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SPORTS:7 tio Gunning for Bayside's TitleThe pairings for next week%u2019s particular, has some strong chalP.S.A.L. football playoffs are all lengers to last year%u2019s champion,set, and the %u201c A%u201d division, in Bayside. Here%u2019s how the teamsGARY HOENIG%u2019SBottomLineAh, rumors. The stuff that dreams are made of. Rumors, the small doses that keep you alive through losing seasons and empty Sunday afternoons in April. They are set adrift in the damp air of the locker room, or a crowded stadium elevator, or in the cloistered polish of a corporate office, where a scheming reporter listens in shamelessly on private conversations, then grossly exaggerates what he hears. Exaggeration, after all, is the great catalyst for rumor.Here is the current status of a whole bunch of rumors you may or may not have heard about. When the more austere and responsible purveyors of sports information finally return to work, you may never see a word about any of these again. So read carefully. There%u2019ll be a test next week:CONFIRMED, that Walt Michaels tried to prevent it, but the Jet players helped the press set up the team for a huge fall against the Patriots last Sunday.CONFIRMED, that the ground ball that hit Tony Kubek in the throat during a World Series several years ago permanently impaired his ability to say anything worth hearing.CONFIRMED, that Lonnie Shelton is broader and as big as Willis Reed, never mind Wes Unseld, but his coach found him educable in the art of playing center, though he never really tried.WhereinThe BeansAreShamelesslyCONFIRMED, that Butch Beard puts more pressure on himself than on the men he defends against.CONFIRMED, that a lot ofSpilledfootball linemen are built like professional beer drinkers.CONFIRMED, that the Dodgers could have used the late Junior Gilliam at any infield position during this Series.CONFIRMED, that Jim Rice is the Bob MacAdoo of baseball; all stats and self-infaturation.DENIED, that if Pete Rose and Joe Morgan leave Cincinatti, then Sparky Anderson will be next.CONFIRMED, that the Big Dodger in the Sky has been going to Ram games instead of Dodger games.CONFIRMED, that football fans are so crazy, they really like high school marching bands.CONFIRMED, by the Cosmos recent trip to Europe, that American pro soccer has a long way to go before it is competitive on a worldwide level.CONFIRMED, that %u201c inspirational%u201d leaders like Bert Jones and Roger Staubach suddenly become irritating to their teammates when they lose a few games.DENIED, that trading Fran Tarkenton was the dumbest thing the Giants have ever done. They%u2019re not finished trying yet.CONFIRMED, that World Team Tennis action was as interesting as watching escalators at Macy%u2019s with no one on them, of course.CONFIRMED, that had the Knicks offered Bob MacAdoo for Marvin Webster, they would still have a top number one choice in next year%u2019s draft, and a better team this year.CONFIRMED, that Spencer Haywood, despite his limitations as a player, not only puts out as much as anybody on the team, but is also one of the few Knicks with class enough to always be available for an intelligent post-game chat.CONFIRMED, that Kevin Loughery can lose forever, and still be recognized as an authentic genius.DENIED, that the Yankees are trying to trade Bryan Doyle now, when his value is at its career peak.DENIED, that Bowie Kuhn will tell the Yankees to sell Ron Guidry to Charlie Finley, in the interests of baseball.CONFIRMED, that if you want to curb rowdy fans, you have to stop selling beer at the games.CONFIRMED, that college football makes the pro game look innovative.DENIED, that only smart, coordinated teams win basketball championships. %u201c Nobody stops anybody,%u201d says Houston coach Tom ' %u2022%u2022 *%u00ab i * t --.t-.. xi____ _w im .lt 13 Wiijr m w p*v/ cAwnrlfioaffect.CONFIRMED, that the Knicks of today aren%u2019t a bad team, they%u2019re just not the old Knicks. But neither is any other team.DENIED, that I had anything to do with these outlandishremarks.match up:South Shore v. Clinton: Two teams coming off a couple of surprising losses. Clinton lost, 6-0 to Lehman, and had to settle for second place in the Bronx division. It was the Governor%u2019s first loss at home in eight years. Previously unbeaten South Shore was surprised by Boys, 24-14, but the Vikings, who had clinched the Brooklyn %u201c A%u201d division title last week, were obviously looking ahead to the playoffs. South Shore should be the favorite, mostly because of Howie Brown, who. despite his two fumbles last week, is one of the best backs in the city. But Clinton linebacker Henry Lark, who led the city in tackles, may have something to say about that.Lehman v. Jefferson: Lehman a tough defensive squad, and may be unexpectedly difficult for Jefferson, with its Wishbone attack. Lion%u2019s Sam Cabrera, a defensive end, racked up ten tackles and four sacks against Clinton. Jeff recovered from loss to South Shore a week ago with easy 30-12 win over Lincoln. Good matchup here: Explosive