Send Chicken to Musburger c/o ABC Sports, Havana, Cuba

Brent Musburger, perhaps under the impression that it’s the Ugly American Broadcasting Co. he works for, says he is upset at conditions in Cuba during the Pan American Games.

“There are tremendous shortages of food,” he told USA Today’s Rudy Martzke. “Why, our hotel ran out of chicken after yesterday. Come on, after only three days?

“These hotels haven’t changed since the 1960s. They have the same creaky doors on the pink bathtubs. You look out a window and see a ’51 Chevy going by. And you take your chances on whether or not you’ll get hot water in the shower.

“One of the nice things is that you can move around easily. But that’s because there is no gas for the cars. The only thing missing at night is the air-raid sirens.”

Add Brent: Crossing over to political commentary, he told Martzke:

“(Fidel) Castro has a personal vindictive thing with the U.S. government. Some say relations won’t change until he’s gone--and he’s a healthy 65. But there’s so much pressure on him because of the economy that there’s a chance change could take place and the doors would open.”

Oh.

Trivia time: In 1975, when John Wooden won his last title, UCLA met Louisville in the NCAA semifinals. A Cardinal who hadn’t missed a free throw all season had a chance to put Louisville three points ahead with 20 seconds left but missed the first of a one-and-one. Name him.

Golden Bore: When Payne Stewart advised against choosing Jack Nicklaus for the Ryder Cup team, he said it was because Nicklaus, 51, might not be able to play 36 holes.

The Washington Post’s Tom Callahan said Stewart was merely being polite.

Wrote Callahan: “Stewart and a number of his contemporaries have great regard but little affection for Nicklaus, whose nickname on tour is ‘Karnak.’ The younger players giggle among themselves that like the turbaned swami of the “Tonight Show,” Jack knows everything.

“In fact, according to Ryder captain David Stockton, one 31-year-old Ryder Cupper already has passed the word that he would not care to be paired with Nicklaus.”

Oops: The San Diego Padres, who have used Jim Presley, Scott Coolbaugh, Marty Barrett, Garry Templeton, Tim Teufel and Jack Howell at third base, had a chance at the Atlanta Braves’ Terry Pendleton, a former Gold Glove winner, now among the top National League hitters.

Pendleton, a free agent leaving the Cardinals, lives in Oxnard and contacted the Padres last winter.

“What they told me,” Pendleton said, “was, ‘Yes, we’re looking for a third baseman. No, you’re not the third baseman we’re looking for.’ ”

Said San Diego General Manager Joe McIlvaine: “How can you figure something like that? His numbers never indicated he’d do this. I’m very surprised.”

Trivia answer: Terry Howard. He was 28 for 28 before he missed.

Quotebook: Boston Globe columnist Mike Barnicle: “Baseball is not a life-and-death matter, but the Red Sox are.”