Text messages from press row...

Friends of Larry Doubley probably smiled and nodded their heads knowingly Saturday when Blake Griffin jumped the hood of a car to win the NBA dunk contest. ...

Doubley, a 6-foot-8 former NCAA long-jump champion from USC, used to routinely propel himself over car roofs in a stunt to promote the Sunkist Invitational track meet. ...

The brash Doubley, nicknamed “Baby Ali,” also often jumped cars length-wise just for the fun of it....

Let’s see Griffin do that. ...

Clip and save: Griffin and Eric Gordon will be with the Clippers “for their careers,” the Clippers advertise. ...

Of course they will -- and LeBron James will be with the Cleveland Cavaliers for his career, Carmelo Anthony with the Denver Nuggets for his career, etc., etc. ...

Things change. ...

Kobe Bryant & Co. hope to keep this streak alive: In each of the previous four years the All-Star game was played in Los Angeles, the Lakers reached the NBA Finals. ...

Andre Ethier sounds certain that the Dodgers need a clubhouse leader but less convinced that he is that guy. ...

Noting that San Francisco Giants fans plan to charter a plane to fly a World Series championship banner over Dodger Stadium on opening day, reader Joe Kevany of Mount Washington e-mails to suggest, “Dodgers fans would love to return the favor, but it would be too pricey; we’d have to charter five planes!” ...

The Angels can only hope that Bobby Abreu’s positive attitude toward becoming a full-time designated hitter translates into a bounce-back season for the Venezuelan. ...

Cam Newton might be more heavily scrutinized before this year’s NFL draft than Tim Tebow was before last year’s, but for entirely different reasons.

Character was not an issue with Tebow. ...

Offensive tackle Tyron Smith has a chance to be USC’s 75th first-round draft pick, extending a national record. ...

Among the ways Trevor Bayne, 20, says he celebrated in the immediate aftermath of becoming the youngest winner of the Daytona 500: played a game of H-O-R-S-E -- he lost -- and rode his skateboard. ...

In an ongoing USA Today reader survey to determine the ultimate athletes to wear selected numbers, the most overwhelming winner so far is Michael Jordan as the transcendent No. 23. ...

Others who have received at least 60% of the vote: Babe Ruth (No. 3), Joe DiMaggio (No. 5), Mickey Mantle (No. 7), Wilt Chamberlain (No. 13) and Willie Mays (No. 24). ...

Ollie Matson’s recent death reminds that he and fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer Les Richter were involved in two of the most unusual trades in NFL history. ...

In 1952, the Los Angeles Rams sent 11 players to the Dallas Texans to acquire Richter and in 1959 they sent eight players and a draft pick to the Chicago Cardinals to get Matson. ...

New York Yankees co-Chairman Hank Steinbrenner noted this week that “too many players are too busy building mansions and other things and not concentrating on winning,” but later insisted he was not referring to Derek Jeter. ...

Jeter just happened to endure the worst offensive season of his career last year while overseeing the construction of a $7.7-million, 30,875-square-foot waterfront mansion in Tampa, Fla. ...

Forty years ago this week, Jack Nicklaus became the first two-time winner of all four golf majors when he recorded a two-stroke victory over Billy Casper in the PGA Championship. ...

Mike Krzyzewski, on a decision by Southeastern Conference coaches to do live interviews during timeouts: “That stinks. That shouldn’t be. Are you kidding me? That’s horrible.” ...

Imagine how his mentor, Bob Knight, might have put it. ...

An exhibit on loan from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Mo., will be on display starting Thursday through March 18 at the El Camino College Compton Center. ...

Information: (323) 497-4665. ...

Kelly Slater, undecided about pursuing an 11th world surfing title, is in Australia for the season-opening event. ...

Speaking for his brothers at the unveiling of a statue of their father, Jerry West, David West gestured toward Bill Russell and said, “You made our childhood hell.”

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