Yeah, We’ll Go to Dinner, and May Even Order Sushi

Brian Schmitz in the Orlando Sentinel: “The NFL and ABC have finally given their die-hard fans decent viewing hours, changing the traditional starting times of Monday Night Football games from 9 p.m. to a more civil 8:20 p.m. kickoff.

“The NFL was always reluctant to start MNF earlier because the Left Coast was a day and a half behind the real world (read: East Coast).

“But Californians arrive fashionably late anyway for stuff, so, big deal. Hey, you folks still can go to dinner around 8:30 p.m. Pacific time after MNF.”

Quit ridiculing California, Brian, just because Shaquille O’Neal prefers the Left Coast over Orlando.

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Trivia time: Who holds the American League season record for runs batted in?

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Drawing power: Jorge L. Ortiz in the San Francisco Examiner: “Chicago Sun Times writer Lacy Banks was so amazed with the crowd of 62,046 that turned out to watch Michael Jordan and the Bulls at the Georgia Dome, he added up the attendance at all games His Airness has played during his NBA career.

“The figure climbed above 20 million [March 29] in Milwaukee.”

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Right on! Peter Gammons in the Boston Globe: “The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times asked celebrities what baseball means to them. Replied Susan Sarandon, whose distinguished career includes a brilliant soliloquy in ‘Bull Durham:’

“ ‘One way to liven up a boring game would be to have the players dress like their mascots. Then you could have the Pirates chasing Indians around the bases. It would make it a little more like Vegas.’ ”

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Elite list: St. Louis Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa on long-range home run hitter Mark McGwire: “With Mark’s name already associated with Mr. [Jimmie] Foxx, Mr. [Babe] Ruth and now Mr. [Willie] Mays--that’s some pretty serious company.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1962, the Celtics defeated the Lakers, 122-108, in the first game of the NBA championship series in Boston.

The Celtics won the championship in seven games.

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Trivia answer: Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees, with 184 in 1931.

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And finally: Mike Littwin in the Rocky Mountain News on Denver quarterback John Elway’s delaying a decision to retire or continue playing:

“John, maybe it’s none of my business, but it’s time. One way or the other.

“I know you don’t want to be rushed. Hamlet didn’t want to be rushed either--to pass or not to pass?--and you know how that turned out.”