51.   The Dolphins played three replacement games before the strike was settled.

52.   The fact that hardly anyone is watching the replacement games only proves their point.

53.   The fans also sent a fairly positive message to the owners when asked if they would watch replacement games on television.

54.   The first replacement game appeared to be on the verge of being postponed.

55.   The last opinion poll showed a slim majority would attend replacement games.

56.   The latest that popped up Wednesday was that Phil Niekro had signed to play replacement games with the Atlanta Braves.

57.   The owners have not indicated if they would play replacement games for three weeks while the returning players got in shape if that scenario developed.

58.   The person to cheer, he said, is Cal Ripken Jr., whose consecutive-game streak could end with the first replacement game.

59.   The request to play in replacement exhibition games has never been made, according to Derek Jeter, so he has not needed to respond.

60.   The union expressed to us in Milwaukee that there was a window of opportunity here before the replacement games began.