Deep thoughts, cheap shots & bon mots ...
Fat Barry or thin Barry? Now that Barry Bonds is back in the Giants’ fold, team execs might commission a statue. But which Barry? The slim superstar who joined the club in ’93, or the double-wide version who hit 73 homers in ’01?
In ’92, the U.S. Postal Service decided to issue an Elvis Presley stamp. They put it to a vote — thin Elvis or fat Elvis (technically, “young” or “old”)? Thin Elvis carried the vote by a 3-to-1 margin. Possible deciding factor on a Bonds statue: the cost of bronze.
Conspiracy theory alert: If the NFL owners vote Monday to green-light the Raiders’ move to Las Vegas, it might be a sinister plan. Some financial experts say the stadium deal is such a house of cards that the Raiders would eventually default and Mark Davis would lose his team to the bank, or to the league. Then the owners would be rid of Davis, whom they never considered rich enough or cool enough to be in their club.
Steve Kerr is once again a lonely voice of reason. He told The Chronicle’s Connor Letourneau that he (Kerr) would gladly take a pay cut if that would allow the NBA to trim its schedule to a more reasonable level, like 75 games. Now if Kerr can convince the other 29 coaches, 400 or so players and 30 owners to take a similar cut for the good of the game ...
Big week for Cal hoops. Ivan Rabb waves bye-bye. Cuonzo Martin walks out, saying he jumped to Missouri because that school has a supportive administration and better fans. Gonzaga star Jordan Mathews says he fled Cal after his junior season because dealing with Martin was “not the easiest thing in the world.” Now, Wyking Jones gets to pick up the pieces. Go regroup, Bears!
Sky falling: When Draymond Green went to the rack for a power dunk against Dallas on Tuesday, 6-foot-11 Nerlens Noel literally turned and fled the scene, rather than challenge the dunk. A guy doesn’t want to get posterized, but wow, is that Chicken Little move a bad look.
Reader Troy Maher remembers when the Giants’ refrain was “Lincecum and Cain, and pray for rain.” Now? “Bumgarner and Cueto, and pray for tornado.” We might have to revoke Maher’s poetic license.
Be interesting to see how long Giants manager Bruce Bochy and his bosses keep Matt Cain in the rotation if his struggles continue. It’s unlikely to be a quick hook, considering the loyalty Bochy and the front office has for its stars, and their affection for Cain. But baseball’s Grim Reaper is always swinging his scythe in the ondeck circle.