10,579 Was What Ditka Liked Most

Here’s Flutie: Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka described how he introduced his new quarterback, Doug Flutie, to his team last week: “I said to the players, ‘I’d like to introduce Doug Flutie,’ ”

What did they say?

“A couple of them threw tomatoes at me,” Ditka said. “But I think a couple of them invited him to dinner.”

Ditka, when asked what he saw in Flutie that intrigued him, snapped: “I’m going to answer that question for the last time. I like 10,579 yards. He took his team to three bowl games. He won the Heisman. He didn’t do it by mirrors, he did it throwing.”

Trivia Time: The signing of Flutie means the Bears may end up carrying four quarterbacks on their active roster. Name the last NFL team to have four quarterbacks. (Answer below.)

The real enemy: A huge banner, 150 feet by 90 feet and costing $30,000, will fly outside Denver’s Mile High Stadium, where the Broncos play the Seattle Seahawks today. The banner shows a Bronco tackling an opponent. The opponent, naturally, is wearing a Raider uniform.

Dept. of Incidental Information: Win or lose today against the Rams, the Atlanta Falcons (5-1-1) will have their best eight-game record ever.

Wait a minute: Mark Rothenberg, an executive of a management group that represents the U.S. Olympic Committee, said Americans attending the 1988 Olympic Games at Seoul, South Korea, should be comfortable.

As for those who might be concerned about strange food, Rothenberg said each venue will have a Wendy’s stand. “I thought it would be more primitive,” he said, “but it turned out to be first class.”

Wendy’s?

A Green Bay disc jockey has written and recorded a song about the Packers. It’s title: “Where Are You Now, Vince Lombardi?”

Placing the blame: Al McGuire, commenting on the drug problem in college athletics, said: “I think we’re putting the blame in too many places. The blame, in my opinion, is right with the presidents of the universities. If they’re going to accept Division I teams, the income from football and basketball, they must then accept the kick in the pants.

“I think drug testing is coming. But it’s all too political at the present time. And it won’t come true from a feasibility study. It won’t come true from a committee. It has to come from presidents of the universities.”

Trivia answer: The 1984 Detroit Lions carried quarterbacks Eric Hipple, John Witkowski, Gary Danielson and Mike Machurek.

Quotebook

Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Greg Koch, who played nine seasons for the Green Bay Packers: “When someone in Green Bay says he has a good wardrobe, it means he has 10 bowling shirts.”