8902110462
DETROIT FREE PRESS
891015
Sunday, October 15, 1989
METRO FINAL
4E
MITCH ALBOM
the picks
Copyright (c) 1989, Detroit Free Press
FANS, 'TIS SEASON FOR ALL SEASONS
It occurs to me that we are entering that magical time of year when every
major sport on the face of the planet is in motion. We have baseball (the
World Series), basketball (exhibition season), hockey (regular season, which
might as well be an exhibition season), tennis (somewhere in Tokyo they're
playing), golf (somewhere in England they're playing), cross-country,
lacrosse, soccer, squash, racquetball, Ping- Pong, horseshoes -- and, of
course, football. College football. Pro football. Semi-pro football. And the
Lions.
What does this mean?
It means a lot of beer nuts, that's what it means.
And now, this week's picks. . . .
* TAMPA BAY 30, DETROIT 20: Used to be the Bucs were terrible. But they got
better. How come everybody can say that but the Lions?
* MINNESOTA 21, GREEN BAY 20: Herschel Walker injures his knee coming out of
the shower, leaving the Vikings with just 10 players.
* CHICAGO 23, HOUSTON 13: I see both teams walking around Soldier Field with
their biceps bulging. "Go ahead," they say to each other. "Think you're
tough? Go ahead. You ain't nothin'."
* CINCINNATI 34, MIAMI 24: The Bengals' two quarterbacks are named Boomer and
Turk. Whatever happened to Bill?
* ATLANTA 23, NEW ENGLAND 8: Roses are red, apples are fruity, if the game
ain't in Boston, don't side with Doug Flutie.
* NY GIANTS 25, WASHINGTON 20: Here's all I want to know about the Giants,
now that they're back to winning. Are we gonna have to put up with that
Gatorade stuff again?
* SAN FRANCISCO 104, DALLAS 6: Jimmy Johnson is too busy handing out uniforms
to the 853 players he acquired for Herschel Walker.
* SAN DIEGO 20, SEATTLE 10: If injured Brian Bosworth shows up, will he and
Jim McMahon fit in the same stadium? With those two swollen heads, will there
be room for any spectators?
* DENVER 12, INDIANAPOLIS 10: They should just clear out the stadium and let
John Elway play Eric Dickerson one-on-one. That's all this is about, anyhow.
* CLEVELAND 51, PITTSBURGH 0: Wait a minute. Haven't we seen this already?
* NEW ORLEANS 28, NY JETS 17: It's sleepy time down South.
* PHILADELPHIA 31, PHOENIX 26: Because this is the battle of the PH's, I look
for a balanced game.
* LA RAIDERS 17, KANSAS CITY 16: Art Shell says he's going to return things
on the Raiders to how they used to be. Which means they'll be out partying
Saturday night until around 4 a.m.
* LA RAMS 28, BUFFALO 6 (Monday night): Is there anyone else on the Bills
besides Jim Kelly? I thought he was their only player.
* RECORD LAST WEEK: 10-4.
* RECORD VS. SPREAD: 6-8.
* SEASON RECORD: 45-25.
* SEASON VS. SPREAD: 33-34-3.
* BEST PICK LAST WEEK: Philadelphia 30, NY Giants 28. Eagles won, 21-19.
* WORST PICK LAST WEEK: Buffalo 24, Indianapolis 20. Colts won, 37-14.