Cardinals Hope There’s No Sequel Titled ‘Two Jakes’

Michael Bidwill, vice president of the Arizona Cardinals, commenting before rookie quarterback Jake Plummer made his first start Sunday, against the Tennessee Oilers:

“The ticket itself from Jake’s first start might be something of great value one day, like a ticket from Johnny Unitas’ first start.”

It was hardly a memorable occasion for Plummer--or a Unitas-like performance. Four of his passes were intercepted and one was returned for a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 41-14 loss.

Johnny U.’s legacy is still safe.

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Trivia time: Which odd, ongoing NFL record does Oakland’s Tim Brown hold?

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Brave talk: In full Native American regalia, including headdress, Cameron Wall, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound Cleveland fan, went to World Series Games 6 and 7 in Miami.

He said, “At least 10 guys came up to me and said, ‘If you weren’t so big, I’d kick your [rear end].’ ”

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Sickening: Of pitcher Livan Hernandez’s celebration after the Florida Marlins won the World Series, Michelle Kaufman of the Miami Herald wrote, “Joy was oozing from his sweaty skin.”

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Counting down, down: When the Indianapolis Colts were 0-7, owner Jim Irsay said that Coach Lindy Infante’s job was safe: “Right now, the boat is rocking, and we’re in pretty choppy waters, but Lindy’s got my full endorsement.”

The Colts are now 0-8 and the boat apparently is sinking.

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Kid kickers: Blackie Sherrod in the Dallas Morning News: “Goodness, most of these NFL kickers look as though they should still be throwing paper routes.”

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Clip and save: ESPN’s Lee Corso says Washington “will beat any Big Ten team in the Rose Bowl.”

Presumably, Corso doesn’t think too much of unbeaten Penn State and Michigan. He also slights unbeaten Washington State, presuming the Huskies have clear sailing to the Rose Bowl.

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Postal blues: Reader Gilbert Garcia reports that it took 8 1/2 days for a letter mailed from Redondo Beach to reach him in Pico Rivera.

The letter contained four tickets to the USC-Notre Dame game at South Bend, Ind., on Oct. 18. By the time it finally arrived Oct. 17, the frustrated Garcia already had canceled his plans to attend the game.

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Looking back: On this day in 1950, the Rams routed the Detroit Lions, 65-24. The Rams went on to win the NFL Western Conference title only to lose to the Cleveland Browns, 30-28, in the championship game.

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Trivia answer: Brown had 111 fair catches of punts at the outset of the season in a Raider career split between Los Angeles and Oakland.

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And finally: Minnesota Viking quarterback Brad Johnson, on the deflected pass he caught and ran in for a touchdown against Carolina on Oct. 12:

“I’ve got a few friends who play fantasy football and I was trying to get them double points.”