Actor Ray Liotta, who died in his sleep Thursday at age 67, had a ready response for critics of his right-handed portrayal of Shoeless Joe Jackson in “Field of Dreams.”
Liotta was hopeless as a left-handed hitter, so the filmmakers allowed him some poetic license in the batting scene.
As for the inaccuracy, he once told the American Film Institute, “Well, (Shoeless Joe) didn’t come down from heaven either, so …”
Headlines
— At TheOnion.com: “Embarrassed man frantically clears search history after Googling Jets’ playoff chances.”
— At ESPN.com, on Luka Doncic’s one-man show against the Warriors: “Mavs are in a lone-star state.”
Something is amiss here
The Heat shot just 7 for 45 from 3-point range in Game 5 against the Celtics.
Thankfully none of players entering the locker room afterward clanked off the door jamb.
You make the call
Most bitter rivalry on display this month — Edmonton-Calgary in hockey or Johnny Depp-Amber Heard in a courtroom?
They do run-run
MLB teams will be allowed to carry a maximum of 14 pitchers on their roster through June 19.
“Is there a minimum?” asked the Cincinnati Reds, they of the 5.69 team ERA.
Dog days of spring
Klay Thompson’s secret to his recent success? “I play with Rocco and maybe some Nintendo. … I have to keep this routine going for the next series.”
Rocco is his bulldog.
He busted
Cory Zeidman, who won a bracelet at the 2012 World Series of Poker, was among those arrested and indicted on federal conspiracy charges involving wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering.
In short, if this goes the wrong way his poker-playing career could up in a different kind of river.
Stringing some W’s
Q: What’s even more rare than bowling 300?
A: Doing it in tennis, where Rafael Nadal became only the fifth tennis player with 300 career Grand Slam match victories with his second-round win at the French Open.
New dog in town
Ex-Seahawks QB Russell Wilson has named his new dog “Bronco.”
As for fetching, she still needs some work on her comeback patterns.
Talking the talk
— Kevin Millar during a Red Sox game on NESN-TV, on all the shin guards, elbow pads and the like worn by today’s hitters: “If you’re a first-base coach you need a wheelbarrow these days.”
— Nick Canepa of The San Diego Union-Tribune: “Does Clarence Thomas believe schedule leaks will erode our trust in the NFL?”
Lots of sawbucks
Jump-racer Sawbuck — who finished 14th, ninth, 14th, seventh, 16th and 10th in his previous races — came home a winner at a record 300-1 odds at Ireland’s Punchestown racetrack.
Certainly better than our 401(k) the past couple months.
Quote marks
— Comedy writer Brad Dickson, after AD Trev Alberts announced Nebraska is ending its tradition of releasing balloons after the Cornhuskers’ first touchdown: “He had no choice after all the balloons entered the transfer portal.”
— RJ Currie of SportsDeke.com, on the Flames losing an NHL-record 13 consecutive Game 2s in the playoffs: “It’s the most letdowns after a first outing since I was dating.”
— Mike Bianchi of the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel, after Tyreek Hill said Tua Tagovailoa throws “one of the prettiest balls I’ve ever caught”: “The bad news: He’s catching them on the second hop.”
— Ex-Lakers star James Worthy, to Detroit’s WXYT-FM radio, on today’s NBA players: “All they do is practice threes, lift weights, get tattoos, tweet and go on social media.”
Causing a racket
Irina-Camelia Begu was fined by the French Tennis Federation after she threw her racket — and it bounced into the stands — during a match at the French Open.
Bottom line: a $10,000 net loss.
Quote, end quote
— Bears Hall of Famer Dick Butkus, via Twitter, on why he hadn’t been heard from since April 25: “I forgot my password. I’m back!”
— Janice Hough of LeftCoastSportsBabe.com, on Mito Pereira lost a one-shot lead on the final hole of the PGA Championship when he hit in the water, and then double-bogeyed to miss the playoff: “Didn’t we see this in a movie featuring Kevin Costner?”
— Jack Finarelli of SportsCurmudgeon.com, on why you should never fall in love with a tennis player: “Because ‘love’ means nothing to them.”
