Just Because You’re Paranoid Doesn’t Mean You’re Wrong

Tom Landry, who was the Dallas Cowboys’ coach for 29 seasons, was reminiscing recently about the heated rivalry his team had with the Washington Redskins--and George Allen, the late coach.

Landry still maintains that Allen used a hotel near the Cowboys’ former practice facility for surveillance.

“No doubt about it,” Landry told the Dallas Morning News. “You never knew what he was going to do, what he was going to say. He was always there spitting on his hands. He was good for the game, but we never trusted him.”

Thereafter, the Cowboys rented the top floors of the hotel two weeks before the Redskin game.

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Add Allen: The Cowboys also accused Allen of spying on them when he was the coach of the Rams.

Tex Schramm, the former Dallas president and general manager, even held a news conference in 1967 to denounce Allen’s espionage tactics. A few days later, the Rams beat the paranoid Cowboys in Dallas, 35-13.

“(Allen) distracted us a lot,” said Bob Lilly, a former Dallas all-pro defensive tackle and a member of the NFL Hall of Fame.

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Trivia time: The University of Washington has an opportunity to do something that no other college team has accomplished. What is it?

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Barry’s world: Barry Bonds told Dave Alles of the Tribune-Review of Greensburg, Pa., how he would like to be remembered.

“When I’m done, I want people to say, ‘He’s the best.’ Right field belongs to Roberto Clemente, center field belongs to Willie Mays. I want left field to belong to me.”

Alles noted that was pretty good company, but added: “What happened to Hank Aaron, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Ty Cobb. They were pretty fair outfielders, too.”

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Pranksters: Alles also reported that rookie Pirate pitchers Tim Wakefield and Steve Cooke were subjected to some hazing from the veterans.

The rookies’ regular clothes were taken from their lockers and replaced with oversized work shoes, work shirts, suspenders and trousers that stopped at their ankles. They were forced to wear the outfits on the team’s chartered plane.

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Overkill: Jimmy Connors sounded like vintage Muhammad Ali in describing how easily he will beat Martina Navratilova in their tennis match Sept. 25 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

“The way I set up for the ball, the way I hold the ball on my racket, the way I turn my shoulder is different from any of the women,” Connors said.

“I’m going to be at the ball two or three steps before they would. The ball is going to come back at a faster pace because I’m there earlier. Also, she’s going to have to hold her serve, which is going to be her toughest job.”

Other than to listen to Jimmy grunt.

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Trivia answer: Win three consecutive Rose Bowl games.

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Quotebook: Larry Bird, asked at the Barcelona Olympics if anyone will ever see another Dream Team: “Not unless I’m on it.”