in a second-round tie beginning on Friday in Los Angeles , which left a whole week for captain Johnny Mac to question Agassi 's commitment, guts and patriotism.

The Americans should plow through the Czechs, even with Agassi , the world's No. 1 player, limited by the sprain he suffered last week during the Ericsson Open. That's because No. 2 Pete Sampras , fresh off his victorious Ericsson run, is set to anchor the U.S.—despite a lingering distaste for McEnroe that nearly made Sampras quit this year's Davis Cup campaign. "I didn't want to play," Sampras said last Saturday of this week's tie. "John questioned my word publicly. That was awful."

Sampras had committed himself to this year's Davis Cup run, but a 30% tear of his right hip flexor during the Australian Open forced him to withdraw from McEnroe 's debut as captain at America 's opening-round match in Zimbabwe in February. In response, McEnroe expressed doubts about Sampras 's support of the team and, when asked about his implication that Sampras might not be injured, shot back, "That's the implication." This was a stunning admission from a roundly perceived players' coach.

McEnroe 's charges hit Sampras like a punch in the face and left him sleepless for three nights. Mac 's half-hearted apology—if you're offended, I'm sorry—in a phone conversation didn't make the idea of playing for him any more palatable. Only Sampras 's original commitment to play kept him in the mix. He figures McEnroe had only one reason to say what he said. "He panicked," Sampras said. Message to Andre: Show up, win, and, whatever you do, don't limp. Captain Queeg has his eye on you.
—S.L. Price

NBC -XFL DEAL
Knees Are Knocking in NFL

Predictably, as of Monday no NFL owner or executive had acknowledged the significance of the seemingly unholy alliance between the XFL and NBC , but to say that Paul Tagliabue & Co. are concerned about the marriage of new league and old network is putting it mildly. "I didn't think that league was going to have any legs," said one NFL team chief executive at last week's owners' meetings in Palm Beach , Fla. "But now, who knows?"

Who indeed? With last week's announcement that NBC had bought 50% of the XFL, which will begin play on Feb. 3, 2001, the league got a jump start—kick start is more apropos since World Wrestling Federation chairman Vince McMahon is the moving force behind the XFL—unparalleled for a startup. The XFL will have a game of the week in prime time, specifically Saturday evenings from February through April. It will also have the backing of a major network and a powerful TV executive, Dick Ebersol , NBC Sports chairman.

The new arrangement raises other concerns for the NFL , beyond the XFL's heightened TV exposure and the union of Ebersol and McMahon , two of the brightest marketing minds in sports. McMahon 's nine hours of weekly wrestling programming, on USA Network and UPN, figure to be promotional magnets to attract the viewers that the NFL is losing—males 12 to 24.

True, the NFL could suggest that the new league will be as bogus as the WWF . (Ebersol and McMahon insist the games will be unscripted.) But the NFL must be careful if it adopts an NBC 's-in-bed-with-a-sleazeball position. The image of McMahon as buff buffoon is pass�—owing to his success as a marketer, McMahon has become a player in boardrooms across America . WWF matches on USA Network , for example, outdrew Monday Night Football by 47% last season in the male 12-to-14 age category, and males 12 to 14 not only buy things but also are football's fan base.