Friday, January 5, 2007,
By Samson Wong - Asian Week

Stanford University, which will admit golfing prodigy Michelle Wie this fall, last month hired as football coach University of San Diego coach Jim Harbaugh, an ex-pro quarterback who arguably had less coaching experience than Norm Chow. Knocked for only lacking head coaching experience, Chow, with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans as offensive coordinator, has onl this fall, last month hired as football coach University of San Diego coach Jim Harbaugh, an ex-pro quarterback who arguably had less coaching experience than Norm Chow. y taken USC to the national championships as offensive coordinator, groomed a stable of star quarterbacks including Hall of Famer Steve Young. His latest project — Vince Young, led the Titans to near playoff contention with six wins in a row. … CAL-STANFORD: If Chow was hired by Stanford two years ago instead of now-fired Walt Harris, fans could have seen him and Cal’s head coach Jeff Tedford in a national war to recruit and develop the top college QB in the nation. … FUTURE IN THE PROS: Chow’s non-interest in Stanford and stay at Tennessee is an opportunity to be a pro head coach there or elsewhere. He works for lame duck coach Jeff Fisher, who is, however, likely to get a contract extension for turning around the Tennessee team.

WHY AT THE Y: Although closed for repairs, the doorway to the San Francisco Chinatown YMCA entrance was blocked by “Crime Scene” tape last Wednesday as police and the coroner’s office investigated a dead body spotted by a person who yelled unsuccessfully from a neighboring window to rouse the corpse. According to Capt. James Dudley of Central Station, the body was there at least a day. YMCA employees being interviewed by officers, including Lt. Alvin Yee, had no comment on the mystery body, which hapa Chief Medical Examiner Amy Hart will preside over.

RED TURTLENECK: California Assembly Majority Whip Fiona Ma, whose trademark is her red turtleneck, has introduced Assembly Bill 101 calling for mapmakers and Internet map providers to inform drivers which roads are closed for winter.

The bill comes after last month’s tragic passing of San Francisco CNET senior editor James Kim, who drove passed a vandalized gate that was supposed to block winter access to a road. In addition, questions were raised about the reliability of the state map he was using.

PRAYERS FOR NORMAN: Thoughts are with S.F. School Board President Norman Yee and his family as he recovers from neck surgery and averted brain injury after being hit by an auto at 4th and Bryant Street last week. His hospitalization, listed as "stable," is likely to send up whispers about which faction controls a majority of the new incoming school board. Yee is a crucial swing vote on a narrowly split board.

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Reach Samson Wong at swong@asianweek.com.