He Won’t Cast Vote for Jones’ Cowboy Party

David Casstevens of the Arizona Republic on the popularity of the Dallas Cowboys: “I don’t hate the Cowboys, by any means. I just fear them. There may be more Cowboy fans than Baptists or Methodists or Democrats and Republicans.

“What if someday, the Cowboys’ owner, whose ambition has no bounds, decides to mobilize his vast constituency and form his own national political organization, as Texas billionaire Ross Perot did.

“My worst fear--it comes in a nightmare--is that some day our country will wake up and find Sam Donaldson addressing Jerry Jones as ‘Mr. President.’ ”

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Trivia time: Who holds the Dodger career record in Los Angeles for home runs?

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Who’s the coach? Oakland Raider Coach Mike White acknowledged that he gets play suggestions from owner Al Davis.

“Everything I take from him is constructive--if it’s critical, it’s constructively critical,” White told Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle. “If you understand his motive, you don’t take it personally.”

Advice to White: Just keep winning, baby.

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Wise up: John Steigerwald of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that fans are to blame for mismatches in college football.

“Anybody stupid enough to pay to see Florida State play Central Florida deserves what he gets. If the fans began to stay away from the stupidity in droves, instead of mismatches like the ones on the schedule, the fans, for the same money they’re paying to see Nebraska-Pacific, would get Nebraska-Florida State.”

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He asked for it: Joe Don Looney, the gifted but controversial running back who died in a motorcycle accident in 1988, is remembered in an article the Sporting News:

“While playing for Detroit in 1966, Coach Harry Gilmer turned to Joe Don, gave him the next play and told him to carry it onto the field. Joe Don refused, saying, ‘If you want a messenger, call Western Union.’

“For that suggestion, he was suspended.”

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Clear picture: Chicago Bear kicker Kevin Butler, noting that teams don’t wait for young kickers to develop:

“You better produce now, or a month from now the developing will be done when you’re working for Kodak.”

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Trivia answer: Ron Cey, with 228, followed by Steve Garvey with 211.

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Quotebook: Ken Griffey Jr. on his eagerness to lead the Seattle Mariners into postseason play: “If we get into the playoffs, they can hop on my back and ride me.”