Montreal Fans Are Creatures of Habitants

Goaltender Jocelyn Thibault, who was involved in a six-player hockey deal with Chicago, was more than relieved to leave Montreal.

“I’ve been living through some kind of hell,” the 23-year-old goalie said of the ever-demanding Montreal fans. “I feel like a free man right now.

“Everybody knows you, especially when you’re a French guy from Montreal. People eat hockey there. When they sit down to breakfast, they talk hockey; when they sit down to lunch, they talk hockey; when they sit down to dinner, they talk hockey.

“And when they go to sleep at night, they dream about hockey.”

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Trivia time: What is the largest attendance for a USC-Notre Dame game?

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No respect: Even though Notre Dame has a 9-1 record after beating Louisiana State, 39-36, Skip Bayless of the Chicago Tribune isn’t impressed with the Fighting Irish.

“In the end, what this Notre Dame team does best is survive, no matter how weak the opponents may be. This team is pretty good at winning.

“Now, however, it has lost its best player, its quarterback [Jarious Jackson]. If it manages to beat a pretty average Southern Cal, Notre Dame will wind up a very average 10-1.”

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The perfect job? Baltimore Raven Coach Ted Marchibroda, wondering why some of his players are playing for themselves, not the team:

“This is the greatest game alive. What else would you rather do in life than get paid for playing ball?”

I can think of several things, Ted.

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The next Bogart? John Crumpacker in the San Francisco Examiner: “Is there a better name in the NFL than Sam Shade, the strong safety from Cincy? Perfect name for a private eye when his football career is over.”

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Doomed in dome: Rick Gosselin in the Dallas Morning News: “Indoor football is a failed venture in the NFL. Eight NFL teams have played a combined 116 seasons indoors and not one has reached the Super Bowl.

“Dome teams are 8-9 at home in postseason play and 17-40 overall.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1990, Notre Dame beat USC, 10-6, at the Coliseum. The Trojans wouldn’t beat the Irish until 1996, a winless streak of 13 years starting in 1983.

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Trivia answer: About 120,000 watched the 1927 game at Chicago’s Soldier Field. The Irish won, 7-6.

The 1929 game at Soldier Field attracted a crowd of 112,912. The Irish won again, 13-12.

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And finally: The Denver Broncos are 11-0 and threatening to join the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated and untied NFL champions.

Dick Anderson, who played safety on that Miami team, has a tradition of opening a bottle of champagne when the last unbeaten team is defeated.

“I hope somebody beats them soon,” said Anderson, who obviously is thirsty.