Flores assumes underdog role OAKLAND (AP) Ton Flores NFL's Coach Year, is of toe toe honor knowifthat is important to bun. s-- not toe most colorful coach m the Na- Jftnl wenttoCbK Knoxof Buffalo I think the most important thmg Bat make tional Football But the man In toe same way, nobody paid no mistake, says Oak 9&r to hun is that the players appreciate land receivers coach lew Erber who guides the Oakland Raiders is much attention to toe Raiders, and hnn and they da I have never, becoming better known by the day as Tom Flores is head footban coach even when they got to the playoffs, ever heard anybody say anything bad here, noquestion." toe countdown conbnnes to Super they were Ionised upon skeptically about Tom Flores.' Perhaps toe game m which Flores Bowl XV They were supposed to lose to Hous- Dressed in a black pullover sweat In fats own snftapolwn way, Flores ton, came of age as a coach was the wild- Cleveland and San Diego, and er, Flores an but disappears on toe card playoff be-underdo- against Houston. Taking typified Oakland's gs has nse m what next Sonday they wfll adrimes. There is none of toe emo- was to be a rebufldmg year to the advantage of flaws m toe Guars for tion of a Den CbryeU or the coU pres- nations that bad been picked up threshold of footbsuTs greatest prne And Flores is the underdog in the ence of a Tom Landry in PhOadel-ptoa'sDickVerme- films. Raider defensive blitzed of aU. battle of personalities with fl. Tm probably not as back Praise has been slow m ermmn to exabng or imtonched to sack quarterback Ken funny as Bum Phfllms or Sam Rubg-Iian-o, Flores, who took a team picked to fin- toe Stabler "I thmk reason Tom doesnt get Flores says with a shrug Flores ish near toe bottom of the American toe (publicity) be pro- bad ontroached Bom Phil- is mat doesnt Its just not me" lips, who was Conference West and steered it to the mote bunseJf, says Oakland wide re- In addition, fired afterward. And Flores, like previous toe confidence engendered by 27 playoffs for the first tone m three ceiver Bob Ownrifer Be suffers Raider coaches, labors under that years. When it came tone to pack toe rumors 7 victory helped carry the Raiders to from it m the long run, but I dont that owner Al Davis actually runs toe New Orleans.