You Can’t Call Him Dull Harris Anymore

Dallas Maverick assistant coach Del Harris, the former Laker coach, remembers a time not long ago when only bikers, rebels and sailors had tattoos. Once-conservative Del has since joined the parade.

Six years ago, Harris followed the lead of his children when he and his wife, Anne, got tattoos while in Hawaii. Harris has a basketball going through a net on his upper left arm, and Anne a hummingbird on her back.

“It’s a change in the times,” said Harris, 64. “When I first started coaching, I was against long hair and facial hair, but if you stay inflexible, you’re not going to stay around 40 years.”

Trivia time: Which golfer has finished second the most times without winning the Masters?

Positive reaction: Barbara Barker of Newsday poses the question, was Michael Jordan’s return good or bad for the NBA? She got an answer from Laker Coach Phil Jackson: “I felt it was terrific. It was an inspiring effort, especially for those of you out there who are 40 years old. It must have felt pretty good [watching him].”

Jordan turned 39 on Feb. 17.

More Jordan: Michael Ventre of MSNBC.com weighs in on Jordan with this comment: “I’m hoping Michael Jordan keeps playing in the NBA for a long, long time. Because the longer he plays basketball, the less likely it is he’ll try a comeback in baseball.”

Star appraisal: Like Tiger Woods, Texas Ranger shortstop Alex Rodriguez is a gifted athlete at age 26. A-Rod spoke about Woods recently to Brian Murphy of the San Francisco Chronicle when the Rangers were in Oakland: “I don’t think anybody can appreciate Tiger, because no one ever gives him any time to struggle. They call 10 tournaments without a win a struggle, and that’s ludicrous.

“Only time will be able to appreciate what he’s done, and the reason why he’s so unappreciated is that he’s done it so quickly.”

Putdown: Jon Saraceno in USA Today on the Dodgers: “The organization always stood for continuity and class but, to borrow a phrase used by a colleague to describe the decline of the Boston Celtics’ dynasty, the only thing the Dodgers stand for now is the national anthem.”

Looking back: On this day in 1965, the Houston Astrodome, baseball’s first domed stadium, was opened for an exhibition game between the Astros and New York Yankees.

Looking back again: On this date in 1978, David Thompson of the Denver Nuggets scored 73 points against the Detroit Pistons.

Only Wilt Chamberlain has scored more points in an NBA game, the record being 100 scored against New York on March 2, 1962.

Trivia answer: Tom Weiskopf, who finished second four times, 1969, 1972, 1974 and 1975.

And finally: Baseball legend Frank Robinson, 66, is managing the lame-duck Montreal Expos this season. Comedian Bill Cosby visited Robinson and marveled at Montreal’s apathy toward baseball.

“How many hot dogs do they precook for a game here? Five?” Cosby quipped.

“It’s quite interesting to be able to sit and watch nine innings of ball, then occasionally walk around and pick up balls that have been knocked into the stands.”