Nagurski Could Turn the Screws

How strong was Bronko Nagurski? Richard P. Harman of Laguna Niguel, one-time Minneapolis car dealer, recalled a business trip he took 20 years ago to International Falls, Minn., where Nagurski operated a service station before retiring a few years ago.

The local car dealer, taking Harman on a tour of the town, said: “See that guy over there? That’s Bronko Nagurski, the famous football player. He owns that station and he’s got the best repeat business in town.”

Harman said he wasn’t surprised, Nagurski being such a legend.

“No, it isn’t that,” that the dealer. “It’s just that when Bronko screws your gas cap on, nobody else in town can get it off.”

Wait a Minute: The subject was the Heisman Trophy, and Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth told the New York Times: “Two years ago, Doug Flutie won the award because of one pass he threw, but he was not the best player in the country.”

The one pass gave Boston College a 47-45 win over Miami, the defending national champion. Flutie wound up as the NCAA passing champion and became the first collegian to throw for more than 10,000 yards in a career. In the Cotton Bowl, he quarterbacked Boston College to a 45-28 win over Houston.

Note: In Flutie’s sophomore and junior years, Boston College lost to Auburn, 33-26, in the Citrus Bowl, and to Notre Dame, 19-18, in the Liberty Bowl, but he was chosen the most valuable player in both games.

Trivia Time: USC never has had a player lead the nation in total offense, but UCLA has had two. Who were they? (Answer below.)

If you’re wondering what to get Chris Washburn for Christmas, in the Bay Area they are suggesting a watch.

The rookie from North Carolina State already has been late six times to practice or games with the Golden State Warriors.

From Ohio State basketball Coach Gary Williams: “Dennis Hobson and Jay Burson have the green light to shoot three-pointers. Curtis Wilson has a yellow light.”

From Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post: “Two kinds of coaches tend to reach the Final Four: The law makers and the law breakers. Autocrats and outlaws. Run the tightest ship or the loosest. Give ‘em an education or a Trans-Am.”

Add Final Four: Kansas Coach Larry Brown still can’t swallow the 71-67 loss to Duke in last season’s semifinals.

Says Brown of the game, in which Jayhawk star Danny Manning got into early foul trouble and eventually fouled out: “I didn’t cry about it after the game, but I’ve watched the film over and over.

“Danny was fouled on every shot he took. Both arms. He had two phantom calls against him. Nobody could have played well in those circumstances. Who’s to say we wouldn’t have been national champions if he didn’t foul out?.”

Kiss of Death?: Says Philadelphia Eagle Coach Buddy Ryan: “I think the Raiders will be in the Super Bowl along with the Washington Redskins.”

Defensive end Richard Dent of the Chicago Bears failed to get excited when told that Jim McMahon is out for the season.

Of the Bears’ offense, he said: “I figure we’ve been carrying them since day one.”

Trivia Answer: Kenny Washington in 1939 and Billy Kilmer in 1960.

Quotebook

David Wickham of the British Broadcasting Co., to a coach at a University of Texas practice where Wickham was doing a special on American football: “How many blokes can you put on the rug at one time?”