The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 39

McEnroe, Navratilova advance in 11.S, Opffi, but Boris Becker is upset by Joakim INystrom Page 3-D, THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION SECTION Spouts Tuesday, September 3, 1985 ii Dave Kindred Blocked punt is not enough in 20-16 loss By Thomas OToole SttWWrltflf ATHENS For one brief moment Monday night the Georgia magic that turns certain defeats into sudden victories returned to Sanford Stadium. Just as quickly, it left After blocking a punt to go ahead with 50 seconds remaining, the Bulldogs watched Alabama go 71 yards in five plays to pull out a dramatic 20-16 victory in the season Opener. 'Tve always felt that since I've been at Georgia we could find a way to win," said senior wide receiver Jimmy Hockaday. "But we counted our chickens before they hatched." The Bulldogs, celebrating so much after the blocked kick that they drew a 15-yard penalty on the kickoff, gave Alabama possession on its 29. After an incompletion.

Tide quarterback Mike Shula completed four straight passes, the last coming from 17 yards to Al Bell for the score with 15 seconds remaining. Georgia Junior Calvin Ruff had recovered a blocked punt to give Georgia a 16-13 lead. Terrie Webster, a redshirt freshman, made the block on fourth down at the Alabama 33. But Georgia's defense, which bottled up the Tide most of the night could not stop Shula. He passed 15 yards to Greg Richardson, 30 to Bell, 12 to Richardson and finally the last 17 to Bell, who was open across the middle.

"It was an exciting football game," said Georgia coach Vince Dooley, now 15-5-2 in season openers. "I'm pleased we hung in enough to make it exciting. But it's pretty obvious Alabama dominated the game. They deserved to win." Shula completed nine of 13 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns to Bell, a Junior college transfer. The Tide defense held Georgia to 210 total yards.

See GEORGIA, Page S-D Between the hedges, the final miracle wins One of the perils of writing on deadline, in case you were wondering, is that you must write a learned analysis of a game that might not be complete at the appointed hour. So there I was, hard at it, writing that Vince Dooley had played this one wrong, when I heard from down on the field, "Thudddd." Next I heard about 82,000 folks screaming, and so I looked up and what did the learned analyst see? Two fellows in red jerseys had blocked an Alabama punt One of the fellows in red, whom I quickly recognize as a Georgia Bulldog, was bat ting the ball toward the end zone. He had a touchdown in mind. Georgia would win, 16-13, with such a touchdown. But isn't it illegal to so bat a ball? Not that it mattered, for the officials let it go and, sure enough, miracle of miracles, Georgia had won a game it should have lost Blocked punt by Terrie Webster, touchdown by Calvin Ruff and let's run Vince Dooley for president There were SO seconds to play.

There were mad celebrations everywhere except around Bill Lewis, the Georgia defensive coach who tried to gather his guys to tell them this thing wasn't over. But what did he know? The 80,000 folks here had seen it Punt, Bama, punt This was one to press between the pages of a scrap-book. Forever sweet Not a good game for making deadline Well. Alas. Dear reader, I confess.

As I wrote the first two paragraphs here, and I am not a slow writer with the demon deadline breathing hot on my neck hairs, the cursed Alabama fellows took 35 seconds to pluck that sweet pressed rose from the pages of memory. In its place they left a martyr's wreath of thorns. They needed only 35 seconds. They needed only five passes by Don Simla's youngest son, Mike, now a hero on his own. He did the deed so quickly it seemed routine, dramatic only in its purity.

In less time than it takes to feel a tear well up in eyes, Alabama went 71 yards 9 7 iM "Kfti.A -Sfc, -f RICH AODICKSStaff Mti fWi''vi Georgia freshman Terrie Webster leaps into the air to block a punt by Alabama's Chris Mohr with 50 seconds to play. final cuts Holly, Harry among Falcons9 Holly completed 18 of 36 passes for 255 yards and a touchdown in the exhibition season. His best game came in the opener against the Redskins when he completed 11 of 21 for 189 yards, but that was primarily against a reserve defensive unit Still, he did nothing to indicate he could not run the offense, if needed. "I hope Bob Holly is available if we should have an injury," said Henning. Though Archer completed Just 16 of 44 passes for 218 yards, the Falcons still believe he has superior potential as Bartkowski's backup.

He had some third-down situations into first downs. Whether he is ready to step in on a full-time basis in case of an injury to Bart-kowski remains in doubt "I think we are thin at quarterback, and I think we are thin at defensive back," Henning responded when asked if he thought the Falcons had improved from a two-deep standpoint The departure of Harry leaves the Falcons without the third player (fourth round) they chose in the April draft. Only four of the club's 10 draft picks made the final cut They Include offensive lineman Bill Frallc (first round), See FALCONS, Page 10-D were set at 49 men, Holly, Harry, Stamps and Cason all would have remained. Reactions varied among those cut. Only Cason, a free agent who beat the odds by hanging on this long, had seemed to be a sure bet to go.

