European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 4, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday january 4.1990 a the stars and stripes a a Page 19 comme Tarno no no a Irish should be no. I by John e1senberg the Baltimore san Miami a had notre Dame pushed past Miami to no. 1 in the final College football polls Many in the sport s constituency would have sounded a booming chorus of dissent. Just another example of that famous Irish Bias they would have said. The Power or hype strikes again. How can the Irish finish ahead of a team that beat them so soundly during the regular season it is a difficult Point to refute certainly so difficult that few voters could do it. Miami finished ahead of the Irish in the polls released tuesday. To that unanimity of opinion i offer my own chorus of dissent. Bull feathers to you voters. If i were King i would have awarded the no. 1 ranking to the fighting Irish. They lost to Miami but they had a better season than Miami. A much better season. They played a much tougher schedule. They beat a better team in their bowl. It is time the polls slopped rewarding these cow. Ardly teams that play As few Tough games As possible instead scheduling clusters of easy wins that assure them a High ranking and of course a bowl appearance Worth millions. Let s Call that the Nebraska plan in Honor of the worst of the Many offenders. Miami was guilty this season. It played five real games. Notre Dame. Flor Ida state. Alabama. Michigan state. Pitt. Thai s nos. 2, 3,9,16 and 7 in the final associated press poll. That a not bad. But the hurricanes other seven games were no tougher than a week off. East Carolina. San Diego state. San Jose state. Wisconsin. California. Missouri. Cincinnati. Please. The hurricanes second stringers could beat those teams and worse five of the games were in Miami. They should not even count. Essentially we have a no. I team that played less than hair a season. I say that s not enough. To be a truly worthy no. 1, you should dear More hazards than that. The fighting Irish played nine bowl teams including those ranked nos. I,a,7,8, is 16, 17and t s in the final poll. They played a and beat a four conference champions. They played three of the top four independents. They played the no. 1 team in their bowl and won by 1 s. To finish with a 12-1 record is an accomplishment. The hurricanes it-1 record with a resounding loss to Florida state is virtually the same. Lou i Boltz feels his team earned no. I spot. But the accomplishment is puny by comparison. A we had the Best record and played the toughest schedule Quot notre Danse coach Lou a Lolly said tuesday. "1 Don t Sec How we can t be no. I. We played badly in one game and that s going to happen when you play so Many Tough games is no. T the Best team for one night or for the whole season Quot his tone implied Thal the answer was obvious but it is an interesting question. If All things Are equal what should the no. 1 ranking Reward the most consistent 1cam Over the entire season the 1cam that plays the Best in the biggest game the Best team at the end of the season hey those were three different learns this year. Notre Dame was the Best Riser the course of the season. Miami played the Best in the biggest game flip Best at the end it May Well have been no. 3 Florida slate which lost its first two games eliminating any Chance for a National championship but then clobbered everyone else. Obviously. I believe no. 1 should reflect the entire season. If it boils Down to one game the others Don t Mailer except As set up victories. And Thal s nol right. The Irish and hurricanes were similar in that they lost one game 1o a lop Ihrcke team but notre Dame proved itself in Many More challenging situations. Miami coach Dennis Erickson did nol have to Dally writ semantics and comparisons though. To him the lines of the Issue were clean simple Quot the Choice was Between iwo teams and one beat the other. 