THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 13, 1996 TAG: 9609130799
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
LENGTH: 61 lines
The real deal: In a ranking that matters, Duke is No. 4 in the nation behind Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Football? Soccer? Swimming? Debate team? No, it's the annual ratings by U.S. News & World Report magazine of America's best universities. The ACC features three other schools in the Top 25 - U.Va. (21), North Carolina (24) and Wake Forest (25).
Letter perfect: So what are we to think now? That the N on the side of the Nebraska Cornhuskers helmets is an ad for NASCAR? And all this time, I thought it stood for ``Nowledge.''
Reality check: Had Virginia Tech not just gone to three consecutive bowl games, and if the football team was still struggling to get into the Top 25, don't you think the recent player arrests and publicized allegations of rowdiness would be used as ammunition by Frank Beamer detractors? Winning, in other words, is the great deodorant.
On second thought: What about the quick start by the North Carolina Tar Heels football team? An example of overachievement? Or a simple case of one of Mack Brown's teams finally playing up to its talent level? I choose the latter.
Back to the future: After losing to Wake Forest, Northwestern is Northwestern again.
Punch line: According to Jay Leno, the New York Jets' new slogan is, ``Let's get ready to fumble!''
Ring ripoff: Mike Tyson pushover Bruce Seldon is a graduate of the Greg Louganis school of diving.
For what it's worth: Euphemisms rule sports coverage. As often as not, ``hard-fought'' games are ragged exhibitions.
Close call: One effect of Notre Dame's narrow victory over Vanderbilt is that now maybe people will believe Lou Holtz when he poor-mouths the Irish chances.
Encore: After all is said and done, a rerun of the Braves-Indians World Series is most likely ... and probably most welcome.
Screen gem: Presumably, Denzel Washington will proceed with plans for a movie about Dwight Gooden, but with Doc posting an ERA of 12.54 in his last five starts, maybe the producers should hold off on filming the final act.
Cha-ching: In 1978, the first year the U.S. Open was played at the National Tennis Center, the men's and women's singles champions each collected $38,000. For winning this year, Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf took home $600,000 apiece.
Futurewatch: Don't remember who suggested it, but when the Houston Oilers move to Nashville, they should change their name to the Tenn. Commandments.
Coming attraction: On the first slow news day this fall expect Magic Johnson to announce another comeback with the Lakers.
TV titans: Pro wrassling must be jealous of figure skating and now gymnastics for adopting its phoniness and glitzy theatrics in order to rule the tube.
Just asking: If KISS can make a comeback, who are we to count out Sugar Ray Leonard?
Numbers game: At 71, the Buffalo Bills' Marv Levy is the second oldest coach in NFL history next to Papa Bear George Halas, who retired at 72. Something tells me Rich Kotite poses no threat to either longevity mark.
Go for it: Brett Butler should not play another season because he deserves it, but because baseball's fans want it.
Quick hit: Don't care what anybody says, it's RBIs, not RBI. by CNB