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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 1983)
—sports Battalion/PagE' January 31,1 It’s Redskins over Miami, 27-17 76 John Riggins powers ’Skins to ‘upset’ Super Bowl win United Press International PASADENA, Calif. — Led by a band of Hogs and Smurfs and an animalistic fullback, the Washington Redskins capped the Year of the Strike by making the Miami defense work over time. The NFC champions evened their Super Bowl record at 1-1 Sunday w ith a 27-1 7 upset of the Dolphins in a sold-out Rose Bowl and Washington’s self- named “Hogs” of the offensive line made pigs of themselves by devouring the Dolphins’ league leading defense. Operating behind that bat tering ram, 235-pound fullback John Riggins set a Super Bowl record with 166 yards and di minutive “Smurf” receivers Alvin Garrett and Charlie Brown each caught a touch down pass from Joe Theismann. Riggins was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. The Washington defense en tered the game lacking a nick name. The Dolphins left the field having a few four-letter ones to suggest. “Some people underestimate us because we’re a total team, tough and physical,” said coach Joe Gibbs after guiding the Red skins to their 12th victory in 13 games during the strike- shortened season. Riggins capped the greatest post-season running display in league history as the Redskins rumbled for an astounding 276 yards on the ground. The 11- year veteran provided the game’s key play five minutes into the fourth period when he broke through an arm tackle by 192-pound cornerback Don McNeal on fourth-and-inches and dashed 43 yards to put Washington ahead 20-17. “One of their guys fell down and I guess McNeal couldn’t hold on,” said Riggins, who rushed for 610 yards and four touchdowns in a superb four- game playoff series. Despite a 57-day players’ strike that cost each club an esti mated $2 million, the Redskins won a record $36,000 per player in capturing their eighth straight while the Dolphins, 10- 3, settled for $ 18,000 per man in the rematch of Super Bowl VII, which Miami won 14-7 to end the only perfect season in NFL history. “Since the middle of last sea son, the Redskins have been the best team in pro football and they proved it today,” said Miami Coach Don Shula, who made his fifth Super Bowl appearance. “You have to give a lot of credit to the Washington offense and John Riggins. He was a dominant force. And the Redskins’ offensive line had a great surge in the second half.” The Dolphins took a 17-10 halftime advantage using a big- play attack, but the Washington defense held them to two first downs and no completions in the second half. Garrett, who caught a 4-yard TD pass from Theismann in the second period, helped pull the Redskins vyithin 17-13 with a 44-yard flanker reverse early in the second half to set up Moseley’s second field goal of the game, a 20-yarder. The Miami offense, meanwhile, was going nowhere under the shaky leadership of young David Woodley. “I think they got a little con servative once they got the half time lead,” said Washington free safety and player representative Mark Murphy. “We felt the key was getting them into sure pas sing situations and we blitzed a lot on first down, not only to put pressure on Woodley but to stop the running game.” Woodley hit just 4-of-14 pas ses for 97 yards, and 76 came on a TD pass to Jimmy Cefalo that gave the Dolphins a 7-0 lead at 6:49 of the opening quarter. Dexter Manley’s hit on Woodley and subsequent fum ble recovery by fellow defensive lineman Dave Butz set up a 31- yard field goal by Moseley to make it 7-3 just 21 seconds into the second period, but Fulton Walker then uncorked two big kickoff returns to set up 10 Miami points. Walker, whose best return during the regular season was 32 yards, ran 42 yards with the ensuing kickoff, setting up von Schamann’s 20-yarder at the nine-minute mark. The Red skins responded with an 80-yard march in 11 plays, capped by Theismann’s 4-yard flip to Gar rett to make it 10-10. Walker continued to press the Redskins’ special teams to the limit on the following kickoff as he darted 98 yards for a touchdown, the first kickoff re turn for a score in Super Bowl history. After Riggins’ explosive run, the Dolphins couldn’t manage a first down and Washington iced the game with a 41-yard, 12play drive that culminated in Theis mann’s 6-yard TD flip to Brown. The Redskins complained before the game about not re ceiving their due during an 8-1 regular season and Sunday’s Su per Bowl XVII marked the second straight week they were rated underdogs to a team with a poorer record. By sinking the Miami Dolphins 27-17, the Red skins earned their first Super Bowl victory and exorcised some private demons. “I think some people have underestimated us because we’re a total team,” said Gibbs, who guided the Redskins to their eighth straight triumph to finish at 12-1. “I