Minnesota's resident adolescent is at it again. When the Timberwolves visited Salt Lake City in December, rookie Christian Laettner could be heard screaming at assistant coach Sidney Lowe. Now Lowe is the interim head coach and Laettner is still screaming.
Laettner reportedly lashed out at assistant coach Chuck Davisson during last Saturday night's game against Houston. Minnesota newspapers reported that Laettner stood on the court during the second quarter and screamed at Davisson to "shut the (expletive) up."Laettner was apparently upset at comments Davisson made after Laettner passed up a good shot. Lowe removed Laettner after the exchange, but the two continued on the bench, with Laettner cursing again.
Asked about the incident afterward by the (Twin Cities) Star Tribune, Laettner said, "I don't remember." Pressed further, he added, "Basketball is a non-aggressive game. So when emotions are high, there's a very low chance to get angry or yell. So that's why it never happens out there."
Laettner was fined an undisclosed amount. When asked Lowe if he ever heard a player talk that way to a coach, Lowe said, "Never. I've never heard anything like that in my life."
Lowe told the St. Paul Pioneer Press, "He just went off. But it's over. We addressed it in the locker room and it's over."
And you thought the Mailman's plans to start a trucking firm were just a passing fancy? Maybe not. Karl Malone has added two new trucks to his fleet, bringing the total to three. He plans to have the new trucks rolling on the road by March 1.
Malone said he bought a "small trucking firm" and is readying the trucks to take delivery orders. An open house for potential clients is in the works.
Though he says the new trucks aren't as extravagant as his custom-made, $200,000 model that drew national publicity last year, he insists "they're still nice."
The Mailman adds that when he retires he plans to keep his sports apparel store going, run his trucking firm and open an outfitter's place for river runs on the Snake River in Idaho. He currently owns 20 acres near Swan Valley and is buying 13 more.
There's one high profile delivery Malone apparently won't be making. Malone said this week he won't deliver the playing court for the All-Star Game, as originally planned.
Said Malone, "The timing just didn't work out."
While almost everyone is busy proclaiming Orlando rookie Shaquille O'Neal the greatest thing since electricity, others apparently are tiring of the hype.
Last week after playing the Magic in the Delta Center, Jazz forward Karl Malone labeled O'Neal "just another player" to him. Next up is Portland forward Cliff Robinson, who was woofing his way down court with O'Neal one recent night.
"He was running his mouth," said Robinson. "He said stuff like, `This is my league, can't nobody stop me.' He has to win a championship or something before he talks about how great he is," said Robinson. "He ain't going to show me respect, I'm not going to show him respect. Everybody may be treating him like he's great, but he's just another player to me."
AND THEN SOME: Chicago's Horace Grant on not making the All-Star team: "Now I know how Susan Lucci feels." . . . Michael Jordan on turning 30 Wednesday: "The birthday I'm looking forward to is 40. At 40, I'll be happy playing golf." . . . And on whether he's changed with age: "I used to dunk in warmups. Now I lay it up."
This column includes materials gathered from outside news sources.