Text messages from press row . . .

A rivals.com list of celebrity former cheerleaders reveals several names that probably wouldn’t greatly surprise anybody -- Reese Witherspoon, Halle Berry, Vivica Fox, Eva Longoria, Katie Couric, Sheryl Crow, Long Beach Poly’s Cameron Diaz -- and some that probably would. . . .

Franklin D. Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower? . . .

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg? . . .

Samuel L. Jackson? . . .

Comedian and wild-and-crazy guy Steve Martin, the site reports, was a cheerleader at Garden Grove Rancho Alamitos High, “where he originated the ‘King Tut’ dance that would later help make him famous.” . . .

The lyrics and the hit song, apparently, came later. . . .

Dancin’ by the Nile, the ladies love his style. . . .

Roger Clemens: the needle and the damage done. . . .

The Rocket leaves the impression that he has already determined the “appropriate time” to publicly address the allegations made against him. . . .

The 12th of Never. . . .

Since last week’s release of the Mitchell Report, clubhouse needling in baseball conjures a far more sinister image than it did in the past. . . .

Lakers center Andrew Bynum’s willingness to learn from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar not only is refreshing but contrasts sharply with the attitude taken by former Clippers center and noted NBA bust Michael Olowokandi. . . .

The top pick in the 1999 draft, Olowokandi basically dismissed Abdul-Jabbar when the Clippers hired the former Lakers center to work with him early in his career, telling the team in so many words that the NBA’s all-time scoring leader and six-time most valuable player had little to teach him. . . .

Small wonder that the Kandi Man, after averaging 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in nine NBA seasons, is out of the league this season. . . .

Dikembe Mutombo, 41, of the Houston Rockets is the only player in the NBA who was born before Bill Russell played his last game for the Boston Celtics, a 108-106 victory over the Jerry West-Wilt Chamberlain-Elgin Baylor Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on May 5, 1969, at the Forum. . . .

Since the 1972 Miami Dolphins’ 17-game run to perfection, the NFL’s best records were compiled by the 1984 San Francisco 49ers and the 1985 Chicago Bears, both of whom were 18-1 in Super Bowl-winning seasons. . . .

Joe Montana and the 49ers lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in their seventh game, Walter Payton and the Bears to the Miami Dolphins in their 13th. . . .

Reader Vinnie Aven e-mails to note that Steve Carlson, who played one of the goonish Hanson Brothers in “Slap Shot,” not only suited up alongside Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky but also played with Marcel Dionne, meaning that Carlson was a teammate of three of the top five scorers in NHL history. . . .

Among those who will be inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame on Jan. 27 are surfer and real-life “Gidget” inspiration Kathy Kohner Zuckerman, sports agent Arn Tellem, former Carson High and NFL quarterback Perry Klein, four-time Southern California Golf Assn. champion Craig Steinberg and 2006 Major League Soccer rookie of the year Jonathan Bornstein of Chivas USA. . . .

Sportscaster Steve Hartman will serve as master of ceremonies for the induction ceremony and dinner at the Skirball Cultural Center and Museum. . . .

Oregon might be headed to the Final Four if former Oregon high school stars Kyle Singler and Kevin Love, two of the nation’s top freshmen, hadn’t bolted the state for Duke and UCLA, respectively. . . .

Singler, a 6-8 forward, is co-scoring leader and co-rebounding leader for the unbeaten, sixth-ranked Blue Devils. . . .

Love, a 6-10 center, is UCLA’s top scorer and rebounder. . . .

Helping Penn State win its second NCAA women’s volleyball championship last weekend in Sacramento was senior backup setter and defensive specialist Ann Naylor, a senior from West Los Angeles and granddaughter of the late Tiny Naylor, founder of the Tiny Naylor’s restaurant chain. . . .

Naylor’s father, Biff, owns the Du-Pars chain of eateries. . . .

Penn State football Coach Joe Paterno, asked to describe a perfect ending to his career: “Drop dead at the end of the game after you kick the winning field goal. They carry you off the field and everyone’s singing, ‘So long, Joe.’ ” . . .

Paterno, in his 42nd season, turns 81 on Friday.

jerry.crowe@latimes.com