Prediction Is Holyfield Needs a Dictionary

Fighters love to predict the outcome of fights and heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield is no different--although perhaps a bit more insistent.

Holyfield said of his title bout March 13 with Lennox Lewis, “I will blow him out in the third round.” To which a reporter asked, “Just to be clear, did you predict a third-round knockout?”

Holyfield: “No, no, no. I’m not predicting, I’m telling you.”

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Trivia time: Which was the last major league pennant winner to have no pitcher with more than 11 wins?

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No more clatter: Are metal-spike golf shoes going the way of the buggy whip?

It would appear so, according to a survey by the National Golf Foundation that shows more than 5,000 courses have banned metal spikes and 69% of golfers prefer synthetic spikes or spikeless shoes.

History lesson: A Tampa Bay Devil Rays billboard in the Orlando area:

“Teach your kids that Babe wasn’t just a pig and Mickey was more than a mouse.”

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Yankees different: Roger Clemens’ favorite uniform number is 21. When he joined Toronto two years ago, that number was worn by Carlos Delgado. Clemens gave Delgado a Rolex watch in exchange for No. 21.

When he was traded to the New York Yankees, Clemens found outfielder Paul O’Neill wearing 21. Clemens took No. 12.

“Paul O’Neill doesn’t need a Rolex,” explained teammate David Cone.

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No Rolex needed: When slugging outfielder Jose Canseco was signed by the Devil Rays, coach Frank Howard gave up his No. 33.

“He’s making more money than I am,” Howard reasoned.

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Is this sexist? Don’t tell Billie Jean King or Gloria Steinem, but the Wisconsin women’s volleyball team wants a man as its coach.

“It’s kind of a girl thing,” Keylee Wright told associate athletic director Cheryl Marra of the team’s preference. “You kind of turn [women] off, like, ‘You shouldn’t be able to tell me what to do.’ I think it’s easier to take it from a man.”

Wright also pointed out that no woman coach has led a team to an NCAA championship in the 18 years it has sponsored a volleyball tournament.

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Hair, hair: Cincinnati Red outfielder Dmitri Young is pleased that Red management reversed its policy against facial hair.

“Some people are real ugly without facial hair, and I’m one of them,” he said. “Now, we can hide behind beards and mustaches.”

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Trivia answer: The 1987 St. Louis Cardinals.

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And finally: The recent success of once over-the-hill NFL quarterbacks Randall Cunningham and Vinny Testaverde may be contagious. Who do you think said this:

“All this is encouraging me to make a comeback. It seems all the older quarterbacks around the league are doing well.”

Hall of Fame quarterback Y.A. Tittle, 74, said it.