Reach Out and Touch Tackle’s Hand

Randall Cunningham, the often misunderstood Philadelphia Eagle quarterback, just wants a little togetherness.

After the Eagle offense bogged down in an exhibition game against the New York Jets, Cunningham was asked by Mark Eckel of the Trenton Times if the offense needed to be more unified.

“If you looked over at the Jets’ huddle, you saw everyone holding hands,” Cunningham said. “It’s like a theme going out . . . it’s like saying, ‘Give me love. I need you there with me.’

“Herschel Walker says that in meetings sometimes. Then he came in the huddle and said, ‘C’mon, I need a little love.’

“Some of us grabbed hands. But some guys didn’t. That might be an indication that we’re not there in terms of needing to be on the same page. If we all grab hands, that will show we’re all together.”

Trivia time: The Boston Celtics recently acquired Pervis Ellison, who was taken No. 1 overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 1989 draft. Who was the last No. 1 overall pick to play for the Celtics?

Numbers game: Picking a uniform for New York Yankee players and coaches can be a little difficult, since 13 Yankee numbers have been retired, including No. 8 for both Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey.

That’s why the Village Voice asked Manager Buck Showalter how he chose his No. 11.

“Well, they say that long thin numbers are slenderizing, so maybe that has something to do with it,” Showalter said. “But you know Billy (Martin) wore No. 1, and I certainly would never even think about asking for that, and 11 is about as close as I could get. Numbers are far and few between.”

Plays of the weak: First, Mike Powell beat Carl Lewis to the world long jump record, breaking Bob Beamon’s mark with a 29-foot, 4 1/2-inch leap in 1991 when everybody assumed that the man destined to smash the record was Lewis.

Now, Powell is beating Lewis up verbally for pulling out of a recent showdown between the two best long jumpers in the world.

“Carl should be out there jumping with me,” Powell said at a news conference after winning the event at the Pan-African-USA track and field meet.

“Carl says his back is sore or, ‘It’s too cold today, so I won’t jump.’ That’s not a champion. . . . He’s the defending Olympic champion and he won’t even compete against the best in the world. That’s weak.”

Trivia answer: Bill Walton, who was the No. 1 overall pick out of UCLA in 1974 and joined the Celtics 11 years later.

Quotebook: New England Patriot Coach Bill Parcells on his tendency to acquire large running backs and put them behind large offensive lines: “I believe in physical football. I’m not a finesse guy. If that makes me a Neanderthal, call me a Neanderthal.”