offense against rigid defense. Jefferson should have the edge, but Lehman, not normally afootball power, could surprise.Bayside v. Port Richmond: Commodores suffered usual deflation of out-of-city competition, losing Saturday to Rome, N.Y., 24-6. Still, Bayside is last year%u2019s champion, and Port Richmond, which earned second place in the Staten Island division by tying Tottenville 7-7, is one of the weakest teams in the playoffs. A big win for Bayside could dissovle all those bad vibes from upstate loss.Adams v. Tottenville: No contest. Adams murdered Tottenville earlier this year, and turned up for the playoffs by trouncing Far Rockaway, 34-2. Letdown by Spartans the only potential problem for Coach Angelo Palumbo.Division \determined over the weekend. Erasmus, led by the passing of Anthony Carter, came from behind to defeat .Sheepshead Bay, which also qualified for the playoffs, 28-20. The two teams earned their spots when Madison lost to Tilden, 9-8 (who was the losing pitcher?)- Jackson and Flushing are the other %u201c B%u201d division semifinalists. %u201c B%u201d playoffs begin November 11.Columbia University played its last game in a long series withRutgers, and found out what happens when one school decides to go big time with football, while another stays at its own level. Rutgers humiliated Columbia, 69-0, leaving the Lions with a major morale problem going into next week%u2019s key game with Dartmouth, the Ivy League leader right now. The loss was the worst in the team%u2019s history.On the other hand, Navy, whose football has frightened no one since most modern players are too big and too stupid to meet the Academy%u2019s standards, surprised 15th ranked Pittsburgh, 21-10, Saturday, to run its unbeaten string to seven. Navy may go to a bowl, no less. Penn State,* the big local power, came from a 14-0 deficit four minutes into the first quarter to crush%u2019West Virginia, 49-21.Some other scores of local interest:Army 28, Colgate 3 Dartmouth 14, Cornell 7 Fordham 14, Kings Point 9 Massachusetts 17, Connecticut 10 Pace 59, Marist 19 Pennsylvania 17, Yale 17 Seton Hall 27, Wagner 24 St. John%u2019s 33, Georgetown 32Roundup: Double WhammyYou build me up and then you letme downWhat kind of foolDo youThink I am?From an old rock%u2019n roll songAnd did they ever. The poor fools who were thinking football playoffs for the locals got a thousand volt jolt to the contrary Sunday.JETS: Pats scored every timethey had the ball in 55-21 romp, until subbing for Steve Grogan at quarterback. Jets defense was devastated, overrun, crushed. Offense never had a chance. Big injuries, with biggest to Greg Buttle, who may not play again this year. One plus: Jets still butting heads when game was almost over. Don%u2019t underrate them, either, especially against no-offense Denver next week.GIANTS: Their 28-17 loss to NewOrleans may have been the bigger disappointment, since they should have won this game. Ciever field goal fake and Mallory-to-Dixon pass before end of half gave Giants 17-7 lead that held late into the third quarter. Two big pass interference penalties on Bob Bryant, and awful quarterbacking by Joe Pisarcik blew it. Giants may be one or two players away, but when are they going to get smart and draft a first-rate signal-caller.SRUSStC KKEES: That was the problem bothering KnickMarvin Webster last week, but there are signs that he maybe better than he showed last year in Seattle. He%u2019s scoring16 to 20 points a game, and blocking shots everywhere.(Jim Cummins Photo)KNICKS: Reed said he%u2019d be happy with .500 ball early in season, and th a t%u2019s what he%u2019s getting. Actually, Knicks, without MacAdoo (injured back) all week and without Webster (bruised knee) in New Orleans, have not played badly, just erratically. Webster, scoring 16-20 a game and blocking shots anywhere, may be better than he was in Seattle last year. Heywood has filled in nicely at center and foreward; he%u2019s scored 78 points his last two games. Six game coast trip is a killer for all teams from East, and .500 ball out there would be just fine.NETS: Win two, lose four, win four. Which are the real Nets? They%u2019re beating some good teams )cleveland, Goldenstate), and Wilson Washington is doing a job filling out the starting lineup, and taking some points/rebounding load off of Bernard King. But playoffs? Nets second to Philly right now, and some players are already picking out championship rings. Kevin doesn%u2019t say much, he just keeps on coaching.ISLANDERS: A little inconsistent, but they%u2019re not falling into any holes just yet. Loss to Flames, 8-5, on Friday was disappointing. They%u2019re scoring, but the defense just isn%u2019t there. Come January, it will be.RANGERS: Another win at the Forum in Montreal. Unbelieveable. Montreal has been losing once in a while this year, but a win up there (2-1) is still a big one. Rangersiia v c ii i luai in iw u w c c a d , turn u ic ydon%u2019t let down after big wins, as they did too often last year. Shero may make Sonny Erblin look good yet.-%u2014G.H.Page 36 , THE PHOENIX, November 2,1978