The Eagle vows to fly again...Capriati can see clearly now...Meet Majerus, marathon man

Grounded
Intrepid British ski jumper Eddie (the Eagle) Edwards, whose flamboyant last-place finishes at the 1988 Winter Olympics made him a worldwide cult hero. Embarrassed by the pink-spectacled spectacle Edwards made of himself, the British Olympic Association last week toughened requirements for membership on its Olympic teams, ensuring that neither Edwards nor any other British ski jumper would qualify for the 1992 Albertville Games. "To be an Olympic competitor now, you've got to be good," said John Leaning of the British Ski Federation. Two days earlier, Edwards, a plasterer, had declared bankruptcy, citing debts of more than $200,000. "You have not seen the last of me yet," said the Eagle. Beak up, old man.

Unbridled
Unbridled, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Breeder's Cup Classic in 1990. The 4-year-old stallion was retired to stud last week with career earnings of nearly $4.5 million, fifth-best in the sport's history. He finished in the money in 20 of 24 races. Unbridled should still be, pardon the expression, a cash cow. He'll stand at Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Ky., for a stud fee of $35,000 a pop.

Claimed
On waivers by the publicity-starved Montreal Expos, 37-year-old catcher Gary Carter. If he makes the team next spring, Carter will return to the place where his career first flowered. He batted .272 with 215 homers and 794 RBIs during 10 years with the Expos (1975-84) and won the club's Player of the Year award four times. He's no Kid anymore, though—Carter hit .246 with six homers for the Dodgers in 1991.

Focused
The eyesight of tennis prodigy Jennifer Capriati, who wore contact lenses in competition for the first time at the Virginia Slims of Philadelphia last weekend. Capriati, 15, was fitted with the lenses after she flunked a vision test to get a Florida driver's license. "It's amazing," she said with a giggle. "Now when I'm playing tennis, I can see the other person's face." She reached the finals, but lost to top-ranked Monica Seles 7-5, 6-1.

Puffed
His way to the finish line in the San Antonio Marathon, Utah basketball coach Rick Majerus, who formerly packed 300 pounds of suet onto a 5'11" frame. Since septuple-bypass heart surgery in 1989, Majerus has dropped nearly 100 pounds, reducing his waist size from 48 to 38 inches. Majerus gathered $39,000 in pledges to benefit various charities before attempting his first marathon and was determined to collect. He came in 837th out of 837 runners, in five hours, 54 minutes, 29 seconds. "There was a medical van and a motorcycle cop behind me," Majerus said. "I felt like George Bush."

Recovered
From nearby University of North Carolina, relics of Duke University's 1991 NCAA basketball championship. The items, including a Hoosier Dome net, Mike Krzyzewski's Coach of the Year trophy and a ball commemorating the title game, were stolen last week from Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. Nearly all were found arrayed beside the Old Well, a UNC landmark. The last item, the ball, was delivered Monday by a Carolina student to radio station WCHL, flagship of the Tar Heel Sports Network.

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MICHAEL KING

The king of Calgary hit hard luck.