He Can Do Without These Tough Reviews

In the past week, Denver newspapers have contained references to Bronco quarterback John Elway’s supposedly frugal tipping practices at restaurants and his inclination to have a few beers at local watering holes.

Elway said he objected strenuously to the public examination of his private life.

“Things get written that are untrue--what I give out for Halloween, that sort of stuff,” he said. “The bottom line is I want to be able to go have a drink somewhere--whether it’s a Coca-Cola or a Coors Light--and my daughters should be able to go trick-or-treating. It gets old.

“Because of my position here, I try to be a role model. It’s frustrating that people keep trying to find fault in John Elway.”

Curtain call: North Carolina State basketball Coach Jim Valvano, known for his one-liners and entertaining courtside antics, brushed aside critics who said he’d gone show-biz after his team won the NCAA title in 1983.

“When I was in grade school, I used to go to every class and tell two jokes, imitating Jimmy Durante. Hey, I’ve been making people laugh since I was in the third grade.”

Trivia time: Who are the only two active NBA players that began their careers in the American Basketball Assn.?

Special delivery: The Miami Hurricanes’ first defeat of the season and second in 50 regular-season games has been reflected in Coach Dennis Erickson’s mail this week.

“There haven’t been any checks,” said Erickson, whose Hurricanes lost to Florida State, 24-10, last week. “It’s ugly, but that’s all right. . . . I’m not going to resign.”

Room not to improve: David Aldridge of the Washington Post wrote that the Phoenix Suns, coming off last season’s 27-game improvement and NBA Western Conference final appearance, have to carry the burden of expected greatness, just as the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks had done at this time last season.

“I hope nobody expects us to improve 27 more games,” Sun Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons said. “That would make us 82-0. That might be a little difficult.”

Hotline: Indiana basketball Coach Bobby Knight gave his private phone number to star recruit Lawrence Funderburke with specific instructions. He told Funderburke that President George Bush was the only other person who had the number, so “if you call and it’s busy, you know it’s important.”

Trivia answer: Moses Malone of Atlanta and Caldwell Jones of San Antonio.

Quotebook: Mick Vukota of the New York Islanders, after his first three-goal hat trick: “I thought I was going to faint after the third one. . . . My knees were shaky. I just thought I’d keep going off the ice and have a break. . . . I was in shock.”