-- A Philadelphia gas station honors the Sixers with 76-cent gallons of fuel for 76 minutes once a week ... A while back, Barack Obama played basketball while campaigning in North Carolina and had a really good shot blocked by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright ... Flopping isn't smart hoops, it's lazy defense. Floppers are penalized in hockey and soccer and starting next season, the NBA will fine players.
-- USC's O.J. Mayo denies receiving money and goodies under the table and vows to spend the rest of his life searching for the real freeloaders.
-- The Red Sox no longer allow fans to spread cremation ashes on the Fenway Park outfield. Guess dying doesn't mean a fan has "urned" the right. Boston centerfielder Coco Crisp: "It's kind of freaky knowing you're diving into somebody's grandpa" ... Nationals centerfielder Lastings Milledge: "My mom (Linda) named me Lastings because she knew I'd be her last child" ... How about the 7-year-old Little Leaguer from Freetown, Mass., who was benched for two games because his mother missed her shift at the league's concession stand ... Portfolio magazine found Angel Stadium in Anaheim had the most concession-stand health-code violations (792) in MLB in '07. A sign on the concession stand reads "A million roaches can't be wrong" ... Did you know in a game between the Reds and Cubs on June 29, 1913, only one baseball was used for the entire nine-inning game?
-- According to Bonnie Caldwell, a mouse has 225 bones. You have just 206.
-- Rick Dutrow, the trainer of super race horse Big Brown, has been arrested repeatedly for smoking marijuana and suspended by racing commissions in six states. His horses have had doping issues involving illegal substances every year since 2002.
-- Dolphins' Jason Taylor may soon be cut after finishing second on Dancing with the Stars. GM Bill Parcells hates losers and may soon hire a new receiver, Kristi Yamaguchi ... Incidentally, Tuna Parcells was once observed walking on a treadmill while eating a Dove bar!
-- In closing, Tom Taber asks if you heard about the auto mechanic who went to psychiatrist and laid down under the couch?
(Some of the information in this column was obtained from other news organizations)
