`Baby Shaq' Has Big Shoes To Fill (His)

Terry Wallace stands 6 feet 4 and weighs 220 pounds. He wears a size-14 shoe and XX-large shirts. And he's only 12 years old.

He's called "Baby Shaq".

Mike Phillips of the Miami Herald writes that while at Drew Elementary school in Miami, Wallace averaged 18 points and eight blocked shots a game, adding, "There were many games in which he grabbed 30 rebounds.

"When Wallace showed up at Ruben Dario Middle School in West Dade County this fall, the assistant principal took one look at him and said, `Welcome to Dario. I want to be your agent.' "

FRIENDLY GAME

Memphis State has changed its name to the University of Memphis, but that hasn't affected the Louisville football team's feeling toward the Tigers going into Saturday's game in Louisville.

"No matter where they come from - Florida, California or New York - our players hate Memphis," said Howard Schnellenberger, Louisville coach.

Terry Quinn, Louisville defensive back, said, "I've heard that they've called us the nastiest team they play, but we think they're nasty. You've got to watch your back for a cheap shot, because if they get a chance, they'll sure take it."

COLLEGE SPIRIT

Security was tightened at Iowa's Kinnick Stadium during the Hawkeyes' recent football slump because fans were throwing coins, marshmallows, bottles, eggs and at least one dead chicken.

"I guess they have to have some way to to express their emotions," said Coach Hayden Fry, "other than painting their faces, bodies, and wearing practically no clothes."

TOO FAMILIAR

Paul Westhead, George Mason University coach and a proponent of run-and-gun basketball, believes that six weeks of preseason drills is too long.

"The only thing you wind up accomplishing in that much time without playing games," he said, "is the players really start to hate each other."

JUST ANOTHER STUDENT

The only 21-year-old student in a University of Western Ontario economics class to earn $3.5 million a year shares a house with eight other guys and works out with the hockey team even though he isn't eligible to play.

How does he do on the ice? Well, this student, Eric Lindros, is captain of the lockout-idled Philadelphia Flyers.

THEY SAID IT

-- Shawn Lee, San Diego defensive tackle, on the close bond among Charger players: "After every game we give much love, if that's what you want to call it. You see a lot of hugging, but you don't see too much kissing."

-- Pat Riley, New York Knick coach, on the new NBA no-hand-checking rule: "You're watching a three-hour game go by with 150 free throws. It'll be like watching baseball."

-- Dikembe Mutombo, Denver Nuggets: "It used to be a hands game; now we can't use our hands. Next we'll have to use our feet. We might as well be playing soccer."

-- Golfer Simon Hobday, the U.S. Senior Open winner: "The difference between now and when I played during my younger days is my drives are shorter and my short game is longer."

THEY WROTE IT

-- Bill Lyon, Philadelphia Inquirer, on Auburn and football polls: "The fact remains: If you can't do the time, don't do the crime, and if you violate the rules, however you may disagree with them, you should not be eligible for consideration for No. 1."

-- Steve Jacobson, Newsday, on excessive showboating in the NFL: "Imagine Gene Sarazen dancing a jig in his knickers when he made his double eagle."

-- Anthony Ingrassia, 6-foot-2, 300-pound Florida offensive lineman, in the restaurant column he writes for the school newspaper: "I thought there were only three kids in my family until one day my 2-year-old sister popped up from behind a tray of lasagna."

Compiled by Chuck Ashmun, Seattle Times