The Confines of His Job May Become Friendlier

If it hadn’t hit me before, it certainly did Tuesday morning when I walked into the newsroom and saw a sign on colleague Patt Morrison’s desk reading: “Go Cubs.” . . .

It appears as if we at The Times are going to have some new teammates, Sammy Sosa, Mark Grace, Kerry Wood, etc. . . .

If the big merger goes through, we’ll receive paychecks from the same people that the Cubs do at Tribune Co. in Chicago, although mine probably will be for less than Sosa’s if he gets that $160-million deal he reportedly is seeking. . . .

I assure you, though, that this transaction will have no impact whatsoever on my objectivity when it comes to coverage of the Cubs. . . .

Coincidentally, I have reconsidered that December trade between the Dodgers and Cubs that sent Ismael Valdes and Eric Young to Chicago for Terry Adams. . . .

When it was announced, my reaction was that it made absolutely no sense for the Dodgers from a baseball perspective. Now I’m convinced it was an excellent deal and hope that Bob Daly doesn’t lose Cub President Andy MacPhail’s phone number. . . .

As for the Angels acting too slowly in their search for a manager and allowing Don Baylor to get away to the Cubs, I’m over it.

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This from Sherry Ross’ preseason Hockey Scouting Report on Kelly Buchberger: “What’s not to like? . . .

“Buchberger is an ideal third-line player . . . one of the most unsung leaders in the NHL. Even at [33], he is one of the best crunch-time players in the league.” . . .

That’s a pretty good recommendation for the Kings’ new left winger. I’m not sure he makes them a Stanley Cup contender, but they were a better team after the trade with Atlanta than they were before. . . .

Of course, the trade for Donald Audette also looked like a winner when the Kings made it last season. . . .

The question at the time was how Buffalo could trade a scorer like him for a second-round draft choice. . . .

Now we know. Audette was interested only in scoring. . . .

The insistence of virtually everyone in the NHL that Marty McSorley’s stick attack on Donald Brashear was not a matter for the courts reveals how deeply the league’s culture of violence is embedded. . . .

Alan Dershowitz is a very respected defense lawyer, but I doubt that even he could sell to a jury his contention in Sports Illustrated that McSorley’s assault was merely an “extension of behavior well within the norm of pro hockey.” . . .

The Lakers’ 19-game winning streak is Phil Jackson’s longest, although by only one game. . . .

He was involved in 18-game winning streaks as coach of the Chicago Bulls in 1996 and as a player for the New York Knicks in ’69. . . .

The Lakers might draw Michael Jordan out of seclusion. . . .

Apparently no longer as enthusiastic about his job with the Washington Wizards as he was when he took it, he hasn’t seen one of their games since the Feb. 24 trading deadline. . . .

But he says he will be in Washington for games against the Lakers on Thursday night and the Bulls on Saturday. . . .

Remember late last season when Arizona’s Eugene Edgerson said UCLA was a “scatterball, playground team?” . . .

The Bruins’ image hasn’t changed much in a year. According to Sports Illustrated, one scout visited a UCLA practice earlier this season and said, “There was no teaching going on.” . . .

But observers contend Steve Lavin has changed his approach since the humiliations against Arizona State and Arizona and is conducting tighter, more disciplined practices. . . .

JaRon Rush’s return isn’t the only reason for the Bruins’ winning streak. . . .

Could it be that Lavin has grown up? . . .

Michael Wrona, Hollywood Park’s creative race caller, has moved to Lone Star Park outside Dallas. . . .

Sam Perlmutter, the entrepreneur behind the George Foreman grill, is starting a new venture with the boxer Butterbean to sell XXXtra-large clothes for men. . . .

In conjunction with the announcement, there will be a race named for Butterbean on Friday at Santa Anita. . . .

Fine, as long as he doesn’t get to ride any of the horses. . . .

Boomer Esiason was wrong to criticize Al Michaels. He was the only one who ever said Boomer could become a good broadcaster some day. . . .

I guess Michaels really does believe in miracles.

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While wondering when Indiana will decide it has been embarrassed enough by Bob Knight, I was thinking: No self-respecting basketball program should complain about not getting into the NIT, Andre Agassi is saving his energy for the Davis Cup, funny how David Stern lost his touch at the same time Jordan retired.

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