Cheap Seats
Philosophy of winning all but the big one
From his first game as coach of the Buffalo Bills 12 years ago, Marv Levy was a teacher with a message - or lots of messages - as those he coached will attest.
“He should have been an advertising director, he could make a slogan for anything,” former special teams star Steve Tasker said after Levy followed him into retirement Wednesday.
From his first game with the Bills, a 16-12 win over Pittsburgh at Rich Stadium, Levy said he tried to promote “philosophical ideas.”
“The goal was to get them to be unselfish and rely on the other players,” he said then. “Winning didn’t need to be the goal. Winning will come if you do all the other things.”
Apparently, the philosophy doesn’t apply to winning the Super Bowl.
He can’t take it, but he sure can dish it out
The contrast in coaches is so stark that even television has caught on. At the Citrus Bowl’s Kickoff Luncheon, where the Orlando, Fla., locals get to eat, drink and be merry with the participants, ABC play-by-play announcer Brad Nessler had this to say:
“I always think of Joe (Paterno) as a meat-and-potatoes type guy. You think of a basic staple, something everyone likes, something that sets well with everyone. That’s Joe Paterno. That’s Penn State.”
And then there is Florida and Steve Spurrier.
“I guess Steve is an acquired taste, like hot Mexican food. It gives some people indigestion, really spices things up and the next day you don’t know what hit you.”
Spurrier, who can dish out the mirth but is not so willing to take it, fired back.
“When I was at Duke, Brad was just a young broadcaster trying to get started in the business. I asked him if there was one person you would model your career after. He told me, ‘The guy I want to be just like is Marv Albert.”’
No man would dare kiss the Bus
Jerome Bettis, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ powerful running back, visited an elementary school in the city and was peppered with questions, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. A sampling:
“Has (coach) Bill Cowher ever kissed you?”
(The emotional Cowher has been known to kiss players coming off the field.)
Replied Bettis: “No. Bill Cowher has not kissed me. I would be the first one to tell you. He has not kissed me. And he will not kiss me.”
Let’s hope he doesn’t call him Mickey Martini
Joe Knowles in the Chicago Tribune: “The Cubs continue to make efforts to improve by trading for Phillies second baseman Mickey Morandini.
“Best of all, Harry Caray gets plenty of time to begin practicing assorted mispronunciations.”
The last word …
“You don’t see much smoke from barbecues because they don’t have many barbecues. This is a finger-sandwich-martini crowd, not much substance but swell in style.”
-Joe Falls of the Detroit News commenting on tailgating at the Rose Bowl.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo