19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

KICKOFF
Sir:
As usual, your College & Pro Football Spectacular (Sept. 4) had more than enough good reading for any dedicated pigskin fan: John Underwood's insights on the college game's metamorphosis, Paul Zimmerman's erudite pro picks, tasty new tidbits from Rick Reilly and Jill Lieber, and Curry Kirkpatrick's fresh perspective on the well-documented life of Joe Montana.

Unfortunately, it also included what has become your annual bozo Top 20 pick: Notre Dame, this year at No. 15. Allow me to remind you of your recent mistakes: In 1981 you had the Irish in fifth place; in 1982 you ranked them 16th; and you rated them 10th in '83 and '84. Yet in none of those four years did the Irish finish in either wire service's Top 20. I hope that your closing comment for this year—"If they don't [win eight or nine games], Faust is history"—will prove accurate. Irish football fans and SI pigskin pickers have suffered long enough.
THOMAS J. PRENDERGAST
St. Petersburg, Fla.

JOEMONTANA
Sir:
Curry Kirkpatrick's article You've Cot It Made, JoeMontana was the best I've ever read on the game's finest quarterback.

We in San Francisco have known how special Joe is for a long time, but it took Joe's demolition of Wonder Boy Dan Marino in Super Bowl XIX for the rest of the country to catch on. Joe may live in Southern California six months of the year, but when he puts on No. 16, he leaves no doubt where his real loyalties lie.
MARILYN B. POLACCI
San Francisco

Sir:
Whatever you pay Curry Kirkpatrick, it's not enough! His article on Joe Montana—er, excuse me, JoeMontana—was great. I don't usually follow the 49ers or Montana, but I always follow Kirkpatrick. His ability to make any story interesting amazes me.
THOMAS FULLER
Lawrenceville, Ga.

Sir:
Great article on JoeMontana, except for one thing: Please tell Curry Kirkpatrick that nobody from San Francisco calls it Frisco.
JEFF KIRKPATRICK
Seattle

THE GALLOPING GHOST
Sir:
Three cheers for John Underwood for his article on Red Grange (Was He The Greatest Of All Time?). I learned so much about a man I never saw play that I feel I almost know him.

Grange's humble, quiet, yet strong outlook on football, sports in general and life should be a lesson to us all. Three cheers, and more, for Red, one of the greatest men ever to share his God-given talent with the rest of us.
TED MCCANN
Petaluma, Calif.

Sir:
For those who may not be able to fully comprehend Red Grange's feats, here are some more facts and figures.

Grange was indeed a high school standout. From 1918 through 1921, Grange averaged 19 points a game for Wheaton. In his junior year he scored 255 points in eight games, a 31.9 average. These are still Illinois prep football records, as is his career PAT total of 82. In one game against Naperville in his junior year, Grange scored eight touchdowns and had 11 PATs.