He Had His Age-Old Question Answered

By Larry Stewart

Nov. 9, 2003 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune contended in a column published Oct. 25 that Florida Marlin Manager Jack McKeon was making a mistake by pitching Josh Beckett in Game 6 of the World Series on three days’ rest.

Rogers blamed this decision on McKeon’s age, 72, which prompted a letter to the Tribune from a reader in McKeon’s age bracket.

At the end of the letter was this challenge: “I can still out-run ya, I can still out-fun ya, I can still out-fight ya, and I can even out-write ya.”

It came from Marv Levy, 75, the former pro football coach.

Royal treatment: Beckett, whose five-hit shutout gave the Marlins a Series-clinching 2-0 victory, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about what it has been like since then.

“It’s like I’m Elvis,” he said. “I walked into a Burger King and got a standing ovation.”

Trivia time: Who followed Mike Dunleavy as the Lakers’ coach in 1992?

Receipt required: Dante Hall of the Kansas City Chiefs was asked by ESPN magazine to name his best return.

“I got $30 back on some plumbing supplies I bought at Home Depot,” he said.

A weighty issue: Michael Irvin of ESPN said, “I just found out what free weights are. Free weights are what happens when they stop paying you to lift.”

Misbehaving in the NBA: “In the NBA so far this season,” says Jerry Perisho, “San Antonio Coach Gregg Popovich was suspended for bumping a referee, Portland’s Bonzi Wells was fined for making an obscene gesture at a fan, and Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett was fined for throwing a basketball into the stands. The only person in the NBA who isn’t acting like a high school adolescent is LeBron James.”

Makes sense: Charles Barkley, on learning that Vladimir Stepania now plays for Portland: “I guess they had to sign somebody who doesn’t go to jail.”

Anti playoffs: USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett is among college administrators who are against instilling a playoff system for football.

“When I was in the NFL, we always talked about how the hottest team at the time would win the championship,” he said.

“All a playoff in college football would prove is who is the hottest team at the time.”

A Chicago rarity: NFL owners voted in Chicago recently to let Arizona host the 2008 Super Bowl. Cardinal owner Bill Bidwill was quoted by the Chicago Tribune as saying, “Finally, an honest election in Chicago.”

Mr. Humility: Terrell Owens, asked by ESPN which league had the better athletes, the NBA or the NFL, said, “Definitely the NBA. I just happen to be a guy who can play both.”

Trivia answer: Randy Pfund.

And finally: Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) said the bowl championship series “looks un-American. It looks rigged.”

Randy Hill of foxsports.com says, “The BCS, putting its best spin forward, referred to Biden’s criticism as a ‘quality loss.’ ”

Larry Stewart can be reached at [email protected].