Maybe Rodman’s Bark Is Worse Than His Bite

Jud Buechler of the Chicago Bulls when asked by Stan McNeal of the San Diego Union-Tribune if Dennis Rodman is really as weird as he wants people to think he is:

“Dennis definitely has his image. He’s one of those players if you’re not on his team, you think the guy is absolutely nuts. You despise playing against him. He’s almost scary; you never know if he’s going to take a swing at you.

“That’s all part of his image. But he’s a great guy to have on your team. To my surprise, we’ve become pretty good friends. He’s a generous, nice person. There’s not one player on the team who doesn’t get along with him.�

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Trivia time: Who was the first foreign player to win the Masters tournament?

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Field of dreams: Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle suggests that the Oakland Athletics should play all of their home games at cozy Cashman Field in Las Vegas:

“Las Vegas would warm to the A’s, eventually. This is a town with a fatal attraction to longshots, slim hopes and fat chances and the A’s give you all that and more.�

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Perfect pairing: New York Met General Manager Joe McIlvaine said overweight infielder Butch Huskey is the most appropriately named baseball figure since Cliff Ditto managed the Northwest League team in Walla Walla, Wash.

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Formidable lineup: Sparky Anderson was a recent guest on Irv Kaze’s sports radio show on KIEV and was asked to name his All-Sparky major league team. Here it is:

Catcher: Johnny Bench; first base: Willie McCovey; second base: Joe Morgan; shortstop: Ozzie Smith; third base: Doug Rader, and outfielders Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente.

Pitchers were Sandy Koufax, left-handed, and Bob Gibson, right-handed. Designated hitter: Pete Rose.

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Tough choice: Second baseman Bret Boone of the Cincinnati Reds on catcher Joe Oliver’s large head: “Which would you rather have: a million dollars or Joe Oliver’s head full of nickels?�

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Nowhere man: Keith Askins is the only player remaining from last year’s Miami Heat roster--and he’s lonely.

“It’s like I’m on a new team,� he said. “It’s like I was traded, but didn’t have to move.�

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Family matter: Paul Meyer of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette quoting Pirate Coach Bill Virdon on outfielder Orlando Merced: “He wants to do well--and he will do well. He can hit and he’s a good kid . . . he’d better be a good kid.�

Then, Meyer observed: “That’s because Merced is engaged to a girl named Shannon--who just happens to be Virdon’s granddaughter.�

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FYI: Jack Nicklaus has lost 17 pounds on a cabbage soup diet and now weighs 185 pounds. That was his weight in 1986 when he won the Masters.

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Trivia answer: Gary Player of South Africa in 1961.

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Quotebook: Kevin Johnson of the Phoenix Suns on the impending NBA playoffs: “We think we’re good enough to beat anybody. We just haven’t proven it yet.