Lakers, Pfund Serving Up Some Crow

Shaun Powell of the Miami Herald had this proclamation before the start of the Laker-Phoenix Sun series:

“When the Lakers are eliminated by the Suns--that’s right, when, not if --expect wholesale changes at the top.

“Randy Pfund is probably finished as coach. Michael Cooper is ready to replace him. Cooper was supposed to be the coach-in-waiting on the bench, but Pfund, no dummy, refused to hire him as his first assistant.”

Anything else, Shaun?

Add Lakers: In the 1969-70 NBA playoffs, the Lakers trailed the Phoenix Suns, 3-1, in a best-of-seven Western Division semifinal series before winning three games.

Trivia time: How many five-game series have the Lakers swept?

Save the whales: After the San Francisco Giants had blown an 8-0 lead to the Philadelphia Phillies last week, losing, 9-8, winning pitcher Larry Andersen said:

“It’s like being a beached whale and getting pushed back into the water. It’s bliss.”

A league of their own: Tiger Williams will be a player-coach for the Vancouver VooDoos of the newly formed Roller Hockey International league. His credentials? While playing 16 seasons in the NHL, he set a league record for penalty minutes.

Ron Duguay, who played with the New York Rangers and Kings during the 1980s, will play for the Los Angeles Blades. Duguay refused to wear a helmet when he played in the NHL.

Contrast: Andy Van Slyke of the Pirates had this comment on Barry Bonds in a column written by Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “Barry is the total opposite of our president, Mr. Clinton. Our President wants to be liked by everybody, even the Republicans in the Senate. But Barry, he couldn’t care less if anyone liked him.”

Kilmer clone?Tom Braatz, director of college scouting for the Miami Dolphins, on Heisman winner Gino Torretta, who was drafted in the seventh round by the Minnesota Vikings:

“He reminds me of Billy Kilmer. All he does is win. He just doesn’t look pretty doing it.”

Undercover: Mitch Williams of the Philadelphia Phillies on the prospect of his division-leading team making the cover of Sports Illustrated: “Nah, that will never happen. The only guy we’ve got on the team pretty enough to be on the cover is Bubba (catcher Darren Daulton). If they put us anywhere, it will be in the back pages by the Kitty Litter ads.”

Trivia answer: Seven, including six in a row from 1984-89.

Quotebook: Boston Celtic Coach Chris Ford on how far his team can get in the playoffs: “I think we’re capable of going exactly as far as we go.”