71.   Perhaps to rationalize their lucrative contract offer to Sprewell, the Knicks have to ignore a pattern of misbehavior established by Sprewell.

72.   Provided the knees hold up to the rubber hammer test, Sinden will make The Planet a contract offer.

73.   Restricted free agents Darren Hambrick, Michael Myers and Izell Reese have yet to sign contract offers.

74.   Rosa, who spent most of last season at minor-league Long Beach, rejected a contract offer from the club this summer and is expected to play in Europe.

75.   Second baseman Mark Lemke is a free agent without a contract offer.

76.   Rusconi last week turned down a five-year contract offer from Buckler Bologna.

77.   Should another team bid for them, their former teams have the right to keep them by matching the contract offer.

78.   So he tried to downplay taking on the Los Angeles Clippers, despite spurning their contract offer to return.

79.   Smith said of Murphy, who had not fielded any contract offers before the Rangers allowed him to accompany them to New York on Sunday night.

80.   Some union members are upset because their peers at other Regional Bell phone companies received what they consider to be better contract offers, he said.