After That, He Really Started to Clean Up

John Wooden had a humble beginning when he arrived at UCLA in 1948.

In a recent interview with Bill Walton for ESPN, Wooden said, “I was a little surprised at the conditions. Had I checked them out more carefully, I probably never would have come here. I practiced on the third floor of the old gym, and you had no privacy at all -- a large dressing room, one shower for coaches, players and other sports.

“And then for 17 years [until the completion of Pauley Pavilion in 1965], I helped the managers sweep and mop the floor where we had practice.”

Trivia time: Wooden is one of three coaches who ended their college coaching careers with NCAA championships. Who are the other two?

Not quite the same: Regarding NBA teams wearing vintage uniforms, Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun wrote, “The NHL is planning a similar league-wide ‘Turn Back the Clock’ promotion next season. To commemorate the 2004-2005 season, each team will spend one night playing in street clothes.”

Feeling his oats: Shaquille O’Neal, who is now featured on a Wheaties box, said if TNT’s Kenny Smith were featured on a cereal box, “He’d be on one of those where you find 20 boxes for 29 cents that have been expired for two years.”

Not ready for prime time: Miami guard Damon Jones, to NBA TV: “What, I’m chopped liver? I’m doing NBA TV and Shaq is on TNT. I see how it is.”

Silver lining: TNT’s Charles Barkley, on the Lakers’ dim playoff hopes: “I don’t understand what is the big deal. It wouldn’t be a bad thing for the Lakers to not make the playoffs and get a high draft choice. They’re not contenders.”

Point well taken: A 68-year-old man who had fallen through the ice on a pond near Berlin was finally rescued after several unsuccessful attempts when a police officer with discus-throwing experience scored a direct hit with a fling of the life ring.

“It has been years since I last threw a discus,” officer Andreas Bunkus, 38, was quoted as saying by ananova.com. “I’m glad to see I’ve still got what it takes.”

Added the Seattle Times’ Dwight Perry, “As for the rescued man, we assume he’s just happy the department’s javelin champ happened to be off duty.”

Looking back: On this day in 1965, Gail Goodrich scored 42 points, leading UCLA to a 91-80 victory over Michigan in the NCAA championship game. It was the second of 10 national championships the Bruins won under Wooden.

Trivia answer: Al McGuire, Marquette, 1977, and Larry Brown, Kansas, 1988.

And finally: The Indianapolis Colts have signed Edgerrin James to a one-year contract but still may trade him. The Colts earlier said they would take less than a first-round draft pick for James, prompting Dan Daly of the Washington Times to write: “Minnesota Viking Coach Mike Tice immediately offered Indy a pair of Super Bowl tickets.”

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