As Usual, Madden Goes Against Flow

Pat Summerall expects a high-scoring game with the 49ers winning.

John Madden, although he says the 49ers may be the best team of all time, isn’t making any predictions.

“I look for the 49ers to win, 31-21, or something like that,” Summerall said when CBS’ Super Bowl announcers met with a few reporters to talk about Sunday’s game. “It’s going to be a high-scoring game. The 49er defense is underrated, but you’ve got to figure that John Elway is going to put some points on the board.”

Said Madden: “I don’t know. Usually before a Super Bowl you always hear what a great game it’s going to be, and then it turns out to be a blowout.

“Well, this year, everyone is saying it’s going to be a blowout, so maybe this time it will be a hell of a game.

“I still think what Denver needs to do is let Elway do his thing. Forget trying to establish the run. Put Elway back there in the shotgun formation, bring in those four wide receivers and line ‘em up sideline to sideline.

“That’s what I’d do.”

How good are the 49ers?

“Well, I thought before now the 1985 Chicago Bears (who won Super Bowl XX) were the best team ever. But I think this 49er team is even better.”

Madden said he’s really not concerned if the game does turn into a blowout.

“If it’s 40-7 at halftime, they say that’s when you go to your notes. But I don’t think so.

“I think you still have to pay attention to the game and just run with it.

“It may be boring to some people, but not to everyone.

“That’s like in school when you say history is boring. You read about the Battle of Waterloo, and you say that’s boring.

“Well, if you were there, if you were in the Battle of Waterloo, and you had muskets and stuff blowing by your head, you wouldn’t say that was boring.”

You have to admit Madden does have a unique way of looking at things.

More from Madden: He wonders where all the good defensive linemen have gone.

“There’s a real shortage. Before the draft, what every team says it needs is defensive linemen, but then it can’t find any to draft.

“Maybe teams will start doing what the Rams do and start putting linebackers up there to play in the defensive line. There’s no shortage of linebackers.

“Because there aren’t many good defensive linemen, most teams are going with a three-man front.

“I don’t know, but I just don’t see it working. You never hear about defensive linemen anymore.

“I mean, we had the Fearsome Foursome, the Steel Curtain, the Purple People Eaters. Now, I just don’t think it would work if you tried calling a defensive line the Fearsome Threesome.”

Recommended viewing: Of all the Super Bowl-related programs on television this weekend, the one not to miss is “Road to the Super Bowl” on Channel 2 Saturday at 5 p.m.

This show is tremendous, as good as anything ever done by NFL Films, which is saying a lot.

NFL Films put microphones on several coaches, including colorful Jerry Glanville. You’ll love it. Guaranteed.

NFL Films has allowed stations to dub in their own hosts if so desired, so you will see Keith Olbermann as the host instead of Steve Sabol.

For Madden fans, his Super Bowl Special, produced by GGP Sports, will be on Channel 2 Saturday at 7 p.m.

The guest list includes Jennifer Montana, Ronnie Lott, John Taylor, Tom Rathman, Jim Burt and Matt Millen. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is the lone Bronco representative.

Other program notes: HBO’s Super Bowl edition of “Inside the NFL,” with Len Dawson and Nick Buoniconti, was shown Thursday night and will be repeated tonight at 7 and Saturday at 10 a.m.

At the end of the show, there is a fantasy game between the 49ers and the Broncos, done by NFL Films in the much the same way it did Dream Season for ESPN.

There’s a two-hour special, “Super Bowl Saturday Nite” on Channel 2 Saturday at 9 p.m. It features a number of jazz musicians, plus other entertainers and comedians. Don Johnson is the host.

The two-hour Super Bowl pregame show will begin at noon, PST, Sunday; game coverage starts at 2 p.m., and the kickoff should be about 2:15.

Channel 2 has Olbermann and Tony Hernandez in New Orleans and will have its own postgame show after the network signs off.

Then at 9 p.m., there will be an Olbermann special, “Decade in Review.” During the show, viewers will be invited to call (900) 786-2222 and vote for the L.A. athlete of the decade. Magic Johnson should be a shoo-in.

Proceeds from the calls will go to the the Bay Area Quake Fund.

TV-Radio Notes

Radio coverage of the Super Bowl will be provided by CBS Radio, with Jack Buck and Hank Stram, and carried by KNX (1070). . . . The TV Super Bowl commercials cost $700,000 per 30-second spot.

NBC’s NHL All-Star game coverage last Sunday got a national Nielsen rating of 3.6. An NBC spokesman said the network was pleased. . . . CBS countered with a heavy-duty NBA doubleheader. The Lakers and Detroit got a 6.2 rating, the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks a 7.1. The L.A. ratings: A 2.7 for hockey, a 9.9 for Lakers-Pistons and a 6.9 for Knicks-Bulls.

Next Thursday’s UCLA-USC game will not be televised by ESPN after all. USC did not want to play at 8:30 p.m. So, instead the network’s game will be California at Oregon State. . . . Did anyone notice not one Raider made the All-Madden team? Rams making it were Kevin Greene, Tom Newberry, Jackie Slater and Jerry Gray. Former Raider Matt Millen, now with the 49ers, also made the team.