Economic theory

Boise State football coach Chris Petersen and wife Barbara are donating $150,000 to help build a center for business and economic studies at the school.

Don't worry — he can afford it. With a $1.1 million salary, he is Idaho's highest-paid public employee.

Word is he might even end up teaching a class in the new building: Economics 410: How to Wear Polyester to Work and Still Earn Five Times What Your Boss Makes.

Kirk out

Ex-Jazz player Kirk Snyder's competency hearing in Ohio has been delayed after the judge was told Snyder was being "uncooperative."

A doctor assigned to evaluate Snyder recommended he be moved to a behavioral center.

Snyder, who has been charged with aggravated burglary, assault and felonious assault, is not guilty by reason of insanity, his attorney claims.

Uncooperative, huh?

Should have checked with the Jazz.

Jerry Sloan could have predicted that long ago.

Here today ...

Russian tennis player Dinara Safina has an explanation why some people are upset she is rated No. 1, despite never winning a Grand Slam event.

"I guess they're jealous that I'm so young and No. 1," she said.

She may not want to take too much comfort in that, though.

Isn't that what Kwame Brown was thinking?

Preparation streak

The guy who streaked Citi Field last week told reporters he had been planning the caper for eight years.

Must be a smart guy.

That's only six years longer than it took to build the stadium.

The B-List

Retired steroid-user Jose Canseco is reportedly set to fight a Fort Lauderdale writer named Christopher Gambino in a mixed martial arts bout.

Although Gambino is three inches shorter and 40 pounds lighter than Canseco, so was Philly sportscaster Vai Sikahema, who destroyed Canseco in their boxing match.

Reportedly joining Canseco on the card: former "Partridge Family" star Danny Bonaduce; Michael Lohan, father of paparazzi target Lindsay Lohan; and former "Eight is Enough" actor Willie Aames.

That pretty much covers all the "kinda" celebrities.

What, no Clay Aiken?

Stress relief?

Speaking to graduates at the University of Wisconsin last week, baseball commissioner Bud Selig said the game is a respite from everyday stress.

"It provides a window to escape from the tedium and difficulty of ordinary life," he said.

Actually, with all the steroid news dominating the game, "tedium" and "difficulty" seem to describe the game perfectly, don't they?

Technical difficulties

Astronauts have been repairing the aging Hubble telescope.

They didn't know anything was wrong until it started sending back pictures of Barry Bonds when he weighed 165.

e-mail: rock@desnews.com