Detroit Free Press

ATLANTA -- That sound you heard was a bomb. The explosion at Centennial Park that claimed one life and affected thousands of others may be your first memory when someone says, "Olympics, 1996."But not your last.

The ball came down from the lights the way a pitchfork might come down from the lights, the way a live grenade might come down from the lights, you could watch its frightening descent and know exactly the terrible thing that was about to happen and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, you could do about it.There. I've just summed up a day in the life of the Lions' secondary.

You wouldn't say "My family is sick and dying, but my life is good." You wouldn't say "Everyone at work is in danger, but my life is swell."So I'm confused by the latest nationwide poll in which most Americans say they are happy with their lives, even though the country is in trouble.Hello? This is like saying "My car is about to go off that cliff, but no worries, I'm wearing my seat belt."

The crack of the bat sent them all in motion, three Tigers base runners, one ground ball, 12 innings and a Detroit fairy tale hanging in the balance. What a story in those six moving feet! What a magnificent tale, an all-afternoon adventure, a baseball game played like one of those old serial movies, where danger lurks at every turn and all you know is the heroes prevail at the end.

And now, three words about Darrell Evans.Home Run King.OK. So he doesn't have the title clinched yet -- there are still four games left -- but he'll get it, as long as God makes little green apples and Piggy loves Kermit and somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, good things come to those who wait.Because Evans has been waiting 38 years.And nobody deserves it more.This is a professional, a leader, a guy who'd keep an even keel in an earthquake, who always faces the cameras, good or bad, who epitomizes the words gentleman, dignity, grace.

BOSTON -- The first one came with the final seconds dripping away in the first half. Greg Kite threw him the ball off a rebound and Danny Ainge started dribbling downcourt, but, time, time, there wasn't enough time, so he heaved it, he just heaved it while he was running, a desperation shot from 40 feet. And the ball went up, up, came down, down. . . . Bang.

I would like to write something funny and witty and entertaining and insightful to top my picks for this week, but I am stuck in line at a shopping mall, waiting to pay for a blender. I have been here since Thursday, and I am getting hungry.So here are the picks.LIONS 23, PACKERS 12: The Lions are at home. They are very happy. They strut around the Silverdome. "See this?" they say, "this is our turf. And see this? This is our bench. And see this? This is our Gatorade bucket." They lean back and smile."We cannot lose," they say, "we are at home."

WIMBLEDON, England -- "Hello?""Is Boris in?""Who's calling?""Just put the little twerp on the phone.""One moment, Mr. McEnroe."". . . Hello?""Boris?""Yon?""THAT'S JOHN, YOU PEA-BRAIN!""Zorry.""Forget it. Look. I saw what happened Friday at Wimbledon. You shouldn't have lost. Second round? The defending champion? No way.""I know. I am better player than dis Peter Doohan. But he heet shots dat ver unbeleeevable! He vas vantastic! He vas-"