Olympian's word is good as gold

That U.S. triumph in Olympic men's basketball was a Wynn-win situation.

Seems U.S. guard Jason Kidd had promised Elaine Wynn, wife of casino mogul Steve Wynn, his gold medal from Beijing after meeting her during the team's three-week training stay at the Vegas hotel.

"She thought I was kidding," Kidd told The Arizona Republic. "But I told her I had one already, and the way they treated us at the Wynn, it was the least I could do."

Added Jeff Wolf of the Las Vegas Review-Journal: "That's one way to get a lifetime pass to the front of the buffet line."

This score just in

Wondered David Thomas of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "How many of the schools listed in U.S. News & World Report's top 25 American colleges also were listed among The Associated Press' Top 25 college-football teams?

"Answer: None."

Games quiz

The term "Olympic movement" refers to:

a) The brotherhood, sportsmanship and other ideals fostered when international athletics are properly administered at their highest level;

b) The PG-rated description for the utterances of IOC chief Jacques Rogge.

Not Greek to him

What to make of those NBA superstars dropping hints about playing in Europe someday?

Air-ball. Air-ball.

"First of all, I think Kobe [Bryant] and LeBron [James] have too much time on their hands," Charles Barkley said. "These guys want to be the best players in the world.

"I've been on TNT for years, and no one's ever asked me, 'Who won the championship in Greece last year?' "

Ken-do attitude

David Hayes hooked the largest channel catfish in North Carolina history — 21 pounds, 1 ounce — on 6-pound test line with a Barbie fishing rod that his 3-year-old granddaughter Alyssa had just handed him.

"She said, 'Papa, you're going to break my rod,' because it was bent double," Hayes told the Hickory Daily Record. "He turned the water over, and I saw his tail was about as wide as my two hands."

Twenty-five minutes later, the fish measured 32 inches — or 2 inches longer than the pole.

Talking the talk

• Steve Rosenbloom of ChicagoSports.com, on Kyle Orton being named the Bears' starting QB: "Truth is, everybody will play quarterback this year, because the Bears' offensive line is expected to be brought up on manslaughter charges."

• Hamilton Tiger-Cats GM Bob O'Billovich, to the Montana Standard, on why he was switched from shortstop to center field during his baseball-playing days growing up in Butte: "My arm was too erratic. I used to clear out the dugouts."

• Steve Schrader of the Detroit Free Press, after Southern cooking icon Paula Deen served as grand marshal for the Food City 250 stock-car race in Bristol, Tenn.: "Hey, y'all! No driving on the apron!"

He's a

coaching staple

Mark Mangino, the corpulent Kansas football coach, is reportedly among those pictured in Playboy's annual September preseason All-America issue.

Veteran Jayhawk-watchers declared it a first for Mangino — a big spread that didn't involve biscuits and gravy.

Sideline Chatter appears Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Dwight Perry: 206-464-8250 or dperry@seattletimes.com