It’s no bull: Jordan duped Pippen
Scottie Pippen, meet Doyle Lonnegan. Seems Pippen got conned — just like the fictional mobster in “The Sting” — to the tune of $100 every home game when he and Chicago Bulls teammate Michael Jordan “bet” on the outcome of the animated bull races on the arena’s Jumbotron. And all because Jordan arrived early one game day and saw the video technicians at work. As ESPN’s Amin Elhassan tells it, “Mike is watching this and says, ‘You guys already know who’s going to win?’ And the guy says, ‘Yeah, it’s all prerecorded.’” So, Elhassan said, Jordan got the inside scoop each time and Pippen never caught on to the con.
PAGING ADRIAN BELTRE
Indians third baseman Juan Uribe left Sunday’s game on a cart after a scorching grounder hit him in the groin and left him with a testicular contusion. Uribe, in case you missed it, is the new Spanish word for “soprano.”
WHAT, NO PAUL COFFEE?
Canada’s Block Three Brewing came out with a “Jaromir lager” called Jaromir Czech Jagr. Dr. Pepper, not to be outdone, plans to counter with Hawaiian Punch Imlach.
STAT OF THE WEEK
The NHL regular-season record for “Gordie Howe hat tricks” — logging a goal, an assist and a fight in the same game — is actually owned by Brendan Shanahan, with 17.
SAY WHAT?
Yogi Berra lives! Or, as ex-Mariner Harold Reynolds sized up outfielder Kyle Lewis, Seattle’s No. 1 draft pick, for MLB Network: “He’s 20 years old. That’s what stands out. Most people are 21 at that age.”
TALKING THE TALK
Pete Rose, to USA Today, panning the notion that Ichiro Suzuki — if his Japanese League totals are included — to become baseball’s all-time hits leader: “It sounds like in Japan, they’re trying to make me the Hit Queen ... The next thing you know, they’ll be counting his high school hits.”
Headline at SportsPickle.com: “Internet pans Draymond Green’s new steel-toe basketball work boots.”
Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg, on Creator’s narrow win in the Belmont: “And by a nose we are not talking Barbra Streisand, we’re talking adult Michael Jackson.”
TAG-TEAMING IT
There have been 16 weddings or wedding receptions on WWE telecasts since 1984. Which certainly puts a whole new spin on “With this ring I thee wed ...”