Bevetta Unfazed As Race Against Barkley Approaches

Dick Bevetta found a supporter in Arco Arena on Saturday night during a game in which the Sacramento Kings beat the

struggling Denver Nuggets by seven. This was strange considering the fact that Bevetta was one of the key figures in the infamous game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Lakers (Kings fans are absolutely convinced that the refs robbed them of a sure victory that fateful day.)

Bevetta's supporter was backing him in the upcoming race against TNT personality Charles Barkley (tentatively scheduled for All-Star Weekend):

"I'm betting on you, Dick," said David Carlson, 53, of Jackson.

"Thank you, sir," Bavetta said. "I think that's a wise decision."

Barkley has been merciless in his mockery of Bevetta on TNT's Inside The NBA, more than once calling him a "geezer" and saying there's no way he's going to lose a footrace to an old man. Another point of contention has been Bevetta's claim that he runs 8 miles a day (something I refuse to believe.)

Bevetta managed to get in a dig of his own on Saturday:

When Carlson contended that Barkley might weigh twice as much as the wispy Bavetta, Bavetta said: "Try three times. I'm only 160 pounds."

If the race does take place (nothing's been confirmed yet), Bevetta hopes it will be more than just a dead sprint:

"I want something with turns in it, not a straightaway (but) back and forth," he said. "The longer it is, the better it is for me."

The hefty Barkley, as you might have imagined, wants no part of a race with turns in it. On TNT last week, he stated more than once that he only wants to take part in a sprint. No word on whether or not he wants doughnuts at the finish line.