THE SPORTING SCENE

A short way down the road from the bloodless contests in Harvard Stadium, the Boston Patriots display a zany and often comical brand of football on B.U. Field.

The difference between Ivy League and AFL competition is that, while play in the Patriots' circuit is often inept, it is always interesting and always spirited. The Patriots have had their ups and downs this year, but they have kept coming back for more. Now they stand at a pinnacle of sorts: they are tied for first in the AFL's Eastern division--with a 3-3-1 record.

The Patriots have often had their ups and downs within the space of a single game. In their Oct. 1 clash with the New York Titans at the Polo Grounds, the Patriots looked like world-beaters one minute and bums the next, with the balance coming to rest on the bum side by the weird score of 37 to 30.

Cappelletti Kicks Field Goal

On the second play from scrimmage on Oct. 1, New York's Dick Christy fumbled. Babe Parilli could not move the Patriots, so Gino Cappelletti kicked a 34-yard field goal. After the ensuing kickoff, Bob Mathis of New York fumbled on the first scrimmage play. Again Boston settled for a Cappelletti field goal.

On the first play after the kickoff, New York quarterback Al Dorow fumbled--but this time Cappelletti's kick hit the goal post. New York then made it through three uneventful plays, but on fourth down, center Roger Ellis rolled the ball back to punter Curly Johnson. Boston took over on the New York 42, and Cappelletti rescued the stalled offense with another field goal.

Patriots Collapse

Then the Patriots fell apart, as they so frequently do. New York barreled to three straight touchdowns, and led, 20 to 9. Then Cappelletti, who does everything, passed to Larry Garron for 27 yards and a touchdown on a fake field goal play. No wonder the Titans were fooled. Cappelletti later scored a touchdown on a fine pass reception, but New York held on for the win.

All Patriot games are about this wacky. In the Pats' 31-31 tie with Houston, the following things happened: Oiler quarterback Jackie Lee completed 27 out of 41 passes for 457 yards; Charlie Hennigan of Houston caught 13 aerials for 232 yards; Garron ran back a kickoff 33 yards; Boston seemingly iced the game by going ahead 31 to 28 with 50 seconds to play; and Houston's George Blanda tied the game with a field goal as time ran out.

Last week, the Patriots lambasted Buffalo, 52 to 21. Among the heroes, as usual, were quarterback Butch Songin, an itinerant athlete who at 37 is the league's third-ranking passer, and Cappelletti, who by kicking and receiving has already tallied 96 points.

It may not be football in the classic image, but it's one hell of a lot more interesting.