Morning Briefing

Others may stress global warming, wring their hands over the plight of endangered species and howl at the Washington, D.C., wind about the fate of the planet.

Ben Foster did something about it. He has invented the world’s first eco-friendly cricket box.

Foster designed the equipment, which protects the lower region of the body, out of plant-based resin and hemp. Yes, hemp, making it perfect for an Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test between Holland and Jamaica.

But when Foster tried out the equipment, the bowler seemed under the influence of Roger Clemens. Foster took one off the noggin, splitting his eyebrow.

“The box stood up well, we just need to make an eco-friendly helmet,” Foster said.

Hmm, an eco-friendly helmet made from hemp? The perfect defense for Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry, who was arrested this month on traffic and marijuana charges.

Your honor, I was making this eco-friendly football helmet, see and ...

Trivia time

Who was the only future Heisman Trophy winner to be tackled by a future president of the United States?

This little piggy wants to redshirt

Chad Gray, a forward for the South Carolina basketball team, may redshirt this season after suffering an injury in practice this week.

He stubbed his toe.

The injury is being called “turf toe,” though it happened on a basketball court -- “hardwood toe” doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Gray, a top recruit, had yet to play for South Carolina. He joined the team last week, after his admission this fall was initially denied because of NCAA concerns that his former Florida prep school was a diploma mill.

Said Gamecocks Coach Dave Odom about the injury: “The only good thing I can find that makes me feel better is that we never had him.”

He’s missing the obvious. The redshirt bar has been raised. New reasons may include: bad hair day, hurt feelings, crushed hoop dreams.

Hardly three amigos

Barry Bonds may finally have hard evidence to claim harsh treatment by the media. The Calgary Sun listed the 10 worst people or organizations in the history of sports. The top three were: 1. O.J. Simpson; 2. Bonds; 3. Mike Tyson.

Being squeezed between a convicted rapist and a murder defendant doesn’t look too good on the Hall of Fame resume. On the other hand, No. 6 on the list is already in the baseball Hall of Fame: Ty Cobb.

Maybe he can play for the Grizzlies?

With the year winding down, Morning Briefing is reminded of the inspiration Pat Riley tried to give his Miami Heat team last spring. Riley invoked the words of a famous former New York Yankees catcher. The message, it seems, got a little lost.

“He gave us a Yogi Bear quote,” forward Udonis Haslem told the Orlando Sentinel. “I can’t remember what it was. ... To be honest with you, I don’t even know too much about Yogi Bear. How old is that cartoon?”

Next week’s episode? “Smarter than the average Chicago Bear” or “That’s one heck of a Boo Boo.”

Trivia answer

The University of Chicago’s Jay Berwanger, who was tackled by Michigan’s Gerald Ford during a 1934 game. Berwanger won the Heisman Trophy the following year and Ford became president when Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace.

Footnote: After graduating from Michigan, Ford coached football and boxing at Yale while attending Yale Law School. His classmates included Byron “Whizzer” White, the runner-up for the 1937 Heisman Trophy and a Supreme Court justice, though Ford never tackled him during his years in the White House.

And finally

Ford recalled the tackle after Berwanger’s death in 2002.

“When I tackled Jay in the second quarter, I ended up with a bloody cut and I still have the scar to prove it,” Ford said.

Bloody cuts? Scars? Sounds like perfect training for entering the world of politics.

chris.foster@latimes.com