9501310973 DETROIT FREE PRESS 951010 Tuesday, October 10, 1995 METRO FINAL

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1D Drawing Color DICK MAYER/Detroit Free Press MITCH ALBOM Copyright (c) 1995, Detroit Free Press THE HUDDLE Let me get this straight. The Lions just beat San Francisco and Cleveland, the Wolverines lost to Northwestern, and the Seattle Mariners will play for the American League pennant? I gotta get out more. Hut one, hut two . . . HUDDLE UP! WHO'S IN THIS WEEK: Scott Mitchell, Lions receivers, Lions linemen, Barry Sanders (lifetime membership), Jim Harbaugh, Troy (What Leg?) Aikman, Grambling's Eddie Robinson, Ferris (GO DAWGS!) State, Kansas, Kansas State, Dorothy and Toto (as long as we're taking everyone from Kansas), Picasso's No-Fat Pizza of Southfield and, yes, the Captain, Steve Yzerman. If the Wings don't want him, he can hang with us. WHO'S OUT: Michigan and Michigan State, Colorado, Penn State, Buddy Ryan (permanent expulsion), the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bruce (KO) Smith, Charles (Waaaaaaa!) Haley, Bill Parcells, Drew (0-for-1995) Bledsoe, and whoever invented the Baseball Network, the worst idea since love beads. Hey, Huddle. E=MC2. Well. If it isn't the Northwestern Wildcats. Did we impress? As much as you can, for a team that wears purple. So? Are we in the Huddle? We play defense, we rush the ball, we all scored over 1,000 on our SATs. Well. . . . We beat Notre Dame. With Lou Holtz coaching? Yep. Welcome aboard. Yo, Huddle. I wanna play for you, man. Charles Haley. What's your beef? I don't get no respect in Dallas. Funny. You said that in San Francisco. I mean it now. Dallas benched me to start Sunday's game. The hell with them. They'll never get me in this uniform again. I hate them. I hope they get hit by lightning. I hope a monster eats them. Yeah. I hope a big monster swallows them and spits them up all gooey and gross and . . . Charles? Yeah? Does your diaper need changing again? Ahem. Mr. Huddle. Excuse me. But I am here. Look, gang. It's the Nike swoosh. Thank you. Thank you. No autographs, please. What do you want, Swoosh Man? Huddle, this is your lucky day! My corporate daddies have decided that your group is worthy of wearing me -- ta-da! -- on your jerseys. No kidding. Yes. I know how thrilled you must be. After all, we are THE company. We have Jordan, Agassi, Michigan . . . well, I don't need to brag. We just signed a $200-million deal with the NFL. We heard. And we signed Jerry's, er, the Dallas Cowboys. And half of college basketball. And Russia. And Europe. And the pope. And the planet Neptune. So what's the deal? Just sign here, and we give you lots of free shoes and shirts. And in exchange, we become a billboard? Well, uh . . . Tell you what, Mr. Swoosh Head. Take your gobble-the-world company and go back to making decent shoes that don't cost as much as a stereo system -- and maybe we'll consider it, OK? You're saying no to Nike? Somebody has to. Well, I never! You'll regret this! Aw, go swoosh your nose. LET'S GO TO THE MAILBAG! Dear Huddle: What are the chances of being admitted for living on the west side of the state and having to watch all the Lions games -- both home and away -- on TV? S.B., Hastings. Dear S.B.: What's with the initials? This isn't Penthouse. And the answer is no. Dear Huddle: Can I nominate my husband, Eric, into the Huddle? In the 17 years I've known him he has never lost hope in any Michigan sports team -- including the Lions. Pat Fredlund, Mt. Clemens. Dear Pat: He's in. He's nuts, but he's in. Hey, Huddle. How about an NFL limerick? There once was a QB named Randall Who gave the teams all they could handle But Buddy went bye, and Rodney said, "Hi" Now Randall's on the sidelines in sandals. Heh-heh . . . good one! . . . liked it, dude. Thank you. Enough of this chitchat. Where's the NFL poll? Calm down. What are you -- Nike? TOP THREE BOTTOM THREE 1. Oakland 17. Lions 2. Dallas 29. Florida State 3. San Francisco 30. NY Jets Hey, Huddle. Is Oakland for real? Of course. You can find it on a map. Huddle, Huddle! After these last two inspiring victories, do the Lions have a chance of going to the Super Bowl? Sure, as long as there are tickets. Do you want to be in the Huddle? Send your questions, comments or reasons for admission to the Huddle, Detroit Free Press, 321 W. Lafayette, Detroit 48226. Or fax 1-313-222-5983.