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From: tbg@apollo.uucp (Tom Gross)
Newsgroups: net.sport.football
Subject: PATS IN SEVEN
Message-ID: <2b974567.2a75@apollo.uucp>
Date: Mon, 27-Jan-86 17:09:00 EST
Article-I.D.: apollo.2b974567.2a75
Posted: Mon Jan 27 17:09:00 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 29-Jan-86 04:06:41 EST
Organization: Apollo Computer, Chelmsford, Mass.
Lines: 60


    Yesterday's first game of Superbowl XX
    reminded me a lot of the first game of the last 
    Celtics-Lakers Championship series.  In that game, 
    as some of you may recall, the Celtics clobbered
    the Lakers and caused quite of bit of concern
    among Laker fans.  I remember this especially
    because after the second game, which the 
    Lakers had won, a friend of mine from LA was
    back east for the weekend, and he relayed to me
    the shock and dismay still being experienced in 
    LA after the first game blow-out.  At the time,
    we Celtics fans were still feeling confident that
    they could pretty much toy with the Lakers in spite
    of the fact that LA had won the 2nd game.  I graciously
    pointed out to my friend that in the first game if 
    James Worthy hadn't missed a couple of easy shots 
    leading to Celtics fast breaks the game probably 
    wouldn't have gotten out of hand.  I had examined
    my video tape of the first period to see how the rout
    had really come about and realized that there was 
    a crucial 2-minute stretch where EVERYTHING went wrong
    for the LAKERS and EVERYTHING went RIGHT for the Celts.
    Thus but for a few catastrophic incidents the game might
    have been close; we know now that the LAKERS were hardly
    overmatched in that series (for the record they won in
    6 games).  Nevertheless, if the Championship series
    had consisted of that SINGLE game we might STILL think
    that the LAKERS did not belong on the same court with the
    "mighty" Celtics.

    Anyway, to get back to net.sport.football, in game 1
    of the series yesterday I believe that if Stanley Morgan 
    had not dropped Eason's second pass he would have scored on that
    play and the outcome of the game might well have been
    completely different: much more than just the additional
    four points; I believe the psychological effect on both
    teams would have been significant.  Eason missing 3 consecutive
    passing attempts at the start of the day did not help.
    On the other hand I give credit to Jim McMahon's acupuncturist
    for his unexpectedly good passing.  I think Chicago's ability
    to go deep was a surprise to most Patriot fans, but I equate
    that with Danny Ainge's perimeter shooting in the first quarter
    of game one of last year's NBA finals, i.e. an unexpected streak
    of greatness from a BYU alumnus.  Time will tell of course,
    but I don't think the BEARS can count on that kind of performance
    from McMahon throughout the series.

    Does anybody really think the Bears can beat the Patriots
    in a best of seven series?


                         
    Tom Gross
    Apollo Computer, Inc.

    P.S. Does anyone know when game 2 of Superbowl XX will be played?
         Will it be on NBC?  The NBC affiliate in Boston lists
         "The Day the Fish Came Out" with Candice Bergen; it's a classic
         film, but I'd much rather see the Bears get stomped!