Palmer Is Having a Reality Check

New York Giant backup quarterback Jesse Palmer, the star of the reality show “The Bachelor,” is back in training camp and impressing coaches, according to the New York Post.

Faced with a different kind of reality, Palmer is among four quarterbacks competing for three spots.

The others are rookie Eli Manning, former St. Louis Ram Kurt Warner and Ryan Van Dyke, a former Michigan State quarterback who most recently played for Cologne, Germany, of NFL Europe.

“Here’s the reality,” Palmer said. “The reality is there’s a two-time MVP, the first pick of the draft, myself and another quarterback.”

The Post called Palmer “Bachelor No. 3.”

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Trivia time: What NFL record did Tony Zendejas set while with the Rams in 1991?

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And now this: The latest from the world of reality television: NBC plans to air a six-episode prime-time series this winter in which two women will be selected to appear in Sports Illustrated’s next swimsuit issue, the New York Times reported.

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Going back in time: It was noted in Tuesday’s Morning Briefing that the first NBA game played with a 24-second clock was between the Rochester Royals and Boston Celtics on Oct. 30, 1954.

So how much impact did the clock have?

Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, the Celtics’ starting guards, said it did not affect them at all.

“All I can remember is that Arnold [Coach Red Auerbach’s real first name] told us to forget about the clock and just play our game,” Cousy said Tuesday.

Said Sharman: “No one had to tell Bob or I, or our center, Ed Macauley, when to shoot. We loved to shoot. I know I did.”

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Still punching: When Richie Lemos won the world featherweight championship July 1, 1941, by stopping Petey Scalzo in five rounds at the Olympic Auditorium, he was one of only eight world boxing champions.

Now there are 67 sanctioned boxing world champions.

Lemos, 84, who will be among 20 former titleholders honored Aug. 21 at Stevens Steak and Seafood House in Commerce, said, “When I won my title, it meant something.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1991, John Daly, a rookie on the PGA Tour who made the field as the ninth and last alternate, shot a final-round 71 to win the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Ind.

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Trivia answer: Zendejas was the first NFL kicker to have a perfect regular season kicking field goals (17 of 17). Three have done it since -- Gary Anderson of the Minnesota Vikings in 1998 (35 of 35), Jeff Wilkins of the St. Louis Rams in 2000 (17 of 17) and Mike Vanderjagt of the Indianapolis Colts in 2003 (37 of 37).

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And finally: Comedian Alex Kaseberg, as quoted by Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times, had this to say about the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team after its loss to Italy and narrow victory over Germany: “If this is the Dream Team, it’s the dream where you’re late for a final exam and you’re not wearing any clothes.”

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Larry Stewart can be reached at [email protected].