Leave it to Davis to Shake up the NFL

Leave it to Los Angeles Raiders owner Al Davis to shake up the National Foot-ball League again.

Tuesday, Davis announced that for-mer Raider great Art Shell will be the team's new coach, replacing Mike Shanahan. Shell is the first Black head Coach in the 64-year modern history of the NFL.

The moment was indeed an historic one. Perhaps the NFL will finally get the clue that Blacks are just as qualified to coach as whites. But, as The Globe's Will McDonough so aptly wrote, "Art Shell is the first black head coach in the National Football League because he is a Raider..."

Sure, Davis could have publicized the hiring as one of the most important moments in the history of the NFL. He didn't, however. The flamboyant owner hired Shell because he was one of the baddest players to ever play for him. In other words, he was a Raider.

Perhaps Shell's coaching inexperience will hurt him. Davis doesn't care for now. He just wants one of his own back. Someone who knows how to win.

Art Shell is a winner. That fact is not determined by the color of his skin.

The top 10 questions to ask Oakland A's slugger Jose Canseco on his new "Ask Jose" hotline:

10. "Will the recent exodus of East Germans to the West strain Warsaw Pact Relations?"

9. "I really like this woman, but she won't even notice me. Is it me? Should I use steroids to bulk up? Help me. Jose, please help me."

8. "Why did Fred Flintstone always wear the same outfit? Was he some kind of slob who never bathed?"

7. "Do you prefer Mozart or Vivaldion a rainy Saturday afternoon?"

6. "If I'm inviting 10 or more people to my house for dinner, would you recommend a dry red wine with a grilled fish Marsailles?"

5. "I find Homer to be most perplexing. Could you explain the tension between Achilles and Apollo?"

4. "I'm a registered Democrat from New York. Do you think I'm straying away from the party line if I vote for Rudolph Giuliani?"

3. "How do you say 'I would like a cold beer' in Latin?"

2. "Can I call you Joey?"

1. "Who thought of this personal phone service, Jose? Rupert Murdoch?"

I didn't celebrate the Cubs' pennant until the season was over. Just wanted to be real sure.

Clarkson's Jarmo Kekalainen, probably one of the only ECAC hockey players who could catch up to Lane MacDonald last year, will start for the Bruins tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Looks like the B's plan to be more of a skating team this year. Whoa.

The Mets released Gary Carter and Keith Hernandez this week. Three years ago, the two helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series. Maybe the Mets are really becoming the Yankees.

Well, not really. This week, Yankee outfielder Luis Polonia was given a two-month sentence for having sex with a minor. Once again, George's boys have managed to steal the headlines. The front page of Tuesday's New York Post read: "Jail Bait." Love that classy tabloid journalism.

Rickey Henderson is playing like a player possessed for the Oakland A's. Is this the same guy who would jog for fly balls in Yankee Stadium?

Jimmy Johnson probably wishes he was still back in Miami. The Hurricanes are the second-ranked team in the nation, while the Cowboys have given up the most points in the NFL, have scored the least points and haven't won a game yet. To add insult to injury, the Green Bay Packers are favored to beat Dallas this weekend.

Bring back the NBA. Now.