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Falcons tarnish
Namath’s start
ATLANTA (AP) — Joe Nam
ath’s initial start with Los An
geles was tarnished by an ex-
Ram, Leeman Bennett, who
came up with a near-perfect
game plan in his National Foot
ball League debut as coach of
the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons, picked by many
t Sports World
An AP Sports Analysis
By WILL GRIMSLEY
AP Special Correspondent
Turner’s free spirit
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Flamboyant Ted Turner is
never at a loss for words, so it wasn’t suprising when
asked which of his two toys — baseball or yacht racing —
he liked best that he should come up with a ready quip.
“The two are not mutually exclusive,” replied the
Atlanta sportsman. “You can appreciate a good sym
phony and at the same time enjoy making love to your
wife.
“Os course, for an owner, it is more fun to be a player —
to be personally and physically involved instead of looking
on in the wings.”
For Turner, the year 1977 has been the best and the
worst of two worlds. Early in the year, as owner of the
Atlanta baseball club, he drew a year’s suspension for
tampering. Then his Braves proceeded to slump into the
National League West’s cellar, one of the most inept
teams in all baseball.
On the water, it has been entirely different.
As one of the most astute sailors in the world, he took a
second-hand boat, Courageous, and skippered her to
summer victories over the Enterprise and Independence.
Now with an impressive 4-0 sweep over Australia in the
America’s Cup series over Australia, he has establishing
himself as the world’s No.l yachtsman.
He represents one of the most unique paradoxes in
sports — and one of the most fascinating.
Thirty-eight years old, rich, Hollywood-handsome,
unpredictably outspoken, Turner is one of the free spirits
of our times.
He has charmed this barnacled old seaside resort right
out of its rubber-soled sneakers.
During the series, newsmen, suffering through tedious
six-hour races, could hardly wait for the post-race in
terviews when Turner walked in jauntily, lit up an
inevitable cigar and started dropping his jagged needles.
Anti-establishment, he seemed to get pleasure out of
ruffling the starched shirts of the New York Yacht Club,
just as he levels harmless barbs at Baseball Com
missioner Bowie Kuhn.
Remarking that Kuhn had been invited to attend the
races, he added, “I hope somebody pushes him in the
water — oops, I didn’t mean that.”
When the second race on Thursday, a sure Courageous
victory, was voided because it failed to meet the time
limit, he said: “The governor of Rhode Island asked me
to let the races last as long as possible — it’s good for
business.” Then he added: “Did you ever see 11 grown
men cry?”
There’s a little bit of Muhammad All’s mischief and
“showboatism” in him. Bu. there’s nothing flaky about
his sailing.
Trying to interview the Courageous captain during his
early-morning stroll from his white mansion on Bellevue
Avenue to the docks was like catching a tornado in a paper
bag.
He was constantly in motion, greeting friends and
strangers, signing autographs, jabbering away, spitting
tobacco juice in a paper coffee cup.
Is he elated over his America’s Cup success?
“All glory is fleeting,” he said. “But it’s better to be a
has-been than a never-was.”
What now?
Turner, Courageous win
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) - At
lanta Braves owner Ted Turner
blew away Australia’s hopes for
capturing the America’s Cup
and then, with healthy helpings
of champagne and rum, got
blown out of his deck shoes.
Turner, alias “Captain Out
rageous,” “Terrible Ted” and
“The Mouth of the South,” sail
ed veteran defender Cou
rageous to a victory margin of 2
minutes and 25 seconds against
Australia Sunday and then the
celebration began.
Hundreds of yachts, sail
boats, outboards and even surf
boards with sails greeted Cou
rageous’ return to Newport
Harbor after the sleek white
hulled yacht made it four
straight in the best-of-seven
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to finish last in the NFC West,
came out of the gate in muggy,
80-degree weather to harass
Namath throughout the contest
Sunday and whip the sluggish
Rams 17-6.
