It’s Too Bad They Can’t Just Call It a Draw

Dan LeBatard of the Miami Herald writing on the Heat-New York Knick playoff series:

“This series was about [Pat] Riley’s mantras of ‘manhood’ and ‘making a stand’ once upon a time, but now these two weary, bloodied heavyweights can’t help but look at each other with admiration, respect having clearly grown out of their hatred.

“Riley remains the ranting cornerman, someone always imploring for more rage and fury and testosterone, but this fight is not about him anymore. He is only where you go between rounds.”

The Heat leads, three games to two, in the “dramatic” series. Game 6 is tonight at Madison Square Garden.

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Trivia time: What player holds the record for most points against the Lakers in a playoff game?

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Knight notes: Dan Shaughnessy in the Boston Globe: “Double secret probation. That’s what Bob Knight got. Indiana University President Myles Brand, a.k.a. Dean Wormer, embarrasses his school and his state.”

Back to the future: “Myles Brand is George McFly. Bobby Knight is Biff.”

He can hardly wait: “How is Knight going to stay well-behaved? Everyone can bait him now without fear. I will beg the boss to let me go to Indiana and open a press conference with, ‘Excuse me, Bob, why are you such a bully and what’s with the sweater?’ ”

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Teaching tool: Knight was accused of physically intimidating a 64-year-old secretary. Says Gary Shelton of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times: “Well, how else is she gonna learn to block out for a rebound?”

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Cheap shot: From reader John Deichmann: “I think the happiest people may be the other Big Ten coaches who feared Indiana might fire Knight and replace him with a coach who could contend for the Big Ten title.”

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Everybody hits: Jim Armstrong in the Denver Post: “Got a chance to take in a game at Enron Field the other night. Nice, very nice. Unless you make your living throwing juiced-up baseballs.

“The Astros’ pitchers have come up with a nickname for the place: Ten Run Field.”

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Whew! Steve Rosenbloom in the Chicago Tribune: “That ESPN Stanley Cup commercial with Brett Hull and Mike Modano where Hull locks the Cup in the car? It required 17 takes in 100-degree weather.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1973, Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte, rallied from last with a powerful move on the clubhouse turn to win the Preakness Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths over Sham. Three weeks later, Secretariat became the first Triple Crown winner since Citation in 1948.

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Trivia answer: Sleepy Floyd of Golden State, 51 points on May 10, 1987.

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And finally: Tom FitzGerald in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Sad news in yesterday’s transactions: The WNBA Orlando Miracle waived Kym Hope. So, there’s no Hope for a Miracle.”