No Quarterback Rated Higher at Living Life in Fast Layne

Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle rates former NFL quarterbacks in some specific categories. A sampling:

“Best pure release: Joe Namath.

“Toughest to bring down in the pocket: Roman Gabriel.

“Best sidearm slinger: Sammy Baugh.

“Best quarterback with a hangover: Bobby Layne.”

Otto’s legacy: Has any pro quarterback ever had a better championship game record than Joe Montana, who retired on Tuesday after having gone 4-0 in Super Bowls?

Fans of Otto Graham might argue. Graham was the winning quarterback in seven of 10 championship games with the Cleveland Browns from 1946 to 1955.

Trivia time: Who holds the NFL record for most touchdown passes?

Honest appraisal: Pitcher Roger McDowell, who recently signed a $500,000 contract with the Texas Rangers, said he had two other teams pursuing him: “Chico’s Bail Bonds and Sterling Mortgage.”

He added, “Let’s face it. It’s not like they signed Christy Mathewson.”

Humble request: National League umpire Bruce Froemming, on the labor dispute involving umpires, who have been locked out by owners:

“We keep hearing about the players wanting a piece of the pie. Hey, we just want a fork.”

Blimps in the night: Jay Leno on the umpires’ lockout: “If you thought the replacement players were fat and out of shape, can you imagine what replacement umpires are going to look like? What are they, 500 pounds and blind?”

Trash course: Toni Kukoc of the Chicago Bulls on playing with Michael Jordan: “I like it at practice more than the game. In practice, I’m really concentrating, trying to learn, even learning the way he speaks, the trash talking, or whatever.”

Odd statistic: Denver Bronco quarterback John Elway acquired another car dealership last month. He now has more car franchises (seven) than the Broncos have 1995 draft picks (six).

What the H?Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post on St. Louis University basketball player H (not H.) Waldman: “Were his parents in some kind of rush to get him out of the hospital, or what?”

Looking back: On this day in 1980, Bill Rodgers won his third consecutive Boston Marathon, and Rosie Ruiz was disqualified eight days later when it was discovered she did not run the entire distance.

Trivia answer: Fran Tarkenton, with 342 in a career split between the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants.

Quotebook: New England Patriot owner Robert Kraft’s wife to her husband on the team signing running back David Meggett: “You paid $9 million (actually $10 million) to a player who’s shorter than you.”