He Can’t Stand Those Creepy, Crawly Injuries

The Miami Heat’s Alonzo Mourning, who is recovering from a partially torn ligament in his left foot, on his two biggest fears--injuries and spiders:

“I just can’t stand spiders. There is something about them. They are real sneaky and everything.

“I don’t like cats either. I don’t like cats and spiders, but injuries are on the top of my list.”

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Trivia time: Who holds the record for the longest run in a college football bowl game?

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Eerie: A hockey player whose shot is deadly? Ken Corpse of the Wheeling (W.Va.) Thunderbirds.

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Embarrassing: Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News on the Lions’ 58-37 first-round NFL playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles:

“In the most important game, on the most telling day, the Lions revealed themselves, same as always. Raise the stakes and drop the temperature, and watch the Lions drop their drawers.”

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Mellowing: Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns on his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers: “A couple of years ago, I wanted them to lose every game. Now I don’t care.”

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Cat trip: New York Knick Coach Don Nelson got a belated Christmas present when he was told that his cat, Ebony, had been found in California.

The cat had been lost for three months. It is now reunited with its owners.

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Eastern bias: Dave Barry of the Miami Herald was not impressed with Tempe, Ariz., site of Tuesday’s Fiesta Bowl game:

“They call this ‘the Valley of the Sun,’ and for good reason. It sounds a lot better than ‘the Valley of a Whole Lot of Dirt.’ ”

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Omen? Hugh Dellios in the Chicago Tribune: “In the fall, the Trojan debate team beat a Wildcat team, though [Northwestern] officials retort it wasn’t its national championship squad.”

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Realistic: Jim Harbaugh of the Indianapolis Colts, a former Chicago Bear quarterback, is regarded as an overachiever.

Said Harbaugh: “I’ve resigned myself to the fact people don’t think I’m very good anyway, so I don’t spend any time trying to prove anybody wrong or show anybody they made a mistake.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1972, the Lakers defeated Cleveland, 113-103, for their 32nd consecutive victory, a streak that would end at an NBA-record 33 victories.

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Trivia answer: Quarterback Terry Baker of Oregon State, 99 yards for a touchdown against Villanova in the 1962 Liberty Bowl game.

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Quotebook: Eric Lindros of the Philadelphia Flyers, marveling at the size of his defensive teammates, Kjell Samuelson (6 feet 6 and 235 pounds) and Chris Therien (6-3, 230): “It’s like connecting the Atlantic with the Pacific.”