The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 36

n-TjrTjmi i- Vrg flinrijr Nn Wf irjr''rry Tl" 'n ynyiyyipnoi iriiii jiiihj mj 2SG FRIDAY JANUARY 27 1995 THE HERALD SUPER BOWU rTi NAMES NEWS VIEWS XxiX issue: snakes while waiting for the halftime show to begin will be able to control the snakes because otherwise we could have a truly memorable Super Bowl highlight Al Michaels: Humphries takes the snap he throws a screen pass to Hey! Patti LaBelle Dan Dierdorf: showing explosive speed Al Frank Gifford: Especially in those heels Michaels: seeing excellent pursuit here by Dierdorf: Looks like Slither Al Gifford: I understand he just shed this week Michaels: gaining on her My GOD! Gifford: You hate to see that Dierdorf: said it a hundred times: A snake in that situation should never go under a piano COMICAL NAMES UPDATE: The 49ers coming on strong are reporting injuries to and rirk STARK NAKED WOMEN CRUISE UPDATE: In a development with complex legal ramifications the ship sailed Thursday night from Fort Lauderdale with celebrity Jell-0 wrestling referee Lance Ito handlers In other words there will be enormous uncaged snakes at the Super Bowl Marosi did not seem worried about this but then again he will not be on stage with the snakes Whereas Tony Bennett will During a break I asked Bennett how he felt about working with large snakes plan to avoid he said demonstrating why he has had such a long show-business career I also asked Patti LaBelle about the snakes in fact it turned out that until the rehearsal she know there were snakes in the show she said I said she said I said and the she said I said nothing in my contract about she said in cages I said on are wearing the she said the I said mess with she said snakes come near me Patti is assuming that the handlers As we enter Super Bowl weekend it is time to forget about all the diversions distractions hype and hoopla so that we can focus at last on the only issue that in any championship contest really matters: snakes 1 found out about this issue when I attended a rehearsal for the Doritos Super Bowl XXIX Halftime Extravaganza Produced By Walt Disney Attractions The official theme of this extravaganza is: Would Be A Good Time To Take A No kidding that was last theme The official extravaganza theme this year is Temple of the Forbidden which by amazing coincidence is also the name of a new attraction at Disneyland It promises to be an excellent show although for my money there will never be a more entertaining halftime act than the one they had for the Super Bowl when US Air Force bombers flew over the stadium and attempted with limited success to for game day Crew member Craig Dennis claimed that their time in the 40-yard dash with the piano is the low although he admitted they do not have a great vertical leap Crew leader Joel Natt told me that timing is critical: The piano has to start moving at exactly the right moment or a disaster Imagine what would happen if his crew gets its signals crossed and sprints onto the field during the game Al Michaels: Young drops back looking for Rice My GOD! Dan Dierdorf: said it a hundred times: On third and long got to block the piano But that is not my big concern My big concern is snakes According to production manager Taz Marosi the halftime extravaganza will feature two major snakes: Storm who is 1 1 feet long and weighs 72 pounds and Slither who goes 14 feet and 88 pounds (no information was available on their vertical leaps) the snakes ready for I asked Marosi they he said fact they both just shed this Marosi said the snakes will not be in cages they will be draped around their hit foam targets on the field with members of the With cast No once again I am kidding unfortunately But I am not kidding about Temple of the Forbidden According to the press release this is spectacular three-scene action-packed featuring spectacular lineup of including Tony Bennett and Patti LaBelle as well as than 1000 specialty performers character actors dancers tumblcrsacro-bats jugglers gymnasts and stage Most of these personnel were not present at the rehearsal I attended which was a run-through for the stars I asked a TV camera guy named Bill who had seen a full-cast rehearsal to describe the extravaganza in his own words lot of people running he said demonstrating why he is not a press-release writer for Fnto-Lay thing he added of these people aren 't getting paid" Judging from the rehearsal I saw a major highlight of the extravaganza is when four large crew guys run up a ramp onto the stage carrying a piano Really They told me done this more than 25 times in rehearsals and they definitely feel focused and readv i On TV today 7 am Good Morning America Guests: Kathie Lee Gifford Tony Bennett 8:30 