Text messages from press row...

In trying to select an all-time Lakers starting five, how do you pick only two guards among Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Jerry West? . . .

Or one center among Wilt, Kareem and Shaq? . . .

Forward is easier with Elgin Baylor and James Worthy. . . .

The most likely Super Bowl matchup, according to odds posted on BetUS.com: Eli Manning and the defending champion New York Giants against Ben Roethlisberger and the 2006 Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. . . .

Least likely: San Diego Chargers versus Arizona Cardinals. . . .

The Chargers have never won at Pittsburgh in 13 regular-season games, but they’re 2-0 in the Steel City in the playoffs. . . .

ESPN’s Trent Dilfer says Ed Reed of the Baltimore Ravens “might be the best big-play safety the game’s ever seen.” . . .

Great game in South Florida on Thursday night -- unless you happen to play or root for Utah, Texas or USC. . . .

Sam Bradford’s teammates let him down. . . .

The Orange Bowl long ago abandoned its namesake stadium, which was demolished last year, and starting next year the Cotton Bowl will no longer be played in the Cotton Bowl, moving to Jerry Jones’ new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. . . .

Speaking of Jones, he and ESPN signed a five-year deal to bring season-opening Labor Day weekend games to the Cowboys’ new home, starting with Oklahoma-Brigham Young in September. . . .

Down the line, perhaps: USC versus Florida? . . .

Maybe UCLA-Texas? . . .

Adam “Packing Man” Jones is on the move again. . . .

Tonight’s Boston Celtics-Cleveland Cavaliers game lost a bit of its luster when the Celtics lost their edge, but any game featuring LeBron James and Kevin Garnett is worth watching. . . .

The NHL’s Winter Classic, played last week at Wrigley Field, is a cool event that probably won’t ever be played in California. . . .

Does the term free speech mean anything at Boston College? . . .

Dislodging Trevor Ariza from the Orlando Magic last season may have been as much of a steal for the Lakers as their later fleecing of the Memphis Grizzlies for Pau Gasol. . . .

Rookie Eric Gordon has been a bright spot for the Clippers. . . .

Don’t be surprised to see some familiar faces at the Galen Center this basketball season: Mostly riding the pine for USC are sons of rapper Master P (freshman Percy Miller), Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy (redshirt freshman James Dunleavy) and Lakers announcer Joel Meyers (junior J.J. Meyers). . . .

Josh Shipp heated up at the right time for UCLA. . . .

Tennis may be dying, but the average resale price for tickets to last year’s U.S. Open in New York was $203, according to Ticketmaster Entertainment, topping the resale average for regular-season games involving all U.S. sports teams in 2008. . . .

Speaking of tennis, ubiquitous pitchman John McEnroe is having the last laugh on all those commentators who said back in the day that his volcanic personality was a detriment. . . .

According to the cliche, you can throw out the records when old rivals meet, which might be for the best when Pepperdine takes on Loyola Marymount on Saturday night in a West Coast Conference basketball opener at Malibu. . . .

The teams are a combined 4-28. ...

Featuring Pete Carroll and hosted by Tim Leiweke, next Thursday’s grand opening of the ESPN Zone at L.A. Live downtown will benefit “A Better L.A.,” a nonprofit founded by the USC coach and dedicated to “breaking the cycle of violence and hopelessness” in the city’s roughest neighborhoods. . . .

Information: (213) 742-7166 or staplescenterfoundation.com. . . .

Vin Scully, Mike Scioscia, Tom Lasorda and Don Newcombe are part of a star-studded lineup that will gather for a fundraiser Saturday in San Pedro benefiting the Toberman Neighborhood Center, a 106-year-old nonprofit that provides social services for low-income individuals and families. . . .

Information: (310) 832-1145. . . .

The website Mojo in the Morning’s list of the 10 worst acting performances by athletes is topped by former Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Rosey Grier’s co-starring role with Ray Milland in the forgettable 1972 film “The Thing With Two Heads.” ...

In case you missed it, here’s a synopsis: “They transplanted a white bigot’s head on a soul brother’s body!” . . .

No. 2 on the list: Shaquille O’Neal in “Kazaam.”

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