From This Viewpoint, the Best Is Yet to Come

Brian Schmitz in the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel: “After flicking away the 58-win Spurs--supposedly the toughest obstacle en route to their pending title repeat--the Lakers sent out the discouraging message that Roy Scheider did in ‘Jaws’ when he spotted the great white shark:

“ ‘You’re going to need a bigger boat.’

“Twenty-eight teams will head into training camps with no chance of winning a ring, for however long Shaq and Kobe Bryant stay interested and civil.�

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Trivia time: When, if ever, have the Lakers swept an opponent in an NBA final series?

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The eternal fan: University of Kentucky fans who say they live and die with their Wildcats can back their claims. There is an officially licensed Kentucky Wildcat casket.

Phil Mushnick of the New York Post says: “While you wouldn’t want to get caught dead in most caskets, this baby’s drop-dead gorgeous. It’s covered with UK ornaments and ‘constructed of 18-gauge steel with protective, swing bar hardware and lined with premium white crepe.’ �

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Small returns: Norm Clarke of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, on the demise of the XFL: “You’ve heard of players having to turn in their playbooks when a season ends?

“Well, a spy tells me the [Las Vegas] Outlaws cheerleaders weren’t jumping for joy after being informed they had to turn in their uniforms, what little there was of them.�

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Dangerous listing: Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy’s rookie trading card is priced at $225--three times more than the rookie card of former Bronco quarterback John Elway--at a memorabilia shop in Denver.

“Patrick Roy had more of an impact on hockey than John Elway ever did on football,� store manager Darren Harrison said. “And I’d probably be killed in this town for saying that.�

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Vicious! Wallace Matthews in the New York Post: “Have you heard about the David Wells diet? You get to eat everything but your words. Those you blame on somebody else.�

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Rich strike: Dwight Perry in the Seattle Times: “The NFL’s courtroom victory over the Raiders was so utterly overwhelming that NFL Properties now owns the mineral rights to Al Davis’ hair-oil deposits.�

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Flight pattern: Chad Durbin, second-year Kansas City Royal pitcher: “I’m still excited to pitch, but I’m able to get those butterflies flying in formation.�

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Looking back: On this day in 1987, the Edmonton Oilers won their third Stanley Cup by beating the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-1, in Game 7.

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Trivia answer: It has never happened.

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And finally: San Francisco Giant outfielder Barry Bonds is on a Mark McGwire-like home run pace and a 34-single pace for the season. Giant broadcaster Mike Krukow explained:

“He hits the ball too far to hit singles,� he told ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. “You could take one of his hits and cut it up and make 10 singles. Right now the ballparks are just too small for him. So he can’t hit a single.