After the Stormy Practices, the Games Are the Easy Part

Xavier McDaniel, now with the Boston Celtics, recalling New York Knick Coach Pat Riley’s hard practices:

“They’re like Hurricane Andrew and Hugo all rolled into one,” McDaniel told the Boston Globe. “But that’s why things go so smoothly when the games come. Hell, those are easy after what he put us through.”

Trivia time: What is the Pacific 10 Conference record for most points scored in a game?

Bruin bashing: Fred Wallin of KMPC, questioning UCLA’s being a 13 1/2-point favorite over Oregon State on Saturday at the Rose Bowl: “Hell, they (the Bruins) can’t even score 13 1/2 points.”

KMPC is UCLA’s flagship station for sports.

The terminator: Glenn Hall, a former all-star goaltender, on the legendary Maurice (Rocket) Richard, now 71:

“When he came flying toward you with the puck on his stick, his eyes were all lit up, flashing and gleaming like a pinball machine. It was terrifying.”

Bogey Bears: Before California beat UCLA, 48-12, on Saturday, Cal football Coach Keith Gilbertson said: “We’re playing bogey football. We’re about one over par most of the time.”

Clip this: The NBA season begins Friday and Doug Moe, coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, is hardly optimistic. “Right at this moment, we don’t have the potential to win one (regular-season) game,” he said.

Dubious distinction: Miami Coach Don Shula said the New York Jets are “the best 1-6 team in football” before his Dolphins lost to the Jets on Sunday. So it’s now presumed that the Jets are the best 2-6 team in football.

Call of the wild: Henry Blaha, captain of the Baltimore Rugby Club: “They say that rugby is a beastly game played by gentlemen, soccer a gentleman’s game played by beasts and that football is a beastly game played by beasts.”

Mind games: USC tight end Bradford Banta says he is very superstitious.

“When I was in high school, I was so superstitious that if I didn’t do the same things every day it would mess up my mind.

“For example, if I took a drink out of a certain drinking fountain and walked away one direction and we won our football game that week, I’d do the same the next week, even if it meant I had to go out of my way.”

Calorie crunch: From tennis player Pam Shriver after defeating Rosalyn Fairbank-Nideffer on Tuesday in Oakland: “I served well on the big points and that was the difference today. The last time I played I lost horrendously. Too much beer and too many chocolates.”

Trivia answer: California beat St. Mary’s, 127-0, in 1920.

Quotebook: Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz, on the expectations of Fighting Irish fans: “They expect minor miracles every Saturday and major miracles now and then.”