European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday january 30. 1990 the stars and stripes Page 23 three time super bowl map Joe Montana Rolls out sunday while wailing for a receiver to come open. Montana Good not Best by Dave Anderson new Orleans not with their 55-10 rout of the Denver Broncos in super bowl xxiv Joe Montana and the san Francisco 49crs answered All the questions except the two that can never be answered with certainty in pro football history is Montana the Best Quarter Back and arc these 49ers the Best team to raise those questions. Montana and the 49crs had to be Superb sunday in the Louisiana super Doc. And they were. Montana s record five touchdown passes sliced the Bronco defense that had allowed the fewest Points during the regular season. Of their performance it s understandable to rave thai both Montana and the 49crs arc the Best Ever. But it s not that simple. In these super bowl playoffs it s As if Montana has been pulling on a passing clinic. As the Best Quarter Back of his Era. He surely deserves to be listed with the Best of other eras Sammy Baugh and Sid Luckman. Otlo Graham Johnny Unitas. Bart Starr. Joe Namath Roger stau Bach and Terry Bradshaw. But better no. Why not because any Quane Iback is Only As Good As the rules and the Quality of both his team and the opposition permit him to be. Under the current rules that prevent defensive backs from bumping pass receivers Montana and All the other current quarterbacks have an Edge on passers of the past. Dan Marino remember threw 48 touchdown passes for the Miami dolphins during the 1984 season a total never approached in previous eras. If the dolphins had not skidded As a super bowl contender. Marino might be the quarterback everybody is talking about. As the 49crs soared to three super bowl championships Over the last six seasons Montana has soared in stature. All the Best quarterbacks have been Fortu Nate enough to be on the Best teams. Just As All the Best teams somehow have been Fortu Nate enough to possess the Best quarterbacks. In the evolution of the quarterback Montana is per commentary i seven great ones by of new Marti times 8f whom on to touch to tiny i wit of most of Tfir of n Lumi. Lum or nt4na s feb -idsa1, Pittsburgh u in bait Mott sur Crown Bay Montana s Fords hat Pittsburgh stud Khz. Das Gotham. Cleveland Starr. In Bay or Gulf saaiongjmo1 aft come. 151 059 2 593 168 3901-2.025 131 2.958-1 685 72 1 56v 3722tl 6,186-2.630 196 3.149-1 008246 6.4673586 pm Vahi 17 5j633s 19 456-261 20 410-223 7 168 89 9 25-120 10 21313011 292 u9 Yarus 31 054 27 w9 22700 13.499 40239 24718 47.003 4204 3813 27911.204 1663 1.753 1 603 to 1i3 89 290 152 324 36 30 24 10 8 11 haps the Best athlete of All the Best passers. He has the quickest feet and perhaps the quickest mind. He does t have the quickest Arm or the strongest Arm. But Overall Montana is the Ideal quarterback for the varied weapons of the 49cr offence that Bill Walsh designed just As that offence is Ideal for him. Bui Are these 49crs the Best pro football team Ever again the answer is no. For one season the 1972 Miami dolphins remain the Best Ever with their perfect 17-0 record. And those dolphins repeated As super bowl champions the next year. But to be considered the Best a team must be judged Over a Span of seasons. Not one season. Not even two. Much of the adulation for these 49cr$ have revolved around their winning four of the last nine super bowl titles. But Only Montana Ronnie loll and a few others were on All four of those teams. The nucleus of the current 49er team has won three titles in six seasons not quite As dominant As the Pitts Burgh St Celers and the Green Bay packers of the two previous decades. Chuck Noll s a Peclers of the 70s won four titles Over six seasons including two Back to Back titles. Vince  s packers of the 60s won five nil titles Over seven seasons notably three in a Row that included the first two super bowl games. Adrenalin Powers 3-f/me map by Ira Kat Man new Orleans Dpi Tor years. Jne Montana heard whispers about alleged drug use. On sunday he relied on pure adrenaline. Montana earned his third super bowl most valuable player award completing 22 of 29 passes for 297 Yards and a record five touchdowns in san Francisco s 55-10 rout of Denver. He ran through the locker room Tunnel with arms raised moments before the game then spent the final 11 minutes on the sidelines an artist admiring his masterpiece. He s probably the greatest quarterback that Ever played the  said san Francisco coach George Scifert who replaced Montana with Steve Young with almost 11 minutes to go. I think everyone rallies be Hind him. They know what a great person he is and How much he Means to this  three Days earlier a report by a Washington television station alleged three Star White quarterbacks tested positive for cocaine in the last 10 scars and were protected by the nil. On thursday Montana was forced to defend himself even though no players were named. That drug stuff just made us focus thai much harder said 49crs running Back Roger Craig who ran for 69 Yards and caught five passes for 34 Yards. When Joe Montana s on defences arc in trouble. He looks at three Guys downfield then if All of them arc covered he dumps the Ball off to fullback Tom Rathman or me. That s what separates Joe from All other Quarter  Montana completed a super bowl record 13 Lonsac Utvic passes Capitali ing on standout Protection to spread the Ball around. Jerry Rice again proved a favorite target with seven receptions for 148 Yards and three touchdowns. I think we were All really ready to play today Montana said after finishing the postseason with 11 to passes and no interceptions. One of the great things about our team is we re not afraid to give our Guys the Ball Short and let them run. My Protection was great i think i was Only touched once. I can go until i m 40 if they play like that up front. There was a lot of pressure going into this game but we put everything together. It s Lough to say any team is better than this  at 33, Montana enjoyed his Best season recording the highest quarterback rating in league history. He is the nil s career passing Leader and under his guid Ance the 49crs have averaged 35 Points a game in six postseason appearances during the past two years. There was a lot of talk about them Broncos and there were some things that happened out in the streets Montana said about super bowl week. Their players weren t talking to us and i think that helped Moi vat our  the record Book Montana was named most valuable player of the super bowl for a record third time. Bart Starr and Terr Bradshaw Haie been map lice each. Montana s first completion to Koger Trai on the fifth play of the game As his 62nd in super Bol Competition lit and Dallas Roger staubach had been lied for the Lead ill it. Montana1 sixth pass attempt of the game was hit 99lh in the super bowl breaking another of staubach s records in Lana 4 7- Ard touchdown pass to Brent Jones late in the first Quarter gave him 934 career super Bol passing cards. That surpassed the pretious record of 932 by Pittsburgh Terry Bradshaw. Montana s 28- Ard touchdown pass to Jerry Rice Early in the third Quarter was the san Francisco quarterback s 10th super bowl career touchdown pass surpassing another of Bradshaw a records. Montana s touchdown pass to John Taylor in the third Quarter Gate him  to pastes in the game ont More than Bradshaw had in Pittsburgh s 35-31 Saper bawl Tilory oter Dallas in 1979. Thirteen cons Misite completions by Montana lopped the 12 straight by Phil slams of the new York giants Aga nil Denter in 1987