On-Court Jesting Might Be Costly if Cheerleader’s Squawk Is Heeded

The Famous Chicken is in hot water for allegedly injuring a cheerleader for the Chicago Bulls.

A lawsuit has been filed against Ted Giannoulas, once known as the San Diego Chicken, by Kimberly A. Smith, charging that the feathered character injured her while interfering with her dance routine in Chicago.

The $1-million suit claims that Giannoulas broke Smith’s jaw and elbow when he tackled her and rolled on her at a Bulls game on Jan. 11. The suit also claims that Smith’s injuries have prevented her from performing since the incident.

Trivia time: What is the worst record in the history of the Rams’ franchise?

Add lawsuits: Thomas M. Machlay, a referee for professional wrestling, has filed a damage suit in Atlanta for injuries he suffered in 1989, claiming a bout failed to follow the script.

Machlay says in his suit that a wrestler known as Wildfire Tommy Rich mistakenly tripped him at the same time that the ring lights blinked out. The referee claims he stumbled into the ring ropes, suffering spinal and other injuries.

Take that!During Wednesday’s City 3-A high school football playoff game between Roosevelt and Marshall, Roosevelt’s center refused to snap the ball. It seems that a Marshall player spat on it, incurring a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for his team.

Roosevelt won, 21-13.

Up and away: Australian Luc Longley, who last week finally ended his holdout and signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, was asked by an Australian TV crew if he had any messages “for your mates Down Under.”

“Tell them to get a 6-10 father and a 6-4 mother and head to America as quickly as possible,” he said.

An observation: Lou Boudreau, former baseball great, on jockeys: “I think they’re great athletes. It’s a tremendous job to control a horse at full speed.”

Tales of Isiah: In the December issue of Esquire, Mike Lupica predicts that Detroit Piston star Isiah Thomas will join the U.S. bobsled team:

“Rebuffed in his attempt to make the Olympic basketball team (and his subsequent application for citizenship in Latvia), Thomas joins Willie Gault, Edwin Moses and Herschel Walker in Albertville, France, where he steers them to a second-place finish in the bobsled competition.

“Heartbroken by the near miss, he storms off the floor during the medal ceremony, taking his teammates with him.”

Trivia answer: The Rams were 1-12-1 in 1962, beating only the San Francisco 49ers, 28-14.

Quotebook: Dick Butkus on his pro football career: “I never set out to hurt anyone deliberately . . . unless, it was, you know, important, like a league game, or something.”