Familiar with the Cardinal rule?
Former Southern California receiver John Jackson believes the Trojans will beat Texas in the Rose Bowl game – his predicted score is 42-27 – even though the Longhorns think they will win the game.
Jackson, speaking at the Pasadena Quarterbacks Club luncheon Friday, said, “I played for the Arizona Cardinals, so I know what it is to think you’re going to win.”
Jackson, asked what NFL team might draft USC’s Matt Leinart, said, “Arizona always needs a quarterback. I can vouch for that.”
Three’s company
Ken Griffey Jr. will switch from No. 30 to No. 3 next season.
The Cincinnati Reds said Friday that Griffey is switching numbers as a tribute to his children – all three wear the No. 3 when playing sports.
Griffey wore No. 24 while playing for the Seattle Mariners, then switched when he joined the Reds. His father also wore No. 30 while playing for the Reds.
The 36-year-old Griffey, in his seventh season with the Reds, batted .301 with 35 home runs and 92 runs batted in during 128 games last season.
Rookie recovery
New Zealand rookie Bradley Iles, recovering from a serious brain injury last year, shot opening rounds of 68 and 69 at this week’s Mastercard Australian Masters golf tournament at Melbourne.
Iles birdied three of his first five holes and was tied for fifth after the second round. He faded slightly with a third-round 74, falling 11 shots behind leader Nick O’Hern of Australia.
Having such a solid effort on the course was a feat Iles never envisioned several months ago.
The 22-year-old was in a coma for three days following a golf cart accident after competing in the Players Amateur tournament in South Carolina in July 2004. He was standing on the back of a cart on a post-round search for alligators when he fell off, hitting his head on the cart.
He now has a metal plate and two screws in his head.
“It took me about a year to get over it,” Iles said Friday at his second pro tournament. “My memory was very bad and I had vertigo.”
That’s a cold remark
How cold was it? Jay Leno, on last week’s “Monday Night Football” game:
“It was so cold in Philadelphia, you could see the Philadelphia Eagles’ last dying breath.”
With this Super Bowl ring …
New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady, asked by Bob Costas on HBO to what lengths people will go to meet him, said, “I have had people invite me to weddings to be the best man – guys I’ve never even met.”