He Certainly Had a Good Rip(ley’s) at That Pitch

Jayson Stark of ESPN.com on some of the strange baseball events of 2000:

* “On Sept. 7, the great Jose Conseco actually swung at a pitch that hit him.

* “Charlie Manuel opened his big league managing career in Cleveland by getting ejected in two of his first three games.

* “Rickey Henderson had no extra base-hits in a month and a half with the Mets, then homered in his first at-bat with the Mariners.

* “And in a Sept. 20 game against San Diego, Colorado catcher Ben Petrick performed the Strange But True Feat of the Year 2000, by driving in four runs--with zero hits. (Two RBI ground balls, one sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded walk were all it took.)

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Trivia time: What is the NBA record for most overtime periods in a regular-season game?

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Last resort: In an interview with Bernie Lincicome of the Rocky Mountain News, Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden told this story:

“When I got my first job, I asked the old coach if he had any advice. He said he had left three letters in his desk and he said to open one each time I had a bad season.

“After my first bad season, I opened the first one. It said, ‘Blame the players.’ After the second season, I opened the next one. It said, ‘Blame the press.’

“After another bad year, I opened the last one. It said, ‘Write three letters.’ ”

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Inventive, at least: Morning Briefing nominates this lead by Fred Kerber of the New York Post as the best--or worst--of the new year after the Nets’ 120-119 victory over the Orlando Magic:

“Somewhere in the universe last night, a knight came across the Holy Grail, Diogenes found his honest man and a farmer’s wife spotted the needle in the haystack.

“All that must have happened because the Nets came across a lead not even they could blow.”

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Permanent assignment? Mike Bianchi in the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel:

“Did you see where the Lakers recently hired a full-time free throw coach to work with Shaquille O’Neal as long as he needs one?

“That’s the type of job security I’m looking for.”

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Safety stuff: Oklahoma’s winning 13-2 score over Florida State Wednesday night in the bowl championship series title game was an oddity because safeties are uncommon. USC won by the same score over Stanford in 1938 and California in 1945.

Two of the oddest scores were recorded in Sugar Bowl games. Texas Christian edged Louisiana State, 3-2, in 1936, and Fordham beat Missouri, 2-0, in 1942.

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FYI: For the first time in the 41 years of the Los Angeles Invitational track meet that will be held Jan. 20 at the Sports Arena, there will be a father-son combination competing.

Wes Ashford, 39, has competed in eight L.A. Invitational two-mile runs. His stepson, Danny Woodbury, 18, will run in the high school two mile representing Rancho Cucamonga High.

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Trivia answer: Six, Indianapolis, 75, at Rochester, 73, on Jan. 6, 1951.

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And finally: Tony Kornheiser in the Washington Post: “The knock on Marty Schottenheimer was that he couldn’t win the big one. He could get you to the playoffs. But he couldn’t get you to the Super Bowl.

“Excuse me, how many times have the Washington Redskins been to the playoffs lately?

“One time in the last eight seasons.”