Coal and Steel, and Hard-Nosed Quarterbacks

Chuck Fusina was the quarterback for the USFL-champion Philadelphia Stars. Tom Clements was the quarterback for the Canadian Football League-champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers. What do they have in common with Super Bowl quarterbacks Joe Montana and Dan Marino? All grew up in western Pennsylvania, a football hotbed that also has produced such outstanding quarterbacks as Joe Namath, George Blanda and Johnny Unitas. “Football around here is like a religion,” said Rich Erdelyi, Marino’s high school coach at Central Catholic in Pittsburgh. “There’s family, church and football. These kids start playing in the midget leagues. By the time they get to high school, they’ve grown into their position. “They grow up tough, but they’re good people. You put them in any situation, and they thrive. They want to play in the big game.” Of Marino, he said: “I remember one game in which Danny threw an interception that allowed the other team to score. But he came back to throw three touchdowns and kick the extra point and we won, 19-18. He was a good basketball and baseball player, too. Nothing he does surprises me.” Anyone notice that San Francisco’s defense has yet to surrender a touchdown in the playoffs? The only touchdown was scored against the 49ers in their 21-10 win over the New York Giants, and that was on an interception by linebacker Harry Carson. Food for Thought: In bets between politicians on the playoffs, food has played a big part. Here’s a rundown: --Miami Mayor Stephen P. Clark received from Pittsburgh a bushel of ethnic food containing Polish kielbasa, Greek baklava, Croatian nut bread, Jewish salami, Scottish shortbread, Chinese fortune cookies and Italian pizzelles and pepperoni. --From New York Mayor Ed Koch’s favorite deli, the Second Avenue Kosher Delicatessen and Restaurant, San Francisco Mayor Diane Feinstein received pastrami, chicken liver pate, rye bread, kosher dill pickles, salads and New York State apples. From Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, she received a dozen Porterhouse steaks. --Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.), in his Super Bowl bet with Sen. Paula Hawkins (R-Fla.), is offering a meal of cracked crab, sourdough bread and California wine at Fisherman’s Wharf. Hawkins is offering a Spanish-Basque dinner of paella, black beans and rice, plus Miami’s famous stone crabs and key lime pie. The New England Patriots, with a good, young quarterback in Tony Eason, don’t figure to pursue Doug Flutie, but Coach Raymond Berry says: “I think Doug Flutie will be an outstanding professional football player. “I grew up in Texas when Doak Walker was playing at SMU and I compare Flutie to Walker. Both of them had the ability to win game after game, and they did it for four years. They didn’t just have one good year. “They are once-in-a-lifetime-type players. Flutie is a rare one.” Calling ABC’s newest addition, Joe Theismann, a “lean, mean talking machine,” Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post writes: “Memo to the Danderoo: If you’re planning on singing, do it early. With Joe, he who hesitates is lost.” Add Kornheiser: Noting that ABC has used Reggie Jackson in the booth and even used Dwight Stones while he was competing in the Olympics, he wrote: “If it could pull it off, ABC would hire George Shultz to do color on the arms control talks in Geneva.” Quotebook Ohio State quarterback Mike Tomczak, on meeting Lee Iacocca, grand marshal for the Tournament of Roses, at the Rose Bowl: “You want to have your resume in one hand and shake his hand with the other.”