The Only Goofy Stuff Will Be if T.O. Plays

For the first time since 1986, star players of the Super Bowl will not get a chance to proclaim that they’re headed to Disneyland or Disney World. This week, Disney canceled its promotional series with the game but left the door open for returning next year.

Susan Strother Clarke of the Orlando Sentinel: “In the end, maybe it’s a good thing there won’t be ads this Super Bowl. Now, if anyone asks the players after the game what their plans are, they can say -- with complete candor -- what I’ve always wanted to hear:

“I’m taking a shower!”

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Trivia time: Which player kicked off Disney’s Super Bowl campaign by saying, “I’m going to Disneyland!” after an MVP performance?

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Championship blues: Detroit Piston forward Darko Milicic, the second pick in the 2003 draft, ahead of Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony, is unhappy with his role. Unfortunately for Milicic, who Coach Larry Brown once said got into foul trouble in pregame warmups, his complaints about lack of playing time fall low on the struggling defending NBA champions’ priority list.

Rob Parker of the Detroit News: “The Pistons are trying to win another championship. Getting it done has little to do with whether Milicic contributes or not. It’s not mean. It’s just a fact.”

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Follow the money: Less than five years ago, the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL rarely made more than $600,000. Now, offensive line coaches are making more than that.

This week, the Miami Dolphins dug deep to lure Hudson Houck away from the San Diego Chargers, signing the former USC and Ram assistant to a three-year deal worth reportedly $2.5 million.

“From a business standpoint, this is the best thing for me and my family, and I really couldn’t pass on it,” Houck told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Atlanta line coach Alex Gibbs reportedly makes $1 million a year.

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Back at Shaq: In response to Shaquille O’Neal’s complaints about teammates’ missing open shots in a loss at Philadelphia this week, Miami Coach Stan Van Gundy said, “That’s the wrong thing to be talking about. There are nights the ball goes in, there are nights the ball doesn’t go in. The problem with us, over the last three weeks, is, we haven’t consistently played hard or with enough energy.”

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NHL sign of the times: Across the street from Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., the NHL lockout has forced Bar 242 to close because of a lack of business. A sign in front of the restaurant reads, “Closed due to high player salaries.”

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Trivia answer: Phil Simms of the New York Giants, after defeating Denver at the Rose Bowl in 1987.

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And finally: For the 25th time in the last 26 Super Bowls, UCLA will have at least one former player on the field. Freddie Mitchell and Matt Ware play for Philadelphia, and Roman Phifer is with New England.

They will bring to 81 the number of former athletes to play in the Super Bowl, which still trails USC, which has had 90 former Trojans in the games. Willie McGinest of the Patriots is the only Trojan in this year’s game.