Hornet Supporter Gives Owner a Good Swift Kick in the Shinn

Charlotte Hornet owner George Shinn has threatened to move the club, and Ed Peacock, a member of the board that voted to give him a more favorable lease at Charlotte Colisuem, said: “George Shinn is a selfish, greedy man.”

Peacock said he wasn’t surprised by Shinn’s threat.

“We were expecting that,” Peacock said. “We’re also expecting him to name himself coach of the Hornets next year and to name himself the starting center.”

Shinn’s height has been listed at 5-feet-3 or 5-4. He says he’s 5-7.

Good question: From USA Today: “If Eddie Murray is such an unmotivated player, as detractors insist, why has he played in 368 consecutive games?”

Hot stuff: Said John Salley of the Detroit Pistons at a roast of Detroit Red Wing Coach Jacques Demers: “The difference between the NHL and the NBA is, if you’re in last place in the NBA, they fire the coach. If you’re in last place in the NHL, they give him a roast.”

He added: “Another thing about the NHL is they’ve got 5-foot-5 white guys making a lot of money.”

Trivia time: Bucky Dent is the 11th different manager hired by George Steinbrenner of the New York Yankees. Can you name the other 10? (Answer below.)

Add Dent: Of outfielder Deion Sanders, he said: “If he decides to play football again, I may end up tackling him myself. He’s got a chance to be a heck of a baseball player.”

Ouch: Charlie Metro, who managed Lou Piniella at Kansas City in 1970, told USA Today: “Piniella wouldn’t run, throw or catch a ball. Not couldn’t. Wouldn’t. ‘Sweet Lou’ makes my all-time, all-star, non-hustler team. . . . He’s a terrible person.”

Heat’s on: Digger Phelps managed to squeeze Notre Dame into the NCAA basketball tournament, but there’s a “Dump Digger” movement in South Bend, Ind.

Said the Chicago Sun-Times: “On the night of his 400th victory, a win over Wichita State, Phelps told the public address announcer not to introduce him with the team before the game, as is customary. The Irish had been routed by LSU in their previous game, and Phelps knew the razzberries would be coming.

“Phelps said, ‘I figured the students would boo me, and I didn’t want the kids to be distracted.’ ”

Now-it-can-be-told Dept.: From assistant coach Mike Shanahan of the Denver Broncos: “Taking the Raider job was a big mistake. I didn’t have any responsibility. I was told I would be able to take charge, but it didn’t work out that way.”

Sign him up: Manager Whitey Herzog was trying to figure out who would be a good man to protect Pedro Guerrero in the St. Louis Cardinals’ batting order.

“I need one more switch-hitter,” Herzog said. “Mickey Mantle. That’s the one. That would set it up.”

Trivia answer: Ralph Houk, Bill Virdon, Billy Martin, Bob Lemon, Dick Howser, Gene Michael, Clyde King, Yogi Berra, Lou Piniella and Dallas Green.

Quotebook: Ron Kittle of the Chicago White Sox, admitting to some panic during the lockout: “I applied for a Wendy’s job. I wonder if I got it.”