Troy Polamalu, the safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a spokesperson for Head & Shoulders shampoo. That company just insured the NFL star’s notorious locks with a $ 1 million policy with Lloyd’s of London.  His hair “style” is a growing trend with NFL players..on the plus side, it probably cushions the blow on helmet to helmet hits.  And it looks better than a “bonytail” or a “skullet.” (bonytail=bald with a ponytail..skullet=bald with a mullet.)

I know.. it’s an amazing survival story that we all hope will have a happy ending.  Apparently one of the 33 trapped miners in Chile has done a lot of thinking during the more than three weeks he’s spent a half-mile underground.  For Esteban Rojas, that means he’s announced that he wants to re-marry his wife. Though they’ve been together for 25 years, they’re now looking forward to a big church wedding.  We’re told Esteban had two questions… “Will you marry me?”… and “What’s wrong with Tim Lincecum?”

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A  TV blackout for the Raider-49ers game?  Please.  Since the Raiders didn’t sellout the Coliseum for tomorrow night’s game, Bay Area fans won’t be seeing the game on live TV.  Yes, sold-out, rockin’ stadiums are nice… I get it.  But come on… doesn’t this hurt the people most likely to be Raider and 49er partisans?  And this just in….with no TV exposure, people tend to find something else to do.  From what I can gather, the Sacramento Faithful will get the game live on Channel 13.  Thank you.

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I guess you could say we’re spoiled.  One of the best broadcasters in the business… and 49ers play-by-play man Ted Robinson came out for a visit today.  Derek Moore and I chatted with him about the state of the team, new expectations, the rookie linemen…. all the stuff that 49er geeks like to obsess over.  You’ll see it soon in the Jackson Rancheria Video Vault. Then we joined Ted and 49ers marketing guru Bob Sargent for a scrumptious catered lunch in the Entercom conference room.  Not a bad way to spend a work day.  And by the way, there isn’t a better guy to get to know than Ted Robinson…  he’s gracious, funny, incredibly well-informed and humble to a fault.  Catch all the 49ers action this year on ESPN 1320.

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What are you guys trying to pull?  We were this close to oblivion… then you pummel the Big Red Machine (well, I still call them that) for 27 runs in two days.  I know it’s a long shot, but the Giants refuse to die. Oh yeah, the division leading Padres seem to always be at home, while playing a bunch of stiffs… and never seem to get scored upon.  Meanwhile, the Giants have to deal with red-hot division leaders who like to blow our starters out by the 3^rd inning.  There is that.  This just in…. everybody’s tired.  Suck it up.  Welcome to playoff  baseball… torture.

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The 18th at Winchester Country Club…511 yds from the tips, par 5.  Elevated tee box, massive rock outcroppings on the left..the huge & beautiful clubhouse in the background..overlooking the course. Hard to single out ONE signature hole at this spectacular mountain course..but this one stands out for me. Winchester is currently fixing some “compaction” issues on the greens & fairways, so it’s not in the BEST shape..but give it a month or 2, and check out this beauty. Info at www.winchestercountryclub.com.  Located just a few minutes past Auburn up I-80, outside Colfax.

It can be a challenge to keep up with Real Sports on HBO…. new episodes are on about once a month.   But for my money, it’s not only the best investigative sports show on the air… it may be one of the best shows on television.  The current episode examines what could be a link between brain trauma among athletes… and the deadly disease ALS, commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease.  A number of football players and boxers have fallen victim to this killer at an early age, including at least  three former San Francisco 49ers (Matt Hazeltine, Gary Lewis and Bobby Waters).  What about the fact that Lou Gehrig was a baseball player?  This report reveals that the Hall of Famer suffered at least six documented cases of severe head trauma during his baseball career… at times being unconscious on the field.  Yet of course,  he’s known for having never taken a day off.  That’s right, his legendary durability may have contributed to his death.  I hope you’ll find this episode and share it… and spread the word that the Sacramento Walk to Defeat ALS is October 2^nd at Raley Field.

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Maybe Alex Smith is just not cut out to be an NFL quarterback.  After struggling with the first-team offense yesterday, he’s facing plenty of criticism, as usual.  He should have hit Vernon, .. he missed Delanie Walker… on and on.  Of course, it was only the first preseason game, eventually won by the 49er scrubs, 37-17.  Can you imagine the howls if the Niners had lost 37-17?  And do you get the feeling no one wants any part of tackling rookie Anthony Dixon?  And how about that TV broadcast?  “FYI, I can’t hear myself.”  Torture.

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They weren’t kidding.  The Giants were interested in Jose Guillen all along, and have completed a trade for the controversial Kansas City outfielder.  Yeah, he’s been in more locker rooms than Madonna. And I actually thought “clubhouse cancer” was part of his name.  Will he destroy the chemistry the Giants have in this stretch run?  We’ll see.  I’d like to give him the benefit of the doubt.  And should he get a bases-loaded triple against the Padres, I could learn to like him a lot.

Yes, there is upheaval in baseball.  Infielder Mike Fontenot was obtained by the Giants yesterday in a trade with the visiting Chicago Cubs.  That’s right, he just had to walk across the field into the other clubhouse, change his uniform… and step into “his new identity.”  But here’s a guy who’s spent his entire five year big league career with the Cubs, and in an hour… you’re on the other team’s bench.  But that’s the game… and I look forward to his first big hit as a Giant.  He’ll get a standing ovation from a packed house… and that doesn’t suck.  And I hope one day there could be a trade during an inning…‘I was playing second… now I’m on second.’