His Legs Can’t Keep Up With His Mouth

Two weeks ago, after watching Florida freshman Emmitt Smith rush for 224 yards against Alabama on television, Harvey Williams of Louisiana State averaged almost 20 yards per carry that night against Rice.

Said Williams: “I’m not going to lie to you. I’m not bragging. Y’all like to say Harvey Williams is cocky and has a big head, but I really consider myself the best back in the Southeastern Conference.”

In Saturday night’s LSU-Florida game, Williams wasn’t even the leading ground gainer on his own team. Sam Martin led the Tigers with 79 yards in 14 carries, a 5.6 average. Williams gained 69 yards in 19 carries, a 3.6 average.

Smith, meanwhile, outrushed the entire LSU team. He gained 184 yards in 32 carries, a 5.7 average.

From Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post, in a column on Heisman Trophy campaigns: “UCLA printed 6,000 postcards at a cost of $2,500, and sends them weekly to 450 important-type and key people like me. Using 22 cents postage, that’s $99 more a week. The labor is free, volunteered by students, but over 11 games the cost of publicizing Gaston Green could have bought SMU a center.”

Kornheiser added: “I really love the postcards, but I don’t have a Heisman vote.”

Trivia Time: Who did the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat in 1977 to end their 26-game losing streak? Hint: The opposing coaches were college teammates. (Answer below.)

A couple of signs spotted at National Football League stadiums Sunday:

At Buffalo: “Bring Back Cookie Gilchrist.”

At Atlanta: “How ‘bout them scabs.”

46 Years Ago Today: On Oct. 5, 1941, Brooklyn catcher Mickey Owen dropped a third strike on Tommy Henrich for what would have been the last out of a Dodger victory against the New York Yankees. Given a second chance, the Yankees scored four runs to beat the Dodgers, 7-4, and take a 3-1 lead in the World Series.

On this date in 1966, Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson hit home runs and relief pitcher Moe Drabowsky struck out 11 and gave up only one hit in 6 innings as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Dodgers, 5-2, in the opening game of the World Series at Dodger Stadium.

From a column by Dave Anderson of the New York Times, urging the New York Jets to get rid of Mark Gastineau: “Over the years, many of the other Jet players shook their heads and rolled their eyes whenever Gastineau did his sack dance that infuriated oppposing teams. Or when he drove a Rolls-Royce into the Jets’ training complex in Hempstead during his Studio 54 trial. Or when he draped himself in his mink coat. Or when he appeared, muscles bulging, in a television commercial for a health spa proclaiming he had become bigger, stronger and faster.

“ ‘And dumber,’ one viewer of that commercial liked to say.”

Trivia Answer: Tampa Bay beat New Orleans, 33-14. John McKay, coach of the Buccaneers, and Hank Stram, coach of the Saints, were halfbacks at Purdue in 1946.

Quotebook

Detroit Manager Sparky Anderson, on Alan Trammell: “If God gave me one wish, it would have been Trammell. But I’ve got a funny feeling He doesn’t care much about baseball.”