USC Hopes New Trojan Horse Bowls ‘Em Over

It will doubtless be noticed next season that sophomore Reggie Perry, who is spending his first spring practice as USC’s starting quarterback, is similar in many ways to former Trojan quarterback Rodney Peete:

--He wears No. 16.

--He is right-handed.

--He is 6-feet-2 and weighs 195 pounds.

--He was a three-sport athlete in high school.

--His initials are R.P.

Trojan fans only hope that he isn’t winless against Notre Dame and in bowl games, as was Peete, USC’s all-time leading passer.

Trivia time: What four things did the Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays have in common last season?

Squeezing out Sparks: This year’s winner of the Harry Merrill Memorial College Sports Writing Contest, conducted by the Philadelphia Sportswriters’ Assn., is Tiffany Sparks of Pennsylvania, whose first-place story was headlined: “It’s Not About Sex, but About Respect.”

An excerpt: “What bugs me is that people think I do this to meet men. I’d have a better chance getting guys if I wasn’t spending 60 hours a week at this newspaper.”

Sparks is a senior history major from Laguna Hills.

Attention, Kings: The Chicago Blackhawks will win the Stanley Cup, beating the Boston Bruins in the final, according to an Alberta Research Council computer.

And the Kings?

They will lose to the Blackhawks in the conference finals.

A lovely thought:

Wrote Bruce Keidan of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, after Pittsburgh lost to Kansas in the second round of the NCAA tournament: “Self-styled psychologists grumble that the Greatest Recruiting Class in the History of Pitt Basketball failed to achieve its manifest destiny mostly because it disliked its coach. . . .

“As to the notion that coaches must be loved by their players, it is patently absurd. I’ve yet to meet a Marine who adored his drill instructor, or a Steeler who got all dewy-eyed at the mention of Chuck Noll’s name. Indiana is going to the Sweet 16 for the umpteenth time under Bobby Knight, and nobody ever confused the General with Santa Claus.”

Mike time: Play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler will broadcast his 900th game with the Clippers tonight when they play Seattle.

However, you won’t hear him bragging.

Lawler knows that right across town is Chick Hearn, who Thursday night did his 2,411th consecutive Laker game.

Pillow talk: Mosi Tatupu, recently signed by the Rams as a Plan B free agent after 13 seasons with the New England Patriots, may have provided the secret to his longevity when he was still playing for USC. “Luaus are my favorite sport,” he said. “Other than that, my favorite pastime is sleeping. I can’t seem to find time to get all I need.”

Same general vicinity: Bill Walton drew some poor reviews for his work as an analyst on CBS-TV during the NCAA basketball tournament, mainly because of exchanges such as the following, which took place between Walton and play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough during the Kansas-Pitt game, after the scoreboard operator at Louisville’s Freedom Hall mistakenly gave Kansas an extra point:

Walton: “That’s what you call a home-court advantage.”

McDonough: “This isn’t their home court.”

Walton: “Kansas is pretty close to here, isn’t it?”

Dubious distinction: Mike Lattin, a senior journalism major at USC, was the winner of a Dick Vitale sound-alike contest at the Final Four, earning the first-place prize of $500 and a lifetime supply of Windex.

His mother must be proud.

Trivia answer: (1) They finished second in their divisions. (2) They were 86-76. (3) They led their leagues in attendance. (4) They wore blue and white at home.

Quotebook: Frank Barthen, owner of Buckeye Donkey Ball Co. of Westerville, Ohio, defending his use of donkeys in basketball games after protests from animal rights activists, told USA Today: “The donkeys bought the farm, they built my house and they sent my eight kids to school. I’m not about to abuse them.”