Fan of Bonds? Only if Bonds Should Fan

Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution doesn’t disguise his dislike for Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants.

“We wait for him to mess up. (And not because he’s a threat to the hometown Braves). We want to see how he reacts to failing.

“Even measured alongside the exalted egos of other superstars, we regard him as way too cocky. We look upon Bonds and see a demonstrably superior player, but we make this admission only through clenched teeth.”

Careful, Mark, don’t bite your tongue.

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Trivia time: Who holds the NBA finals record for most rebounds in a game?

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Literary bent: After the Kings had lost to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night, Coach Barry Melrose said: “There is a story or a play. It starts out, ‘These are the best of times, these are the worst of times.’ ”

Melrose was referring to Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” and the actual quote is: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. . . . “

Close, Barry, close.

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Progress: John Starks has become an impact player with the New York Knicks, but his career was in limbo when he was released by the Golden State Warriors after the 1988-89 season.

“Johnny Starks has gone from a player who needed a lot of work to an NBA player to a star player,” Warrior Coach Don Nelson told the San Francisco Examiner. “If he can continue to play the way he’s playing now, he’ll be a superstar. I mean, he’ll go from zero to 10 in a couple of years.”

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Buzz word: Peter Vecsey of USA Today, commenting on Larry Brown’s becoming the new coach of the Indiana Pacers:

“The Pacers are realistic. The length of Brown’s contract is day to day. They’re also taking no chances. Larry is required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet.”

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Ink-stained wretches: Eddie Johnson of the Seattle SuperSonics, who wrote a column for a Seattle newspaper during the NBA playoff series with Phoenix, described the media crush:

“The TV guys look presentable, shaved and showered and wearing suits and ties. The print guys showed up with a more casual look. . . . Half of them come to practice looking like they just woke up, don’t own a comb and model their wardrobes after Columbo.”

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Finding fault: Pittsburgh Pirate center fielder Andy Van Slyke says Candlestick Park is not his favorite stadium.

“Because of the proximity of the San Andreas fault, when the quake hits, maybe Candlestick will absorb it all and the rest of the area will be safe.”

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Yes, but who? Joe McConnell, announcing the NBA finals on radio, said to commentator Bob Lanier during Game 1 at the America West Arena in Phoenix:

“I saw you fanning yourself. Is it getting hot in here?”

Said Lanier, “No, I think someone has gas.”

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FYI: On this day in 1938, Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitched the first of two consecutive no-hitters, beating the Boston Braves, 3-0. He is the only major league player ever to pitch consecutive no-hitters.

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Trivia answer: Bill Russell, with 40 against St. Louis in 1960 and again against the Lakers in overtime in 1962.

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Quotebook: Kirk Gibson of the Detroit Tigers after taking 15 minutes of batting practice: “What a . . . waste of time that was.”