It’s Not the Heat; It’s Sure Not Humility

There might be more to be excited about in South Florida than the Marlins’ winning the World Series and Jack McKeon’s being chosen as National League manager of the year.

Hockey’s Florida Panthers, playing their first game under self-appointed interim Coach Rick Dudley, shut out the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-0, Tuesday night. The Lightning had started the season 7-0-1 and recently defeated Pittsburgh, 9-0.

“OK, OK, let’s not get carried away,” the Miami Herald’s Greg Cote wrote of the Panthers’ victory. “Aw, to hell with it, get carried away.”

A time for euphoria: Dudley, who was the Lightning’s general manager for 2 1/2 seasons until coming to the Panthers as general manager in May 2001, said after Tuesday’s game, “We don’t want to get too euphoric about it.” He then added, “I’m euphoric, [but] I don’t want them [the players] to be.”

The victory was the first in the NHL for Dudley as a coach since Nov. 22, 1991, when he was with the Buffalo Sabres. Dudley was coach of the San Diego Gulls in 1992-93.

Trivia time: Mike Keenan, fired by Dudley as the Panthers’ coach Sunday, ranks fourth among NHL coaches with 579 victories. Where does he rank for losses?

Old Warrior: Michael Miyashiro, a reserve receiver for Hawaii, is believed to be the oldest player in Division I-A football. And maybe the shortest.

The 5-foot-6 Miyashiro, who spent two years at Mt. San Antonio College before walking on at Hawaii, is two months shy of his 30th birthday.

“He’s a super kid,” receiver coach Ron Lee said before correcting himself: “I shouldn’t call him kid.”

Soaring Eagle: Safety Clinton Hart, a longshot to make the Philadelphia Eagle roster in training camp, was in the starting lineup for Monday night’s game at Green Bay because of an injury to starter Brian Dawkins.

All the Eagle starters had taped their introductions for ABC in June, except Hart. He taped his before the game and wasn’t sure what to say. Hart didn’t play college football, only baseball at Central Florida Community College.

“I thought about saying, Clinton Hart, Central Florida Community College, baseball player,” he told the Philadelphia Inquirer. Instead, he simply said, “Clinton Hart, Central Florida Community College.”

Looking back: On this day in 1951, boxing’s “Golden Boy,” Art Aragon, lost a 15-round decision to lightweight champion Jimmy Carter at the Olympic Auditorium. It was Aragon’s only title bout in his 16-year ring career. Aragon celebrated his 76th birthday Thursday.

Trivia answer: Fourth with 483 losses.

And finally: Dan Patrick and Rob Dibble, prompted by the death of former Jackie Gleason sidekick Art Carney, were talking about great television pairings on their ESPN radio show. Patrick mentioned such people as Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) and Barney Fife (Don Knotts). Dibble mentioned Pat Sajak and Vanna White.

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Larry Stewart can be reached at larry.stewart@latimes.com.