Doc Keyshawn Orders Parcells for Ailing Jets

By MAL FLORENCE

Jan. 31, 1997 12 AM PT

With Bill Parcells’ move to the woeful New York Jets on hold, wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson has to be disappointed.

Earlier, Johnson, the former USC player, was ecstatic that Parcells would be his coach next season.

“I pray every night we get Parcells. [Parcells] is a lot like Vince Lombardi,” Johnson told Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “That motivates me. When you chew me out for making a mistake, it’s OK because you’re trying to make me better.

“Mine and [Parcells’] relationship will be one of the best relationships he’s ever had with one of his players, once he gets to know me.”

Trivia time: How many U.S. Open tournaments have been played at Pebble Beach?

Vicious! Mark Kriegel of the New York Daily News on the real reason Dick Vermeil took the Rams’ job: “He couldn’t take another year in the booth with Brent Musburger.”

Bunker mentality: Nancy L. Marrapese in the Boston Globe: “Word out of the [NHL] office is that all doors to the video-replay official’s booth will now be steel reinforced and all glass in front will be replaced with bulletproof shields.”

This, of course, comes in the wake of Boston Bruin General Manager Harry Sinden’s recent kicking attack on the booth in Ottawa.

Some skip: Headline in the Wilmington (Del.) News Journal: “A record walker admits she skipped 1,000 miles.”

Add headlines: From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “De Loya Hoya beats Gonzalez in 12 rounds.” At least it rhymes.

Fashion rap: Amy Shipley of the Miami Herald has only one nit to pick with Heat Coach Pat Riley, whose team is leading the NBA’s Atlantic Division by half a game:

“He should vary his suits and ties a bit more. He tends to wear the same ones.”

Changing times: Wallace Matthews of the New York Post suggests Lombardi’s name should be removed from the Super Bowl trophy:

“Today’s game and players bear no resemblance to the game and players of Vince’s America,” Matthews wrote. “If Lombardi weren’t already dead, the on-field antics of this year’s Packers would have killed him. Rename it the Jerry Jones Award.”

Looking back: On this day in 1941, Joe Louis knocked out Red Burman in the fifth round at Madison Square Garden in New York to retain his heavyweight title.

Trivia answer: Three, the last in 1992 won by Tom Kite.

And finally: Dominic Young of Fresno State has been wearing a black armband with a white letter J on it this season. It appeared after several bad shooting performances by Young early in the season.

Did somebody close to him die? Was there tragedy in the family?

Asked about it by Fresno Bee columnist Adrian Wojnarowski, Young said, “The J is in memory of my jump shot.”