City Isn’t Problem, Circles in Which He Travels Are

Dwight Jaynes in the Portland Oregonian: “The Lakers have thrived under [Phil] Jackson’s arrogance and, in fact, this may be the best city in the world for him.

“This is a city that respects confidence and charisma, a city built on style over substance--a better-to-look-good-than-feel-good’ kind of place.”

Jaynes obviously doesn’t know L.A., which includes such diverse communities as Arcadia, Torrance and Tarzana, where looking good over feeling good is not a top priority.

*

Trivia time: Who holds the NBA record for most seasons leading the league in free-throw percentage?

*

Unlikely: Mike Ashley in Sportsnote.com: “Sammy Baugh’s accusations that his teammates threw the Redskins’ 73-0 title-game loss to the Bears in 1940 is sort of like one of Custer’s cavalrymen saying the U.S. Army tanked at the Little Big Horn.”

*

Add 73-0: There was no net behind the goal posts in those days so extra-point kicks went into the stands. With Chicago kicking lots of extra points, the supply of 12 balls ran dangerously low and the officials ordered the Bears to run or pass for extra points after their last two touchdowns.

In another sign of those times, one of the game officials did double duty that day. Longtime Chicago columnist Irv Kupcinet was the line judge and also covered the game for his newspaper.

*

Bitter: From the Vent column in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution: “Don’t complain about the Braves raising ticket prices again. Finding players who consistently choke at this level doesn’t come cheap.”

*

Just be quiet: Before the New York Giants played the Jets on Sunday, Giant defensive back Jason Sehorn, a former USC player, was asked to comment on talkative Jet wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, another former Trojan.

“They don’t pay me to talk; they pay me to play,” Sehorn told Newsday. “That’s his style, not my style. Why should I lower myself to someone else’s level?”

The Giants won, 41-28. The Sehorn-Johnson matchup didn’t materialize because Sehorn suffered a broken leg in the first quarter.

*

Search mission: There is a Web site called www.dallascowboys.to that has irritated the real Dallas Cowboys, the New York Post reports, because it’s a porn and gambling site.

Comment from Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune: “But good luck trying to shut it down. It’s run out of Tonga.”

More Rosenbloom: “Honor Don King’s birthday Tuesday. Fleece someone who trusts you.”

*

Trivia answer: Bill Sharman of the Boston Celtics, seven.

*

And finally: Greg Cote in the Miami Herald: “Lou Gehrig’s farewell-speech jersey has sold for $400,000, which makes the buyer The Looniest Man on the Face of the Earth.”