Tom Talks

Unless you're a kid, autographs are stupid

   I heard that Mike Ditka, the ESPN commentator and former player and coach, got in an argument with a fan Thursday morning about Ditka's alleged reluctance to sign autographs. Also heard that Ditka regularly signs autographs. Don't know who was at fault. But there is an easy solution for this and other autograph-related issues.

   If you're an adult, don't ask another adult for an autograph. Don't come to Ditka with a box full of Mike Ditka pictures or action figures or non-action figures which you'll attempt to sell. Don't come with a single picture. Don't come with a piece of clean white paper you don't intend to sell.

   I offered a solution years ago, and if it had been adopted the world would be a better place to live. You should not be able to ask anybody younger than you are for an autograph. True, race car driver Mark Martin would take a huge hit. But he's fit enough to escape when the pressure becomes too great.

   What's the appeal of an autograph? You want to look at it or show it to your friends? Interaction between athletes and fans would go so much smoother if adults got out of the way and let kids move to the front of the autograph line.

   I have three autographs, each from somebody I respect -- Ric Flair, David Thompson and Dick Vitale. I didn't ask for them. They signed their books and their publishers sent them to me.

   My kids wanted autographs from the athletes I wrote about, but explained that I couldn't ask a favor one day and criticize them the next. I also told them I found the practice demeaning.

   I did a radio show with LL Cool J and knew my kids desperately wanted his. Nice guy, too. But I couldn't ask.

   If you thought about it rationally, you'd realize that a moment with an athlete -- a moment that offered insight into who he or she is -- is much more valuable than a signature.

 

Draining, exhilarating and 49ers win again

   The Charlotte 49ers didnt play their best game Wednesday. But they played one of their most exhilarating.

   Down and seemingly out, they kept their poise, came charging back, hit free throws and a killer three and added two steals. The rally pushed them past George Washington 72-68 at Halton Arena.

   The 49ers were down 68-63 with 1:25 remaining.

   And then guard Darrio Green hit two free throws.

   George Washington turned the ball over.

   Green, who had not made a basket all evening, who was 0-7 from the field, all behind the 3-point line, shot again. He fired from the right side, behind the three-point line, with 48 seconds remaining. This time the ball went in. The shot tied the score at 68.

    That's a gutsy shot from a gutsy player. A designed play, it also was a gutsy call by Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz.

    Charlotte senior guard DiJuan Harris then stole the ball, was fouled and hit two free throws.

   This time George Washington didn't turn the ball over. It shot. And missed.

   Charlotte grabbed the rebound and George Washington fouled again. The 49ers again made their free throws.

   The 49ers made only 15 of 25 free throws. But they sank their final 10.

   Charlotte won 72-68. Four points was their biggest lead of the evening.

   The 49ers have now won six straight. And they've been entertaining along the way. After their last two victories, at home against Temple and now George Washington, you wanted to smack the hand of the fan next to you and say, you see that?

   Their next home game is two weeks from tonight against Duquesne.

  

  

  

If it weren't for Charles Dewhurst

   George Washington forward Damian Hollis is playing like he ought to be in the NBA. A senior from Fort Lauderdale, he scored 16 first-half points on only eight field goal attempts. Guy is 6-8 and averages 13.7 points a game.

   The Charlotte 49ers trail by three at the break. At one point they were down by 13. A guy who could easily be overlooked for the 49ers, but shouldn't be, is 6-5 guard Charles Dewhurst. A reserve, he led both teams with seven first-half rebounds. None of the big guys for either team had more than three.

   If Dewhurst hadnt spent most of his time airborne, the 49ers would be down double digits.

   Entertaining half. 

Don't talk to the fans

   Slow day on the UNCC campus. The 49ers didn't pick anybody up on National Signing Day. Thought maybe there was a Pee Wee tailback out there who wanted to be part of the school's first football team.

   As the George Washington basketball team gathered in the hallway at Halton Arena Wednesday night before running onto the court to play the 49ers, a player offered a message so important he would repeat it a minute later.

   "Don't anybody talk to the fans," he said sternly.

   Doubt the fans came with a similar strategy.

UFC returns to Charlotte for the first time in 15 years

   The Ultimate Fighting Championship is coming to Charlotte for the first time since mixed martial arts went big time. The card is at Bojangles Arena March 31. Tickets, which range from $35 to $250, go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.

   UFC is a phenomenon now. For every friend or acquaintance with which I can talk boxing, two or three want to talk mixed martial arts.

   The ascent of this style of fighting, which combines all disciplines, has been legendary. It was not so legendary when it first came to Charlotte in September of 1994. Back then, some boxing commissions refused to sanction UFC cards. So promoters had to shop for an accommodating city.

   They found one here. The first two UFC cards were in Denver. The third and the fifth were in Charlotte.

   The late Bill Reynolds, who managed former bantamweight boxing champion Kelvin Seabrooks, promoted the first card. It was held at Grady Cole Center. Jim Brown, the former running back, sat at ringside and offered color commentary. The gym sold out. Reynolds, a longtime boxing promoter, told me it was the most lucrative show he ever was part of.

    At the time, people didn't know what to make of it. Was it legalized street fighting, and if so, how could it last? Doubt such questions will be asked in 2010.

   The Charlotte card next month will feature lightweights. Kenny Florian, 14-4, of Brookline, Mass., will take on Takanori Gori, 31-5 with one no contest, of Tokoyo.

Media Day is not for the media

   Today is Media Day at the Super Bowl. The first time I went, I was mesmerized. The day is a testament to performance art.

   Many questions are purposefully dumb. Men and women dress as characters -- Don King, small harmless animals, super heroes. There are so many performers that your basic who-what-where-when-why no longer applies. Players are reduced to straight men. I had never seen anything like it. I don't know if anybody has.

   Serious reporters often bristle. But Media Day is supposed to be a testament to wretched excess. If not, the small, harmless animals could not get credentials.

Formerly Young Tony and bring back Matt?

   Before Tony Bennett became the coach at Virginia, he was Young Tony Bennett, the back-up point guard for the Charlotte Hornets. The starting point guard was Muggsy Bogues. It was more than a position for Muggsy. It was his turf. And Muggsy was not going to give it up to the new guy. Muggsy often would dominate Bennett at practice.

   Young Tony hung in, however, and became a reliable reserve. He played like the son of a coach. He was smart and worked hard almost always was in the right place at the right time. He also was unpretentious, a genuinely good guy. Nothing about him said, I'm in the NBA and you're not.

   I talked to Bennett a few years ago when he coached Washington State. He hadn't changed. He still looked young, still worked hard, still was unpretentious and still was in the right place at the right time.

   On Sunday, that place was Chapel Hill. Not only did the Cavaliers beat North Carolina, they made it look easy, winning 75-60.

   I don't hear North Carolina fans chanting, "Bring back Matt!"

   But, based on the school's pattern of sustained success, it is startling to see the Tar Heels handled so easily in their gym. Those of you who believe the Tar Heels are a lock to make the NCAA tournament are not looking at the same numbers I am.