You Can Count on Shaq to Cop an Attitude

Shaquille O’Neal may be the world’s largest police officer, as well as the most intimidating.

O’Neal was once involved in an arrest during a ride-along with Las Vegas police officers. Now in the process of becoming a Miami Beach reserve officer, the Miami Heat center assisted with an arrest in South Beach early Sunday morning.

O’Neal spotted Michael Gonzalez, 18, a passenger in a car, yelling slurs at a gay couple walking on a sidewalk and then hit one of the men with a bottle. O’Neal followed Gonzalez and then flagged down a police officer, who made the arrest.

O’Neal, who says he would like to be a police chief or county sheriff, said in a statement: “For this incident, I don’t want to be credited as an individual who does police work. I want to be credited as a Miami Beach police officer.”

Yes sir, officer.

Trivia time: What former Los Angeles Ram assistant was the team’s head coach its first two years in St. Louis?

Watch out for the detective: Actor Telly Savalas, best known for portraying New York detective Theo Kojak, used to be a regular on the sidelines for Ram games at the Coliseum.

Rick Smith, the Rams’ public relations director for 11 seasons after a 13-year stint with the San Diego Chargers, tells a story involving Savalas in a new book he wrote about the Rams, “Stadium Stories: St. Louis Rams.”

When Jack Snow, now the Rams’ radio commentator, was a receiver for the Rams, he once ran over Savalas on the sidelines.

According to Smith, when Snow returned to the huddle, he said, “I think I just killed Kojak.”

Name game: Savalas’ real first name was Aristotle, although he was known as Telly.

If you think that is a rather odd name, the goalkeeper for the San Diego State men’s soccer team has it beat.

His name is Tally Hall.

And if Hall ends up playing in England someday, after every save the crowd will no doubt yell, “Tallyho.”

More name games: One of the most colorful nicknames in professional sports belonged to the late Elroy Hirsch, the former Ram receiver.

Smith, in his book, wrote that Hirsch was given the name “Crazy Legs” by a sportswriter when Hirsch was a running back for the University of Wisconsin.

“His crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions, all at the same time; he looked like a demented duck,” wrote Francis Powers of the Chicago Daily News.

Of the nickname, Hirsch said many times, “It was better than being called Elroy.”

Looking back: On this day in 1991, freshman Marshall Faulk of San Diego State rushed for an NCAA record 386 yards and scored seven touchdowns as the Aztecs defeated the University of Pacific, 55-34.

Trivia answer: Rich Brooks, who came from Oregon, where he was the coach for 18 years.

And finally: Comedy writer Jerry Perisho, on Monday’s blackout: “Power was restored to all of Los Angeles, with the exception of the Dodgers’ batting order.”

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