The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 50

oinrvrPORT-no'irw The Timen Gary Johnson would rather he just 'Hands'. By DAVID LEON MOOKE Gannett News Service SAN DIEGO Gary "Big Hands" Johnson would just as soon drop the "Big" from his nickname now. "I'd rather people Tust call me 'Hands' instead of 'Big he said. "The nickname was pretty good when I was younger; I had something going for me. But now, as an adult, 'Big Hands' doesn't sound too good." However, it probably will remain.

If nothing else, it serves as a reference point for his family his wife Alice "little Hands" Johnson and his 2-year-old son Gary Lynn Johnson aka "Tiny Hands." Also, the nickname will probably- stick, even though Johnson doesn't have the largest hands on the San Diego Chargers, because of the way NFL quarterbacks feel when they get wrapped up by this 6-3, 252-pound Charger defensive tackle. was seeing stars and I had vibrations in my toes," is how Philadelphia's Ron Jaworski described getting hit by him earlier in the year. Jaworski is in good company. Johnson had 17' 2 sacks in the regular season, highest total in the NFL. "I love zeroing in on the quarterback," he said.

"It's like going deer hunting. You can see the big buck. "I especially love (a sack) when it's solo. Vou don't have to hear anybody saying, 'A piece Is Johnson occasionally has to surrender a piece, however, seeing as he is just one-fourth of perhaps the best defensive line in the NFL. He and mates Fred Dean and Louie Kelcher have been named to start for the AFC.

in the Pro Bowl first time in NFL history that three linemen from the same team will start. End Leroy Jones is no slouch, either. "We've got a lot of talent up front, and our line coach Jerry Smith has been a tremendous coach for us," he said. Some observers say that Johnson is playing better than any defensive tackle in the NFL right now. A four-year letterman at Grambling, he was named outstanding lineman in the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.

Professional football was a different matter, although he did move into the starting lineup his rookie season. First of all, he was playing for a loser. Second, he says he wasn't really playing that well until 1977, his third year. Not coincidentally, that was the year Jerry Smith came to San Diego from Baltimore, where he Colts' front four led the NFL in sacks with 59 In 1976. In 1976, the Chargers had 28 sacks.

The next year, under Smith, they had 44. Since then, the Chargers have improved steadily, as has the defensive line. In the 1980 regular season, the Chargers led the NFL with 60 sacks, led by Johnson's 17Vi. Next was Jones with 12, Dean with 104, and Kelcher and reserve Charles DeJurnett with 5Vz. "We were just greenhorns back several yearsigo," Johnson said.

"When Smith came in, everything turned around for us and we've just become better and better." Usually, it is the ends who get the most quarterback sacks, but Johnson's extreme quickness has allowed him to consistently get around double-teaming. "Vou don't nave to be double-teamed if you don want to be," he said. "You can just go away from it." Which is what Johnson does. Of course', that leaves a hole in the line, but he said the experience the front four has playing together compensates for If he vacates his spot, someone else will fill it. "There's no tellin' what you might fee)' after a stock," he said.

"There are so many good feelings rushing through your body. "I don't hate quarterbacks but 1 like: them because they can hurt you. The quarterback the deadliest player. If he's not running around, he's sitting pretty in that pocket and throwing big passes." 1UQR1 Landry vs. Vermeil: as day, night 4 1, A Sushi4' (J I fg 1 a I Jj Diek Vermeil By HAL BOCK AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) As they stand on opposite sidelines at Sunday's National Football Conference championship game, there is more than just a football field separating the two coaches, unflappable Tom Landry of the Dallas Cowboys and intense Dick Vermeil of the Philadelphia Eagles.

They are opposites, with different styles in the dressing room and on the field. They represent different eras in football, one an innovative traditionalist who is the senior coach in the National Football League, the other a relative newcomer who brings to his job the enthusiasm of the college game. Landry is the elder statesman, the only coach the Cowboys have had since the franchise was formed in 1960. Vermeil is a member of the new breed, a fresh face lured out of the comfort of the college coaching ranks to orchestrate the revival of the Eagles. In style, they are like day and night.

