When He Starts Dating Madonna, Don’t Tell Mom

Steeplechase runner Marc Davis told Jack Fleming of American Runner magazine that he is not the Dennis Rodman of the sport.

Davis said his numerous tattoos are “entries into my journal” and “footnotes to my life.” He admitted, though, to getting one last inking--Olympic rings tattooed around his belly button.

“I’m not planning on getting any more soon,” he said. “I keep promising my mother I’ll stop. I’m not some pain freak. I don’t sacrifice baby chickens. I’m just real. It’s just in an off-the-wall, in-your-face, upside-your-head kind of way.”

Rodman, meet Marc Davis.

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Trivia time: What player holds the record for most points in an NFL playoff game?

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Heeeere’s Bill: Joe Gilmartin of the Arizona Republic writes that he likes Arizona State basketball Coach Bill Frieder, but suggests that it’s about time he wins more games.

“What we’re talking here is a delightful eccentric who dresses a little like Harpo and can be as funny as Groucho; a raconteur par excellence, peerless quipster, entertainer extraordinaire, co-star of hit commercials, a great explorer [you’ve got to be a great explorer to discover many of his nonconference opponents], etc., etc., etc.”

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Any answers? Art Spander in the Oakland Tribune on the announcement by Peter O’Malley that the Dodgers are for sale:

“Is there anything left to believe? Do the Yankees shift to Biloxi? Does the Statue of Liberty get moved to Puget Sound? Where does the Golden Gate Bridge go next? Where do the Dodgers go next?”

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Come again? Frank Zaccanelli, minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, on the team’s decision to trade Jason Kidd:

“Jason is a franchise player--that was part of the problem. No one player makes a franchise.”

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Fashion conscious: Scott Ostler in the San Francisco Chronicle on Green Bay’s Desmond Howard changing his pants at halftime of last Saturday’s NFL playoff game against the 49ers:

“No, that wasn’t thunder, that was Curly Lambeau turning over in his grave. Football guys used to change their pants every September, not every half.”

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Hard time? Todd Phipers in the Denver Post: “Freudian slip of the bowls season from Turner Sports announcer Bob Neal calling a University of Miami running play in the Carquest Bowl: ‘And the 18-year-old gets nine years.’ ”

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Trivia answer: Ricky Watters of the San Francisco 49ers with 30 points, five touchdowns, against the New York Giants on Jan. 15, 1994.

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And finally: Utah Jazz executive Scott Layden after watching “Jerry Maguire,” a movie about a sports agent: “I haven’t seen an agent yet who looks like Tom Cruise. They should have used that guy that played Ratso Rizzo.”

Comment from Mike Monroe of the Denver Post: “For the celluloid-impaired, Ratso Rizzo was a sleazy, slimy, filthy character portrayed by Dustin Hoffman in the 1969 film ‘Midnight Cowboy.’ ”