European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 14, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday january 14,1993 sports the Star band stripes b pag025 s run by Ira Berkow the new York times it seems More than reasonable that you must give Frank Reich a Chance to fail. Now the biggest question in America is not whether Clinton can Cut the deficit in half in four years or whether Ainy Fisher will get a half hour sitcom of her own next fall. The biggest question in America is whether a healthy Jim Kelly will replace a robust Reich at quarterback for the Buffalo Bills in the american football conference championship game on sunday afternoon in Miami one step from the super bowl. Marv Levy the Bills esteemed coach says that if Kelly is up to snuff during practice this week hell Start sunday. The Bills Ace defensive line Man Bruce Smith said a Frank has been great As a backup but Jim is our starter if he s ready to go a. And Frank Reich said a a in a not even thinking about it. If he Isnit he a in a distinct minority. Reich caused a National sensation two weeks ago in a play off game against Houston when he replaced Kelly who a week earlier had suffered sprained ligaments in his right knee. Reich of course directed an offence that came Back from a 35-3 halftime disadvantage against the oilers and won 4138, in overtime. It was the most stunning comeback in National football commentary league history and if we Are to believe the breathless words spurred and whipped by the Media one of the most remarkable triumphs in sports since David plunked a Rock Between Goliath s eyes. Of at least equal importance was the More modest comeback Reich steered saturday. The Bills were Down 3-0, in the first Quarter but Rose up to beat the Steeles 24-3. Reich with great aplomb under his Blue and Scarlet he met has thrown six touchdown passes in the last two acc play off games five of those scoring throws coming in the second half.  game was played on the enemy a Field As will sundays game. But none of this seems to bother the Bills who Are hoping to make the ultimate comeback a third straight appearance in the super bowl a game they have been unable to win. Last year they lost in the super bowl to the redskins 3724, and the year before that they lost in the championship game to the giants by four feet or the distance Scott. Norwood a Field goal attempt was wide of the goal Post in the final seconds of the game Bills 19, giants 20. Reich had a Good View of Norwood a kick. He was on one knee on the 47-Yard line As the Holder of the Ball. Reich has been Down so Jong As both a Holder for kicks and As second string for seven seasons to Kelly that this up is heavenly. To just having an awful lot of fun right now a a he said with what appears to be characteristic understatement. Somewhere in the Canon of conventional Wisdom in the nil it is stated that a starter cannot lose his Job to injury. No one is quite sure where this came from unless it was the injured party. Or unless some football despot who ran a team decided that any change in conformity might cause a revolution in the ranks. And football players must adhere to certain formalities. Look for instance at today a Peculiar celebrations and gimmicks every time a player scores a touchdown or makes a tackle or succeeds in not tripping Over the sideline Stripe he obviously feels Bouton to Call further attention to himself. It is not enough to play the game he must audition for a saturday night  the players jump Point wiggle gyrate Mouth i mom it is exciting. There was a defensive player named Oliver on the dolphins of sunday who was close to a team tackle a he Wasny to in on it himself a but decided that close was Good enough. He began a kind of shimmy As though suffering from a nervous disorder. You worried that maybe he should be hospitalized. In contrast it happened that a backup Frank retch. A awful lot of fun film clip was shown saturday of . Simpson scoring a touchdown about 20 years ago. In the end zone the juice coolly dropped the football behind him. No Spike. No racing around with arms extended to the crowd. He was the personification of Paul Brown s advice to his players who might score a touchdown a act like you be been there  gimmicks too have been added to the game such As the Mouth pieces that Dangle from face masks and the towels that Dangle from the belts to the an Kies of some runners like Bobby Humphrey of the dolphins. If the chargers had tackled his Towel i think they d have been More effective. Which brings us Back to Reich. He is out of the Mold. He is the Man currently behind the Buffalo surge. Forget the cur rent Day conventional ties and let him quarterback until he Falls on his race. If he does no to the Bills win the super bowl. That would be unconventional  going san Francisco a one look at the candlestick Park Field after the Washington redskins san Francisco 