Another Reason for Not Using Poll to Determine Who’s Best

Slowly, college football’s pet dinosaur, the Associated Press poll, turns. Step by step, inch by inch, a playoff format draws closer.

Columnist Jack Wilkinson of the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette recently recalled that during the 1989 college football season, one of the sportswriters voting in the AP poll included Louisiana State in his top 20.

The Tigers were 1-5 at the time. Informed of this, the reporter asked: “Oh, they’re not doing well?”

It was his last vote.

Add poll: In early December of 1990, Wilkinson wrote that two AP voters--Don Borst of the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune and Tommy Hicks of the Anniston (Ala.) Star--voted Brigham Young fourth and fifth, respectively, in AP’s final regular-season poll.

They were asked why they placed BYU so high, so both checked Saturday’s late scores and saw BYU was blown out in Hawaii, 59-28. Fortunately, both writers called AP and revised their ballots before the votes were tallied.

Trivia time: In USC’s 17-16 victory over Ohio State in 1980, the Trojans’ Charles White became the second player in Rose Bowl history to be named player of the game twice. Who was the first?

Ouachita Baptist No. 1: Turning a familiar formula inside out, the Amateur Athletic Foundation SportsLetter paid tribute to a confusing college football season in its December issue:

“The (Colorado) Buffaloes lost to Illinois (23-22), who (sic) lost to Arizona (28-16), who lost to Oregon State (35-21), who lost to Nevada Las Vegas (45-20), who lost to Southwest Missouri (31-24), who lost to Division I-AA Northern Iowa (20-17), who lost to Indiana State (33-23), who lost to Southern Illinois (20-17), who lost to Western Illinois (24-22), who lost to NAIA Division I Arkansas Monticello (18-11), who lost to NAIA Division I Ouachita Baptist (41-15). . . . Well, you get the picture.”

Prime-time dreamer: Basketball commentator Dick Vitale, asked why he showed up at Orange Bowl media day Saturday wearing a Notre Dame shirt and cap, said: “I’ve been to every home game this year and their game at Tennessee. I dreamed of going to Notre Dame as a kid, but my grades were so bad they wouldn’t let me near the place. Now that my daughter goes there, it gives me an excuse to hang around the school.”

Vitale’s daughter, Terri, is a freshman at Notre Dame.

Welshing on a deal: Louisville cornerback John Gainey recently schooled fellow students who accused the team of dishonoring Martin Luther King Jr. when it accepted a Fiesta Bowl bid, taking Virginia’s place. The Cavaliers pulled out after Arizona voters turned down a paid holiday in King’s name.

Said Gainey: “Everybody there thought Virginia turned down the Fiesta Bowl because they didn’t want to go to a bowl in Arizona. That’s not why. They turned down the Fiesta Bowl to go to the Sugar Bowl because it pays more.”

Trivia answer: Washington quarterback Bob Schloredt, in 1960 and ’61.

Quotebook: Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz, asked if he were a hands-on coach: “I’m definitely a hands-on coach. My hands are usually around a throat, I might add.”