Veni, Vidi, Venus

Bob Martin

Were it any other 19-year-old on the cusp of athletic greatness, we'd have chuckled and perished the thought. But when rumors spread this spring that Venus Williams was considering retirement, the sports world took note.

Not only has Venus, suffering chronic tendinitis in her wrists, been away from tennis since last November, she has also repeatedly shown as much disdain for convention as she has for losing matches. From refusing to wear the WTA tour's sponsor patch to enrolling in fashion school just as her tennis career was peaking, Venus plays by her own rules. It's a family trait. Loquacious dad Richard Williams only fueled speculation. "I would like to see her retire now," he said at the Ericsson Open in March.

Perhaps. Or perhaps, like his claim that he would buy Rockefeller Center for $3 billion, he's pulling our leg. Venus may take an extended hiatus, but count on this: She'll be back. First, she stands to lose too much money in endorsement deals that are predicated on her playing. More important, for all her manifold interests, tennis is what she does best. Just as Michael Jordan came back to basketball after his dalliance with baseball, Venus will return to her true calling -- whacking the felt off a fuzzy, yellow ball.

-- L. Jon Wertheim

Ray of Light

He's held his own with Denzel and Shaq, but all Bucks star Ray Allen wants is a tee time and a date with the WNBA

Bob Rosato

What word defines you?

Smooth.

Which female athlete would you trade places with for a day, and why?

Allison Feaster. She was the female high school player of the year in South Carolina when I was the male player of the year [1993]. Then she went on to Harvard and got drafted by the WNBA's L.A. Sparks. She's got a degree from Harvard, so she doesn't have to play basketball. She has the best of both worlds.

What's the one thing in sports you wish you could do?

I wish I could be on the PGA Tour and in the NBA at the same time.

Which athlete do you admire most, and why?

Michael Jordan. We all know what a superb athlete he is, but he changed the face of the NBA by crossing over into the business world. He has proven there is life after basketball and that you have to plan for it.

What bothers you most about sports?

The attitudes, like, We're God's gift to everybody. Athletes should understand that playing professionally is a privilege, not a right. Because they're in the spotlight, some athletes treat people badly.

Who is the sexiest female athlete alive?

The Mystics' Nikki McCray.

What three things would you need on a desert island?

A woman, a house and a horse.

Who or what would you like to be in your next life?

The best golfer to ever come on the scene.

Most embarrassing moment in sports?

At the tip-off of a game in high school, my guy tipped me the ball and I went the wrong way. I did the funkiest dunk, and I was expecting cheers, but nobody cheered. Everybody just looked at me strange. We laughed about it afterward, but it was embarrassing.

Favorite sports movie of all time?

He Got Game [in which Allen co-starred].

Male athletes are...?

Some of the best-trained specimens in the world, when you see them at the professional level.

Female athletes are...?

Exciting to watch. It's great to see women excel at a high level.

Your perfect sports day?

It's Sunday in the summertime. All the guys go to the gym to work out and shoot hoops. Then we play some five-on-five. After that we all have tee times. At the end of the day we go home and watch the WNBA on TV.

Dream Team

David E. Klutho

Alia Fischer had tears in her eyes and a basketball net around her neck. In the aftermath of Washington University's third straight Division III title and second consecutive perfect season, Fischer, a 6'2" senior All-America center, was truly moved. "This championship has been so emotional with five seniors going out," she said after her team's 79-33 romp over Southern Maine in the NCAA Division III final. "It's going to be tough to leave, but I guess all good things have to come to an end."

Except WU's winning streak. The Bears have not lost a game since Feb. 15, 1998. That's 68 consecutive victories, the most for a women's college basketball team at any level. WU trails only the UCLA men -- who won 88 straight under legendary coach John Wooden between 1971 and '74 -- for college hoops honors.

The St. Louis-based school has a good chance of extending the streak into next season, thanks to junior forward Tasha Rodgers, an All-America candidate; and guard Sara Ettner, the team's top three-point shooter. So what would the great Wooden think if a D-III women's team eclipsed his hallowed mark? "I'd be happy for them," he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I like to see teams set records."

-- Trisha Lucey

 
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