It Takes an Extraordinary Person to Convince Him

USC football Coach Paul Hackett was disappointed when he learned that the NCAA is considering the elimination of freshman eligibility in men’s basketball.

Let me reword that. He was disappointed when he learned that the NCAA is considering the elimination of freshman eligibility only in men’s basketball.

Hackett doesn’t believe freshmen should be eligible for any sport, including football.

His position is surprising for one reason.

Carson Palmer.

“Carson Palmer is an extraordinary case, but, in general, freshmen need a year to adjust to college,” Hackett said. “Freshmen aren’t ready to play unless they’re extraordinary people--not extraordinary players, extraordinary people.”

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The panel commissioned to study college basketball reforms is limiting this one to men because they have the most difficulty academically.

According to an NCAA survey of athletes who entered college in 1991, 41% of the male basketball players graduated. The graduation rate for female basketball players during the same period was 66%, for athletes in general 57%.

As for the argument that more high school players will choose the NBA draft if they can’t play in college as freshmen, that will last only until they realize how rare it is for teams to draft high school players. There are only two rounds.

Besides, players who would jump to the NBA from high school if the rule were changed wouldn’t stay in college more than one year anyway.

As NCAA President Cedric Dempsey says, “College isn’t for everybody.”

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From the press release promoting the new “Terminator 2: 3D” attraction at Universal Studios:

“Visitors are asked to imagine a world where robots make miracles, where brain surgery and rocket science will be practiced by remote control and Terminators eliminate all security problems. Children will be tucked into bed by chrome-plated nannies and, most miraculous of all, new contact lenses will make hand-to-eye coordination so precise that Shaquille O’Neal will shoot 100% from the line.”

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Even if rumors are true that the Clippers can have Penny Hardaway for their first-round pick (No. 4), Lamond Murray and Rodney Rogers, they probably won’t do it. . . .

It makes too much sense. . . .

Hardaway is less personable and marketable than his alter ego, Little Penny. . . .

But he’s one of the league’s best players when he wants to be and could have as many people in town talking about the Clippers as the Lakers when they move into the Staples Center next season. . . .

Bob Mazza, a local publicist, was the Spurs’ first P.R. man after they moved from Dallas to San Antonio in 1973. . . .

Their only All-ABA player that season was Swen Nater. . . .

Mazza recalls that they couldn’t play Friday night home games during the fall because they would conflict with high school football. . . .

If Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson win the Mervyn’s Beach Bash this weekend at Hermosa Beach Pier, Kiraly will become the all-time winningest beach volleyball player with 140 victories. . . .

He’s more likely to get a congratulatory phone call from Bill Clinton than previous record-holder Sinjin Smith. . . .

Becky Heidesch, editor of Women’s Sports Wire, says that one in 27 girls were active in organized sports in 1972. The latest survey, she says, reveals that the number is one in three and it’s believed that the number actually is closer to one in two. . . .

Thank you, Title IX. . . .

Andre Agassi, who has revived himself and men’s tennis, will defend his title in the Mercedes-Benz Cup July 26-Aug. 1 at UCLA. . . .

Michael Chang and Jan-Michael Gambill are the latest to join a field that also includes Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, Tim Henman and Marcelo Rios. . . .

I’ve heard too much about Ryan Leaf, not enough about San Diego teammates Scott Turner and Terrell Fletcher. . . .

Those two Chargers were among 40 professional and Olympic athletes who accepted former Bronco punter Mike Horan’s invitation to Littleton, Colo., for a “get well” function for Columbine High students and faculty and families. . . .

Chris Antley received an invitation last fall to Saturday’s Kentucky Derby Alumni Day at Churchill Downs “as a retired jockey.” . . .

He put the invitation on his refrigerator door for inspiration, lost 30 pounds and returned to Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May to win the Derby. . . .

He will be there again Saturday, not only for Alumni Day but also to ride Silver Charm in the Stephen Foster Stakes. . . .

Hollywood Park officials were hoping for a rubber match between Kentucky Derby winner Charismatic and Santa Anita Derby winner General Challenge in the July 18 Swaps Stakes until Charismatic’s career-ending injury in the Belmont. . . .

I’m not one of those animal rights “purists,” as Wayne Lukas calls them, who believes horse racing is cruel for thoroughbreds. . . .

But Lukas shouldn’t belittle people for sympathizing more with injured racehorses than with auto race drivers who crash. . . .

Drivers race by choice. Horses don’t. . . .

By coincidence, 12 hours after Lemon Drop Kid had won the Belmont, the American Movie Classics channel showed the Damon Runyon race track fable, “Lemon Drop Kid.”

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While wondering if the Galaxy needs Jorge Campos more at goalkeeper, forward or the box office, I was thinking: The Dodgers shouldn’t have let Matt Luke go, the Angels should call up Matt Luke, NHL players can’t expect prime-time coverage in the Olympics without sequins and triple axels.

Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: [email protected].