They Should Have Taken Word of Guy Named Troy

Quarterbacks Troy Winslow and Bob Toledo were roommates during the San Francisco 49ers’ training camp in 1968, turned loose when a labor agreement assured the return of veterans John Brodie, George Mira and Steve Spurrier.

Winslow and Toledo have not crossed paths in the more than 19 years since. As a result, I’m pretty sure Toledo is unaware of the role Winslow might have played in the UCLA coach’s success this season.

Winslow, who teaches computer classes at Lawndale’s Leuzinger High, was in his office in 1994 when a science teacher at the school, Bill Holmes, brought him high school game films sent by his son in West Linn, Ore.

Holmes asked Winslow to watch and decide whether the quarterback was capable of playing major college football. If so, Holmes thought that Winslow, a former USC quarterback, could help the young man fulfill his wish to play for the Trojans.

“The film sold me,” Winslow says. “The kid was a leader, he could run, he could throw, he could throw in the rain.”

But the film didn’t sell USC.

Trojan coaches, Winslow says, thanked him for sending it but said they had better prospects than Cade McNown.

So Winslow called Holmes’ son in West Linn and told him McNown looked like a UCLA quarterback.

Winslow says he doesn’t know what happened next, but the Bruins did sign McNown when their No. 1 quarterback prospect, Brock Huard, followed his brother to Washington.

Huard, recovered from a sprained ankle, and McNown will lead their teams on Saturday at the Rose Bowl in a game that could determine which will return to Pasadena on Jan. 1.

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Now that their starting quarterback, Stan Humphries, might not return from his latest concussion, the San Diego Chargers are considering alternatives for next season. . . .

I hear they would be willing to send a No. 1 to Jacksonville for former Trojan Rob Johnson. . . .

The Jaguars are satisfied with Steve Matthews as a backup. . . .

For $100,000 more than they were able to offer, the Chargers could have signed Warren Moon last summer as their backup quarterback. . . .

“Maybe even $50,000,” says Moon’s agent, Leigh Steinberg. . . .

Hollywood Park Chairman R.D. Hubbard deserves much of the credit for the success of Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup. . . .

He was out of his seat so often while attending to details that he probably didn’t see much racing, although he did tell Skip Away trainer Sonny Hine that Gentlemen is still horse of the year. . . .

Hubbard, one of Gentlemen’s owners, was kidding, I think. . . .

He certainly didn’t have time to use the occasion in his pursuit of an NFL team for Hollywood Park. . . .

Shel Ausman, however, went to the Breeders’ Cup to entertain potential investors for a rival site at South Park. . . .

The Los Angeles Business Journal says it’s Kathryn Schloessman’s job to “figure out a way of bringing pro football back to L.A.” She’s the new president of the L.A. Sports & Entertainment Commission. . . .

This week, though, she’s in Denver with a group from Long Beach to bid for the 2002 Gay Games. . . .

They are among four finalists, along with Dallas, Toronto and Sydney, Australia. . . .

Roy Wegerle and Claudio Reyna had a good day for the U.S. soccer team Sunday, but the best kick of the weekend was Shevin Wiggins’ to keep the ball alive on Nebraska’s tying touchdown against Missouri. . . .

No way I’ll ever believe it was an accident. . . .

USC basketball Coach Henry Bibby, whose team opens the season tonight in New Mexico’s Pit, says 6-foot-8 freshman forward Greg Lakey of Lynwood reminds him of Dennis Rodman. . . .

Bibby means that in a good way. “Greg’s a guy who knows where the ball is and goes out and gets it,” he says. . . .

If you want to see athletes, check out the Wayans brothers. . . .

Luc Robitaille appears on “The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show” tonight. . . .

Last week, Kenny Lofton appeared on “The Wayans Bros.” sitcom with Shawn and Marlon Wayans. . . .

A couple of days later, Lofton called Jim Rome’s nationally syndicated radio show to deflect criticism from some Atlanta Braves that he’s not a team player. . . .

It sounded as if Lofton hoped the Dodgers were listening. . . .

Another free-agent center fielder, Brady Anderson, wants to return to Baltimore. . . .

If he doesn’t get the money he wants from Peter Angelos, Anderson’s second choice would be the Dodgers.

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While wondering if Dr. Gil Morgan spends Wednesdays in the office, I was thinking: The three biggest lies in sports from the last year are that North Carolina is ripe for ice hockey, Roger Clemens is washed up and Mike Ditka has mellowed.