27-10,&Quot he said tuesday. A that s Why there was no doubt in the voters  it s hard to argue. And he May Well have the belter team. The learns running games and defences arc about equal and the hurricanes have a much better passing game which was the difference when they played. But the fighting Irish had played seven bowl teams before Miami. They were beat up burned out. Nol themselves Thal night. A we did t improve the last five weeks of the regular season Quot Holtz said. The hurricanes played three bowl teams before Noire Dame. You Don t bum it playing East Carolina you Don t get beat up playing Cincinnati. Erickson demurred of course. The hurricanes schedule was the 29th-hardest in division i according to the Mcaa. Just to compare. Colorado and Tennessee played four bowl teams. Auburn and Michigan five. Florida slate six. Miami again played five Quot our schedule Wasny tas Strong As some hut it Wasny tas weak As people think Quot Erickson said. Quot to say that that a a reason nol to vote us no. 1 is  wrong. Not ridiculous Al All. How do we know if a team is Good when in skates through More than half its season the fighting Irish had the guts to play a set of much tougher games and in a year when four teams finished with one loss that should make them no. I. Of and Lisle a i m not one of these Irish Syco Phauls waving a Pennant. I find Ihm a Little smug agree Thal they Are on television Loo much Thal their players often Are overrated. Tony Rice was nol nearly of Heisman timbre for instance in that sense i done to mind seeing them fail to get their Way. But it is nol  from Page 17 1957, Vince Lombardi won the Honor in 1959 and Dan Devine won it again in 1972 the shadows of Lombardi who guided the packers to five nil titles including wins in the first two super bowls still loom Large Over Lambeau Field and Olien Baun cd the four coaches who succeeded him a Phil Bengtson. Devine and Bart Starr. During their tenures the packers suffered through 20 years of futility making the playoffs Only twice. But Infante a the first packers coach not to have a lie to Lombardi it a relishes coaching in the throes of a legend. Quot quite frankly i think it s one of the things Thal makes Green Bay special Quot Infante said. A it it had t been for Vince Lombardi this would not be As special place As it is. A the Way i feel about it is i m just honoured to be sitting in the seat he Sal in and coaching in the City he coached in and coaching the team he made so famous. A through the two decades he has worked As a coach Infante has been a realist. He worked his was from the High school coaching ranks in Florida to College where he worked As assistants at Florida Memphis state and Tulane to the nil where he worked with Cincinnati and Cleveland. He also served As head coach of the Jacksonville bulls of the now defunct United Stales football league. But in no place has his coaching philosophy become More evident than in Green Bay. A the s taught the team How to win Quot said packers president Bob Harlan. Quot Lindy came in Here and said regardless of what seasons we had before we Are going to be a Winner. And he set Forth to accomplish  leu holds off longhorns with Jackson scoring 51 by the associated press Houston a Chris Jackson scored a season High 51 Points and helped 11 ill ranked Louisiana slate hold off a second half Texas rally for a 124-113 Victory tuesday night. Jackson s 51 equalled Thal of Suu Hern methodist s Gene Phillips As the most Ever scored against a Texas team. Phillips got his 51 against the longhorns on March 2, 1971. Jackson scored eight i Points in the first 3 29 of \ the game As the tigers 71 raced to a 16-3 Lead. They led 63-49 at half. Time. Texas 7-2which 7 never led rallied to within 84-83 with 9 42 remaining but Gol no closer. Jackson hit eight of Lsuis next 10 Points to put the tigers Back in command. Stanley Rob Chris Jacksom urls controlled the inside and contributed a career High 26 Points for the tigers. Lance Blanks scored the longhorns first eight Points of the second half and led Texas w Ith 32 Points. Travis Mays added 30. During the opening minutes of the game. Leu outscored the longhorns 12-0 in on College basketball stretch. Jackson set an Mcaa division i freshman scoring record with 55 Points to one game last season. His previous High this season was 37 Points against Southern Mississippi. In other games tuesday night no. 3 Georgetown 83, Buxton College 53 Newton. Mass. A Dwayne Bryan and Mark till Mon led third ranked Georgetown to a 17-2 Lead and the taller. Taster hoyas began their big East season by routing Boston College. Georgetown 10-0 went ahead 28-10 with 7 34 Lefi in the first half. After calling time the hoyas came out with a full court press that flustered Boston College and caused one in second viota Linand several turnovers. The hoyas were led by Mark Tillman with 18 Points. Alonzo mourning contributed 17 and Dwayne Bryant a season High 16. Boston College 6-5. 0-2was paced by Doug Able with 15 and Edwards with 11. No. 12 Ceoilia tech 86, marxist 77 Atlanta a Dennis Scott scored 26 Points including 13-Slraighl Early in the second half to Lead unbeaten and i2lh-Rankcd Georgia tech to Victory. Playing without second leading scorer Brian Oliver who missed the game with an ankle injury the yellow see College on Pace 22