Dad Believes in Power of Negative Thinking

James Anderson predicts his son, Jamal, will gain 45 yards Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

That is hardly a vote of confidence for the Atlanta running back, which is the point.

“I usually tell him that before the tough games for his motivation,” Anderson said Thursday. “The week after the Saints shut down Emmitt Smith [holding him to six yards], I told Jamal he would be doing good if he got 30 or 40 yards.”

Jamal gained 148 against New Orleans.

Anderson, however, does not use the same psychology on Mike Tyson. For instance, Anderson is not telling Tyson that he’s going to be knocked out in the second round Saturday night by Francois Botha.

“Mike’s edgy,” said Anderson, who should know because he’s Tyson’s security chief.

Anderson, 48, was a trainee in the Newark (N.J.) sheriff’s department when he decided on a career in security.

Among his first high-profile clients was a heavyweight boxing champion known to Jamal and his seven brothers and sisters as Uncle Muhammad.

Jamal also used to join his father on jobs when he worked for Sugar Ray Leonard, and Tyson is a frequent visitor to the Anderson home in Woodland Hills.

But Anderson said Jamal never showed interest in boxing, only in baseball and football. Anderson taught Jamal how to stiff-arm opponents, an art that also comes in handy in the security business.

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When Minnesota Viking owner Red McCombs bought the San Antonio Spurs in 1988, he vowed to hire the best coach and general manager in the game and asked Doug Moe to tell him who they were. . . .

McCombs got Moe’s coaching choice, Larry Brown, but Jerry West eluded him. . . .

McCombs says his heroes are Billy Graham and Rupert Murdoch. . . .

That has to be the first time they’ve been mentioned in the same sentence. . . .

The Philadelphia Eagles’ new coach was known as “Little Andy” Reid when he appeared in his Pop Warner uniform at John Marshall High practices in 1970 and caught passes from future Hall of Famer Mike Haynes. . . .

Reid later became an offensive tackle for the Barristers. . . .

Did you notice NBC has dropped the Olympic rings logo from its newscasts? . . .

Monique Henderson, a sophomore from San Diego’s Morse High who has run the 400 meters in 52.93 seconds, met Johnny Gray, a 38-year-old four-time Olympian, this week. . . .

“I’ve got a son older than you,” Gray said. . . .

Many of the athletes who will compete in the L.A. Invitational indoor meet Feb. 13 at the Sports Arena will be revealed Monday, when USA Track & Field announces plans for its four-meet circuit. . . .

Promoter Al Franken says USATF’s support in providing athletes and money will restore the meet to the status it had when Sunkist was the title sponsor. . . .

Dana Barnes, an apprentice jockey in Bob Baffert’s barn at Santa Anita, says her favorite horse is Silver Charm. . . .

“He knows when someone’s got a camera, he thrives on it,” she says. “He’s a lot like Bob, actually.” . . .

Nationalore, the 4-year-old who is 0 for 16, was gelded in hopes that will get him into the winner’s circle. . . .

For the Clippers’ sake, let’s hope Donald Sterling doesn’t hear about that. . . .

The featured game in Monday’s Dream Classic Holiday Challenge at Pauley Pavilion matches Mater Dei and Dominguez, ranked ninth and 11th in the nation by USA Today. . . .

No. 1 on the Kings’ most-wanted list was Ziggy Palffy before he re-signed with the New York Islanders. . . .

The player they would like to have now is Theo Fleury, but they would have to be assured he would sign with them when his contract runs out after this season. . . .

Pavel Bure is no longer on their list. . . .

Smart decision? Of course, it is. Their president, Tim Leiweke, was named by SportsBusiness Journal as one of the country’s six smartest sports executives. . . .

So was Fox exec Chase Carey. The editors must not have heard about his Mike Piazza trade. . . .

A T-shirt sold by Attitude Gear says, “If Figure Skating Were Any Easier, It Would Be Hockey.”

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While wondering if it will still be called the Masters when Jack Nicklaus isn’t playing, I was thinking: Michael Jordan doesn’t need to find a caddie as long as Ahmad Rashad is around, Juan Antonio Samaranch is sticking to his guns, welcome back, Jimmy Johnson.

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Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: randy.harvey@latimes.com.