Referee Finds He’s in Storm of the Eye

Temple Coach John Chaney, furious over a technical foul called against him Sunday during the game against Georgetown, spent an entire television timeout, a period of 1 minute 45 seconds, standing on the sideline and staring at official John Clougherty with a look that hinted of homicide.

“With the new rule that you can’t talk to officials,” Chaney said, “what else can you do except stare at them? How can they throw you out for what you’re thinking? I got some satisfaction. I got to chew my cud and say some things in my head about him.”

Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post, calling it the Owl Scowl, wrote: “Hands on hips, his left knee slightly bent in one of those c’mon, make my day poses, Chaney gave Clougherty a dose of the most concentrated malocchio since Sonny Liston’s baleful stare-down of Floyd Patterson. We’re talking Big Time Sneer here. Gary Cooper in ‘High Noon,’ Clint Eastwood in ‘Hang ‘Em High,’ Evil Eye Fleegle in ‘Li’l Abner.’ If looks could kill, Clougherty would be a long time dead. (On the other hand, give Clougherty a nod for staring right back at Chaney. Dueling eyeballs at 40 paces. Is there an optometrist in the house?).”

Read one headline: “Chaney On a Stare-Way to the Stars.” Another: “The Coach With the Stare Beyond Compare.”

Add Chaney: He said the official was lucky he only gave him what he calls his One-Eyed Jacks stare, which he says he learned from his mother.

“I could have given him my Reckless-Eyeballs stare,” he said. “Black folks understand that. You used to get arrested for that down South.”

Add Georgetown: Coach John Thompson, on the problems Ronnie Highsmith had with Temple’s 6-foot 10-inch, 260-pound center, Ramon Rivas: “Ronnie said the only person he’s seen this year who’s had as wide a body is me.”

Anyone notice that all four Wildcats--Arizona, Kentucky, Kansas State, Villanova--made it to the NCAA Sweet 16? The other felines bit the dust--Loyola Marymount Lions, Brigham Young Cougars, Southern Jaguars and the Tigers of Louisiana State, Auburn and Memphis State--but a number of birds are still in flight--Temple Owls, Iowa Hawkeyes, Kansas Jayhawks and Louisville Cardinals.

Trivia Time: Which of the Sweet 16 coaches have been to the Final Four as coaches at other schools? (Answer below.)

Louisville Coach Denny Crum, on the three-point shot: “I don’t like it. Heck, I can make 7 out of 10, and I don’t even play the silly game.”

Said Purdue Coach Gene Keady: “I didn’t like it at first, but after we recruited Troy Lewis and Everette Stephens, I liked it a lot better.”

Said the Oakland Athletics’ Dave Parker when asked about the problems of adjusting to the American League: “Doesn’t make any difference. They’ve still got to throw the ball across the plate, and if I’m swinging, I might hit it.”

He said he’s looking forward to the transition, noting that American League parks generally are smaller.

“I might be able to reach out and touch someone,” he said.

Trivia Answer: Kentucky’s Eddie Sutton (Arkansas 1977-78), Arizona’s Lute Olson (Iowa 1979-80) and Kansas’ Larry Brown (UCLA 1979-80).

Quotebook

Jack Clark of the New York Yankees, on the many injuries he has suffered: “Just call me, ‘Snap, crackle and pop.’ Maybe I’ll do one of those Rice Krispies commercials.”