Sideline Chatter
Auction item is all about scoreboard, baby

By Dwight Perry
The Seattle Times

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Want to score some points with that hard-to-please Iowa football fan on your holiday shopping list?

If $10,000-plus is no problem, the Kinnick Stadium scoreboard — complete with controls and Jumbotron — is up for auction on eBay.

"At least you won't have to worry about Joe Paterno bidding against you," noted Brooks Melchior of sportsbybrooks.com. "The Nittany Lions' offense hasn't needed a scoreboard all season."

Rather, judging by that big "I" in the middle of the scoreboard, oddsmakers predict it'll come down to a two-way bidding war between the Eagles' Terrell Owens and Budweiser's Leon.

Worth repeating

Just like its all-time record in football, Oklahoma also has a fight-song percentage that's pretty tough to beat.

That is, 27 of the 46 words to "Boomer Sooner" — 58.7 percent — are "Oklahoma," "Boomer" or "Sooner."

No air apparent

La Louviere, a Belgian soccer team, is protesting the first goal it gave up in a 2-1 loss to Anderlecht, Het Laatste Nieuws reported, because the ball burst on impact when it was kicked and thus had no air in it when it flew into the net.
 
In a related story, NBA officials are investigating reports that the Nets and Trail Blazers used the same ball in Tuesday's 64-60 thriller.

No hair apparent

Brian Mann, the backup quarterback for the Arena League's Los Angeles Avengers, served as Adam Sandler's stunt double during the filming of "The Longest Yard" remake.

"I had to do three things I thought I'd never do," Mann told the Los Angeles Times. "I dyed my hair, shaved my legs and got a fake tan."

To half and to hold

Atlanta's Bobby Cox has been voted National League Manager of the Year.

In a related story, Houston's Phil Garner was voted Manager of the Half-Year.

Talking the talk

• Jim Armstrong of AOL Sports, on receiver Terrell Owens getting in quarterback Donovan McNabb's face on the Philly sideline Sunday: "Eagles coach Andy Reid tried to get between them, but couldn't fit."

• Elliott Harris of the Chicago Sun Times, after Dave Wannstedt — who started his head-coaching career with two 4-12 seasons in Chicago — resigned with a 1-8 record in Miami this season: "If he can land another head-coaching gig after his days with the Miami Dolphins, environmentalists might want to look into the NFL's recycling program."

• Comedian Argus Hamilton, on why USC and Oklahoma won't stay atop the BCS football rankings: "They are both party schools, and once moral values are added to the computer's algorithm, Utah is sure to be the No. 1 team."

• Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, on this week's troubles in Buckeyeland: "Did Ohio State go over the Big Ten salary cap when it signed running back Maurice Clarett?"

Just say neigh to drugs

As if there weren't already enough sports with drug scandals, now comes equestrian — and word that Waterford Crystal, Ireland's gold-medal horse, might have had prohibited substances in his system during the Olympics in Athens.

Considering Waterford is a gelding, they can probably rule out Neigh-agra.

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