Totally Random
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As Shaquille O’Neal closes in on a rarefied career milestone -- 5,000 missed free throws -- John Hollinger of ESPN.com attempted to place that feat in its proper historical context.
Hollinger noted that only one man in NBA history has missed more free throws -- Wilt Chamberlain, with 5,805 -- and that you could assemble an impressive all-time all-star team from players who did not even attempt 5,000 free throws in their careers:
Point guard: Walt Frazier (4,226 attempts).
Shooting guard: Scottie Pippen (4,437).
Small forward: Larry Bird (4,471).
Power forward: Kevin McHale (4,554).
Center: George Mikan (3,924).
Only 68 players in the combined NBA-ABA history have attempted as many as 5,000 foul shots. Dikembe Mutumbo played 17 seasons and fell 51 attempts short.
Trivia time
Which NBA player with a minimum of 1,200 attempts has the worst free-throw percentage?
Pull over, spud
As a concept, the movable couch potato has been ruled illegal outside Cleveland Browns Stadium.
For three seasons, Browns fan Mike Meredith has driven the Go-Kouch, a combination couch and riding lawn mower, around the stadium parking lot, transporting friends from one tailgate party to another. At a recent game, however, a police officer ticketed Meredith for driving an unregistered vehicle and having expired plates.
On Tuesday, a Cleveland Municipal Court judge found Meredith guilty and sentenced him to 10 hours of community service.
‘I thought I had a chance for victory,’ Meredith told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. ‘He upheld the law. I don’t blame him.’
All of the above?
Multiple-choice question from Chris Ferrell of the San Antonio Express-News:
The Dallas Cowboys have offered evidence over the past few weeks that: a) They have a very dysfunctional locker room. b) The team seems as likely to win the Super Bowl as miss the playoffs altogether. c) Wade Phillips is going to be a heck of a defensive coordinator for some team next season.
Trivia answer
Ben Wallace, at 41.9%.
And finally
Hall of Fame quarterback Sammy Baugh, who died Wednesday at age 94, once had this to say about the estimated $300,000 he made in the NFL from 1937 to 1952: ‘Half went to taxes. The other half went to Texas.’
-- Mike Penner