Landry rarely shows emotion, even in the most exciting situation. During Dallas' pulsating three-touchdown comeback against Atlanta in last Sunday's playoff game, his expression never changed. He seems impassive on the sidelines, never exhorting his players on a particular pass or run but preferring to plot out strategy for the next maneuver. He always seems a play ahead of what's going on on the field and sometimes, it seems, he might be a full series of plays ahead. Vermeil is a cheerleader, pacing the sidelines madly, shouting at his team and sometimes at the officials.

Last week, when a controversial call went against the Eagles. Vermeil pursued the back judge, waving a rule book and a Polaroid photo of the play in question. It was in perfect character for him. Similiarly, an important call went against Dallas the next play when an apparent touchdown catch in the end zone was ruled incomplete. There was no ranting or raving at the officials by Landry, who was content to plan the next play instead of arguing.

"There's no use talking to officials," he explained. "That's a waste of time." But Landry denies the placid image that people attach to the man in the snap brim hat. "The biggest misconception about me is that I'm unemotional," he has said. "I'm not a cheerleader, but I do feel the excitement. You see, concentration is the most important part of my job on the football field.

If you're going to do something constructive in a game from a coaching standpoint, you must be completely engrossed in what's going on, not in the emotions of the game." Unlike Landry, Vermeil wears his emotions for everyone to see. After a game, he looks every bit as worn as his players. Last week, when the Eagles beat Minnesota easily, the players hoisted Vermeil on their shoulders in the best tradition of a college team. After scoring two touchdowns in the final four minutes to beat Atlanta, the Cowboys did not try to carry Landry off the field. They knew better than that.

Vermeil is considered a workoholic by some observers. During the football season, he often stays overnight in his office at Veteran's Stadium, avoiding commutation headaches and giving himself extra time to study films and formulate game plans. He is 44 years old and has been coaching football at either the high school, collegiate or professional level since 1960 the year Landry coached his first Cowboys' game. Vermeil served as an assistant with the Los Angeles Rams under three head coaches George Allen, Tommy Prothro and Chuck Knox, but did not gain widespread attention until his UCLA team beat No.l-ranked Ohio State in the 1976 Rose Bowl. Leonard Tose, owner, of the Eagles, and his general manager, Jim Murray, were hunting for a head coach at the time and watched the Rose Bowl together on television.

By game's end, Vermeil was their No.l choice, and he signed a five-year contract (later extended) on Feb. 8, 1976. For three years, Vermeil struggled without benefit of a full draft, paying off trades which preceded him to Philadelphia. It slowed the Eagles' reconstruction but Vermeil persisted, carefully using the choices he had and picking up an occasional free agent. By 1978, he had the Eagles in the playoffs and now he has them playing for the NFC title.

Landry, 56, began his coaching career as a defensive assistant with the New York Giants in 1956 after ending a seven-year professional playing career. A native of Texas. Landry was chosen as coach of the expansionist Cowboys in 1960. He had a rocky start, as Dallas managed only one tie and 11 losses in 12 games that season. There were five straight losing years before the Cowboys reached .500, going 7-7 in 1965.

In his first six years as coach, Landry's record was an undistinguished 25-53-4. Then Dallas turned the corner. Starting with a 10-3-1 mark in 1966, the Cowboys have logged a regular-season record of 159-55-2. With 184 career victories, Landry stands third among all NFL coaches, trailing only the legendary George Halas, who won 320 games in 40 years with the Chicago Bears, and Curly Lambeau, (231 in 33 years with Green Bay, the Chicago Cardinals and Washington He has taken the Cowboys to the Super Bowl five times, winning world championships at the end of the 1971 and 1977 seasons. Now he is trying for the brass ring again.

But first he must beat a team which last won a championship in 1960 the year Landry's first Dallas team finished 0-11-1. (Times photo by Mike'Silvj) Byrtl's Kenneth Lyons flys high Jurkt't slur is avrruainf! over 25 points a game Lyons, Byrdmen don' fiddle around Tom Landrjr, Coryell vs. Flores: styles, personalities differ vqMtly tut a later start than most of the other players on the team because he also played football. "I missed a couple of games, and I was playing in some pain, but it (the shoulder) hasn't been bothering me hardly any lately. I started a little behind because of football, but I was going over the plays when they were practicing.

