Retirement Could Leave Him Feeling Choked Up

When Memphis Coach John Calipari was coaching Massachusetts, he and Temple Coach John Chaney almost got into a fight after a game in 1994.

Chaney was livid after seeing Calipari confront officials in a hallway to complain about some of their calls even though his team won.

“I’ll kill you,” Chaney yelled at Calipari after his Owls lost to Calipari’s Minutemen by one point. “You remember that! When I see you, I’m going to kick your.... “

Proving that time does heal most wounds, the two are now friends. On Monday, when Chaney retired, he got a call from Calipari.

According to what Calipari said on FSN’s “Best Damn Sports Show Period,” Chaney told him, “If you didn’t call me, I was coming to Memphis to choke you.”

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Trivia time: Calipari is in his sixth season at Memphis and the Tigers are seeded No. 1 ahead of No. 2 UCLA in the Oakland Region of the NCAA tournament. Has Memphis ever been a No. 1-seeded team before?

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Kids’ choice: Indianapolis Colt quarterback Peyton Manning is the favorite athlete among children, according to a Sports Illustrated For Kids reader’s poll.

Manning, a two-time NFL MVP, received the most votes cast by more than 1,400 kids. Trailing Manning were LaDanian Tomlinson, LeBron James, Michael Vick and Dwyane Wade.

Tennis star Maria Sharapova topped the list as the favorite female athlete, while kids picked soccer star Freddy Adu as their favorite teen athlete.

Previous winners include Vick in 2005, Tracy McGrady (once), Allen Iverson (twice), Michael Jordan (seven times) and Shaquille O’Neal (twice).

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Nice gesture: Six years ago, Brandon Hakola and his older brother Christopher were lured into a hotel room by a man and beaten. Christopher died in the attack and Brandon was left scarred and brain-damaged.

Their attacker pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 75 years in prison.

Brandon, his mother Patricia Tanner, and other victims of attacks were on Maury Povich’s nationally syndicated show, “Maury,” on Channel 5 on Tuesday.

The boy, now 14, is a big Laker fan. During the show, Lamar Odom delivered a happy birthday message via a video postcard and Brandon was presented with a basket from the Lakers that included memorabilia and a basketball signed by team members.

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Looking back: On this day in 1987, Don Pooley, who is competing in this week’s Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach Country Club, aced the 192-yard 17th hole at the Bay Hill Classic in Orlando and won $1 million.

Pooley got half and the other half was donated to the Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital.

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Trivia answer: No. Memphis was a No. 2-seeded team in 1982 and ’85.

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And finally: Of Terry Bradshaw’s nude scene in “Failure to Launch,” Greg Cote of the Miami Herald said, “Analysts expect the film to gross millions.”

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