NEW YORK -- He had just beaten Kid Magnificent, knocked him out cold, and now the foreigner was standing with his towel in his hands and his face stretched in glee, and what the hell should he do, here in America? How do they celebrate?Throw the towel?
LOS ANGELES -- The new blue and white uniform was hanging on the podium, where everyone could see it. The new cap nestled close to the microphones. Kirk Gibson, the guest of honor at this luncheon, had a Dodgers schedule in his pocket, and an appointment with the real estate people, and he leaned back in his chair as the waiter brought the Caesar salad. Glasses clinked. Conversation buzzed."This is a happy day . . . " began Dodgers general manager Fred Claire.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The truth is, the Chicago Bears were never really eliminated -- they died and came back as the New York Giants.Lock your doors. It's the Blue Meanies this year. The Giants. They've won 10 in a row, and they're one massacre away from the Super Bowl. I don't like to use words such as awesome and destructive, but when the Giants' defense comes off the field, you expect it to burp.
PHILADELPHIA -- There is no joy in watching great athletes grow old, but some people seem to look forward to it anyhow. Their words hover like vultures. "This team's not what it used to be. . . . This one's over the hill. . . . That one ought to retire. . . . "Sooner or later, time makes prophets out of all of them.
Pretty soon, I expect to find the AL East title selling at a garage sale for $1.39.Does anybody want this thing? Detroit loses. Toronto loses. Detroit wins. Toronto loses. Detroit loses. Toronto loses. Are we sure this is the homestretch? Geez. When the going gets tough, the tough wait for the weekend.
TO: SPORTS EDITORFROM: THE CORRESPONDENT IN ROME RE: WHY THE CORRESPONDENT IS IN ROME Boss:OK. So what am I doing here? It's a fair question. And I promise to answer it. In a second. First, I have to tell you this story:
ATLANTIC CITY -- Larry Holmes was flat on his back, his legs spread apart, while the referee tried to jiggle the mouthpiece from between Holmes' teeth. A mob of people hovered over him, three guys in red satin jackets, a policeman, a doctor."Get out, get out," the ex-champ mumbled.
MOSCOW -- So I wanted to jog around the Kremlin. What's the big deal? I mean, you gotta jog somewhere, right?"You're insane," a colleague said."Hope you like Siberia," another said."Boys, boys," I said, slipping on my running shoes, "the Kremlin is just a big building. Buildings are meant to be jogged around."They shook their heads."Nice working with you," one said."Can I have your bags?" another said.
"We won't have a very long practice today. Just long enough to throw up."--Chuck Daly, Friday morning Adrian Dantley had his feet up on the seat. Bill Laimbeer was asleep with his mouth open. Rick Mahorn sat with headphones over his ears.
MIAMI -- You expect, now and then, to run smack into your conscience. You just don't expect it to happen at the Super Bowl. A game. A gunshot. And, in the land of beach and sun, we suddenly ask ourselves what America is all about.
When they first told him three people were dead, that it was a crime, that when he was finally released from the Pontiac hospital where he now lay, immobile, his head in a brace, his thumb sewn to his hand, he would be charged with manslaughter, this is what Reggie Rogers said: "Why?
KANSAS CITY -- Big men don't cry. That much you learn with your baseball milk. So I guess the idea of a 6-foot-3 home run hitter bawling is pretty much out of the question. Just the same, I keep visualizing Steve Balboni, all 225 pounds of him, returning to his hotel room after the game, stripping down to his undershirt, cuddling up with a bag of Doritos, and weeping.It is not because he is sensitive, which he is. It is not because he speaks with all the volume of a monk, which he does. It is not because, without his cap, he looks like the "before" picture for a hair-weave ad.
