Seventy Years Means Nothing to These Two

Brian Murphy, editor of the Sports Marketing Letter, told Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun Times that Michael Jordan’s commercial legacy will be as great as Babe Ruth’s.

“In the history of sports, the only man I knew who could still sell products 70 years (actually 60) after his last game is Babe Ruth. There is an active Babe Ruth market today, alive and well.

“Seventy years after Michael Jordan plays his last game, whenever that may be, I expect there to be as big a market for him. He is the only one who can match the legend.”

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Trivia time: Who holds the NCAA West Regional record for most points in a game?

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Can he bunt? Detroit Tiger scout David Roberts’ assessment of Jordan as a baseball player: “He’s got a slow bat. He throws well below average. His instincts in the outfield are bad and he doesn’t have any power.”

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Quack, quack: Ken Wheeler’s lead in the (Portland) Oregonian: “ATHENS, Ga.--Friday night might have been St. Patrick’s day, but it sure wasn’t St. Duck day. Not for the University of Oregon women’s basketball team.”

St. Duck day?

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Ouch! Phil Collier in the San Diego Union-Tribune: “Rumors are that (Oakland) A’s hitting coach Jim Lefebvre will manage Phoenix’s expansion team in 1998 and that Seattle Manager Lou Piniella will manage Tampa Bay’s Devil Rays.

“Just think--once Tampa Bay cuts a player, he’ll become an ex-Ray.”

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Epic event: In 1998, curling will become a medal sport at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

“It’s much more exciting to watch than darts,” Allison Darragh, an Olympic hopeful, told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Wow!

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News flash: From David Letterman: “This is amazing: Earlier today, Rosa Lopez worked out with the Chicago Bulls.”

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Scoring dilemma: Mike Kay, New York Yankee radio broadcaster, during Saturday’s spring replacement game against the Boston Red Sox: “For those of you scoring at home--you really ought to get some help.”

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Courageous: Phoenix center Danny Schayes on Hakeem Olajuwon’s sixth foul--a blow to Schayes’ snout--in a Sun victory at Houston: “My nose didn’t move. It definitely had position.”

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Classic rip: A New York Daily News headline in 1986 after some Met players were arrested for fighting in a Houston bar: “THE BOYS OF SLAMMER.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1968, UCLA defeated Houston, 101-69, in an NCAA championship semifinal game at the Sports Arena.

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Trivia answer: Bob Houbregs of Washington against Seattle in 1953, and Bo Kimble of Loyola Marymount against New Mexico State in 1990, 45 points.

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Quotebook: Rick Pitino, Kentucky basketball coach, on ardent Wildcat fans: “When tournament time comes down here, the whole world comes to a stop. No one is allowed to evendie.”