Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 35

THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC SPECIAL TOPICS Wednesday -WOMENSPORTS THURSDAY NOVEMBER 4, 1999 Friday -AZ PREPS Saturday MOTORSPORTS, AZ PREPS Sunday PRO SPORTS INSIDERS Kathy Tulumello, Senior Editor kalhy.tulumellopni.com (602) 444-8222 To report scores: (602) 444-8641 2 Work remains NASCAR JIT PIR A for Sim to MS win back fans Jarrett plans aggressive race at PIR impossible to sell, Colangelo said, because they don't come in pairs. Few people like to sit alone. The Suns leave tickets for sale for each game. The number varies from 300 to 1,000, mmmmmmmmmm depending on TflNintIT the game- Suns Chairman Jerry Colangelo said 30,000 tickets for 41 games 76ers at Suns By Norm Frauenheim The Arizona Republic A sold-out America West Arena for a Suns home opener used to be a guarantee. Empty seats were like a missed slam dunk.

You just didn't see them. But the slam dunk of a few years ago has turned into a layup. It's an easy shot, but there's no guarantee. The chances for a sellout for tonight's home opener against the Philadelphia 76ers are a lot like that layup. The ball is balanced on the rim.

Yes? No? Between 400 and 500 tickets, primarily priced at $23 and $27 and located in the upper deck, were available Wednesday, Suns President and General Manager Bryan said. The Suns traditionally declare a sellout if they are within 275 tickets of the 19,023 capacity. At the 275 mark, single-game tickets are almost 7, are available Cox 9, this season. KTAR-AM (620), That's an aver-KPHX (1480). age of 732 tickets per game.

"In our case, the difference is negligible," Jerry Colangelo said. Bryan Colangelo expects a sellout tonight. "Yes, I would hope people would find it important enough to come out and see this team for the first time," Colangelo said of a team that Please see SUNS, Page C4 By Mark Arm i jo The Arizona Republic Psst, Dale Jarrett. Over here. Before sitting down with capable crew chief Todd Parrott and car owner Robert Yates to discuss strategy for Sunday's Checker Auto PartsDura Lube 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, listen to your father.

Ned Jarrett, a retired two-time NASCAR Winston Cup driving champion, has three words of advice. Go for it. "I think Dale needs to keep doing what he's been doing all along," Ned Jarrett said. "We've talked about that. Not this week, but after he took the (series) lead (in May), we've talked about it several times.

"They may back down on the engine (horsepower) a little bit just to make sure it will live. But he doesn't need to drive defensively. I think he needs to try and win the race at Phoenix. And I think he will try because sometimes, if you get too defensive, it will bite you." Don't worry, Dad. The younger Jarrett understands.

Although Dale Jarrett never before has been in such a position to be bitten, he's not Please see JARRETT, Page C15 A 1( tafife tr 11 I' 4Vi Cards place tackle on injured reserve March, when he becomes a restricted free agent. "This year certainly didn't work out the way he anticipated," Cardinals Coach Vince Tobin 1 '-( I Mark Smith Season bad from start for future free agent By Steve Schoenfeld The Arizona Republic Cardinals defensive tackle Mark Smith's nightmarish 1999 season came to an abrupt end Wednesday. The team placed him on injured reserve nine days after he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, an operation performed by Vail, orthopedist Richard Steadman. Smith, who missed all of training camp in a contract dispute, finished the season with only two tackles in two appearances as a reserve. He had hoped to use this season to make a big splash for next said.

"It didn't work out the way we would either, from minicamp have liked on. Mark (from his got no more money holdout). He got less was a lose-lose situa- money. It Special section in today's tion." The Cardinals already were shorthanded on the defensive line. Starting left end Andre Wadsworth underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will be out four Please see SMITH, Page C5 Rick HavnerAssociated Press Driver Dale Jarrett says he won't be driving defensively in Sunday's Checker Auto PartsDura Lube 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Republic 4 Vv 001 Good going, champ Coyotes push for 2 arena opening Speedy construction faces obstacles changes during construction set the project back by four or five months, said Sims Hinds, vice president of arena management. The fastest U.S. arena project on record is the Staples Center in Los Angeles, home of the Kings, Lakers and Clippers, which was completed in 18 months at a cost of $365 million, or about twice the price of the others. The Coyotes acknowledge they have Please see ARENA, Page CI 2 Raleigh, N.C., and the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, each took roughly two years from groundbreaking to ribbon-cutting. Denver's $180 million facility, home of the Nuggets and the Avalanche, was completed in 23 months.

