A Trip to Paradise Just Got a Lot Cooler

There was one hot topic of discussion the day before college basketball’s Maui Invitational got underway.

The Lahaina Civic Center is now air-conditioned.

To those who have sat in a building filled with many more than the listed capacity of 2,500, and under lights added for television, it was good news.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard about the air-conditioning,” Massachusetts Coach Steve Lappas said. “I guess the heat was part of the ambience of the tournament. But I’m glad it’s going to be cooler.”

Said Utah’s Rick Majerus, making his third trip to the tournament: “I sweated through my Aloha shirt big time both times, so I’m happy for the air.”

Trivia time: Who holds the NBA single-game playoff record for most minutes played without a turnover?

Rip job: Jimmy Kimmel, in his weekly bit on “Fox NFL Sunday,” did a number on Howie Long. Kimmel pointed out that Long had said the previous Sunday that McNabb had either broken a fibula or a broken “tibula.”

Kimmel pointed out there is no such thing as a “tibula.” “It’s tibia,” Kimmel said.

He then showed a diagram of a brain, followed by a diagram of Long’s head. It showed Long had a large ego under his skull and a very small brain.

Long seemed to take it all in good spirits.

Pointless: Here’s another example of a sideline interview with a coach at halftime offering nothing. Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops, asked by TBS’ Craig Sager about putting up 25 points in the first half against Texas Tech on Saturday, said:

“Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do, put points on the board? We plan on playing the second half too!”

Oklahoma, which led, 25-0, at halftime, won, 60-15.

Good point: TBS play-by-play announcer Ron Thulin had his say after players missed dousing Stoops with Gatorade:

“Thank goodness. I’m ready for people to stop pouring things on head coaches. ... The wave and throwing things on head coaches, let’s make them illegal.”

How about sideline halftime interviews as well?

Ouch: Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle reports this crack about the woes of the San Francisco 49er kicker from comedian Bob Starlatte at a Big Game luncheon last week:

“Who’s going to get the Ax? Cal? Stanford? Jose Cortez?”

Trivia answer: Dan Majerle, Phoenix, 59 minutes in a triple-overtime game against Chicago on June 13, 1993.

And finally: Fox studio analyst Jimmy Johnson, on McNabb continuing to play on his broken ankle:

“First of all, [Coach] Andy Reid shouldn’t be taking any heat. There’s a misconception about coaches making decisions on playing injured players. Here’s the process: If a player gets injured, he goes to the team doctor for an examination. The team doctor then makes a decision as to whether or not the player can or should play and tells the trainer.

“The trainer tells the coach, at which point the coach will talk to the player.”

Retorted Long: “You could have eliminated that whole trilogy of an explanation because all it really comes down to is, ‘Can you go?’ ”

-- Larry Stewart