Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 28, 1995 TAG: 9501300037
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
``In all honesty, we'd probably have preferred Dallas or Pittsburgh,'' Frank Gifford said, discussing the San Francisco-San Diego matchup on a conference call.
``If these teams played a game of this magnitude 10 times, San Francisco would probably win eight or nine,'' said Dan Dierdorf, Gifford's fellow analyst.
Al Michaels, who will call his third Super Bowl (6:18 p.m. kickoff, WSET, Channel 13), went with a historical bent on the underdog status of the Chargers.
``The most memorable of them was Super Bowl III [when Joe Namath predicted a victory over Baltimore and then led the AFL's New York Jets to just that], and that one had the largest point spread until now.''
``So,'' wisecracked Dierdorf, thinking back in Chargers lore, ``we're all counting on Paul Lowe and Keith Lincoln to have big days.''
``And John Hadl,'' Michaels added.
It's apparent the Monday night crew of eight seasons is comfortable with working what has to be one of the toughest assignments in telecast sports. It's not difficult because about half of the nation is watching, but because the Super Bowl has become so one-sided so often.
After a Monday night season in which most games were laughers, Michaels, Gifford and Dierdorf will be prepared for what is expected to be another rout by the NFC champion at Joe Robbie Stadium in ABC's fourth Super telecast.
``Whoever would have represented the AFC in all probability, would have been prohibitive underdogs,'' Dierdorf said. ``It's the story line we're dealt, so it's the story line we'll deal with. Of course, the bigger the underdog, the more intriguing the story. We're not hung up on who's in the game. It's the AFC performance [for most of the past decade] that has been disappointing.''
At least this time, the ABC trio can concentrate on the game. The last time they called a Super Bowl, four years ago, the game was played in the shadow of the Persian Gulf War. The week of the game, Michaels, Gifford and Dierdorf were warned they could be taken as hostages, because of their visibility, should any terrorist group strike the game in Tampa.
That Super Bowl became one of the best in history, as the New York Giants survived when Buffalo's Scott Norwood missed a potential game-winning field goal at the finish. The threesome doesn't expect this game to be so competitive.
``How the Chargers will perform could depend on how successful [Chargers coach] Bobby Ross is in keeping his football team from acting like deer in the headlights,'' Dierdorf said. ``Getting there is nice, but then there's all the hoopla and that can affect a team. It could depend on whether he's convinced them there was more work to be done.''
ABC's crew saw the 49ers in the final Monday night regular-season game against Minnesota. San Francisco lost, but that hasn't changed Michaels' opinion about the club seeking to become the first five-time Super Bowl champion.
``This could be the best of all of the 49ers' teams,'' Michaels said. ``It might be the best team in the Super Bowl since the '84 Niners or the '85 Bears. There's such extraordinary talent there. I don't think we're quite ready to say it yet, but this might be the best to play in the Super Bowl.''
Gifford, who has worked Monday night games for 24 of the 25 years of the series, said San Diego's hopes to make the game exciting will be rooted in keeping it close until halftime, ``because everybody knows the Chargers have been a comeback team all season.''
He said San Diego quarterback Stan Humphries ``is a fascinating story, a guy drafted by Washington, where he rode the bench. He's a fiery guy, the kind of guy who will take a shot at it and throw long. He can surprise you. And with Natrone Means at running back, with his power, they can run the ball. If the 49ers have shown any weakness, they have shown they are a team you can run against.''
Meanwhile, today could be the biggest in Dierdorf's years in football. The former St. Louis offensive lineman is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The 1995 inductees to the shrine in Canton, Ohio - Dierdorf's hometown - will be announced today in Miami.
That might be more exciting than the game.
``If it gets one-sided, that's where we like to think our professionalism will take over,'' Dierdorf said.
SUPER STUFF: ABC's two-hour pregame show (4 p.m., WSET) will be hosted by Brent Musburger. The analysts are Dick Vermeil and Bob Griese, with Peter King and Julie Moran as correspondents. Also contributing will be Lynn Swann and Lesley Visser, who also will be sideline reporters during the game. ... Gifford's wife, Kathie Lee, will sing the national anthem at 6:09 p.m. ... Gifford did play-by-play on ABC's first Super Bowl telecast 10 years ago, as San Francisco beat Miami. His analysts were Don Meredith, Joe Theismann and Tom Landry. Gifford also worked Super Bowl I as an analyst - for CBS. ... Pat Summerall has worked the most Super Bowl telecasts, 13, eight on play-by-play and five as analyst, all for CBS. The Fox Network, which now employs Summerall, gets XXXI as its first Super Bowl in January 1997. ... Seven broadcasters have done Super Bowl telecast play-by-play - Ray Scott, Curt Gowdy, Jack Buck, Dick Enberg, Gifford, Summerall and Michaels. After Summerall's eight calls, Enberg is next with seven. ... The past two Super Bowls, each with a Nielsen rating of more than 45 (percentage of U.S. TV homes), have been seen by more than 133 million viewers. ... NBC and CBS will air basketball doubleheaders Sunday. NBC has an NBA doubleheader (noon, WSLS, Channel 10) of Phoenix-New York and Golden State-Chicago. CBS has a college twinbill (noon, WDBJ, Channel 7) of St. John's-Michigan and Kentucky-Arkansas.
by CNB