
##3000255 <p> Eleven years ago , Tom Moe Sr. and son Tommy made a father-and-son connection , laying the foundation for a dream . Tom Moe needed 46 weather-plagued hours to reach Norway from Alaska , through Dallas and Copenhagen , and six more this morning to get from Lillehammer to the grandstand at the bottom of the mountain to see it all come true . <p> For the race of his 24-year-old son 's life , he arrived with a couple of minutes to spare . <p> He held the hand of his wife , Tyra , as Tommy Moe burst from the start house today on the Kvitfjell Olympic downhill course . The crowd roared , but not for Moe . At the bottom of the mountain , Kjetil Andre Aamodt , hometown favorite , had just taken the lead . <p> Popular star of the rising Norwegian Alpine team , Aamodt was the seventh man down the mountain , in 1 minute 45.79 seconds , taking dead aim at national heroism and gold at the XVII Winter Olympic Games . Little-known hope of the moribund United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply a medal of any metal and his father 's respect . <p> Ten years ago in Sarajevo , Bill Johnson predicted he would win America 's only downhill gold medal in Olympic history , and did . Saturday night , after Moe had ripped off another impressive training run , Andy Mill , a broadcaster and former United States skier , asked Moe if he was ready to be so bold . <p> " No way , " Moe said . <p> Who would have predicted that Moe , winner of no downhill races in his World Cup career , would beat Aamodt by four-hundreths of a second , the narrowest margin ever in an Olympic Alpine event ? Who would have thought that he would take the gold with a spectacular rush to the finish line in 1 minute 45.75 seconds , put the United States men back on the Alpine map with their first Olympic medal since 1984 and share a photo opportunity with Hillary Rodham Clinton ? <p> Moe was confident , but not cocky , not anymore . When Johnson , America 's downhill bad boy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Moe was in the process of having what he called his " attitude " knocked out of him by his dad , the steel contractor who was doing reconstruction on his son . <p> When he was 13 , living with his mother in Whitefish , Mont. , Tommy Moe was caught smoking marijuana and kicked off his school 's ski team . He was , he said , " experimenting , a normal kid trying to have a good time , making my father tear the hair from his head . " Tom Moe , having divored and moved to Alaska to pursue his work , summoned his son to come live with him . <p> He sent him to private school , to another ski team . Three years later , at 16 , Tommy Moe was caught smoking marijuana again , booted again . Tom Moe decided he would show his son what a good time really was . <p> That summer , while his friends were off skiing in South America , father dragged son to a place called Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hell , " Tom Moe described that place , where he introduced his skier-on-sabbatical to an honest day 's work . <p> " He shoveled gravel , " said Tom Moe . " He crawled on all fours . When he was done every day , he was one whipped pup . He was no spoiled kid and he was no rich kid . I said to him one day , ' Think about it , would you rather be here , or skiing in Argentina ? ' " <p> The builder had made his point . Tommy Moe said he proceeded to straighten out his act and his skis , directing himself to the national program and , by 1992 , the United States Olympic team . He went to the Games in Albertville , France , with high hopes in the Super-G . It was at the finish line in Val d'Isere that father and son connected again . <p> Moe finished a bitter 28th , a bust in his first Olympics . He looked around for family , for sympathy . " I got to the finish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have much to say . " <p> " I did n't yell at him , " Tom Moe said . " I only had to look at him . He turned around and started to cry . He skied away and my wife said , ' What 's wrong with you ? ' " Father 's New Attitude <p> Tom Moe , still building at 57 , with a 7-month-old baby boy back home , is a tough-talking , no-nonsense character who wore a baseball cap in frigid weather today . He admitted it was his turn to learn a hard lesson . <p> " This time , for the Olympics , whatever he did was fine , " he said . " I told him , ' No pressure , none . ' But I figured he would do something here . " <p> There were others who believed this technically difficult Olympic course suited Moe more than the gliders who prefer a straightaway . He had won a couple of training runs here last year . He has been in the midst of his best World Cup season , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late December . He was no shock to the field . <p> " He 's always up there , " said Aamodt . " It was just a matter of time . " End to the Singing <p> At 22 , and the World Cup overall leader this season , Aamodt said he was " really enjoying life " after he crossed the finish line . So were Norwegian fans lining the course , waving their flags , singing victory songs . Then here came Moe , after a start that placed him fourth at the second split , blazing through the middle of the course , down through the final jump , across the line . <p> There was a gasp from the crowd as Moe 's time was posted , and then silence . <p> Maybe they would have cheered if they knew that Tommy Moe , like his father , was almost one of them , a hardy soul . His great-great-grandfather was an 1800 's Norwegian immigrant to the United States and he has 12 relatives who live in Oslo . Maybe they would have felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had come . Over Here ! Over Here ! <p> Tommy Moe turned to look up at the board to check his time . He danced a little jig on skis . But he did not let himself look into the stands , not until he knew he had won the biggest ski race there was for him to win , until the United States Olympic Committee bonus of $15,000 and a possible endorsement bonanza were his . <p> That , and something far more important to him . <p> Tom and Tyra Moe , Tommy 's stepmother , had n't arrived in Lillehammer until 9:30 Saturday night . They started out for the mountain at 5 A.M. today , without credentials , tickets or a bus reservation . Six hours later , they pushed their way in , frustrated , sweating in the cold . <p> Tom Moe said he screamed " at the top of his lungs " to make eye contact with his son from the time he completed his run , with no luck . Tommy Moe was going to wait until a Canadian named Edward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bronze , until a Frenchman named Nicolas Burtin , the last skier Moe perceived as a threat , was down with a time not better than his . <p> Only then was he ready to search the stands , to make eye contact with his dad . <p> He finally could , after all those years . 
##3000257 <p> Olympic officials were wrong if they thought the frenzy would diminish after Tonya Harding was given her Olympic green light . That was quickly apparent today when a crush of reporters and photographers showed up to watch Nancy Kerrigan struggle through practice . More security was put on alert than is usually needed for King Harald . Even Chelsea Clinton showed up to see what all the fuss was about . <p> What did Kerrigan think about Harding 's being allowed to compete ? It was a question everyone wanted to ask , but nobody got the chance . <p> Kerrigan , who put her hand to the ice once during a run-through of her long program then later fell twice , left the Olympic training rink without answering questions . Later , she issued a statement , saying , " Regardless of my opinion on the ruling , the Olympics have begun and it is time to skate . We have all worked very hard to get here and I hope now that the focus can turn to the competition and all of the athletes who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is Struck <p> Harding was given the go-ahead to compete in the Winter Games after the United States Olympic Committee late Saturday and early Sunday agreed to cancel a disciplinary hearing that had been planned for this Friday , a hearing at which Harding would have faced administrative charges related to the assault on Kerrigan . <p> The uncertainty of Harding 's presence at Lillehammer had siphoned attention from the rest of the Games . U.S.O.C. officials were afraid this Olympics would become a one-story event . And in exchange for canceling the hearing , Harding dropped a $25 million lawsuit against the committee . <p> A gold medal by Tommy Moe , the American downhill racer , drew some attention away from the Kerrigan-Harding story today . But not much . Not with Harding due to arrive on Wednesday . Not with she and Kerrigan due to practice at the same time in the same rink and live in the same dorm . <p> The women 's competition begins on Feb. 23 . The highest-rated Olympic television show ever is expected for the women 's long program on Feb. 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has its own T-shirt . " Harding-Kerrigan , " is on the front and " Norway ' 94 , Break a Leg ! ! ! " is on the back . It may be sarcastic , but it is a good sell . Head to Head <p> Kerrigan and Harding are now going head to head on many fronts : for gold medals , magazine covers , book sales , television appearances . <p> So far , neither one has backed down . Both were given a chance to train at an alternative rink in Oslo . Both declined , according to Gale Tanger , the United States ' figure-skating team leader . The Olympic rink , at 100 feet by 200 feet , is larger than many rinks and requires some fine-tuning with respect to the planning of jumps . That can best be done in the adjacent training rink , which has the same dimensions as the Olympic rink . <p> " At this point , they would rather train on the official ice , " Tanger said today . " We 'll see how it works . " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School , which is serving as a dormitory-style Olympic village for figure skaters and speed skaters . Either Kerrigan or Harding will sleep on the first floor , the other on the second . At some point , they will undoubtedly bump into each other . In a van on the way to practice . At a team meeting . In the dressing room . In the chow line . <p> " They are strong personalities , " said Claire Ferguson , president of the United States Figure Skating Association . " I do n't think there will be a problem with their ability to cope with the situation . " <p> Evy Scotvold , who coaches Kerrigan , said : " It 's going to have to be O.K. , it 's the Olympics . You 've got to do what you 've got to do . " ' Reasonable Grounds ' <p> Yes , but Harding 's former husband , Jeff Gillooly , has pleaded guilty to his role in planning the clubbing attack on Kerrigan on Jan. 6 at the national championships . Gillooly has said that Harding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An investigative panel established by the figure skating association has said that " reasonable grounds " exist to believe that Harding knew of the plan to harm Kerrigan . Those must be chilling thoughts to Kerrigan . <p> There are two theories on how Kerrigan will react . One , that she will wilt . Two , that her primary nemesis , pressure , has evaporated and that she is in a no-lose situation . If she wins , it is one of the greatest comeback stories ever . If she loses , she is a skating martyr . Instead of weakening Kerrigan , the second theory goes , the attack has made her stronger and more determined than ever . <p> " It 's a unique situation , " Scotvold said . " It 's very , very taxing for everyone . She looks awfully strong to me . She 's very determined . She 's here to do what she set out to do all along . She 'll concentrate and forget about all the other stuff . " A News Media Shadow <p> Maybe , maybe not . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Someone said she appeared to have trouble gaining entrance into the rink . Mahlon Bradley , the doctor for the figure skating team , complained about photographers using cameras with flashes . Ove Lunde , the press chief for the team , said that 10 extra police and security guards had been stationed at the rink . King Harald , he said , needs only four or five . Everywhere that Kerrigan goes , a news media shadow follows . <p> " She 's trying to find a moment of silence , " said Tanger . " Apparently that moment of silence , and a little mobility , is in the village . " <p> A contingent of Olympic and skating officials , and teammates , including Brian Boitano , showed up to lend Kerrigan support today , saying hello , applauding her jumps . Clearly , Kerrigan is America 's sweetheart . Many think Harding has more of a burden to overcome . She can rebuild a transmission , but she may not be able to rebuild her reputation . <p> " Harding is the one that has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a member of the International Skating Union . " If anything happens to Nancy on the ice , they 're going to be looking at Harding . If Harding skates by , and Kerrigan just happens to fall from the breeze , they 're going to say , ' You got too close . ' She 's the one that has to watch out . " <p> Once again , DeMore reiterated the international group 's stance that Kerrigan must practice at the same time as Harding . It is an Olympic custom that athletes from the same country train together . ' That Is n't Fair ' <p> " By splitting up the practices , you would expand the disturbance to other skaters , " DeMore said . " That is n't fair . This is an American problem . " <p> To Kerrigan 's supporters , though , it is an unnecessary problem . Paul Wylie , the 1992 silver medalist and a training partner of Kerrigan 's , said he wrote a letter to the U.S.O.C. , asking Olympic officials to step in . Of the International Skating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be concerned about is protecting Tonya . " <p> " It 's ridiculous , " Wylie said . " Nancy came here with a scenario , saying , ' I can handle that scenario . ' Every day she has had to take on more and more that is stress-causing . I do n't understand . Nancy is , after all , the one who suffered the injury . Let 's not forget that . They 're treating her like that 's the price she has to pay for being a famous person . " 
##3000258 <p> WE were mushing home through the week 's incredible snow , my wife at the wheel , when the car started to drift in a corner . <p> I say " drift , " but it was really more of an out-of-control slide . <p> " Uh . . . " I said , grabbing for handholds . <p> " Ohhh , " said Loleen . We went across the road , the wheels caught and we slithered back into our proper lane , me all the time thinking we were going to fetch up smartly against a plowed snowbank and bend the car 's black suit . <p> Loleen was sawing the wheel this way and that , and we finally came out of it without harming anything but our blood pressure and maybe our psyches . <p> " I always know to turn in the direction of the skid , " Loleen said when she was finally able to talk . " But it just does n't seem right , and I do n't do it . " <p> And with that , it occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a teen-ager had n't been so silly after all . <p> What I liked to do , particularly in the sort of weather that has recently plagued the Northeast , was to find a large parking lot and put the car into spins . One good way to do that -- aside from going in rapidly decreasing circles -- was to drive in a straight line , lock the wheels , shift into reverse and pop the clutch . <p> Wheee ! <p> The car would pirouette across the ice of the parking lot until friction brought it to a stop . Dangerous , yes . Hard on the equipment , certainly . But I did learn to deal