Fall of William Perry Worries Raymond Berry

Craig James, the New England Patriots’ star running back, said this week that he had a dream about winning the Super Bowl.

Coach Raymond Berry was asked Friday if he had had any nightmares.

“Yes,” Berry replied. “William Perry falling on top of John Hannah. Or anybody.

“My memory of something like that is when (former Baltimore defensive tackle) Big Daddy Lipscomb fell on top of (former Colt defensive end) Gino Marchetti and broke his leg.

“If I see Perry coming my way, I know where I’m headed.”

Bear Coach Mike Ditka, asked about Berry’s comment, said: “I guarantee you this--William Perry will fall on somebody. I hope it’s the ballcarrier and the quarterback as much as possible.”

Ditka said he hasn’t had his pregame dream yet.

“I always have that dream on Saturday night,” he said.

Ditka said that the first he had heard about quarterback Jim McMahon’s alleged slurs against New Orleans women was when McMahon told him early Thursday morning.

“Before it came out, Jim came to me and said he didn’t say it. He said, ‘Before you hear it from anybody else, I want you to hear it from me.’ And if he says he didn’t say it, that’s good enough for me.”

The report was not only denied by McMahon but also retracted by the local TV reporter, who was later suspended.

As for McMahon’s other antics that enlivened Super Bowl week, Ditka told reporters: “Jim is Jim. He’s different. He’s gonna put you people on, but he’s a pretty good person. He’s a real good person.”

Ditka had noted that the week has been “relatively sane” for the Bears, with few distractions. He was asked if he regarded McMahon’s unauthorized acupuncture treatments and mooning a helicopter as sane actions.

“I could understand concern if he took off to rob a McDonald’s,” Ditka said. “That is a lack of sanity.”

Ditka said he had no idea what McMahon might pull Sunday.

“I would hope that he doesn’t put anything on the headband. I asked him not to wear the acupuncture band. Our management asked him not to wear the other (Rozelle) band. I don’t know what he’ll come out with.”

Despite his bruised backside, there is no doubt that McMahon will start Sunday, but how long he will play is uncertain.

“If you had a hit directly on that area, it would hurt,” Ditka said. “It would hurt very much and it would limit his ability. Jim’s strength is to sense pressure in the pocket and be able to move around and avoid people. If he’s unable to do that, he won’t be as effective.”

Super Bowl tickets, which have a new high face value of $75 this year, seem to have topped out at about $1,000 for scalpers, but it’s a risky business. Scalping is illegal in Louisiana.

Two visitors from California learned that this week when they tried to peddle some tickets in the French Quarter.

According to the Times-Picayune/States-Item, Gregg R. Walter, 21, of Beverly Hills and Richard Karlsruher, 33, of Los Angeles approached three men on Royal Street, across from the Vieux Carre police station.

“You guys looking for Super Bowl tickets?” one asked.

When the trio showed interest, the other man lifted his shirt, pulled out four tickets from his waistband and said they couldn’t sell them for less than $1,000 apiece. At that point the two were told: “We’re police officers.”

The suspects said they had bought the tickets in Los Angeles for $600 apiece, but the seats will be empty Sunday. The tickets will be held as evidence for a possible trial.

Former Saint quarterback Archie Manning was roasted by former players Merlin Olsen, Bert Jones, Derland Moore and Billy Kilmer, among others, at a fund raiser for the Louisiana chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation this week.

Moore said: “Archie once stayed up three days in training camp studying for a urine test.”

Raymond Berry has succeeded in destroying his image as a poor communicator with the media this week. He tried to answer every question directly and thoughtfully.

Friday, he indicated that he had a good understanding of the relationship and that it shouldn’t affect the players.

“Interaction with the press certainly is part of getting ready for the football game,” he said. “I think it’s important they keep in perspective what pro football is all about.

“Pro football starts with the fan, and the fan keeps in contact through the media, so it’s important the players understand that.”