This game of chicken doesn’t fly

Dateline: Manhattan, Kan.

Memo to Kansas State fans: Stop flinging chickens!

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is upset by Kansas State students’ custom of throwing live chickens onto the floor behind the bench before basketball games against rival Kansas, making fun of the Jayhawk mascot.

According to media reports, PETA raised an objection in a letter to the university, calling chickens “very intelligent and inquisitive animals.”

It described the conditions the chickens are subjected to as “deafening noise, bright lights, terror, abusive handling and likely death for the sake of amusement.”

The university is trying to put a stop to chicken throwing. Still, how do you keep the chickens down on the farm after they’ve seen Manhattan?

Trivia time

What year was the San Diego Chicken “born”?

Mascot love

All things chicken can be found on the on-line encyclopedia, Wikipedia, including this fascinating bit of music history.

The Chicken, in 1979, got into the studio and recorded a cover of Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”

Briefing will pass on answering.

Daily dose

of Becks

Slim pickings on the David Beckham watch, but something always seems to emerge, even tangentially.

New England Revolution Coach Steve Nicol responded to reporters asking about possible interest in Robbie Fowler of Liverpool: “Because of the type of money David Beckham has got, a lot of people think everybody has that kind of money, which is not the case.”

Photo finish

There goes that Sports Illustrated cover shot.

Warming up, Mets pitcher Oliver Perez delivered a pitch that nailed a Sports Illustrated photographer on the leg the other day in spring training.

“I got hit pretty good,” said the photographer, John Iacono, to the Associated Press. “At the last minute, I saw it coming. I turned my left leg just enough so I didn’t get it head on.”

What, no requests for M&M;’s?

Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton, a St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan, doesn’t want too many extras when he is making a movie, but apparently there is one standing request.

“The only thing that I always ask for on a movie -- I don’t ask for much, but I have to have satellite TV in the trailer because every break, I’m straight to the trailer to check on the game,” Thornton said in an interview to be broadcast today on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Thornton’s least-favorite team is the Chicago Cubs.

“It doesn’t matter if the Cubs are good or bad, we still can’t stand them. And they still beat us. Last season, I think they beat us every time we went up there to play them. I don’t know. We just can’t stand them. And now they’ve gone and spent a bunch of money this year. I just hope it doesn’t do them any good.”

Trivia answer

1974.

And finally

Ducks General Manager Brian Burke, in a diary for USA Today, on trade negotiations before the deadline, in particular his chat with Florida assistant GM Randy Sexton about acquiring Todd Bertuzzi:

“He tells me, ‘The guy we like is [Corey] Perry.’ I offer him profanity. If you are offended by profanity, it’s difficult to make a trade in the NHL. If you are going to try to rob me, at least wear a mask.”

lisa.dillman@latimes.com