His Names Were as Rim-Rattling as Those Dunks

In a recent Sporting News article, Jackie Krentzman recalls the dunking prowess of Darryl Dawkins, an NBA rim-rattler of the 1970s:

“Dawkins’ jams were as well known for their monikers as their brute force. His first backboard breaker [which nearly shattered Kansas City center Bill Robinzine] was dubbed ‘The Chocolate Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham, Bam, Glass-Breaker I am Jam.’

“Other favorite Dawkins dunks included the ‘Rim Wrecker,’ the ‘Look out Below,’ the ‘In-Your-Face-Disgrace,’ the ‘Yo Momma,’ the ‘Sexophonic’ and the ‘Spine Chiller Supreme.’ ”

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Trivia time: Who was the only USC basketball coach who never won a game? Hint: His fame was in track and field.

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Golden touch: Ken Griffey Jr.’s new contract with the Seattle Mariners will pay him $8.5 million a year. “Let me give you an idea how much money that is, because it’s hard for people to break that down to an hourly wage,” Jay Leno said. “By the time he gets a sign from his brain to scratch his groin, he’s made $1,600.”

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Club crime: From the Bottom Dollar Golf publication: “How bad is the theft at Rancho Park in L.A.? The muny [municipal course] that does rounds like the Carnegie Deli does Reubens warns Callaway and Ping owners against thieves following them home and then robbing them.”

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Bearing up: Tom Mayenknecht, Vancouver Grizzlies’ vice president of communications, on his team getting caught in the middle of an environmental battle over the endangered grizzly bear: “I guess we should have picked an animal that has been extinct for 65 million years, like the Raptors.”

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A different ring: Randy Barnes, the world record-holder in the shotput, who will compete in the L.A. Invitational track meet Feb. 24 at the Sports Arena, was in the San Francisco 49er training camp four years ago.

Asked to recall the major difference between shot-putting and confronting NFL linemen, the 6-foot-4 1/2, 320-pound athlete said: “In track, they don’t throw anything back at you.”

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Tight fit: Joe Gilmartin of the Phoenix Gazette, a severe critic of former Arizona Cardinal Coach Buddy Ryan, on welcoming new Coach Vince Tobin to Arizona:

“You are stepping into what may well be the smallest pair of shoes in the history of coaching.”

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Photo phenom: An unidentified NBA coach on the New Jersey Nets acquiring 7-foot-6 Shawn Bradley: “All he does is give you a better pyramid in the team photo.”

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Trivia answer: Dean Cromwell, whose 1918 team played only two games, losing each to the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

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Quotebook: Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press on Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones: “He could sell you broken eggs and convince you they’d be chickens one day.”