In Yankees’ World, Anything Is Possible

Was Gene Michael surprised when he was returned as a coach of the New York Yankees in the George Steinbrenner shuffle?

“The only thing that surprises me is that people are still surprised when something happens,” he said.

Michael put in a couple of terms as manager of the Yankees. After the second firing, he was asked if he thought Steinbrenner could manage the club.

“I don’t know,” Michael said. “But if he ever does, I want to be the owner.”

Smart boy: Said rookie quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver of the San Diego Chargers, when asked about the acquisition of Jim McMahon from the Chicago Bears: “I can’t say too much bad about him--my wife likes him.”

Add McMahon: Wrote Vito Stellino in the Sporting News, noting that McMahon started only 32 of the Bears’ last 69 games: “Never has a quarterback done so little and become so famous. He was the ultimate quarterback of the 1980s: All style over substance.

“The real reason the Bears traded him was that they no longer could count on him.

“The proof was in the price. They could only get a third-round pick for McMahon.”

Trivia time: USC quarterback Todd Marinovich has what in common with the last two Trojan quarterbacks who played on winning teams in the Rose Bowl?

Ouch: When John Madden interviewed several San Francisco 49ers for a CBS special, he got some surprisingly frank answers.

Said quarterback Joe Montana, when asked about the switch in coaches from Bill Walsh to George Seifert: “It’s like driving down the freeway and you open the window and get a breath of fresh air.”

Add 49ers: From guard Bruce Collie, who said he might have quit if Walsh had returned: “I’m not going to lie to anyone. Me and Bill didn’t get along at all. I’ve talked more to George in the last two months than I ever did with Bill in my entire career here.

“You know exactly what George is thinking. George is a good man. Bill is more shady, kind of mysterious. You didn’t know if he liked you or not.”

Bottom line: Linebacker Jeff Lageman, No. 1 draft choice of the New York Jets from Virginia, runs the 40 in a modest 4.85 seconds, but linebacker coach Jim Vechiarella told USA Today:

“Players who have good instincts and see things, regardless of their speed, will play fast. Fast people that my not see things as well on the snap of the ball will play slow.”

Trivia answer: Marinovich, Tim Green and Paul McDonald are left-handers.

Quotebook: Greg Johnson, traveling secretary of the Pittsburgh Pirates, asked what kind of seats he got for the 87 persons on the pass list in Atlanta for Pirate outfielder Gary Redus: “All of them were facing the field.”