Packer Fans to the End, and Beyond

Apparently, Green Bay Packer mania extends from cradle to grave. Wrote Gene Wojciechowski of the Chicago Tribune:

“Only here can newborns leave Bellin Memorial Hospital wearing handmade caps done not in traditional pink or baby blue, but in the Auxiliary Club’s most requested color combination.

“Green and gold.

“And only here can a dead man leave the Lyndahl Funeral Home in a custom green casket, his favorite Packers jersey placed gently on his chest, and a memoriam placed in the local obituary page that reads, ‘He was an avid Packers fan.’ ”

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Trivia time: Which former Pacific 10 coach holds the conference record for most bowl victories?

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Saliva pledge: From David Letterman: “Who says baseball players aren’t heroes? Earlier today, Baltimore second baseman Roberto Alomar visited a little kid in the hospital and promised the little kid that he’d spit on two umpires.”

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Lofty goals: Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer on unbeaten Ohio State: “The Bucks are good enough, have proved enough already, that the Rose Bowl is a consolation prize, when you are ranked third in the country and have whacked No. 4 and 5 in consecutive weeks, your dream runs bigger than Pasadena.”

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Going nowhere: Tom FitzGerald in the San Francisco Chronicle: “The U.S. Postal Service unveiled the new George Halas stamp in honor of the legendary Bears coach and owner. There are now plans for a Rich Kotite stamp. You can lick it repeatedly, but nothing gets delivered.”

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Box-office flop? John McClain in the Houston Chronicle: “The movie ‘Jerry MacGuire,’ starring Tom Cruise, is partially based on agent Leigh Steinberg. It’s guaranteed to lose money. No, not because it’s about Steinberg, but because Jet Coach Rich Kotite and Raider Coach Mike White appear in it.”

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His destiny: Damon Stoudamire, the NBA rookie of the year last season, will captain the Toronto Raptors this season--and he’s hardly overwhelmed by the honor.

“It’s not something I’ll have to adjust to, because I think I’m a born leader,” Stoudamire said of his appointment.

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Fancy footwork: Detroit Lion quarterback Scott Mitchell on teammate Barry Sanders: “He does things that are amazing, that no other runner can do. I have seen times where he has run backward, just to set a tackler up, and then run right past him. I’ve never seen anyone else do that.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1926, Grover Cleveland Alexander, 39, saved Game 7 and the World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals when he came on in relief in the seventh inning and struck out Tony Lazzeri of the New York Yankees with the bases loaded.

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Trivia answer: Washington’s Don James with 10 in 14 bowl appearances.

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And finally: Terry Bradshaw needled Fox TV partner Howie Long about charging for autographs. Long’s reply: “Maybe I’ll jump off my bank book and commit suicide.”