Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 27

SECTION OfJUL INSIDE Westinghouse High graduate Orin Richburg will work with the U.S. men's track team in Athens. PAGE C-3 ROAD TO ATHENS TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2004 Questions about delivery or service? Call 1-800-228-NEWS 16397) Borress in town, will report LL5 fir last season, a decline from his 78 catches for 1,325 yards and seven touchdowns in 2002. He will become an unrestricted free agent after next season if the Steelers do not sign him before March. The Steelers have discussed contract extensions with two other players entering their final contract years, starting linebackers Kendrell Bell and James Farrior.

In other news, the Steelers came to terms with sixth-round draft pick Bo Lacy, an offensive tackle from Arkansas. He has agreed to a three-year contract worth $993,900, the includes a signing bonus of $73,900. That leaves the Steelers with three unsigned draft picks heading to camp July 30, including first-rounder Ben Roethlisberger. Ed Bouchette can be reached at or 412-263-3878. one of the more formidable receiving duos in the NFL the past three seasons, skipped a mandatory mini-camp May 7-9 and was fined by the team for it.

He said in a radio interview his only public comments in the past 2 months that he did it to honor Mother's Day and criticized the Steelers for holding mandatory sessions that weekend. Burress then continued his boycott for the rest of spring while his teammates worked out in voluntary but organized sessions through June 10. He apparent ly was not happy that the Steelers refused to conduct negotiations to extend his contract, which expires after the season. Coach Bill Cowher called his absence unexcused and then declined to talked about him the rest of the spring, except to say he would welcome Burress when and if he did return. Burress, the No.

8 overall pick in the 2000 draft, caught 60 passes for 860 yards and four touchdowns By Ed Bouchette Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Plaxico Burress is back in town and ready to stay. Burress returned to Pittsburgh and the Steelers, where he has not been seen for 2'A months, with plans to report "in great shape" for the start of training camp St. Vincent College in Latrobe on July 30, his agent said yesterday. "He'll report for the start of training camp and is looking forward to working with both quarterbacks," agent Gene Mato said. "I had my secretary send his two cars to Pittsburgh." Burress, who has spent most of his absence from Pittsburgh training at the University of Miami, worked out at the Steelers complex on the South Side yesterday morning.

Those who have seen him recently said he is in outstanding shape, and Mato concurred. Burress, who has teamed with Hines Ward to form Peter DianaPost-Gazette Steelers receiver Plaxico Burress makes a catch during training camp last year. ft I aw jw LJ LJ U-s 1 VJjijr RON COOK Expos score 3 runs on 2 infield gaffes to end Pirates' home win streak, 6-2 McClatchy pulls off miracle 7 i TODAY Game: Expos (Livan Hernandez 6-9) at Pirates (Sean Burnett 3-2), 7:05 p.m. TVRadio: No television KDKA-AM (1020) By Robert Dvorchak Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pitcher's fielding practice begins in spring training and the Pirates reinforce the drills throughout the season. But a couple of fielding breakdowns resulted in some self-inflicted wounds in a 6-2 loss to the Expos last night that abruptly halted the Pirates' winning streak at PNC Park.

The lowly Expos scored three times on two balls that didn't get beyond first baseman Randall Simon. Reliever John Grabow, who lost for the second time in as many appearances against the Expos, nearly worked out of a predicament in the seventh. But he was late covering first base on a hot smash gloved by Simon, which allowed the first two runs to score of a four-run inning. "I didn't get over That's my fault. I'm not making any excuses," Grabow said.

tll -r-7 i "I Kevin McClatchy never really was in danger of being remembered as the city's all-time worst sports owner. It's going to take a real louse to surpass Howard Baldwin, who decided it was OK to pay Mario Lemieux and the boys whatever they wanted even though he didn't have the cash. He didn't just drive the Penguins to bankruptcy. He, perhaps more than anyone, is responsible for the financial chaos that has all but destroyed the NHL. McClatchy's sins aren't nearly so egregious, but things had turned rocky for him around here.

He couldn't go out in public much, at least not comfortably. He got booed at a Pitt basketball game in January, which, considering the successful Panthers and their joyful fans, was almost impossible to do. He also scheduled a vacation to Australia and New Zealand in February and missed his first PirateFest, best to avoid the questions that inquiring minds wanted answered. "What do you mean by 'financial "Did you really have to give away Ramirez last year? "Are the Pirates ever going to win?" "Can't you sell the team to someone with real money?" The surprise wasn't that McClatchy disappeared Down Under. It's that he came back.

