OF MANY THINGS: CLARK IS THE GOAT -- UNQUESTIONABLY

 Whether she wins a championship or not … CAITLIN CLARK is the GOAT of women’s basketball, it says here. Never mind she is the all-time scorer. The Iowa guard is the best all-round the memory man has ever seen … Check her out sometime. Clark scores from anywhere on the floor ... and she is a ball-handler deluxe ... Nebraska, at times, had her surrounded by three players, and she still found an open teammate … Sad to say … according to JASON WHITLOCK, Clark will not be welcomed in the WNBA, regardless of team that drafts her. “She has a boyfriend,” he said. “She’s too straight.” Think about it … You’ve got to believe Clark, 22, has … and while she reportedly hasn’t made a decision – to stay for a final season of college eligibility, or go pro – her NIL payoff as a Hawkeye is an estimated $818,000 (and climbing) while top WNBA contracts top out at about $250,000. 

Whitlock, by the way, is a rarity among TV types, sports or 

otherwise. He’s a black conservative … who exposed

 STEPHEN A. SMITH for what he really is … a loudmouth 

phony and bottom-line liar.

Smith, who delights in calling himself (and being called) “the 

face of ESPN,” like it’s something to brag about, made the 

mistake of calling Whitlock names like “fat bas—rd” and 

saying he is jealous of Smith who makes outrageous (for his 

talent) money at the World Wide Leader (no more).

Whitlock, now proprietor of “Fearless” on Blaze TV 

streaming service, countered by pointing out many lies Smith 

included about himself in his new book. Among the worst was 

Smith’s claim he attended Winston-Salem State on a full 

basketball scholarship … despite having a less than stellar 

high school and later junior college career. Whitlock talked to 

former teammates of Smith.

There was a lot more … available on YouTube. Smith, who 

went on a long rant what a bad person Whitlock is, insisting 

no one liked him, clearly emerged overmatched.

Smith gave Whitlock more ammunition last week when he 

denied being injured by Dallas linebacker MICAH 

PARSONS during practice for a celebrity game during NBA 

all-star weekend. According to reports, he was taken to a 

hospital but released.

Smith called ESPN’s MOLLY QERIM a “pathological liar” 

and said he slipped on a wet spot on the floor … that Parsons 

had nothing to do with it.

….. RUSSELL WILSON to Steelers? R. Wilson to the NY 

Jets? While we’re at it … why not your Washington Football 

Team?

….. Speaking of players born and raised in Richmond … ZAC 

JONES has been listed among three New York Rangers likely 

to be traded before the NHL’s March 8 deadline. The 23 year 

old defenseman has appeared in only 17 of the Metropolitan 

Division leader’s 57 games. He last played Feb. 5, a 2-1 

victory over Colorado ... the second game in a current eight-

game winning streak … The Rangers can’t send Jones to AHL 

Hartford without first going through waivers … and they 

know he will be taken by one of several teams that need 

defense badly – and/or could use him as point man on the 

power play … which he was with considerable success the 

past two years with Hartford … Meanwhile, the 5-11, 185 

pounder sits in the press box, a healthy scratch, and counts his 

money – a guaranteed $825,000 … Also listed as potential 

trade bait are winger KAAPO KAKKO and center

BARCLAY GOODROW. The latter, however, has a contract 

that includes a no-trade list of 15 teams ... Latest of many non-

stop rumors has Rangers interested in Seattle’s ALEX 

WENNBERG, 29, as a third-line center ... JONNY 

BRODZINSKI, currently NY’s No. 3, Wednesday signed a 

two-year contract worth $787,500 annually.

Until next time ...