The Big Apple Proves Mealy as Radio Show Loses Its Bite

When Manager Bud Harrelson of the New York Mets pulled the plug on his own pregame radio show because he believed that the questions from host Howie Rose were too negative, Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post wrote that Harrelson’s ideal show would probably go something like this:

“Hi, Buddy.”

“Hi, Howie.”

“How’s the family, Buddy?”

“Great, Howie.”

“That nine-game losing streak hasn’t got you down, has it Buddy?”

“Not at all, Howie. In fact, there are lots of bright spots. Our bullpen is getting a lot of work, and we only had three guys picked off the other night. All in all, I’m very optimistic. If we can win 12 or 15 in a row, we’ll be right back in the race. By the way, Howie, did I tell you I was thinking of building a deck in my back yard? Yeah, something nice for a barbecue.”

“That’s great to hear, Buddy. . . . Anything else you’d like to talk about?”

“Yes, Howie. Bat Day’s coming up soon. It should be great fun.”

“Well, we’re almost out of time for today’s edition of ‘The Bud Harrelson Report.’ Tune in tomorrow, when Buddy will discuss Cap Day.”

Trivia time: What was the Kings’ record this season against the Stanley Cup playoff finalists, the Minnesota North Stars and the Pittsburgh Penguins?

But the helmetcam is fun: From comedian Dennis Miller of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” during the show’s “Weekend Update” segment last week: “The World League of American Football announced plans for expansion next season. This move could potentially double the number of people who show no interest in the games.”

Name game: The Weymouth, Mass., police captain who announced that assault and battery charges would be pursued against Andre Tippett of the New England Patriots after Tippett was alleged to have scuffled with a tavern customer is named Rod Rumble.

Surprise, surprise: Derrick Coleman of the New Jersey Nets is, like Dave Bing, a Syracuse alumnus. But until he visited Bing one day at Bing’s business, Coleman recalled recently, he never realized that Bing also had played in the NBA.

“I thought he was a businessman,” Coleman said. “I looked at one picture (in a reception area) and I saw Doctor J (Julius Erving) with the big Afro laying the ball up. I looked at another picture and it was Bob Lanier. Then I saw this skinny guy with a big Afro with (No.) 21 on. I said, ‘That looks like Dave. Man, it is Dave.’ ”

Trivia answer: The Kings were 3-0 against Minnesota and 2-1 against Pittsburgh.

Quotebook: Adam Keefe of Stanford, after announcing that he will remain in school for his senior season rather than become a probable first-round NBA draft choice: “In the strictest business terms, it probably wasn’t the best choice.”