For Barkley, It’s Always Robin Season

Robin Ficker, who mercilessly taunted Washington Bullet opponents behind the visitors’ bench, won’t have the same seats--they’re designated for the handicapped--when the renamed Washington Wizards play their first game in a new arena in December.

Ficker taunted all the big-name stars and constantly needled Charles Barkley about his ambition to become governor of Alabama, shouting questions about the economy, health care and the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Ficker remembers Barkley’s response to one policy question: “Well, I do have a view on the death penalty: They should use it on you.”

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Trivia time: Reader Richard W. Rose supplied the basis for this question: What are the names of the eight Los Angeles professional football teams?

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Hunting excuse: What’s more important, playing in a state high school playoff football game, or going deer hunting?

For five players in the small town of Laguna, N.M., it was an easy decision--deer hunting.

They bailed out on a Laguna-Acoma team that has a 4-5 record. Their decision may have been influenced by Saturday’s opponent, the Dexter Demons, who are 9-1.

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Windfall: The Kimberly-Clark Corp., the company that manufactures “Huggies” diapers, got an estimated $350,000 in free advertising when New York Jet Coach Bill Parcells, while complimenting his rookie kicker, John Hall, mentioned the product.

After Hall kicked a 37-yard field goal in overtime Sunday to beat the Baltimore Ravens, 19-16, Parcells said: “We’re trying to get this kid off diapers and into his street clothes. Today, we took those Huggies off.”

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How true: Reader Fred Warren told Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle: “I was going to be a Raider for Halloween, but decided that wouldn’t scare anyone.”

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Say it slowly: Here are some junior college football players who qualify for the All-JC Tongue Twister team:

Neil Zglobicki, lineman, Arizona Western; T.J. Houshmandzadeth, wide receiver, Cerritos, and Grossmont linebackers Sai Savainaea and Ryan Aumoeualogo and tight end Jeff Udvarhelyi.

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Car bulletin: Scott Ostler of MSNBC on Florida Marlin owner Wayne Huizenga’s purchase of John Elway’s Denver-area car dealerships: “You can no longer buy a beat-up Bronco from a beat-up Bronco.”

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Trivia answer: L.A. Rams, Raiders, Express, Chargers, Dons, Bulldogs, Hollywood Bears and L.A. Buccaneers, a team that never played a home game in its NFL season of 1926.

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And finally: The layup drill, one of the oldest pregame traditions in basketball, has been discontinued by the Toronto Raptors.

General Manager Isiah Thomas has decided layups aren’t the best way for the Raptors, who emphasize fastbreaks and pressure defense, to prepare for games.

“I know the layup drill doesn’t work,” said Thomas, a 13-time all-star with the Detroit Pistons. “It’s an outdated way of warming up. The layup drill didn’t get me ready when I played, it didn’t get me juiced up for the game.”