The Beefstakes

For the optimists in the three-year-old American Football League, dreams sometimes get in the way of reality. "The two top teams in this league," boasts Houston Quarterback George Blanda, "are strong enough to take on anybody in the Nation al Football League, except maybe the Green Bay Packers." Most A.F.L. coaches admit that this is baloney. "Lord, they'd all massacre us," says Denver's Jack Faulkner. But there is one contest in which the fledgling pro league is a match for its older rival : bidding for the services of this year's graduating college stars. Last week the A.F.L. was throwing money around with such hearty abandon -- and picking up so much brawn -- that the quality of its football should show notable improvement in a few years.

"I believe that you can get almost any thing you want," says Minnesota Tackle Bobby Bell, 22, "if you want it bad enough." Bell weighs 214 Ibs., stands 6 ft. 4 in., and is quick enough to run 100 yds. in 10.4 sec.; he made everyone's All-America, and the N.F.L.'s Minnesota Vi kings wanted him enough to offer $18,000 a season for three years. But the A.F.L.'s W'estern Champion Dallas Texans wanted him so badly that they gave Bell every thing he demanded: a six-year, no-cut contract that calls for a salary of $25,000 a year -- about $10,000 more than most veteran linemen get. Owned by Oilman Lamar Hunt, the Texans also spirited away the No. 1 selection of the Philadel phia Eagles: Michigan State Guard Ed Budde. Budde's salary: an estimated $15,000 a year. Not to be outdone, the Buffalo Bills picked off two more Michigan State stars: Center Dave Behrman, No. 1 draftee of the Chicago Bears, and Fullback George Saimes, No. 6 choice of the Los Angeles Rams. Then the Bills outbid the Bears for Notre Dame Linebacker Ed Hoerster. topped the Green Bay Packers' offer to Notre Dame Quarterback Daryle Lamonica.

By week's end. the eight-team A.F.L. already had half of its first-round draftees under contract for the 1963 season, com pared with five of 14 for the N.F.L. The biggest money fights are still to come --over college stars who are playing in post season bowl games, cannot sign binding pro contracts until after the holidays. The top prizes on the auction block are Mississippi Tackle Jim Dunaway, Alabama Center Lee Roy Jordan and Louisiana State Halfback Jerry Stovall, all first-stringers on TIME'S pro-picked All-America, and all No. 1 draft choices. "For those three." says an A.F.L. official, ''the moon's the limit."

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