Mavericks’ Support Has a Familiar Ring to It

When Dallas Maverick fans boast that they’ll be at the playoffs with bells on, they mean it literally. The ringing of cowbells has become a civic duty at American Airlines Center for the Mavericks’ Western Conference semifinal series against the Sacramento Kings, whose fans make some noise too.

At Grand Prairie Feed & Garden, customers weren’t content with the biggest bell, which measured about 7 inches in height.

“They want 10 or 11 inch. They want to make some noise, I guess,” store manager Justin McAbee told Roy Appleton of the Dallas Morning News. “These I’ve got will still make a lot of stinking noise.”

Said Cindy Benje, assistant manager of Texas Tack & Feed in Lancaster: “Wherever the racket comes from, the Californians are going to get what they need. Cowboys, Mavericks, you don’t mess with any of them.”

Ringing endorsement: The inspiration for all this racket is Maverick owner Mark Cuban.

“This is all about having fun,” he wrote in an e-mail. “There are challenges on the court, which our players work hard to conquer. Then there are challenges to a city’s pride. Sacramento fans seem to think they are the loudest, most impactful fans in the NBA.”

When the scene shifts back to Sacramento for Game 5 Monday, it will be the Kings’ turn to take it to a new level--a new decibel level.

Trivia time: In the expansion draft to stock the Mavericks in 1980, the team passed on two veterans who would make key contributions to this current Laker team. Can you name the veterans?

Getting even: Bret Lewis, in a KFWB commentary directed at fans in San Diego: “I know you’re upset that we may take the Chargers. We took the Clippers. You owe us.”

Speaking of the Clippers: Psychic Uri Geller has joined England’s Exeter soccer team as co-chairman.

Geller, best known for his alleged spoon-bending powers, expects to “motivate the fans into buying more season tickets.”

Said Geller: “I will be meeting the fans, inspiring them, telling them how to support the club with their mind, body and spirit. I will go into the dressing room to motivate the players.”

Sounds like just the man Donald Sterling is looking for.

Family feud: “This is better than the rest of the NBA,” Gary Shelton writes in the St. Petersburg Times of the dueling news conferences between Philadelphia 76er Coach Larry Brown and guard Allen Iverson. “This is better than Karl vs. Rivers, better than Shaq vs. Kobe, better than Duncan vs. Kidd. Throw in Susan Lucci and an amnesia victim and we’ve got a hit soap opera.”

He, too, produces hits: Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard, a guest on HBO’s “On the Record” Thursday night, told Bob Costas: “I want to be the Pete Rose of directors.... I won’t go back to the Hall of Fame again until Rose is in it.”

Wave goodbye to Cooperstown, Ron.

Trivia answer: Coach Phil Jackson, then a New Jersey Net, and Joe Bryant, Kobe’s father, who was a San Diego Clipper.

Finally: Describing the fans at a Montreal Expo game, New York Met broadcaster Fran Healy said, “Crowd? This isn’t a crowd. It’s a focus group.”