European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 8, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday september8, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 25commentaryralston survived bucking Broncos what could be worse than Mary Lou Retton in a a string singing a somewhere Over the Rainbow in a los Angeles biker bar better yet what could be worse than being schlock comedian Andrew Dice Clay performing at a pentecostal revival a few choices a Saddam Hussein b Mike Tyson smother in Law or c the head coach of the Denver Broncos. They Are All equally dangerous states of existence though for the Sake of argument a a cd is Correct. Just ask John Ralston. Ralston pranced along the Denver sidelines from 1972 to �?T76, bringing the broncs their first winning season 7-5-2 in 1973 since the franchise joined the american football league in 1960. Ralston is now working for Tex Schramm and his world league of american football As the director of scouting. Simply dubbed As a a coach by those who know him Ralston dropped in on Rhein main a where the Ramstein rams pounded the defending Safe Champion rockets 42-17 sunday. Being a Bronco alumn Isnit something one flaunts especially after Denver a futility in the a Fly a ultimate game. Take last january. All everything quarterback Joe Montana and his 49er Crew gobbled up John Elway in the 24th instalment of the super bowl by a whopping 55-10. Even Ralston Felt pains As he watched the debacle. A i sat there watching and All 1 could think was a my god what Are they doing a they were playing what we Call a a two zone defense. Montana picked it out right away. I mean John Taylor would run a pattern and take Denver defensive Back Steve Atwater 10 Yards from the sideline. Jerry Rice would just blow through and get completely open. A if the Denver defense could have gotten to Montana just that much quicker a Ralston said snapping his Bony fingers a then he does no to have time to throw that pass. Then you have Roger Craig. My god. Here a a Guy with something like 4-percent body fat. They just  Stop the 49ers. Jeez was that  that was now. This was then a 1972. Things were different. Life was easier. The Broncos Hadnot even dreamed of reaching a super bowl. Ralston inherited a 4-9-1 team that fell apart under the duo of Lou Saban and Jerry Smith. Ralston joined Denver from Stanford where he led the indians since renamed the Cardinal to Rose bowl victories to Cap the 1970 and �?T71 seasons. The Stanford years were filled with great memories and a 55-36-3 record. And a terrific quarterback named Jim Plunkett. He won the 1970 Heisman trophy and passed Stanford to a 27-17 upset Victory Over Ohio state ruining the buckeyes National championship shot that season. A when he was a red shirted freshman we could see his potential a said Ralston. A i done to take any of Rob Staggenborg let set a so s is amps Dave a Toto John Ralston from Stanford to Denver to Olaf. The credit for the Heisman. You never take any credit for anything a player does. Jeez if anyone deserves credit it should be Bob Murphy the schools .  Ralston a staffers at Stanford read like a Roll Call of current and former nil coaches. Bill Walsh who led the 49ers to three super bowl victories in the 1980s, served under Ralston As did first year new England Patriot coach Rod rust Dick Vermeil who piloted the Philadelphia eagles to the 1981 super bowl Jim Mora who coaches the new Orleans saints Mike White an assistant with the . Or is it Oakland this week raiders and Rod Dowhower a former Indianapolis head coach. Ralston a popularity skyrocketed among College football players prior to Stanford a Rose bowl victories. He advocated Shorter practice sessions because he said the Rose bowl was supposed to be fun not All work. Next to the athletes he served with at Stanford the coaches he worked with remain his greatest claim. A they its not easy to coach in the nil for As Long As those Guys did let me Tell a a Ralston chided. His nil experience was Brief yet productive. A the names. Lyle Alzado Floyd Little and Charley Johnson to name a few. A you always liked to see Lyle at 1 of clock on sunday a he recalled. The ill fated Alzado comeback a i had Lyle when he started out 20 years ago. That was in 1971. Twenty years is too Long for a defensive  Denver canned Ralston despite a 9-5 record in 1976. His assistant red Miller took Over and guided the Broncos to their first of four super whooping a. The Broncos fell to Dallas 27-10 in january 1978. A automatically you feel for the coach a said Ralston. A i wanted them to win so badly that year. But then when you lose 55-10 last season in new Orleans my god you feel for both coaches. You re excited for one but upset for the  before Denver ites could say pow oof Zowie the broncs got busted 39-20 by the new York giants in the 1987 super bowl were flogged 42-10 by Doug Williams and the Washington redskins in �?T88 and were embarrassed by 45 Points to san Francisco last Winter. Still Ralston gives the Broncos credit. A jeez look at 1986. They play the giants Tough but Phil Simms has just a fantastic game. In 1988, geez Doug Williams was just throwing touchdowns out of his ear. Then last season.  