With Pressure On, Seifert Strikes Back

When Bill Walsh left the San Francisco 49ers to become an analyst for NBC-TV, he was asked how he thought the club would fare under new Coach George Seifert.

“I don’t want to put too much of an onus on George,” he said, “but I think the 49ers have as good a chance as anyone to repeat as world champions.”

Advised of Walsh’s comment, Seifert told the Atlanta Journal and Constitution: “Not to put the onus on him or anything, but I’m sure he’ll have the highest Nielsen ratings of all the broadcasters.”

Might is right: After disposing of Carl (the Truth) Williams with a left hook, Mike Tyson said: “My right hand is my better punch, but I never hit anyone with it. It’s always the left hook. When I hit someone good with the right hand, then we’ll see some action.”

By whom, the paramedics?

Trivia time: What was the only World Series that matched the batting champions of both leagues? (Answer below.)

Colemanism of the week: Said announcer Jerry Coleman on the CBS Radio game of the week when the count reached 3 and 0 on St. Louis outfielder Tom Brunansky: “You never want to come right down the middle on 3 and 0, no matter what the count.”

No joke: Said Marty Blake, NBA director of scouting, when told by the Sacramento Bee that Bill Russell, vice president and general manager of the Sacramento Kings, does not talk to the press:

“He doesn’t? You’re kidding. I don’t understand that. What’s the guy who owns the club think? You’ve got a general manager who doesn’t talk to the press? I’ve never heard of anything like that.

“Oh, well, he doesn’t talk to me, either.”

Just kidding: With Bart Giamatti among those in attendance, comedian Jay Leno got off this one at a baseball banquet: “A new survey shows that Americans have lost confidence in savings and loans. Sixty-three percent would rather have Pete Rose handle their money.”

Trivia answer: The 1954 World Series matched batting champions Bobby Avila of the Cleveland Indians and Willie Mays of the New York Giants.

Add Avila: Yogi Berra, in a discussion of the 1954 season, once said: “Bobby Avila had a good year for them. He got the MVP that year, I think. 1954? I’m pretty sure. Didn’t he?”

The answer, of course, is no. The MVP that year was Yogi Berra.

Netting a shark: From Ray Frager of the Baltimore Sun: “In a recent sweep of TV-satellite pirates in Las Vegas, one of the sports bars hit was Tarkanian’s, as in Jerry Tarkanian, the Nevada Las Vegas basketball coach, who is viewed as something of a pirate by many in collegiate athletics.”

Quotebook: Abe Lemons, Oklahoma City University basketball coach, on the perils of his profession: “Doctors bury their mistakes. Coaches still have theirs on scholarship.”