Holly appeared most perturbed with the final decision to go with Steve Bart-kowski and David Archer as the two quarterbacks. He had by far the longest meeting with coach Dan Henning of any player cut this training camp. "What Dan and I talked about I prefer stay in that room," said Holly firmly. "I played well enough to make this team; I know that" Falcons' depth chart, Page J0-D By Chris Mortenien Staff Writtr The first touchdown of the exhibition season was a 58-yard pass from quarterback Bob Holly to wide receiver Emile Harry. The thrill is gone.

The Atlanta Falcons included Holly and Harry among their final four cuts Monday to reach the NFL roster limit of 45 players. Also cut were Sylvester Stamps, an all-purpose back, and defensive back Wendell Cason. Center-guard Joe Pellegrini was placed on the injured reserve list A year ago, when rosters lasses dropped, he scramoiea 10 umes or 79 yards, and he converted seven wrecks Pirates 5-4 loss to for a toucnaown to win tus one, zu-io. Oh, my. Oh, oh my.

To have fought so hard for victory and then to have it denied so abruptly is know the aching that only the man in the arena ever knows. The" fellows in red had been marionettes en a happy string only 35 seconds earlier. Now they moved in a zombie's dead-alive walk. I looked for Bill Lewis. He wears all black so his defenders can spot him along the sideline.

He stood motionless, his black outfit now funereal where once it had been a badge of strength. Saying this, even saying Georgia played like a team that didn't believe it could lose, I still must say Alabama deserved to win. That was apparent through three quarters of a test of strength, both teams conservative, hoping the other guy would make the killing mistake. Georgia's strategy, as always under Dooley Is built on the logic of Bryant and They fought wars of attrition. Run the balL Then run some more.

Keep running because you make fewer mistakes that way. Play tough defense. You might win, 16-13, on a blocked punt in the last minute. Dooley strategy brings Dogs demise Georgia's faithful will say their heroes had no choice, that Dooley! strategy was his best hope. He has no wonderful quarterback to air it out to gazelle receivers.

By giving no unearned ground, Dooley reduces 60 minutes of combat to a five-minute drive. Anything then can happen. Agreed. True, true. We have the blocked punt to say this logic is sound, perhaps inevitable.

But to succeed at attrition warfare, an army must be equal in force to the enemy. As Alabama showed on both sides of the line of scrimmage, it came here with superior strength. Against such strength and the SEC is full of giants this year Georgia's strategy was counterproductive, even suicidal. It gave Alabama what Alabama wanted, a war in the trenches with victory going to the man who lasts the longest Yet what choice did Dooley have? His quarterbacks are young and untested. They were shaky early.

But at game's end, when it mattered most Dooley allowed Wayne Johnson the freedom of passing on every down. Four consecutive completions produced touchdown that moved Georgia, within three points at 13-10 with about four minutes to play. All Georgia needed then was a miracle. One more miracle, incredibly, that miracle came on the blocked punt But there were 50 seconds to play. There was time for another miracle.

And this one went the other way. Mahler's try for 18th win SSrjA 1 jj SOW; 0 I x. Mi. ,5 I JI Shields back in majors, Page 7-D By Gerry Fraley Staff Writw PITTSBURGH It started as something to laugh about in April By June, the idea became possible. In September, a 20-win season has become so close and real that it changes Rick Mahler.

He became a victim of 20-win fever Monday. Given a two-run lead before his first pitch, Mahler overstepped his limits in the Atlanta Braves' 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh before a gathering of 5,378 at Three Riven Stadium. He tried to finish off a dead-in-the-wa-ter, last-place team early and ended up losing the lead and the game. The pursuit of 20 wins and what it would mean to his standing as a pitcher cost Mahler a prime chance at No. 18.

"I'm sure he's thinking about 20 and trying to do more than maybe he really has to because he's been the top pitcher," said manager Bobby Wine, who has a three- game losing streak to ponder. "He didn't have his greatest stuff this time. He got hurt by his control" The truest indicator this was not the best of Rick Mahler was the sound on the mound. His grunts could be heard throughout the quiet stadium, a sign of Mahler overthrowing his fastball That is not his game. The overactive style put him in deep trouble.

By the second inning, Mahler (17-13) bad allowed seven hits and the two-run lead had become a 5-2 deficit After Mahler could not make a play on Steve Kemp's possible double-play chopper to the middle, the Pirates had runners at first and third with one out in the first inning. Jason Thompson produced an RBI single on a 2-1 pitch, and Mahler went to 3-1 on Mike Brown. Determined that he would "not walk the bases loaded I was going to go right at him," Mahler tried a fastball. It stayed too See BRAVES, Page 7-D Tha Associated Prats Rookie outfielder Mike Brown manager Chock Tanner after his (right) is greeted by Pirates three-run homer in the first inning. Bears keeping Georgia kicker Kevin Butler tomy alfcthne ScO 'AW 7 4 BEST FILE Coft AVAILABLE FOR MICROFILM'Ml?.