“We played just like in the
preseason,” said Rams’ Coach
Chuck Knox, referring the Los
series for the cup.
Thousands of people gathered
the piers. Sailboat masts lined
the horizon, horns of every tone
and loudness tooted and blared.
Coast Guard craft provided an
awning of water from their
hoses.
Turner’s victory marked the
23rd time that the United States
has successfully defended the
126-year-old trophy and the
third time that Australia has
had a 12-meter yacht in the fi
nals and lost.
After joining the Australia
crew in a swim at his dock,
Turner walked the four blocks
to America’s Cup headquarters
with his wife and a Newport po
liceman helping him navigate.
Even with a lot of help, Turn
er kept walking out of his deck
shoes. “Ted’s the name and
baseball’s my game,” Turner
said as he wobbled down the
street with a bottle of rum
clenched in his fist.
First to arrive at the head
quarters were Alan Bond and
Noel Robins, syndicate man
ager of Australia and skipper,
respectively. Soaked from their
swim, Bond and Robins were
carried down the street by four
crewmen.
Angeles’ 1-5 record. “We just
aren’t playing good fexit ball.”
The Falcons, on the other
hand, were. Namath connected
with Harold Jackson for a 27-
yard touchdown in the opening
quarter before Atlanta went
ahead with 10 second period
points on a one-yard plunge by
Haskel Stanback and a 33-yard
field goal by Nick Mike-Mayer.
Quarterback Scott Hunter
added a one-yard scoring run in
the third period while the de
fense took care of the rest as the
Falcons snapped an eight-game
losing string to the Rams, in
cluding a 59-0 drubbing in the
final contest last season.
“Mr. Bennett, their coach,
knows us pretty well. I think
they had a heck of a game plan,
offensively and defensively,”
said Namath, who signed with
the Rams as a free agent this
season after 12 years with the
New York Jets.
“I think no matter what we’d
have done, the way they were
playing, we’d have had a tough
time,” said Namath. “They just
did a good job. I just didn’t have
a chance to throw right. They
got a guy coaching here in
Atlanta that’s a very intelligent,
very sharp football man.”
Bennett, an assistant with the
Rams for four seasons, took the
victory in a businesslike man
ner.
“I would describe the defense
as complete,” he said of his
club, which allowed the Rams
only nine first downs and 167
total yards. Namath was 15 of 30
for 141 yards and was sacked
three times for 33 yards.
“I feel just super,” said Ben
nett. “You go into a game 11-
point underdogs, you’ve got to
feel great to win... I think we’ll
all remember this one for a long
time.”
Knox also applauded his for
mer assistant, who was with
him as the Rams swept to four
division titles.
Defense
to 10-6 i
ATLANTA (AP ) — Georgia
Tech Coach Pepper Rodgers
has an answer for those who
have been complaining about
the defense.
“Well, now we’re better,” he
said, after the defense set up a
touchdown and a field goal and
led the Yellow Jackets to a 10-6
defeat of Miami of Florida Sat
urday night.
“We certainly are playing
better defense than we have in
recent years, but the thing that
helped our defense was not
making any mistakes on of
fense,” he said.
Rodgers said it takes time to
develop an offense, and “we’re
not quite there yet. It take tim
ing. We’re not blocking like we
should.”
Rodgers was upset with the
The Aussies sang strains of
“Waltzing Matilda” and, when
Turner and Courageous tacti
can Gary Jobson showed up to
face reporters, , the song
changed to “Dixie,” in honor of
Turner’s home state of Georgia.
Turner, his skipper’s cap
dripping from his dunking,
staggered inside with a grin on
his face, the bottle of rum
drained midway and a cigar
ready for action. He sat down at
the press table, plunked down
his bottle, lit the cigar after a
few misses with a match and
smiled while he puffed.
A photographer removed the
bottle and sat it along with Job
son’s rum in front of the table.
