SIDELINE | CHATTER
Thunder vs. Heat: It’s a nightmare matchup for headline writers, too. As in, singular or plural verb? “A plural verb with a singular team name will look odd, or at least British, to American readers,” blogged former Baltimore Sun copy chief Joan Mcintyre. “‘ Heat outlasts Thunder’ is going to look more natural. Since a case can be made for either usage, and style rules are inherently arbitrary anyhow, I think you should pick the choice with which you are most comfortable and follow it consistently.” “Settled,” wrote Tom Scocca of Deadspin. com. “We’ll call Miami ‘ Lebron James’ and Oklahoma City ‘ the Sonics.’ “
D, AS IN DAVID The most tenacious defence on display in this year’s NBA Finals has been: a) Shane Battier, with a pesky hand in the face of Kevin Durant?;
b) David Stern, when Jim Rome asked if the NBA lottery was fixed?
100 PER CENT CHANCE OF RAIN From the Do As I Say, Not As I Did file comes word that Adam ( Pacman) Jones will be among the speakers at this month’s NFL’S rookie symposium. Coincidence? Participants’ gift bags this year include an Xbox, an ipod and lots of $ 1 bills.
HEADLINES
• At Fark. com: “Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants early jail release because he’s losing weight and muscle mass. Also, it’s not fun.”
• At Theonion. com: “Team USA devastated after Home Depot refuses to let athletes take time off for Olympics.”
NEWS FLASH “This just in,” reported comedy writer Tim Hunter. “I’ll Have Another is changing his name to Bring Me Another Filly.” TALKING THE TALK • Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg, on why the Oklahoma City Thunder is suddenly America’s team: “People hate the Heat for the same reason they hate the Yankees: too much money for the best players, and they’ve all dated Kardashians.”
• Brad Dickson of the Omaha World- Herald, after the Patriots released receiver Chad
Ochocinco: “Giselle Bundchen said this was one of the most difficult decisions she’s ever had to make.”
• Seattle Times reader Bill
Littlejohn, after Annie the Psychic Anteater at a New Jersey zoo favoured Miami in the NBA Finals: “Of course, she also predicted a College World Series title for UC Irvine.”