Jordan’s Next Move Is a Tough Call

At halftime of Sunday’s Laker-Magic game on NBC, the discussion was whether Michael Jordan would really come back and play for the Washington Wizards, as Sports Illustrated’s Rick Reilly reported last week.

Peter Vecsey said no way. “It’s invention for attention by Sports Illustrated,” he said.

P.J. Carlesimo said he thought Jordan would come back, that being an executive didn’t fulfill Jordan’s competitive needs.

Kevin Johnson said it would be a great “executive decision” if Jordan came back.

Ahmad Rashad, naturally, waffled. “As a friend, I will support any decision he makes,” Rashad said.

Always the hard-hitting journalist.

*

More Jordan: Reilly told Dan Patrick on ESPN Radio that he really didn’t have a scoop about Jordan coming back.

“The Toronto Globe had reported it, the Chicago Tribune had mentioned it and even Marv Albert on NBC alluded to it,” Reilly said.

“I wasn’t looking for a scoop, I really don’t need all this. My phone doesn’t stop ringing. It’s just that my source was so good I thought I had to write it.”

His kind of town: We may love L.A., but apparently Shaquille O’Neal prefers Orlando, Fla.

Shaq told the Orlando Sentinel: “I’ve looked around--I’ve been around the world--and I still haven’t found a place where I would like to live as much. When it’s all said and done in a few years, I’ll be back to stay.”

*

Trivia time: Dick Enberg announced UCLA basketball for Channel 5 in the late 1960s and early ‘70s. Who followed Enberg?

*

Cap caper: Mark McGwire is now a spokesman for DirecTV, which is bad news for the Abbey restaurant in Seal Beach. McGwire is wearing DirecTV caps.

*

Looking back: On this day in 1982, senior Cheryl Miller scored 41 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and had seven steals and four blocks to lead Riverside Poly High to a 77-44 victory over Los Gatos for a state championship.

*

Looking back II: On this day in 1966, Coach Adolph Rupp and the Kentucky Wildcats were defeated in the NCAA basketball title game, 72-65, by Coach Don Haskins’ Texas Western Miners. It was the first time in tournament history that a title-winning starting five was made up entirely of African American players.

*

Trivia answer: Al Michaels was the UCLA announcer for Channel 5 for two seasons, 1973-74 and ‘74-75.

*

And finally: Among those who have criticized Gov. Jesse Ventura as an XFL commentator is Vince McMahon, who started the league.

Said Ventura on his weekly radio show: “I’m not a quitter. I made a commitment. I will fulfill that commitment.”