Second thoughts

Hey, Pat: Just play the game

Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley (Arkansas Razorbacks) got some attention last year during his rookie season when he crashed into Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook in the first round of the NBA playoffs, leading to Westbrook tearing a meniscus in his left knee.

Beverley’s aggressiveness was questioned for the play that kept Wesbrook out of action nearly 10 months. It seems now Beverley is being known as an agitator after he was overheard giving the Miami Heat bench a hard time during the first half of Houston’s 106-103 victory Tuesday night.

That was until former Florida Gator and current Heat center Udonis Haslem had a little talk with the former Razorback at halftime.

Joe Goodman of the Miami Herald reported:

“I was just giving him a hard time,” Haslem said. “It was nothing serious. I just told him to stop talking crap and looking over at our bench. I know Pat. I think he spent the summer with us. He’s a hard-nosed kid, a real competitor, and I respect the road that he took and the success that he had. But he was just doing a lot of yapping and I told him to stop looking at our bench and talking crap.

“It wasn’t nothing personal.

I got a lot of love for Pat Beverley, but he was just looking over at our bench and talking and he’s always got something to say. We’re cool off the court, but in between the lines, I don’t like it.”

Beverley, who was cut by the Heat at the conclusion of training camp in 2010, had 11 first-half points Tuesday but was quieter in the second half and finished with 19.

Crash’s rule

One of Crash Davis’ rules to “Nuke” LaLoosh in the movie Bull Durham was to never punch with his pitching hand. Apparently veteran right-hander Brad Penny heeded that advice, but the end result was bad for the two-time All-Star.

Penny, who didn’t pitch in the majors last year, was trying to make a comeback with the Kansas City Royals but was released by the team Friday.

Penny, who finished third in the National League Cy Young voting in 2007, was a long shot to make the roster.

He had given up 13 hits, including2 home runs, and 7 earned runs in 4 innings this spring.

Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star reported Friday that Penny injured his nonthrowing hand when he punched a wall Thursday which may have hastened his release from the Royals.

Wrong sport, Tommy

Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda was courtside Tuesday night in Phoenix to watch the Los Angeles Clippers play the Phoenix Suns.

“Before Tommy Lasorda made his way to his courtside seat, the skipper stopped at the Clippers huddle to give the team an impromptu motivational speech,” the Dodgers reported. “Tommy is known for his rah-rah style that extends outside of Dodger baseball into business meetings or even everyday interactions with fans. However, this was during a timeout in a professional basketball game.

“Lasorda’s speech lasted a little longer than the timeout would allow. With the game beckoning, Dodger fan and All-Star guard Chris Paul escorted Lasorda to his seat, so that the game could continue.”

“I just kind of said something to them,” Lasorda related. “I told them I’m proud of them. I said, ‘The second half belongs to us!’ I talked to [Blake] Griffin. I told him he’s a star and he hasn’t scratched the surface yet. People pay a lot of money to see you play, so you better come out and play!”

The Clippers outscored the Suns 37-18 in the third quarter and went on to a 104-96 victory.

Quote of the day

“We talked about making plays going down the stretch. Now we’re starting to make those plays, whether it be offensively or defensively.” Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson on the Razorbacks’ renewed success on the road

Sports, Pages 22 on 03/08/2014

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