It Drove Browns Wacko

Probably every player and coach on the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos has been asked this week, leading up to the American Football Conference championship game Sunday at Denver, about The Drive.

You may recall that in last year’s AFC title game, Denver quarterback John Elway drove the Broncos 98 yards in the closing minutes and threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Mark Jackson with 39 seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 20-20. The Broncos won, 23-20, in overtime on a field goal by Rich Karlis.

Coach Dan Reeves of the Broncos told Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post that he fears The Drive might work against Denver this time.

“I’ll remember that drive for as long as I live,� Reeves said. “And even though it means something different to the Browns, I bet they’ve been thinking about it through every weight they lifted in the off-season.�

Add The Drive: When asked about it this week, Cleveland cornerback Hanford Dixon smiled and said: “That drive is over. It was a great drive, but if we go into the game Sunday with that drive anywhere in our minds, even in the back, it could wind up happening again.�

And Denver’s Jackson has a videotape of The Drive stored in a special place where it can never be accidentally erased. Immediately after the game, Jackson was like a lot of players who couldn’t quite understand what all the fuss was about.

“I don’t know if any of us on that field appreciated what we were involved in,� Jackson said. “Then I watched it on tape once and I thought, ‘Hey, that’s pretty good.’ Then I watched it again. And again.�

Last Add The Drive: At the start of it, the Broncos huddled in the end zone in front of Cleveland’s Dog Pound, from where dog biscuits were being thrown at them.

Said wide receiver Vance Johnson: “It was a very scary thing. (But) when John (Elway) walked into the huddle, you could just see that he felt we were going to score. He had that John Wayne walk going and you had to start thinking it wouldn’t be so bad.�

Trivia Time: The New Jersey Nets have lost 21 straight road games over two seasons. Which team holds the National Basketball Assn. record for consecutive road losses? (Answer below).

Celtic Mystique: With Dennis Johnson out with a shoulder injury, Dirk Minniefield stepped in and collected 12 points and 9 assists while making only 1 turnover in 37 minutes to help the Boston Celtics beat the Chicago Bulls Tuesday night, 104-97.

“We needed a big game out of him and we got it,� Larry Bird said.

Chicago Coach Doug Collins saw it another way: “Those green uniforms must make guys good shooters. He didn’t make those in Houston.�

Add Minniefield: Told of Collins’ remarks, he said: “I’m a good shooter, 50%, everywhere I’ve been.�

Minniefield didn’t let it go to his head. He understands that all the Celtic reserves are there to caddy for Bird, who had 16 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter, and the rest of the Boston starters.

Said Minniefield: “I’ve been around this game long enough to know that.�

Trivia Answer: The Baltimore Bullets lost 32 straight road games from Jan. 2, 1953 to March 14, 1954.

Former Dodger pitcher Bob Welch, now with the Oakland A’s, was asked by Bay Area reporters what he thought of the designated hitter rule.

Responded Welch: “I’ll tell you what, I’d much rather have Dave Parker bat in my place than me.�

Quotebook

Newest Hall of Famer Willie Stargell, who hit an opponent-record 59 home runs at New York’s Shea Stadium, on a comment that it is a difficult park in which to hit homers: “Difficult for whom?