Hoop Nightmare

Sprewell's best hope may be in court, but probably not the court of public opinion. Sports fans have been waiting for somebody, anybody with authority to stand up to America's new class of spoiled millionaires and draw that proverbial line in the s and. And athletes, unlike politicians, haven't yet discovered the power of an unfettered apology. Sprewell might have been back playing next month if he could have simply feigned remorse. But even as he explained his actions to the Chronicle, Sprewell co uldn't resist a touch of bad-boy macho. ""If I really went after P.J., he'd look a lot worse than he did on TV," Sprewell said.

Nobody appears to be in worse shape right now than Sprewell. He is the designated scapegoat for a generation of athletes and a multitude of sins. The price he's paying is indeed high. The payoff would be if all sports is better for it.

DISORDER ON THE COURT: AN NBA GOUGES' GALLERY BAD BEHAVIOR ON AND OFF THE BASKETBALL COURT WAS NOT INVENTED BY LATRELL SPREWELL. SENIOR PLAYERS LIKE CHARLES BARKLEY AND DENNIS RODMAN HAVE BUILT THEIR CELEBRITY ON IT; OTHERS HAVE DISCOVERED THE TEMPER TANTRUMS CAN FORCE TEAMS INTO TRADING THEM. HERE ARE SOME OF THE LEAGUE'S BIGGEST TROUBLEMAKERS:

CHARLES BARKLEY AGE: 34 TEAM: ROCKETS OFFENSE: Leads league in bar altercations. Accused of throwing (shoving says Sir Charles) one bar patron through a plate-glass window. DERRICK COLEMAN AGE: 30 TEAM 76ers OFFENSE: No stranger to bar fights. Once brought to trial for refusing to move his truck, which was blocking traffic. The jury hung. NICK VAN EXEL AGE: 26 TEAM: LAKERS OFFENSE: Suspended for seven games in 1996 for shoving a ref into the scorer's table after getting a foul. Has yelled at his coaches during games. ISAIAH RIDER AGE: 26 TEAM: TRAIL BLAZERS OFFENSE: Recently spat on a fan. Convicted on drug charges and pleaded no contest to illegal cell-phone possession. DENNIS RODMAN AGE: 36 TEAM: BULLS OFFENSE: Has insulted interviewers, Mormons and female refs, as well as kicked a cameraman in the thigh. And that's just in the last 12 months. ALLEN IVERSON AGE: 22 TEAM 76ers OFFENSE: On probation for carrying a concealed gun. Did time as teen because of a bowling-alley brawl (granted clemency after five months).

T. TRENT GEGAX

© 1997