He Wouldn’t Have Had a Ball While Confined to Crutches

Tight end Keith Jackson of the Miami Dolphins, who knows President Clinton from Arkansas, said he passed up an invitation to the inauguration.

Jackson blamed a sprained right ankle suffered in the AFC championship game defeat against Buffalo.

“I don’t want to be limping with a million people around,” said Jackson, who was walking with the aid of a crutch.

“I’ve known him since I was in high school,” Jackson said of Clinton. “This would have been my first inauguration. President Bush didn’t invite me. I don’t know why.”

Obviously an oversight.

Trivia time: How many former USC assistant football coaches have become head coaches in the NFL?

Face it: Dwight Jaynes of the Portland Oregonian, on the demeanor of UCLA Coach Jim Harrick during Saturday’s 79-73 loss to Oregon State: “Harrick--the guy’s name should be Harried--spent the whole game looking like someone who just missed his bus.

“Steaming, stomping and waving his arms--if frustration has a face, it has to look a lot like Jim Harrick’s.”

Applause, applause: With the addition of rookie center Shaquille O’Neal, the Orlando Magic ranks fifth in road attendance, after being 21st last season.

“I think fans come to see the marquee players,” O’Neal said. “I think fans say, ‘He’s big, he can run, he’s funny, he dives on the floor, he dunks with his right or his left hand and he’s got a lot of tricks in his bag.’

“If I was a fan, I’d come watch me play, too.”

Forgiving: Even though Scott Skiles of the Magic has been booed by fans at home, he is philosophical, adapting a well-used line from Leo Durocher: “Basketball is a lot like church. Many attend, but few understand.”

Net shock: After goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck of the New York Rangers faced 51 shots in a recent game, he was asked if he enjoyed seeing that many shots.

“Yes,” Vanbiesbrouck said, “and I also like jumping out of tall buildings.”

Crying paper: From Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle: “Late Sunday afternoon was crying time in the Bay Area, and Rob Davila spotted a display of tissue paper at Lucky’s in Lafayette with a sign that read: ‘49ers’ Fans Special.’ ”

Sick joke: Wimp Sanderson, before resigning as Alabama’s basketball coach, commented on his 32-year tenure at the school: “I’ve been here so long that when I got here the Dead Sea wasn’t even sick.”

Trivia answer: Six. Don Coryell, Wayne Fontes, Joe Gibbs, John McKay, John Robinson and Dave Wannstedt. Note: Al Davis, a former USC assistant coach, was a head coach of the Oakland Raiders of the AFL.

Quotebook: Third baseman Wade Boggs of the New York Yankees on why he did not feel any loyalty to the Boston Red Sox, his previous team: “You have pets for loyalty.”