He Quickly Turns the Cheers to Boo-Yas

In ESPN’s reality series, “Dream Job,” 12 ordinary people, culled from extensive auditions throughout the country, are competing for a one-year contract as a “SportsCenter” anchor.

Mark Madden of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is apparently not a fan of the show. Calling this his “dream ending,” Madden wrote:

“The show is down to two contestants. Host Stuart Scott tells both that all bets are off because neither is good enough to walk the hallowed halls of Bristol.

“They both get one-year contracts -- but ESPN is assigning their contracts to a TV station in Des Moines. Suddenly, Dan Patrick strides onto the set clutching an additional plane ticket to Iowa. ‘Guess what, Stu. You’re going too.’ ”

Trivia time: One former Laker coach coached at Saint Joseph’s, another played there. Who are they?

Just rewards: Martha Stewart hasn’t sent any gift baskets to the jurors that convicted her. Maybe she would have had she been found not guilty.

Don King once told Bob Costas on HBO that he had arranged exotic vacations for members of juries who found him not guilty. He said he took one group to a fight in England and another to the Bahamas.

Said Costas to King, “Normally, people try to get out of jury duty, but in your case they are lined up around the block.”

Lovable loser: How’s this for a losing streak? The Japanese racehorse Haruurara, an 8-year-old chestnut mare, recently lost for the 105th time in 105 races, finishing ninth in a field of 11 at the racetrack in the coast city of Kochi. She went off at 130-1.

However, Agence France-Presse calls Haruurara Japan’s most famous horse and says that she is adored by fans.

There are Haruurara “Never Give Up” T-shirts, Haruurara lucky charms, package tours to watch her race are sold out, and she is featured in a commercial for Kirin beer.

Don’t cry over spilled beer: Karl Vogel of the Journal Star of Lincoln, Neb., after John Daly slammed his hand in a car door: “The good news is, the injuries don’t appear to be extensive. The bad news is, he spilled the beer.”

New look: The Miami Dolphins’ Ricky Williams returned from vacation in Australia without his dreadlocks. He’s now bald.

According to Associated Press, Williams’ agent, Leigh Steinberg, said, “People are adjusting to it. Unlike Samson, he has retained all his strength, wisdom and sex appeal.”

Looking back: On this date in 1965, Gail Goodrich scored 42 points, leading UCLA to a 91-80 victory over Michigan in the NCAA basketball championship game.

Trivia answer: Jack McKinney and Paul Westhead.

And finally: Yao Ming, interviewed on TNT, was asked what he thought of Charles Barkley. Yao, after motioning with his hand that Barkley talks too much, said, “He makes a lot of money for old people.”

*

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