USC Frequents Pick and Save to Buy a Tie

The 17-17 tie between USC and Notre Dame Saturday night at the Coliseum recalls a most unusual 13-13 standoff in 1936.

The Irish outgained the Trojans, 406 yards to 53, and had an overwhelming margin in first downs, 18-1.

USC’s Bud Langley scored a touchdown on a 99-yard pass interception--still a Trojan record--with referee Tom Louttit unintentionally running interference and screening a Notre Dame player in pursuit.

After the game, USC Coach Howard Jones, in an understatement, said: “We were lucky.”

Trivia time: What was the outcome of the first Ram-Charger meeting, an exhibition game in 1967 in San Diego?

Forgotten: Ruben Rivera, 21-year-old Panamanian-born New York Yankee prospect, on being touted as the next Mickey Mantle or Joe DiMaggio:

“I don’t know anything about Mantle or DiMaggio. Were they as good as Ken Griffey Jr.?”

Ouch!Mary Foster of the Associated Press: “Why doesn’t Baltimore have a professional football team? Because then, Washington would want one.”

More problems: Todd Phipers in the Denver Post: “Here’s how baseball operates under acting commissioner Bud Selig:

“The commissioner’s office canceled the recent farm and scouting directors meeting in Florida, but failed to notify the hotel in time, so each team had to pay $1,200 in room guarantees.”

Any takers?Blackie Sherrod in the Dallas Morning News: “If you’re a 10-handicapper, you’re a pretty good weekend golfer. But if you played Nick Price you’d get 17 shots. His minus-7 is the lowest handicap ever awarded by Dean Knieth, the USGA chap in charge of assigning such numbers.”

Weird report: Eddie Sefko in the Houston Chronicle: “Dennis Rodman might have some competition.

“Denver’s Brian Williams, who is on the injured list, has shaved his head, gotten a nose ring and dyed his goatee blond, which only proves that when the going gets weird, the weird pierce something.”

Party time: Ron Bellamy of the Eugene (Ore.) Register Guard: “I’m covering a team (Oregon) that’s right on schedule--every 37 years it goes to the Rose Bowl and I’m going to savor every minute of it.”

Looking back: On this day in 1929 Ernie Nevers scored six rushing touchdowns and kicked four extra points, an NFL record, as the Chicago Cardinals defeated the Chicago Bears, 40-6.

Trivia answer: The Rams won, 50-7, after leading, 43-0, at halftime.

Quotebook: Cornerback Deion Sanders of the San Francisco 49ers, when asked where he’ll play next year: “How should I know? I’m Deion Sanders, not Dionne Warwick (of Psychic Friends fame).”