Somewhere Over Rainbow, There’s a Voice of Reason

The question I’d like to ask Green Bay Packer General Manager Ron Wolf is why he hired Ray Rhodes in the first place. . . .

It’s not as if he resembled Vince Lombardi before he was fired in Philadelphia. In four seasons with the Eagles, he had a 29-34-1 record and won one playoff game. . . .

Jesse Jackson should be writing Wolf a letter to thank him for giving Rhodes the equal opportunity to coach again, which, as all coaches know, means the equal opportunity to be fired again. . . .

Chan Gailey had the same record as Rhodes this season, made the playoffs and was fired in Dallas. No one from the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition is writing letters to Jerry Jones on Gailey’s behalf. . . .

Nor should anyone. Gailey, like Rhodes, is one of many smart football men who is better as a coordinator than a head coach. . . .

The cause that Jackson should be pushing concerns the head coaching jobs vacant now. . . .

I haven’t heard the names of any African Americans mentioned as candidates, which is suspicious considering the number of qualified African American assistants in the NFL. . . .

The hot name now is Bill Belichick. But why are his credentials better than Art Shell’s? . . .

In four-plus seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Belichick’s record was 36-44 with one playoff appearance. In six seasons with the Raiders, Shell’s record was 54-38 with three playoff appearances.

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Nothing against Peter Gammons, but I would have rather seen John Rocker interviewed by Jim Gray. . . .

Gray wouldn’t have let Rocker get away with that “some of my best friends are” defense. . . .

From interviews this week with psychologists, I’ve learned that racism isn’t necessarily a mental illness but that it can be treated if the patient acknowledges that he is racist and sincerely seeks help. . . .

That’s two strikes against Rocker. . . .

I can see him sailing through the psychological exams that have been ordered for him by Major League Baseball if he sees the doctors at Massachusetts General. They’re the ones who said Mike Tyson was OK. . . .

Tyson thanked them by saying, “They would have made great Nazis.” . . .

Those who believe Rocker shouldn’t be punished because of the First Amendment should read the Bill of Rights. Then tell me where it says that anyone has a constitutional right to play professional baseball.

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Several years ago, after I compared track star Michael Johnson to Secretariat, I received numerous complaints accusing me of racism for comparing an African American man to a horse. In my defense, I considered it a supreme compliment. I also believe that I would have used the same comparison if Johnson were white. But maybe a visit to a psychologist is in order. . . .

I choose Lorraine Bracco from “The Sopranos.” . . .

ESPN wasn’t sure how to handle it when its expert panel selected Secretariat No. 35 among the century’s 50 greatest athletes, ahead of Mickey Mantle, Walter Payton, Sandy Koufax, Ben Hogan and Julius Erving. . . .

Not all people appreciated it, but the horse people did. ESPN’s Secretariat feature won an Eclipse Award that will be presented by the racing industry Monday night in Beverly Hills. . . .

I don’t see another Secretariat, but Wayne Lukas’ Surfside looks better than his Winning Colors, the last filly to win the Kentucky Derby. “We haven’t considered the Derby this early in the year with any other filly,” Lukas said after Surfside’s eight-length victory Sunday at Santa Anita. . . .

The injury suffered early this season by Trojan guard Jeff Trepagnier, by hitting his hand on the rim while dunking, is the kind a basketball coach doesn’t mind seeing. . . .

A track coach either. USC’s Ron Allice believes the 6-foot-4 Trepagnier can become a 7-5 high jumper. The school record set by Anthony Caire in 1984 is 7-4 1/2. . . .

For the 40th annual L.A. Invitational indoor track and field meet Feb. 19 at the Sports Arena, Larry Stanley, an NCAA 880-yard champion, is searching for others who competed in the first in 1960. He should start with shotputter Parry O’Brien and pole vaulter Don Bragg, both Olympic gold medalists. . . .

Riviera is lengthening the ninth and 12th holes in bidding for a future U.S. Open. Trying it out last week were Sugar Ray Leonard and Sylvester Stallone, two guys who can take a punch.

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While wondering why the NFL doesn’t drop the Roman numbers and dedicate Super Bowl 34 to Walter Payton, I was thinking: The Wooden Award also should honor the best college women’s basketball player, the UCLA Bruins looked as bad in those dark blue uniforms against USC as they played, the Lakers have won 16 consecutive games and still have only a 3 1/2-game lead over the second-best team money can buy.

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