The Bear Got Lesson in How to Win a Bowl

In 1949, Kentucky, coached by Paul (Bear) Bryant, went 9-2 and accepted an Orange Bowl bid. After Bryant put the Wildcats through two weeks of grueling workouts, they were upset by Santa Clara, 21-13.

Bob Gain, the Outland Trophy winner who played offensive and defensive tackle for the Wildcats, recently told Jim Terhune of the Louisville Courier-Journal that after Kentucky went 10-1 in 1950, he challenged Bryant in a team meeting.

Gain recalled: “I said that if we go back to the Orange Bowl, or whatever major bowl, there would be ground rules different from last year. We would not practice twice a day. There would be one scrimmage--at the end of the week. There would be no practice over two hours. We would go home for three days at Christmas, and (the university) will pay our way.”

Bryant agreed. In the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day, 1951, seventh-ranked Kentucky upset top-ranked Oklahoma, 13-7.

Trivia time: Which college baseball team led the nation in home attendance last season?

Damage control: More than 300 Atlantans, most of whom paid their own way, are in Tokyo to support their city’s bid for the 1996 Olympics.

Times staff writer Randy Harvey reports that Atlanta officials, aware of the potential for embarrassment, told most of them, no matter how well-meaning they might be, to stay clear of IOC members.

The official Atlanta delegation also prepared a book of Japanese etiquette. It includes a paragraph on chopsticks, which says: “Don’t . . . suck on them, use them to push food into your mouth, pick your teeth, point with them, stab the stranger next to you. . . . “

Like fine wine: Two weeks ago, after Freeman McNeil was waived and unclaimed, the New York Jets decided to bring back their all-time leading rusher.

In Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, McNeil rushed for 62 yards and caught three passes for 80 yards as the Jets won, 24-21, to give Coach Bruce Coslet his first victory.

“Freeman’s too old,” Coslet said with a big smile creasing his face. “He can’t do it anymore. You saw that.”

Stained relations: After Bo Jackson’s sharp one-hopper up the middle split Nolan Ryan’s lip in a recent game between the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers, Ryan pitched another six innings, continually wiping blood on his sleeve. He had to change jerseys three times between innings.

Impressed by Ryan’s grit, Jackson later asked for one of the jerseys as a souvenir.

Ryan sent him a clean one, autographed.

Driving force: Fred Jeter of the Richmond News-Leader recently reported that on two occasions during the past year, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt won races while carrying a good luck charm.

The second time, Earnhardt showed it off. On an ESPN telecast, he held up the Special Olympics first-place medal mailed to him by Stroh Shuler, 14, of Richmond. Stroh had won it in a roller-skating competition in 1989.

Shortly afterward, a member of Earnhardt’s team asked Stroh if he wanted the medal back.

Said Stroh: “No way. It was for keeps.”

Trivia answer: Fresno State, with 179,666.

Quotebook: Bill Parcells, coach of the New York Giants, in his book “No Medals for Trying,” on Philadelphia Eagle Coach Buddy Ryan: “Buddy Ryan is a Neanderthal, and he attracts Neanderthal players. Neanderthals can win certain kinds of wars, but they lose some they should win if you find a way to make them make enough choices.”