I am actually looking forward to the NBA season this year. After a few years of apathy, I think the NBA can finally be an exciting league again, even if parity is still an issue.

Obviously, the big change between last year and this year is the return of Michael Jordan. There are so many possible storylines surrounding him that this season could be interesting-and for many will be-even if they only follow him and his return to the game. Who really knows how he will do in the regular season. Will he be the greatest player ever to lace up a pair of Nikes, as he has been for most of his career? Or will he be a star, but not because of his play? Personally, I don't think that he will fail by any reasonable fan's standards, but he may not live up to the standard of excellence that he has set for himself.

And it should also be a great season for conspiracy theorists all over the country. What if Jordan gets traded in midseason for some combination of young stars? Jordan could add the veteran leadership and playing capabilities that could push a team over the top and win a title, but imagine the amount of controversy this would create. Since Jordan was the president and general manager of the Wizards last year, many would believe that it was Jordan himself who authored the trade. After he then played out the two years that he currently plans on playing, Jordan would return to his old post with the Wizards. In effect, he would have authored the trade, won a ring or two more himself, and then returned to a team that was now much better off for the long haul with the inclusion of the young talent that the team acquired for him. I know this may sound odd, but just think about the possibilities.

And there are many other subplots that could play out this season around Jordan, though his return will clearly be the focus of this season. The league has changed greatly in the three years since Jordan "retired," and it will be interesting to see if these changes continue to hold. The Western Conference has become the dominating force in basketball. In the '80s there was a better balance of power, but it was the Eastern Conference that dominated more often than not. Sure, the Lakers won often in the decade, but the Celtics, Pistons and 76ers were easily their equals. In the last few years any semblance of balance has been thrown out the window. Last year's eighth-place team in the West, Minnesota, finished the regular season with 47 wins, a full six wins better than the eighth-place team in the East. And of course, the last three titles have been won by western teams, one by the Spurs and two by the Lakers.

The continued emergence of some of the young stars in the game should also provide an interesting subplot. After Jordan retired, there was a rush to name some player "the next Jordan." Well, no one really filled that title, but there are still many that have risen from obscurity to superstardom in the last three years. Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady are at the top of the list, and all of them will be key components of their team's success, or thereof, this season.

Finally, the NBA can revert back to their old slogan-"The NBA, It's Faaantastic" (just imagine Marv Albert saying it)-because this looks like it will be a great regular season. The NBA may have more problems in the future-Jordan can't play forever-but for right now they are doing just fine.

Terry's trials and tribulations

Is Terry Glenn really this strange? After his most recent actions, I am beginning to believe that he is.

Glenn's most recent incident came when he refused to work out on a stairmaster machine after a workout, something that he has been mandated to do in order to improve the condition of his balky hamstring. Now I don't personally know about the effectiveness of this workout regimen, but I do know that it was suggested by the Patriots' trainers and physical therapy staff, and they have a far greater understanding of these matters than I do. I would expect that Glenn would be doing everything possible to get back on the playing field, but on further review, this new development is consistent with his previous actions.

In the preseason this year Glenn was suspended by the team for the duration of the regular season, and his $9 million dollar signing bonus was revoked. This fine and suspension came about after Glenn skipped over a week of practice after he was told that he would have to miss the first four games of the season due to violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy. Glenn supposedly has failed numerous drug tests, none for performance- enhancing drugs, and his seriousness as a player is certainly in question.

This season has clearly been a loss for him, and I have to wonder if he will ever be able to become a productive wide receiver in the NFL again. He has become, as Lawyer Milloy said, a "cancer" on the Patriots, and it would be best to give him a new start on some other team. He cannot turn into the Carl Everett of the Patriots, and he has started to. Maybe the XFL was his type of league.

Doin' The Right Thing

With last night being a very special night for the city of New York-with game three of the World Series being played in Yankee Stadium and Jordan's first game back being held in Madison Square Garden-I just wanted to mention a very special action that was made by an anonymous donor to the relief efforts being made in the aftermath of Sept. 11.

Spike Lee is one of the most ardent sports fans out there. He has held a pair of courtside season tickets for New York Knicks games for years, and his support for the team has been unwavering. His trash-talking battles with Reggie Miller are legendary, and it would be quite an experience to sit next to him at a game.

Well, that opportunity has arisen, due to the generosity of Lee, his wife and an anonymous donor. For this first game of the season Lee and his wife, who usually occupies the seat next to him, donated one of the tickets they hold to an online auction that would benefit various charities. The ticket, which is valued at $1,600, was originally expected to sell for 10 times as much, but it sold for a much higher price.

An anonymous bidder ended up buying the ticket for a whopping $101,300. And not only did the bidder pay this exorbitant sum, he is not going to be using it himself. He then donated the ticket to the firefighters' children and wives charity, and one of the children who lost their father or mother in this tragedy was chosen to sit alongside Lee at last night's game.

I commend this anonymous bidder for his generosity and because they have not used it as a public relations ploy. Instead they have made a clear statement about the willingness of this country to bounce back, and in the process they made a very special night for one of the many children that has suffered so much in recent weeks.