They’ll skipBob Knight rerunsThe new 24-hour Big...

They’ll skip

Bob Knight reruns

The new 24-hour Big Ten Network is preparing to launch Aug. 30, but most of the conference’s top events will remain on ESPN and ABC. So Mike Downey of the Chicago Tribune offered a sneak preview of what some of the Big Ten programming might be, such as:

Michigan vs. Ohio State men’s synchronized swimming.

“Great Moments in Indiana Football.”

Big Ten beach volleyball, live from Iowa City.

OSU band practice.

“The ‘Why We Hate Notre Dame’ Show,” a weekly panel discussion.

Trivia time

Who was the golfer who held off Tiger Woods to win the 2002 PGA Championship by one shot?

Clowning around

Long Beach Press-Telegram sports columnist Doug Krikorian celebrated his 64th birthday Sunday night among a group of friends that included Joe McDonnell, his former radio sports talk show partner, and Chick Hearn’s widow, Marge, who celebrated her 90th birthday July 31.

Krikorian and McDonnell recalled one time when Marge Hearn was on their show and boxing publicist Bill Caplan, one of the L.A. sports scene’s great characters, called in.

Caplan, for once a bit tongue-tied, said to Marge, “Chick would have loved to have met me” -- when he meant it the other way around.

Krikorian years earlier had given Caplan the nickname Bozo, and on this occasion McDonnell and Krikorian were merciless in ribbing “Bozo” for his mistake.

Finally, Marge said on the air, “Who’s Bozo?”

On Sunday night, Marge said, “I still don’t know who Bozo is.”

So Krikorian called Caplan and handed the phone to Marge. After a nice conversation with Caplan, Marge said, “We should throw a party for Bozo. Then we could all dress up as clowns.”

Must-see TV

Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that PGA champion Woods is a big television draw whether he is “winning big, winning small, charging from behind, or power-baby-sitting a lead, as he did Sunday.”

Added Ostler: “If you think the Giants are boring when Barry Bonds isn’t in the lineup (and you are correct), can you imagine watching four hours of Sunday TV golf when Woods isn’t involved?”

Note any trend here?

TicketCity.com has rated the five current “toughest” tickets in college football this season. They are Notre Dame at Penn State, Sept. 8; Ohio State at Michigan, Nov. 17; USC at Notre Dame, Oct. 20; Notre Dame at Michigan, Sept. 15, and Boston College at Notre Dame, Oct. 13.

Mixed message

The Dodgers’ Jeff Kent taped an interview with Charley Steiner for an “In My Own Words” segment that will air after Wednesday night’s Dodgers game on FSN Prime Ticket.

Of the media’s portrayal of his relationship with former Giants teammate Bonds, Kent says, “Some good, some just straight color, some straight lies.”

But talking about relationships with teammates in general, Kent says, “People want teammates for some reason to be friends with each other all the time, and as competitive as we are, it just doesn’t happen.”

Mom knew best

Babe Laufenberg, a star quarterback at Crespi High and Pierce College who later played in the NFL, is now a broadcaster and family man who resides in Dallas.

Because Laufenberg is a lifelong Joe Namath fanatic, his oldest son is named Joe Willie.

Asked if he had any difficulty talking his wife into the name, Laufenberg told the Dallas Morning News: “Not at all. It was actually a prenuptial agreement. No Joe Willie, no marriage.

“I wanted to name the second one Johnny U. She put her foot down. He is Luke.”

Trivia answer

Rich Beem.

And finally

Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, on the Chicago Cubs’ plans to unveil a bronze statue of Ernie Banks on their next opening day: “The statue will join the long list of baseball figures with a better personality than Bonds.”

larry.stewart@latimes.com