Coaches' corner.

Legendary Green Bay Packers coach VINCE LOMBARDI, talking to his players: "If you aren't fired up with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm."

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Always free-spirited BILL WALTON, quoted in Eddie Einhorn's terrific new book, How March Became Madness: "I was John Wooden's worst nightmare. When I got to UCLA, Coach Wooden was this young, spry guy with jet-black hair and a fine step wherever he walked. Within 18 months, he had a heart attack, his hair turned white, and he was all bent over!"

DAVE BARRY, Miami Herald columnist, on the Team USA loss to Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic: "We need to go back to the old traditional style of World Series, wherein only teams from the United States are permitted to play."

The Tonight Show's JAY LENO, reporting that a Phoenix teacher had set a record by dribbling a basketball for 26 straight hours: "The old record was held by Kobe Bryant, who dribbled for 25 hours before finally passing to a teammate."

More LENO, after the Winter Olympics: "More bad news for skier Bode Miller. He wasn't able to catch his plane out of Torino. Apparently he missed a gate!"

L. A. Times columnist T. J. SIMERS: "(My) wife said she thinks George Clooney is 'a hunk.' I've got news for George, she also thinks Regis Philbin is funny."

TERRY BRADSHAW, after several NFL wags suggested that it would be a good idea for the then 10-0 Colts to lose a game so they could better concentrate on winning a Super Bowl: "That's like me saying I think I'll get another divorce so I can focus on my next marriage and really make it work."

MUHAMMAD ALI, on why he never takes out any insurance when he flies: "No airplane with me in it would dare crash."

LYNN SHACKELFORD, former UCLA forward and broadcaster, describing the size 22 shoes of Hall of Fame center Bob Lanier: "He doesn't shine them--he sends them through a car wash."

All-time hits leader PETE ROSE on former teammate Wayne Granger: "He's so skinny the only place he could have won a college letter was Indiana."

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WAYNE WALKER, former Detroit Lions linebacker, on his baldness:

"Somewhere in Detroit is a football helmet will all my hair in it."

JIM PALMER, Hall of Fame pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, on his former manager, Earl Weaver, who stands 5-foot-7: "Did you ever notice that Earl always goes to the highest spot on the mound when he comes out?"

HUBIE BROWN, after watching 7-6 Yao Ming drop an easy pass under the basket: "Poor Yao, he must feel about 6-feet-1 right now."

PHIL WATSON, former NHL player, to the press: "Gentleman, I have nothing to say. Any questions?"

YOGI BERRA, Hall of Fame catcher, when his wife told him she had seen the movie, Doctor Zhivago: "Oh, what's the matter with you now?"

More BERRA, upon seeing Ernest Hemingway in a restaurant and being told he was a writer: "Yeah? With what paper?"