The news conference began and
was quickly interrupted when
Turner crawled under the table
to retrieve the refreshments.
“I just wished my good
friends from Australia could
play baseball like the Los An
geles Dodgers,” Turner said. “I
just want to say I have never
raced against such good sports
men as my friends from Aus
tralia.
“They are the best of the best.
They are the best of the best. I 1
just want to say, they are the 1
best of the best,” he added in his I
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Haskel Stanback (24) charges for opening in the Rams’ line to score Falcons first TD.
Clemson to enjoy
victory over Georgia
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Clem- “Basically, they just whipped
son Coach Charile Pell said his us,” Dooley said.
Tigers were going to enjoy their The Clemson win denied Doo-
7-6 victory over 17th-ranked ley his 100th victory as Georgia
Georgia Saturday. football coach, but he said, “I’m
“Our Clemson people were S° nna be around here a few
hungry, and our players were more years, and I’m gonna win
hungry,” he said. 100 S a mes.”
Georgia Coach Vince Dooley Pell who took over at Clem .
said he had no regrets about son after the Ti finished at
going for a two-point conversion the bottom of Atlantic Coast
that failed in the fmal seconds of Conference last year( saidi ..j
the game. don’t any one g ame
“I didn’t feel like we deserved makes our program, and one
to win in the first place, so I victory doesn’t make our sea
thought I’d stretch our luck to son.
see if we could win it. “We’re not a great team yet.
i leads Jackets
ivin over Miami
first half performance in which into a touchdown and a field
his team made only two first goal within a five-minute span,
downs and never advanced past Wilkes picked off a pass by
midfield. E.J. Baker and returned it nine
He said he had intended to yards to the Hurricane 34. It
verbally lash the team at half- took Tech only three plays to
time, but “by the time our as- score with quarterback Gary
sistant coaches got through rip- Lanier going the final 14 yards
ping them, I kinda felt sorry for with 11:06 left in the quarter.
then l -” A minute later, Baker sum-
It was the second straight de- bled a snap and Colbert recov
feat for Miami under new Coach e red at the Miami 21. But the
Lou Saban. Hurricane defense held at the
“The basic problem is that we three and Tech had to settle for
had big chances in the first half Mike Dassel’s 20-yard field
and we muffed all of them,” goal.
Saban said. The Hurricanes avoided a
He said he thought his team shutout in the final minute when
played well except for breaking Baker engineered a touchdown
down twice in the third quarter, drive, hitting Otis Anderson on
Tech turned a pass interception a four-yard scoring pass with 40
by Reggie Wilkes and a fumble seconds remaining. A two-point
recovery by Freeman Colbert conversion attempt failed.
best Foster Brooks immitation.
“I think everyone who wat
ched these races can appreciate
how hard we tried,’ ’ said Bond.
“I think the credit goes to
Turner, but the honor and
gallantry has to go to Noel
Robins.”
Bond said that both boats had
improved over the summer.
“But I think we’ve improved
enough to challenge in 1980,” he
BASEBALL
By The Associated Press o A
American League National League
East East
• W L Pct. GB
NYork 93 57 .620 - ..W L Pct. GB
Balt 89 60 .597 3% Phila 93 56 .624 -
Boston 88 61 .591 4% Pitts 86 65 .570 8
Detroit 69 81 .460 24 Chicago 78 72 .520 15%
Cleve 67 83 .447 26 S Louis 78 72 .520 15%
Milwkee 63 89 .414 31 Montreal 69 80 .466 24
Toronto 51 97 .345 41 N York 60 91 .397 34
West
K.C. 93 55 .628 - West
Texas 83 66 .557 10% Los Ang 91 59 .607 —
Chicago 83 67 .553 11 Cinci 80 71 .530 11%
Minn 80 71 .530 14% Houston 75 74 .503 15%
Calif 71 77 .480 22 SFran 69 82 .457 22%
Oakland 58 89 .395 34% S Diego 65 86 .430 26%
Seattle 58 93 .384 36% Atlanta 57 93 .380 34
said. “You can rest assured,
we’ll give you a fight.”
