They Can’t Say He’s Not Hungry Enough for NBA

Chris Washburn, criticized for his poor work habits with the Golden State Warriors, isn’t showing much improvement in Atlanta, according to Jan Hubbard of the Dallas Morning News.

“In a recent game at Milwaukee, Washburn was inserted with 1:11 left in the third quarter,” Hubbard wrote. “He entered the game with his shoelaces untied, explaining later that he didn’t expect to play, so he didn’t tie his shoes.

“Once in the game, he proceeded to drop a pass, lose his man on defense and wander around aimlessly on an offensive possession. He played 1:09 and did not return. Perhaps his problem was that he was hungry. Later in the hotel, Washburn was spotted eating a plate of chicken wings, two club sandwiches and a triple order of French fries.”

Add Hunger: Said Coach Tom Landry of the Dallas Cowboys, when guard Nate (the Kitchen) Newton showed up for a spring workout at 360 pounds: “I thought half our offensive line was in camp, but it was just Nate.”

Said the Associated Press: “Newton said he ballooned by visiting friends at dinner time in Florida. Newton, by the way, got one of those free dining cards for appearing on a radio show last year. The tab at a Dallas restaurant ran more than $1,500.”

Trivia Time: What five schools from Philadelphia have made it to the Final Four in college basketball? (Answer below.)

In the wake of altar trips by both Mike Tyson and Debi Thomas and the engagement announcement by Chris Evert, Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post wrote:

“We don’t yet know what effect this kind of connubialism will have on their athletic performances. But on the strength of the steamy People magazine cover revealing that Mark (Yeah, I Shave My Chest, What’s It To You?) Gastineau is playing serious footsie with Sly Stallone’s ex, big, blonde Brigitte (I Hauled Rocky to the Cleaners, So Put It on My Tab) Nielsen, the New York Jets hired Dr. Ruth as a consultant.”

Will Larry Brown leave the University of Kansas? Says the New York Times: “Dick Vitale, the announcer of coaching changes real and imagined, has said he would scrub the floor of Allen Field House with a toothbrush if Brown remains in Lawrence.”

Brown, making it easier for Vitale, presented him with a mop on TV Thursday night.

What-a-difference-a-year-makes Dept.: From Chuck Melvin of the Associated Press: “In 1987, the Cleveland Indians made the cover of Sports Illustrated before the season. In 1988, they didn’t even make the cover of their own media guide. Pictured on the press book is a male model wearing an Indians’ uniform, gripping a bat tightly to bring out the definition in his muscular forearm. A model was used because no Cleveland player had the muscles to pull it off.”

Would-you-believe-it Dept.: Otto Graham did not make consensus All-American in football at Northwestern, but he did make it in basketball. In 1943, Graham was an Associated Press All-American in football, but the consensus backfield was Angelo Bertelli of Notre Dame, Creighton Miller of Notre Dame, Bill Daley of Michigan and Bob Odell of Pennsylvania.

Trivia Answer: La Salle, St. Joseph’s, Pennsylvania, Temple, Villanova.

Quotebook

Denver Nuggets assistant coach Allen Bristow, on the ugly shooting style of three-point sharpshooter Michael Adams: “Someone asked me who taught him to shoot that way, and I told him, ‘It must have been the same guy who taught Doug Moe how to dress.’ ”