Ryan Gets Unwanted Opinion

Philadelphia Eagle Coach Buddy Ryan says that third-year quarterback Randall Cunningham is ahead of John Elway at the same stages of their careers.

However, network analyst Ken Stabler said he doesn’t think Cunningham can carry a team over the long haul.

Ryan: “Aw, Kenny was a great quarterback, but tell him to go fishing in Alabama.”

Indianapolis Colts Coach Ron Meyer, on linebacker Duane Bickett, former USC All-American: “He gives you that boy-next-door appearance, the one your daughter wants to marry. But he’s a born killer inside. Don’t trust him.”

More than one NBA coach has complained about the pressures of the job, but Utah’s Frank Layden told Peter May of the Hartford Courant: “I wake up every morning and say, ‘Holy cow.’ I drive a Mercedes. I belong to a country club. I make a tremendous salary. I get per diem. I go first class. I have my son coaching with me. People give me things like trips to Europe. How can I complain about that? If it wasn’t for the games, it’d be a great life.”

Trivia Time: What do USC quarterback Rodney Peete and Oregon State basketball Coach Ralph Miller have in common? (Answer below.)

After Sam Wyche’s Cincinnati Bengals had blown another game in the final seconds, losing to Pittsburgh, 23-20, Steeler assistant coach Don Hoak was overheard saying, “Wicky Wacky screwed another one up. He’s got the best material in the division and can’t win.”

Southeast basketball writers are hoping 6-11 freshman Elmore Spencer makes it at Georgia as he appears to be eminently quotable. Samples from the Sporting News:

On athletics: “I’ve always liked sports. If you’re tall and you don’t, people think you’re a person who’s gay.”

On women: “I have a girlfriend. She’s 5-11. And there’s this other girl. She’s 5-5, sort of the Barbara Walters of the situation. I go to her when I need a comment, some advice. We as men need someone to turn to when women confuse us. It keeps us from jumping off buildings.”

From Wallace Matthews of Newsday: “How are boxing ratings decided? Tony Tucker, fresh off his creditable showing against Mike Tyson in August, was dropped from No. 3 to No. 13 by the WBC. Why? Because his check for $27,500, to pay the WBC’s sanctioning fee, bounced.”

Will the football Cardinals move out of St. Louis? Quarterback Neil Lomax didn’t say, but he said that owner Bill Bidwell told him, “Neil, I wouldn’t buy that new house.”

Ouch: Wrote Jerry Sullivan of Newsday after the New Jersey Nets dropped their opener to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 114-108: “Like a man reaching into a dark closet for his favorite sport coat, Dave Wohl pulled out the old excuses Friday night and found they still fit snugly after all these months.”

Trivia Answer: Both attended Kansas high schools, Peete at Shawnee Mission and Miller at Chanute, and both hold school records of five touchdown passes in a game, Peete at USC and Miller at Kansas.

Quotebook

Kurt Dasbach of winless Columbia, on the 35-yard field goal attempt he missed in the final seconds of the 12-10 loss to Dartmouth: “It felt good. I don’t feel like I choked. It was either the wind or the full moon or the tides or gravity or something.”