Jon Stewart wants LeBron James to be a part of it, New York

When LeBron James visited the set of “The Daily Show” to promote his new book Monday, host Jon Stewart took some time to do some recruiting on behalf of the hometown New York Knicks.

Noting that James will be a free agent after next season, Stewart replaced the mug James was drinking from with an “I Love NY” mug.

James: “That’s a really nice cup.”

Stewart: “Are you familiar with our city? . . . We have a team, the Knickerbockers. They’re a basketball team.”

Stewart asked James if he had made up his mind about staying in Cleveland.

James said, “Well, I’m here in New York now with you.”

Stewart: “Are you suggesting I prevent you from leaving?”

By way of enticements, Stewart also presented James with food from New York-based Shake Shack and a piece of a tyrannosaurus rex vertebrae from the Museum of Natural History in New York.

Trivia time

Who was the first sports personality to host “Saturday Night Live?”

They used to look better

Considering the current state of affairs, anything described as “throwback” has to look good to the Oakland Raiders.

Raiders owner Al Davis was pleased with the team’s throwback white-and-silver jerseys that dressed up an otherwise dreary loss to the San Diego Chargers on Monday night.

Davis told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat that he wanted to bring back these circa-1963 uniforms before, but was turned back by the league.

“The reason they didn’t want to use it in the past is the film cannot identify certain players in the throwback uniform; the silver numbers are tough to identity,” he said. “So teams start complaining. . . .

“I always loved those things. In ‘63, everyone said, ‘Wow, that’s the best-looking uniform ever.’ But we just got away from it because of the film work. They’re always complaining about something.”

Trivia answer

Fran Tarkenton on Jan. 29, 1977.

And finally

Former University of Colorado football coach Gary Barnett, to the Denver Post, on how he lost in-state quarterback Zac Robinson to Oklahoma State because of the Robinson family’s OSU ties: “His uncle was the mascot. I knew we were in trouble when I heard that.”

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mike.penner@latimes.com