The $184 million National Car Rental Center, home of the Florida Panthers, went up in 26 months. The $155 million Raleigh facility, home of the Carolina Hurricanes, took 29 months, although major design Scottsdale and McDowell roads into a dazzling, $535 million sportsretail complex that voters on Tuesday elected to help finance through a sales tax-incentive plan. Can it be done in less than two years? Maybe. The latest generation of arenas, including the Pepsi Center in Denver, the Sports and Entertainment Complex in By Nena Baker The Arizona Republic For the Coyotes, the timetable for building an arena couldn't be tighter. The team's lease at America West Arena expires at the end of the 2000-01 NHL season.

That gives the team and the Ellman the Coyotes' development partner, 23 months to transform the bedraggled Los Arcos Mall at i San Jose rains on Coyotes' parade 1 1 SHARKS 6, COYOTES 3 minutes, 56 seconds, the Coyotes now will turn their sights to the defending Stanley Cup- champion Dallas Stars, who make their first visit to America West Arena on Friday night. "It's early in the season, but nothing makes you feel better than getting a chance to beat the Stanley Cup champs," said veteran right wing Rick Tocchet, one of three Phoenix goal scorers on the night. As good as the red-hot Coyotes have been, they could use a little Please see SHARKS, Page C8 shot to take over the lead in the Pacific Division. And gone is their chance to sport the best mark in the league. Though a victory would have only tied Phoenix in the standings with Toronto and Los Angeles for most points, the Coyotes (8-3-3) would have held the No.

1 spot based on winning percentage. But that's old news now. So is the fact that Phoenix outshot the Sharks by a whopping 40-20 margin. After watching the Sharks eradicate a 2-1 deficit by circling for four straight goals in a span of 16 Arcos arena measure through, the San Jose Sharks told the Coyotes "No!" and spoiled all the fun. San Jose's powerful No.

1 line of Owen Nolan, Vincent Damphousse and Jeff Friesen accounted for each of the Sharks' first three goals, and the Coyotes held on for as long as they could before falling, 6-3, in front of 17,088 at the San Jose Arena. Gone is goalie Mikhail Shta-lenkov's bid to end his personal winless skid against the Sharks, now at 0-5. Gone is the Coyotes' three-game winning streak. Gone is their By Bob McManaman The Arizona Republic SAN JOSE What's the best way to follow up the biggest win in team history? Well, beating one of the top teams in the league for the right to claim that you own the best overall record in the NHL isn't too bad for an encore. Except, a day after voters from three Valley communities told the Coyotes "Yes!" and pushed the Los Nikolai KhabibulinThe Coyotes expect their holdout goalie to resume negotiations and sign a contract now that the arena issue has been settled.

Story; PageCa Deirdre HamillThe Arizona Republic Rusty Kennedy (right) congratulates Brophy teammate Ben Hayes after Hayes won the Class 5A boys golf individual title. Story, Page C6. AT A GLAnCE NHL, C8 Sharks 6, Coyotes 3 Devils 3, Canadiens 2 Islanders 3, Rangers 3 Flames 5, Predators 4 (0T) Capitals 3, Senators 1 Thrashers 4, Lightning 1 WOMEN'S HOOPS, C16 I In the annual media poll, UCLA is favored to win the i Pac-10 title this season, Arizona is picked to finish 4th and Arizona State 6th PRO HOCKEY, C8 The Devils re-acquired right wing Claude Lemieux from the Avalanche, four years after he helped them to their only Stanley Cup championship. NBA, C4 Celtics 112, Wizards 101 Cavaliers 97, Nets 90 Magic 103, Pistons 94 Knicks 84, Bulls 74 Blazers 121, Clippers 98 Lakers 103, Grizzlies 88 si ,1 1 i NO. 52, C7 The state heavyweight wrestling champion at Alhambra was an Ail-American at Arizona State and played in two Super Bowls for the Cowboys.

Maple Leafs 6, Hurricanes 0 Avalanche 5, Blues 0 Panthers 2, Oilers 2 Sabres 3, Stars 1 Flyers 3, Mighty Ducks 3 Kings 1, Red Wings 1.