ASSORTED STUFF ... LIKE TAPPEN'S BACK ... AZINGER IS GONE

 You should always start with good news – if possible – so here goes … KATHRYN TAPPEN is returning to the NHL Network starting Wednesday (March 6) on the 4 p.m., “NHL Now.” … Tappen is to hockey on TV what REBECCA LOWE is to soccer … Tappen has been doing assorted things for Fox, including sideline reporter on college football … a monstrous waste of time for someone of her talent … for the past three years … Apparently she left covering “the sport I really love” lured by the promise of more money three years ago. So much for another example of “the grass is always greener ...”

On the way out as NBC’s lead golf analyst, PAUL 

AZINGERrecommended … CHARLES BARKLEY ... to 

replace him. Maybe the Peacock knew what it was doing, 

after all, not renewing Azinger’ contract apparently because 

he wanted too much money after five years on the job … 

About Barkley, former basketball star now NBA-on-TNT’s 

most visible panelist, Anzinger reasoned who better to 

understand the pressure all pro athletes face? … Of course, 

there is zero chance NBC will hire Barkley … at least to do 

golf which still prides itself on civility and hushed tones … 

neither of which are Barkley, who is an expert at drawing 

attention to himself … and doing it in controversial fashion.

Retired Syracuse U., basketball coach JIM BOEHEIM, 79, 

said he would like to punch ESPN’s JAY WILLIAMS, 42,for 

saying CAITLIN CLARK isn’t GREAT until she wins a 

championship. “How do some of these people get a job?” 

Boeheim asked … Better he should wonder why the media is 

making so much of Iowa’s GOAT beating PETE 

MARAVICH’S all-time scoring mark? Or, better yet, why 

was he such a slug during his long coaching career? What a 

jerk! Boeheim always looked like he smelled something bad. 

Come to think of it …

Speaking of Clark … a correction is due here … We were 

wrong saying she would make more money staying at Iowa 

for a final year of eligibility than leaving early for the WNBA 

… It turns out she doesn’t get a NIL penny from the 

Hawkeyes. No, the estimated $880,000 (and growing) Clark is 

paid annually comes directly from national sources who aren’t 

about to drop her now. Add to that $250,000 or thereabouts 

she will make to play pro hoops ...