Jimmy Connors

No matter how tear-resistant you may think you are, it will take superhuman effort to avoid a swelling in the throat when reading the last chapter of this brave and beautiful book. It is a letter Arthur Ashe wrote to his 6-year-old daughter, Camera, on Inauguration Day this year, saying, at the outset, that "by the time you read this letter . . . I may not be around to discuss with you what I have written here."Little more than two weeks later, Ashe, the greatest African-American tennis player in history, died, at 49, of pneumonia brought about by the AIDS virus.

Welcome to Week 2! Given that all the dancers last week were either good dancers or good sports or both, I'm particularly happy this is a season that didn't have a week 1 elimination. I'm looking forward to seeing everybody dance again. Brooke's dress is a bright-yellow boob showcase. It's like she's framed her cleavage.  Introductions: Martina's wearing a red bikini top and fishing net. I miss Edyta. Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower Roshon's hip-hop background is bumping up against the control and elegance required in ballroom as they practice their quickstep.

IS IT SAFE to start reading the newspapersagain? Is wha Mike Littwin, the sports columnist, called "Jimbomania" over?sure hope so. Jimmy Connors' performance in the U.S. Open tennis tournament has got to be one of the most over-played, over-rated, over-reported, over-worshiped news story in decades.Why it was helps explain who the next president is going to be.All last week Jimmy Connors was all over the front pages, the editorial pages, the sports pages and, of course, television. And what was his magnificent accomplishment?

Usually, broadcaster and Hall-of-Fame tennis player Pam Shriver is running around like crazy during the U.S. Open in New York, trying to nail down participants for her annual charity match in Baltimore later in the year. But not this year. Shriver has already completed her guest list, which features world No. 5 singles player Andy Roddick and the world No. 1 doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan. "It's fun the way it has all fallen into place," Shriver said from Los Angeles International Airport as she prepared to head east to Connecticut for this weekend's final tournament before next week's U.S. Open.

ROCKVILLE -- Jimmy Connors, winner of eight Grand Slam titles and the No. 1-ranked tennis player in the world from 1974 through 1978, will lead a star-studded group of over-35 players onto the Woodmont Country Club courts today in the Corel Champions Tournament.Connors captured 11 of 12 tournaments in 1993-94, the first season of the Champions Tour, and took eight of 12 events contested last year.The games of former rivals Bjorn Borg and Guillermo Vilas have begun to return with increased play, however, and Andres Gomez joining the group last year has improved the overall competitiveness of the tour.

NEW YORK -- They call them Connors miracles now, because your basic, ordinary, it-gets-you-to-be-a-saint kind of miracle doesn't begin to describe what's going on here at the Jimmy Connors Open.I don't know what does describe it.It's not real. It's more surreal. It's not simply tennis. Maybe it's theater of the absurd, played in short pants.I know this: It's Jimbo, the guy who never quit, just not quitting. The Soviet Union quits, but not Jimmy."Is this for real?" Connors wondered after pumping the sky one last time.

Usually, broadcaster and Hall-of-Fame tennis player Pam Shriver is running around like crazy during the U.S. Open in New York, trying to nail down participants for her annual charity match in Baltimore later in the year. But not this year. Shriver has already completed her guest list, which features world No. 5 singles player Andy Roddick and the world No. 1 doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan. "It's fun the way it has all fallen into place," Shriver said from Los Angeles International Airport as she prepared to head east to Connecticut for this weekend's final tournament before next week's U.S. Open.

NEW YORK -- Stefan Edberg was always the stranger in this strange land of hard courts, harsh crowds, made-for-television schedules and screeching subway trains. The U.S. Open tortured him, played tricks with him, defeated him. Home was Wimbledon, a place with grass and royals and history and silence.But yesterday, Edberg made one last stand at trying to conquer Flushing Meadow. The 25-year-old from Sweden brought a high-kicking monster of a serve and a gorgeous volley into Louis Armstrong Stadium.

NEW YORK -- Jimmy Connors is walking through the National Tennis Center as if he's some sort of Elvis in tennis shorts.Kids follow him for autographs. Adults move from his path. Technicians with minicams set up on a court out by a picnic area and await his arrival.For practice.He warms up with John Lloyd. Hits some winners. Then he stretches. And grabs his back. And the crowd, lined up 10 deep, starts to chant, "Nupe It, Jimmy."So, of course, he reaches into his bag, takes out Nuprin tablets, swallows them, guzzles some water and goes on and plays.