But he's made a remarkable resurgence. His team is at the heart of it. The Pirates are starting to give the fans their money's worth for the first time in McClatchy's 8'2-year run. Their 10-game winning streak at PNC Park ended last night in a 6-2 loss to the Montreal Expos, but that shouldn't SEE COOK, PAGE C-6 "It's my job to get over, and I didn't. I thought I was going to get out of the jam.

If I field my position, I get out of it. That's what makes it so frustrating." Grabow, who replaced Josh Fogg in the sixth, worked out of a tough spot after the Expos had runners on the corners with nobody out. He then loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh and was on the verge of another escape, thanks to a home-to-first double play. But after an intentional walk loaded the bases again, the bottom fell out. Grabow went to a full count on Termel Sledge, who then drilled a ball at Simon.

The first baseman fielded it and tossed the ball to Grabow, who couldn't outrun Sledge to the bag. Endy Chavez scored on what was ruled a base hit, and Brad Wilkerson scored from second base on the play as Grabow's momentum carried him farther down the line. Grabow turned and made a throw toward the plate but it was too late. "You think you're out of it. Then you look up, and he's not covering the bag.

It's tough," Pirates manager Lloyd McClen-don said. "A couple of mental mistakes hurt us dearly. Unfortunately, in this game, the only way you SEE PIRATES, PAGE C-6 -iJX 'JmW m.m J. A 'J, J' miinninhiininniaiiiiMilfttfiiiiiiwiifiinrrtliMiM iMfiMOT nti'mnin -lrmif im-tiii'iM fti Miiiiirt mi i -vi "nart I tui i ifl Peter DianaPost-Gazette photos Pirates third baseman Rob Mackowiak crashes into the stands trying to catch a foul ball hit by the Expos Terrmel Sledge in the seventh inning as shortstop Jack Wilson lends a hand. Pirates pitcher John Grabow hangs his head after the Expos take the lead All-Star Game has made changes since '94 STAR CITIES Here are the major-league cities that have played host to the most All-Star Games.

Ail-Star Game in 2006 should give city's image a boost. Story, Page A-l. All-Star Games City There also is added significance to the All-Star Game since 1994, with the winning league gaining home-field advantage for the World Series. That rule wasn't in place in 1994, but that didn't matter because the postseason was wiped out by a players strike that started a month after the All-Star Game. In 1994, a couple of events of local significance were tied in to the All-Star Game.

The Roberto Clemente statue was unveiled, and there was a large outdoor premiere for the Disney movie "Angels in the Outfield." Shelly Anderson can be reached at or 12-year gap, most, if not all, of the players representing their teams will be different. The game will still pit the National League's best against the cream of the American League, with each team sending at least one player. The starters will be determined by a fan vote. In addition to the extensive FanFest, All-Star practice is expected to be open to the public. And the city should get even more publicity, now that the Home Run Derby has gone prime time on television, rather than being shown on tape-delay as it was in 1994.

One event added since the previous All-Star stop in Pittsburgh is the 6-year-old Futures Game, which features some of the top prospects from minor-league baseball. By Shelly Anderson Pittsburgh Post-Gazette With the prize of the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Pittsburgh and PNC Park get more than just one game. The All-Star Game, held the second Tuesday in July, is normally the culmination of five days of events that also include: FanFest, a series of games, contests, interactive media, clinics and exhibitions held daily usually at the host city's convention center from the Friday before the game through Tuesday. The Futures game on Sunday afternoon, which earlier this month in Houston pitted top minor-league prospects 7 New York 7 Cleveland Pittsburgh 4 1 Boston 4j Cincinnati 4 Detrolt 4 Philadelphia 4 St. Louis 4 Washington, D.C.

4 Includes one game played In Brooklyn. Includes the 2005 game at Comerica Park- divided into 1 and World teams. The legends and celebrities softball game Sunday evening. The Home Run Derby on Monday night. Pittsburgh, which previously was host for the All-Star Game in 1994, likely will see some changes on the surface when the game returns in 2006, but the events surrounding the midseason spectacle will be familiar to local fans.

The venue and crowd size will change 59,568 filled Three Rivers Stadium, while PNC Park holds 38,365. And, with a DID YOU KNOW? SPORTS TRIVIA Who was the last Pirates player to wear uniform No. 42 before it was retired in honor of Jackie Robinson? Answer on C-8 Expos manager Frank Robinson became the first African-American manager Oct. 4, 1974, when he replaced Ken Aspromonte as the Indians manager. E-MAIL: SPORTS: 412-263-3052 WEB: WWW.P0ST-GAZETTE.COMSP0RTS EDITOR: JERRY MICCO.