Next Up: ‘Open the Pod Door, LeBron’

The ubiquitous LeBron James, on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated and sure to be featured during this weekend’s NBA All-Star festivities, may soon be coming to a computer screen near you.

A company based in Parsippany, N.J., is releasing a voice-activated software program in which a likeness of the star appears when summoned by the phrase, “Yo, LeBron.”

“Speaking with the superstar’s actual voice and showing off his signature basketball moves, the virtual James activates up to 100 computer applications when commanded verbally by the registered user, including Internet browsers, e-mail accounts, personal documents and more,” a company news release said.

And no, the “virtual” James doesn’t demand his own shoe contract and seven-figure salary.

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Trivia time: What is the only Atlantic Coast Conference school USC has never played in men’s basketball?

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Banner day: Headline writers had some fun in Thursday newspapers with the NHL’s decision to cancel the season.

It was “A New Ice Age,” according to the Boston Herald. The front page of La Presse in Montreal proclaimed “Black Wednesday” and the New York Post’s back page declared “R.I.P. -- The Day Hockey Died,” with a shattered Stanley Cup in the background.

The Detroit News, Halifax Chronicle-Herald and Quebec City Le Soleil each took the Eric Gagne approach, using the headline “Game Over.”

The Detroit Free Press, taking liberties with the city’s nickname of “Hockeytown,” went with “Hockey Frown.”

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Go for the gold: As part of a campaign to lure fans for its inaugural season, the Long Beach Armada is giving away Golden Baseball League mascot “nugget” bobblehead dolls to the first 150 people who purchase certain season-ticket packages.

One bobblehead will contain an instant-win sticker good for a genuine gold nugget valued at $500. Another doll will contain an instant-win sticker good for two lifetime season tickets to Armada home games. Of course, those could be worth considerably less than $500 if the team goes the way of so many other now-defunct minor sports franchises in Southern California.

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Ageless wonder: Julio Franco, who will play first base for the Atlanta Braves this season at the not-so-tender age of 47, might actually be considerably older, according to Sports Illustrated’s Rick Reilly.

“He might be 58 for all we know,” Reilly wrote. “One, he’s Dominican, and a birth certificate to a Dominican is like an odometer to a used-car salesman. Two, he doesn’t celebrate his birthday -- only Jesus’.”

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Trivia answer: Clemson. The Trojans and Tigers participated in the Rainbow Classic in December but did not meet.

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And finally: Martin Iti, the purported 7-foot Australian center who attended Anaheim Servite and Villa Park highs among others en route to playing for Charlotte, declared himself eligible for the NBA draft last year, after his freshman season, before withdrawing. One problem was his lack of skills at the Chicago pre-draft camp. Another: He measured only 6-8 1/2 without shoes.