McMahon Might Have Solved Riddle of Throwing Spirals

If it comes up cold again Sunday, Chicago Bear quarterback Jim McMahon says he’ll be wearing gloves again. Even if it isn’t cold, he might wear them.

After throwing two touchdown passes in the 21-0 win over the New York Giants Sunday, McMahon said: “I’ll probably end up wearing these the rest of my career. I actually threw some real spirals today.”

“What kind of gloves were they?” a reporter asked.

“Black,” said McMahon.

Joe Morris, New York’s leading ground gainer, went out of the game after being tackled by William (The Refrigerator) Perry.

Said defensive tackle Dave Hampton of the Bears: “The Fridge put a big splash on him.”

Said safety Dave Duerson: “When I looked down and saw he had his eyes closed, I knew we could shut down their running game.”

Dieter, Beware: While the media swarmed around Richard Dent in the dressing room Sunday, Bear linebacker Otis Wilson composed and sang this little ditty in the background:

“Sackman’s coming, name of Richard Dent.

“Quarterback’s coming, is gonna get bent.”

Trivia Time: New York Giant punter Sean Landetta was credited with a minus seven yards on his ill-fated punt Sunday. What was the previous shortest punt at Soldier Field this season? (Answer below.)

The subject was weather, and John Robinson conceded you have to be prepared either way--hot or cold.

“When I was coaching at USC one year we played Alabama and watched them play Nebraska earlier in the year,” Robinson said. “Alabama had air conditioners on the sidelines. Nebraska had a guy with a towel trying to keep the players cool.

“Alabama kicked the hell out of them. So we called Alabama and said, ‘Can we get some air conditioners, too?’ They said, ‘We all don’t have air conditioners down here.’

“So we flew about $15,000 worth of air conditioners out there and won the game.”

The year was 1978, and USC won, 24-14. It turned out to be Alabama’s only loss the year, and the two schools wound up sharing the national championship. Alabama won the AP poll, USC the UPI poll.

With the Raiders eliminated, are the Rams now L.A.’s team?

“Whoever goes further, that will be L.A.’s team,” Eric Dickerson said. “They don’t know what they want to do out here.”

Add Raiders: Asked if he thought Jim Plunkett should have been activated, tight end Todd Christensen said: “Jim has won two Super Bowls. I would have liked to have had him here at least for insurance. But it’s like Bum Phillips used to say, ‘You dance with who brung ya.’ It was Marc’s game to win or lose.”

From New England owner Billy Sullivan, crediting Coach Raymond Berry for the success of the Patriots: “This team has become a team. It was Raymond who openly said this team will not become the ‘me generation.’ It’s the ‘we generation.’ I think he can be another Vince Lombardi.”

Trivia Answer: One yard. That’s what Joe Theismann netted on his only punt of the season in Washington’s 45-10 loss to Chicago. Theismann was filling in for punter Jeff Hayes who was injured earlier in the game.

Quotebook

Chicago Bear Coach Mike Ditka, on Rams quarterback Dieter Brock: “He’s short, and we plan to make him shorter.”