Big Brother

Mother's Day and Father's Day this year will mark the beginning and end of a monthlong cooperative effort to recruit adults into Big Brother/Big Sister programs throughout the Valley to provide strong role models to children from single-parent homes. The drive, from Sunday to June 15, is sponsored by four local Big Brother/Big Sister agencies--Big Brothers of Greater L.A., Big Sisters of Los Angeles, Jewish Big Brothers and Catholic Big Brothers.

FEW things inspired more clammy dread in the average Western democracy-dweller during the last century than the idea of constant electronic surveillance. In fact, save maybe for the concurrent dread of being shipped to a gulag for some subsequent thought-rehab, nothing conjured the horror of totalitarian living quite like the thought of basking in the gaze of Big Brother 24/7.

The first time they were thrown together in the middle of Wisconsin's offensive line, left tackle Chris McIntosh, left guard Bill Ferrario, center Casey Rabach and right guard Dave Costa fell all over themselves. McIntosh, a senior now but a sophomore in 1997, was the only experienced starter then. That meant he had to tutor the three redshirt freshmen. "We went through a lot of growing pains learning a lot of schemes," McIntosh said Wednesday.

Scottie Pippen made a statement for the first three quarters and Michael Jordan added the exclamation point as only he can. Jordan scored 20 of his 34 points in the final 7 1/2 minutes, Pippen scored 33 and Luc Longley made two free throws with 5.4 seconds left after rebounding a rare Jordan miss as Chicago defeated the Knicks, 105-103, on Thursday at New York. "When it came time to assert myself, I did it in the fourth quarter," Jordan said. "That was the story of the game."

James Gurley, a virtuoso guitarist with Big Brother & the Holding Company, the psychedelic rock band that launched Janis Joplin to stardom, died Sunday, two days before his 70th birthday. Gurley was pronounced dead at a Palm Springs hospital after suffering a heart attack at his Palm Desert home, according to the band. "James was the spirit and the essence of the band in its early days," Sam Andrew, a Big Brother singer-guitarist, wrote on the band's website. "James was the most unusual person I ever met, a pioneer, a real original.

"Big Brother" creators at Endemol Entertainment are seeking contestants who are "ready to surprise their mates with a marriage proposal" for a new reality-based game show slated to premiere in February on the WB network. The show will feature three couples' surprise proposals, with the couples then competing in "outrageous activities" to win "an extravagant wedding," with the ceremony performed live on television. The application deadline is Dec. 22. Information: (866) 300-0675.

Texas seems to be full of basketball-playing Olajuwons from Nigeria. Everyone knows about Hakeem (the Dream) Olajuwon, one-time soccer goalie, walk-on All American at the University of Houston and star center of the Houston Rockets. But it should be noted that there are two more Olajuwons having some sort of impact in basketball, although the 6-foot-10 Hakeem remains unchallenged as the tallest branch on the family tree.

Hollywood, 1993. The scene was an art opening, and Dave Carnie, 23, skateboarder, photographer and writer, wanted to catch the attention of Jeff Tremaine, editor of the outlaw skateboarding magazine Big Brother. Dispensing with the traditional resume and writing samples, Carnie chucked a potted plant from a second-story balcony at an unsuspecting Tremaine, who responded to this attention-getting prank by giving him a freelance gig.

Catholic Big Brothers, a nonprofit agency affiliated with United Way, is in need of volunteers for its mentor program. As a Big Brother, volunteers are expected to spend three to four hours a week with boys ages 7 to 14 who are from single-parent families or who are in need of positive male role models. There are about 200 youths throughout Los Angeles County waiting to be assigned to a Big Brother. Volunteers may be of any religious affiliation. For information, call: (213) 251-9800.