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And as the Washington Generals …

Somebody had to be the opponent for Magic Johnson’s first game of his comeback. Not that anyone at The Forum knew it was Golden State. As Lakers coach Del Harris held his usual pregame meeting with reporters outside the locker room, Warriors coach Rick Adleman happened by and couldn’t resist a jab.

“Thanks for inviting us Del,” Adelman said facetiously. “This is great.”

Said Harris: “It’s always bad when the other coach has the best line at your (press) conference.”

Bush league antics

Former President George Bush and his wife Barbara are making pitches for the Houston Astros, who are trying to peddle 18,000 season tickets and have enlisted celebrities such as the Bushes, ex-Oilers coach Bum Phillips and Clyde Drexler of the Rockets for the cause.

In a TV ad campaign set to debut this week, the former First Couple is seen remembering Bush’s days as a first baseman at Yale. Mrs. Bush recalls how she was scorekeeper for the team.

“I still can’t believe you gave me an error in the Cornell game,” Bush says in the spot.

“That was a playable ball, George,” Mrs. Bush replies.

“Was not. Was not,” he says.

“Jeff Bagwell would have had it,” she says.

And he would have had someone better than Dan Quayle backing him up on the play.

I love you, man

Did the guests at your Super Bowl party have this much fun? At the Green Parrot Pub in Tampa, a representative from Anheuser-Busch walked in and handed each of 90 guests a cashier’s check for $545.50. Turns out the joint had won a contest among some 40,000 U.S. bars having a Super Bowl party with a “Bud Bowl 8” promotion.

“I don’t even watch football,” said a stunned Tammy Santiago. “I just came here to have a few beers.”

Now that’s the Super Bowl spirit.

A no-hitter

World middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins took just 24 seconds to stop Steve Frank of Brooklyn on Saturday night. Hopkins (28-2-1) got $152,000 for landing three quick punches. Frank (15-3-1) a late fill-in for No.1 challenger Joe Lipsey, didn’t land a punch. In fact, he didn’t throw one.

Another save for an old goalie?

Pope John Paul II, a one-time soccer goalie with a keen interest in the sport, invited South Americans who play in Italy to morning Mass at his apartment. Abel Balbo, Gabriel Batistuta, Javier Zanetti, Jose Chamot, Roberto Sensini, all Argentines, and Daniel Fonseca of Uruguay, attended with their families.

It was the second time that John Paul invited soccer players to the Mass he celebrates each morning. Ten years ago, Diego Maradona, then playing for the Napoli club, and his family joined the pontiff.

And it’s really kept Diego on the righteous path, eh?

The last word …

“You’d better get some rest. You’re guarding me tonight.”

- Michael Jordan to the Knicks’ Anthony Mason

, DataTimes