Our finest did their best to watch crowd, not Obama

Minneapolis patrol officer Mike Kirchen was among those under orders not to look at President Barack Obama as his motorcade moseyed down Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day.

Kirchen was one of the Minnesota officers who went to D.C. to work the inauguration. "At our swearing-in ceremony, Chief [Cathy] Lanier of the D.C. Metro Police Department told us two things: Have fun with the crowd and don't look at the president as he passes by. Our attention should be on the crowd.

"They wanted us scanning the crowd looking for any kind of threats or anything that looks out of place. However, when the president did start coming towards us -- he got in his limo right near us -- there were all kinds of cops looking back. Everybody wanted to sneak a peek.

"We took 'Have fun with the crowd' to a new level. We got the wave going that ended up down the street, then up the other side of the street. Each time the Minnesota State Patrol marched by to go on break, we got the crowd fired up to a rousing ovation."

The Minneapolis officers also took photos with the crowd and gave out temporary police tattoos to kids. "I gave out 50 business cards and I'm starting to get photo e-mails along with great comments about how awesome the Minneapolis cops were," said Kirchen, who formerly worked the mayoral police detail and is now assigned to Lucy Laney School.

While in D.C., Kirchen took time to call the school and update the kids: "They liked it."

Kirchen had another mission while in D.C. He wanted a photo of him in the foreground while Obama's motorcade passed by in the background to go along with pix from when Kirchen pulled the same duty at former President George W. Bush's second inauguration. He got it, too, but the one we're using is of Kirchen and his colleagues in blue.

Their description of the woman sitting next to Pawlenty fit that of his wife, former Judge Mary Pawlenty. They also described some amusing back-and-forth on a BlackBerry-like device between the guv and an assistant. Neither the guv, to whom I sent e-mail, nor his spokesman responded to requests for confirmation.

Fitz watch A Super Bowl prediction: Larry Fitzgerald Sr. is going to be a big puddle of tears if his son becomes a champ Sunday.

I know this even though we are former friends because the radio/TV host and Spokesman-Recorder sports editor has been seething about my writing about the messy personal life of the pro athlete he diapered. That would be Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr., who called his dad "Mr. Emotional" in Rick Reilly's piece posted on ESPN.com.

The "Minnesota Fitz" story will be covered heavily this week as the media are besotted with the feel-good story line. Watch for at least one camera cutaway of Big Fitz in Tampa's press box during the game. In a shocking prediction on ESPN's "PTI," Sr. said Jr.'s team will win by one point. What you won't hear much about in the media are the legal problems a former NFL cheerleader, Angela Nazario, has been having with Jr.

But New York Times writer Joe LaPointe goes into the touchy subject while reporting on the 2003 death of Carol Fitzgerald, Sr.'s wife and Jr.'s mother, of whom he is the spitting image. Carol died of cancer before she and Jr. made up after a disagreement "about one of his girlfriends," Sr. told LaPointe. "It kind of festered. They were both stubborn. Then it was too late," Sr. told LaPointe.

In a cut that's beneath Sr., he tells LaPointe, "She's trying to get a lot of money."

If that's the angle being worked by women who wind up with babies from professional athletes, why aren't these guys more careful, Grandpa? That's another question you won't hear sports guys asking Super Bowl players at Media Day. Grandpa's comment brings a tear to my eye because it shows so little respect for a woman who once must have been worthy of Jr.'s attentions and money.