Now Wait a Minute, Merril: What About Planting Potatoes?

They had a Merril Hoge Day in Pocatello, Ida., to celebrate the exploits of the former Idaho State running back who ran wild for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL playoffs. Even the governor showed up.

The whole thing was such a success, they decided to do it again, holding another Merril Hoge Day.

Says Hoge: “We don’t have a whole lot to do in Idaho, except ride snowmobiles and tackle buffalo.”

Armageddon: Miami Coach Ron Rothstein, on the last visit of Rony Seikaly and the Heat to Detroit: “The Pistons were very hospitable to Rony. They welcomed him with open arms and closed arms and forearms.”

Trivia time: What college football team has produced three members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Joe knows basketball: From Bruce Keidan of the Pittsburgh Press: “During Norm Sloan’s tenure as basketball coach at North Carolina State, he recruited a promising guard from Western Pennsylvania but lost him to Notre Dame, which offered him a football scholarship. Sloan still believes Joe Montana could have played in the NBA had he not elected to fritter away his life winning Super Bowls.”

Ouch: Philadelphia guard Derek Smith, formerly of Sacramento, had this to say when asked about the Kings’ former coach and president, Bill Russell: “I don’t have a problem with Bill. He treated me the same way he treated everyone else--rude, obnoxious and uncaring.”

Trivia answer: University of San Francisco, 1951--Ollie Matson, Gino Marchetti and Bob St. Clair. The school’s sports information director, Pete Rozelle, also made it.

Add USF: The Dons, coached by Joe Kuharich, were undefeated in ’51 but were ranked only 14th. None of the players made the consensus All-American team, although Matson led the nation in rushing and scoring.

Add 1951: Two other running backs who would make the Hall of Fame, Hugh McElhenny of Washington and Frank Gifford of USC, also failed to make the consensus All-American team that year. The backfield was composed of Babe Parilli of Kentucky, Dick Kazmaier of Princeton, Hank Lauricella of Tennessee and Johnny Karras of Illinois.

Add St. Clair: An offensive tackle standing 6 feet 9, he also played on special teams for the San Francisco 49ers and one year blocked 10 field goal attempts.

He told Dwight Chapin of the San Francisco Examiner that he always accepted the salary offers of owner Tony Morabito, but after that season, he said: “I told Morabito I wanted the same amount of money Leo Nomellini made. Tony said, ‘You already make more money than Leo.’ So much for that great strategy.”

Quotebook: Central Iowa forward Matt Melvin, on venerable Penn Gymnasium, home of archrival William Penn: “I love it. It’s a cross between Boston Garden and my garage.”