am 13 Bobby Ross news conference 9:15 am MI George Seifert news conference Another reason Young make it in baseball One year when Joe Montana was still the man for the San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Steve Young lived in tackle Harris house Barton says Young when I tell but shared an incredible anecdote about his former housemate anyway in his career Steve felt the 49ers were paying him too much because he Barton said was really uptight about that One day I went into his room looking for a pair of socks and opened up one of his drawers And in the drawer was 13 uncashed checks from the 49ers I mean it was a million worth of checks sitting in my drawer sure the 49ers were down there doing backflips over all the interest they were earning I finally told him feel safe in my house with all those so he finally cashed Said Young: sure 1 was earning my think like that Barton said running those checks to the press conference Super Bowl 6 Miami-Dallas Up Close Guests: Brett Favre John Elway Ken Norton Jr SportsCenter special edition Inside the NFL Sports Reporters with Dick Schaap NewSport Talk Guests: Richard Dent Leonard Marshall Steve Sabol Super Bowl Insider Hosts: Fred Hickman Jim Kelly Boomer Esiason Warren Moon Edge NFL Matchup SportsCenter special edition Super Bowll Packers-Chiefs Talk2 Guests: Howie Long Andre Rison Calling All Sports Super Bowl 8 Dolphins-Vikings Super Bowl 9 Steelers-Vikings 10:30 pm Associated Press PRESENTING THE SANDMEN Damon Farmer of Versailles Ky touches up a sand sculpture of ABC announcers Frank Gifford left Al Michaels and Dan Dierdorf at Joe Robbie Stadium Whatever you do remember to wear gold 11 pm IFsnI 11:30 pm HE 11:30 pm es21 Midnight HH 1 am cnn 3:30 am HE 4 am IsnI Carter gets gift for giving Vikings receiver wins Starr Award By MIKE PHILLIPS Herald Sports Writer Cris Carter broke down stopping and starting over and over again his words mixing with his tears as he was honored at the Athletes in Action Super Bowl Breakfast Thursday at the Crowne Point Hotel Carter a wide receiver with the Minnesota Vikings who set an NFL record with 122 receptions this season had to fight back the tears as he accepted the Athletes in Action Bart Starr Award wants to talk about the 122 catches the more than 1200 yards but all of that is rubbish compared to my relationship with God and Jesus Carter said nothing without Bart Starr the Hall of Fame quarterback who led Green Bay to the first two Super Bowl titles was present along with former Washington Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs the guest speaker asked Coach Gibbs if it was OK to Carter said think he said it was The Bart Starr Award is voted on by NFL players and given to the player who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home on the field and in the community Carter is actively involved with the Urban Renewal Super Challenge program He has adopted an urban elementary school where he regularly encourages youths to concentrate on academics and abstain from drugs and alcohol and promotes areas of positive attitudes nonviolence and personal responsibility Carter also teamed with William White of the Kansas City Chiefs to establish the Cart-erWhite Charitable Foundation offering a nonprofit football camp and finances for preparatory college exam courses to underprivileged youth Previous winners of the award are Steve Largent (1989) Anthony Munoz (1990) Mike Singletary (1991) Reggie White (1992) Gill Byrd (1993) and Warren Moon (1994) and grabbed their room keys but Brien had to wait in line He was cutting the curfew close to begin with and the line extended past curfew guess too normal and too he said I wear enough San Francisco 49ers rookie kicker Doug Brien 24 missed curfew Monday night only because the clerks at the front desk of the Airport Hilton the hotel believe he was a player This is an ongoing problem The rest of the players walked right up Brien Shanahan: Raiders should have done better this season Mike Shanahan the San Francisco offensive coordinator suggested the Los Angeles Raiders personnel should have produced a better record under owner Al Davis and Coach Art Shell Raiders have the best personnel in the Shanahan said reflecting one common NFL view He and the others who share that opinion hold that Raiders leadership evaluates talent effectively but make the most of it The way Shan- Better? ahan sees it the San Diego Chargers who are playing in the Super Bowl at Joe Robbie Stadium on Sunday are less gifted than the Raiders Davis declined comment but one of his employees questioned whether Shanahan is the least biased of the available critics of the Raiders who fired him in 1989 after 20 games as their coach Another Raiders employee said: never was a good judge of They said it 49ers CB Deion Sanders when asked if he would like to play baseball for the Giants: I love the Reds As a matter of fact Reds owner Marge Schott paged me yesterday She just wanted to wish me good Stanley Richard San Diego free safety on how to stop the 49ers: quick passing game is 25 percent of their game plan so you concentrate on eliminating the quick pass Next you concentrate on shutting down Richard the run about 30 to 40 percent of their offense You have two things to concentrate on that are more than half their offense Then you have the deep pass which is about 10 to 15 percent of their offense If you shut down one thing they do well take that out of the offense and concentrate on something else you have a good chance to win the John Carney Chargers kicker on the attention being paid to the team: because so many people care but not so good if trying to go through the Chargers tackle Harry Swayne on Coach Bobby Ross: very approachable He seem like a coach more like a family guy like your MEETING FANS Hall of Fame linebackers Willie Lanier left and Ray Nitschke sign autographs for fans at Planet Hollywood on Wednesday Planet Hollywood events Deion Super Prime Time Shootout: Celebrity basketball exhibition 8 pm Golden Panther Arena $20 reserved $15 general admission 348-2903 NFL Experience: Features more than 50 interactive games attractions and entertainment Free autographs from NFL players (call 1-800-619-4635 for updates on player appearances) 10 am-IO pm Joe Robbie Stadium $12 at the door or $9 adults $6 children in advance Ticketmaster Rockin the Bowl: Performing will be Chuck Berry Nik and the Nice Guys Former NFL players Mercury Morris and Manny Fernandez will sign autographs 4 pm Bayfront Park Free 358-7550 Shula Salutes Luncheon: Proceeds benefit the Don Shula Foundation for Breast Cancer Research Terry Kirby signs autographs 6-8 pm Don All-Star Cafe 15255 Bull Run Road Miami Lakes Free 821-1150 Super Bowl Committee Fun-Fest: Includes Coca-Cola Road Trip a corporate exhibition and concession areas official NFL merchandise tents and main stage concert attraction 11 am-ll Bubier Park Fort Lauderdale Free 930-7295 SuperCcllossal and Taste of the World Festival: Taste the World food booths Performances by Johnny Rivera and Orchestra Macambila and Orchestra noon-midnight Orange Bowl $29 Ticketmaster Touchdown Town: NFL player appearances and autograph session live music and entertainment food and more Noon-11 pm Bayfront Park Miami $2 adults kids free 371-2653 Largest Super Bowl arty Hosted by Dan Marino Ronnie Lott and Marcus Allen Broward County Convention Center 5 pm-2 a $12 at the door $10 in advance Ticketmaster or group sales 537-3467 Saturday Super Soul Bash: Dancing soul-food buffet Bands include Edward Robinson and the Instant Sensations Richard Strachan combo 6 pm-l am Omega Activity Center 15600 NW 42nd Avenue adjacent to Florida Memorial College $30 per person 681-3236 7 1 Here are the local sports highlights from the home towns of the Super Bowl teams courtesy of The San Diego Union-Tribune and The San Jose Mercury News Love Boat sails without me Honey you would have been proud I skipped the most talked about event of this Super Bowl week The Love Boat of the set sail without me No sir when I heard this a sanctioned NFL event I avoided it like the local alligators do shoe stores This ship of ill-repute named the Platinum Plus Casino Cruise had unnerved Paul Tag-liabue as much as a call from Al Davis So when turned his thumbs down on this voyage to the unknown I did likewise Instead I spent a quiet evening trying to do the impossible getting seated at Stone Crab before breakfast JAY PARIS Foils hdkoxe Califjomii USA SAN CSEGO Aussie3 launch new boat fl The Australian syndicate launched a new boat on Thursday Australia Day The boat which has not been named yet is the second in Cup competition Southwest High School running back Damon Washington and Oceanside wide receiver Will Layne committed to Colorado State Scoreboard college basketball San Diego State vs Wyoming late Thursday SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA Sharks over 500 The San Jose Sharks won their second game of the season 4-0 over the Jets late Wednesday the first time in franchise history been over 500 farther than two games into the season fl The University of California received a commitment from one of the top quarterback prospects in the country Mike Murphy of Aptos High School in Santa Cruz County fl The Mitty High School basketball team remained unbeaten in its league with a 59-48 victory over Leland moving into sole possession of first place in the Blossom Valley Athletic League North County Blade Citizen San Diego County iMllJl Wife.