He’s Always Been Known for Soft Touch

Bob Kravitz of the Rocky Mountain News, on how Ahmad Rashad would have conducted the Jim Gray interview of Pete Rose:

“Ahmad: Pete. Big night for you. Pete: Yeah, the ovation I got was very nice and I appreciated it.

“Ahmad: You must be thrilled. Pete: Sure, it’s a wonderful night for me and my family.

“Ahmad: Michael Jordan is my best friend in the whole world. Pete: So I hear.

“Ahmad: Bob, Joe, back to you in the booth.”

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More Gray: Tom FitzGerald in the San Francisco Chronicle: “I’m glad [Gray] didn’t get a chance to interview Jane Fonda,” says Bob Lacey of Miramar. “I really don’t want to hear about her visit to Vietnam anymore.”

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Trivia time: Which school holds the Pacific 10 record for fumbles lost in a game?

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Needle Department: From the Gallery column of the San Diego Union Tribune: Log on to “The Baseball Heckle Depot” (https://www.heckledepot.com) and here’s a sampling of what you will find:

For batters: “You couldn’t drive home Miss Daisy!”

For umpires: “Punch a hole in that mask; you’re missing a good game.”

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Ho-hum: Phoenix Sun Coach Danny Ainge, a former teammate of Charles Barkley, on Barkley’s announcement that this is his final NBA season: “He retires every year.”

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Shhhh: Albert Belle has endorsed Eddie Murray to be the next manager of the Orioles.

“Makes perfect sense,” said Tony Kornheiser of ESPN the Magazine, “because neither talks to the media. The Orioles would become the Mime Dream Team, especially where Albert is concerned, since he spent much of last season going through the motions.”

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Wild gathering: Tonya Harding’s agent also represents Joey Buttafuoco, John Wayne Bobbitt, Kato Kaelin and Gennifer Flowers.

Said Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune: “That must be some agency party.”

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Trivia answer: UCLA, eight, in a 1975 game against USC. The Bruins won, 25-22, and then in the Rose Bowl defeated Ohio State, 23-10.

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And finally: Lou Holtz, whose 0-8 South Carolina team faces No. 4 Tennessee today: “I’m looking forward to going to Tennessee. I’m just not looking forward to playing them.”