Columnist Ron Kantowski: Gadget plays make for excitement

Thursday, Oct. 25, 2001 | 11:35 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's column appears Thursday. Reach him at ron@lasvegassun.com or 259-4088.

After watching last week's Colorado State-UNLV game in person and the NFL highlights on ESPN, I've got two words of advice for coaches at both levels:

Loosen up.

Be like Carolina Panthers' coach George Siefert -- let your hair down a little. Only do it metaphorically with your play-calling. Have some fun, maybe even score a touchdown. More importantly from a fan's standpoint, inject some life into a game that has become more conservative than Fred Rogers' wardrobe.

Colorado State's Sonny Lubick showed up at Sam Boyd Stadium with a game plan designed by Inspector Gadget. In fact, one could argue that were it not for trick plays, the Rams wouldn't even have been in the game against the Rebels.

Stymied by UNLV's aggressive defense, the Rams used a halfback option pass from Henri Childs to Bradlee Van Pelt -- the CSU quarterback -- to take a 16-7 lead in the second quarter. The play covered 56 yards and totally caught the Rebels with their pants down.

Later, during a two-play sequence in the fourth quarter, CSU yanked down the Rebels' jockey shorts as well. Another Childs halfback pass -- this one to tight end Joel Dreesen -- went for 27 yards. On the very next play, the Rams ran a perfectly executed wide receiver reverse for what proved to be the winning points.

College football coaches are renown for pulling flea-flickers and other odd plays -- can you say Stanford band, kick return formation? -- from out of their helmets, but last Sunday even the pros got into it.

I all but stopped paying attention to the NFL several years ago, because all the offenses look the same -- boring. Run or short pass (same difference) on first down, incomplete passes on second and third, punt on fourth. Since the AFL folded and the NFL fell in love with zone defenses, pro football is like watching an Amway presentation.

That's why rather than devote six hours to a Sunday doubleheader, I just watch the limited highlights on ESPN. But listening to Chris Berman do the voice-over this past Sunday, you would have sworn he was narrating a Three Stooges film festival.

Halfbacks throwing TD passes. Quarterbacks catching them. Laterals in the secondary. What's next? A successful dropkick?

It's hard to say how long these immaculate deceptions will remain in vogue. But for one weekend, at least, it was nice to see the game trade in its navy blue suit for one of Doc Severinsen's blazers.