Here, Only Recruit Is Trouble

Ronald Warnock, an offensive guard at Georgia Southern University, became something of a local legend in Statesboro, Ga., when he helped police capture an escaped convict.

Warnock chased down the felon, wrestled him to the ground and held him until officers arrived.

And what did Georgia Southern Coach Erk Russell think?

“I know one thing,” said Russell. “If that guy got caught from behind by Warnock, we’re not interested in him.”

In last Sunday’s 34-19 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Detroit Lions had to settle for field goals four times after driving inside Minnesota’s 20-yard line.

Asked if this was demoralizing to the offense, Detroit Coach Darryl Rogers said: “I don’t think it was demoralizing, no. It’s a lack of excecution in getting it accomplished. You had the opportunity and you didn’t make it. But to be demoralized, heck no. We didn’t get demoralized. We were happy we got points. Those are positive things, so we were not demoralized.”

Cool.

Trivia Time: What school has produced two Heisman Trophy winners chosen 40 years apart? (Answer below.)

Joe Carter of the Cleveland Indians and Howard Johnson of the New York Mets both have joined the 30-30 club this year, but they will merely become footnotes if Eric Davis of the Cincinnati Reds hits three more home runs.

Davis thus would become the first member of the 40-40 club. He currently has 37 homers and 49 stolen bases.

For What It’s Worth: The Chicago Bears have had some pretty good punt returners, including Red Grange, Gale Sayers and George McAfee, but none ever returned one as far as Dennis McKinnon Monday night. McKinnon’s 94-yarder broke the club record of 89 yards set by Ray (Scooter) McLean in 1942.

Said Bears Coach Mike Ditka: “It was the greatest punt return I’ve ever seen.”

Said Green Bay Coach Forrest Gregg of quarterback Randy Wright’s performance in the 20-0 loss to the Raiders: “The offensive line has to protect the quarterback and the receivers have to run the correct routes. Part of the passing game is that the quarterback has to anticipate where his receivers are going to be. So everything that is wrong is not just on Randy’s shoulders.”

So Wright will get another chance Sunday against Denver? Nope. Gregg named Don Majkowski, a 10th-round draft choice from Virginia.

19 Years Ago Today: Detroit’s Denny McLain won his 31st game of the season, the most in the majors since Dizzy Dean’s 30 in 1934 and the most in the American League since Lefty Grove’s 31 in 1931. The Tigers beat the New York Yankees, 6-2. Mickey Mantle hit his 535th career homer. He would hit one more before retiring.

Pacific football Coach Bob Cope, on tonight’s game against Arizona State, which is favored by 34 points: “I think our players are excited about the prospect of playing Arizona State, but that might not speak a lot for their intelligence.”

Trivia Answer: The University of Georgia--Frank Sinkwich in 1942 and Herschel Walker in 1982.

Quotebook

Ron Kittle of the New York Yankees, on a promotional visit to the clubhouse by Spuds McKenzie, the party animal of the beer commercials: “Spuds is a better interview than Rickey Henderson.”