Southland Feels a Draft When Keyshawn Returns

Meteorologists blamed this week’s gales on the Santa Anas. Actually, it was Keyshawn Johnson blowing back into town from New York.

Many athletes have left L.A. over the years. None have been more missed by the media than Johnson. He provided all the Cs--candid, clever, close by.

Another one could have been added this week: contemplative.

“I was thinking while watching the games the other day that I wanted more than anything to be the No. 1 pick in the draft,” he said. “But if I’d been drafted No. 2 by Jacksonville, I’d be in the playoffs.”

Instead, Johnson, a USC All-American for two years, got his wish, went first in the draft to the New York Jets and suffered through a 1-15 season.

Johnson adds that he wouldn’t change places with Jacksonville’s Kevin Hardy, the No. 2 choice, if he could. Johnson likes New York. But as difficult as the Jets were to figure from the outside, he said they were equally perplexing from the inside.

“They draft this great football player No. 1, pay him $2 1/2 million a year and then don’t do diddly with him,” he said.

What the Jets did is make Johnson their No. 2 receiver behind Wayne Chrebet.

“Wayne’s a good third-down receiver but limited,” Johnson said. “Rich Kotite wanted to make him a star, an unsung hero. Kotite could relate because he was the same kind of player, all right if somebody gave him a chance.”

Now that Kotite is gone, Johnson can be the star?

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” he said. “Everybody thinks I’m a me-me guy. They don’t talk about the Cotton Bowl and the Rose Bowl we won when I was at USC. This time next year, I don’t want to be back here. I want to be in the playoffs.”

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Long Beach Ice Dog owner Barry Kemp said he can’t afford to purchase the Dodgers because he just bought a new car. Seriously. It’s a Bentley convertible. . . .

The Dodgers’ being put up for sale was the cover story Tuesday in the New York Post. The headline: “Bring ‘Em Back.” . . .

Tenth among centers in NBA Western Conference All-Star balloting with more than 16,000 votes is Clipper Brian Williams, who hasn’t played a minute this season. . . .

Albert Belle chose a bad time to play golf Monday at Riviera. It was media day. . . .

Craig Stadler, the Nissan L.A. Open’s defending champion, on jealousy toward Tiger Woods: “There’s probably a couple of guys somewhere who resent what’s happened to him. I think it’s wonderful.” . . .

Super-lightweights Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Angel Gonzalez appeared Tuesday at a news conference for their Jan. 18 World Boxing Council title fight in Las Vegas at Universal City’s “WaterWorld” exhibit. “I hope the event is more successful than the movie,” promoter Bob Arum said. . . .

I absolutely will not use this space to promote those corporate sponsorships with long, awkward titles like “Planet Hollywood Los Angeles Presents UCLA vs. Georgia,” a gymnastics dual meet Sunday at Pauley Pavilion between the nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 women’s teams. . . .

Kerri Strug, a volunteer assistant for the top-ranked Bruins, will perform an exhibition with three Bulgarian Olympians. Nadia Comaneci and Bart Conner also will be there. . . .

The man behind Tuesday’s memorial service in Beverly Hills for Pete Rozelle was Don Klosterman. Each served as the Rams’ general manager. “Dignity, integrity, humility, loyalty, friend . . . those are the first words that always come to mind when I think of Pete Rozelle,” Klosterman said.

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Not many people thought Tony Granato could come back from his brain surgery last February to remove an abnormal cluster of blood vessels. The Kings should have known better.

He was small for an NHL forward, but he became one of the team’s most popular players in his seven seasons here because of the size of his heart.

On Tuesday, he and the San Jose Sharks, who bet on him by signing him as a free agent, were rewarded when he was named to the All-Star team.

Asked if the honor means a lot to him, Granato said: “I’m sure it will when I look back and realize I was able to play this type of game with this type of players. I’m sure it will be one of my greatest thrills in hockey. I’m still numb.”

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While still recovering from the shock from Peter O’Malley’s announcement, I was thinking: What’s next, the HOLLYWOOD sign comes down, Muscle Beach moves to Irwindale, Walmart opens on Rodeo Drive, the Hollywood Bowl becomes the Poulan Weedeater Bowl?