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Post pattern

Oregon State has the missing section of its goal post back or at least most of it. OSU students sold 4-inch slices of the 30-foot aluminum upright that was ripped off after the Beavers ended their 15-game losing streak last Saturday with a 26-12 victory over Stanford. About 8 feet of the 30-foot post was gone when state police found it Saturday night at a party in Corvallis.

At least one student was bloodied and several fell off the goalpost as the crowd attempted to knock down the upright after the game. Students paraded the upright through campus, briefly planting it in the lawn outside the Memorial Union before it disappeared into the student housing area near campus.

Traditionally, planting a goal post has been the best way to keep the football team away.

NCAA: No Conscience At All

A lot of gamblers lost their shirts when East Carolina upset the Miami Hurricanes. Miami defensive end Kenny Holmes, however, lost his shirt the week before - as well as a lot of sleep.

Holmes’ 4-year-old wager with two pals who play for Florida State became an NCAA cause celebre when the Seminoles beat Miami. The loss cost the senior his uniform jersey, which Florida State’s Henri Crockett and Connell Spain proudly displayed after the game.

An NCAA enforcement representative read about the friendly wager and nitpicked a violation. NCAA bylaw 10.3(c) says players shall not “accept a bet on any team representing the institution.” And to the dismay of both schools, the players involved were declared ineligible - even though the wager was made before the players enrolled in college and involved no money.

“Every time something likes this happens and the public sees it, they just shake their head,” Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese said, bemoaning the NCAA’s lack of common sense.

With two schools and leagues lobbying for the players’ reinstatement, the NCAA relented. Holmes walked into the Orange Bowl for the East Carolina game past a sign for “Miccosukee Indian Gaming.”

The NCAA apparently permits advertisements for gambling.

Perhaps the nation’s athletic directors can discuss the problem when they meet in December. The site: Bally’s casino in Las Vegas.

Beats Crowd Management Services

Rotund Grand Ole Opry star Johnny Russell is notorious for running long during his segment of the country show and telling the audience that there “ain’t nobody big enough to get me off.”

Last Saturday, however, there was. When he made his customary remark, former Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus walked on stage amid laughter from the audience and escorted Russell away.

Gene Budig would put a stop to this

Here’s an Italian alternative to Roberto Alomar’s spitting incident. Striker Alessandro Veronese, who was sent off by a female soccer referee after two violations in an amateur league in Padua, responded by kissing her on both cheeks. Veronese shook Anna Di Toni’s hand before kissing her.

The last word …

“Jack Kemp, Dole’s vice presidential running mate, played football and he’s always using football analogies. Jack, I have a football analogy for you. You and Bob Dole - you guys are the Jets!” - David Letterman

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