THE KIDS TODAY JUST DON’T GET THE CREDIT THEY DESERVE NOIS blog today points out a recent survey from research company TRU that asked black teens who their favorite athlete was.

In the results, Michael Vick was named by black teens as their favorite NFL player, and in overall popularity, Vick ranked ahead of Tiger Woods, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Reggie Bush, Peyton Manning and Tim Duncan.Again, the survey was given AFTER Vick admitted to abusing dogs. The TRU number-crunchers then opine on the results: “Another explanation for Vick’s relative popularity among black teens lies in the fact that survey data show that significantly fewer African-American teens pass judgment on star athletes under suspicion of wrongdoing.”

If that wasn’t the case, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be cardboard camping under a freeway somewhere in the South Bronx.

SI.com compiles a list of "the most yawn-inducing superstars in sports and their favorite cliches":

1) Tim Duncan: "I’m very excited that we are in the Western Conference Finals again." 2) Tiger Woods: "Well, I’m just out here playing. I’m trying to get my ball in the right position. That’s what I focus on." 3) Kurt Warner: "It really is no issue. People want to make it an issue. That’s fine. That’s what they do. That’s their job. So be it. I’m not going to comment on any of that stuff." 4) Bernie Williams: "I try to attack the pitches that I can handle. I try not to go away from my zone. That’s my basic philosophy of hitting." 5) Jeff Gordon: "I know I’m not perfect. Now, if people find out I’m not, it’s not the end of the world."6) Mia Hamm: "At a very young age, my parents were incredibly supportive." 7) Pete Sampras: "I’m going to watch some of Wimbledon on TV. I’ll be curious." Joe Sakic: "You just want to make sure you try and score and not embarrass yourself out there."

If you still haven’t reached your cliche quotient, try this.

©
- JUNE 4, 2003

Cubs pitcher Shawn Estes uncorked this comment on Sammy Sosa - as heard on ESPN Radio last night: "Kerry Wood and I were more worried about what type of vintage cork he had in his bat. … We were predicting that he had a ‘94 Cabernet in there, but we couldn’t get a piece of it."

REQUIEM FOR BIG SHOT BOB, CONT’D: As noted by PK.com Monday, this from Slate.com, on Friday:

“[Robert] Horry’s reputation as a great team player is a bit of a mix-up. It’s more accurate to say he’s been the teammate of great players: Hakeem Olajuwon in Houston, Shaquille O’Neal in Los Angeles, and Tim Duncan in San Antonio. Horry has made his career coasting on other player’s coattails. He’s 6-feet-10, yet he lets his teammates scrap in the paint for offensive rebounds while he hovers vulturelike at the three-point line. On offense, he’s incapable of creating an open shot for himself. Instead, he stands around waiting for the defense to double-team his superstar teammate, hoping for an open look.“

“Going scoreless for the first 35 minutes and 59 seconds of the game, Robert Horry -alias Big-shot Bob- scored 21 of the final 35 points for the Spurs, including the 3-point game-winner with 5.9 seconds left in overtime, to clinch a 96-95 victory in the Palace of Auburn Hills.“

Jim Reineking of Foxsports.com dredges up the ancient query: What if America’s best athletes played soccer? Reineking also feels the unnatural need to fill out a soccer roster, position by position, with current major league professional ballplayers. Surprisingly, Tim Duncan of the Spurs, who played soccer as a youth, and more importantly is one of the top divers in pro sports, didn’t make the roster.

The LOS ANGELES TIMES reports that billboards promoting TNT’s playoff coverage in San Antonio had previously featured Shaq.

But the five O’Neal advertisments "caused such a furor" that they have now been replaced with ones that feature an image of Tim Duncan.