If He Has His Way a Million Will Go a Long Way

Shaun Powell in Newsday: “One million bucks ain’t what it used to be. That’s the money Miami Heat rookie Kurt Thomas is making this season.

“But when Thomas returned to his hometown of Dallas--he also attended nearby Texas Christian--when the Heat visited the Mavericks, Thomas would not supply tickets to all of the estimated 150 friends and relatives who attended the game.

“ ‘They had all year to prepare for the game,’ Thomas told Miami reporters. ‘They could put $1 or 50 cents aside to save up and buy a ticket. They have jobs too. This is my first job. I want to enjoy some of the money I’m making.’ ”

With that outlook, Kurt, you’ll enjoy all of it.

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Trivia time: Who holds the NBA record for fouling out?

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Hot head: Gene Wojciechowski in the Chicago Tribune: “New Reds’ Manager Ray Knight, who might want to think about switching to decaf, is as subtle as Schottzie 02 during an on-field potty stop.

“The hyper-intense Knight had a recent disagreement-shouting match with, among others, star outfielder Reggie Sanders, and there are grumblings he wouldn’t know how to lighten up if someone made him breathe helium.”

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Hanging on: Veteran pitcher Rob Dibble on trying to make the Chicago Cubs’ roster: “If I don’t make it here, I’m going to make it somewhere. I still throw the ball faster than 90 mph and not many guys do that.”

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Been there, done that: Philadelphia 76er Ed Pinckney, a well-traveled, 11-year NBA veteran, when asked before playing Toronto what’s it like going against his former team:

“Do you mean the one I’m facing tomorrow, Wednesday or Friday?”

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Dramatic change: Sharone Wright, a former 76er, comparing Philadelphia fans to those in his new city, Toronto: “Like Godzilla compared to Snow White”

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Career change: Alan Truex in the Houston Chronicle: “Reid Ryan’s quest to follow the footsteps of his father, Nolan Ryan, has met a major roadblock. More likely, the end of the road.

“The young Ryan went 0-10 with a 9.38 ERA in Class A last season and his 85-mph fastball hasn’t wowed anybody in the Rangers’ minor league camp.”

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Cheesy strategy: Wake Forest basketball Coach Dave Odom, who with guards Tony Rutland and Rusty LaRue showed up in foam cheeseheads for an NCAA tournament game in Milwaukee, said he was shipping the new headgear along to Minneapolis for the round of 16.

“We just had a team vote,” Odom said after Wake Forest escaped with a 65-62 victory over Texas on Sunday. “It was definitely the cheese hats that did it, no question about that.”

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FYI: Loyola Marymount (149) and Michigan (115) hold the NCAA tournament record for most combined points at the 1990 West Regional.

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Trivia answer: Vern Mikkelsen of the Minneapolis Lakers, 127 times from 1950-51 to 1958-59.