Warrior Mentality Is Missing in Oakland

Before Jerry West became president of the Memphis Grizzlies, Skip Bayless of the San Jose Mercury News was lobbying for West to assume a similar position with the Golden State Warriors.

But Bayless doubted that Warrior owner Chris Cohan would hire West because it would be an admission of “weakness and failure,” writing: “For Warriors’ fans, Cohan is a triple-double of a worst nightmare. He consistently reaches double figures for being stubborn, cheap and NBA dumb.”

Don’t hold back, Skip. What do you really think?

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Trivia time: Who holds the NBA playoff record for most steals in a game?

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Free and easy: Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune, commenting on the Dallas Mavericks: “[Dallas] has been unusually efficient despite its wide-open style. The Mavericks led the league in scoring--and are doing it again in the playoffs--while setting an NBA regular-season record for fewest turnovers.

“Explained Nick Van Exel: ‘We don’t pass the ball. Whoever gets the ball shoots it.’”

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Was it a yacht? Cincinnati Red pitcher Jose Rijo, after receiving a congratulatory telegram from Dr. James Andrews, who performed five elbow surgeries on him: “He made enough money off me to buy a boat; he better be happy for me.”

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No delay: TNT broadcaster Ernie Johnson, on colleague Charles Barkley: “If a thought makes its way into Chuck’s head, it’s gonna make its way out of his mouth.”

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Sugar-coating: Maverick Coach Don Nelson commenting on the recent series with the Minnesota Timberwolves: “Just because it was a 3-0 series sweep, people will look at it and think it was easy. I don’t look at it that way. It was a heck of a series. I love their team ... the way they play ... how hard they play. And this series could have very easily gone the other way.”

Bob Sansevere of the St. Paul Pioneer Press didn’t buy Nelson’s appraisal, saying, “He was either being way too kind or lying through his molars.”

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A toss-up: Jerry Greene in the Orlando Sentinel: “Pat Forde of the Louisville Courier-Journal notes that famously devout jockey Pat Day will be riding a horse named Buddha in the Kentucky Derby. Pat wonders if they win, will Pat ‘thank God, then thank Buddha?’”

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Looking back: On this day in 1997, Seattle (33) and Phoenix (30) set an NBA playoff record for most three-point field-goal attempts by both teams (63) in a game. It went to overtime.

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Trivia answer: Allen Iverson of Philadelphia, 10, against Orlando on May 13, 1999.

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And finally: Tom FitzGerald in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Arizona outfielder Luis Gonzalez goes through 30 pieces of bubble gum a game, according to the Palm Beach [Fla.] Post, but is careful not to leave any on the field after his discarded wad sparked a weird collectibles controversy last month.

“If you think 30 pieces is a lot, you should know that Florida Marlin pitcher John Beckett once crammed that many pieces of bubble gum into his mouth at one time, only to have teammate Ryan Dempster obliterate his record last year with 48.”

Oh well, better bubble gum than chewing tobacco.