Morning briefing

Hiroshi Hoketsu, who will be 67 next month, will compete for Japan as an equestrian rider in the Beijing Olympics.

Hoketsu also competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, placing 40th in show jumping.

To put this into perspective, only a year earlier “Mr. Ed” won a Golden Globe award for Best TV Show.

Don’t put him out to pasture yet

If Mr. Ed were still alive even he’d agree -- or at least he’d tell Wilbur -- that Hoketsu deserves some kind of medal, though he probably won’t earn an Olympic one.

Trivia time

Who was the oldest person to compete in an Olympics?

Care-less Kobe

ESPN.com’s J.A. Adande asked 15 NBA All-Stars whom they’d like to see earn a championship ring, besides themselves.

The winner: Boston’s Kevin Garnett with six votes, one ahead of Phoenix’s Steve Nash.

Abstaining: The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, who responded, “If it ain’t us, I don’t care.”

Love songs

Adande: “It didn’t surprise me that the winner was Kevin Garnett. He is beloved and respected around the league. But I wasn’t prepared for such a slim margin of victory or the identity of the runner-up: Steve Nash.

“You don’t see people rushing to say they are big fans of his, much the same way people don’t voluntarily say they love Lionel Richie songs, but they definitely don’t change the radio station when he comes on.”

Said Nash: “I didn’t know they cared.”

Base brawling

Baseball’s Mets and Phillies, who don’t play each other in a regular-season game until April 8, are already trash-talking.

It may just be beanball-induced anger simmering from last season. Or comments relayed recently by ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark to the Mets regarding claims by Phillies players that punches could be thrown.

In any event, Mets Manager Willie Randolph welcomes the development, telling the New York Post: “That’s how you build a rivalry. That’s really how it goes.”

Nice lesson for the youngsters.

He’s a Tiger

Detroit’s Gary Sheffield, on a spat with agent Scott Boras regarding ongoing litigation pertaining to money Boras believes he’s owed: “It’s going to be the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen because certain people you don’t mess with. And I guarantee you, I’m one of them.”

Stern prediction

NBA Commissioner David Stern insists the league does not have an image problem. But he’s also a realist, telling ESPN magazine:

“Look, we know full well things are going to happen. In our demographic, young men 19-35, you’re going to have an incident or two with the confluence of cars, alcohol and strip clubs.

“And nothing good happens -- in any sport with any player -- at a strip club at 3:30 in the morning.”

Certain players might argue otherwise.

SubparSonics

Art Thiel of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, comparing recent acquisitions by the SuperSonics to “endless driftwood” the city is famous for:

“Washed upon our shores in the past two days are Brent Barry, Francisco Elson, Donyell Marshall, Ira Newble and Adrian Griffin. The starting five from Splinter Beach.”

Trivia answer

Oscar Swahn, a Swedish shooter, who won a sixth medal at the 1920 Antwerp Games at the age of 72 years 280 days.

And finally

Reacting to the announcement that Nick Creme, inventor of the rubber fishing worm, would be inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times wrote:

“Somehow failing to get the necessary votes yet again: Big Mouth Billy Bass.”

pete.thomas@latimes.com