SportScope : Harbor Official Has Good Time but a Rough One at Super Bowl

Gordon Wells, physical education chairman at Harbor College, found himself in the middle of last week’s Super Bowl XXIII--literally. Wells, 59, who lives in Huntington Beach, was the umpire for the National Football League championship game.

Wells was involved in several key calls, made the halftime highlights on NBC and is in this week’s Sports Illustrated protruding over a piece of dry turf at Joe Robbie Stadium.

Wells caught veteran center Randy Cross downfield illegally on San Francisco’s winning drive.

He was also responsible for relaying the calls of the replay official from the press box. The most important replay call reversed a 22-yard pass by 49er quarterback Joe Montana to Mike Wilson that would have given the ball to San Francisco on the Cincinnati two-yard line with six minutes to go in the first quarter. Three plays after the reversal, the 49ers had to settle for their first field goal.

In the second quarter Wells was involved in a controversial third-down collision inside the Cincinnati two-yard line with 49er fullback Tom Rathman. On TV Rathman appeared to have a clear path up the middle and into the end zone from the Cincinnati nine when he ran into Wells and went down short of the goal. An NBC replay at halftime, however, showed that Rathman was about to be brought down by two Cincinnati defenders. San Francisco came away scoreless when a bad snap by Cross on the next play caused place-kicker Mike Cofer to hook his 19-yard field goal attempt.

Color commentator Merlin Olsen wondered aloud during the halftime show if Wells hadn’t cost San Francisco a touchdown on the Rathman run.

Responded Wells from his Wilmington office this week: “That’s flattery on his part if he thinks I can stop that big guy.”

Rathman weighs 244 pounds, Wells about 215.

On the appearance of his backside in SI, Wells quipped: “Those are my best shots.”

Wells twisted his right ankle twice while running on the loose turf.

“I’m still not sure it isn’t cracked. The trainer here (at Harbor) wants to take a look at it.”

Wells has been an NFL official for 17 years and this was his second Super Bowl. Officials are chosen based on a rating system during the regular season.

“You have to have a mistake-free season to get to the Super Bowl,” Wells said.

The most difficult aspect of the game?

“You have to pump yourself up and bear down. You can’t lose concentration for an instant. One instant of lost concentration and you could cause something terrible to happen.”

Collegiate baseball makes its unofficial debut Saturday when Loyola Marymount plays its annual alumni game at noon. The Lions, who posted a 48-18 record last season, formally begin their season Tuesday, playing host to U.S. International University at 2 p.m. The George Wing era opens at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Feb. 4 at 1 p.m. when the Toro baseball team plays its alumni. Wing replaces Andy Lopez, now at Pepperdine. Wing was at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento. The Toros were 19-30 last season.