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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cheap Seats

Maybe he swapped a carton of cigarettes for it

Patriots fever has landed a Rhode Island state prison guard in trouble.

State police were called in to investigate how Gregory Angelone obtained an unregistered Rhode Island license plate with the letters “BLDSOE,” a reference to quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

Angelone, 27, was wearing the plate around his neck when he mugged for NBC cameras during the AFC championship game.

Department of Corrections officials watching the game on TV saw Angelone, and checked to see if the plate was registered, spokesman Al Bucci said. It was not, and neither was a “GO PATS” plate worn by a man next to Angelone who is not a Corrections employee.

Angelone was suspended with pay while officials investigate how he got the plate.

All Rhode Island license plates are made at the state prison’s mediumsecurity unit, where Angelone works.

Hard to believe, a prison guard involved in something unseemly.

We be announcin’

The Fox Sports family is pretty smug these days. All 58 of the Super Bowl’s 30-second advertising spots are sold for $1.2 million each. So when the group gathered for a press conference last week, everybody was in a good mood - even the Big Daddy, Rupert Murdoch.

A questioner wondered how Murdoch would react if Ted Turner, his naughty-mouthed archenemy, asked for tickets to the game.

“He’d be very welcome,” said Murdoch, deadpanning. “I’d love to have him. It would make for a very interesting day.”

Play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall was asked who will win.

“I don’t do predictions,” Summerall said. “Green Bay has more better players. Interpret that any way you want.”

Taking note of Summerall’s syntax, Fox studio host James Brown interjected, with a smile, “If I spoke like that, it would be called Ebonics.”

http://www.bandwagon.com

Hackers are looking for Packers. Patriots, too.

The biggest security mistake businesses make is choosing computer passwords that can be easily guessed by outsiders, such as a sports team’s name, said computer fraud consultants at Deloitte & Touche LLP.

“Employers in both New England and Wisconsin should be cranking out memos this week warning their employers not to use ‘Patriots’ or ‘Packers’ as computer passwords,” said Todd Fenner. “If you’re going to use a sports team, at least abbreviate it and add a number or something like that.”

No problem if you use “Jets,” however.

He’s everywhere you don’t want him to be

Bob Dole will join the Super Bowl’s parade of shills when he does a 60-second spot for Visa during the telecast of Supe XXXI.

The storyline is a secret, but Visa poobahs said “it is expected to capture Dole’s lighthearted side” and will also feature his hometown of Russell, Kan.

“I accepted Visa’s offer to appear in this ad because it looked like a lot of fun, it showcases my hometown and it’s a nice break from working on my inaugural address,” Dole said.

The last word …

“When Green Bay cheeseheads do the Macarena, does that make it Macarena and cheese?”

- Bud Geracie, San Jose Mercury News

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo