Lou Holtz Recalls a Shower

Lou Holtz had seen it before. Notre Dame fans, lobbying for an Orange Bowl bid, showered the field with oranges during Saturday’s 37-6 rout of Alabama.

Holtz was the coach at Arkansas 10 years ago when Razorback fans, during the Southern Methodist game, pelted the field with oranges to celebrate the announcement that Arkansas had been named to play in the 1978 Orange Bowl.

Said Holtz afterward: “I’m glad we’re not going to the Gator Bowl.”

Add Holtz: When Oklahoma beat Nebraska to earn the right to face Arkansas, he said: “We’re having a squad meeting Monday to to take another vote on going to the Orange Bowl. The second stringers will vote to go. I’m not sure about the regulars.”

Note: Arkansas won the game, 31-6.

Now-it-can-be-told dept.: Bear Bryant never had a Heisman Trophy winner at Alabama, but at Texas A&M;, he had the 1957 winner, John David Crow.

Recalls Jones Ramsey, then the publicist at A&M;: “One day we’re talking about the Heisman, and I told Coach Bryant, ‘John David doesn’t have the stats. He’s only fourth in the conference in rushing.

“Coach Bryant thought for a minute and then said, ‘Well, he leads the nation in people-run-over,’ so we started talking about that.”

Trivia Time: Who played the six positions that made up the Electric Company, the Buffalo Bills offensive line that helped O.J. Simpson set an NFL rushing record in 1973? (Answer below.)

Wait a Minute: Said Coach Pat Riley of the 5-0 Lakers after Saturday night’s win over Golden State: “Our play is a testimony to familiarity. The veteran teams get out good. The rebuilding teams struggle at the beginning of the season.”

Two seasons ago, the Clippers started out 5-0.

Washington quarterback Chris Chandler, on Saturday’s showdown between UCLA and USC: “If it’s for the title, I’ll go with USC.”

Said UCLA’s Gaston Green: “I wanted USC to win Saturday so it would come down to us and them for the Rose Bowl. When I was a kid I was a USC fan. That feeling is gone now.”

Said UCLA linebacker Ken Norton: “I think at this time, no one can beat us.”

From Moss Klein of the Sporting News: “How anxious was Woody Woodward to escape the Yankees’ general manager job? According to a friend, the top drawer of his desk looked like a pharmacy. Dealing with George Steinbrenner was ruining his health.”

Trivia Answer: LT--Dave Foley; LG--Reggie McKenzie; C--Bruce Jarvis (who played eight games before being sidelined by a knee injury), Mike Montler; RG--Joe DeLamielleure; RT--Donnie Green; TE--Paul Seymour.

Quotebook

Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz, asked when he’s going to open up the Irish offense: “We’ll throw more as soon as we catch more than the other guy.”