Air Had More Flair Than Wilt the Stilt

Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star reports that after the Lakers played an exhibition game against the Washington Wizards in Kemper Arena on Wednesday, Laker Coach Phil Jackson was asked to compare Wilt Chamberlain to Michael Jordan.

Jackson played against Chamberlain for seven years and coached Jordan through his six championship seasons.

“Wilt changed the game, the rules, but he didn’t inspire fans or bring them to basketball the way Michael did,” Jackson said. “[Wilt] was steady and solid, but not spectacular in the way Michael was.”

*

Trivia time: What player holds the Notre Dame opponent record for points scored in a football game?

*

His Floorness? Chamberlain thought superstars such as Wayne Gretzky and Jordan were protected by their colleagues far more than in his day.

“Can you remember, in the 14 years of Jordan driving to the basket with his tongue out, ever seeing him laying on the floor with his tongue out?”

*

Any touchdowns? Statistic of the week, courtesy of the Boston Globe: When the Red Sox routed the Cleveland Indians, 23-7, on Sunday, they outscored 19 NFL franchises that day.

*

Start looking: From Jay Leno: “There are now 6 billion people in the world and the Cleveland Indians still can’t find one that can pitch.”

*

How about, forget it? Steve Davis of the Dallas Morning News has some suggestions regarding a name for Houston’s new NFL team:

“How about the Houston U-Hauls as a tribute to the city’s NFL history. If you want more of a civic association, how about the Houston Traffic or the Houston Humidity.”

*

Te-e-e-e off: According to a National Golf Foundation online survey of 600 golfers, 33.8% said they would play if the temperature was 35 or lower.

*

Very sick: Steve Rosenbloom in the Chicago Tribune:

“Get a load of this caller to a Philadelphia sports talk station, wrote the Philadelphia Inquirer, a day after Michael Irvin was taken off the field [with a spinal injury]:

“ ‘The only thing that would have made me happier is if it would have have been a coffin, not a stretcher coming out.’ ”

*

Trivia answer: USC’s Anthony Davis, 36 on six touchdowns in 1972. Davis scored 11 touchdowns in three games against Notre Dame.

*

And finally: NFL analyst Marv Levy on whether the Buccaneers’ coaching staff is restricting quarterback Trent Dilfer:

“If Michelangelo wanted to play it safe, he would have painted the floor of the Sistine Chapel.”