The Beat

What happens when you let a Playboy Playmate choose a starting quarterback? Let's just say that arm strength ends up counting for far less than a snazzy sports car. Earlier this year Browns quarterback Tim Couch hooked up with Heather Kozar, the 1999 Playmate of the Year. Before the preseason Couch introduced Kozar (below) to his pal, Bears quarterback Cade McNown, who fell hard for the beauty. According to a source, McNown then began an offensive series to win over Kozar—sending her flowers, phoning constantly, even sending his Porsche from Chicago to her home in L.A. for her use. The play-calling worked: Kozar benched Couch in favor of McNown. She has since moved to Chicago, and she and McNown have begun talking about marriage....

Forget Monday Night Football. The hottest sports action at the start of the week can be found at Manhattan's China Club, which has developed a buzz among jocks as the place to be on Mondays. A typical gathering occurred on Sept. 11: Yankees at the club included Derek Jeter (with Miss Universe Lara Dutta), Tino Martinez and Dwight Gooden. Joining them were the Mets' Derek Bell, the Brewers' Jeff D'Amico and Richie Sexson, the Blue Jays' Kelvim Escobar, as well as Marcus Allen, Clyde Drexler and Anthony Mason....

Boxer Roy Jones Jr. signed with Endeavor, a Hollywood talent agency. He wants to get into TV and movie projects, as well as nurture his burgeoning recording career—he's cut a few rap singles on his own label, Body Head Entertainment....

O.J. Simpson just bought a five-bedroom, four-bathroom house in Miami. Simpson, whose two children attend a Miami-area private school, paid $575,000 for the estate, which includes a swimming pool and a guest house. Still, the amenities apparently don't live up to the Hall of Famer's lofty standards. "I've lived in some pretty upscale places," said Simpson. "This place has a lot of shortcomings compared to them."