CONTENTS

12
A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER
The climate is now variable in Los Angeles, where the Lakers cooled off after a rather long hot spell
BY HANK HERSCH

18
TRIPLE THREAT
Tonya Harding spun to the U.S. women's figure skating title with an unprecedented triple Axel
BY E.M. SWIFT

20
BIG DOINGS IN UTAH
Undaunted by a septuple bypass, coach Rick Majerus has led the Utes to the WAC basketball championship
BY ALEXANDER WOLFF

28
SWERVIN' PAST AN IDOL
Ernie Irvan zoomed by his mentor, Dale Earnhardt, to win the Daytona 500 for the first time
BY SAM MOSES

32
CZECHING IN
The future looks bright indeed for four talented rookies who came to the NHL from Czechoslovakia
BY JAY GREENBERG

48
ROCKET LAUNCH
Having left Notre Dame early, Raghib Ismail has assembled a business team that plans to make him rich
BY AUSTIN MURPHY

62
MAKING THE CUT
The cutting horse, that reliable companion of the cowboy, has moved from the ranch to the sporting arena
BY THOMAS McGUANE

DEPARTMENTS

4
LETTERS

7
SCORECARD

54
COLLEGE BASKETBALL

58
PRO BASKETBALL

76
FOR THE RECORD

78
POINT AFTER

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY GWENDOLEN CATES

PHOTO

JOE MCNALLY

Hoofin' It: Cutting horses leave their mark on the floor of the waiting area in Fort Worth's Will Rogers Coliseum as they and their riders nervously wait to compete in the Futurity, the Super Bowl of their sport (page 62).