BULLS MAKING PLANS TO SELL OFF PIECES OF `CHAMPIONSHIP FLOOR’

Own a “piece of the rock”? How about a “piece of the floor”? The Bulls are readying an offer in which you can buy a part of the current playing surface after this final season in the Stadium is completed and the move is made to the United Center, where a new floor will be installed. Though details aren’t final, the Bulls’ Steve Schanwald, vice president for marketing, said the old floor will be “liquidated” into smaller pieces and eventually will become available to the public. Said Schanwald: “Can you imagine the interest this should generate? I would think this would be something fans would jump on. This isn’t like offering pebbles from (old) White Sox Park. Three championships were won on this surface. Royalty played on this floor.” Maybe the Bulls can toss in a bonus: Parts of the organ used for Blackhawks hockey games, which also isn’t expected to make the trip across Madison Street.

Cold, hard facts 1: The 76ers’ Jeff Hornacek, drawing a big crowd of reporters in his Stadium locker room before tipoff Monday afternoon, agreed that it would be nice to play for the Bulls. “I grew up watching them,” he said. But even if a deal materialized, don’t expect Hornacek to return to his old hometown on a full-time basis. Jeff and his family have settled in the Phoenix area, dating to his days with the Suns. And, with a nod and a smile, he said you didn’t have to think very hard to figure out why he’ll settle in Arizona. “What is it? Twenty-five below zero right now? Last I heard, it was 72 degrees in Phoenix.”

Cold, hard facts 2: As ugly as Philadelphia’s performance was Monday against the Bulls in the Stadium, it was even more pitiful in its previous game. Fred Carter’s club was coming off a 110-67 loss at Cleveland, worst offensive performance in over three decades. In fact, the franchise was in Syracuse and Johnny Kerr was in uniform the last time there were so few points scored by the club. Cleveland never had held an opponent to such a low total.

Afternoon delight: The Bulls’ rare, weekday afternoon game, played because of the Martin Luther King holiday, is the first of two such contests this season. The Bulls also have one on President’s Day (Feb. 21) against Charlotte. “Personally, I like them and I think fans do, too,” Bulls ticket director Joe O’Neil said. “The league doesn’t like it to happen too many times during a season, though.” Some more Stadium sights and sounds:

– How tall is Shawn Bradley? While he sat in his locker stall to talk to The Tribune’s Bob Verdi, who was standing, they were almost the same height during the interview.

– Keeping Pace(r): Ex-Indiana Pacers coach Dick Versace sat courtside, a few seats from ex-Bulls coach Ed Badger, who now works for the Pacers.

– Early birds got to see a display of trick shots by Toni Kukoc, who sank several from the free-throw line with shots that came from behind the back and over his head.

Springboard: Anyone else notice that Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson didn’t hesitate recommending Dallas offensive coordinator Norv Turner for the Redskins’ job, but last year he didn’t want Dave Wannstedt, his former defensive coordinator, going to the New York Giants because they’re in the same NFC East. Two conclusions: Either Washington is so far down in the East that Johnson’s not worried, or he thinks Wannstedt’s got a lot better chance to become a success than Turner. By the way, whoever does replace Richie Petitbon in Washington will inherit a fifth-place schedule for the first time in franchise history. Since the NFL instituted its balanced schedule format before the 1978 season, the Redskins were the last team in a five-club division to never finish last before this season.

This ‘n’ that: Gee, wonder if Steve Carlton will want to be enshrined in baseball’s Hall of Fame in a White Sox uniform? Let us not forget Lefty blessed us with his presence for a few games in ’86, a year in which he pitched for three different clubs. . . . The Raiders put 300-pound lineman Todd Peat in the backfield to block for two short runs that resulted in TDs last weekend. This was a page from Mike Ditka’s use of William Perry in more ways than one. In ’85, when Perry was unveiled as a back, Peat was playing at Northern Illinois and the Huskies took the cue. Shortly after the Fridge made history, Todd was used as a back in a game against Ohio in which he paved the way to a TD. . . . Lots of talk Carlton Fisk eventually will end up in the Red Sox organization-not as a player-now that there have been front-office changes.

Radio daze: Illinois State offensive coordinator Chuck Dickerson has quit his football job to become host of a radio talk show in Buffalo. This is further proof, of course, that by the turn of the century every person in the U.S. who has had any connection with sports will have had his or her own radio sports talk show.

And finally: York Fur boss Dick Wagner just sold the largest coat in the company’s 62-year history-size 58, triple X long-to Shaquille O’Neal, who was fitted after a Stadium game. Wagner said the coat was made of Finnish raccoon. Lots of them, presumably.