Robert Morris Is Making Up for Lost Time

Robert Morris College of Coraopolis, Pa., playing in its first football game in the 73-year history of the school on Sept. 3, might have established another first.

The Colonials defeated another Pennsylvania school, Waynesburg College, 24-19, with an epic goal-line stand--eight plays and no score.

Waynesburg had a first down at the three-yard line, but couldn’t score. On fourth down, though, Robert Morris was called for pass interference, giving Waynesburg four more downs from the two-yard-line.

Once again, Robert Morris held, stopping three running plays and breaking up a pass.

Add Robert Morris: Joe Walton, Robert Morris coach and former coach of the New York Jets, got a sideline dousing at the end of the game.

“I never had one before,” Walton said. “It was kind of nice. I think it was water. We can’t afford Gatorade at Robert Morris.”

Trivia time: Who holds the NCAA Division I-A record for touchdown passes?

All in the family: Who are the biggest losers in the baseball strike and the canceling of the season?

SportsLetter of the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles reports that it is the Alomar brothers, Roberto of Toronto and Sandy Jr. of Cleveland, who combined will lose $39,344 in daily salary.

Next on the sibling list are the Maddux brothers, pitchers Greg of Atlanta and Mike of the New York Mets, who lose a combined $25,957 daily.

Opinion: Bob Smizik, in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “College administrators, like William DeLauder of Delaware State, who suggest that a score of 410 (that’s one correct answer) on the Scholastic Aptitude Test should be good enough to allow a student freshman athletic eligibility belong in another line of work.

“A student who scores 410 on his SAT shouldn’t be allowed out of high school, let alone into college.”

Too wordy: The America’s Cup organizers in San Diego are shooting for a record: the longest name for an event in the history of sports.

The real racing starts in January, but the tuneup event Oct. 27-Nov. 5 has been dubbed the (take a deep breath) “1994 International America’s Cup Class Canterbury of New Zealand World Championship.”

That might use up half the space most publications allot for reporting the event.

Wait a minute: Wayne Lockwood of the San Diego Union-Tribune, commenting on San Diego State’s 22-20 upset of California last Saturday:

“Make no mistake, this was a huge victory. Cal is a very, very good football team.”

So good that Cal was picked to finish fifth in the Pacific 10 Conference in a preseason media poll.

Overconfident: Damon Huard, Washington Husky quarterback, on his position: “I don’t know where else I could play. I’m too slow. I can’t hit. I’m just a weasel quarterback. Maybe I could be a holder.”

Trivia answer: Ty Detmer of Brigham Young, with 121 from 1988-1991.

Quotebook: NBC’s Bob Costas commenting on major league baseball owners in USA Today: “They’re like a guy driving around lost but congratulating himself that he’s making good time.”