Sounds Like the Same Old Tarkanian

Jerry Tarkanian’s return to college basketball and his alma mater, Fresno State, came as a result of a popular uprising, and nowhere was it more popular than in the city of Fresno.

Three days after Gary Colson resigned as coach, Tarkanian made a speech in Fresno, where, he noted, he drew more people than Ronald Reagan two years before.

Tarkanian is of Armenian descent, and Fresno has a heavy concentration of people with Armenian ancestry. “Hire Tark” bumper stickers appeared all over town.

“It wasn’t just the phone calls,” Fresno State President Dr. John Welty told the New York Times’ Tom Friend. “It was also the wonders of fax machines, voice mail and E-mail.”

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Shark watch: Reports have been circulating that several top high school seniors were planning to switch to Fresno.

Inglewood’s Paul Pierce, who has signed with Kansas, denied reports involving him. However, Stephon Marbury of Brooklyn, rated the nation’s top point guard, said he might switch if it were legal.

In New York, there were published reports that Tarkanian would hire one of Marbury’s brothers as an assistant. Marbury’s father finally announced that Stephon still is headed for Georgia Tech.

Tarkanian won’t discuss individuals but says it’s OK to approach players who have given only verbal commitments, such as Marbury.

“What, I’m not supposed to recruit good players?” Tarkanian told USA Today’s Bryan Burwell. “Anyone who says that is crazy.

“I didn’t come here to go 15-15 and go eat some Armenian food after the game.

“If anyone thinks I came here to recruit junior varsity players, if anyone thinks I’m going to scout a tournament and ask, ‘Which one of these kids doesn’t play, that’s who I want,’ they’re crazy.”

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Last add Shark: The great thing is, after all these years, Tark’s not bitter. Well, not too bitter, anyway.

Tarkanian said he had trouble watching Ed O’Bannon lead the Bruins to the NCAA title. Tarkanian had won the recruiting battle for O’Bannon before reports of a coming probation at UNLV drove the player to Westwood.

Tarkanian blames former UNLV athletic director Dennis Finfrock for scaring O’Bannon off.

“UCLA ought to invite Dennis Finfrock to their banquet,” Tarkanian told Friend. “It’s sick to watch them win it with your kid.”

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Trivia time: Who was the last Australian golfer to win the Masters?

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Gary-gate: CBS just can’t get past Gary McCord, the announcer who won martyrdom during last year’s Masters with a couple of questionable quips that led tournament officials to demand his exile and network officials to buckle.

The latest to demand that his previous remarks be “clarified” is CBS’ lead announcer, Jim Nantz.

Assuming the 18th-hole anchor role this year from the departed Pat Summerall, Nantz refused to back McCord but didn’t like the way that sounded, either.

“I didn’t say I wasn’t upset that Gary’s not here,” Nantz told USA Today’s Rudy Martzke. “I said I’m upset he’s not here because he’s a very important part of our golf team. But the comments he made went beyond the boundaries of good taste of our time.”

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Trivia answer: No Australian has won the Masters.

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Quotebook: Sparky Anderson, hailed for refusing to manage replacements, asked how long his new-found popularity will last: “About five losses.”