If You Didn’t Know Better, You Would Swear Bear Was There

How big is football in Alabama? Paul Finebaum, columnist for the Post-Herald in Birmingham, Ala., wrote of new Crimson Tide Coach Gene Stallings’ 20-minute arrival speech, which was broadcast on radio and television throughout the state:

“Even those who still felt a bit queasy following the tumultuous departure of Bill Curry were reassured by Stallings’ virtuoso performance here in front of a standing-room-only crowd.

“In many respects, Thursday’s coronation was a tribute to (former Alabama coach Bear) Bryant. There was so much of Bryant in the room, you could almost smell the old man’s Chesterfields in the air.”

Trivia time: On Jan. 17, 1988, the Cleveland Browns’ Earnest Byner committed “the Fumble” at the Denver three-yard line that ensured a 38-33 victory for the Broncos in the AFC championship game. Who stripped Byner of the ball?

The NCAA watch: The latest computer basketball ranking of the top conferences by Bloomington (Ind.)-based Jeff Sagarin, whose data are used by the NCAA in assembling its 64-team tournament field:

1. Big Ten, 85.80 points; 2. Big Eight, 85.28; 3. Atlantic Coast Conference, 84.42; 4. Big East, 83.14; 5. Pacific 10, 79.96; 6. Southeastern, 79.90; 7. Big West, 78.49; 8. Metro, 78.37; 9. Western Athletic, 77.47; 10. Southwest, 77.26; 11. Midwestern, 76.58; 12. Mid-American, 76.15; 13. Missouri Valley, 75.39; 14. American South, 74.71; 15. Mid-Continent, 73.58.

Add college basketball: The Oregon Institution of Technology gave a new meaning to the phrase road game Monday night.

Early in its game against Simpson College at Anderson, Calif., OIT’s Tyrone Holmes dunked the ball, smashing the backboard. The small public school where the teams were playing had no replacement.

But the principal of a public school in nearby Redding was among the spectators. He offered the use of his school’s gymnasium; the players, officials and fans trundled off and finished the game. The Simpson players should have stayed home and called it a night; OIT won, 130-52.

Last add college basketball: George Raveling, USC’s coach, on why he doesn’t read the Daily Trojan: “I haven’t read the Daily Trojan in several years. They had one guy who used to roast me. When I found out that he graduated from Lester Maddox High School, I stopped reading it. That’s the truth. I haven’t read the school paper in a couple of years.”

A short call: Has winter cooled your interest in Oakland Athletic star Jose Canseco’s 1-900 line? Then dial 1-900-USA-MUGS. You will hear the Charlotte Hornets’ Muggsy Bogues discuss what it’s like to be 5-feet-3 in the NBA. Cost: $1.49 a minute.

Trivia answer: Defensive back Jeremiah Castille.

Quotebook: Tackle Steve Wallace of San Francisco on the possibility of the 49ers repeating as Super Bowl champions: “We want to be like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and go down in history.”