with a vehicle that has forgotten its decorum . <p> When you 've done that a few times , you learn that you do indeed turn in the direction of a skid if you want to put the smart-alecky rear end in its place . And you learn about braking and balance and all the other physics of a ton-and-a-half machine gone berserk . <p> There are , of course , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and if people would pay just a bit more attention when the sky is falling and the road is freezing , we could all get through it with less travail . <p> First , you need to allot more time . Booting up , rushing out to the car and discovering that the snow on the windshield is actually thick ice and that the locks are frozen will do little for anyone 's temper . If you are late on top of it , you will be more of a menace to yourself and the rest of us . <p> Aerosol sprays are available to thaw the locks , but you do n't really need them . Just take a match or cigarette lighter and heat the key . It works wonders . <p> Cold metal and syrupy oil also conspire to keep engines from kicking over on the first try . An older car with a carburetor needs to have the gas pedal pumped ; a car with fuel injection does n't . Check your owner 's manual on the proper way to start your engine , and when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at idle -- but not for very long . Idling wastes gas and accomplishes nothing . Instead , start out and drive slowly , covering ground while things warm up . <p> On the road , one word is more important than any other : anticipation . By anticipating signs and signals , intersections , curves and other drivers ' actions , you have a far better chance to avoid an accident . It is a good idea , too , to watch all of the traffic ahead , not just the car in front . And , when braking , be aware of the car behind you , since its driver may not be as alert as you are . <p> Antilock brakes bear mentioning here , even though last week 's column was devoted to them . More than 40 percent of new cars carry the technology , which uses wheel sensors and a computer to pump the brakes many times each second , preventing lockup and allowing the driver to steer . Unlike standard brakes , you simply want to stand on the pedal and let ABS do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you want to feather-foot the pedal , braking and releasing to slow the wheels without creating a skid . <p> Antilock brakes are not a panacea , however . While they stop shorter and allow the driver to maintain control , stopping remains a problem on ice and snow . Similarly , four-wheel-drive vehicles do not make their drivers superheroes . True , they go through almost anything -- but they take just as long to stop as any other car or truck . <p> Remember , too , that bridges , with all that cold air under them , freeze faster than the rest of the road , so slow down before your wheels start acting as if they have found four banana peels . <p> A great many cars now have front-wheel drive , and they behave differently than those with the driving wheels in back . One of FWD 's advantages is that it puts the weight of the engine over the driven wheels , translating into more traction . A disadvantage is that , with power applied in slippery conditions , the car is more likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go left or right in turning . <p> Lifting your foot off the accelerator momentarily will reestablish traction , canceling the plowing motion and allowing the front wheels to roll through the turn . <p> Another skidding problem can occur when a car with a manual transmission is downshifted on a slick surface . The driving wheels catch abruptly and can send you fishtailing , so be sure the car is moving at moderate speed and in good control before touching the shift lever . <p> Hills present an obvious problem in winter driving . But if you know what you are doing , the real difficulty is with the well-stuck clutter of those other vehicles that did n't make it . The way to upward mobility is to keep your wheels from spinning and to continue at a steady pace , no matter how slow . In fact , if you have an automatic transmission and the incline is gentle , the car 's natural creep in drive may be enough to take you to the crest . <p> Another good trick is to apply the parking brake slightly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wheels and keep them from spinning . Often , that only works with a rear-drive car , however , and if you do apply the brake , do n't forget to release it when you 've reached the top . <p> On a level surface , too , spinning wheels are anathema . That howling rubber will dig you into a hopeless hole . The thing to do is to rock the car , shifting back and forth between forward and reverse , catching the rhythm and shifting when the vehicle reaches the high point of each lunge . Use the highest gear possible , which is to say that it 's good to stay out of low . First gear , either in a manual or automatic transmission , offers too much torque and will simply spin the wheels . <p> If the ruts and the effort cause the car to overheat , consider this : you may be able to control the problem by turning the heater all the way up . That will take a lot of the B.T.U. 's out of the water flowing through the radiator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station . Sand , ashes or kitty-litter , carried in the trunk , also can be a godsend for traction . As with most of winter driving , they simply require a bit of thought . <p> And then there is practice . In fact , I think I 'll go look for a big , empty parking lot . This time , I 'll take Loleen along . 
##3000260 <p> On his visit to New York last month for the National Hockey League 's All-Star weekend , 20-year-old Aleksei Yashin of the Ottawa Senators went out on the town the night before the game . He had a good time , although he did n't exactly paint Times Square red . <p> " I went to a Broadway theater and I saw ' Phantom of the Opera ' with my mom , " he said . " It was great , a great moment in my life . " The next afternoon , at Madison Square Garden , he scored the winning goal for the Eastern Conference , another good moment . <p> " When you make something happen on the ice , and all the fans in the stadium stand up and cheer , it 's better than getting money , " he said . " It 's what makes a hockey player happy . " Worst Record in N.H.L. <p> So far , in his first North American season , this center from Russia is bringing a few moments of joy to the fans of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst record in the 26-team league ( 9-41 ) , Yashin is the leading candidate for the Calder trophy as rookie of the year . <p> He has 25 goals for a team that has scored only 146 while winning only 9 times in 58 tries , going into tonight 's game against the Rangers at the Civic Arena . He has outshown Alexandre Daigle , his fellow Senators rookie , who was drafted first over all in the league last summer and earns more than twice as much money . <p> Tall and lean at 6 feet 4 inches and 216 pounds , Yashin looks and plays a little like Jean Beliveau , the elegant center who had a Hall of Fame career with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1950 's and 1960 's . Although not an exceptionally fast skater , Yashin knows how to change speeds to throw opponents out of sync , in the manner of Wayne Gretzky . A tricky stick handler , Yashin shields the puck with his body in the style of Mario Lemieux . <p> Unlike some young athletes , who live an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a more sedate arrangement . His first major purchases , on a $750,000 salary , were a suburban house next to a golf course and a Volvo . He did buy a mink coat for his mother , Tatyana , who moved here with him , along with his father , Valery , and his 13-year-old brother , Dmitri . ' The Best People Are My Family ' <p> " I like to live with my parents , " Yashin said . " It is not an easy adaptation to N.H.L. hockey , to Canada and to this life . I need to have them . I need some people and the best people are my family . " <p> Yashin spoke after practice on Friday in the lobby of a rink in an Ottawa suburb . He wore on his head a stocking cap that said " Canada . " When he sat down at a table to talk , he took a small armless chair , flipped it around so that the back faced forward , and wrapped his long limbs around it during an occasionally intense conversation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is improving rapidly and he has a great deal to say . He is the son of a university professor , and he is comfortable discussing world history , the arts and science . When he paused to put his thoughts into English , he raised his blue-green eyes to the ceiling , looked across it as if searching , then straightened his gaze and began sentences with " O.K. , I want to tell you . . . " or " Now , let me say . . . " <p> Yashin 's father is even more talkative and seems comfortable with any topic . When Valery Yashin taught engineering , one of the guest speakers addressing the faculty was a rising politician named Boris Yeltsin . <p> " We are from the same part of the country , " Valery Yashin said . " One of my friends was his volleyball coach . " Valery and Tatyana Yashin also were athletes . He played goalie in team handball ; she was a nationally ranked volleyball player . A Wave to His Parents <p> The parents are unusually close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game , taking him out for dinner after home games , then taking him home afterward to study videotapes . During practices , when Yashin scores a goal , he sometimes turns to them in the stands and waves while they beam back . <p> " Aleksei is a young guy , " said Valery Yashin . " It 's necessary for him to have parents as maybe close friends , to discuss some elements of his hockey life . Hockey is a very hard job . Young guys at this age , they see that this is the best life , they think that it will continue from the beginning and never end , that it will always be good , good , good , good . <p> " I say , ' Aleksei , you must understand that you have a very short part of life doing this . You must understand your future , not only your financial situation , but what you will do after hockey . ' I tell Aleksei , ' You must use every minute , every hour for your education , to learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and art . ' " <p> Perhaps the stability of family life has helped Yashin to cope with the culture shock that North American hockey brings to many Russian athletes . One whose adjustment has been difficult is Aleksei Kovalev of the Rangers , a close friend of Yashin from when they were linemates and roommates on the Dynamo Moscow team and the Russian national junior team . <p> Kovalev , under suspension for the third time this season for aggressive play , is an enormously talented right wing who has yet to fully adapt to the N.H.L. style . He frequently frets about it and the frustration is obvious to all around the Rangers . Yashin hears about it firsthand . <p> " Sometimes he phones me , or I phone him , " Yashin said . " We talk about the game , the N.H.L. , how we play , what is new in hockey . It 's very interesting . We talk about other Russian players , how they are doing . I know him very , very well . He just needs to wait , to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He 's a maximal guy and he wants it all now . " <p> Yashin also has had some difficult moments . He played alongside Bob Kudelski and their line was very successful . Suddenly , during pre-game warm-ups , Kudelski was told to take off his uniform because he had been traded to Florida . Yashin did n't know about such things and was stunned to learn Kudelski was no longer his teammate . <p> Another adjustment has been to the grueling schedule of 84 games . A few weeks ago , Coach Rick Bowness called Yashin to a private meeting to discuss intensity . Asked if Yashin is becoming weary , Bowness said : " He plays 25 to 28 minutes a game , and the intensity is an adjustment , the amount of games in a short period of time . You hope you do n't have to play him a lot , but we play Aleksei a lot because he 's our best player and he deserves to play . " <p> Yashin concedes that " with another team , I might not get so much ice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team record to high individual point totals but admits he would n't mind winning the Calder . <p> " Sure , it is an important competition , " he said . " All sportsmen like to win such trophies . " 
##3000261 <p> Greg Cadaret . <p> Going into spring training , which begins Thursday for 8 of the 28 teams , including the Yankees and the Mets , Cadaret is the equivalent of a dozen Toronto players who ended last season in October . In winning their second successive World Series , the Blue Jays used 12 players , nearly half of their team , who were not part of the first World Series championship . <p> By this time a year ago , they had added Paul Molitor and Dave Stewart . Since last October , however , the only player they have added is Cadaret , a relief pitcher of no particular note . <p> " We have n't done anything , " Pat Gillick , the Blue Jays ' general manager , readily acknowledged . " It has been very , very uneventful . Our intention has been to add a pitcher . For one reason or another , things have n't worked out for us yet . I would be neither optimistic nor pessimistic . If we get one more starting pitcher , we 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go with what we 've got . " <p> Given the winter moves of the Baltimore Orioles and the Yankees , Gillick said the quest for a third consecutive trip to the World Series will " be a bigger challenge for us . " <p> In Gillick 's view , the Orioles " have done the most . You ca n't discount the Yankees . They should be good . But the Orioles have made the most significant moves . They have a pretty good lineup . " <p> The Blue Jays aside , most of the clubs have made at least one significant move and eagerly await the arrival of their new players so they can see what they have wrought . They also will scrutinize players returning from disabling injuries in contemplating life in three-division play . American League East <p> BALTIMORE Sid Fernandez joins starting rotation , Lee Smith replaces Gregg Olson as closer , Rafael Palmeiro brings his big bat to first base , Chris Sabo brings his scrappiness to third base . . . . Best news is return to health of starting pitcher Mike Mussina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeffrey Hammonds ( neck ) . <p> BOSTON Dave Valle replaces aging Tony Pena as catcher . . . . Otis Nixon provides speed for start of lineup and center field . . . . Returning from surgery : Mike Greenwell ( knee ) , Frank Viola ( elbow ) , Jeff Russell ( elbow ) . <p> DETROIT Joe Klein , new general manager , got sorely needed pitching help in Tim Belcher , but Sparky Anderson will scour his camp for more . . . Anderson also looks forward to a full and healthy season from Eric Davis . <p> NEW YORK One out of six or eight ( pitchers they tried to get ) is n't bad , especially if Terry Mulholland makes significant improvement in starting rotation . . . . Bob Ojeda gets chance to make rotation four-fifths left-handed . . . . Xavier Hernandez gets more than a chance to be closer ; he had better be good enough to be closer . . . . Luis Polonia battles Wade Boggs for leadoff spot . <p> TORONTO If no trade is made , Al Leiter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Rob Butler and Robert Perez replace Rickey Henderson in left . . . . Twenty-year-old Alex Gonzalez has Tony Fernandez 's job at short if he shows he 's ready ; otherwise it 's Dick Schofield . . . . Roberto Alomar recovering from broken leg . American League Central <p> CHICAGO One Jackson leaves , another ( Darrin ) arrives , presumably to replace not Bo but Ellis Burks in right . . . . Julio Franco becomes the d.h . . . . Unless Jerry Reinsdorf hangs a hoop on the outfield wall , the new kid in camp takes his ball and goes home . <p> CLEVELAND Can senior citizen corps of Eddie Murray , Dennis Martinez , Jack Morris , Steve Farr and Tony Pena meld with good young players and produce a contender ? . . . Most significant newcomer could be shortstop Omar Vizquel ... Most significant return : Charles Nagy and his surgical pitching shoulder . <p> KANSAS CITY George Brett is the club 's new vice president , Vince Coleman the new left fielder . . . . If Keith Miller can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too -- off the disabled list . <p> MILWAUKEE Robin Yount has followed Paul Molitor out the door but into retirement , not to Toronto . He had little left to contribute anyway . . . . Bob Scanlan could help pitching staff and maybe Jody Reed second base . . . . Recuperation from shoulder surgery makes Greg Vaughn doubtful for outfield but not d.h . <p> MINNESOTA Waiting for revenue-sharing money to make run at next World Series championship in 1995 . . . . Meanwhile , catcher Matt Walbeck replaces Brian Harper , who could n't wait for revenue sharing and left as free agent . . . . Jim Deshaies and Jeff Innis will try to help disappointing pitching staff . American League West <p> CALIFORNIA Even before camp starts , Joe Magrane has elbow surgery , requiring search for new starting pitcher . . . . Bo Jackson and his erratic ability join dash for Luis Polonia 's left-field job . Eduardo Perez , son of Tony , is in the race , too . <p> OAKLAND Mark McGwire 's healthy heel would be prettiest sight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of course ) is back , supposedly with better outlook . . . . Stan Javier , also back , may replace the other Henderson , Dave . . . . Another Dave , Righetti , tries to prolong a fading career . <p> SEATTLE Lou Piniella will oversee as many changes as any manager . . . . Greg Hibbard in , Erik Hanson out of starting rotation . . . . Bobby Ayala and Bobby Thigpen in , Norm Charlton out of bullpen . . . . Felix Fermin in , Omar Vizquel out at short . . . . Dan Wilson in , Dave Valle out as catcher . . . . Eric Anthony in the outfield , Mike Felder and Henry Cotto out . <p> TEXAS No Nolan Ryan , which means shorter autograph lines in Port Charlotte . . . . No Jose Canseco if his reconstructed elbow is n't ready . . . . No Rafael Palmeiro , but Will Clark is in his place . . . . If Bruce Hurst 's elbow is strong and healthy , he 'll help a short pitching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should help relief corps . National League East <p> ATLANTA Ron Gant 's broken leg disturbs an otherwise serene camp . Ryan Klesko , Tony Tarasco and Dave Gallagher battle to fill in . . . . Gregg Olson 's right elbow will be most closely observed body part in camp . . . . Kent Mercker tries to become fifth starting pitcher . <p> FLORIDA Successful expansion team has done little to enhance roster . . . . Dave Magadan returns to play third as Gary Sheffield moves to right . . . . Walt Weiss has defected to other expansion team , leaving shortstop for Kurt Abbott , if he can handle it . <p> MONTREAL The team that stocks other teams with general managers . . . . Gave Dodgers sterling second baseman , Delino DeShields . Mike Lansing replaces him . . . . DeShields deal brought Pedro to replace Dennis in the Martinez spot in the rotation . . . . Moises Alou 's broken leg is whole . <p> NEW YORKDallas Green did n't like Jeff Torborg 's spring program so he gets his chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had someone better than Luis Rivera for short and Joe Orsulak or Glenn Davis for first . . . . Catchers Todd Hundley and Greg Olson come in with physical problems . . . . Pitchers Bret Saberhagen and Anthony Young will show off their surgical scars . <p> PHILADELPHIA Having Mitch Williams and Curt Schilling in same camp might have produced fireworks to make Vince Coleman envious . . . . Williams is with Houston , and Doug Jones is in his closing place . . . . Bobby Munoz should strengthen the bullpen . . . . Jeff Juden gets chance to replace Terry Mulholland in rotation . National League Central <p> CHICAGO Greg Hibbard was allowed to leave to avoid paying big salary . Willie Banks and Larry Luebbers get shots at starting roles . . . . Shawon Dunston will get every chance to show he 's healthy so he can be traded . . . . New Manager Tom Trebelhorn will be patient , but will management ? <p> CINCINNATI Dr. Dave Johnson will spend most of the spring checking his returning wounded : Rob Dibble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Smiley , Tom Browning . . . . Erik Hanson should fit nicely in starting rotation . . . . Bret Boone becomes Larkin 's infield partner at second while father Bob serves as Johnson 's bench coach . . . . Willie Greene and Tim Costo compete for Chris Sabo 's job at third . <p> HOUSTON Mitch Williams brings his " Wild Thing " act to the Astrodome , far from Philadelphia death threats . . . . Domingo Jean arrives from Yankees and tries to win starting job . . . . Terry Collins comes from Pittsburgh to manage . . . . Jesse Barfield comes from the East , too , the Far East fields of Japan , in attempt to re-establish himself in outfield . <p> PITTSBURGH Pirates ' health could depend on physical status of left arms of Zane Smith and Randy Tomlin . . . . Not to mention status of Tim Wakefield 's ailing knuckleball . . . . Brian Hunter gets chance to produce at first . <p> ST . LOUIS Pitcher Donovan Osborne already is out for the season after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who may not have much left , comes in as rotation replacement . . . . Mike Perez will show what he can do as Lee Smith 's successor as closer . National League West <p> COLORADO The owner , Jerry McMorris , let his staff spend some of the money produced by nearly 4.5 million fans . . . . Ellis Burks and Howard Johnson could add potent punch to outfield , especially if Johnson left medical chart in New York . . . . A healthy Mike Harkey still has unfulfilled potential . . . . Walt Weiss comes in to offer solid shortstop . <p> LOS ANGELES This is probably it for Darryl Strawberry ; he stays healthy and produces prodigiously , or he may as well retire and become a community relations official . . . . Delino DeShields , the new second baseman , was one of the best additions made by any team . <p> SAN DIEGO Will Andy Benes last the spring ? Wo n't someone give Padres what they want and take his salary off their impoverished hands ? . . . Bip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second , though he could move elsewhere and make room there for Harold Reynolds . <p> SAN FRANCISCO After missing by one game last year , they will find out how well they play without their soul -- Will Clark . J. R. Phillips and/or Todd Benzinger replaces his body . . . . To make another run , they added Mark Portugal to the rotation but also need physical recoveries of pitchers Trevor Wilson and Bud Black and mental recovery of Salomon Torres , a rookie who suffered the team 's only four losses in the last 18 games . 
##3000263 <p> Tonya Harding 's lawyers went to court today seeking to delay a hearing scheduled by the United States Olympic Committee for next Tuesday in Norway to review her eligibility for the Winter Olympics . <p> Robert C. Weaver Jr. , who is representing Miss Harding in the investigation of the assault on Nancy Kerrigan , asked for a temporary restraining order from a circuit court in Clackamas County . He said the delay was needed to give the 23-year-old figure skater more time to prepare her defense . <p> In a separate action , Miss Harding filed a lawsuit against the Olympic committee , seeking a permanent order to prevent the committee from interfering with her participation in the Olympics and asking for at least $25 million in damages . <p> Also today , Miss Harding 's former husband , Jeff Gillooly , sought permission from the Multnomah County District Attorney to attend the hearing so that he could testify against her . <p> By nightfall , it had been just one more dizzying day in the life and tumultuous times of Miss Harding in her efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in time for the women 's figure skating competition that begins on Feb. 23 . <p> Of all the activity , however , the most significant in the short term was Miss Harding 's lawyers ' effort to gain a restraining order that would give her more time to prepare for the hearing . She has been asked by the Olympic committee to appear in Oslo to answer seven administrative charges arising from a determination by the United States Figure Skating Association that " reasonable grounds " exist to believe she has violated standards of ethics , fairness and sportsmanship . The charges could result in a wide range of discipline , up to expulsion from the Olympic team . <p> But seeking the restraining order could be only the first step in a series of legal maneuvers between lawyers trying to keep Miss Harding on the team and opposing forces trying to remove her . By going to court , in which rules of evidence and the presumption of innocence are well-established , Miss Harding 's legal team would appear to be in a better position than it would at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent by the Olympic committee say the burden of proof of innocence is on her . <p> Mr. Weaver said he fully expected legal representation for the Olympic committee to appear in court today to oppose the request for a delay . Because of the nine-hour time difference between Portland and Lillehammer , Norway , where senior Olympic committee officials are headquartered , it was not immediately clear what the committee 's legal response would be . <p> The lawsuit was filed in a state court because case law has shown that the Olympic committee , as an entity that operates in every state , provides no federal jurisdiction . <p> In the lawsuit , Miss Harding charged the Olympic committee with , in effect , denying her rights as granted by the United States Figure Skating Association . After announcing its findings last week , the association gave Miss Harding 30 days to respond . Miss Harding 's lawyers were given only eight days by the Olympic committee to respond to what are essentially the same charges . ' Reasonable Time ' Requested <p> The complaint says that by requiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues within a week , the Olympic committee " threatens to effectively deny plaintiff contractual due process " in several ways . First among them , the complaint said , is not providing Miss Harding " reasonable time " to prepare a defense . <p> The lawsuit also accuses