Nobody Can Stick It to You Like Demers

Anson Carter, meet Marty McSorley.

Tampa Bay Lightning Coach Jacques Demers, tipped off by his players, challenged the measurement of Carter’s stick during the Boston Bruin-Lightning game Saturday in Boston.

Demers, again, was correct. Carter’s stick blade exceeded the width limit, though the gaffe did not cost the Bruins, who won, 3-2.

“Jacques still thought he was in the 1993 Stanley Cup finals,” Boston Coach Pat Burns said.

Demers, then coaching Montreal, successfully challenged McSorley’s illegal stick in Game 2 of the finals, and you can make the argument that the Kings have not recovered since.

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Trivia time: How many times has Wayne Gretzky scored 70 or more goals in an NHL season?

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Mr. Bill’s run: Legendary marathoner Bill Rodgers spoke about the aging process as he trains for the upcoming Boston Marathon, chasing records in the 50-59 age group.

“I always think I’m going to feel good when I go out the door,” he told the Boston Globe. “I think, ‘Hey, I’m 27.’ And then I go out and I’m still 51.”

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The answer? First, there were Beanie Babies. Now the Philadelphia 76ers have a new promotion featuring Allen Iverson. It’s called Alien Iverson, from a line of bean bag toys dubbed Meanies. Alien Iverson is a muscled, green, bug-eyed vision and looks appropriately, well, mean.

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Real world: Yugoslav striker Predrag Mijatovic was fined $35,607 by his club soccer team, Real Madrid, for missing a Spanish league game. He was protesting NATO action against his country.

“I have to respect what they have done,” he said of Real Madrid. “I am a professional and have always conducted myself as such, but I was hoping they would be a help in such difficult moments as this.”

Said Real President Lorenzo Sanz: “I’m very sorry for what has happened. He’s a player close to my heart and always gives everything. However, it is not our fault what is going on in Yugoslavia.”

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Say cheese: Swimming World noted the omnipresence of the president of the international swimming federation in the organization’s magazine, the World of Swimming: “He may not earn a million, but FINA President Mustapha Larfaoui evidently has a million-dollar smile. That must be why his smiling face appears no fewer than 15 times in the latest edition of the FINA magazine.

“Though no one else is ever likely to approach Larfaoui’s record, the silver medal goes to IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch. No slouch himself in the PR department, His Excellency makes 11 photographic appearances in the same issue.”

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Trivia answer: Four.

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And finally: Quarterback Tim Couch spent his childhood trying to be like--and beat up--his older brother, Greg. Greg had the edge of 4 1/2 years, however.

“I’d beat him up so bad, he’d get so mad and frustrated, he’d start crying, “ Greg told Terry Frei of the Sporting News. “I’d kind of rub it in and make it worse or beat him up for crying. We’d stay mad for a little bit, make up--and then do it again the next day.”