Cheap Seats

A knock on a Knick

Brian Williams on Patrick Ewing’s season-ending injury, a dislocated wrist: “It’s messed up that he got hurt. I know he really wanted to make good on at least one of his dozen promises to win a championship.”

In this case, God is a hands-off coach

Many players, even those who worship in private, become nervous about open displays of spirituality.

Rangers first baseman Will Clark, an observant Catholic, epitomized that end of the spectrum with his reaction after a San Francisco Giants pitcher attributed a home run he had given up to “God’s will.”

“Hey, I congratulate you on doing something for your life, but this is about baseball,” Clark reportedly said. “And you’d better get out there and do it for yourself. The Lord didn’t hang that slider.”

New White Sox manager Jerry Manuel, who doesn’t keep his strong religious beliefs private, believes Christianity is often misunderstood in an athletic context. He said his Bible-based beliefs do not prevent him from endorsing a hard slide into second base, a brushback pitch or even physical retaliation if a fight breaks out.

“The Christian lifestyle I pursue is competitiveness to the utmost,” Manuel said. “I can’t be small in the game because of my beliefs. Your beliefs cause you to be bigger… . Once the game starts, I feel I must be the most competitive warrior there, because I’m representing something I think is higher than what someone else is bringing into battle… . There could be bloodshed. There’s bloodshed in the Bible.”

Religious fervor, catch it.

Heck no, honey, I’m an immortal now

Sharon Hart, daughter of Flyers broadcaster Gene Hart, during a phone call to her father after it was announced that he had been elected to the hockey Hall of Fame:

“Dad, I saw your picture on TV. I thought you died.”

It leaves us feeling Pringly all over

The West Tenn Diamond Jaxx of Jackson, Tenn., are still three months from playing their first game, and their stadium isn’t finished yet. But that hasn’t stopped city officials from picking a name.

The Diamond Jaxx, a Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, will play in Pringles Park after Jackson sold the naming rights to Proctor & Gamble Co.

The deal is still being finalized, but Proctor & Gamble will pay at least $1 million over the next 15 years to advertise the potato chip produced in Jackson. Ron Barry, who headed up Jackson’s baseball efforts, said Pringles Park differs from the “cold, impersonal feel” of other corporate sponsorships.

“The name Pringles Park is crisp, it’s a natural, and we love it,” said David Hersh, owner of the Jaxx.

We prefer Crackerjaxx Stadium.

Bowling for dollars - slowly

Professional bowling doesn’t carry the astronomical purses that most other sports do.

When bowler Ray Williams Jr., recently won a tournament in Fairview Heights, Ill., he collected a winner’s purse of $4,000. But it was enough to boost his career earnings to $2,002,373. He became the first bowler to surpass the $2 million mark in winnings.

It took Williams 17 years to reach that total.

But we wouldn’t mind getting a split.

The last word …

“Find some ground and bury me.”

- Denver coach Bill Hanzlik, after his team blew an eight-point fourth-quarter lead in a loss to Golden State.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo