They Said It

?Morris Frank, master of ceremonies at a Houston banquet, introducing John Breen, the Oilers' general manager: "He's been here since the team was founded. In fact, he can almost remember every coach's name."

?Rich Rinaldi, Baltimore Bullets' seldom-used fourth guard, discussing his bench-warming status and Coach Gene Shue's habit of offering postgame congratulations: "After we win, Gene will go around the room to each player and say, 'Way to go, Arch,' 'Way to go, Jack.' What's he gonna say when he gets to me? 'Way to clap'?"

?Fred Kern, an assistant football coach at West Point, in answer to a question about Army's possible return to the big time: "We're big time now. The first four games this year were Stanford, Georgia Tech, Missouri and Penn State. Next year we open with Nebraska. If that's not big time, I don't know what is."

?Henry Blaha, captain of the Baltimore Rugby Club, on the differences among rugby, soccer and football: "They say that rugby is a beastly game played by gentlemen, that soccer is a gentleman's game played by beasts and that football is a beastly game played by beasts."

? Stan Watts, Brigham Young basketball coach, asked if he intends to keep a pair of inexperienced 7-footers on his team: "Oh, yes. We'll really be impressive in the airports."