Talent -- It Will Ruin a Good Team Every Time

Rich Roberts, former Times sportswriter, ran across a book that contained this 1993 Wall Street Journal quote from Laker Coach Phil Jackson about the team he was coaching at the time, the Chicago Bulls:

“Even with Michael [Jordan], we never saw ourselves as overwhelmingly talented. In fact, I think there is such a thing as having too many good players.”

About the team he’d played for, the New York Knicks, Jackson said:

“I’ve always thought the trade for Dave DeBusschere [from Detroit in 1968] for Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives made champs of the Knicks, even though it probably reduced their overall talent level.”

Trivia time: In the 1981 NBA Finals, when the Boston Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets, four games to two, what future Clipper coach was the coach of the Celtics and what future Laker coach was the coach of the Rockets?

Their next move: “I could be wrong,” writes Mike Downey of the Chicago Tribune, “but I believe the San Antonio Spurs will be much more difficult to defeat next season after Karl Malone and Gary Payton both decide to sign with the Spurs to have a shot at an NBA title.”

The question is, would the Spurs want them?

Call it Unpleasantville: James Guillen, 24, a special-education teacher and basketball coach at a middle school in Pleasantville, N.J., presented one of his players, a 13-year-old, with a “Crybaby Award” trophy.

Now, Guillen will be getting some special education. School officials, who banned him from coaching at the school again, ordered him to undergo sensitivity training.

Always hustling: Pete Rose might never have been a very good con man.

At least that’s the implication from a story ESPN’s Joe Morgan told at a recent Texas Ranger luncheon.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Morgan said Rose had a paper route as a kid, and one day called the district manager, saying he’d been mugged and robbed. When Rose was asked how much he’d lost, he said, “Hold on a minute. Let me count it.”

Three are enough: Annika Sorenstam, a recent guest on ESPN, was asked by Kenny Mayne whom she would want in her ideal foursome.

“Madonna, although I don’t know if she plays golf,” Sorenstam said. “And I’d like to have a good-looking guy, maybe Brad Pitt.”

Mayne: “That’s only three.”

Sorenstam: “That’s enough.”

Good idea: NASCAR driver Robby Gordon, to the Detroit Free Press, on wrecking his car during a race while talking on the radio with crew chief Chris Andrews: “Our conversations have shortened up since then.”

Trivia answer: Bill Fitch, Celtics, and Del Harris, Rockets.

And finally: John Elway, on Denver Bronco running back Tatum Bell’s wanting to wear No. 7, Elway’s retired number: “Tell him if he gets 2,000 yards and scores 25 touchdowns, it’s all his.”

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Larry Stewart can be reached at larry.stewart@ latimes.com.