Dake It Or Leave It

HOME: Norton. Massachusetts

AGE: 20

PREP SCHOOL: Msgr. Coyle High

PROFESSION: Eastwhile starting quarterback for Boston University for its three losses in as many games this season. Now a Saturday benchwarmer for the Terriers.

HOBBIES: Majors in Physical Education.

LAST BOOKS READ: Custer Died for Your Sins, Kissinger: The Uses of Power, and Dick and Jane's Big Score.

LAST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Directed coach Larry Navianus's Terrier squad to a 49-12, defeat at the hands of the Delaware Blue Hens last Saturday. En route to this amazing deed, Rich completed a legendary two of 20 passes before retiring in the final period with his team down, 42-0.

QUOTE: "We're all here trying to be somebody, find a place for ourselves ... well, a lot of the people you hear about today, whether it be in art, politics, the line, the backfield, secondary, whatever ... these are the people trying to find a place for America. We're a very young team, much like our country, and I don't think we're found out where we're at yet. We sure are hungry. True, Harvard has a good team. I've watched them on films and believe me they're no Delaware. Down deep, I think we'll take'em."

PROFILE: Agitated. Proud. Opinionated. He has energy to expend. Displays excellent leadership qualities. His ability to articulate ideas will add immeasurably to the literature of self-identification for the B.U. football team.

FAVORITE DRINK: Hawaiian-Gator-Drivers (Hawaiian Punch, Gatorade, and Boris Gutanoff Vodka).

Al and his Terriers, for whom he was the starting signal caller until today, have been having a tough go of it for the past three weeks. They have lost games to Maine. New Hampshire, and Delaware on respective Saturdays and have looked less than sterling one each occassion.

To be sure, this is not all the 5'11", 170 Ib. junior's fault. As any follower of local football talent will tell you. B.U. has not been blessed with an over abundance of experience and depth. Especially depth. In fact, when coach Naviaux strode onto Nickerson Field this August for the opening fall workout he was able to greet only 70 bodies -- some of them not even warm.

And with the injuries incurred from the first three blood baths it's got to the point that if anyone gets hurt today Naviaux can forget about Temple and Colgate, the Terriers won't even be able to handle a bowl of warmed-over Lil Friskies. But, alas they'll always have the memory of Norton's Al Rich fading back, scramblin', back again, in a futile attempt to escape the vaunted Blue Hen rush and uphold the honor of the ol'Red and White.