So when I started, 1 knew most of the plays and it didn't take me long to catch up." While Lyons and Randall don't have any trouble putting the ball in the hoops, both like to play defense. "We've got to play tough defense," Lyons said. "Defense can help you win games and if vou play good defense, then your offense will take care of itself." "We try to play a tough, quick defense," Randall said, "and you can't forget about defense. We don't like to give the other team good percentage shots and we try to play good defense and to shut them down." Randall admits things are starting to fit into place for the Yellow Jackets. "We've been getting our stuff together lately and we're really starting to roll as a complete team," he said.

"Everybody on this team has a job to do and we all try to do it the best we can." Dependence plays a key role. "We depend on each other as a team and we all depend on Jesus," Thrash commented. "That's been the two things which have really pulled this team together. We're a close-knit team and we pray about it. The praying has helped us, too." Dedication and an endless desire to win are two more team assets.

"This team just won't quit." the Byrd coach stated. "I've never seen them just give up and they're always fighting until the final buzzer." Winning is fun, but the Jackets don't take kindly to losing. "These kids hate to lose." Thrash said. "They really hurt when somebody beats them. "One time we lost a close game and there wasn't a dry eye on the bus.

Everybody was shedding tears because this team puts so much into every game. It really hurts them to lose." If you beat Byrd once, don't think you're going to beat them the second time because the Jackets like revenge. "We lost by four points to Wood-lawn and we can't wait to play them again." Lyons explained. We're looking forward to playing them and maybe this time things will be in our favor." So while Charlie Daniels may be fiddling his soul out against the devil, Kennfh Lyons and the Byrd Yellow-Jackets will settle for victory on the hardcourts. And that's no fiddling on the roof, either.

By RICK THOMAS Times Sports Writer Sorry Charlie Daniels, but Byrds Kenneth Lyons doesn't fiddle around when he's on the basketball court. Better forget the jam session, then. simply does his job and does if well. He can sink a shot from almost anywhere on the court and he's a good leaper who can control the boards. 'Lyons, a 6-3, 185-pound senior, is averaging over 25 points while pulling down 12 rebounds per contest.

What makes it more astonishing is that those two statistics aren't his most valuable assets to the Yellow Jackets as a team. of his biggest assets to our team is his passing ability," said Byrd coach Charles Thrash. "He gives the ball up unselfishly. He hits the open man if someone has a better shot than he does. "He's a team-oriented player and his unselfishness helps our team because the other players don't mind giving the ball to him if he's open.

And that's one of the reasons we've been successful this year." Finding the open man is where Byrd excels as a team, according to Thrash. And Lyons agrees. "We just keep breaking across and keep moving until somebody gets open," Lyons said. "We have to keep working for the good shot. We play as a team and they'll get it to you if you're open." Lyons is the Jackets' explosive threat and the standout has already tied a school mark with 42 points in a single game.

He's gone over the 30-point mark several times and he finds himself double-teamed almost every game. "It makes me play harder when I'm double-teamed." Lyons said. "I know it's going to be harder to get open with two people on me and I ve got to be moving more. And if two guys are on me, then we should have somebody open. I try to find that open man and take advantage of the double-team." Byrd has posted a 12-7 record this yeaf, which has included a six-game winning streak at one time.

And although Lyons is a key power supply, Byrd uses 10 players and the team concept is stressed. Another key player in Bvrd's lineup is quick Roderick Randall, a 6-1, 180-pound senior. Randall is averaging 16.1 points while also pulling down around 12 rebounds per game. "I don't know how he does it. but Randall always seems to be able to get open," Thrash said.

"He can find tfce open spots every time and he's a tongh player across the baseline, lie's a pretty good shooter, too." 'Randall is just now returning to full strength after injurying his sfioulder earlv in the season. He also J. Tom lores for absent-minded behavior, especially during football seasons. He once arrived at the San Diego State campus with a gaftege can in the trunk of his car. fb remedy the problem, his wife pinned reminders to his underwear each morning.

