They will be certain to keep coupons handy

What's next, a cardboard sign with "Will Dunk For Food" scrawled on it?

Denver Nuggets center Jamal Sampson — who gets the NBA's $106 daily road per diem in addition to making $798,112 this season — figures he pockets half his meal money, and he isn't alone. "I'm the Subway king," Sampson told the Rocky Mountain News. "I don't do room service. I'd rather walk. ... Subway, Quiznos, I'll go to whatever sandwich shop."

But Sampson says guard Yakhouba Diawara, who makes the rookie minimum of $412,718, is the Nuggets' top penny-pincher.

"There's nothing over a $10 meal for Kouba," Sampson said. "Kouba will walk three miles. He'll walk around the whole city just to save some money."

Pins and needles

Eleven professional wrestlers, including the WWE's Randy Orton, are among those linked to the latest steroids investigation.

In a radical departure from the usual athlete denials of drug use, however, the rasslers claimed they were simply faking it.

Pass the Visine

Among the top 10 signs you've been watching too much college basketball, from CBS's David Letterman:

• "To get in the mood, you ask your wife to dress like Billy Packer.

• "When announcer says Butler guard A.J. Graves averages 2.4 rebounds per game, you mutter, 'It's 2.3, moron!'

• "Human resources asks you to stop hand-checking co-workers.

• "Your kids are seeded according to how much you love them."

Quite the catch

In a remarkable jump from his days as a Utah State walk-on, former Rams receiver Kevin Curtis landed a six-year, $32 million deal from the Eagles, $9.5 million of it guaranteed.

"I had to get a new car a few months ago," Curtis told the Deseret News of Salt Lake City. "This will help soften the blow."

Infield dirt extra

Fort Smith (Ark.) National Cemetery, barring an unexpected roadblock, will expand onto the adjacent property that once housed Andrews Field, a minor-league ballpark dating to 1916.

Priciest plots on the new ground, it appears, will be for those wanting to go deep into the hole at shortstop.

Talking the talk

• Times reader Bill Littlejohn, after Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter was cited for an altercation with Bengals tackle Levi Jones at a Las Vegas blackjack table: "When interviewed by police, the dealer said that a push was immediately followed by a bust."

• Pete Entegart of SI.com, on the Porter-Jones dustup: "Simply by not being arrested, though, Jones earned the Bengals' 'Citizen of the Week' award."

• Cubs manager Lou Piniella, to the Chicago Tribune, when asked what he sees in pitcher Neal Cotts: "I see he gives up runs every time he pitches."

• Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, on the Patriots signing free-agent tight end Kyle Brady: "No, he's not Tom's son."

Old, and older

Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Orr celebrated a double birthday of sorts Tuesday.

He turned 59, and his knees turned 89.

Dwight Perry: 206-464-8250 or dperry@seattletimes.com