-- Latest Sporting News poll: 46 percent of sports fans would take a title for their favorite team over living a year longer. Eye opener!
-- Our new popular sound of spring--the crack of the gavel (steroid hearings) ... Now we hear that Roger Clemens' family dog has hired a PR rep and lawyer ... If only The Rocket and Barry Bonds had immediately come clean, apologized in a huge way, even started a steroid prevention foundation for kids, we wouldn't have this circus ... Nationals P Luis Ayala was recently hit in the arm by a shotgun pellet while hunting . Who would guess Ayala even knew Dick Cheney? ... Marlins' Select-a-Seat day last week drew fewer than 40 season ticket prospects.
-- Sure sign Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is destined to own the Cubs soon--the first three letters of his last name ... 76ers F Andre Iguodala on how his team has struggled this year: "We stink in practice, too" ... "If you take the UCLA or Kentucky hoops job, recruiting a player is like recruiting an alcoholic to a New Year's Eve party," says University of St. Louis coach Rick Majerus ... Did you know in 1948 John Wooden, now 95, was prepared to accept Minnesota's head basketball coaching position instead of UCLA? An ice storm knocked out phone service in the state so he took the Bruins job and led them to a feat never to be matched--10 national titles.
-- Louise Keller tells us a shrimp's heart is in its head.
-- We heard many of the '72 Dolphins probably fell asleep at halftime of the Super Bowl, but they were giddy when they heard the news in the morning, just before Bingo. Gotta remember undefeated Miami won half their games with a backup quarterback (Earl Morrall). Would the Patriots have even been in the Super Bowl with #2 QB Matt Cassel at the helm? He completed 6 passes last season.
-- Early consensus of the top 5 college football teams for 2008: 1 - USC; 2 - Georgia; 3 - Ohio State; 4 - Missouri; 5 - Oklahoma. The Bulldogs have an early commitment from RB Washaun Ealey, who already has smashed Herschel Walker's yardage and TD Peach State records. Legendary Giants LB Laurence Taylor's son Brandon is leaning toward the Hurricanes.
-- And finally, this from John Spadaro: Message found on a local church marquee--"Continued prayers for (name withheld), who is recovering from tree surgery."
(Some of the information in this column was obtained from other news organizations)
