Unusual Play Nothing New for Keyshawn

When Washington Redskin cornerback Tom Carter wrestled a pass away from the New York Jets’ Keyshawn Johnson in the end zone last Sunday night, it was a case of deja vu for the former USC wide receiver.

Johnson was at Dorsey High when he was involved in a similar play against Banning.

“We were getting ready to go into the playoffs,” Johnson recalled. “Travis Davis [now starting safety with the Jacksonville Jaguars] took the ball out of my hands after I landed over the goal line. It was the exact same play.

“There were three calls then: defensive interference, a touchdown or an incompletion. They couldn’t figure it out, so they called it an incompletion. [In Sunday’s game, Johnson was called for offensive interference and Carter was credited with an interception].

“It was so weird that when I got off the plane, I called one of my buddies and told him the same thing that happened in high school happened again.”

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Trivia time: How many players on the King roster were with the team in the 1993 Stanley Cup finals against Montreal?

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Keep ‘em coming: In the National League playoffs starting today, the Dodgers will face three starting pitchers who will have accounted for six consecutive Cy Young awards, counting the one John Smoltz will win this year. Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine are the others.

Of which Tim Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution asks: “So, which Brave do you think will win the Cy Young next year? Denny Neagle?”

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An old master: When Roger Clemens took what may be his final curtain call before Boston Red Sox fans last Saturday, even many of the New York Yankees stood and applauded. Yankee Manager Joe Torre, who was among them, explained:

“You appreciate watching somebody like Roger Clemens pitching. If there’s somebody who’s a throwback, somebody who says, ‘Give me the ball, it’s my turn to pitch and you’ll get your money’s worth,’ it’s him. In the days of trickery with pitchers, Roger’s still a one-on-one type of guy.”

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Kicker’s paradise: The original rules of football awarded only one point for a touchdown and four points for a field goal.

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Music maker: Reserve forward Alan Prampin of the Kansas City Wiz also plays in a band. Occasionally, he finds a way to combine his music with his soccer.

“After we’ve recorded the music, if you play it backwards you can hear [Coach] Ron Newman yelling at me,” Prampin said. “And then you can hear me saying ‘Play me more. Play me more.’ ”

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Trivia answer: One, defenseman Rob Blake.

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And finally: Tony Phillips has been thrown out of 13 games in his major league career, the most among active players.

“I’m proud of it,” says the Chicago White Sox outfielder. “It shows I care. I’ll fight for what I think is right.”