New Laker ‘Dynasty’ Vanishes Into Air

Peter Vecsey in the New York Post, commenting on Michael Jordan’s comeback: “If you’re scoring at home, [he] now leads Lazarus by two.

“The moral of this story (the operative word: His Airness, as it turns out, is as tormented as most retired athletes) is simple: The NBA does not need Michael Jordan nearly as bad as Michael Jordan needs the NBA....

“All I kept hearing after Jordan’s latest leave of absence was that the league needed a new dynasty.

“Lo and behold, the Lakers roll to consecutive crowns and now find themselves nothing more than afterthoughts. Let’s see if I understand this: Back-to-back takes a back seat to ‘I’m back.”’

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Trivia time: Who holds the Pacific 10 Conference record for touchdown passes in a season, not including bowl games?

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Who would dare? Tom FitzGerald in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Jordan’s first game on the ‘I’m-Back-Tour’ will be a memorable event. His first basket will be special. His first charging foul will be too. In fact, a brief ceremony will be held to reassign the ref who called the charge to the CBA.”

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Choices: Jerry Greene in the Orlando Sentinel: “Think ahead: It’s the evening of Oct. 30. Do you watch the third game of the World Series, possibly from New York, on Fox--or do you turn to TNT to watch Jordan and the Wizards open against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden?

“Of course, it’s a Tuesday, so maybe you stick with ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”’

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Situation normal: New York Yankee center fielder Bernie Williams got a bit of a scare Sept. 20 when he was hit in the back of the head by a pitch from Chicago’s Kip Wells.

When the doctor asked what day it was, Williams said, “I don’t know.” But Williams said later, “I don’t normally know [anyway].”

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Straight stuff: Shaun Powell of Newsday on the much-talked-about rudeness of Barry Bonds: “I’ll give Bonds this: He’s no phony. If he doesn’t want to be bothered, he’ll tell you in so many words, even the four-letter kind.”

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Easy, fella, easy: Washington State linebacker Raonall Smith, commenting on his team’s 3-0 record: “We don’t feel like we can be beat, really. You can just feel it; it’s a vibe you get off everybody.”

Smith may be pushing the elation button a little too soon. The Cougars’ three opponents have a combined 1-8 record.

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Looking back: On this day in 1951, Allie Reynolds of the New York Yankees recorded his record-tying second no-hitter of the season in the opener of a doubleheader against Boston, an 8-0 victory.

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Trivia answer: Ryan Leaf of Washington State, 33 in 1997.

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And finally: Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle, on the loose atmosphere inside the Oakland Athletics’ clubhouse: “Some baseball people might wonder how A’s Manager Art Howe gets away with letting his young athletes run amok, turning their dressing quarters into a zoo, spending their valuable ‘focus’ time tinkering with remote-controlled cars, playing cards and fooling with wrestling action-figures.

“Howe’s center fielder skateboards to work. Truth be told, the skipper probably is thankful that his boys didn’t take to pogo-stick racing or jai alai.”