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A real burner, that Anderson
The 65-year-old torch-bearer for the World Veterans Athletics Championships in Buffalo was burned when a gust of wind blew flames from her torch onto her hands. Ruth Anderson dropped the torch, setting her shoes on fire, at which point Games personnel rushed to her aid with fire extinguishers.
“Having this honor was just a super thrill,” Anderson said, “but I can assure you that was more excitement than I cared for.”
Anderson was rushed to a nearby hospital and treated for first-degree burns.
Michael Brandon, D.C.
After Saturday night’s preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback John Friesz should have thanked Niners defensive end Michael Brandon for what had to be one of the cheapest shots of the game.
Brandon delivered a hit to the former University of Idaho standout’s neck in the fourth quarter of San Francisco’s 17-7 victory and was promptly whistled for unnecessary roughness.
Friesz, who had suffered from a sore neck all week, had his neck go back in place with the dirty hit. The pain went away.
Pay-per-view THIS
Kansas City Star columnist Jason Whitlock would pay to see Mike Tyson fight two opponents in one night.
“On the other hand,” Whitlock asserts, “I have no interest in watching Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon play one on one. … Have you ever seen the fat kid at the park who turns his back to the basket and dribbles in backing up until he’s pushed his opponent all the way underneath the goal?
“Pretty boring, right? That’s what watching Shaq play Hakeem would be like. Shaq has no moves, no skill and no business playing anyone one on one.”
And what’s your opinion, Jay?
New-found respect
In case you hadn’t noticed, the Philadelphia Phillies have almost as many Kevins on the roster as healthy starting pitchers - four. And the big problem with that, of course, is that nobody can say, “Hey, Kevin,” anymore, without four guys looking up. But according to former Central Valley High star Kevin Stocker, at least he’s getting more respect now.
“I notice,” he said, “that a lot of guys have started calling me Mr. Stocker.”
Purely coincidental
UCLA running back Sharmon Shah recently changed his name to Karim Abdul-Jabbar, suspiciously close to the chosen name of a certain Bruins basketball legend.
Writes Michael Ventre in the Los Angeles Daily News: “If you snicker at Sharmon Shah changing his name to Karim Abdul-Jabbar, just remember it could be worse. The Bruins could have built their offense around a back named Mark Landsberger.”
The last word …
“As new as it is, there is a special distinction in being involved in a wild-card race. It is like shooting par from the red tees, finishing first in the overweight division of a marathon, being good at mixed doubles.”
- Bernie Lincicome, Chicago Tribune
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