the Olympic committee of acting " maliciously " to disrupt her training and says she would suffer irreparable harm to her reputation and earning power if she were blocked from skating in the Olympics . <p> Miss Harding asked the court for at least $5 million in compensatory damages and another $20 million in punitive damages . <p> Mr. Gillooly , who pleaded guilty to a count of racketeering for his role in the assault , sought permission to travel in response to a request by the Olympic committee that he be available to testify at the hearing . By terms of his plea bargain agreement with the state , he is required to have written authorization to leave Oregon before sentencing on April 1 . He has accepted a prison term of two years . Judge Hears Requests <p> Mr. Gillooly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee on Tuesday that Mr. Gillooly would agree to appear if the committee paid travel and accommodation expenses for both of them , if the committee paid Mr. Hoevet 's attorney 's fees of $200 an hour and if the court granted Mr. Gillooly permission to travel . Judge Donald H. Londer , the district judge involved in the case , is scheduled to decide on Thursday . <p> Mr. Hoevet also asked the court to release the results of Mr. Gillooly 's polygraph test , administered by the F.B.I . on Feb. 5 . In a motion filed to the court , Mr. Hoevet said his client , " if requested to do so , " could make the tests results available to the hearing panel in Oslo . <p> In his statements to the F.B.I . before the plea bargain agreement , Mr. Gillooly said Miss Harding , to whom he was married for three years , had been aware of the plan to harm Miss Kerrigan and had provided the final approval to carry out the attack , which took place at the national championships in Detroit . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case although Mr. Gillooly is the only one of them to plead to a charge . <p> Miss Harding has consistently denied any involvement in planning the attack and admitted only that she learned about the plot after returning to Portland and that she delayed telling authorities what she knew . <p> But the availability of Mr. Gillooly as a hostile witness against her would instantly complicate her already precarious position on the Olympic team , with opening ceremonies on Saturday . At least one senior American Olympic official , Leroy Walker , the president of the Olympic committee , has urged her to withdraw from the team . <p> With the criminal investigation proceeding at a cautious pace and the Multnomah County grand jury hearing evidence not required to return any indictments until March 21 , a trial remains far off in the distance . But Mr. Gillooly 's willingness to testify would provide the first battleground for the conflicting statements at the heart of the case even though his assertions to investigators have not been proved with corroborating evidence . <p> Even at that , his availability would force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the comments she has made in the case , which the Olympic committee have cited as troublesome . They include statements to investigators that she had not been entirely truthful in her interview with the F.B.I . and her public statement that she withheld information because she was frightened of Mr. Gillooly . <p> Unlike investigators in the criminal case , the Olympic committee is proceeding against Miss Harding on a theory that she violated a code of ethics through documents she signed as a member of the figure skating federation that demands a certain standard of ethics and though the " obligation " that Olympic athletes are required to act a certain way as representatives of their country . <p> In a legal sense , the Olympic committee is acting the way an apartment co-op board might respond to a troublesome building resident . Such quasi-public or private organizations retain rights to discipline members , the way employers can hold workers to stated working conditions . <p> But Stephen Gillers , a professor at the New York University law school , said a decision by the hearing panel to remove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee in a civil suit if she is ultimately not charged in the criminal case or is charged and later acquitted . <p> The Olympic committee 's legal position could also be undermined , he said , if the basis for dropping Miss Harding is unproven allegations that she was involved in the assault . 
##3000264 <p> Cathy Turner is on top of the world , at least that part of the world above Times Square , where a 30-by-50-foot billboard has captured her sleek racing form in short-track speed skating , an engaging sport with the jostling of roller derby and the crashing of a demolition derby . <p> Having won a gold medal at 500 meters in the 1992 Winter Olympics , Turner is back to defend her title . It 's a wonder she can find the time . Her life is swirling as fast as one of her races . <p> Last summer , Turner married a veterinarian named Tim Bostley , whom she first met at a checkup for her pets . She has appeared on David Letterman 's show , opened a health club , sung the national anthem at National Basketball Association and National Hockey League games , continued her songwriting career , competed on " American Gladiators , " skated in the Ice Capades , won a regional water-skiing championship and starred in Shape Magazine 's " Legs , legs , legs " fitness video . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Obstacles to Overcome <p> " I always wanted to be tall , " the 5-foot-2-inch Turner said . <p> She is blonde , and blue-eyed , and because people always tell her she looks like Peter Pan , Turner plans to play the boy who never grew up in a coming stage production in Rochester , N.Y. , her hometown . One of her songs , " Share the Dream , " provides musical accompaniment for an Olympic-related television show . If , at 31 , Turner has finally reached the top , though , it is only after a long , hard climb up the steep face of her own personal life , during which she has had to overcome a strained relationship with a demanding father , eight years of virtual retirement from skating , hospitalization for depression and thoughts of suicide . <p> " The good thing is that now I know who I am , " Turner said . " There was a time when I could n't find who I was . " <p> From age 6 , when she got her first pair of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confuse her was the motivation for her achievement . Was it to please her father ? Or herself ? Tom Turner was a telephone repairman , not a coach , and what he could not give his daughter in terms of specialized training , he made up for with a regimen of hard work . <p> When Cathy was 8 or 9 , Tom Turner said , he had her riding an exercise bike , duck-walking around the house to build up her legs , and bracing herself in doorjambs to do squats , 50 on one leg , 50 on the other . <p> " I pushed her , yes , but she wanted to be pushed , " Tom Turner said from Sarasota , Fla. , where he lives in retirement . " She told me , ' I 'm glad you 're pushing me . ' " <p> By age 16 , Turner had become the 1979 national short-track champion , but skating had ceased to be fun . Instead it was a burden . When her father kept pushing , Cathy pushed back , moving out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew who I was , " Cathy said . " I always had to be the best . My father was ' Cathy 's father . ' We even had a boat named ' Cathy 's Father . ' In that mindset , I kind of lost a dad . My skating , my success was his daughter , not me . " From Ice Rink to Sound Stage <p> By 1980 , Turner had drifted away from skating , and she stayed away for much of the next eight years . She took a stage name , Nikki Newland , and found refuge in a music career , fronting every type of band from rock to jazz to dance bands to a Las Vegas-style revue . She began to write her own songs , " Sexy , Kinky Tomboy " being her first and most memorably titled . Eventually , she moved toward studio work , where she made commercial jingles , and wrote a song called " Born to Be Champions " that was used for sports promotions on the HBO cable network . <p> " Just do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . " I 'm a professional recording artist , not a lounge singer . Even the President of the United States said I was a former lounge singer when we went to the White House after the Olympics . He invited me back to a state dinner to set the record straight . " <p> Life was faster in the recording business than it had ever been on skates , but Turner said she was never completely comfortable in high heels and limousines . When she got a glimpse of sports on television , she felt a tug . " I saw the ' 84 Olympics , " Turner said , " and I said , ' Wait a minute . That 's me . I can do that . ' Even then I was wondering about my identity . ' Who am I ? What am I doing ? ' " Desperate Plunge Into Depression <p> By 1987 , Turner had entered a psychiatric hospital in Rochester . For four months , she said , she underwent treatment for depression . <p> " I could have cared less whether I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this long , desperate plunge , Turner said , she found some emotional footing while reading a newspaper article in the summer of 1988 about an acquaintance of hers , a former speed skater named Connie Paraskevin-Young , who had won a bronze medal in cycling at the Seoul Olympics . The news kickstarted Turner 's ego . If a former competitor of hers could win an Olympic medal , so could she . <p> Turner went back to skating and back to school at Northern Michigan University , earning her degree in computer science and working through the tangle of her personal life with a sports psychologist named Brad Olson . Whatever you do , do it for yourself , not to please others , Turner said that Olson told her . <p> " I set goals for myself , and I never looked back , " Turner said . Racing in Packs <p> By 1992 , short-track skating had become a medal sport at the Winter Olympics in Albertville , France . Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen are long-track skaters , competing in pairs on a 400-meter oval . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against each other instead of a clock , elbowing for position , placing a hand on the ice to maintain balance in the curves , sometimes tangling in wild spills , often lunging at the finish for victories determined by hundredths of a second . <p> Turner draped herself with the American flag after winning the 500 in Albertville -- " I finally felt fulfilled " -- but her victory was tempered by the sight of her father in the stands wearing a T-shirt that said , " Cathy 's Father . " They spoke , Tom Turner said , but only briefly . Cathy thought he was trying to claim the credit for something that she had done on her own . <p> " I do n't want credit , " Tom Turner said . " All I want is just to be able to enjoy her glory with her . With every athlete , the parents are the ones who get them started , keep them going , pay the bills . Someone has to provide the vehicle . She seems to forget that . " Thaw in Paternal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent months . Tom Turner attended his daughter 's wedding last June . They speak on the telephone . He said he would be in front of the television , watching as Cathy attempts to win gold medals at 500 and 1,000 meters here in Norway . <p> " I think she 's the one to beat , " he said . <p> Cathy agrees . " I 've been skating world-record times in practice , " she said . This is her last shot at the Olympics . Actually , everyone assumed she had retired after 1992 and joined the Ice Capades . But , when the ice show went to a different format and did n't invite her back , Turner said , " It slapped me in the face : ' What was I going to do ? ' " <p> The answer was to skate again in the Olympics . Afterward , she might take a stab at infomercials and a fitness tape . And she will continue to give talks on how to avoid depression . She is on top of the world , and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and for herself . <p> " Everything is great , " Turner said . " It 's so exciting . I could never hold a grudge against my father . I do n't blame him . I just hope that people can learn from this . " 
##3000272 <p> It was a bizarre and unforgettable Friday the 13th for the Knicks . <p> Toni Kukoc 's 22-foot thunderbolt at the buzzer gave the Bulls a remarkable 104-102 victory over the Knicks at Chicago Stadium , leaving the Knicks with a precarious 2-1 lead in the four-of-seven-game Eastern Conference semifinals . <p> It was a disheartening defeat for the Knicks , who overcame a 22-point deficit late in the third quarter . Derek Harper , their starting point guard , will probably be a spectator for Game 4 on Sunday in Chicago . He was ejected after an ugly second-quarter fight with Jo Jo English . <p> Any player who throws a punch is automatically suspended for the following game , according to National Basketball Association rules . Harper clearly threw the only punch in the fight , which will be reviewed on videotape by Rod Thorn , the league 's vice-president of operations . <p> Harper and English , who was also ejected , will learn their fates either Saturday or early Sunday . <p> The fight between Harper and English happened without warning , 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50-40 . <p> English had given Harper an elbow , and when play stopped after Horace Grant had fouled Charles Oakley , Harper and English exchanged words . Then they pushed each other simultaneously . Suddenly , Harper threw a punch at English and they grabbed each other in a bear hug , with Harper 's momentum carrying both players to the floor beyond the sideline at midcourt . <p> Players from both sides rushed over , and a violent pileup resulted , with 10 players and coaches from both teams grabbing each other and trying to separate Harper and English , who were still wrestling at the bottom of the pile . <p> Fans in the first and second rows of seats had to scurry for safety as the players ' momentum carried them off the court . It was a nasty scene , and it all happened in front of commissioner David Stern , commissioner , who was sitting about 10 rows up at midcourt . Stern had to be cringing . The league has tried to crack down on violence , but the Atlanta Hawks and the Miami @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eastern Conference quarterfinal series , and now this . <p> It took about three minutes to restore order , but fortunately , no other fights broke out while Harper and English were engaged . It was also fortunate that no fans were hurt . <p> It was an inexcusable loss of composure by Harper , a player whom New York depends on for leadership . He was ejected for fighting the Bulls ' third-string shooting guard , a journeyman whose absence the Bulls could easily overcome . <p> The Knicks were forced to play the second half without their starting point guard . Greg Anthony took over for Harper while Cory Gaines backed up Anthony . Harper , Anthony , John Starks and English all refused to comment about the fight . <p> The Bulls ' victory was tainted by a controversy in which Scottie Pippen , their star player , argued with Phil Jackson , the Bulls ' coach , during the timeout before Kukoc 's game-winning shot . Pippen was reportedly upset because the play was not designed for him . The result was that Pippen was not in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that Pippen took himself out of the game . <p> The Knicks ' were frustrated because their scintillating comeback had fallen short . Patrick Ewing dominated the fourth quarter and tied the game with 1.8 seconds left , making a three-foot hook in the lane over Bill Cartwright . The Bulls called a time out and set up the winning play . Pete Myers made the midcourt inbounds pass to the 6-foot-11-inch Kukoc , who quickly turned and released the shot from behind the key over Anthony Mason 's outstretched arm . The shot hit nothing but net , and the stadium erupted , as the Bulls mobbed Kukoc , and the Knicks walked off the court dejectedly . <p> " They ran a great play and executed it well , " said Pat Riley . <p> Said Kukoc : " How did I do it ? Easy , I shoot the ball and hope it goes in . " <p> If Kukoc had missed , the Knicks feel they would have won in overtime , and Ewing , who finished with 34 points , would have been the hero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inbounds pass to Starks with 5.5 seconds left , who passed quickly to Ewing , on the left baseline , who never hesitated , dribbling across the lane and making the hook shot . <p> After a layup by Ewing pulled New York within 102-100 with 29.5 seconds to play , the Bulls called timeout at the 17.9 second mark . But it did n't help . Pippen missed a wild 24-foot three-point shot off the backboard , resulting in a 24-second violation that gave New York possession with 5.5 seconds to play , giving the Knicks time to set up Ewing 's shot . But Kukoc did Ewing one better . <p> " We dug ourselves a whole too deep tonight , " Ewing said . " If it were a closer game , we would 've won . " <p> It was the seventh consecutive playoff loss for the Knicks at Chicago Stadium , and it was another reminder that the Bulls are capable of coming back to win the series , just as they did in last year 's Eastern Conference finals , when they stormed back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two . <p> The Bulls never trailed in regulation and appeared to have the game won easily , outplaying New York from the start , and leading by as many as 22 points late in the third quarter . But the Knicks ' fourth-quarter comeback started with a 17-2 run that pulled them to within 7 points , 90-83 , with seven minutes to play . It was clear the Bulls were rattled , and the Knicks kept on coming to set up the dramatic finish . <p> This game will only intensify the bitter rivalry between these two teams . And presented the Knicks with another test to overcome if they are to win a championship . Bulls Lead at Half <p> The capacity crowd , which was already pumped up before the fight , produced a new noise level . And the Bulls responded , taking a 57-46 lead at halftime , after leading by as many 14 points in the first half . The Bulls were inspired and determined , playing like a team that knew it had to win . <p> Not only was Ewing held in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dominated by Cartwright , who had 10 first-quarter points . A lack of inside scoring had been one of the Bulls ' major problems in the first two games , but Cartwright 's outburst gave the Bulls a shot in the arm . <p> The Knicks fell behind early , which is exactly what they wanted to avoid . After the first two baskets , Chicago ran off 7 consecutive points to take a 9-2 lead , and the Bulls controlled the rest of the half . New York trailed , 30-22 , after one quarter , and anytime the Knicks yield 30 points or more in a quarter , they are usually in trouble . <p> The Knicks were certainly in deep trouble after this half . And no one was in more trouble than Harper . REBOUNDS <p> Tempers flared even before the DEREK HARPER-JO JO ENGLISH fight , when SCOTTIE PIPPEN and CHARLES SMITH exchanged words at the 6:58 mark of the first quarter . Pippen then stuck his finger in Smith 's face . Both players were given technical fouls , an omen of more trouble to @ @ 
##3000273 <p> Another fourth quarter belonged to the Knicks , and so did another emotional victory . <p> Led by a superlative performance from Anthony Mason , plus two momentum-breaking 3-pointers by John Starks in the fourth quarter , the Knicks overcame the Chicago Bulls , 96-91 , last night at Madison Square Garden to take a 2-0 lead in the four-of-seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal series . <p> The next two games will be played in Chicago Stadium , starting with Game 3 tomorrow night . But after two tough losses , the Bulls must regroup on their home court , or their reign as three-time National Basketball Association champions will end . Same Situation as Last Year <p> The Bulls also trailed the Knicks , 2-0 , in the Eastern Conference finals last year , but Chicago stormed back to win the next four games . However , this victory brought New York one step closer to revenge . And the Bulls , without Michael Jordan to lean on , have wilted under New York 's fourth-quarter defensive pressure during the first two games . <p> Mason was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the playoffs with 15 points and 14 rebounds during his 34 minutes . Mason was the Knicks ' catalyst throughout , harassing Scottie Pippen , grabbing key rebounds and playing with a defensive force that became contagious . The Bulls shot only 25 percent ( 4 of 16 ) in the fourth quarter . <p> " Without Mase tonight , we probably do n't win , " said Knicks Coach Pat Riley . " What I like about his game right now is that he 's so damn assertive . " Downtown Starks Keys 11-0 Run <p> Trailing by 72-69 , the Knicks started the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run that gave them an 80-72 lead with eight minutes to play . The Bulls never recovered . <p> Starks provided the crushing blows during that knockout run -- consecutive 3-point jumpers that turned a 72-71 deficit into a 77-72 lead . Not only did Starks 's 3-pointers give New York the lead , but they pumped up the Garden crowd and demoralized the Bulls . <p> Bulls Coach Phil Jackson called a timeout after Starks 's second 3-pointer , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " Starks 's 3-pointers were the difference , " Jackson said . " They went down , and the game changed dramatically . " <p> When play resumed , the Bulls were still shaken . Toni Kukoc lost the ball on a drive , leading to a breakaway dunk for Starks . <p> While Starks was dunking the ball , Pippen showed his frustration by pushing Greg Anthony , who was trailing the play . Pippen was called for a personal foul , which was his fifth , and he also received a technical foul for arguing the call . Pippen was a factor no more , eventually fouling out and finishing with 22 points , but only 2 in the fourth quarter . <p> Pippen sat out a critical juncture of 6 minutes 52 seconds -- the last 4:50 of the third quarter and the first 2:02 of the fourth -- after committing his fourth personal foul . When Pippen returned , he was unable to change the game 's momentum . <p> " We just have n't been able to handle the pressure down the stretch of games , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeper team than we are . " <p> Asked if he felt Pippen had been worn down by the Knicks ' defense , Horace Grant , the Bulls ' forward who finished with 23 points , said : " They 've got guys like Mason , Charles Oakley and Charles Smith to keep bringing at him . I do n't think even Hulk Hogan could withstand that . " Talented Pair in Low Post <p> For Mason , it was another indication of how much impact he can have when he is on top of his game . And what a difference a few weeks has made . Mason was suspended by the Knicks for the last three games of the regular season for " conduct detrimental to the team " after complaining about playing time . <p> But playing time was the least of Mason 's worries last night . He played the final 20:28 . Mason was simply playing so well that Riley could not afford to take him out . <p> Mason shot 7 of 13 from the floor , making powerful moves that gave the Knicks another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 26 points . <p> Ewing took only 12 shots , but he made 9 of them . And instead of forcing bad shots when double-teamed , Ewing smartly looked for teammates who were open . Mason was the direct beneficiary , cutting to the basket and attacking the backboards for rebounds . <p> " A great player like Patrick definitely draws a lot of attention , " said Mason . " You can take advantage of it if you find the openings . <p> " When I came in , I just tried to be a spark . I took my opportunities , instead of waiting for the game to come to me . Pretty soon , it became contagious . Everybody felt it . The crowd felt it . That 's what I 've been trying to do : 100 percent intensity , 100 percent effort and defense . The rest takes care of itself . It was satisfying , after all the adversity all of us have been through , to get to this point . But now we have to take it to another level when we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year . Nothing has to be said . " Hard Foul Causes Hard Feelings <p> As usual when the Knicks meet the Bulls , the game had its physical moments . The most physical occurred with 5:04 left in the first half , when B. J. Armstrong , who had 23 points , was knocked to the floor by Derek Harper . After going for Armstrong 's head-fake , Harper knocked Armstrong off balance as he was attempting a jumper . Armstrong 's body went parallel to the floor , and he fell on his side with a thud . A personal foul was called on Harper , but no flagrant foul . <p> The Bulls ' bench was livid , and when players from both sides gathered around the fallen Armstrong , Pippen and Mason got in a brief shoving match . But Armstrong got up and remained in the game . <p> Asked about the play afterward , Jackson said : " He took him down hard . I do n't think it was flagrant . " <p> Said Harper : " It was n't intentional , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in it to win it . " <p> The Bulls also want to win it , but the outcome of the past two games has given them something to ponder . <p> " It 's going to be a tough hole to climb out of , " Grant said . <p> The Bulls were down . And this time the Knicks intend to keep them there . REBOUNDS <p> CHARLES OAKLEY was named to the National Basketball Association all-defensive first team for first time in his nine-year career . Joining Oakley on the first team were SCOTTIE PIPPEN of the Chicago Bulls , HAKEEM OLAJUWON of the Houston Rockets , MOOKIE BLAYLOCK of the Atlanta Hawks and GARY PAYTON of the Seattle SuperSonics . " I have to give credit to my teammates , the coaching staff and the Knicks ' organization , " Oakley said . Asked if he had an incentive bonus in his contract for making the team , Oakley smiled and said : " I do n't have too much in my contract -- period . I have to earn everything the hard way . " . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after committing his third personal foul . Starks 's foot almost hit B. J. ARMSTRONG , who had been knocked to the floor . " The referee thought I was kicking at B. J. Armstrong , but I was n't , " Starks said . " I needed time to cool off . 