THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 9, 1994 TAG: 9409090748
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Aiming high: If we must take football rankings seriously, let's hope the loser of Saturday's game between third-ranked Notre Dame and sixth-ranked Michigan is not punished too badly by the pollsters. Teams should be encouraged to play strong schedules, not penalized for it.
Add schedule: Says Penn State coach Joe Paterno: ``If you don't have competition, what in the world are you playing for?'' In the case of Nebraska, that elusive national championship.
TV timeout: Once again, some of the local sportscasters are butchering the names of foreign tennis players competing at the U.S. Open. Can you imagine news anchors stumbling over the pronunciation of the names of foreign heads of state or U.N. delegates? They wouldn't last a week. Sportscasters should bring the same level of professionalism to their craft.
Fill in the blank: Andre Rison gave us a look inside the head of the MTV-generation jock when, just before boldly predicting that his Atlanta Falcons would win Sunday's game, he asked a reporter whom the Falcons were playing.
Backlash: PGA golfer Hale Irwin, on the type of gallery that follows John Daly: ``They don't know anything about golf.''
History lesson: No matter how quickly his Cowboys get out of the gate this season, Barry Switzer has a long way to go to match his 29-0-1 start at Oklahoma.
Still a bear: NBC must see something it likes in Mike Ditka. Maybe it's his bluntness. If Deion Sanders really wants $32 million to sign, Ditka said last Sunday, ``he can sell off some of his jewelry.''
In passing: Sooner or later, Redskins coach Norv Turner is going to have to develop a mean streak.
Going, going, gone: Let's stop the charade. Monica Seles isn't coming back to tennis. If Jennifer Capriati joins her in premature retirement, the next generation of girl phenoms will have a clear path to the top.
Net results: Predictably, Andre Agassi, the gaudy underachiever, is getting all the attention at the U.S. Open, though it is Todd Martin, his semifinal opponent, who has had the better year, reaching at least the semifinals of three of the four Grand Slams.
Odd couple: The prime-time attention given to Americans Murphy and Luke Jensen at the U.S. Open makes you wonder how popular these gonzo doubles players would be if their games were as memorable as their clothing.
Reaching back: During the baseball strike, Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina has been home in Montoursville, Pa., helping coach the local high school football team.
God-fearing network: CBS has decided not to air the Prince racket commercial showing ``God'' playing tennis. It's in bad taste, complains the Eye. As if a TV network would know anything about taste.
The next thing: The time and score inset on Fox's NFL broadcasts is a must in the age of channel surfing. All the networks should use it, for basketball, too.
Relic: Syracuse has a linebacker by the name of Dan Conley who will turn 24 next month and is beginning his sixth year at the school. It's rare when a player receives six years of eligibility, but then, Conley has had nine knee operations.
Picture story: If you wonder why more moms and dads don't let their sons play football, think about that grisly TV shot of Napoleon McCallum's knee bending backwards.
Elegance: The Cowboys and 49ers do more than win, they win with style. The NFL suffers from a shortage of real style.
Quick hit: There needs to be a law requiring all college football games to be played at 1 p.m. on Saturdays. by CNB