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We’ll Find Out if Viewers Say, ‘Steve Who?’

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Steve Young might not be finished setting Super Bowl records.

Sports advertising experts are saying the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback could earn as much as $10 million with endorsements over the next few years and might even make a run at sums achieved by former teammate Joe Montana.

“I can’t think of any reason why he can’t be Joe Montana-plus,” New York sports talent agent Lloyd Kolmer said.

Montana, who won four Super Bowls with the 49ers, was pro football’s top endorser in 1994 with $10.3 million earned, according to Forbes magazine.

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“Steve Young is the most attractive football talent today,” said David Burns, who runs Burns Sports Celebrity Service in Chicago. “Montana’s earning power is past, Young’s is ahead of him.

“He’s very modest and relates very well. He’s got an almost Michael Jordan humility, and that’s refreshing.”

Phil Dusenberry, chairman of BBDO, isn’t so sure.

“He still doesn’t have the same recognizability of a Montana or (Dan) Marino,” he said. “You still have to look twice . . . ‘Is that Steve Young?’ ”

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Trivia time: What school has finished in the Associated Press final top 10 football poll the most times without finishing No. 1?

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Weighty Duck: Anaheim might have lost the Rams, but the city has an eight-foot duck.

Unveiled at The Pond on Friday was a bronze statue, “Defending The Pond,” a representation of the Mighty Ducks’ mascot, Wild Wing.

This bird won’t be flying off to St. Louis, either. It weighs 1,000 pounds.

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Were the cops naked? From the Washington Post’s Tony Kornheiser:

“Considering the NFL is so troubled by gambling that it sent undercover cops to record the names of any present or former players who went on that all-nude gambling cruise last week, it’s somewhat comical that the only thing anyone talked about walking up to the Super Bowl was the point spread.”

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Blazing foursome: Shorthanded goals in hockey are not unheard of, but how often does a shorthanded college basketball team stage a rally to win a game?

It happened at Bangor, Me., Monday, when Maine Augusta, down to four players, sank 11 shots in the final 13 minutes 48 seconds and beat Eastern Maine Technical, 76-74.

Coach Mike Andreasen went to Bangor with only five players because of class conflicts. Maine Augusta was trailing, 46-38, when a starter fouled out.

But after Aaron Trueman made two three-pointers to bring Maine Augusta within two, the game started to get interesting.

Some of the 80 or 90 spectators at the EMT gym swung their support to the visitors, particularly after seeing that Maine Augusta’s two-two zone was confusing their team.

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A closed book: The sports book at Caesars Palace will soon be off limits to anyone wanting to bet on NBA or NHL games.

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ITT, which recently acquired Caesars World, parent company of Caesars Palace, said it will stop taking those bets when its deal to buy the New York Knicks and Rangers and Madison Square Garden is completed next week.

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Trivia answer: UCLA, 14 times.

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Quotebook: Eastern Maine Technical Coach Chuck Bates, after the loss to Maine Augusta: “The way we played, three people could have beaten us.”

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