Pierce Holt

"Flash! Joe Montana, otherwise known as Joe Football, the creature that swallowed the game, arrived in town with an entourage of mystery guests, a cast of unidentified characters of various heights and sizes, who, rumor had it, made up a football team hired to help him win a football game here Sunday. "The rumor was discounted in most quarters, including the French, since it is well established Master Montana doesn't need any help.

"Flash! Joe Montana, otherwise known as Joe Football, the creature that swallowed the game, arrived in town with an entourage of mystery guests, a cast of unidentified characters of various heights and sizes, who, rumor had it, made up a football team hired to help him win a football game here Sunday. "The rumor was discounted in most quarters, including the French, since it is well established Master Montana doesn't need any help.

San Francisco's defense was ranked 19th when the Rams played the 49ers at Candlestick Park on Sept. 22. Monday night at Anaheim Stadium, the Rams will be facing the NFL's No. 3-ranked defense. "They went through a month or two with (defensive end Kevin) Fagan hurt, (defensive end Pierce) Holt hurt and (linebacker Charles) Haley hurt, and those guys are three of the best," Ram Coach John Robinson said. "Now they're back, and the defense is rejuvenated again and playing very well."

Pro Bowl defensive end Pierce Holt of the San Francisco 49ers agreed Wednesday to a $7.5-million, three-year offer from the Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers have a week to match the offer and keep Holt, who was designated a transitional player. Holt will receive a $2.15-million signing bonus, $2 million in 1993, $1.75 million in 1994 and $1.6 million and 1995. The guaranteed deal includes a no-trade clause.

A muscular dystrophy victim who got to see his beloved San Francisco 49ers and meet quarterback Joe Montana has died, two days after his dream trip. Richard Doiel, 23, who had been confined to a wheelchair since he was 10, saw the 49ers beat the Falcons, 23-10, in Atlanta Sunday. After the game, Rodney Knox, a public relations man for the 49ers, took him to see Montana.

If quarterback Boomer Esiason's groin injury makes him unable to start Sunday against the Raiders in Los Angeles, backup Erik Wilhelm will get his first start of the season for the Cincinnati Bengals. Esiason, who has played in every Bengals game the last five seasons, is limping with a pulled groin muscle suffered in Sunday's 20-17 overtime loss to San Francisco when 49ers defenders Pierce Holt and Bill Romanowski sandwiched him on a rollout play.

The Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars will have high-profile, high-priced veterans such as Steve Beuerlein, William (Refrigerator) Perry, Chris Doleman and Gary Clark available in the expansion draft. Also thought to be on the list is Raider defensive lineman Scott Davis. Except for AFC champion San Diego and NFC champion San Francisco, teams were required to turn over six names each for the expansion pool by Tuesday. The Chargers and 49ers will add their players after the Super Bowl.

Wide receiver Jerry Rice and linebacker Bill Romanowski exchanged punches in a hot-tempered practice Monday as the San Francisco 49ers sought to shake off a sloppy performance in their exhibition opener. Coach George Seifert was forced into the role of peacemaker after a series of scuffles broke out on the practice field on a hot day at Sierra College.

Fullback Tom Rathman and tailback Ty Montgomery, members of the Raiders' starting backfield for the first six games of the season, were among six players made available Thursday for the Jacksonville Jaguars' and Carolina Panthers' expansion draft. Although Montgomery was replaced in the starting lineup by Harvey Williams and eventually dropped to the inactive list, Rathman started the entire season.

The Minnesota Vikings added what could be the final piece to their playoff team--an attitude--by signing free-agent quarterback Jim McMahon here Wednesday. "Jim McMahon doesn't take any . . . from anybody, and I don't take any . . . from anybody," Viking Coach Dennis Green said at a sometimes confrontational interview session. McMahon turns 34 next season but will become the starting quarterback for a team that struggled late last season while alternating Rich Gannon and Sean Salisbury.

Shane Conlan is not Reggie White, and he is not Pierce Holt, and he is not Tim McDonald. At the same time, he is not Larry Kelm, so if you're asking how the Rams are doing in the inaugural NFL free-agent standings, the answer is: Better than expected. Five days after Green Bay outbids San Francisco, Dallas and Washington by blurting "17 million!" at the Reggie White auction, the Rams shell out $5.4 million for Conlan. You tell me which is the bigger upset.