This Cover-Up of Players Is NFL’s Idea

You probably thought Boston Herald reporter Lisa Olson, New England Patriot owner Victor Kiam, Cincinnati Bengal Coach Sam Wyche, USA Today reporter Denise Tom and every media outlet in the country were dealing with legal and social issues.

Incorrect.

They were helping the NFL market bathrobes.

Three weeks ago, Detroit Lion public relations director Bill Keenist sent a fax to the league office. Said Keenist: “I was just thinking out loud . . . and about two weeks later, I saw a memo come back saying they were providing the robes for all the teams.”

Rusty Hawley, director of communications for NFL Properties, said Friday that the company shipped 50 officially licensed bathrobes and matching wraparound towels, bearing the appropriate team insignia, to each of the 28 member clubs.

Add NFL marketing: Magazine advertising takes weeks and months to conceive, design and execute.

So the question arises: Did a certain soft drink company know something no one else knew when it put together an advertisement showing five identical photographs of Cincinnati Bengal quarterback Boomer Esiason, his helmet tilted back, drinking a bottle of the product?

Each photo is flanked by a caption:

“1st Down”

“2nd Down”

“3rd Down”

“4th Down”

“5th Down!”

Trivia time: Who is the only player to hit home runs in his first two World Series at-bats?

A.k.a., a.k.a: Muhammad Ali will be honorary grand marshal at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff homecoming parade Nov. 10.

Someone looked in an old yearbook and noticed that this will be the second time the former heavyweight champion has paid a visit. When he visited in the 1960s, his name was Cassius Clay. And the school was called Arkansas AM&N.;

Outta there: Take notes. At the turn of the century there will be a trivia quiz on the following “lasts” at Comiskey Park, when Chicago defeated Seattle, 2-1, on Sept. 30 in the last game played there:

Seattle’s Scott Bradley got the last hit. Chicago’s Frank Thomas scored the last run. Chicago’s Dan Pasqua had the last run batted in. And Jack McDowell got the last victory.

Tour de headache: Cyclist Greg LeMond, who won his second consecutive Tour de France in July, recently dropped out of the Tour de Ireland, complaining of an upset stomach. It was the third race in a row he failed to finish.

LeMond told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis: “I have had a hard year and things kind of caught up with me. I was tired physically from traveling and tired psychologically from trying to stay on form.”

And probably tired later in the week, after fighting with an autograph seeker at a disco. LeMond angered the fan by accidentally signing his name over that of Irish cycling star Sean Kelly. According to LeMond’s manager, Roger Legeay, there were no injuries and LeMond and the fan parted on friendly terms.

Trivia answer: Gene Tenace of the Oakland Athletics, against Cincinnati in Game 1 of the 1972 World Series.

Quotebook: Hall of Famer Johnny Bench, the former Cincinnati Red catcher and CBS radio’s commentator, responding to remarks about Pete Rose’s influence on the Reds’ presence in the World Series: “This is a Reds World Series, not a Pete Rose World Series. Tony Perez is here. Joe Morgan is here. Uh . . . I’m here.’ ”