Simply Another In-Your-Faith Confrontation

Shawn Bradley was called for a technical foul in a recent game when he protested a call too heatedly to referee Hue Hollins, who explained to New Jersey Net Coach John Calipari that Bradley had sworn at him.

“He’s a Mormon, he doesn’t swear,� Calipari told Hollins in defense of Bradley.

Replied Hollins: “I’m Baptist, and I don’t lie.�

Comment: Take your pick.

Trivia time: Who holds the NBA record for most blocked shots in a season?

It rhymes too: Michael Ventre of MSNBC on some Virginia Tech football players being charged with crimes: “Virginia Tech probably should add a section to its football media guide called ‘Hokies in the Pokey.’ �

Soft sentence: Count Charles Barkley of the Houston Rockets among those not impressed with the Chicago Bulls’ recent two-game suspension of Dennis Rodman before playing the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Jersey Nets.

“I think [Bull General Manager] Jerry Krause made his point by suspending him against Minnesota and New Jersey,� Barkley said. “That was really gutsy of him. Why didn’t he suspend him against us and Seattle?�

Add Barkley: He’s a tenacious rebounder with a lifetime average of nearly 12 a game. Yet, he’s relatively small, being listed at 6 feet 6.

Said Barkley: “I’m 6-4 3/4; 6-6 just sounded good coming out of college.�

Dinosaur age: Rob Parker of Newsday reasons that the New York Giants didn’t go far enough when they fired Coach Dan Reeves. He thinks the game has passed by General Manager George Young, whom he calls “Fred Flintstone with a better car.�

Misinformation: The 1997 Information Please Sports Almanac lists the site of Super Bowl XXXIV, on Jan. 23, 2000, as: “Hollywood Park, Los Angeles.�

There is no stadium there, of course, but a game could conceivably be played on the infield.

Is that all? Former New York Jet center Jim Sweeney on former Jet coach Rich Kotite: “He’s scared. He’s a power freak. He’s paranoid. And then he quits when it gets bad.�

Good riddance: Brett Hull of the St. Louis Blues on his former coach, Mike Keenan: “It’s a lot more upbeat around here now. Mike was an intimidating guy. I think 95% of the guys were scared to death of him.�

Looking back: On this day in 1970, the Rams defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 31-0, in the Playoff Bowl game in Miami. The game matched second-place teams from the NFL’s Western and Eastern conferences.

The Rams also won this consolation game after the 1967 season, beating Cleveland, 30-6, in Miami.

Trivia answer: Mark Eaton of the Utah Jazz, with 456 in 1984-85.

And finally: Sam Smith in the Chicago Tribune: “Well, we know at least one thing about the [Dallas] Mavericks’ trade of Jason Kidd to the Phoenix Suns: Maverick owner Ross Perot Jr. is just as wacky as his dad.