Reality Check for Stanford at White House

The Stanford men’s basketball team got more than it bargained for during a tour of the White House on Tuesday. The group had just finished visiting the first family’s home when several team members noticed a commotion on the sidewalk outside the fence.

The players looked on as Athletic Director Ted Leland walked within 40 feet of the fence where U.S. Park Police officers eventually shot a homeless man wielding a knife. The Stanford players were ordered to the ground as police secured the area.

“It seemed like every Secret Service guy, park policeman and patrol car in Washington was out there,� Bob Vasquez, Stanford’s media relations director, told the Washington Post. “It’s an off day, you try to enjoy the city and all it has to offer--then you run into reality.�

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Trivia time: Who are the only NBA players to play for both teams in the same game?

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Duck honk: Among the Oregon Ducks’ biggest rooters Jan. 2 will be John McKay, the former USC coach who was 5-3 in Rose Bowl games.

“Go Ducks,� McKay told Hubert Mizell of the St. Petersburg, Fla., Times. “Joe Paterno’s a friend of mine, but I’ll be rooting for Oregon, my old school. I can still sing the Oregon fight song.�

McKay, who was a halfback at Oregon, was an assistant coach the last time the Ducks played in the Rose Bowl, in 1958.

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Window dressing: Bernie Lincicome, writing in the Chicago Tribune: “A year without hockey is like a Happy Meal without parsley.�

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Turnabout: The San Francisco 49ers’ Deion Sanders has been complaining about beer being thrown on him following the 49ers’ victory over San Diego at Jack Murphy Stadium.

Len Pasquarelli of the Atlanta Journal/Constitution suggests “Maybe Deion will want to check with Tim McCarver for a good dry-cleaning service.�

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Single-minded: Former U.S. Amateur champion Justin Leonard, asked what he did besides play golf, thought a minute, then replied: “That’s about it.�

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Big dividends: When James and Luana Whyte bought a colt named A.J. Jett for $2,800, the Canadian couple said they wanted a superstar and bought him because his catalogue number was 99, “just like Wayne Gretzky.�

A.J. Jett may not be a Gretzky yet, but he’s on his way. The 2-year-old colt earned $75,000 for finishing third last Sunday in the Hollywood Futurity at Hollywood Park.

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Trivia answer: Ralph Simpson, Harvey Catchings and Eric Money of the 76ers and the New Jersey Nets. They were traded from the 76ers to the Nets after having played in a protested game in November 1978 that was finished in March 1979. Money scored four points for the 76ers, 23 for the Nets.

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Quotebook: Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam on his idea of the No. 1 football team in the nation: “Penn State gets the edge because their offense is so tough. I think Nebraska’s is one-dimensional.