In Their Crystal Ball, Ki-Jana Has an Especially Fine Future

Nike launched the Air Jordan marketing campaign with Michael Jordan. Then it helped find commercial time for Bo “Knows” Jackson and Deion “Prime Time” Sanders. Now, Nike sees Ki-Jana Carter as the next athlete with endorsement potential.

Carter, the Cincinnati Bengals’ No. 1 pick, is about to sign with Nike Sports Management, a branch of the athletic apparel company that represents 10 athletes, including Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners and Sanders.

“We take the guys who have that extra something,” said Greg Anderson, marketing manager of NSM. “Ki-Jana was the only guy we really went after in this year’s NFL draft.”

Because NSM has only represented athletes for about four years, long-time endorsers like Jordan work under a different agreement with the company.

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Add Nike: With Mobil Corporation’s withdrawal as title sponsor for track and field’s indoor television series, Nike might become the sport’s new major corporate backer.

“Going to Nike to discuss the possibility of expanding their role is very logical,” said Brad Hunt, a series organizer. “Whether that fits with their direction and strategy, we don’t know yet.”

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Trivia time: Who holds the record for the most turnovers in an NBA seven-game playoff series?

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Love hurts: The Washington Post’s William Gildea had a romantic view of hockey when the Washington Capitals led, 3-1, in their best-of-seven series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“Playoff hockey is almost like love: There’s nothing like it when everything’s going great, and it can be awful when things go wrong. It’s been great for Washington.”

The Capitals lost the next three games. It was the second time in four years they have blown 3-1 series leads to the Penguins.

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Watch your feet: When it came to finding something positive to say about a negative situation, college and pro football coach Tommy Prothro, who died last week of cancer at age 74, was in a league of his own, reports Phil Jackman of the Baltimore Sun.

“[Prothro] had the pleasure of sending his Los Angeles Rams against the New England Patriots in the first game [exhibition] played in Foxboro, Mass. He was conducting a post-game conference in a locker room when sportswriters recognized the sound of rushing water and hopped up on benches. Hit by a knee-deep wave, Prothro deadpanned, “I think they’ve got a few problems to iron out here before their league opener.”

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All in the family: USC women’s basketball Coach Cheryl Miller, asked about her future plans at the Basketball Hall of Fame induction:

“I’d love to coach that Miller kid, he’s a handful,” she said. Her brother, Reggie, plays for the Indiana Pacers.

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Trivia answer: Charles Barkley, who committed 37 in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 4-3 series playoff loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

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Quotebook: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on today’s NBA multimillionaire players: “A whole lot of them don’t understand the nuances, the subtleties of the game, how to win. . . . It’s disturbing. I don’t think sportsmanship is being taught to young players. They are physically gifted but they’re not willing to work with other people.”