Only Thing He Catches Now Is Attention

Wherever you turn, Keyshawn Johnson, the deactivated Tampa Bay wide receiver, is a hot topic.

On ESPN, Steve Young said: “He emotionally quit on his team. It’s not Little League. It’s for adults.”

ESPN colleague Tom Jackson said: “My 3-year-old, when I want to really affect her, I put her in a timeout. That’s where Keyshawn is right now -- a timeout.”

Mike Lupica, on ESPN’s “The Sports Reporters,” said: “He thinks this is a good thing, because he’s in play again, even though he’s not playing football. He’s going on TV. He thinks he is somehow growing the business of Keyshawn Johnson.”

Boomer Esiason, on CBS: “He got what he deserved.”

Meanwhile on Fox: The network that invited Johnson into its studio for a guest appearance wasn’t very courteous, either.

Jimmy Johnson, speaking to Johnson: “I’m looking at this and thinking, the Bucs are paying you $170,000 a week not to be a part of their team. How does that make you feel?”

Keyshawn Johnson, appearing unfazed, replied: “I didn’t ask out of 2003, I was talking about 2004. You’re right, I shouldn’t be sitting here with you guys.”

Trivia time: Who ranks fourth among USC’s all-time receiving leaders, and who is eight catches away from moving into the fourth spot?

“Combat” duty: Veteran Hollywood publicist Cliff Dektar recalls that Warren Spahn, who died Monday, was a fan of the old television show, “Combat.” Dektar said one time when the Milwaukee Braves were in town to play the Dodgers in the early 1960s, a team publicist called ABC publicity to see if Spahn could come to the set on a back lot at MGM Studios.

“When the producers heard of the request, they offered Warren a role as a German machine gunner,” Dektar said. “The publicist was worried because Warren was pitching that night.”

No need to fret.

“He pitched a one-hitter,” Dektar said. “And a full-page photo of Warren in a coal scuttle helmet ran in Life magazine.”

Another Mike Myers: Guess who is reading Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat” to 50 schoolchildren at the L.A. Central Public Library today?

Would you believe Pro Football Hall of Fame lineman Howie Long? The reading is part of a “trip-a-day” program, which benefits the San Diego firefighters. Long is making a $15,000 donation on his own.

“The Cat in the Hat was my favorite book growing up, and I’ve enjoyed reading it to my children,” Long said.

Looking back: On this day in 1980, Roberto Duran quit with 16 seconds to go in the eighth round at New Orleans, giving Sugar Ray Leonard a victory in what came to be known as the “no mas” fight.

Trivia answer: Johnson with 168 receptions, and Mike Williams, who has 161.

And finally: Randy Turner of the Winnipeg Free Press, on the Raiders’ Bill Romanowski testing positive for steroids: “All the shock value of Roseanne testing positive for doughnuts.”

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