1.   At least, if they had heeded the astute advice of a former Dallas sports page columnist.

2.   COLUMN-THIEL Seattle Post-Intelligencer sports columnist Art Thiel writes from the Mariners game, as the team tries to secure a playoff berth.

3.   COLUMN-THIEL Seattle Post-Intelligencer sports columnist Art Thiel writes on baseball labor talks.

4.   Even low-life sports columnists and talk-show nitwits could see the handwriting on the left field wall.

5.   L.A. sports columnist?

6.   Phoenix sports columnist David Casstevens came up with the perfect description of the Indians grinning mascot, Chief Wahoo.

7.   Terms for Times employees returning to work remained among the sticking points, said Ron Judd, a Guild spokesman and Times sports columnist.