Ditka Puts on a Sideline Show

Mike Ditka was out of control at Oakland on Sunday, even by Ditka standards.

At one point the Saint coach inserted a startled Danny Wuerffel at quarterback on third down after Heath Shuler had thrown an incompletion. As Ditka screamed at Shuler on the sideline, Wuerffel, not knowing what to do, called a time out. Back in came Shuler.

While screaming at Shuler, Ditka’s gum came flying out of his mouth and, according the Raider radio announcers, he picked it up off the ground and put it back in his mouth. Soon after that a Shuler incompletion ended up at Ditka’s feet and he picked it up and spiked it in disgust.

In the end, TV cameras caught him paying off a $25 bet to defensive coordinator Zaven Yaralian, who bet that the Saint defense would be able to stop Raider Tim Brown on crossing patterns.

“I didn’t want to get excited like I did today. But that’s me,” Ditka said. “If I didn’t do it, then that’s not me. This is what Mike Ditka is. I can’t control that.”

WORLDS TO CONQUER

Injured Cowboy guard Nate Newton had this to say on ESPN Sunday morning: “Once I solve our red-zone problems, then I’ll go out and win the Nobel Peace Prize and get $250,000 and I’ll be the best man in America. Then I’ll find out what’s wrong with ESPN and then become a consultant to world problems like Clinton and his problems with high taxes. Then I’ll be able to help everybody.”

SALT AND PEPPER

Bill Parcells can be a pretty salty guy, but a soft side was revealed on NBC Sunday morning.

Linebacker Pepper Johnson, who played for Parcells with the New York Giants and now plays for him with the Jets, told interviewer Cris Collinsworth that after he was injured in the Jets’ victory over New England in Week 8, Parcells brought members of the team into the training room where Johnson was for the team prayer. “When he started to cry I said don’t do that,” Parcells said. “Pretty soon we were all crying.”

KILLER OF A DRILL

Dick Vermeil bowed out of coaching 14 years ago, citing burnout. Now, in his first season as coach of the St. Louis Rams, there are signs he may be losing it again.

“The penalties are irritating,” Vermeil said after his team lost to Green Bay to fall to 2-8. “I told my players, ‘Maybe what I ought to do is line you all up and shoot you one at a time.’ You know, start an execution.”

Sounds a bit drastic.

A SUITABLE NAME

If Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is embarrassed to share his name with football’s Karim Abdul-Jabbar, he shouldn’t be. The former UCLA running back who changed his name from Sharmon Shah ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns in the Dolphins’ victory over the Jets.

Asked about Abdul-Jabbar’s recent lawsuit over the use of the name, the younger Abdul-Jabbar said, “I heard about it. It didn’t bother me.”

GOOD STARTS ANYWAY

Ram backup quarterback Mark Rypien went four for five on his first drive after replacing Tony Banks (strained back) to start the second half against Green Bay. But after guiding the Rams on a 75-yard touchdown drive, he completed only five of 18 passes the rest of the way.

Charger third-string quarterback Greg Whelihan, making his first NFL start, completed his first 11 passes but went six for 18 after that. He also fumbled in the end zone to give Seattle a touchdown.

RECEIVER DELIVERS

When ESPN reporter Andrea Kremer went to Minneapolis last week to do a story for “NFL Countdown” on Viking receiver Cris Carter, she said she went there with the idea of doing a story on a player having a good season. Instead, ESPN and Kremer ended up with something that delivered a powerful message.

Carter for the first time talked about how alcohol and drugs almost ruined his career and caused the Philadelphia Eagles to waive him in 1989. The feature was aired Sunday morning.

The Vikings, who got him for the $100 waiver fee, immediately addressed the problem, Carter said. A team counselor asked him if he could stop drinking for a week. “I said of course I can,” Carter said. “That was Sept. 19, 1990. I haven’t had a drink since.”

But Carter’s troubles weren’t over. In 1993 he checked himself into Hazelten, a drug rehabilitation center in Minnesota, because he was suffering from what is called Dry Drunk Syndrome, where the body is free of chemicals but the mind still exhibits symptoms. Carter said he sought help in order to save his marriage. Carter and wife Melanie, who was also interviewed for the ESPN feature, have two children. Carter said he didn’t want his children to grow up without a father.

After his Hazelten stay, Carter went on to have his best season and made the Pro Bowl.

In 1996 Carter became an ordained minister and plans to become a full-time minister after football.

After Sunday’s victory over Chicago, Carter told reporters that he and his wife decided they would share his problems to help others. “It’s really not about me, it’s about other people,” Carter said.

FUMBLE FREE

Although Minnesota’s Brad Johnson threw two third-quarter interceptions against Chicago, ending the Vikings’ turnover-free streak at 13 quarters, they still haven’t lost a fumble since a botched field-goal attempt at Arizona on

Oct. 5, a span of 17 quarters.

ONE AND OUT

How bad are the Atlanta Falcons? They’ve gone 38 games, dating to early in the 1995 season, without winning two games in a row.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE PLAYMAKERS

RUSHING

*--*

Player, Team No. Yds. TD EDDIE GEORGE, Oilers 32 122 1 JEROME BETTIS, Steelers 24 114 1 MARSHALL FAULK, Colts 18 110 0 BARRY SANDERS, Lions 15 105 1 TERRELL DAVIS, Broncos 21 104 0 K. ABDUL-JABBAR, Dolphins 23 102 2 COREY DILLON, Bengals 22 97 1

*--*

PASSING

*--*

Player, Team Att. Comp. Yds. TD GLENN FOLEY, Jets 48 25 322 1 RICH GANNON, Chiefs 50 29 314 0 BRETT FAVRE, Packers 37 18 306 1 WARREN MOON, Seahawks 45 24 295 2 ERIK KRAMER, Bears 35 23 256 1 GUS FREROTTE, Redskins 41 20 247 1 TROY AIKMAN, Cowboys 22 15 216 1 CHRIS CHANDLER, Falcons 27 19 212 1

*--*

RECEIVING

*--*

Player, Team No. Yds. TD SHANNON SHARPE, Broncos 8 174 0 ANTONIO FREEMAN, Packers 7 160 1 RICKY PROEHL, Bears 9 132 1 YANCEY THIGPEN, Steelers 6 130 1 RICKEY DUDLEY, Raiders 5 116 0 JIMMY SMITH, Jaguars 4 112 0 DEDRIC WARD, Jets 6 108 0 TONY MARTIN, Chargers 5 100 2

*--*

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--Compiled by LARRY STEWART