SUPER BOWL XXIV : DENVER BRONCOS vs. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS : NOTEBOOK : Bradshaw Sees the Blitz, Refuses to Audible on Elway Remarks

Terry Bradshaw, after a one-day stay in New Orleans, returned to his ranch near Dallas on Wednesday, unaware that he had started Super Bowl Week’s first major controversy.

There are more than 2,000 reporters here to cover Sunday’s Super Bowl, and all are looking for something a little different, possibly a little controversial.

Bradshaw unknowingly supplied that Tuesday.

At a press conference to promote a commercial, in which Bradshaw has a role, a few writers, including The Times’ Mike Downey, asked Bradshaw to evaluate quarterbacks Joe Montana and John Elway.

Bradshaw, the only quarterback to have won four Super Bowls, said Montana was great but that Elway was not. “(He’s) very good, but he’s not great,” Bradshaw said. “He’s inconsistent.”

Bradshaw added that Elway needs to get tougher emotionally and that he shouldn’t complain about his lack of privacy.

“Hey, you make $2 million a year, you’d better expect some attention, boy!” Bradshaw said. “Wait’ll you have to go out there and get a real job!”

Bradshaw also pointed out that Elway has never won any championships and said that he had been babied by the city of Denver and his coaches.

Bradshaw flew from New Orleans to San Antonio Tuesday night for a speaking engagement before returning home.

“I’ve got 10,000 messages here,” he said when reached by phone. “I can’t believe it. Well, yes, I can believe it.

“The Super Bowl is big and everyone is looking for something to write. I do some writers a favor and give them an honest evaluation, and now this happens.

“So I said John Elway is not a great quarterback. Maybe my definition of great is different than most people’s.

“Joe Montana is a great quarterback. He’s had an historic season. I don’t know who else is a great quarterback.

“I wasn’t a great quarterback. I just happened to have played on four Super Bowl championship teams, and in two of those games I played pretty well. In the other two, I was just there.

“Of course everything is focused on the quarterback. If San Francisco scores 40 points against the Broncos, people won’t blame the defense. They’ll say Elway should have scored 41 points.

“I’m not going sugar-coat my quotes and say something different today.

“But I simply said Elway is not a great quarterback. And I also said that, with the money he makes he shouldn’t complain if people want to know what kind of candy bar he gives out on Halloween and what kind of car he drives.

“That’s really about all I said. I really don’t think John has anything to be upset about.”

Well, Elway was upset.

At first, Elway simply said, “I don’t care what Terry Bradshaw says.”

But later in the day, after getting more details, possibly some a little distorted, he said: “He’s criticized me throughout my career. He’s jealous of the money I make.

“He can stick it in his ear.”

Said Bradshaw: “I think owners today are crazy to give these young kids the kind of money they’re giving them. Giving a kid $10 million is simply bad investing. No way can you get your return.

“But I’m not jealous of how much money John Elway makes. I live a comfortable life. I don’t want his money.”

Elway, about Bradshaw’s comment that he’s never won a championship, said: “I’ve got to win this game. Not too many guys classified as great quarterbacks haven’t won the championship.”

Bradshaw will be back in New Orleans Friday and will take part in CBS’ pregame show Sunday.

Ronnie Lott, the 49ers’ blunt-speaking safety, was asked about Bo Jackson, the Raider halfback who doubles as an outfielder for the Kansas City Royals.

Let’s just say that Lott doesn’t seem amused by the phenomenon.

“For what he’s getting paid and what’s going on in his career, he should have taken them to the playoffs,” Lott said. “Maybe I’m popping off a little bit here, but hey, that’s just how I feel about the guy. I’m not trying to start any trouble, but when you play six games, you would expect him to play in all six games.

(Jackson actually played in all 11 games after he arrived, although his numbers went down after suffering nagging injuries as had been the case in his first two seasons.)

“When you look at somebody, you look at them for results. You don’t have to look at somebody because they’re a great athlete or how fast they run. Maybe it’s good stories . . . but the only thing that matters, I hope, is what Mr. (Al) Davis always says, ‘It’s just win, baby.’

“I’m biased because one of my good friends is Marcus Allen. He goes out and plays hurt. He has to go through a lot of adversity through the year to make a living and to get the respect from his teammates. That’s the reason Marcus does the things he does, because he wants the respect of his teammates. That’s the reason, if you ask his teammates, if they’d gone to the playoffs last year, he would have been the guy that was going to take them there.”

There hasn’t been much controversy surrounding Montana, but he did pass on two questions asked during a morning press conference.

“John Madden has said you’re the greatest quarterback who has ever lived,” a reporter said. “How do you respond to comments like that.”

Montana: “I go on to the next question?”

From San Diego reporter Jerry Magee: “One of your ex-wives is writing a book in which she says she’ll show another side to Joe Montana. How long a book will it be?”

Montana: “About as long as I take to answer your question.”

Times staff writer Mark Heisler contributed to this story.