Next Up For Bid Jose Offerman’s Glove

At a recent benefit in Los Angeles, a basketball autographed by UCLA’s 1995 NCAA champions was auctioned for $2,200. A signed team photo of the NBA Clippers opened at a minimum bid of $25, but drew no interest. It was dropped to $10 and sold for $20.

And that will be cash, not check, Mr. Sterling.

De La Hoya paranoia

The hottest thing in Everlast gloves, IBF and WBO lightweight champion Oscar De La Hoya is a selfproclaimed ham. He loves attention.

Yet as a guest on the Tonight Show last week before his second-round knockout of Rafael Ruelas, De La Hoya was a bit nervous in the spotlight. Host Jay Leno only made him more uncomfortable.

“He kept asking me questions about girls,” said De La Hoya, “about whether it’s good to be with girls before fights.”

The champ’s response? That it’s never been a problem for him - though it might be a problem for him now.

“Man, I have a girlfriend,” De La Hoya sighed. “I didn’t know what to say.”

Whatever you say, tell her the same thing you told him.

Star appeal

The troublesome Mathieu Schneider denies reports he is a cancer in the Montreal Canadiens’ clubhouse. “I’m not a Cancer,” Schneider points out. “I’m a Gemini.”

The Boxer Rebellion

Charles Barkley scored 47 points in Game 3 of the Suns’ first-round sweep of Portland. A year ago, he had 56 in Game 3 of a sweep of Golden State. His secret: packing only one pair of underwear when the Suns hit the road after Game 2.

Call it the power of positive underwear. No extra shorts, no Game 4.

But later, Barkley found some complimentary undies in his locker inscribed - with black magic marker - “These will fit.” They were size 50.

“Somebody sent me these, but I don’t guess I’ll be needing them,” Barkley said. “They’re kind of nasty.”

Not as nasty as Charles’ shorts would have been if he’d had to stick around for a Game 4.

Isn’t it about time for another lockout?

The NHL is back with its own special kind of selfpromotion - getting itself off the cover of Sports Illustrated. The magazine had planned a hockey spread last week and a photographer was dispatched to last Sunday’s playoff game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Dallas Stars. Then the lights went out.

“During the national anthem, someone connected with (Red Wings owner) Mike Ilitch pulled the plug on us,” SI managing editor Mark Mulvoy said. “They also pulled three other strobes as well.”

That meant SI had no fresh, color pictures. So the NHL had no cover and no story.

“Without pictures, you can’t run it,” said Mulvoy. “This is the era of color and you can’t use 3-year old pictures. This is the type of shortsighted thinking that pervaded the league during the John Ziegler years.”

The last word …

“If Anfernee Hardaway is Penny, is there a coin insignificant enough to designate Steve Kerr?” - Chicago Tribune columnist Bernie Lincicome