Knight Is Undisputed Chairman of Board

Before Texas Ranger relief pitcher Frank Francisco threw a chair into the stands in Oakland on Monday night, basketball coach Bob Knight held the distinction as the best-known chair tosser from the sports world -- for his across-the-court heave at Indiana University’s Assembly Hall in the mid-1980s.

Now, it seems, these incidents are unfolding below the college and professional levels. Earlier this month, the president of a youth football team was arrested for hitting the club’s coach with a lawn chair, the Arizona Daily Star reported.

Occupation of the accused? Tucson police officer.

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Trivia time: Where did Tony Jacklin lead the Europeans to their Ryder Cup victory in 1985?

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Flying high: The Detroit Lions were traveling a little lighter Sunday, having lost some emotional baggage after beating the Chicago Bears to end a streak of 24 consecutive road defeats.

“Usually when we fly home from Chicago, it’s like a 47-minute flight. But today it’s going to feel like 37 minutes,” quarterback Joey Harrington told the Detroit Free Press.

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Shaq swat: Forgive and forget? Not if you are Shaquille O’Neal, who had harsh words for the man who traded him from the Lakers to Miami.

“Some guys are so smart that they’re dumb,” O’Neal told SLAM Magazine. “Mitch Kupchak will never be remembered for anything but what? Trading me. That was the dumbest move in sports history. Congratulations, Mitch.”

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This is timely: Better push those clocks way ahead in New York Giant-land.

Jay Glazer of Fox reported Sunday that four Giants were filing union grievances because Coach Tom Coughlin fined them for not showing up “early enough” at team meetings.

“There’s no way I could play for Coughlin,” Terry Bradshaw of Fox said. “He is mean and hateful. You take veteran players like [Michael] Strahan and fine them for showing up early? There’s a little part of me that hopes this guy falls flat on his face because that’s a total lack of respect for the players.”

Coughlin was still bothered when the topic came up Monday, saying, “Players ought to be there on time, period. If you are on time, you are on time. Meetings start five minutes early.”

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Olive branch: The Stanford band is in trouble again.

Stanford Athletic Director Ted Leland has apologized to Brigham Young officials after the Cardinal band poked fun at polygamy Saturday during its halftime show.

As the band played, five dancers wearing wedding veils also performed.

Calling the actions of the band “inappropriate,” Leland said in a statement, “I wish to apologize to BYU, their team, fans and alumni. We are committed to being good hosts to our opponents who visit Stanford, and anything that doesn’t reflect this is regrettable.”

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Trivia answer: The Belfry Golf & Country Club.

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And finally: British Olympic rowing hero Matthew Pinsent, on winning his fourth gold medal: “I haven’t stopped smiling since I won gold and even if I’d found out my house had burnt down when I got home I would still be smiling.”