Diaz still has drive to succeed

David Diaz is the WBC lightweight champion of the world. But success apparently hasn't gone to his head. Yet.

Diaz, who is scheduled to defend his 135-pound title June 28 against Manny Pacquiao at Mandalay Bay, told reporters Tuesday he's still driving around his hometown of Chicago in a 1991 Honda that has no air conditioning.

"I just don't have the money yet," Diaz said when asked why he hasn't upgraded his ride. "Hopefully, after this fight, after this victory, we'll be able to afford something better."

Diaz remembered when he had no wheels at all and had to rely on public transportation to get around town.

"One time, me and my dad were in Chicago waiting for the bus and we really had a lot of snow coming down," he said. "After 10 minutes of waiting outside, I told my dad, 'Hey, the bus isn't coming. Let's get out of here.' And he said, 'Let's just give it five minutes. If in five minutes the bus doesn't show up, then we can leave.'

"Lo and behold, before five minutes were up, that damn bus came by and we had to get on that bus, then go to the other line to wait for the other bus for half an hour."

• TRIAL RUN WORKED -- The Boston Celtics' victory parade Thursday must have looked familiar to Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

"The Big Three" joined coach Doc Rivers last fall for one of the "Duck Boat" tours that goes through Boston streets, many of which were on the parade route. Rivers wanted them to visualize what it would be like to ride through the streets as champions.

"I had been sitting in that apartment watching the freaking duck tours where the Red Sox go on them and Patriots have been on them, and I just thought it was important for the Celtics, those three guys, because through them you can sell it to the team," Rivers said. "I just thought it was important that they saw the route. Paul knew about it. Paul has been in Boston for so long, but Kevin and Ray, I think they thought we were going on a historic trip of Boston.

"I don't think they really got it at first until we explained to them what we were doing. It was a fun trip. I'm glad we did it."

• RUSSERT REMEMBERED -- It's a well-known fact that Tim Russert was one of the Buffalo Bills' biggest fans, having grown up with the team since its inception in the old American Football League in 1960.

Russert, the longtime host of NBC's "Meet The Press" who died on June 13 at age 58 from a heart attack, not only was a Bills' season-ticket holder, he also had season tickets to several other teams. For years, he had Baltimore Orioles season tickets. Then, when the Montreal Expos moved to Washington, D.C., in 2002, Russert became a Nationals' season-ticket holder.

He also had season tickets for the Buffalo Sabres, the Washington Wizards and the University of Maryland basketball team. Now that's a sports fan.

COMPILED BY STEVE CARP REVIEW-JOURNAL