49ers game and nil officials knew desperate measures were needed to prepare it for sundays pfc title game. Faced with a football Field that resembled nothing so much As slowed acreage the league turned to its grass guru George Toma. The turf consultant has gone right to work and promises a Beautiful and sturdy Field for the Dallas cowboys and 49crs. A a we re worried about the rain but Well work in Between the raindrops a Toma said monday. A if its raining lightly we can be laying  this week about half the rain soaked Field was to be re placed with turf trucked All the Way from the Southern California desert some 300 Miles. On monday about 20 ground keep cars were Busy peeling off the top layer of chewed up Bluegrass turf and hauling it away in trucks. Most of the new grass which was to be in place by wednesday will go in the Center of the Field in a Swath 90 feet wide with More being installed in front of the South goal line. A a we re just going up Nui to number practically and then Byrd shows motion courage to Media from wire reports. New York Dennis Byrd of the new York jets Able to lift his right leg from his wheelchair and saying be still loves football made his first Public appearance tuesday since becoming paralysed in a game in november. Byrd held a news conference at mount Sinai Hospital where he is undergoing extensive rehabilitation. Also attending were his wife Angela and several Jet officials and doctors taking part in his treatment. Byrd is expected to remain at the Hospital about two More months before being transferred to a rehab Center in Tulsa okla., near his Home. He will be treated As an outpatient. A a the physical therapy is difficult a Byrd said. A if it Hurt this much to play football i probably would have quit a Long time  wearing a jets to shirt and windbreaker Byrd talked animatedly about his Progress. A a a can lift my right leg off the ground a he said. A i can to walk on it yet. My left leg is behind by a couple of weeks. Its a Little Shower. A everything is coming slowly but surely. Each time 1 work on something and it gets better that a  Byrd said he holds no animosity toward football. A i still love it a he said. A i can to help it. Its a part of my life i la always  a we re just going up number number practically and then doctor anything past the numbers out which Isnit in too bad a shape a he said. Strips of Bermuda grass Over seeded with Rye will be Laid in 36 foot Long pieces and groundskeeper will punch about 36 Pencil sized holes in each Square foot of turf to Aid drainage. Toma is confident the new heavier turf will be More durable and allow each team to play to the Best of its capabilities a it  be Slimy and Muddy because it s a Little newer and better Sod a he said a once you put that Sod Down it will not kick up because its so  a % White eyes flight from eagles a i can get Money anywhere a says All pro Reggie White. Philadelphia a Reggie White still stung by the humiliating loss to Dallas in the nil playoffs says it will take More than Money for him to return to the Philadelphia eagles. White one of 16 eagles who Wilt become free agents said monday that Money while important Wasny to the Only consideration. A winning enters into it you know a he said. �?o1 can get the Money anywhere. But winning is what its going to boil Down to. Which team is going to commit completely to winning. A i have three or four More years and i want to win at least one championship in that three or four  White previously has indicated that he Isnit sure the eagles Are committed to the Price of winning. He a waiting to see what owner Norman Braman does about other free agents on the team which he a afraid will be decimated by free Agency. On monday he criticized the teams facilities such As the weight room. He also questioned whether free agents from other teams wanted to come to Philadelphia. A i Haven to heard anybody say they wanted to come Here a White said. A in the past when buddy Ryan was Here a lot of Guys wanted to come Here. And to Nat a not a shot at Richie coach Rich Kotite in any kind of Way a White said Eagle management did no to do enough to make players Happy and not just in salary disputes. A i done to mean baying Guys or patting Guys on the Back All the time. But just making them feel Good around the locker room a he said. He said All of these things would play a part in his decision on which direction to go with free Agency. White said he would sit Down with his wife his pastor and some of his teammates before deciding. A then when the Day comes about ill made my decision a said White recognized by most As the Premier defensive end in the league. He a the Only player in nil history with More quarterback sacks than games played 124 sacks in 123 games. He a started 122 straight games a club record. A a it a going to be a hard decision to make and in a going to look at every option a White said