INSIDE SCOOPS

Compiled by Daily Pilot staff

The Daily Pilot received what appeared at first to be a big

Christmas package, until the cardboard box was opened. Inside was the

17-volume environmental report on the proposed reuse for El Toro Marine

base. They collectively weighed more than 60 pounds. It took two

strapping editors to carry the box of goodies up to the reporting staff,

who did not fight over who got to write the story.

Where’s Tiger?

Golf star Tiger Woods was spotted putting at Big Canyon Country Club on

Monday. But trying to confirm the star golfer was actually there was as

difficult as finding the whereabouts of the missing Mars Pathfinder.

“We are a private club and can’t confirm or deny that Mr. Woods was here

putting today,” two different, but equally well-trained receptionists,

told us.

Karate Kid

As 5-year-old Chase Roossin studied to earn his junior black belt in

taekwondo, a classmate of his picked on him, knowing he studied the

martial art.

After awhile of Chase coming home with little scrapes or bruises, his

father said to him, “Chase, why don’t you just take him outside and clean

his clock?”

“Father,” Chase said. “We fight with words not with our hands.”

Leigh Steinberg makes big list

‘Tis the season to make lists. The top stories of the year. The top

personalities of the year. The stories of the decade, the century.

And Leigh Steinberg, the Newport Beach sports agent who is a perennial

member of the Daily Pilot’s 103 Most Influential list, finds himself

hip-deep in sporting legends in the current issue of The Sporting News.

The weekly magazine published a list of the 100 “most powerful people in

sports for the 20th century” in its Dec. 20 edition. Steinberg, who

represents everyone from Dallas Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman to Jeff

George of the Minnesota Vikings, was selected No. 90 -- only one spot

behind Tiger Woods and a full nine spots ahead of Wayne Gretzky. The list

is so exclusive that the only actual athlete in the top 10 is Muhammad

Ali.

But, just in case Steinberg’s head starts to swell, it’s worthnoting that

No. 100 is the Chicken -- baseball’s favorite and, perhaps, most annoying

mascot.