Look Out, Marcus Cotton Is in the Fast Lane

Marcus Cotton, the linebacker from USC, is fast making a name for himself in Atlanta.

Writes Ed Shearer of the Associated Press: “On his way to camp, Cotton purchased a luxury convertible automobile in Chicago, and he has it occupying two spaces in the parking lot at the Falcons’ training complex.

“He wears a gold chain around his neck holding a charm that reads ‘100% Cotton.’

“He also owns a motorbike, a Colt .45 gun collection and has silver dime-and-quarter sets. He claims to have one of the first $2 bills ever made.

“ ‘The car’s very fast,’ ” Cotton said, adding that he got one speeding ticket on his way to Atlanta.

“ ‘I had a friend to take care of it,’ he said. ‘The patrolman wrote me up for 85. I was doing about 135.’ ”

Dallas Cowboys personnel director Gil Brandt, on Michael Irvin, the receiver from the University of Miami: “He has made at least one great play at every practice or scrimmage we have had. He has the largest hands and longest fingers of anybody we’ve ever had at receiver. He has such a deceptive stride that he can get to balls you don’t think he can catch.”

Add Irvin: He will wear No. 88, a number the Cowboys haven’t given out since Drew Pearson retired.

Irvin: “It was a big compliment but I know I’m great and I’ll make Drew happy about me getting 88.”

As Peter King of Newsday once wrote, “Michael Irvin likes himself.”

Trivia Time: The last three winners of the U.S. Women’s Open--Kathy Baker (1985), Jane Geddes (1986) and Laura Davies (1987)--had what in common? (Answer to follow.)

From Nebraska football Coach Tom Osborne, recalling his two-year stint as an end for the Washington Redskins: “We had an incentive pay system. You got money for such things as yards, completions, fumble recoveries and interceptions. When we added it all together, I owed the team $34.50.”

Add Redskins: From a column on owner Jack Kent Cooke by Bill Brubaker of the Washington Post:

“Facts and figures about the man believed to be the wealthiest owner in professional sports: He is 5 feet 8 1/2, 160 pounds. He uses a hearing aid. He at times calls men ‘darlings’ and women ‘pets.’ He refers to his sons as ‘Mr. John’ and ‘Mr. Ralph.’ He fancies himself an authority on fine wine, good food and the English language. He is crazy about pineapple bran muffins. He has contributed to George Bush’s presidential campaign. He claims credit for Doug Williams being the Redskins quarterback. He works seven days a week. He doesn’t take vacations. He often says, ‘The harder I work, the luckier I get.’ ”

Would-you-believe-it Dept.: When Baltimore’s Tom Niedenfuer recorded his 10th save Tuesday night, he joined Lee Smith and Jeff Reardon as the only pitchers to have 10 or more saves in each of the last six seasons.”

Bill Raftery, one of the candidates to replace Billy Cunningham as an NBA analyst on CBS, is a former Seton Hall coach who played at La Salle.

“When I first came to La Salle they said I would make everyone forget Tom Gola,” he said. “When I left, I made them forget me.”

Trivia Answer: Each was scoring her first win as a professional in the United States.

Quotebook

Former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta, on his battles to make the weight: “I tried this banana diet and didn’t lose any weight, but you should have seen me climb trees.”