Ol

BEIJING - Seem like old times? Of course, for anyone born since 1992, when the Dream Team awed an overmatched world, the sight of a U.S. basketball team flattening everything in its path, as it just did to Spain, another supposed contender, is a novelty, but it used to be like this. No, really. After buttering up undefeated Spain for two days, or convincing themselves the Spaniards were a threat, the U.S. routed them, 119-82, last night in Wukesong Arena. The U.S. is 4-0, leading Pool B. The only other undefeated team is Lithuania, which is 4-0 in Pool A. Of course, the U.S. blew out the Lithuanians by 36 points two weeks ago in Macao, so they might not be that close, either.

The biggest tourist attraction in Arizona - not counting John McCain - is the Grand Canyon, but it's a little too far to be a draw during Super Bowl week. For those who are willing to put out the effort to see one of the world's great natural wonders, however, it's worth the four-hour drive, with visits to the old mining town of Jerome, the red rocks of Sedona and Walnut Canyon National Monument on the way. Once there, visitors can take a mule train into the canyon, watch a striking sunset or go in search of unusual reptiles.

Wearing a miniature yarmulke and prayer shawl, Avi - a grayish-black standard poodle - was more prepared for Halloween than most people as he strutted his stuff to the sounds of the Hora on Sunday. While his "Bark Mitzvah" getup may have been one of the more original at this year's Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter's BARCStoberfest, he was hardly out of place amid the throngs of costumed canines at the Patterson Park fundraiser. "He's bar mitzvah age," owner Joanne Dolgow said, explaining the elaborate costume.

There's a certain giddy if twisted glow that John Waters brings to his beleaguered Baltimore. The cheerfully perverse -- or is it perversely cheerful -- Waters clearly was born to play bard to so battered a burg. He sprinkled some of his anti-Disney dust at The Charles movie theater Wednesday night, where the latest version of his Hairspray -- the hometown ode that was a movie, then a Broadway show and now a movie again -- premiered locally. Fresh-faced teenage girls, all Lilly Pulitzer-ed up, jammed the sidewalks or joined the rest of the shiny, happy, $150-a-ticket people parading into the Chuck -- a more pastel-clad and better-heeled crowd than you tend to see in these parts when Hollywood, and a teen idol and Hairspray star named Zac Efron, hasn't come calling.

Ravens coach Brian Billick announced today that the team has hired Tony Nathan as running backs coach and Greg Roman as an assistant offensive line coach. "I am extremely pleased that we were able to bring in Tony Nathan and Greg Roman," Billick said. "Without question, these two men provide us a tremendous amount of experience, and they will enhance our coaching staff immensely. This is a great step for us, and both coaches will assist in our offense's progression." Nathan, who has 14 years of NFL coaching experience, spent the last three years as the running backs coach for Florida International University.

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Football helmets and game balls from the various stops in Steve Spurrier's career adorn the shelf behind the desk in his office at Williams-Brice Stadium. They are mementos of a mostly glittering past, from the San Francisco 49ers to the Tampa Bay Bandits, from Duke to Florida. Maybe he just ran out of space in decorating his new digs, or maybe, like a bad round of golf, Spurrier simply wants to put his two-year debacle as an NFL coach behind him. There is no Redskins helmet or game balls from his 12-20 stay in Washington in 2002 and '03. At 60, Spurrier seems eager for what many see as possibly the biggest challenge of his career.

I GUESS BOBBY Governor's next big announcement will be that he's bringing Joe Staszak (see note at the end of this column) back from the dead to serve as racino commissioner. I like what I've been seeing in the Ehrlich administration -- giving the old guys another round. It's like they're dispensing political Viagra on State Circle. Our governor is young, he's dynamic, he has virtually no sideburns, and he's very respectful of the elderly, particularly the been-there-done-that pols who were hot when Mandel was governor.

Moves Baseball DEVIL RAYS: Agreed with former Orioles C Brook Fordyce on one-year contract. RANGERS: Signed Former Orioles OF David Dellucci to one-year, $750,000 contract. REDS: Agreed with P Cory Lidle on one-year, $2.75 million contract. Basketball HAWKS: Requested waivers on F Lee Nailon. Activated F Alen Henderson from injured list. HEAT: Activated C Wang Zhi-Zhi from injured list. Placed F Udonis Haslem on injured list. HORNETS: Waived C James Lang. NETS: Agreed to terms with F Eddie Griffin.