When George Seifert was named coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 1989, he had Joe Montana as his quarterback, with Steve Young waiting in the wings.
Those were two of the reasons Seifert went on to post a 108-35 record in eight years -- a .775 winning percentage that is the best in NFL history for coaches with 100 or more victories.
Seifert is ready to start his second NFL stint in Carolina this fall, but his quarterback situation isn't quite as glittering.
He has shopworn veteran Steve Beuerlein as his starter, with -- drum roll, please -- Jeff Lewis waiting in the wings.
Seifert committed himself to Lewis as his quarterback of the future when he traded two picks to Denver last week to get him.
In case you've never heard of him, Lewis was a fourth-round pick out of Northern Arizona in 1996.
Lewis was supposedly being groomed to replace John Elway, but he was demoted to third-string in 1997 after 13 games when Denver acquired Bubby Brister.
He then sat out last year after injuring his knee in a basketball game.
Lewis is a gamble for Seifert, but there's a shortage of quarterbacks these days and he'll roll the dice on Lewis.
"Jeff's schooling during the early stage of his career has been in a similar offensive system and this is a plus," Seifert said. "His mobility and desire to compete is a plus."
But he's played in just five NFL games, thrown 19 NFL passes and has yet to start a game.
Looking for a QB
There was more evidence last week that the Philadelphia Eagles will bypass running back Ricky Williams with the second pick in the draft, assuming the Cleveland Browns take quarterback Tim Couch with the first pick.
That's because Andy Reid, the Eagles' coach, was the only head coach to watch Daunte Culpepper's workout last week in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Reid was joined by four other members of the Eagles' organization, including general manager Tom Modrak. They also had dinner with him.
Culpepper has said the Eagles told him at the scouting combine that they'd take a quarterback with the second pick.
That doesn't mean Culpepper will be the second choice. The Eagles also have to consider Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith. Scouts around the league remain divided on which is the second-best choice.
Snubbing Europe
Jim Druckenmiller, who was picked by the 49ers over Jake Plummer two years ago in a draft gaffe that could haunt the team for years, is now being shopped around by new general manager Bill Walsh, who recommended the 49ers take Plummer.
Druckenmiller and his agent, Gary Wichard, refused when the 49ers requested he try to sharpen his skills in the NFL-Europe League this spring.
"There is no reason for Druck to be in NFL-Europe, other than for some team to say they have a No. 1 draft pick playing for them," Wichard said. "He's not going to do anything over there to get anybody jacked up. I'm supposed to send a Drew Bledsoe-type arm over there?"
The problem is Druckenmiller is not a Bledsoe-type quarterback and he could have used more experience -- and a free, three-month sojourn in Europe wouldn't have been hard to take.
Working out
Jerry Rice of the 49ers, who'll be in Baltimore on Tuesday as the 49ers' winner of the Ed Block Courage Award at the organization's annual dinner, has always had a reputation for working out nonstop in the off-season. He never tried to get by just on his talent.
But general manager Walsh is now suggesting that since Rice will be 37 in October, he should cut back on the workouts. He thinks Rice should no longer try to push his body year-round.
End of a shrine
Lambeau Field, one of the cathedrals of the sport, is now likely to be the latest victim of the big-money era in pro football.
The Green Bay Packers announced last week that they will no longer put money into renovating the stadium where the Ice Bowl was played and where Vince Lombardi once roamed the sidelines. Instead, they'll conserve their money, with the idea of building a new stadium in 10 to 12 years.
"Every time a team gets a new stadium, a have-not becomes a have, and they jump over the Packers in revenue," said team vice president Bob Harlan.
Moon over
At age 42, Warren Moon is learning his options are more limited than he thought.
Originally, Moon was San Diego's choice to tutor Ryan Leaf, and when Moon visited the team recently, he said he wanted to get a deal done quickly.
But then his agent, Leigh Steinberg, announced he would talk to several other teams.
The Chargers decided not to wait for Moon because they were worried he was using them. They invited Jim Harbaugh in for what was a productive visit and Harbaugh said he wouldn't visit any other teams. The Ravens' quarterback seems set to sign with San Diego as soon as the Ravens release him. The Chargers are no longer interested in Moon.
Moon then visited Detroit, but the Lions signed Gus Frerotte. Now scheduled to visit the Ravens this week, Moon finds himself scrambling to find a new home.
Quotable
"To me, this is everything that's wrong with pro sports -- greed, lack of tradition, and lack of caring for the fans. It sounds like the commissioner is behind it."
-- Lions vice president Bill Ford Jr., on a proposal that the annual Thanksgiving Day games be rotated instead of being played in Detroit and Dallas every year.
Pub Date: 3/07/99