Governor Needs Help With Basics
Gov. Jim Edgar of Illinois is a political pro, but he’s definitely a soccer novice.
Speaking last Wednesday at the opening session of the 49th Congress of FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, Edgar addressed the head of the American organizing committee for the World Cup, Alan Rothenberg, as Alan Rosenberg.
Edgar also welcomed the delegates on behalf of “the 11 1/2 people of Illinois.” The state has about 11 1/2 million residents.
Trivia time: What is the U.S. Open record for the most strokes under par at any point during the tournament?
Finally separated: Dan O’Brien and Dave Johnson have split up their advertising act. Once poster boy decathletes for Reebok, O’Brien has reached an agreement with Nike, a rival shoe company.
“I got so associated with the Dan and Dave thing, it drove me crazy,” O’Brien said. “People thought we were joined at the hip, and that we did everything together.”
Come again? Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboy running back, on owner Jerry Jones: “We know he’s not really fair to everybody. You don’t expect everybody to be treated fairly, but you expect everybody to be treated decently, at least with some kind of respect.”
Bird crisis: Attention white pigeons: Head directly to Atlanta. You are needed there. Olympic officials want thousands of white homing pigeons to be released during the opening ceremony for the 1996 Games, but there are only a few hundred of them in the Atlanta area.
Terry Cockrum, an Atlanta pigeon breeder, says it takes less than a month to produce a bird, but the training requires much more time.
New York, New York: Bob Verdi in the Chicago Tribune: “Sports Illustrated, with its think tank a short walk from Madison Square Garden, is slobbering all over the New York teams.
“I don’t know what they’ll do at SI if both the Knicks and Rangers win, but don’t look for an expose on ‘Is Badminton Dying?’ More than likely, an Anthony Mason swimsuit issue.”
So there: Mario Lemieux of the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins, protesting the “clutch and grab” tactics against him:
“From now on, I’m not going to get involved in anything with the league or do any promotions or any of the stuff. They can promote the marginal players if they want.”
Looking back: On this day in 1941, Joe Louis knocked out Billy Conn in the 13th round in New York and retained his heavyweight boxing championship.
Trivia answer: Gil Morgan, 12 under par, during the third round at Pebble Beach in 1992.
Quotebook: Tug McGraw, former New York Met pitcher, when asked if he preferred grass or artificial turf: “I don’t know. I never smoked AstroTurf.”
