How Shocking! And What Paper Is He From?

Bob Ryan in the Boston Globe, speculating on a dream matchup of dynasties, the Celtics of the 1960s and the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s:

“So hear this, and hear it well: William F. Russell would come out of nowhere to block a Michael Jordan shot just as easily and just as frequently as he did to Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson, to name three of the many NBA players of the ‘60s who could step into the NBA today to make the All-Star teams.

“And hear this: Sam Jones was a better guard than any current backcourt player not named [Michael Jordan]. Yeah, that includes Gary Payton, Penny Hardaway and anyone else you can name.”

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Trivia time: Who was the last player to successfully defend the U.S. Open golf championship?

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Lashing out: After Utah’s loss in the NBA finals, forward Karl Malone ripped into two talk-show hosts on the Jazz’s flagship radio station, at one point saying:

“Either they shake that situation up with those two so-called experts, or there’s going to be a problem. It’s going to be them or me next year.”

The two “experts” who drew Malone’s ire are David Locke and Tom Nissalke, a former NBA and ABA coach.

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Skeleton of a team: Steve Hummer in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “This is no way to do a rematch: The Florida Marlins [Motto: Mike Piazza Once Slept Here] returned Tuesday to Turner Field for the first time since taking the National League pennant from the Braves.

“Yet, it was mostly strangers bumping around the visitors’ clubhouse, lost souls who weren’t around for last October’s champagne shower. They appeared too young to have joined in, even had they been on the property.”

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Gum delivery: Warner Wolf’s favorite cry is “Let’s go to the videotape,” but the New York sportscaster had to run to the dentist instead after his dentures popped out during a recent live broadcast.

The New York Post ran a story on the incident under the headline: “Let’s Go to the Poli-Grip.”

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World Cup update: According to a study by the Institute of Personnel in London, 33% of male employees in Britain plan to take time off to watch games. More than half will take paid leave to do so, but 16% said they will take unpaid leave.

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Looking back: On this day in 1975, Boston Red Sox rookie Fred Lynn drove in 10 runs with three home runs, a triple and a single in a 15-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

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Trivia answer: Curtis Strange in 1989 at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y., after having won in 1998 at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass. Note: He hasn’t won a tournament since.

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And finally: Paul Hackett, USC’s new football coach, told Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune that the Trojans’ top priority next season is to beat UCLA:

“Our commitment to beat them is huge. When I was here before, we always controlled UCLA. We were never at a disadvantage. But it’s shifted now. It’s not like it was before.”

The Bruins have beaten USC seven consecutive years.