If Shaq Is at Line, That’s Not a Bad Seat

Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune, comparing Staples Center to Conseco Fieldhouse:

”. . . Conseco, the $183-million home of the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers, is the anti-Staples. Although its seating capacity [18,345] is close to Staples’ [18,997], the building itself is much smaller and the fans are much closer to the action.

“There are some people in the outer reaches of Staples that are so far away they might as well be watching from the Harbor Freeway.”

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More Staples: Nick Canepa, also from San Diego: “Staples is a $400-million piece of costume jewelry for Hollywood and corporate L.A. The Forum was better. The Pond much better.”

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Trivia time: Who are the only two players to win the U.S. Open with four rounds in the 60s?

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Different paths: Conrad Brunner in the Indianapolis Star: “While this series marks the end of [Larry] Bird’s coaching, it is just the beginning of [Phil] Jackson’s run with the Lakers.

“Ultimately, that may be the biggest difference between the two. Jackson is a coaching lifer. Bird would rather have a life.”

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Wise up, Baylor: Bernie Lincicome in the Chicago Tribune, on the rift between Cub Manager Don Baylor and Sammy Sosa:

“How can any manager alienate his best player, the most valuable pony in the petting zoo that is the Cubs? This is not leadership, this is envy.

“Just keep Sammy happy. No one should have to say this out loud.”

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Future star? Blackie Sherrod in the Dallas Morning News: “Due soon for Boston? 24-year-old pitcher Tomokazee Ohka of Pawtucket Red Sox [triple A] used just 77 pitches in a perfect game against Charlotte.”

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The Rocker file: From the Vent column of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

* “Bet you anything that Johnny Rocker was one of those children who screamed in restaurants.

* “John Rocker reminds me of former Gov. Lester Maddox, throwing tantrums when the Atlanta papers printed what he said.

* “Does anyone else think that John Rocker looks and acts like Biff, the bully in the ‘Back to the Future’ movies?”

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Powerful pairs: When Fred McGriff joined Jose Canseco in the 400-homer club last week, it made the Tampa Bay Devil Rays the fourth team to have two 400-homer teammates. The others were the 1995 Cleveland Indians (Dave Winfield and Eddie Murray), the 1966 Atlanta Braves (Henry Aaron and Eddie Mathews) and the 1964 San Francisco Giants (Willie Mays and Duke Snider).

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Looking back: On this day in 1905, Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants pitched his second no-hitter, but the Giants needed a ninth-inning run against the Chicago Cubs’ Mordecai Brown for a 1-0 victory.

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Looking back again: On this day in 1997, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz, 90-86, to win the NBA finals, four games to two.

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Trivia answer: Lee Trevino, 1968 at Oak Hill in Rochester, N.Y., and Lee Janzen, 1993 at Baltusrol in Springfield, N.J.

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And finally: Randy Galloway in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: “When it ended, there was no coulda, shoulda, woulda attached. The way it was, that was the right way. Only the best team wins the Stanley Cup, and the New Jersey Devils proved without a doubt they earned the privilege to tote the cherished piece of silver back to the toxic waste dump. . . .

“The Cup leaves here. The Cup is in good hands.”