If We’re Vultures, Saints Are Truly NFL’s Road Kill

After the Saints had beaten the Chicago Bears on Oct. 5, Saint Coach Mike Ditka, who between coaching stints was heard criticizing a coach or two on NBC-TV, had this chummy chat with New Orleans writers:

“I would assume you think you’re my friends, but I know better. You’re not. The media is never a coach’s friend. You people are all vultures in my opinion.

“I only say that in a complimentary way. But you will pluck the flesh the first chance you get.”

It’s assumed the plucking is underway. The previously winless Atlanta Falcons beat the Saints last Sunday, 23-17.

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Trivia time: Who holds the USC record for the longest return of an intercepted pass?

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Easy for you to say: Detroit Tiger General Manager Randy Smith, on the elbow surgery of pitcher Justin Thompson: “J.T. has overcome so much, this is like an oil change.”

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Right on! The prospect of Kansas City switching from the American League to the National League isn’t appealing to some Royal fans.

“I hate the idea of going to the National League,” said Linda Hokenson, a season-ticker holder from Raytown, Mo. “Our pitchers are already bad. Now we’re going to ask them to bat, too?”

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Forgive and forget? Indiana Pacer star Reggie Miller said he has had to make one big adjustment playing for Larry Bird.

“Back in those playoff series [1991 and 1992] when I played against him, I called him a lot of names. So that’s been hard.”

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Easy pickings: What are the odds of the San Francisco 49ers not winning the NFC West Division title? Slim and none. They have a 5-1 record and the four other teams--Carolina, St. Louis, New Orleans and Atlanta--have won only seven games combined.

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Mirer is thankful: Bernie Lincicome of the Chicago Tribune, invoking the name of an obscure Chicago Bear of the mid-1960s:

“Larry Rakestraw. That’s the name. Worse quarterback than [Rick] Mirer. I knew I could think of one.”

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FYI: The NBA Toronto Raptor roster includes Tracy McGrady, 18, and John Long, 41, the youngest and oldest players in the league.

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Looking back: On this day in 1979, Willie Stargell’s two-run homer gave Pittsburgh a 4-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles as the Pirates came back from a 3-1 deficit and won the World Series.

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Looking back again: On this day in 1964, UCLA lost to Notre Dame at South Bend, Ind., 24-0.

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Trivia answer: Bud Langley, 99 yards against Notre Dame in 1936. The teams tied, 13-13, even though the Irish had 18 first downs to USC’s one and that was on a penalty.

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And finally: Coach James Phelan of Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Md., who at 68 became the winningest active coach in college basketball with the retirement of Dean Smith:

“Knowing he’s two years younger than I am, I hate to see the kid resign. It means I’ve outlasted everyone.”