All These Questions Really Get His Back Up

Randy Johnson of the New York Yankees did not take kindly to reporters’ questions about his back Sunday at Angel Stadium, wrote Jim Baumbach of Newsday.

Although acknowledging he is not completely healthy -- “I haven’t been 100% since high school” -- Johnson insisted he would make his start tonight against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium.

Johnson was removed from his start Thursday after 89 pitches because his surgically repaired back tightened up after he slipped on the mound.

He told the reporters that they reminded him of kids in the backseat on the way to Disneyland. “We’re almost there, kids,” he said. “We’re almost there. Disneyland is 15 minutes away. We’re almost there.”

Attempting to lighten the mood, Angel broadcaster Rex Hudler, a former teammate of Johnson’s, reminded him that Disneyland is the “happiest place in the world.”

Johnson, however, did not find humor in it, replying, “Take it out of here, Rex.”

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Trivia time: Who was the first player to win a tennis major using a metal racket?

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Pump it up: Victor Conte, founder of BALCO, will serve four months in prison as part of a plea bargain with federal prosecutors in a steroid case.

“There’ll be a lot more homers flying out of the exercise yard now, that’s for sure,” wrote Dan Daily of the Washington Times. “In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the warden moved the walls back.”

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Spending the Shark: Nevada Las Vegas receiver Terry Furlow was suspended from the team after he was arrested in a hotel casino and charged with trying to spend counterfeit $20 bills, the Las Vegas Sun reported.

Wrote Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “Everybody knows bills bearing the likeness of Jerry Tarkanian are no longer considered legal tender in Las Vegas.”

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The Master: On HBO’s “Real Sports” tonight, Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully presents the three keys to a successful play-by-play career he learned from legendary broadcaster Red Barber: Don’t be a homer, keep your opinions to yourself, and never, ever listen to other broadcasters.

“He said, ‘Because if you listen to other broadcasters, you will lose the one thing that you bring into this booth that no one else can bring.’ So I said, ‘What’s that?’ He said, ‘Yourself. There is no one in the world quite like you. So don’t water your wine.’ ”

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Looking back: On this date in 1952, Bob Mathias won the Olympic decathlon for the second time with a world record of 7,887 points, 912 points more than the silver medalist. In 1948, he had become the youngest champion, at age 17.

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Where’s Woods? The first rule of TV golf, according to syndicated columnist Norman Chad: “If Tiger Woods is not on your leaderboard, make your leaderboard longer.”

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Trivia answer: Jimmy Connors, who defeated Ken Rosewall in the 1974 U.S. Open.

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And finally: NBC’s Jay Leno, on Sylvester Stallone’s plans to produce “Rocky VI”: “He’s getting a little up there in years. In this movie he spends two hours trying to remember where he parked his car in ‘Rocky V.’ ”