The Wacky World That Is LSU

Skip Bayless of the Dallas Times Herald was as baffled as anybody Saturday after LSU advanced to the Final Four. Among his comments:

--”How LSU beat Kentucky, which had beaten 20 straight SEC foes, is harder to figure than LSU Coach Dale Brown, whose recent speech to a mental hospital he titled ‘Everybody’s a Little Crazy.’ Brown is crazier than the NCAAs. Brown makes Dick Vitale look like a Supreme Court justice.”

--On LSU’s problems: “The recruiting of John Williams, of course, smelled worse than dead fish. So did an office-bugging incident involving LSU Athletic Director Bob Brodhead that was straight out of ‘All the King’s Men.’ Then there’s the eligibility of Dominican center Jose Vargas. Word is the NCAA is checking into it. And how many college teams have not one, but two Yugoslavian army vets on the roster?”

--Summing up: “How do you figure Brown beat Eddie Sutton with four guards and a forward? Brown’s analysis? ‘This year, we don’t have a head case.’

“Except Brown, who then lectured on Vietnam, Marcos, God, outer space and frontal lobotomies and said he was in ‘deep meditation’ when the 40-foot jumper by Kentucky’s James Blackmon veered just off course after the buzzer.

“That prompted a wild LSU net-cutting celebration. The honors were done by Yugoslav guard Neboisha Bukumirovich, who contributed two turnovers in six minutes.”

Add Brown: He said he gave Ricky Blanton some special instructions before sending him out to hound Kentucky’s Kenny Walker in the second half.

Brown: “When Walker gets tired, he leans on you. He’s very smart. I told Ricky if he leans, get away from him. Don’t make a leaning match out of it because he’s a master. Ricky had to be much like a boxer. He had to stay away from him and he had to move his hands and feet.”

Trivia Time: If Kansas and Louisville meet in the final and Kansas wins, Larry Brown would avenge the 1979-80 loss to Louisville when he coached at UCLA. Has any other coach turned such a trick at two different schools? (Answer below.)

Said Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski in congratulating Navy for a fine season: “I’ve coached at West Point where we won nine games in one season. To win 30 games--I don’t care if you have David Robinson playing or some admiral--is some accomplishment.”

Would-you-believe-it dept.: Bill Walton has played in 68 games for the Boston Celtics this season, the most he’s played in his 12 seasons in the NBA. When he led Portland to the NBA title in 1976-77 he played in 65 regular-season games.

Dallas Green, general manager of the Chicago Cubs, told the Christian Science Monitor he much prefers more time in the batting cage for his players than the more modern training method of riding bikes and lifting weights.

Green: “You can’t ride a bike between second and third base, and you can’t hike your batting average by lifting weights.”

Trivia Answer: Yes, Frank McGuire. In 1951-52, his St. John’s team lost to Kansas, 80-63, In 1956-57, his North Carolina team beat Kansas in three overtimes, 54-53.

Quotebook

Philadelphia Eagle offensive lineman Keith Allen, last year’s No. 1 draft choice, denying Coach Buddy Ryan’s contention he was out of shape at the team’s spring minicamp: “I’m just not in condition to go through the things they were doing.”

Final Four qualifiers--Kalen Wright, Paula Pyers, Melissa Ward (from left) and Trojan teammates rejoice after win Saturday. Right, Cheryl Miller, wearing splint on broken finger, strikes a pose.

JAYNE KAMIN / Los Angeles Times