Just My Type
The Interview
Jim McMahon
REBEL
The former BearsQB's father has started a campaign to get his 49-year-old son, who set 71 NCAADivision I records, into the BYU Hall of Fame.
Dan Patrick: Didyou talk to Jim Sr. about the letter he sent The Salt Lake Tribune about yougetting into the Hall?
Jim McMahon: Itold him I don't really care, but it's been bugging him for a long time.
DP: What's BYU'sreasoning?
JM: I'm not agraduate. That was one of the criteria, I guess.
DP: If you go backand graduate, do they then put you in?
JM: I've tried todo that home study, and I think I'm nine or 12 hours short. I've tried to do ittwice. Actually I had my sister-in-law do all my work. All I had to do was takethe test. I wouldn't have passed, so the hell with it. I was never a classroomkind of guy.
DP: Did they liewhen they recruited you about what was expected of you?
JM: They said, Ifyou don't want to be a part of the [Mormon] lifestyle, that's no problem. Andthat was a lie, because they'd bother you pretty much every day. My freshmanyear I lived in the dorms, and every night at 10 o'clock they'd bang on yourdoor because you're supposed to go out and do a hall prayer. I never partook inany of those things. I was there on Saturday, played the game, and then I'd goup to Weber State and see my brother.
DP: Were youpunished?
JM: I was onprobation from freshman year on, for supposedly having a beer during thesummer. I was on a public golf course, but the world is their campus, accordingto them.
DP: Were you askedto leave after your last game?
JM: I was calledin and told I was no longer wanted there.
DP: You felt theyused you?
JM: Oh, nodoubt.
DP: Did you usethem as well?
JM: Oh, yeah. Ihad no qualms about why I was there. I went to play football, and that'sit.
DP: Is there anyfollow-up from you or your dad? Is he going to write to Obama, to see if he'llpardon you? Or maybe as one of his last acts in office George Bush will pardonyou on BYU's campus?
JM: Maybe in thenext life I'll get my reward, you know?
Making Whoopee
AFTER BrandonMarshall (above) scored in Denver's win over Cleveland last Thursday, he pulledout a black-and-white glove he was going to use to make a statement aboutracial unity. Teammate Brandon Stokley, sensing a penalty, wisely stopped him.And Chad Johnson stashed Barack Obama banners in each end zone in Houston,but—the Bengals being the Bengals—he didn't have a chance to unfurl them aftera TD. Will the NFL start cracking down on these plotters? Will they send anofficial into each locker room before a game to interrogate likely suspects?Are you packing any confetti? Are you now, or have you ever been, a member ofan improv group or dance troupe? Have you recently changed your name to aSpanish number? Personally, I can't wait to see someone get caught with acollapsible top hat or a box of sparklers and get fined—for possession withintent to celebrate.
Felines, NothingMore Than Felines
WHY IS it so hardto tell the Jaguars and the Panthers apart? They're both newish NFL teams inSouthern cities, and they wear blue and black uniforms. See if you can figureout if the following apply to Carolina, Jacksonville or both.
1. First seasonwas 1995.
2. Dom Capers wasa coach.
3. Mascot's Latinname is Panthera onca.
4. Cheerleadersare known as the TopCats.
5. Play in thelarger city.
6. Had a punterwho got busted for a banned substance.
7. Had a punterwho busted his leg swinging an ax in the locker room.
ANSWERS: 1. Both;2. Both (Carolina's head coach, Jacksonville's defensive coordinator); 3.Jaguars; 4. Panthers (the Jags' are the Roar); 5. Jacksonville (807,000 to671,000 for Charlotte); 6. Panthers (Todd Sauerbrun); 7. Jaguars (ChrisHanson)
Magic Number
WATCHING theelection returns, I couldn't help but think of another pioneer, JackieRobinson. In 2007 several players paid tribute to him by wearing his number 42.Given how popular Barack Obama has been with athletes, don't be surprised ifthe next number to start popping up on jerseys is 44—in honor of the 44thPresident of the U.S.A.
THE FINE PRINT:Barack Obama says he's for a playoff in college football. In fact, he's changedhis slogan to BCS We Can.
Go toDANPATRICK.COM for more from Jim McMahon and other recent interviews, and hearlive audio of Dan's radio show, 9 a.m.--noon ET, Mon.--Fri.
ILLUSTRATION
ILLUSTRATION BY KEITH WITMER
PHOTO
MATTHEW EMMONS/US PRESSWIRE (MARSHALL)
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SAM GREENWOOD/GETTY IMAGES (JAGS CHEERLEADER)
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REX BROWN/GETTY IMAGES (PANTHERS CHEERLEADER)
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NAM Y. HUH/AP (MCMAHON)