want to thank God, (club owner) Mr. Jack Kent Cooke, (general manager) Mr. Bobby Beathard, my players and then our fans, in that order.” Cooke, beaming broadly in a houndstooth hat, accepted the Vince Lombardi Trophy from NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle in a rautous dressing room and had the composure to needle Rozelle. “This magnificent team has the privilege of playing in front of the most fabulous fans on the face of the earth,” Cooke said. “I’d like to thank each of them personally. As for you, my dear Pete, you said we had the best record in the NFC. As a matter of fact, we had the best record in the NFL!” President Reagan quickly jumped on the Washington bandwagon with a post-game phone call to Gibbs. “I just want to say congratula tions to that team of yours,” Reagan said, “and I’d like to know if your team would now like to help me on Capitol Hill. Also, do you think Riggins would mind me changing the SHRIMPARAMA MONDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT $5.95 FRIED SHRIMP OUR REGULAR $7.95 Platter with all the trimmings AGGIE OWNED AND OPERATED CLASS ’60 KICC’S ssaTOOD ana stsgk East 29th Street at Carter Creek spelling of my name to add an ‘I’ and a couple of ‘G’s? You really earned it out there.” Gibbs had been praising his team all week for its versatility and the self-named “Hogs” of the offensive line certainly did their part in controlling the line and i of scrimmage come. “We’ve run the ballon body we’ve faced inthefi and I think we were voy offensively today,” said Jeff Bostic. “We plaved skins’ hxTtball today." Jr-# *dl)in€ njj tflcAm Serving j Luncheon Buffet Sunday through Fricte| 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 am Delicious Food Beautiful View JiOpen to the Public S “Quality First” L t kll AA m McDonald's DRIVE-THRU WINDOW MCDONALD’S M INTRAMURAL HIGHLIGHTS 1 " eb;i ith rot, ion--. f? 1 ' At University Drive Now at Texas and S.W. Parkway At Manor East Mall BREAKFAST EVERY MORNING ENTRIES OPEN TODAY: SOFTBALL! Get into the swing of things by entering intramural soft- ball! Get into the swing of things bv entering INTRAMURAL SOFT- BALL! Entries are now being taken in the IM-REC Sports Office, 159 E. Kyle. A $20.00 entry fee must ac company all registrations. FACUL- TY/STAFF/GRAD - we have a divi sion for you as well! Schedules will be available and rule changes will be discussed at the Team Manager’s Meeting on Thursday, February 10 at 5:15 PM in Rudder Theater. Get your entry in today! Intramural softball is where the action is! Just ask Frankie Wright and Mike Maldonado! It’s time for intramural softball! Batter up! ENTRIES CLOSE - TEAM BOWLING: Entries will continue to be accepted through tomorrow, Tuesday, February 1. The entry fees are as follows: Classes A & B - $18.40 (includes first three weeks of play and the first round of playoffs), Class C - $23.00 (includes five weeks of play) and Shoes - 500. Four bowlers per team. CoRec team consists of two men and two women. Schedules must be picked up at the team mana ger’s meeting on Thursday, Feb ruary 3 at 5:15 PM in Room 164 E. Kyle. Entries will be limited due to lack of available time and facilities so get your entry in today! IM GAMEPLAN Racquetball Singles ENTRIES CLOSE - RACQUET- BALL SINGLES: Entries will be ac cepted through tomorrow, Tuesday, February 1. There is no entry fee but you must supply a new can of balls and your own racquet. There will be a Faculty/Staff/Grad Division availa ble in this tournament. Schedules will be posted outside the IM-REC Sports Office on Thursday, February 3 after 2 PM. f Practice Makes Perfect Enter the Intramural Pre-Season Softball Tournament sponsoredM Texas A&M Sports Officials Association. The tournament will k February 10 - 13. Entries are now being taken at the Intra® Recreational Sports Office, 159 E. Kyle. A $5.00 entry fee must pany each registration. Limited entries will be accepted soenterii For further information contact the IM-REC Sports Office at 845-'® \<J) (It Acknowledgements McDonald’s Intramural Highlights is sponsored each Monday in the Bat talion by your local McDonald’s Res taurants at University Drive, Manor East Mall and on Texas Avenue. Stories are provided by members of the Intramural-Recreational Sports Department Staff. Photos are by Tom Davies. Free Throw Shoot FREE THROW SHOOTING CONTEST: Entries will continue to be accepted at the IM-REC Sports Office through Tuesday, February 8 or at the contest location at G. Rollie White Coliseum (Main Floor) from 6:30 PM on the date of the event. The contest will be held on Tuesday, February 8 from 7 PM - 9 PM. For further information contact the IM- REC Sports Office, 159 E. Kyle, 845-7826. HELP WANTED! SOFTBALL UMPIRE Good Pay! Flexible hours! Work Experience! No Esf 1 * Necessary - We Will Train! A 11 : (national meeting will be b- night at 7 PM in 162 E. Kyk more information call the IN' Sports Office 845-7826.