After This, Riley Looks Like a Breeze

Amy Shipley of the Miami Herald writes that Heat players have been sore and tired after workouts under Coach Pat Riley.

Things have been worse--much worse--for some Heat players. A sampling:

“Billy Owens’ worst workout memory followed a Syracuse loss to Notre Dame. The game ended about 10 p.m. Coach Jim Boeheim called a practice for 5:30 the next morning.

“ ‘We did nothing but figure-eights full court,’ Owens said. “ ‘We had to make 100 layups in a row, and if we missed one we’d have to start over. We had a two-hour practice and came back at 5 o’clock for another one.’

“ ‘I thought he was crazy at the time.’ ”

Trivia time: Who holds the NBA record for most three-point field goals in a game?

Brace yourselves: The latest in the sports collectibles business:

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP)--The neck brace worn by Notre Dame football Coach Lou Holtz after his spinal surgery will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Logan Center for the developmentally disabled.

No moving parts: Northwestern football Coach Gary Barnett on his intention of staying at the school: “It was never a road stop for me. I have a philosophy that says, ‘Wherever your butt is, that’s where your head should be.’ ”

Meat-mania: George Bryan, president of Sara Lee Meats, in announcing that his company is the official packaged-meat sponsor of the 1996 Atlanta Games. “The meat case will be an exciting place to shop in the upcoming months.”

Where’s Super?Tony Cooper in the San Francisco Chronicle: “No truth to the rumor that Robert Dome, the 16-year-old Slovakia native playing for the IHL Utah Grizzlies, has three brothers named Astro, Sky and King. It’s pronounced Doe-May, by the way.”

Look under pillow: Peter May in the Boston Globe on the rebounding problems of the Celtics in the exhibition season: “Other than Dino Radja, the rest of the players seem to be waiting for the Rebound Fairy.”

Reality check: Arkansas State football Coach John Bobo was reviewing his notes and realized they would sound silly. He had written that today’s game with San Jose State was a “huge” game. “How can a game between a 3-5 and 2-6 team be a huge game?” Bobo said.

Mighty Mario: Phil Esposito, general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, after watching Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux score seven points against his team: “They have this big, stupid stiff named Mario Lemieux, who I would give my whole team for. The rest of the league better watch out. This guy is a man playing with boys.”

Handy gift: Nick Canepa in the San Diego Union-Tribune: “I expect the NBA to commission Mattel to come up with a Shaquille O’Neal broken thumb just in time for Christmas.”

Trivia answer: Brian Shaw of Miami against Milwaukee on April 8, 1993, and Joe Dumars of Detroit against Minnesota on Nov. 8, 1994, 10 each.

Quotebook: Tampa Bay Buccaneer Coach Sam Wyche on job security: “I’m a toothpick on a tidal wave.”