Readers
SPORTS SOUND-OFF
Preseason picks always wrong?
• The only thing certain about preseason prognostication is it is always wrong. It would not surprise me if this is the year Arizona comes out of almost nowhere to make it to our first Rose Bowl. Of course, it also wouldn’t surprise me if we lost by 14 to Central Michigan in the season opener. AZCATFAN85
• I’m looking forward to a challenging year for the Cats. Our wide open offense should be more polished now. I think our quarterbacks will come through for us. If Matt Scott can throw accurately, he should be exciting to watch. DSTOWE
Bring shooting guard to Arizona
Re: UA hoops signee Parrom, prospect Stephenson shine in tourney
• Lance Stephenson would make Jerryd Bayless look like a slow/poor shooter. YES, Stephenson is that good as a shooting guard. . . . He’s played with Parrom and knows UA assistant coach “Book” Richardson. Even if he’s a “one and doner,” I’d vote a big fat yes to bring him to Arizona. John Wall (Raleigh, N.C.) is the other Top 5 recruit that hasn’t committed yet. He’s a natural point guard. New Memphis coach Josh Pastner has him on speed dial! CACTUS PETE
> Got a beef? E-mail: sports@tucsoncitizen.com. Call: 573-4635. Fax: 573-4569. Write: Sports sound-off, P.O. Box 26767, Tucson 85726-6767.
BY THE NUMBERS
29
Points separating the leader and second place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup points standings:
Driver Points
1. Jeff Gordon 1,601
2. Tony Stewart 1,572
3. Kurt Busch 1,546
4. Jimmie Johnson 1,465
5. Denny Hamlin 1,445
6. Jeff Burton 1,384
7. Kyle Busch 1,380
8. Ryan Newman 1,363
9. Greg Biffle 1,345
10. Matt Kenseth 1,326
ON THIS DATE
1952: In an Appalachian League game, Ron Necciai of the Bristol Twins strikes out 27 batters while pitching a 7-0 no-hitter against the Welch Miners.
1958: Stan Musial gets his 3,000th hit with a pinch-double off Chicago’s Moe Drabowsky at Wrigley Field in a 5-3 win.
1976: The New York Nets overcome a 22-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets 112-106 to win the ABA title 4-2.
2005: Tiger Woods misses a 15-foot par putt at the Byron Nelson Championship, ending his record of 142 straight cuts made over the last seven years on the PGA Tour.