UConn Fans Think They’ve Been Sold Out

Ralph Granato Jr. has been a University of Connecticut basketball fan for 25 years and a season ticket-holder for the past four. The school recently rewarded his loyalty by refusing to renew his season tickets.

Because of the Huskies’ regular-season Big East championship and their appearance in last season’s NCAA East Regional title game, season tickets in the 8,500-seat Harry S. Gampel Pavilion at Storrs and in the 16,294-seat Hartford Civic Center are sold out for the first time since the school joined the conference in 1979.

Major contributors to other UConn sports programs have come out of the woodwork, displacing Granato and others like him.

Granato said: “My real estate business is struggling. And I’m getting married June 8. I’m not rich.”

Tough.

Add UConn: Rob Sylvester, another former season ticket-holder who was turned down this year, put it this way: “The whole process is legalized scalping.”

Trivia time: With which major league baseball organization did Roberto Clemente originally sign and play?

Gutty little cheap shot: Tuesday’s Morning Briefing reported that a photograph from Saturday’s USC-UCLA game, which appeared in Monday’s UCLA Daily Bruin, showed Trojan quarterback Todd Marinovich being offered a hand up by UCLA strong safety Matt Darby and offering Darby his middle finger.

The story behind the gesture probably began with USC’s first play from scrimmage:

Marinovich completed a 12-yard pass to Johnnie Morton, who was tackled by Bruin safety Eric Turner and linebacker Carlton Gray in the left flat. Marinovich trotted downfield in the direction of the play.

As the players headed back to their respective huddles, UCLA’s Turner, undetected by the officials, straightened up Marinovich with a quick forearm shot to the Adam’s apple.

Add Turner: Later in the drive, USC had third and 11 at UCLA’s 32. On a halfback option pass, Mazio Royster kept the ball and was knocked out of bounds at the 28.

After the whistle, Turner kicked USC tackle Pat Harlow, drawing a personal foul. Rather than facing fourth and seven, the Trojans had first and 10 at the Bruin 14. Two plays later, Royster scored a touchdown and USC took a 14-7 lead.

No award to return: From Tom Callahan of the Washington Post: “Roseanne Barr wasn’t singing for herself in San Diego last summer. It was Milli Vanilli.”

Good non-call: Speaking to a regional conference of the Associated Press Sports Editors at Concord, Calif., Monday, Golden State Warrior Coach Don Nelson was asked whether any of his players stood a chance of being arrested for soliciting prostitution, a la James Worthy after his alleged phone call to a Houston “escort service.”

Said Nelson: “I’ve already told all my guys to throw away the numbers.”

Add Nelson: He talked about the possibility that he would be selected to coach the U.S. Olympic team in the 1992 Olympics at Barcelona.

Said Nelson: “I have made it clear I’d like to do it, but I’m sure there are other strong candidates, too. Besides, Larry Brown accused me the other day of politicking for the job. Then, right after he said that, he said he thought he’d be a good candidate himself.”

Trivia answer: The Brooklyn Dodgers.

Quotebook: ABC-TV commentator Dan Dierdorf, after two delay-of-game penalties against Miami and an ill-advised Raider timeout late in Monday night’s game: “This is sloppy football at its best.”