Let’s Get Reeeeady to Rumble, Then Vote

How low can it go? This recall mess is getting worse and worse.

Promoters for the James Toney-Evander Holyfield fight, to be held in Las Vegas Oct. 4, sent out a news release Monday declaring Toney as a write-in candidate for governor of California.

Toney is quoted as saying, “After I knock out Holyfield, it is lights out for Schwarzenegger. To get California back on track, I say we generate revenue by having Schwarzenegger fight me on pay-per-view.”

The release also quotes Toney as saying, “The undercard can be Gray Davis against any girl of his choice. Who is Schwarzenegger anyway, the Incredible Hulk?

“When I defeat the Terminator, he will turn back into the Running Man.”

Think this might, by any chance, be a publicity stunt?

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Trivia time: Who are the only former players from the United States Football League (1983-85) still playing in the NFL?

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Recall redux: Lester Speight, the actor who plays Terry Tate in Reebok commercials, filed to run for governor but was one of 112 “candidates” ruled ineligible. A Reebok spokesman said Speight-Tate was just doing what the character always does -- “having fun and making people laugh.”

Isn’t this recall supposed to be serious business?

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More legitimate: Also rejected was KNX sportscaster Geoff Nathanson. The difference is, Nathanson, a 1987 UCLA graduate with a degree in history, says he was serious about running.

“I planned to campaign and make speeches,” he said. “I’m very concerned about our state.”

Nathanson said he was rejected because 20 of his 75 signatures -- 65 were required -- could not be verified with valid addresses and he was not given time to collect more.

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Good excuse: Mike Downey of the Chicago Tribune and formerly of The Times, says, “I was about to file -- I still own a home in California -- but being governor would have forced me to take a leave from my day job and miss the World Series between the White Sox and Cubs.”

Nice to know the Windy City hasn’t robbed Downey of his sense of humor.

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Tough job: John Bryan, who works in stock car driver Dale Jarrett’s pit crew, was hit two weeks ago by Jarrett’s car at the Brickyard 400. Bryan also had been hit in 1991 by Ward Burton.

“Sometimes I feel like a crash-test dummy,” he told TNT.

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Silenced: For the “Wally’s World” segment on TNT’s pre-race show Sunday, Brad Arnold, lead singer for the rock band Three Doors Down, got a ride in a NASCAR race car from TNT and NBC commentator Wally Dallenbach.

Said Dallenbach to Arnold: “I don’t hear you singing now.”

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Trivia answer: San Diego quarterback Doug Flutie and St. Louis punter Sean Landeta.

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And finally: Mixing sports and politics seems to be commonplace these days. Writes Steve Scholfield of the North (San Diego) County Times:

“Finding any significance in the Chargers’ home exhibition opener [Saturday] with the Arizona Cardinals is like asking Arnold Schwarzenegger a question on public policy. Nothing is forthcoming.”

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-- Larry Stewart