August 2, 1974
By Mike Weber
NEW YORK - Babe Parilli heaved a long sigh - a deep tired sigh. At that moment, after the Stars had beaten the Jacksonville Sharks, 24-16, Parilli was relaxed...perhaps for the first time since he took the job as New York coach.
He expects great things from the Stars and, while their performance Wednesday night was spotty, it was a promising one.
"This one is a lot more satisfying than the first victory," said Parilli. "A lot more."
Indeed, it should have been. The Stars played catch-up for nearly three-quarters, over took Jacksonville on Tom Sherman's touchdown plunge, then fought off two late challenges. It gave New York a 2-2 record and, after a poor winning performance the week before against Philadelphia, it seemed to please Parilli.
"We've got a bunch of guys who can come back," he said. "They proved that tonight.
"We're not all the way where I want us to be, but we're getting there."
Lou Angelo's end zone interception in the fourth period sealed the Sharks' fate but his decision to run the ball out left Parilli speechless.
Asked his feelings when he saw Angelo set sail five yards deep in the end zone. Parilli rolled his eyes, smiled a knowing smile and said; "No comment."
Angelo returned only to his four but the Stars were able to move the ball away from the goal, finally punting and foiling one last effort by Jacksonville.
Angelo had intercepted a pass thrown by Jeff Davis, a running back pressed into service as the quarterback when Kay Stephenson and Kim Hammond were injured two plays apart spanning the final periods.
Davis moved the Sharks from their 43 to New York's eight, primarily on his own running. He tried one pass to Tony Lomax which was caught in the end zone but ruled out of bounds, then tried another - which Angelo picked off.
"Davis did a helluva job," said Sharks' coach Bud Asher. "It was unfortunate we had to use him but the league allows us to carry only 37 players. That's not enough."
The Sharks were caught without their third quarterback, Eddie McAshan, on the roster. So, 1-3 Jacksonville had to improvise and Davis was there.
"I volunteered," he said. "There was nobody else. I played as a sub-quarterback in high school but that's all.
"I was nervous when I first went out there but then there was no time to think of anything but the game. We planned to have me keep rolling out, but sooner or later, I knew I'd have to put the ball in the air."
That proved his undoing but his 48 yards gained in five rushing attempts may have earned him a permanent spot on Jacksonville's roster.
"He played very well considering the spot he was in," said Parilli.
Davis wasn't the only running quarterback in the game, however. Sherman tried a few tentative keepers early: they worked and he kept right on running, tying Bob Gladieux for the Stars rushing honors with eight carries and 67 yards.
"You'll find a lot of quarterbacks running in the WFL," said Parilli. "They're younger than a lot of NFL players and they want to help any way they can."
Sherman did that, once running for 31 yards on a bootleg which set up Andy Huff's short touchdown plunge a few plays later.
"I don't really like to run," said Sherman. "But I like to win."
Parilli just sighed in agreement.