Book Has Realistic Punch -- Tim Green's Novel Effective Because Author Has Played

The novel "Ruffians" could be dismissed easily as a sensationalized piece of sports fiction if it weren't for one thing - the author is an NFL player.

Tim Green, seven-year defensive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons, said he based the book "on a lot of my experiences."

The book is about a first-round draft choice named Clay Blackwell who is pressured into taking steroids by the ruthless NFL coach of a Birmingham expansion team nicknamed "Ruffians." First novels are quite autobiographical and, in a phone interview, Green admitted there is a lot of himself in Blackwell.

However, Green, says he hasn't taken steroids. Still, he is able to offer behind-the-scenes looks at performance drugs, fans and agents. The reader also gets an inside look at the pain and egos rampant in the NFL.

Reviewers have used words such as "chilling," "fascinating" and "disturbing" to describe the hard-to-put-down book. Those words wouldn't be trotted out if Green weren't a player.

Green, who studied writing at Syracuse, worked four years on the 298-page book. He wrote on planes, in hotels and sometimes even scribbled ideas on game plans.

Green said sales have topped 20,000 and a paperback deal has been made.

He said fellow players have praised the book and many have had him autograph copies.

Green's second book, "Titans," will be out next fall. It deals with football and gambling. The main characters are an NFL quarterback, a mobster and an FBI agent.

PASS THE LIZARD HEADS

Anthony Smith of the Los Angeles Raiders has 12 sacks this season, equaling the team total of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Smith has special dietary weapons. In addition to Chinese herbs, he also eats ground, dried lizard heads.

"They are in capsule form and the capsule also contains caterpillar husks," said Smith.

He said record-setting Chinese women runners also use the capsules.

GOODBYE, SECOND BYE

The last bye has passed and the league promises there won't be more than one bye per team next year.

This year, teams coming off byes have a 7-16 record against teams that played the previous week.

The Seahawks have the worst record in the NFL after byes - 0-4.

NEVER ON MONDAY

Tampa Bay hasn't been on Monday Night Football since Dec. 12, 1983. That's a record span of 159 telecasts with the Bucs. The second-longest stretch was 145 games by the Colts from 1979-87.

LARGENT'S MARK SAFE?

Washington receiver Art Monk has caught a pass in 158 consecutive games. Ex-Seahawk Steve Largent holds the record at 177. Monk turns 36 next month.

FREE-AGENT FOLLIES

At last count, only 61 of the 121 players who signed with other teams as unrestricted free agents in the offseason are starting. Twenty five were released. The rest are backups or injured.

COMING UP SHORT

New England Coach Bill Parcells figures a team should average one touchdown for every 100 yards it gains. His Patriots are way off the mark, though, having scored only 12 touchdowns while gaining more than 3,000 yards.

LOCAL NOTES

-- Ex-Franklin High and WSU standout James Hasty has played with a fractured cheekbone the past two games for the Jets.

-- Ex-Husky Dana Hall has been replaced as a starting 49er safety by Merton Hanks, who had a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown Monday night against the Saints.

LOWERY'S BOTTOM THREE

Place-kicker Nick Lowery of Kansas City has been around 14 seasons and ranks these as the three worst stadiums for kickers: 1) Cleveland Stadium; 2) Shea Stadium (Jets); Foxboro Stadium (Patriots).

QUARTERBACKS FALLING

Only nine NFL teams, including Seattle and Denver, have started the same quarterback every game this season.

Craig Smith covers the Seahawks and the NFL for The Seattle Times. Some items in this notebook are from The Associated Press, Rocky Mountain News, Dallas Morning News and Los Angeles Times.