Robins, who was wearing a
wet Courageous crewman’s
shirt and a New York Yacht
Club tie, said the defenders
“were great and formidable.”
“They were just so good,”
Robins said. “But-1 don’t think
there was much difference be
tween the boats and the sails.
Page 9
We’re learning to win,” Pell
said. “I feel we’ll get better
each week.”
Clemson scored on a short
Lester Brown run in the third
quarter after Steve Fuller had
completed two passes for 31
yards in a 48-yard drive. The
Tigers took advantage of a
break when Billy Woods fum
bled a fair catch attempt and
Rick Wyatt recovered on the
Bulldog 48.
Jimmy Russell kicked the ex
tra point that eventually pro
vided the victory.
Georgia was scoreless until
Ulysses Norris caught a seven
yard Jeff Pybum pass with six
seconds remaining. The score
was set up by Norris’ 51-yartl
end around pass to Jesse Mur
ray.
The Bulldogs went for a win
instead of a tie, and failed on the
two-point attempt. Dooley
decided to try for the victory
despite a five-yard delay of
game penalty assessed on the
Bulldogs.
Showdown
Saturday
in SEC
By ED SHEARER
AP Sports Writer
Thirteenth-ranked Mississip
pi State and No. 19 Florida, the
only unbeaten teams in the
Southeastern Conference, col
lide Saturday in an early show
down that will lift the winner
into a challenging role in the
conference race.
It will be one of three confer
ence games slated following a
weekend most SEC schools
would just as soon forget.
Such favorites as No. 4 Ala
bama, No. 17 Georgia, Loui
siana State and Auburn became
upset victims and Kentucky
also lost as the conference had
only a 4-5 record in inter
sectional competition.
The other league games this
week send Auburn to Tennessee
and Alabama to Vanderbilt.
Elsewhere, Georgia visits un
beaten South Carolina, West
Virginia goes to Kentucky, Rice
is at LSU and Mississippi enter
tains Southern Mississippi.
The schedule for area inde
pendents has Miami of
Florida at Florida State,
Clemson at Georgia Tech,
William & Mary at Ixniisville,
Virginia Tech at Memphis
State, Northeast Louisiana at
Cincinnati, Northwestern
Louisiana at Stephen F. Austin
and Tulane at Southern
Methodist.
Ole Miss did the most to
soothe conference wounds Sat
urday when the Rebels ham
mered third-ranked Notre
Dame 20-13. Florida blitzed
Rice 48-3 in the Gator opener,
Tennessee handed Johnny Ma
jors his first victory at his alma
mater with a 24-18 decision over
Boston College and Vanderbilt
edged Wake Forest 3-0 on Greg
Martin’s 28-yard third period
field goal.
— Griff jn Daily News Monday, Sepfember 19,1977
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
SPORTS
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
NFL
Raiders win.
Vikings lose
By The Associated Press
The Oakland Raiders did
their thing and the Minnesota
Vikings did theirs. Like the man
said, the more things change,
the more they remain the same.
The Raiders picked up
against San Diego where they
left off last season, with the de
fense doing lethal but legal
things and Ken Stabler throw
ing touchdown passes en route
to a 24-0 whitewashing of the
Chargers. It was the same score
by which the two teams finished
the 1976 regular season against
each other.
The Vikings, meanwhile,
picked up where they left off
last January — losing. This
time it wasn’t the Raiders doing
the damage, the way they did in
Super Bowl XI. It was Roger
Staubach and the Dallas
Cowboys, by a 16-10 sudden
death overtime score. The last
time the Vikings had been
beaten at home was in the 1975
playoffs. They were victimized
by ... who else? ... Roger Stau
bach and the Dallas Cowboys.
