It’s Always Good to Be a Pro Bowler When in the NFL

Pittsburgh Steeler running back Jerome Bettis recently rolled for 299. . . . not in yards, but pins.

Bettis bowled a near perfect game with 11 consecutive strikes in an event in North Brunswick, N.J. He left one pin standing on his last frame.

When is was suggested that Bettis should join the pro bowling tour, he said football was easier:

“I’m done. I’m sweating and tired. I can’t wait to lie down.”

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Trivia time: Who holds the record for most points by a rookie in an NBA finals game?

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Rub-a-dub-dub: With a wink to the Diamondbacks’ outfield swimming pool at Bank One Ballpark, the Giants set up a hot tub in the outfield bleachers on Saturday for Arizona’s visit to 3Com Park.

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His own category: Dennis Rodman was selected the No. 1 “Nuttiest Athlete” by the company that produces Nutella, a chocolate hazelnut spread.

The Chicago Bulls’ rebounding specialist was the overwhelming choice of those who were asked to help pick a winner, according to a company official.

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Nuevo rich: Philadelphia Flyer General Manager Bob Clarke, on how too much money too soon hinders the development of younger players:

“There’s no Chevys in their driveways. They jump from nothing to BMW’s and they almost become soft on you.”

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They should be: Indiana Pacer guard Jalen Rose, after his one-game suspension for leaving the bench during an altercation in last Monday’s game with the Bulls: “It made me wish I had played baseball.”

Baseball players are not penalized for leaving the bench during fights.

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OK, you’re on the map: Cincinnati rookie pitcher Eddie Priest, a native of Snead, Ala., population 1,000: “I’m just a small-town boy amazed to make it in the majors. I’d like to put my hometown on the map.”

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Busy, busy: Florida coach Rich Donnelly on all the Marlin personnel changes: “I changed more signs than PennDOT (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation).

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Severe penalty: Richard Williams, 54, a first-degree black belt in kickboxing, also is competing in a “masters boxers” program. By day, he’s a librarian at Yale.

Said Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune:”If I’m an Eli, I’m taking those due dates seriously.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1993, Dan Majerle of the Phoenix Suns set an NBA playoff record with eight three-point field goals in a game against Seattle.

The record was later broken by Phoenix’s Rex Chapman with nine against Seattle in 1997.

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Trivia answer: Magic Johnson of the Lakers, 42 against Philadelphia on May 16, 1980.

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And finally: Indiana Pacer Coach Larry Bird when asked if his stoic response to Reggie Miller’s winning shot in Game 4 of the NBA playoff series comes out of the Zen philosophy that Chicago Coach Phil Jackson embraces:

“I don’t even know to spell Zen.”