Funk Often Is at His Best When Pressed

What funky thing might Fred Funk try next?

Today he is playing in the Bard Capital Challenge in Las Vegas, a one-day charity event involving pros and amateurs in team play that will be televised Dec. 15 on the Golf Channel.

Last weekend at the Skins Game, Funk wore a ruffled skirt to settle a bet with Annika Sorenstam after she out-drove him.

“One thing became obvious,” e-mailed reader Jim Greene of San Francisco. “He should have used an iron.”

Trivia time: What was significant about the crowd at the Rose Bowl for the 1988 UCLA-USC game?

Double trouble: KFWB’s Bret Lewis, on the announcement that the Rolling Stones will perform at halftime of the Super Bowl: “Two terrifying concepts: Keith Richards, wardrobe malfunction.”

Another indignity: The displaced New Orleans Saints have been using the Alamodome in San Antonio as their temporary headquarters this season.

But the team had to move out for a week in October because of a builders’ exposition, and Monday they have to vacate for a week and a half because of a women’s college volleyball tournament.

“This would be acceptable if I was in high school,” Saint guard Kendyl Jacox said.

Hair-brained idea: Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers showed up at a game against the Clippers a week ago with the words “Tru Warier” shaved into his hair.

“In other news,” wrote comedian Jerry Perisho, “the Supercuts chain has announced that for an extra $2, you can get spell-check.”

Overreacting: In a new book, “Crashing the Borders,” New York Times columnist Harvey Araton examines the impact of the melee last year that resulted in Artest’s being suspended for the remainder of the NBA season.

“Perhaps the most shocking and revealing development was the halftime show of the nationally televised NBA All-Star game,” Araton writes.

“One year after one exposed breast at the Super Bowl precipitated a near-hysterical backlash against licentiousness in the entertainment industry, the NBA even outdid the NFL’s PG-rated Paul McCartney halftime bash the month before.

“The sight of country and western singers bounding on the court was too much for TNT commentator Charles Barkley. ‘This ain’t no NASCAR race,’ complained Sir Charles.”

Looking back: On this day in 1961, Syracuse running back Ernie Davis became the first black player to be selected No. 1 in the NFL draft. The Washington Redskins made the pick.

Trivia answer: With an attendance of 100,741, it was the last time more than 100,000 watched a UCLA-USC game. It has happened five times in the series.

And finally: Jim Armstrong, in his AOL sports column, exaggerated only slightly when he wrote: “These days, Indianapolis 500 is a partial score from a Colt game.”

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