"I guess I have tunnel vision," he says. "Ask me about a game a week or two ago, and I probably won't remember ho we played." His teams seldom forgot how to score, and it's hard to imagine a Coryell-coached team in a 0-0 game. A former San Diego State defensive coach Coryell- once told him, "If you ttnen't sapped those guys in let 'em score. I want to seVjsDme poiSts on the board." Coryell, a Slaved football for Washirtgon after serving in World War JJvtiJid he egan coaching on the hfghSschool in 1951. Flores.

from CaljJeTnia's agricultural San rs the NFL's first Mexic'anvAmericaif head coach, and Oakland quarterback Jim Plunkett has the same heritage. "I'm proud of my heritage." Flores says. "But I'm not here to be a Mexican coach. J'm here to be a coach." Flores looks back fondly to the San Diego game about three months ago. "That probably the turning point of our seasotp' -Flores said of the Raiders' 38-24 Victory over the Chargers, a hich ajenged an earlier 30-24 oveftjijie loss to San Diego.

"We had our backs to the wall (Oakland went with a 2-3 record we had ju, lost our No. 1 quarterback (Dan Pastorini had sustained a broken leg the previous Sunday against Kansas City and we were playing one ttfce hottest teams in the league iSan Diego was 4-D won. got imr confidence back and started Tolling." "I don't know ij it's destiny." Flores said, "but we-believe if they'll just let us on fil'ld. we'll find a wav to win." By NORM CLARKE AP Sports Writer SAN DIEGO (AP) Don Coryell, a former paratrooper, stalks the sidelines as head coach of the San Diego Chargers with the loneliness of command intensely etched on his face. Tom Flores came down from the press-box level, where he was stationed as an assistant coach with the Oakland Raiders, to take command on the sidelines as head coach in 1979.

Television viewers of National Football League games now recognize his face, which usually carries the deadpan expression of a good cardplayer. One of the coaches, the winner in Sunday's American Football Conference championship game, will be taking his team to Super Bowl XV. Flores has been there before, as a backup quarterback with the 1970 Kansas City Chiefs and as an Oakland assistant in Super Bowl XI. Coryell and the Chargers have never been to the Super Bowl. The Chargers and Raiders have contrasting styles.

San Diego's pass-ariented offense will be matched against one which would still rather control the ball on the Flores and Coryell seem to differ vastly in personality, as well. Flores, 43, appears impassive and always under control, especially in contrast to former Raiders Coach John Madden, who is replaying his old sidelines histrionics on a television beer commercial these days. "I'm not a screamer or yeller, but I can get' my point across," Flores said after Al Davis, the Raiders' managing general partner, picked him to succeed Madden. "The first year I was an assistant, we won a game with a play we sent in from the pressbox. and I leaped up and hit my head on the concrete and almost knocked myself out," said Flores.

giving another reason for his relative calm now. "That's not me. John released his emotions in a different way than I release mine." 'I'm not a screamer or yeller but I can get my point Tom Flores 'The only way you can beat a superior opponent is by throwing the Don Coryell Excitable and feisty, Coryell's teams mirror his animation and motivation. A winner at every level, Coryell is revered as a saviour in San Diego. At San Diego State, he reversed an 0-6-2 team into a 7-2-1 winner and went on to develop one of nation's most explosive passing games during his 12-year tenure.

At age 49, after compiling a 127-24-3 college record, he landed an NFL job by writing a personal letter to the owner of the St. Louis Cardinals, Bill Bidwell. In his second year at St. Louis, he was named NFL Coach of the Year after taking the Cards from consecutive 4-9-1 records to 10-4 and a playoff berth. "The only way you can beat a superior opponent is by throw ing the ball," Coryell said.

Five years later, after 10-4. 11-3, 104 and 7-7 seasons, he was out of a job because of a falling out with Bidwell over differences in drafting authority. Coryell was still idle when the 1978 season started, in limbo when Bidwell refused to release him from his contract without getting a high draft choice in return. When the Chargers got off to a 1-3 start, team owner Gene Klein paid the price and replaced Tommy Prothro with Coryell. The Chargers have led the NFL in passing two straight years, breaking six all-time records this season behind quarterback Dan Fouts.

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