CONTENTS

THE NOT-SO BIG EIGHT 20
Oklahoma and Nebraska achieved their lofty rankings at the expense of a conference that's a bad joke
by Douglas S. Looney

EDGY FROM LACK OF COFFEY 26
With stalwart defenseman Paul Coffey sidelined by a contract dispute, the Oilers are off to a so-so start
by Austin Murphy

MIRACLES OF THE MIDWAY 28
Jim McMahon has come off the injury list to lead the 7-1 Chicago Bears to three come-from-behind wins
by Paul Zimmerman

THE KING AT HIS NEW COURT 36
After a 10-year absence from the NBA, Bill Russell hopes to bring his tradition of winning to Sacramento
by Jack McCallum

GROWING UP FAST 44
Hopes were high for Florida's Emmitt Smith and Ohio State's Carlos Snow. One has shone, the other hasn't
by Rick Telander

FIGHTING IS IN HIS BLOOD 58
IBF junior middleweight champ Matthew Hilton has earned the acclaim his rough-and-tumble dad never had
by William Nack

FORECAST FOR DISASTER 78
Man-made pollutants are producing changes in the climate of the earth that could prove to be catastrophic
by Robert H. Boyle

DEPARTMENTS

Letters 7
Scorecard 15
Television 66
Hockey 68
College Football 72
For The Record 99
Point After 102

Cover Photograph by John Biever

PHOTO

RONALD C. MODRA

A CLOSE SHAVE: Things got hairy for safety Mark Murphy and his Packers Sunday. They had the Bears beaten until Jim McMahon pulled out another win. No wonder Murphy was steaming (page 28).