Fame Game

CANTON, Ohio - Joe Gibbs knew it would be tough. The returning Washington Redskins coach told anyone willing to listen not to quickly expect anything evoking the team's glory days, of which he was an integral part. For the first time since 1993, Gibbs coached a real game last night - if preseason can be considered real - and watched his offense sputter as neither of his leading quarterback contenders distinguished himself. Worst of all, the Redskins lost starting right offensive tackle Jon Jansen for the season with a ruptured left Achilles'.

SEATTLE -- Bob Wolcott, 22 going on 36, knew he was going to pitch the first game of the American League Championship Series at 11 a.m. Monday, and wasn't nervous.He came to the park Tuesday afternoon about 1 p.m., and he wasn't nervous.He sat in the clubhouse watching TV while his teammates were taking batting practice, and even at the normal time a starting pitcher would begin his warm-ups, he wasn't nervous.Then he started the game, walked three Cleveland Indians in a row on 13 pitches, and was staring at Albert Belle, the biggest, baddest, home-run-hittingest dude in these major leagues.

Maybe Bucky Lasek should thank whoever stole his bike 12 years ago. If not for the theft, Lasek wouldn't have gotten a different set of wheels -- a skateboard -- for Christmas.And then he never would have ridden those wheels around the world.His skateboard will take him to San Diego this weekend for the third X Games, but it all started when at the age of 12, Lasek began using his Christmas present in Baltimore.He learned a trick here, another there. He hit the street. He hit the ramp. He hit the air, and he never came down.

BaseballBaseball Hall of Fame: Rangers will play Royals in Hall of Fame Game on July 26.Mariners: Signed RHP Cha Sueng Baek.CollegeAllegheny Mountain Conference: Named Frostburg State's Peter Merrill (North County) men's soccer Player of the Week.FootballEagles: Placed T Rhett Hall (stress fracture of the left patella) on IR. Signed WR Karl Hankton from practice squad.HockeyNHL: Suspended Stars D Derian Hatcher for four preseason games and fined him $1,000 for incident Sept. 21.Bruins: Agreed to terms with D Jonathan Girard.

Tonight -- All-Star Game, Toronto, 8:32.July 21 -- Hall of Fame inductions, Cooperstown, N.Y.July 22 -- Hall of Fame game, Minnesota vs. San Francisco, Cooperstown, N.Y.Aug. 31 -- Deadline for postseason rosters.Sept. 1 -- Active rosters increased to 40 players.Sept. 11-12 -- Owners' quarterly meetings, Baltimore.Oct. 8 -- AL playoffs begin, city of West Division winner.Oct. 9 -- NL playoffs begin, city of East Division winner.Oct. 19 -- World Series begins, city of AL champion.Oct. TBA -- Free-agent filing period begins, day after World Series.

The Orioles and the San Francisco Giants appear to be close to a trade that would exchange veteran outfielder Joe Carter for middle reliever Julian Tavarez.Tavarez, 25, is on the disabled list with a strained lateral muscle beneath his right arm. He is scheduled to be activated Monday when the Orioles travel to Cooperstown, N.Y., to play in the Hall of Fame Game. Tavarez is 3-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 63 innings in 39 games. He has battled control trouble, walking 27 against 37 strikeouts.The move would come at a time when the Orioles have added options in the outfield.

WEDNESDAY'S TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS Baseball Seattle@Orioles MASN9 a.m. Little Lg. Gr. Lakes Semi.: Ill. vs. Ky. ESPN211 a.m. Washington@Houston MASN12:30 Little Lg. S'east Semi.: N. Car. vs. Tenn. ESPN1 Little Lg. Gr. Lakes Semi.: Ind. vs. Wisc. ESPN22 Little Lg. S'east Semi.: Ga. vs. Va. ESPN26 Cubs@San Diego (T) WGN-A6:30 Seattle@Orioles MASN7 San Francisco@St. Louis ESPN8 Washington@Houston MASN28 Washington@Houston (T)

If the NFL and its players continue to make progress toward a labor deal this week, a new collective bargaining agreement could be ratified at the next owners meeting July 21 in Atlanta. According to a detailed report by ESPN, that would start a timeline in which free agency would open July 28, a scenario in which nearly all clubs could open training camp on time. The report, which includes details like the expansion of rosters from 80 to 90 for at least the beginning of training camp, does leave the Hall of Fame Game between the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams Aug. 7 in Canton, Ohio, very much up in the air. If a deal wasn't completed until July 21, it would make it difficult or nearly impossible for a team like the Bears, who are scheduled report to training camp at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., the next day. The team's first practice would be July 23, and that could also be pushed back, which would not allow enough time to prepare for the extra preseason game.

The Orioles and the San Francisco Giants appear to be close to a trade that would exchange veteran outfielder Joe Carter for a right-handed relief pitcher -- either Julian Tavarez or Jose Mesa, a former Oriole who was dealt to the Giants last night by the Cleveland Indians.Tavarez, 25, is on the disabled list with a strained lateral muscle beneath his right arm. He is scheduled to be activated Monday when the Orioles travel to Cooperstown, N.Y., to play in the Hall of Fame Game. Tavarez is 3-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 63 innings in 39 games.