There were some changes, of
course, in the NFL course of
things. A few teams did rise up
and shock fans and foes alike:
—The Atlanta Falcons gave
Coach Leeman Bennett a first
game present of a 17-6 victory
over Joe Namath and the Los
Angeles Rams.
The Cleveland Browns
marched into Cincinnati,
declawed the Bengals with a
ferocious defense and waltzed
out with a 13-3 victory, their
first triumph is Riverfront
Stadium in five years.
—The New York Giants went
with untested quarterback Jer
ry Golsteyn and rode his first
pro TD pass — and other op
portunistic moments — to a 20-
17 victory over the grizzled
Washington Redskins.
Oh, some things remained
very much the same — like
Tampa Bay and Seattle, whose
expansion futility of 1976 re
sumed with frustration in 1977,
punchless offenses compounded
by porous defenses. The Bucs
were beaten 13-3 by Phila
delphia and the Seahawks were
belted 29-14 by Baltimore.
In Sunday’s other season
openers it was Chicago 30, De
troit 20; New England 21, Kan
sas City 17; Miami 13, Buffalo 0;
Green Bay 24, New Orleans 20,
Denver 7, St. Louis 0, and
Houston 20, the New York Jets
0. Tonight it’s San Francisco at
Pittsburgh.
“It’s nice to get a shutout and
great to get off to a winning
start,” said Raiders Coach John
Madden. And it must have been
particularly nice to see a couple
of rookies — people the Raiders
didn’t figure to be playing —
figuring strongly in the scoring.
Rookie Lester Hayes blocked
a punt, rookie Randy
McClanahan scooped up the
loose ball and ran 18 yards to
the San Diego 13, and Stabler
cashed it in with a seven-yard
scoring toss to Cliff Branch.
Later, rookie Jeff Barnes re
covered a fumble by San
Diego’s Johnny Rodgers, and
Stabler turned it into a one-yard
TD flip to Dave Casper.
“It was a near-perfect
game,” San Diego Coach Tom
my Prothro said.
He wasn’t talking about his
Chargers.
Cowboys 16, Vikings 10
Roger Staubach, who has got
ten his lumps running with the
ball, got the okay from Coach
Tom Landry to try it against the
Vikings with the ball on the
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Minnesota four-yard line mid
way in the fifth oeriod.
He got a few more harmless
lumps — and six big points. The
Dallas quarterback, who earlier
had pitched a seven-yard pass to
Preston Pearson for a touch
down, took the firstdown snap
and took off for the left comer of
the end zone. He made it —
barely.
With a little luck, the Vikings
wouldn’t have even had the
chance to try and stop him.
After Minnesota’s Fred Cox
kicked a 35-yard field goal with
1:25 left in the fourth period to
tie it, Dallas drove deep into
Viking turf — but Efren Her
rera missed a 27-yard field goal
try with three seconds left.
All it did was prolong the
agony for the Vikes.
Falcons 17, Rams 6
“I think no matter what we’d
have done, the way they were
playing, we’d have had a tough
time,” said Namath, who com
pleted half his 30 passes for 141
yards — and lost 33 of them
when he was sacked three times
by the Falcons.
Namath threw a 27-yard
touchdown pass to Harold Jack
son for the game’s first score.
Thereafter it was all Atlanta on
one-yard TD plunges by running
back Haskel Stanback and
quarterback Scott Hunter and a
33-yard field goal by Nick Mike-
Mayer.
Browns 13, Bengals 3
Having disposed of Cincin
nati, perhaps the team to beat
this year in the American Con
ference Central Division, Cleve
land quarterback Brian Sipe
began thinking big ... that is,
BIG!
“If we win two of our next
three games, nobody can keep
us out of the playoffs,” he said
of a Murderer’s Row of sched
ule — New England, Pittsburgh
and Oakland.
It's the BIGGEST It's the BEST.
Its BOND. And BEYOND
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