Syracuse investigators confirm 13 violationsSyracuse's internal investigation revealed that of 38 alleged violations of NCAA rules in its men's basketball program, 13 were valid. Two other cases involved probable wrongdoing, the investigation showed.Nine of the alleged violations occurred before 1987 and fall outside the NCAA's four-year statute of limitations. The university admitted a violation in only one of those nine instances.* Jerry Tarkanian, who is stepping down as Nevada-Las Vegas coach at the end of this season, is reportedly a leading candidate to take over at San Diego State.

WIMBLEDON, England -- Hah. For a moment, just one, after Mario Ancic had played a heated point of harder and harder-hit forehands, he hit one too good. It flew past Roger Federer, who barely dents the grass on Wimbledon's Centre Court as he runs on his toes. Ancic had broken Federer's serve. And then held his own at love, four straight points that caused Ancic to pump his fist and shout. Hah, Federer thought to himself. Does this young man from Croatia think he can beat me? So here's what Federer did. He held his own serve at love.

Jimmy O'Connor's total commitment to wrestling is paying off.After the Glenelg junior played football, wrestled and played lacrosse his freshman year, he abandoned football and lacrosse to concentrate on wrestling.Now O'Connor, whose stunning upset of defending county champion Chris Naylor earned him the most valuable wrestler award at the county championships last season, is 19-0 and clearly seems on the road to a possible state championship. Teammate Jeremy Lignelli became the first Glenelg wrestler to win a state title last season.

ROCKVILLE -- Jimmy Connors, winner of eight Grand Slam titles and the No. 1-ranked tennis player in the world from 1974 through 1978, will lead a star-studded group of over-35 players onto the Woodmont Country Club courts today in the Corel Champions Tournament.Connors captured 11 of 12 tournaments in 1993-94, the first season of the Champions Tour, and took eight of 12 events contested last year.The games of former rivals Bjorn Borg and Guillermo Vilas have begun to return with increased play, however, and Andres Gomez joining the group last year has improved the overall competitiveness of the tour.

Reading Time: Two Minutes.Talk about being ridiculous, those wowsers over at Major League Baseball Properties are sending out letters to amateur leagues informing them they no longer will be permitted to use the names of big-league teams on their uniforms. . . unless, of course, they're purchased from manufacturers licensed by MLBP."It's to protect the major-league clubs' rights to their valuable trademarks," says a spokesman. It sure sounds like a grab for the ol' folding green, doesn't it?

No matter how tear-resistant you may think you are, it will take superhuman effort to avoid a swelling in the throat when reading the last chapter of this brave and beautiful book. It is a letter Arthur Ashe wrote to his 6-year-old daughter, Camera, on Inauguration Day this year, saying, at the outset, that "by the time you read this letter . . . I may not be around to discuss with you what I have written here."Little more than two weeks later, Ashe, the greatest African-American tennis player in history, died, at 49, of pneumonia brought about by the AIDS virus.

NEW YORK -- Jimmy Connors is walking through the National Tennis Center as if he's some sort of Elvis in tennis shorts.Kids follow him for autographs. Adults move from his path. Technicians with minicams set up on a court out by a picnic area and await his arrival.For practice.He warms up with John Lloyd. Hits some winners. Then he stretches. And grabs his back. And the crowd, lined up 10 deep, starts to chant, "Nupe It, Jimmy."So, of course, he reaches into his bag, takes out Nuprin tablets, swallows them, guzzles some water and goes on and plays.

WIMBLEDON, England -- Hah. For a moment, just one, after Mario Ancic had played a heated point of harder and harder-hit forehands, he hit one too good. It flew past Roger Federer, who barely dents the grass on Wimbledon's Centre Court as he runs on his toes. Ancic had broken Federer's serve. And then held his own at love, four straight points that caused Ancic to pump his fist and shout. Hah, Federer thought to himself. Does this young man from Croatia think he can beat me? So here's what Federer did. He held his own serve at love.

WASHINGTON -- By his own admission, the first set had been his best, yet Kevin Curren had let it get away in a tie-breaker.It was mid-day hot, getting hotter and one could sense the confidence building in young Alex Mronz, a guy who cracks a 117 mph serve as a matter of course."

WASHINGTON -- By his own admission, the first set had been his best, yet Kevin Curren had let it get away in a tie-breaker.It was mid-day hot, getting hotter and one could sense the confidence building in young Alex Mronz, a guy who cracks a 117 mph serve as a matter of course."

NFL players offer to settle, report saysThe Boston Globe has learned that the NFL Players Association, through New York-based lawyer Jim Quinn, sent a settlement proposal to the owners this week. An insider called it the biggest step toward peace since the sides separated after the player strike of 1987. This is the first time in 4 1/2 years that the players have made a settlement proposal. Some key elements:* The players would consider a free-agency system that would allow any player to go free after four to six years in the league.