Adding Pippen to the Mix Would Be One for the Aged

Jerry West is annoyed that the media are still discussing a deal that would send Glen Rice and Robert Horry to Houston for Scottie Pippen.

I’m annoyed that the Lakers apparently are still discussing it.

Because West is not known to be particularly enamored of Pippen, one can assume that this idea has been promoted within the Laker front offices by Phil Jackson.

It’s part of the continuing Bullification of the Lakers.

That began with the hiring of Jackson, who wants to bring in his Bull assistants, Jim Cleamons, Jimmy Rodgers and Tex Winter, sign B.J. Armstrong and Jud Buechler (Jud Buechler?) and now, perhaps, trade for Pippen.

There are, of course, worse models to follow than the ‘90s Bulls. As for Jackson, he should have as many of his own assistants and players as he can get. It’s his team.

But trying to recreate the Bulls without Michael Jordan is like trying to recreate the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel without Michelangelo.

I’ll give Pippen this much. Of the Jordannaires, he was the only one who could have been considered indispensable. He was a superb defender, a legitimate Dream Teamer, maybe even deserving when he was named one of the top 50 NBA players of all time.

That playoff game when he wouldn’t leave the bench because Jackson didn’t call his number for the last shot? Old news.

But so is Pippen.

He’ll be 34 before training camp opens and a year removed from back surgery. After signing a five-year contract with Houston, valued at around $14 million a year, he disappointed the Rockets with 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists a game. He was equally disillusioned because he was the third option in the offense behind Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley.

What would Pippen be in the Laker offense? The third option.

Jackson believes Pippen would be more content in the triangle offense and invaluable in teaching Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant its intricacies. But Jackson himself said when he was here for his initial news conference last month that it doesn’t take a chemical engineering degree to figure it out.

Besides, isn’t that the reason the Lakers are paying all that money to Jackson, to coach?

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Julie Foudy plays the same role for the U.S. women’s soccer team that Rosie O’Donnell did for the Rockford Peaches in “A League of Their Own.” . . .

For those who don’t follow soccer, I’m not talking about third base. . . .

Foudy, known as “Loudy” by teammates, provides comic relief. . . .

But the Mission Viejo native also has a serious side, as must anyone who graduates from Stanford with a biology degree and is accepted into Stanford Medical School. . . .

Before she signed two years ago to endorse Reebok soccer balls, she visited the factory in the Sialkot region of Pakistan to assure herself that the company wasn’t using child labor. . . .

In the top of the ninth Monday night, with the Angels trailing Seattle, 10-0, Darin Erstad came charging in from left field to make a diving catch. . . .

Maybe that sort of aggressiveness is one reason so many Angels spend so much time on the disabled list. . . .

At least, that’s what the Dodgers would say. . . .

You look at the Dodgers and their style of play, and then you look at the Angels and their style of play and it’s clear why one team gets booed more than the other, even though their records are about the same. . . .

E-2: The USC sprinter mentioned in this space last week is named Torri Edwards. . . .

Michael Johnson didn’t exactly ease suspicion that he was exaggerating the seriousness of a leg injury that caused him to withdraw from the U.S. track and field championships when he broke 44 seconds in the 400 meters five days later in Lausanne, Switzerland. . . .

Now let’s see if he gets to the starting line today in Rome for a 200 meters against Ato Boldon. . . .

Don Winston, USC’s senior associate athletic director, has been named university division fund-raiser of the year by the National Assn. of Athletic Development Directors. . . .

In his 16 years with USC’s athletic department, Winston and staff have raised more than $100 million and increased the athletic endowment from $2.5 million to $70 million. . . .

Instead of Wayne Gretzky Way or Wayne Gretzky Drive, Edmonton should rename Capilano Drive the Great One Way.

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While wondering if anyone would have believed five years ago that extra seats would have to be found in the Rose Bowl for a women’s soccer game, I was thinking: The Lakers should trade Rice and Horry for P.J. Brown, at least the Dodgers and Angels will be well rested after the All-Star break with so few having to make that tiring trip to Boston, college football season can’t come fast enough.

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