ATHLETES OUT FOR SOME SERIOUS FUN; FLAG FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT DRAWS ALL LEVELS OF INTENSITY TO PIERCE.

Byline: Patrick Hipes Daily News Staff Writer

For the most part, the competitors involved in the popular NFL Air-It-Out flag football tournament this weekend at Pierce College are realistic folk.

For every gung-ho, top-flite, intense-named team trekking through early-round play Saturday (Murder Squad, The Undertakers, Know Fear), there were more humble-sounding squads (Three And Out, No Skills, 1/2 Baked), honest squads (I Need A Beer, The Relics), weekend-athlete squads (The Torn Ligaments, Second Wind) and well-cultured squads (Slaughterhouse 5, Woody Allen).

The cross-section view of the American athlete is the draw for the event, which will have 2,700 participants - between 540-550 teams - to the Woodland Hills campus during the two days of competition.

On Saturday, one-third of the teams were eliminated from all of the 76 divisions. Championship play will begin at 9 a.m. and last throughout the day. The marquee event - the Top Gun division final - should begin by noon.

``This is great,'' said former Pierce College quarterback Dan McMullen, whose team LMC advanced into today's final rounds. ``To come out here and play with your friends, get out here and have fun. We've been ready for this for a long time.''

It would've happened sooner, but rain forced the postponement of the Jan. 10-11 dates. The tournament was moved to Pierce late this week to ensure games would be played rain or no rain. Saturday it was sunny and dry, although today's forecast is for rain.

``It's a great day, everything considered,'' event organizer Chuck Price said. ``We went from 55 fields (at the original site, Balboa Park) to 24 in a matter of two days. Other than the normal complaints of seeding and referees, it's fine.''

Indeed, with the interactive NFL Experience theme park alongside the playing fields and Power 106 radio sponsoring raffles through the numerous corporate tents, there was no lack of entertainment possibilities. But the focus was flag football.

``When my boys told me they were playing in this tournament, it brought back a lot of memories, a lot of old times,'' said Barbara Mancuso, in town from Pittsburgh to visit her two sons, both on team Steel City. ``They were playing this way when they were 7 years old.''

Mancuso was likely the only spectator between snaps reading Sam Shepard's ``True West,'' a play her actor/wide receiver son, Frank Jr., is currently doing.

``I wanted to see if he is the bad guy or the good hero,'' she said.

Other fans weren't necessarily there to watch players. Dick Lins of Tarzana sat watching his son, former Valley College standout Dave, referee. Dave Lins, a quarterback who transferred to Cal State Northridge this semester, was one of 40 volunteer refs from the Matadors.

NFL AIR-IT-OUT

When: Today

Where: Pierce College

What: Championship-round games begin at 9 a.m.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

PHOTO Chris Parker of Woodland Hills team Fast Twich passes over Pacoima Bang's Reggie Prince.

Phil McCarten/Daily News