Obviously, He Didn’t Want to Talk About It

C.W. Nevius of the San Francisco Chronicle reported from the NBA All-Star game Sunday at Phoenix that Golden State Warrior owner Chris Cohan literally fled from the media to avoid talking about departing coach Don Nelson.

“Spotting a couple of reporters making their way toward his seat, Cohan and his wife made a wild dash through the arena, bumping into fans, spilling a few drinks and looking back anxiously over their shoulders to see if the dreaded notebook carriers were gaining,” Nevius wrote.

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Add Nelson: Bruce Jenkins of the Chronicle on the departure of Nelson:

“Where will the Warriors go from here? It almost doesn’t matter--not until August or September. They could bring in a corpse to coach this team, and it couldn’t get any worse.”

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Trivia time: Which year did UCLA reach the NCAA Final Four in basketball for the first time?

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Football fan: Steve Hummer in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “You may not be old enough to remember a sporting custom that used to be observed each autumn. It was a game called baseball and a happening called the World Series. Ask your father about it someday.

“He’ll tell you that it was a whole lot better than the Super Bowl.

“Of course, what doesn’t seem better now? Give me celebrity crappie fishing or replacement beach volleyball over Steve Young playing catch with Jerry Rice.”

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Possible plot: Blackie Sherrod in the Dallas Morning News:

“How’s this for a scenario?

“Vernon Maxwell or Scottie Pippen or some NBA hothead loses his temper and charges into the stands to put the arm on a heckler. And the heckler turns out to be the karate champ of the East Coast or perhaps the proud possessor of an eight-inch switchblade.

“Have we got a TV movie or not?”

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Strenuous: NBC’s Conan O’Brien: “Heavyweight champion George Foreman is getting in shape for an upcoming title defense. His trainers are conditioning him to actually park and go into McDonald’s.”

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Honest answer: Jack Haley, a former UCLA player, and a seldom-used reserve for the San Antonio Spurs, came out to reporters after a recent game and announced, “Worm has no comments today.”

Asked if he were Dennis Rodman’s official spokesman, Haley replied, “I have to do something to justify my being here.”

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Don’t forget Wheaties: Golf Digest reports what Gary Player told a pudgy autograph seeker:

“My boy, you are fat. Your parents won’t tell you because they love you, but you are fat and are going to die if you don’t stop eating animal fat and start exercising.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1951, Sugar Ray Robinson won the world middleweight boxing title with a technical knockout of Jake LaMotta in the 13th round at Chicago.

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Trivia answer: 1962, when the Bruins lost to Cincinnati in a semifinal game, 72-70.

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Quotebook: Pat Riley, New York Knick coach, on ill-advised three-point shooting: “Fool’s gold.”