while his years on the big circuit produced his most profitable connections his Days in College Ball gave him other insights. A you talk about nil pressure when you coach notre Dame a he said. A the head coaching Job at notre Dame is the most pressurized Job in the  the problems that face College football go Well beyond the end zones. They Are at Center court also. A at certain schools the Tail has begun to wag the dog. Its criminal to admit a kid just to play football. At least now the presidents have stepped in. At Stanford we never had that  Ralston on the steroid problem in collegiate football a i done to think anyone realized the seriousness of the steroid problem. If they were being taken i did no to know about it. Then a Guy in Pittsburgh needs a heart transplant because he took steroids. My god if that does no to get your attention. A fall of a sudden there was this emergence of a drug problem. Take Stanley Wilson of the Cincinnati bengals. He a playing in the super bowl in 1989which has got to be the biggest game of his life. He could not make it the last24 hours without drugs. He could not make it the last 24 hours. That was sad not for Stanley Wilson or the Cincinnati bengals but for everyone who is a drug  perhaps Ralston is just a naturalized de verite at heart. Like thousands of Bronco fans in the City a mile High he has a wish that a shared by everyone who has Ever admired the Orange crush. A a in a like to see the Broncos win the super  the Star and strip Odom a College basketball Wake up Call by Bucky Fox staff writer Frankfurt West Germany a you want to Chew on meaty issues from College basketball invite Wake Forest coach Dave Odom to lunch. Safe sandwiched its basketball clinics around lunchtime the past two weeks and you can bet military coaches Ted Odom with questions. Like the ones Odom tasted at Frank Turtz a Airport wednesday a what will be the top teams this season Odom said Nevada Las vegas which won it All last season has the a top Talent and the Best coached team. And they want to prove the Mcaa allegations wrong. Larry Johnson is the Best big Man in the  around the country Odom leans toward Indiana and Michigan state in the a big ten Alabama in the Southeastern conference Arizona and Urcla in the Pacific-10, Georgetown in the big East and Louisville in the metro. A what about Wake forests own Atlantic coach conference Odom called North Carolina a the Odds on favorite in the  he listed Duke and Georgia tech As contenders with Vir a. Ginia and Clemson on the next level. A and Wake forests own Demon deacons they went 12-15 Overall and 3-11 in the acc in Odom a Rookie season. They lost to Clemson 7970 in the acc tournament. Odom 47, who took Over the deacons after seven season As a Virginia assistant figures his team needs two More Good recruiting years to think in terms of the upper  he liked his last recruiting package which he said was rated among the Best in the nation. His prize freshmen Are Rodney Rogers a 6-foot-7 Forward from Durham ., and Randolph Childress a 6-2 guard from Dave Odom it Flint Hill Academy in Oakton a. Odom rated Rogers the Best player in North Carolina. A the acc Stop players Odom called Georgia techs Kenny Anderson a the Best guard in the country.  he raved about North Carolina states backcourt duo of Rodney Monroe and Chris Corchiani Dukes Christian laettner and Bobby Hurley North Carolinas Rick Fox Clemson a Dale Davis and Virginia a John Crotty and Bryant Stith. He also mentioned his own juniors Chris King and Anthony Tucker. A the nations Best coaches Odom quickly named Jerry Tarkanian of univ. A a he a excellent a said Odom. A a it a just getting to the Point where people appreciate him As a coach. He Sas Good As any coach in the  Odom also listed arizonans Lute Olson Kentucky a Rick Pitino Indiana a Bobby Knight and Georgetown a John Thompson. He called Alabama a wimp Sanderson a underrated a terrific tournament  a what of Jim Valvano the  State Boss who was pushed out amid a Point shaving scandal a i personally respect Jim Valvano As a coach and a person a said Odom. A i hate to see a coach end his career on anything but a positive note. I done to know what happened in the Wolf pack investigation. All i know is he was very Good for our league. A better solution would have been to let him coach one More year then quit on his  Odom added he a glad Valvano will do color with Brent Musburger on Abc College hoops telecasts. A a what a dynamite crowd that is a said Odom. A when is Tipoff Odom said his deacons started preseason workouts monday on the Winston Salem ., Campus. Official practice opens oct. 15. Their opening game is nov. 23 at Home against Howard. Their acc opener is Jan. 2 at Home against Maryland. Odom and his group which includes Clemson coach Cliff Ellis and officials Larry Rose and Donald Shea finished the Safe clinics Friday at Pitburg a. They Are scheduled to Fly Home sunday