He Might Not Be the King, but He Definitely Fits the Bill

Jim Kelly, a car-racing enthusiast, wears a leather jacket with Richard Petty’s autograph on the left sleeve. Kelly also owns a Petty car, the facade of which is mounted on a wall in his sports restaurant in Buffalo.

“Richard Petty is the king,” the Bills’ quarterback said, “but my favorite is Dale Earnhardt.”

Why’s that? asked Rich Cimini of Newsday.

“Because he takes chances and likes to have fun,” Kelly said with a devilish grin, knowing he had just described himself.

Trivia time: Has an NFL wild-card team ever won the Super Bowl?

Quick analysis: Pittsburgh columnist Bob Smizik, in commenting on the Vince Coleman-for-Kevin McReynolds trade, said this of McReynolds:

“You’ve heard of guys being called clubhouse lawyers. He’s an entire bar association.”

How dare you: Brazilian soccer star Zico faces a four-game suspension for unsportsmanlike behavior in last week’s Japan Professional Soccer League championship series.

Zico walked up and spit on the ball after it was being positioned for a penalty kick by the opposition.

Never too cold: When Arctic air settles down over portions of the country, sending ordinary people to huddle around their fireplaces, serious anglers hunker down over a hole in the ice.

When the annual winter ice fishing derby was held recently in Brainerd, Minn., a town of 12,000 people, the temperature hovered around minus-27 degrees. Nevertheless, 4,300 people showed up to fish.

Experience pays: Among motor racing’s champions of 1993 were Mel Kenyon, 61, winner of the Indianapolis Speedrome midget series, and Eddie Hill, 58, winner of the National Hot Rod Assn.’s top fuel title.

Long-range recruit: Charles Gitonga Maina, 6-foot-8 co-star of the movie “The Air Up There,” was being interviewed by Steve Edwards and Cyndy Garvey on Channel 9’s “Live in L.A.” morning show when the phone rang.

It was from the Cal State Northridge athletic department, wanting to talk with the Nairobi native about the possibility of playing basketball for the Matadors. Maina, 20, plays the role of a basketball star in the film.

Taking abuse: With the retirement of Bill Laimbeer, Minnesota’s Christian Laettner may have taken over his spot as the player NBA fans love to hate. Laettner has his own ideas why he has become the fans’ villain.

“Part of it is anti-Duke sentiment, part of it is I’m a boring player and part of it is my long hair,” he said.

Trivia answer: Yes, the Oakland Raiders in 1980.

Mr. Consistency: Tree Rollins, an Orlando assistant coach who was activated as a player after backup center Greg Kite was injured, was remarkably consistent in the first four games he played for the Magic.

In each of his first four appearances, Rollins made the only shot he took and did not attempt a free throw.

Quotebook: Michael Jordan, on playing professional baseball: “I’m not saying I’m walking into this to be Reggie Jackson or Barry Bonds. I’m looking at this as an opportunity to overcome a feat that a lot of people don’t think I’m capable of doing.”