One More Good Way to Tie Up the Courts

Like many Canadian boys, Brendan Butrimas wanted to play youth hockey. The problem with youth hockey -- and all youth sports for that matter -- is that overbearing parents and self-important coaches often also are involved.

Brendan, 8, was tossed off his team and his father has filed a $10,000 lawsuit against the league. Seems dad wanted to get into the locker room after a game but was locked out. Dad and coach exchanged bitter words and the coach later demoted Brendan in front of his teammates.

Brendan’s mother, Linda, told the Globe and Mail of Toronto that she or her husband always had been allowed in the locker room because her son was tall for his age and had problems with motor skills, such as tying his shoelaces.

Hey Brendan, ditch the adults, get some buddies and find a frozen lake.

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Trivia time: Who played the most seasons between baseball All-Star game selections?

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Hot cuisine: The Reveil Matin cafe, the starting point of the first Tour de France 100 years ago, is enough to make a Francophile wince these days.

It’s painted bright yellow, has been renamed the “Hacienda Reveil Matin” and is done up in a Cowboys-and-Indians theme: It’s a Tex-Mex place.

Lance Armstrong -- a Texan who loves Mexican food -- thinks it’s a good omen in his quest for a fifth consecutive victory.

Many in the town of 22,000, however, think the new owners have a bad sense of style ... and worse sense of history.

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FYI: The New Jersey Nets have played more postseason games (40) in the last two seasons than they did in their first 25 seasons in the NBA.

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Stuck in the 60s: Chris DiMarco has shot a 69 or better in every round of three PGA Tour events this year -- the Sony Open, Phoenix Open and Honda Classic -- and failed to win any.

DiMarco is no stranger to going low with nothing to show. He shot in the 60s in every round of seven tournaments without a victory in 2001 and 2002.

Before you start feeling too sorry for him, he has won $6.75 million over the last 2 1/2 years.

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Really, a Web site? Everything you want to know about the NBA’s boy wonder can be found at Lebronjames.com.

Gee, wonder if there’s any merchandise for sale.

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Shot down: An ordinance banning bow fishing in Imperial Beach goes into effect this month, ending a 15-year battle between those who want to shoot fish with steel-tipped arrows from the pier and those who, well, don’t want to end up skewered.

Bow fishermen contend there have been no documented bow fishing-related accidents in the state in a decade, but Councilwoman Mayda Winter was unimpressed.

She told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the council tried hard to find a compromise “but I just don’t see how you can mix a lethal weapon and large groups of tourists.”

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Trivia answer: Bert Blyleven (11 seasons between 1973 and 1985).

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And finally: Golfer Michelle Wie, 13, on her goal of staying an amateur until after college: “If I don’t have to see the money right before my eyes, I’ll be fine.”