Namath’s Way Was Rejected

You all know that Joe Namath called his shot in Super Bowl III, but do you know how he intended to pull it off?

Namath, recalling the New York Jets’ 16-7 win over the Baltimore Colts, told John Steadman of the Baltimore Evening Sun: “I don’t know if I’ve ever talked about this before or not. But I wanted to start the game with our two-minute offense. It would have given the Colts something else to think about.

“I looked at (Coach) Weeb Ewbank and told him what I wanted to do. But he said, ‘No, go with what brought you here.’ But I was sure tempted. It would have knocked them off stride.”

Add Namath: Recalling another victory over the Colts, 44-34, in 1972, he said: “I am so proud of that game. The Colts closed the gap on us to within three points, and we were at our 20-yard line and I knew they were thinking I was going to try to run out the clock. But I passed to Rich Caster for a long touchdown. They came back and scored on us, and now we get out to the 21-yard line.

“I’m thinking they believe I’m going to run out the clock for sure this time. But I saw this clean uniform come in the game. I believe it was that kid from Ohio State, who had been a quarterback, Rex Kern. He was there in the secondary. I thought to myself, ‘We got to go there.’

“Then I hit Caster for another long touchdown. Back-to-back scores from 80 and 79 yards away. I can still see Mike Curtis sprawled on the ground, pounding his fists into the dirt.”

Trivia Time: Wide receiver Sam Graddy, cut by the Denver Broncos Wednesday, beat out which sprinter for the silver medal behind Carl Lewis in the Olympic 100 meters in 1984? (Answer below.)

From Charlie McCarthy of United Press International, picking Nebraska to beat UCLA, 31-24: “If one of Troy Aikman’s goals as a collegian is to beat Nebraska, he should have stayed at Oklahoma instead of transferring after the 1985 season.”

Said McCarthy in picking USC to beat Stanford, 24-23: “Trojans among most overrated in country. Cardinal Coach Jack Elway’s run-and-shoot offense should cause problems for USC.”

Mike Littwin of the Baltimore Sun, on a report that Mike Tyson was attempting suicide when he crashed his car: “If you want to commit suicide, you drive a Samurai, not a BMW.”

Add Littwin: “A Tyson lawyer suggested Wednesday that the fighter and his family have a right to privacy. While we consider his point, we should note that the lawyer’s statement was released to the press through Tyson’s publicist. And the beat goes on.”

Now-it-can-be-told Dept.: In his high school yearbook, backup quarterback Mark Rypien of the Washington Redskins said his ambition was to marry a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

Said Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler, when told that the Sporting News picked the Wolverines as the No. 1 college football team in the nation: “The Sporting News is the best baseball newspaper in the country.”

Tight end Rocky Klever of the New York Jets, on low-key quarterback Ken O’Brien: “As far as being a leader, Kenny is more like Gandhi than Patton.”

Trivia Answer: Ben Johnson of Canada.

Quotebook

Notre Dame football Coach Lou Holtz, on why he’s glad Saturday’s opener against Michigan is being played at night: “It gives us longer to mature.”