- Publish date:
CONTENTS
16
NFL PLAYOFFS
San Francisco slipped by Washington in the slop to set up a date with Dallas in the NFC title game
BY PAUL ZIMMERMAN
The Cowboys again became the pride of Dallas after whipping Philly in the other NFC game
BY RICK REILLY
Miami's stout defense stuffed San Diego to earn the Dolphins a spot in the AFC title match
BY ED HINTON
In a 24-3 victory over Pittsburgh, unheralded Bills kept Buffalo's Super Bowl hopes alive
BY PETER KING
28
TOO MUCH TO BEAR
With the firing of Mike Ditka, Chicago football fans lost the last link to their team's storied past
BY RICK TELANDER
32
RETURN OF THE KING
Wayne Gretzky, recovered from a back injury that threatened his NHL career, is back on the ice
BY RICHARD HOFFER
36
HOW BAD CAN IT GET?
Things are so bad in Dallas that the Mavericks may become the worst team in the NBA's history
BY JACK McCALLUM
42
TRAVELIN' MAN
Freewheeling Senior golfer Larry Laoretti is finally motoring along the road toward success
BY TIM CROTHERS
48
THE BIG LEAST
The Big East is no longer the powerhouse conference that it was during its heyday in the 1980s
BY ALEXANDER WOLFF
58
FIELD OF SCHEMES
In September the Little League World Series victory of a Philippine team dissolved in a sea of deceit
BY RICHARD HOFFER
DEPARTMENTS
4
TELEVISION
9
FACES IN THE CROWD
10
LETTERS
12
SCORECARD
52
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
54
PRO BASKETBALL
68
POINT AFTER
COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY PETER READ MILLER
PHOTO
JAY MAISEL
Da Bear: The dismissal of Mike Dikta left many Chicagoans bemoaning the team's cruel treatment of him. Talking about cruel treatment, that's what Dikta the player, shown here in a 1964 photo, often handed out (page 28).
