A Career in Decline? In His Dreams

In a column criticizing ESPN’s reality series “Dream Job,” Mark Madden of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that “SportsCenter” is the “No. 1 franchise in sports media nationally” and that Dan Patrick and Chris Berman are icons because of “SportsCenter.”

Madden also wrote: “Keith Olbermann was too -- and his career has been in free fall ever since he left ‘the Big Show.’ ”

That prompted a letter to the newspaper from Olbermann, who, in 12 items, listed his accomplishments since leaving ESPN.

A sampling:

* “I’ve earned the largest salary given to a cable sportscaster, before or since.”

* “I’ve won two Edward R. Murrow Awards.”

* “My contract was sold by one television network to another for $1 million.”

* “I’ve hosted a nightly network newscast for the past year and have just renewed for two years more.”

Not sure about Olbermann’s career, but his ego appears to have maintained its lofty status.

Trivia time: In John Wooden’s first 14 years at UCLA, who was the only player to start in two NCAA tournaments?

Throwing in the towel: ESPN’s Patrick, who was in Southern California over the weekend to play in the Mark and Brian Celebrity golf tournament at Industry Hills, said his toughest interview was probably one he had with Mike Tyson.

“He took off his microphone and looked at me and said, ‘I don’t know you well enough to miss you after I kill you,’ ” Patrick said. “I said, ‘I guess this interview is over.’ ”

More on Tyson: From Channel 9’s Alan Massengale: “Mike Tyson has $5,000 left out of $200 million, which makes those of us who have ever had a bad run in Vegas feel a little better.”

Easy target: Chris Webber, who will be in town with the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, provides plenty of fodder for sports columnists.

Regarding the recent story about how Webber’s involvement with boosters when he was in high school in Detroit almost cost his school three state titles, Jerry Greene of the Orlando Sentinel wrote:

“Thank the Lord that Chris Webber isn’t old enough to have been in World War II, or we’d have to give back the victory.”

Peter Vecsey of the New York Post, on Webber: “Evidently they’ve unearthed proof he took illegal booster shots.”

Looking back: On this date in 1968, Lew Alcindor scored 34 points to lead UCLA to a 78-55 victory over North Carolina in the NCAA basketball championship game.

Trivia answer: Jerry Norman, in 1950 and ’52. Norman later was Wooden’s assistant coach when the Bruins won their first four national championships.

And finally: Former goalie Mike Richter, speaking to fans at Madison Square Garden at a ceremony to retire his New York Ranger jersey: “Right about now I’m wondering whose idea it was to get a guy who retired from head injuries to memorize a speech in front of 18,000 people.”

Larry Stewart can be reached at larry.stewart@latimes.com.