What if the Hornets make the attendance benchmark and remain in New Orleans?

Not many signs point toward the Hornets averaging 15,000 fans over the next 1 1/2 years to bump their league-trailing attendance to the needed figure. Sustained on-court success, however, and a nice showing in the playoffs this season could create a spike in next season's crowd flow.

Hornets owner George Shinn cleverly added a provision to his lease that mandates his franchise average 14,735 fans from Dec. 1, 2007, through the end of next season or its free to walk The Seattle Sonics want to relocate to Oklahoma City, too. How it all plays out we aren't likely to know anytime soon. But here are some of the more likely scenarios sportswriter Darnell Mayberry of the Daily Oklahoman sees as possibilities:

"> Hornets miss the attendance benchmark and return to Oklahoma City for the 2009-10 season.

"Considering the Sonics' cloudy court case, this scenario isn't far fetched. What's unclear is how will the NBA act if the Board of Governors approves the the Sonics' relocation to Oklahoma City, but the courts then rule they must stay in Seattle until 2010? Shinn would also have to pay up to $100 million to move from New Orleans.

"> Hornets miss the attendance benchmark and move to Kansas City for the 2009-10 season.

"KC has to be a more likely  destination for the Hornets than Oklahoma City considering he Sonics' state of affairs. And the move would make sense since the shiny new Sprint Center is waiting on its first major tenant.

"> Hornets miss the attendance benchmark, move to Seattle for the 2009-10 season and the Sonics move to Oklahoma City for the same season.

"The Sonics could call Oklahoma City home in time for the 2009-10 season of their trial isn't expedited, but they receive a favorable ruling by the judge. It's unlikely that Shinn moves to Seattle and settles for the NBA's worst venue.

"> Hornets miss the attendance benchmark and Shinn sells the franchise to Sonics chairman Clay Bennett and Co. (Sonics owner), who the moves to OKC.

"Shinn is adamant about retaining his franchise, so he doesn't figure to sell anytime soon. And it doesn't appear that he's losing cash by the minutes as some predicted he would in New Orleans, which means he might be forced to sell.

"> Sonics stay in Seattle, Hornets stay in New Orleans. Las Vegas and OKC are awarded expansion franchises."

NBA commissioner David Stern has acknowledged that he is not interested in expansion in this country anyway. But Las Vegas is on the NBA's radar, as evidenced by its hosting of last year's All-Star Game, It figures to be only a matter of time before both cities host permanent NBA teams. Why not through expansion?

Insiders have said the league wants Shinn out of the NBA. They say that the NBA is not going to give the Seattle market to Shinn They would prefer Shinn sell to Bennett in OKC and have local ownership buy the Sonics in Seattle and to build a new arena.

The Hornets (25-12) trail Southwest Division leader Dallas (26-11) by a game and host Seattle (9-27) on Wednesday night in the Hive. Hornets point guard Chris Paul is is a throwback, but plays with the quickness of a new-age guy.

The Hornets are the most surprising team in the NBA this season and will compete for a playoff spot.Paul make it happen. Since the Hornets host the All-Star Game, he should be named to the All-Star roster so he can usher his NBA colleagues and the fans to the Big Easy. Paul should get the call.

THREE TIGERS NAMED TO ESPN'S ALL BOWL TEAM

Three LSU players have earned a spot on ESPN's All-Bowl Team for their efforts in the Tigers' 38-24 victory over Ohio State in the BCS national title game. Making the team for the Tigers were offensive guard Herman Johnson, defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and safety Harry Coleman.

Of offense, Johnson paved the way for a Tigers offense that rushed for 152 yards against an OSU defense that was allowing a nation's best 77.1 yards per game.

Defensively. Dorsey anchored a Tigers' front that sacked Buckeyes quarterback Todd Boeckman five times and forced OSC into three turnovers. Dorsey, playing healthy for the first time since early in the season. had five tackles, one sack, and forced a fumble.

Coleman, who made his mark mainly on special teams during the season, stepped in for an injured Craig Steltz and made an immediate impact. Playing the entire second half, Coleman had two tackles, recovered a fumble and returned it 14 yards and had a quarterback hurry that resulted in a touchdown.

Johnson and Coleman both return to LSU nest season, while Dorsey has completed his eligibility and will likely be among the top three picks in the NFL draft. this spring.

Matt Flynn and cornerback Johnathan Zenon will participate in the East-West Shrine Game on Saturday in Houston. Kickoff is 6 p.m. Flynn and Zenon will play for the East team and will be coached by Dick Vermeil.

Next week, five more Tigers will play in he Senior Bowl in Mobile: running back Jacob Hester, cornerback Chevis Jackson, linebacker Ali Highsmith and Steltz.

TARNISHED HEISMAN?

Off the typewriter...

That's the name of the book that came out this week concerning if Reggie Bush and his family really did receive at least $300,000 from Loyd Lake and another sports marketer while Bush was winning the Heisman Trophy at USC (don't call us Southern Cal). It's written by Don Yaeger, the former Sports Elevated reporter Don Yaeger, who seems to believe there's a strong

possibility Bush will lose his Heisman...Of all the strange things from the four division-round games, the strangest may have been watching Terrell Owens sob about the media taking unfair shots at Tony Romo ("my quarterback"). Wonder what Jessica Simpson thought about that?...Maybe one reason Jerry Jones looked so unhappy was that he knew the Giants had placed two tickets to the NFC Championship game in he locker of each Cowboy...

I'm looking forward to a Green Bay-New England Super Bowl. The AFC champ is currently a 13 1/2-point favorite over the NFC. This weekend, the Packers are 7-point favorites over the East Rutherford Giants and the Patriots are 14 1/2 point favorites over the Chargers. The wrong Manning reached the conference championship game. Sunday'  projected weather at Green Bay is sunny with a temperature high of 8 and a low of --2...If the Chargers beat the Pats, it is entirely possible the world will end afterward...Roger Clemens spoke for about 90 minutes last week to 2,000 high Texas high school coaches and got a standing ovation. He also took about 20 questions from the audience without mentioning steroids. If you think this is strange, keep in mind that it took place in Waco. Maybe Elvis doesn't belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. How do we know he didn't take performance-enhancing drugs?