Grunt work keeps him out of gym

What hath Monica Seles wrought?

WCBS-TV in New York reported that a corrections officer was recently kicked out of Planet Fitness in Wappingers Falls, N.Y., on Monday for grunting several times at the multi-press station.

On top of that, he had his membership revoked and was escorted from the gym by the police after there was said to be an argument between the grunter and the gym’s general manager. There is a written notice at the gym, stating “no grunting and screaming,” among other crimes and misdemeanors.

“We’re creating an atmosphere that’s not intimidating,” said Carol Palazzolo, the gym manager told WCBS.

One stray thought: It’s a good thing Palazzolo doesn’t run a tennis tournament. Venus and Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova wouldn’t stand a chance.

Trivia time

When was Rutgers’ first appearance in a bowl game?

Language police

Ocho Cinco will cost Chad Johnson cinco mil.

The always-lighthearted NFL has fined the Bengals wide receiver $5,000 for wearing the nameplate, Ocho Cinco, during warmups before Sunday’s game against the Falcons, according to ESPN. Carson Palmer eventually performed costume adjustment, ripping off the nameplate to show C. Johnson.

Palmer must have been doing a public service for those later watching the NFL highlights on Univision or Galavision since the tribute to Johnson’s number, 85, should have been: ochenta y cinco.

Hair today, gone tomorrow

Young Chad has been particularly active in the off-field news department this last week.

Not only was there the “ocho cinco” controversy, but he also had to get rid of his blond Mohawk, a casualty of his lost wager with Atlanta cornerback DeAngelo Hall.

“The whole deal last week was if we lost to Atlanta, that I would have to cut the Mohawk, but if we won DeAngelo would have to work at Big Willy’s Fatburger,” Johnson told the Cincinnati Enquirer on Wednesday.

“The individual battle was fun between him and I, but in the team battle we didn’t come out on top, and I did say I would cut it.”

Gone Tiki

Tiki Barber of the Giants is walking away at the end of the season and the New York Post contended that his wife, Ginny, is behind the decision to leave the NFL. This is according to a “friend” of the family, who told the Post that Barber’s wife feared a crippling injury would prevent him from helping raise his children.

Tiki Barber spoke about his decision to IGN Sports and addressed the decline that running backs encounter when they hit their 30s.

“It’s not a gradual decline,” he said. “It is more like walking off a cliff. I recognize that and I am very cognitive of that, but I don’t think I am walking off the cliff yet.”

Trivia answer

The Garden State Bowl in 1978. Arizona State beat Rutgers, 34-18, at Giants Stadium.

And finally

Success, namely an 8-0 record, means that long-lost friends have managed to reconnect with their buddies in the athletic department at Rutgers.

“It’s not that people are asking for two or four tickets,” said Deputy Director of Athletics Kevin MacConnell told the CourierPostOnline.

“They’re asking for eight, 10, 12. They want to come, and they want to bring the friends.”

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lisa.dillman@latimes.com