Entertainment Variety: Hoops Price is Right For Numerous Carnival Barkers

Whether or not they talk a better game than they actually played, following is an alphabetical list of media personalities such as recently-deceased Bob Barker who "had game" as college basketball players before becoming famous television hosts and directors:

DAVID ADKINS, Denver
Comedian known as Sinbad had a show by that name on the Fox Network and was a lead actor in the movie Houseguest. He vaulted to TV prominence as a co-star on the hit series A Different World and later briefly hosted Vibe, a late-night talk show. . . . Adkins averaged 4.2 ppg and 4.4 rpg for Denver in his varsity career (1974-75 through 1977-78) when the Pioneers were classified as a major-college independent. He shot at least 50% from the floor all four seasons.

BOB BARKER, Drury (Mo.)
Longtime host of America's highest-rated daytime game show - "The Price is Right." Barker, who also served as executive producer for the longest-running game show in TV history, is the first performer to whom CBS ever dedicated a stage. After winning a total of 15 Emmy awards, he was installed into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2004. Barker, host of The Price is Right for more than 30 years, broke Johnny Carson's record for continuous performances on the same network TV show. The avowed animal rights advocate narrated the Rose Parade telecast for 21 years. . . . Barker played college basketball as a freshman and sophomore in 1941-42 and 1942-43 before serving in the military during World War II. He is in Drury's team picture for 1946-47 (his graduation year), but not listed on the Panthers' roster.

WALTER BOND, Minnesota
Host of the Food Network show "Giving You the Business," where employees of a business enterprise are secretly entered into hidden-camera challenges testing their skill to handle difficult issues. Based on their responses, the company's CEO gave one a franchise. . . . Bond averaged 7.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 2.3 apg with the Gophers from 1987-88 through 1990-91 under coach Clem Haskins. Averaged 6.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg and 2.6 apg in eight NCAA playoff games in 1989 and 1990. Averaged 5.7 ppg with the Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons in three NBA seasons from 1992-93 through 1994-95.

JAMES BROWN, Harvard
Sports announcer has had host and anchor duties for CBS and the Fox Network. He also hosted The World's Funniest on Fox, contributed to HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel and was a regular substitute host for Bob Costas' Coast to Coast radio show. . . . Played for legendary DeMatha High School coach Morgan Wooten in the Washington, D.C., area. The 6-6 forward, a three-time second-team All-Ivy League selection from 1970-71 through 1972-73, still ranks among Harvard's top 10 in career scoring and rebounding. As a senior, Brown led the Ivy in scoring in conference competition (22.6 ppg) and set a school record with 18 field goals when he scored a career-high 36 points in a victory over Boston University. He was a fourth-round draft choice of the Atlanta Hawks after averaging 16.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in his three-year varsity career. Brown briefly was a teammate of Pete Maravich. "Pete and I were devoted martial arts followers, which requires a lot of discipline. We grew very close," Brown said.

MARK CURRY, California State-Hayward
Comedian starred in ABC's hit black sitcom Hangin' With Mr. Cooper from 1992 through 1997 before hosting Don't Forget Your Toothbrush on Comedy Central. Oakland product worked in and eventually managed a drugstore where, the story goes, he kept cracking up the customers. Finally, in 1987, he took his first steps onstage at a comedy club and worked his way up to headliner. . . . Curry, a 6-6 center, played with California State-Hayward (now known as East Bay) for three years in the early 1980s. Excerpt from the Pioneers' school guide: "Sat out the 1981-82 campaign. Good rebounder has demonstrated a fine shooting touch from the inside."

BOB EINSTEIN, Chapman (Calif.)
Emmy Award-winning writer was affiliated with the Laugh-In and Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour TV shows. He created the Super Dave Osborne hapless stuntman character. . . . Transfer student showed some promise with Chapman, averaging 5 ppg and 2.9 rpg in 1963-64 and 1964-65.

CRAIG KILBORN, Montana State
Succeeded Tom Snyder in late March 1999 on the Los Angeles-based "Late Late Show" following David Letterman on CBS opposite NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien". Kilborn was an ESPN anchor from September 1993 until becoming host of Comedy Central's news parody called "The Daily Show". . . . Three-year letterman for Montana State from 1981-82 through 1983-84 started six games as a sophomore and two more as a junior. The 6-5 1/2 swingman's best season was as a sophomore when he averaged 5.1 ppg. Montana forward Larry Krystkowiak was the premier player in the Big Sky Conference in Kilborn's final campaign. The irreverent native of Hastings, Minn., left the Bobcats' team following his junior season to begin his career in the broadcast industry, and served as a color commentator for their basketball games. "We live in an overly sensitive society, where we take ourselves too seriously," the quirky Kilborn said. "Coming from the world of sports, you better not be sensitive, man. The coaches yell at you, they would challenge your manhood. You have to be tough, and have a thick skin. There was this guy who played for Oregon State with bad acne on his shoulder and arms. The opposing fans called him 'Zitton' and used to throw Clearasil bottles on the court when he came out. That's my audience."

ART LINKLETTER, San Diego State
Longtime radio and television personality was master of ceremonies of such popular shows as People Are Funny, Art Linkletter's House Party and Kids Say the Darndest Things. . . . Three-year letterman led San Diego State in scoring in 1932-33 (7 ppg) and 1933-34 (8.8 ppg). He was named to the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference all-star team as a sophomore and senior. Captain of the Aztecs' team as a senior when he finished second in conference competition in scoring.

WARNER SAUNDERS, Xavier (La.)
Windy City broadcasting legend anchored Chicago's NBC affiliate (WMAQ-TV). . . . The 6-5 Saunders was a center for four seasons with the Gold Rush (class of '57).

RON SHELTON, Westmont (Calif.)
Writer-director is synonymous with sports movies such as The Best of Times (high school football/1986), Bull Durham (minor league baseball/1988), White Men Can't Jump (street basketball/1992), Cobb (major league baseball/1994), Blue Chips (college basketball/1994), Tin Cup (golf/1996) and Play It to the Bone (boxing/1999). One of his non-sports films, Blaze, became a personal milestone for him as he went on to marry one of the stars, Toronto-born Lolita Davidovich. In Blue Chips, actor Nick Nolte was coach Pete Bell, who broke the rules in order to get the players he needed to remain competitive. "I played pickup into my 40s, right up until the time I made White Men Can't Jump," Shelton said. "I knew the game. I just loved that world." . . . Shelton scored 1,420 points in the mid-1960s, finishing the 20th Century among his alma mater's top 10 career scorers. He went on to play five seasons of Organized Baseball as a second baseman in the Baltimore Orioles' minor league system. Thirty-ninth round draft choice in 1966 hit .251 from 1967 through 1971, advancing all the way to AAA.