CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS

4
LETTERS

7
SCORECARD

52
COLLEGE BASKETBALL

76
FOR THE RECORD

78
POINT AFTER

12
NFL PLAYOFFS

The Broncos, three-time Super Bowl losers, earned the chance to try again by beating the Browns
BY RICK REILLY

The relentless 49ers hammered the Rams and set their sights on winning their fourth Super Bowl
BY PAUL ZIMMERMAN

30
THE BIG MAN GETS BIGGER
Patrick Ewing has added finesse to his intimidating presence and made New York an NBA force
BY JACK McCALLUM

34
OH LA LA!
Pat LaFontaine is leading the reviving Islanders back to their former lofty heights in the NHL
BY AUSTIN MURPHY

42
SHOWDOWN I
Hotshot freshmen Kenny Anderson of Georgia Tech and Bobby Hurley of Duke ring in a new era
BY BRUCE NEWMAN

48
UNBEARABLE BURDEN
Bill Curry could not escape Bear Bryant's shadow at Alabama, so he left to coach at Kentucky
BY WILLIAM F. REED

58
THE STEEL AGE
Before the 49ers, there were the Steelers, who ruled the NFL for a decade—and changed it forever
BY PETER KING

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN BIEVER

PHOTO

JOHN BIEVER

GETTIN' SOME KICKS: Greg Koubek and the rest of the Blue Devils got a leg up on Georgia Tech in the ACC basketball race with a 96-91 win in Atlanta (page 42).