Sporting News, The: To know list: 7 points? Only if you make the stinkin' PAT

(1) MANAGERS IN TROUBLE

Baseball's merry men

Several managers in the last years of contracts, most notably the Dodgers' Jim Tracy, appear safe. Two interims, the Astros' Phil Garner and the Blue Jays' John Gibbons, stand good chances of being rehired. Others won't be as fortunate.

Only three managers have been fired since opening day, so get ready for the merry-go-round to start spinning furiously once the season ends.

THEY FALL OFF FIRST

Larry Bowa, Phillies. In grand baseball tradition, the Phillies will hire a cuddly, player-friendly type who is the polar opposite of the combative Bowa. Embattled general manager Ed Wade needs to do better than the Phillies' leading in-house candidate, former Indians manager and FOJT (Friend of Jim Thome Charlie Manuel.

Art Howe, Mets. A team often takes on the personality of its manager, and Howe's injury-depleted club is in a deep sleep. Howe is owed nearly $5 million over the next two seasons, but that excuse won't fly in a city where price is no object for the Yankees. Lou Piniella, increasingly frustrated in Tampa Bay, would be perfect.

Al Pedrique, Diamondbacks. He took over the Titanic two minutes before it hit the iceberg. But the Diamondbacks, ravaged by injuries, began the week 13-44 under Pedrique after going 29-50 under Bob Brenly. "The team's new owners likely will want someone more experienced. Grady Little or Jim Fregosi would fit.

THEY COULD BE NEXT

Bob Melvin, Mariners. First-year general manager Bill Bavasi exercised Melvin's option for 2005 on May 4, temporarily quelling speculation about the manager's future. Melvin, however, continues to draw criticism within the industry for his bland persona.

Frank Robinson, Expos. The team's MLB-appointed caretaker could be replaced if the franchise ever gets sold. He's a better evaluator than a manager, but the former Oriole, a Hall of Famer, could help market a team in Washington, D.C. or northern Virginia.

Lee Mazzilli, Orioles. Streaky team, shaky manager. If the Orioles bring back Mazzilli, they should allow him to pick at least two of his coaches--a basic managerial right he did not enjoy in his first season.--Ken Rosenthal

(2) FIRST TO THE FIRING LINE

The NFL's odds-on (least) favorites

An offshore gambling website has posted odds on each of the 32 NFL coaches to become the first one to be fired. The half-dozen best bets:

3:1  Marty Schottenheimer, Chargers
7:2  Dave Wannstedt, Dolphins
4:1  Jim Haslett, Saints
     Dennis Erickson, 49ers
5:1  Butch Davis, Browns
8:1  Mike Martz, Rams

(3) RYDER CUP--SEPTEMBER 17-19

Why Team Europe will win

In 1987, after the team he captained allowed the Europeans to win for the very first time on U.S. soil, Jack Nicklaus said: "Americans don't know how to win anymore. The Europeans are tougher."

He was right, but he didn't go far enough. The U.S. team is hamstrung before the first tee shot is struck, and that's why it will lose the 35th Ryder Cup at Detroit's Oakland Hills. Some examples:

The U.S. doesn't send its best. U.S. qualifying points are accumulated over a two-year period, opening the possibility that a player declining from his peak makes the team. Five of the Europeans are picked from the current world rankings, five more from the current European money list, and the other two are captain's picks. Their system guarantees a team more on form than the United States has.

Course setups hero don't faze the Europeans anymore. Gone are the days when they were befuddled by tree-lined courses such as Oakland Hills, with its slick greens, deep rough and white sand bunkers. By and large, the top Europeans play the world tour--in contrast to the Americans, who rarely stray beyond their borders without a huge appearance fee.

Great PGA Tour golfers aren't team players. Unlike the Europeans, the Americans have been groomed since infancy for pro golf, the most individual of sports. In this day of huge purses, it's every man for himself on the PGA Tour, and most of these guys just can't switch that mind-set as easily as they slip on a team shirt.

The Europeans want it more. Despite their recent Ryder Cup success, the visitors can't forget the numbing regularity with which the U.S. used to win. For the full-time European Tour players, it's their chance to trounce those spoiled brats who cash the really big checks every week. Let's face it: Everybody likes to beat the Yankees.--John Gordon

(4) MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS

It's been a Bear of an event

Royal Birkdale, 1969. Jack Nicklaus concedes Tony Jacklin's 2-footer in the final match (pictured), a classy but controversial move that ties the matches for the first time in history. As reigning champ, the United States retains the Cup.

Muirfield Village, 1987. Jacklin repays Nicklaus' generosity by leading the Europeans to their first win ever in the U.S., over a team led by Nicklaus on his home course, Ohio's Muirfield Village.

Kiawah Island, 1991. Bernard Langer jerks a 6-footer to lose his match with Hale Irwin, and the "War on the Shore," to the Americans.

Brookline, 1999. Justin Leonard holes a 45-footer on 17, capping an incredible U.S. comeback from a 10-6 deficit Going into Sunday's singles.--J.G.

(5) MUST WIN (OR LOSE ... OR TIE)

Weak one in Week 1?

If we've learned anything, it's that we can't extrapolate too much from the NFL's Week 1. Case in point: Last year's 12 playoff teams were a combined 6-6 in their first games. So it's merely interesting that only the Colts, having won their openers in five consecutive seasons, carry a Week 1 winning streak of more than four years, but four teams--the Browns (six), Steelers (four), Cardinals (four) and Cowboys (four)--have opening-game losing streaks of four years or longer. Coincidentally, despite their recent skid, the Cowboys remain the best bet in Week 1 (as a figure of speech, that is). The best and worst NFL teams in Week 1 among franchises that have been in existence more than 10 years:

             W    L    T    Pct.   Streak

Best
Cowboys      30   13   1    .693     L4
Broncos      28   15   1    .648     W3
Dolphins     22   15   1    .592     L1
Giants       40   27   4    .592     W1
Bears        40   30   1    .570     L1
Vikings      24   18   1    .570     W1

Worst
Seahawks      8   20   0    .286     W1
Saints       11   26   0    .297     L1
Cardinals    27   42   1    .393     L4
Eagles       27   42   1    .393     L3
Bills        18   26   0    .409     W1
Jets         18   26   0    .409     L1

(6) NFL PLAYER RANKINGS

You made the call

Given 10 superstars to choose from, visitors to TSN's online partner msn.foxsports.com made a resounding choice for the NFL's best player: Brett Favre. After the first 17,000 pollsters had clicked on their guy, the Packers quarterback--TSN's No. 1 in 2003--was easily out front. (Running third was our 2004 No. 1, Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson.) Our Top 100 package begins on page 18. Meanwhile, the results of that online poll:

23%  Brett Favre, Packers
15%  Peyton Manning, Colts
13%  LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers
12%  Ray Lewis, Ravens
11%  Priest Holmes, Chiefs
10%  Randy Moss, Vikings
 8%  Tom Brady, Patriots
 5%  Steve McNair, Titans
 2%  Jason Taylor, Dolphins
 1%  Michael Strahan, Giants

(7) WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

'The Cooler' That's the nickname some former teammates have given to Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (behind his back, of course). Why? Because A-Rod cools off every team he joins. That's a pretty harsh term to apply to a Best Player in the Game type who's steamrolling to the Hall of Fame ... but then, it wasn't such a nice thing to call a sweetheart like William H. Macy, either.