Tafoya was the target of KG's pass, but she handled it smoothly

When it comes to Michele T., KG likey!

Moments after becoming a NBA champion, Kevin Garnett couldn't resist, yet again, the desire to hit on Michele Tafoya as the sports reporter interviewed him on ABC-TV.

"Michele, you look good tonight, girl," KG said to Tafoya, who replied with a fairly business-like "Thank you, Kevin."

Total non sequitur, as you can see at www.faniq.com.

As you may know, KG and Tafoya probably met in Minnesota. He played for the Wolves until they got rid of the wrong Kevin and traded him to the Celtics in Boston, where his first season ended with a championship. Good for him. She worked at KFAN-AM and WCCO-TV before going national, but she still is based here.

KG's title-night pass at Tafoya might be nothing were it not for a comment he made when she was interviewing him after a playoff victory over the Pistons: "You look good in your pink, girl."

It should be noted that during the season coach Phil Jackson also commented in a post-game interview about how nice Tafoya looked in her dress.

Even if she didn't, nothing's happening. She's totally out of KG's league intellectually (eventually you have to talk) and the pathologically private KG has a wife, Brandi, and a new baby. So it's innocent. KG probably hasn't been taught how to convey respect to a professional woman.

Tafoya would never call out these guys about their public displays of admiration because she likes having her phone calls returned.

I called Tafoya on Wednesday to find out what perfume she wears. Wanna know if she's wearing the same fragrance every time KG compliments her (so I can make sure I never wear it).

She just laughed. It's not the perfume. "They are avoiding the topic at hand, in the coaches' instances; I think they don't want to talk about the problems they are having on the basketball court," said Tafoya, who said Jackson is not the only coach to go off-message this season. "It's all strategy. As far as Kevin, when he's happy, he'll say anything. He was happy last night."

Congrats to KG. As NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry told me Saturday at the Starkey gala, it's good Garnett went to the Celtics because he never was going to win a championship with the Wolves.

Sandstrom, a meteorologist for San Francisco area KTVU-TV, was reportedly over at WCCO auditioning for the Paul Douglas vacancy.

According to voice123.com Sandstrom is a "smooth, friendly, sexy, lower-range female voice" talent.

Home repairs Some lucky future bankers are going to have the bejeebers scared out of them Friday when "2005 Apprentice" winner Randal Pinkett comes to Minneapolis to judge them.

Will he or won't he say the words Donald Trump never said to Pinkett on the NBC-TV show: "You're fired!"?

The good money is on Pinkett being more gentle than The Donald because these 15 kids are competing in teams to do home repairs for three Minneapolis residences occupied by senior citizens. The kids, from Minnesota and other states, are 17 to 20 years old and were selected by the Urban Financial Services Coalition to participate in The Mark I-United Way Volunteer Apprentice Challenge.

They kids have one day -- today -- to make the improvements before Pinkett arrives to judge the projects when he comes to speak at the UFSC, which is having its national convention at the Hyatt. A busy guy, Pinkett won't have time to tour the properties; he will make his decision after looking at videos.

Next time, snap a pic "I saw Jeremy Sisto, [Detective] Lupo on 'Law & Order' having drinks outside The Local [Thursday] on my way home from work," e-mailed "Aaron Snyde."

Sisto has been in the metro shooting the movie "Into Temptation." However, after talking with four Local staffers, including the manager on duty that night, I could not confirm the sighting.

After a Google look at Sisto photos, I concluded that the actor is cute but so prosaic as to look like lots of other guys. However, if Sisto's person shoots off an e-mail confirming his presence at the Local, I'll let you know.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on FOX 9 Thursday mornings.