It’s the Only Stale Idea to Come from Trend-Setting California

Each year since 1984, Gene Collier of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette bestows his Trite Trophy on the most “hideous cliche” of the year. And the 1995 winner is:

“West Coast offense, kids, a worthy titlist if ever one existed, and the second attempt in five years by the incredibly lazy to explain a comprehensive style of play in four syllables, a direct descendant of Smashmouth Football.

“West Coast Offense, thought to describe a passing attack either conceived or endemic to or made famous on the West Coast, is stunningly useless, largely incorrect and fabulously irritating.”

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Add Collier: Trite champions in previous years include: 1994, the red zone; 1992, mentality of a linebacker; 1989, he coughs it up; 1987, crunch time, and 1986, gut check.

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Trite contender? Houston Coach Rudy Tomjanovich after his Rockets were recently routed, 100-86, by the Chicago Bulls: “It was like going into war and you don’t bring your weapons . . . like they had bazookas and we were going hand-to-hand.”

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Trivia time: What NFL playoff record did Don Shula break this season?

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Select few: Orlando Antigua, formerly of the University of Pittsburgh, is now playing for the Harlem Globetrotters.

It’s a distinction because he’s the first non-African American to play with the Globetrotters since Bob Karsten in 1943.

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Favulous: From the Good Doctor in Inside Sports magazine: “Q: How old was quarterback Brett Favre when he got his first football? A: Fouvr or fivre.”

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Never too old: Persistence was rewarded Wednesday for James Bacon, former motion picture writer for the Associated Press and the Herald Examiner.

Bacon, 82, who has been playing golf since 1928, got his first hole in one at the El Cariso course in Sylmar. Bacon used a five-wood on the 125-yard 17th hole.

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Couch potato: Ron Salsig of the Oakland Tribune on golfer Peter Jacobsen, an ardent Oregon football fan:

“He had to withdraw from the Mercedes Championship after throwing out his back while sitting on a sofa watching his Oregon Ducks play [and lose] in the Cotton Bowl [‘Don’t ask,’ he said].”

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Trivia answer: Most games lost as a head coach, 17.

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Quotebook: Britain’s Sam Torrance on John Daly, a recovering alcoholic, finishing last--23 strokes out of first--at the Johnny Walker tournament in December: “Poor John, he can’t even get drunk to forget about it.”