We Know Mo; We Just Know Angels Better

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, while visiting Santa Monica, made this discovery:

“Back home in Boston, Mo Vaughn dominates the news. Mo this. Mo that. Say it ain’t so, Mo. Mo Vaughn--moving on.

“It’s different out here in the land where Mo may land. There is no sense of urgency about the Anaheim Angels’ chances of signing Big Mo.

“No 24-hour Mo channel on local cable TV. No special Mo section in the Los Angeles Times or the Orange County Register, which could become Mo’s hometown newspaper.

“No, they don’t know Mo. He could be anyone in Southern California. He could be an up-and-coming actor. He could be the newest personal trainer to the stars. He could be a food group.”

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Trivia time: UCLA has brought unbeaten records into the USC game on seven previous occasions. What have been the outcomes?

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Dream on: Al Harrington, who skipped college to turn pro and was drafted in the first round by the Indiana Pacers, on his dream of playing in the NBA:

“Now I am dreaming for the lockout to end. That’s the new dream.”

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Owner apathy: Skip Bayless of the Chicago Tribune, ripping Bear owner Mike McCaskey and Blackhawk owner Bill Wirtz:

“The Bears and Hawks keep selling history with no real urgency to make any. The only sure way to motivate McCaskey or Wirtz is to quit buying tickets and to quit listening to or watching games. Hit ‘em below the money belt.”

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Some consolation: Jayson Stark in the Philadelphia Inquirer: “The Red Sox are hot after Albert Belle to replace Mo Vaughn. Since the Sox always make quick October exits, at least Belle will be in no danger of running into trick-or-treaters.”

Restricted area: Steve Hummer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says Bret Boone, the Braves’ new second baseman, “could make the right side of the infield as impenetrable as an hour of C-SPAN.”

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Grounded: The latest healing craze in the NBA--the pre-lockout NBA, that is--is emu oil.

Said Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune, “One of the proponents of emu oil is Bull center Luc Longley, which is just perfect: Longley getting help from a flightless bird.”

Looking back: On this day in 1984, UCLA defeated USC, 29-10, at the Rose Bowl. The Trojans had previously clinched a bid to play in the Rose Bowl game, where they beat Ohio State, 20-17.

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Trivia answer: The Bruins are 2-4-1 in those games.

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And finally: John Crumpacker in the San Francisco Examiner: “Nice line from Jet Coach Bill Parcells, contemplating changes on the offensive line to bolster his running game:

“ ‘I’ve always been one to try to attack erosion before it becomes a sink-hole.’

“A suitable comment from a team that plays its home games in the New Jersey Meadowlands, final resting place for used tires and used-up wise guys.”