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Thursday, October 11, 2001

By Rob Rossi

A lot can happen in 20 years, though apparently neither the Steelers nor Pirates can win world championships within such a time period. Still, think about it: In 1981, video games were barely afterthoughts by most Americans.

In Canada, they probably weren't even an option. Why mess around with "Space Invaders" when you can shoot hockey, eh?

Well, if our Canadian friends weren't playing "Pac-Man," they were surely doing something other playing hockey. Or, at least, they weren't playing it very well.

Upon further review, barely half the players in the NHL this season are Canadian born -- the lowest total in league history. And before we start poking fun, let us consider that the number of U.S.-born players is 14.1 percent -- a 17-year low.

There were 375 Canadians (52.3 percent) on opening-night rosters compared to 380 (53.2 percent) a year ago. This marked the fourth consecutive year of decline, according to the NHL.

There were 101 American-born players this year compared to 107 (15 percent) last season. Not since 1984, when 13.2 percent of players were Americans, has the U.S. percentage been so low.

The news gets worse.

The number of Europeans is up for the 12th consecutive year. There were 241 Europeans (33.6 percent) on opening-night rosters, compared to 227 (31.8 percent) a year ago.

Twenty years ago, the NHL was 81.8 percent Canadian, 10 percent American and 8.2 percent European.

Of course, 20 years ago, the name Mario Lemieux meant nothing here, Pitt and Penn State were national college football powers, and Britney Spears hadn't been born yet.

Imagine that. A time when Pitt and Penn State were national college football powers. Wow!

Don't stop until you get enough

It started in 1962, when Lou Saban arrived in Buffalo, N.Y., to coach the Bills. By '64, the Bills were 12-2 and AFL champions. The next season, they went 10-3-1 and successfully defended their title.

Saban then left to coach college football at Maryland. But he returned to his beloved Bills in 1971 -- as a measure of thanks, he was handed a 1-13 team -- and he went on to coax a 2,000-yard rushing season from some guy named O.J. Simspon. By '73, the Bills were 9-5, and Simpson was a hero.

Obviously, Saban knew what he was doing.

Now, maybe he can shed some light on what his former running back was doing June 12, 1994.

Saban, whose pro football career coaching record is 97-101-7, was named interim head coach at Division III Chowan. He is 80.

He replaces Steve Lee, the athletic director/coach who resigned Monday from the responsibilities of the latter position. Lee's record was 13-20, including a 1-4 mark this season.

Bringing Saban on in an interim basis is a smart move. Players can gain invaluable experience learning from Saban, who has coached three professional teams and ran five college programs. Plus, he's proven capable of turning bad teams into winners.

But if we're a Chowan player right now, the first question we ask our new coach would have nothing to do with football.

Uh, Coach. About O.J. ...

He's a swimmer

Australian swimming star Ian Thorpe has signed new endorsement contracts worth about $5 million, including a three-year deal with Japanese television network Asahi.

A spokesman for TV Asahi in Tokyo said Thorpe's deal would run through the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Thorpe has also signed with Adidas International to appear in international advertising campaigns until 2005.

Good for him.

Now, who is Ian Thorpe again?

Fast track to nowhere

About 100 international speed skaters have canceled plans to train at the Utah Olympic Oval since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"It really isn't fear, it's just the inconvenience," said Christa Taylor, Oval community and athlete relations supervisor. "The risk of getting stuck in [an airport] when you're a speed skater is a little bit dicey."

Yeah, speed skaters are who all the fuss is about.

It's smells by Lake Erie

From Art Thiel, of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Next time the invitation list is made up, don't invite the Cleveland Indians. They spoil a party like unbathed relatives who insist on pan-flute music."

They're from Cleveland. What did he expect?

Oh, by the way ...

A Halloween costume suggestion for the kids: Go as Jeff Bagwell or Craig Biggio, who have been cleverly disguising themselves as Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla every time the Astros reach the playoffs.

Rob Rossi can be reached at rrossi@post-gazette.com.