CONTENTS

16
Rx FOR THE NFL
Fewer stars, too many injuries and not enough offense: It's time to cure everything that ails the league
BY PETER KING

22
SNOW SHOW
Bit players upstaged star skiers at the World Cup's first U.S. event of the season, in Park City, Utah
BY WILLIAM OSCAR JOHNSON

24
THE GREAT ESCAPE
Fleeing their troubled homeland, more than three dozen Cubans defected at a competition in Puerto Rico
BY STEVE WULF

28
WIDE AWAKE IN SEATTLE
Buoyed by new arrivals, the bickering SuperSonics are among the early favorites for the NBA title
BY PHIL TAYLOR

36
BOUND FOR MIAMI
Big wins over traditional rivals set up an Orange Bowl showdown between Nebraska and Florida State
BY AUSTIN MURPHY

44
OO-LA-LA, LENNY
Fun-loving, free-spending Phillie Lenny Dykstra toured Europe as an unlikely ambassador for baseball
BY IAN THOMSEN

66
A CRUEL BLOW
A seemingly harmless slash to the chest resulted in the death of a professional hockey player in Italy
BY E.M. SWIFT

DEPARTMENTS

6
LETTERS

10
FACES IN THE CROWD

13
SCORECARD

48
SPORTS PEOPLE

54
PRO FOOTBALL

59
COLLEGE FOOTBALL

62
COLLEGE BASKETBALL

82
POINT AFTER

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY LOU CAPOZZOLA

PHOTO

LANE STEWART

An American in Paris: On a grand tour of Europe to promote his nation's pastime, Lenny Dykstra was clearly puttin' on the Ritz as he relaxed with his wife, Terri, in a suite at the legendary hotel (page 44).