NFL labor talks going into overtime

A 24-hour extension in labor negotiations is an overtime period that even the most pessimistic NFL fan can embrace. …

Is there a John Elway-type out there who can pull this out? …

Or a Franco Harris? …

The Lakers’ struggles against the Charlotte Bobcats probably can be summed up in one word: Indifference. …

A year from now, the Clippers should be in the playoff hunt. …

Former USC forward Brian Scalabrine of the Chicago Bulls, in a Sports Illustrated interview, says of unassuming teammate Derrick Rose, “I’m way cockier than he is and I never play.” …

Rose surprised his teammates in October when he asked reporters on media day, “Why can’t I be MVP of the league?” …

Five months later, nobody seems to have a good answer. …

Charlie Sheen last month advised the UCLA baseball team to “stay off the crack” and “drink chocolate milk,” after which the Bruins fell from No. 1 to No. 5 in the national rankings and Sheen continued to spray hits to all fields. …

Word out of the NFL scouting combine was that Jake Locker has trouble passing accurately out of the pocket, which seems a glaring deficiency for a prospective NFL quarterback. …

It didn’t stop him from twice defeating USC, however. …

Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, conceding that he’s no Cam Newton in terms of athleticism: “But I don’t think I’m the only guy in the NFL that might have the same problem — I don’t think Peyton Manning is as athletic as Cam.” …

Ralph Sampson, among the newest members of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, is one of only three men honored as national player of the year three times. …

The others: Oscar Robertson and Bill Walton. …

A bid by Duke’s Nolan Smith to become the first player in Atlantic Coast Conference history to lead the conference in scoring and assists in the same season reminds that three players have led the Pac-10 in those categories in the same season. …

Oregon State’s Gary Payton did it in 1989-90, Arizona’s Damon Stoudamire in ‘94-95 and Arizona’s Jason Terry in ‘98-99. …

Reader Dalia Lacker of Redondo Beach, noting that this could be the first time that the Kings and Ducks make the playoffs in the same year, e-mails to suggest, “Not too shabby for a region where most folks still think icing is what you do to a cake.” …

In 14 seasons with the New York Yankees, Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly played in only five playoff games. …

Derek Jeter has played in 147. …

Norwegian soccer player John Carew, who reportedly rejected an offer to join the Galaxy, recently revealed a neck tattoo that because of a punctuation error translates not to “My life, my rules,” as he had intended, but rather, “My life, my menstruation.” …

When Jack Nicklaus says he still believes Tiger Woods will break his major titles record, is he just being gracious? …

Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of perhaps the greatest fight of the 20th century, Joe Frazier’s 15-round unanimous decision over Muhammad Ali to retain the world heavyweight title. …

Among those at ringside was Frank Sinatra, working the bout as a photographer for Life magazine. …

Tyler Trapani, John Wooden’s great-grandson, may have scored UCLA’s final points Saturday, but the last point of the game was scored by Arizona’s Kevin Parrom on a free throw. …

Pauley Pavilion will be closed for renovation after a March 24 men’s volleyball match against UC Irvine. …

Speaking of volleyball, Olympians Dusty Dvorak and Celso Kalache will have their jersey Nos. 1 and 8 retired Saturday at the Galen Center, where top-ranked USC takes on No. 2 Brigham Young. …

On Sunday, the USC women’s basketball team will retire Naismith Hall of Famer Cynthia Cooper’s No. 44. …

What’s one more comeback for Serena Williams, who always seems ready to meet adversity head-on? …

Let’s hope she’s back soon. …

Noting Caltech’s recent streak-busting victory over Occidental, Brad Dickson of the Omaha World-Herald writes, “According to basketball historians, this was the biggest upset ever by a team whose players wear pocket protectors on the court.”

jerome.crowe@latimes.com