ΙΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝ» Ί SPORTSBEAT Ί Ί Magazine Ί ΜΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΉ Ί Issue I - October, 1993 by D.P. McIntire Ί ΜΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΉ Ί SPORTSBEAT is an electronic publication distributed via the shareware Ί Ί concept of marketing. If you find it worthy, please send a registration Ί Ί of $ 3.00 to: AmeriBoard Enterprises, P.O. Box 445, Penn Run PA 15765. Ί ΜΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΉ Ί SPORTSBEAT may be distributed freely via computerized bulletin board Ί Ί systems. It may be placed on-line as a bulletin, door, or by any other Ί Ί means available. Such distribution will not be considered as a violation Ί Ί of the existing copyright. SPORTSBEAT may also be distributed via CD-ROM Ί Ί diskette without copyright violation. Ί ΜΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΉ Ί SPORTSBEAT may not be distributed via 5.25" or 3.5" diskette, nor may it beΊ Ί copied onto 5.25" or 3.5" diskettes. Such copying or distribution will be Ί Ί considered a violation of copyright law, and violators will be prosecuted Ί Ί under United States Copyright Law or International Copyright Law, whicheverΊ Ί is applicable. Ί ΘΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΌ ΙΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝ» Ί TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ί Ί (1) Welcome to SportsBeat! Ί Ί (2) Major League Baseball Realignment: Winners and Losers. Ί Ί (3) More Realignment: A case for realigning two other sports leagues. Ί Ί (4) Basketball is talking expansion: The front runners. Ί Ί (5) The 1993 Championship and World Series Predictions. Ί Ί (6) In Next Month's Issue (We Hope, Anyway), "BackBeat." Ί ΘΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΌ ΙΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝ» Ί WELCOME TO SPORTSBEAT! Ί ΘΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΌ The purpose of SPORTSBEAT magazine is simple: to bring various types of sports information and opinion to you, the on-line reader. As the editor of this "electronic rag," I would like to say (primarily to cover my company and at my attorneys behest) that the opinions expressed in SPORTSBEAT are solely mine, and that they are not necessarily the opinions of AmeriBoard Enterprises or of AmeriBoard Enterprises Publishing. However, considering as how I'm the owner of both of them... well, you can make your own opinion on that one. ΙΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝ» Ί MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL REALIGNMENT - WINNERS AND LOSERS. Ί ΘΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΌ On September 15, 1993, Major League Baseball announced formally its divisional alignment for the upcoming 1994 season. With it came no real surprises: the Majors will now have three divisions (Eastern, Central, and Western) in both the American and National Leagues. The alignments themselves however have a slight air about them, similar to the NFL's realignment following the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Here's the breakdown of Baseball in '94: AMERICAN LEAGUE: Eastern Division: Central Division: Western Division: Boston Red Sox Cleveland Indians California Angels Baltimore Orioles Milwaukee Brewers Oakland A's New York Yankees Chicago White Sox Seattle Mariners Toronto Blue Jays Minnesota Twins Texas Rangers Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals NATIONAL LEAGUE: Eastern Division: Central Division: Western Division: Montreal Expos Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies Atlanta Braves Houston Astros Los Angeles Dodgers Florida Marlins Chicago Cubs San Fran. Giants Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates San Diego Padres New York Mets St.Louis Cardinals ODDITIES: Really, only two: in the American League, the Cleveland Indians are placed in the AL Central, while the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays are in the AL East. Major League Baseball figured however that a Tiger-Blue Jays rivalry should continue while an Indian-Tiger rivalry, dating back 93 years, should be curtailed. Meanwhile in the National League, the owners opted to make a southern rivalry with the Braves and Marlins rather than to place the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Eastern division to maintain its 110+ year rivalry with the Philadelphia Phillies. Cases can be made either way on both scenarios, so I won't insert my two cents here. WINNERS OF REALIGNMENT: 1.) Everyone in the new AL East. Reason? They maintain the rivalries of old for the most part, dropping the "other" teams in the old East alignment, (Cleveland and Milwaukee) who didn't draw as well as the others. 2.) The Cleveland Indians. Starved for a pennant of any kind since 1954, the new AL Central gives them perhaps their best shot at making the new playoff system in 40 years. They could finish first in the 1994 AL Central as easily as they could finish dead last. 3.) The Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins. By virtually strong-arming the MLB hierarchy into placing them both in the NL East, there is an instant Florida-Georgia rivalry, and although the Marlins will get pounded in the early going, anticipate this rivalry to be a big one within five years. 4.) The New York Mets. Yeah, that's right - the New York Mets. Why do they benefit so well from realignment, even with a strong Atlanta team moving over from the old NL West? Simple. No matter if they lose all 162 games in 1994, they can't finish any worse than fifth! 5.) Every team that plays in California. The Giant-Dodger, Dodger-Padre, Padre-Giant, and A's-Angel rivalries are tremendous now. They will greatly intensify with this realignment, especially when new scheduling kicks in putting more emphasis on divisional play. 6.) Major League Baseball itself: (a) it gets more revenue from tacking on an extra playoff round, (b) it allows them to try to shore up their television revenue losses based on the new playoff round, (c) it will give baseball execs an excuse to add two new teams within three years so that each of the six divisions have five teams each. Look for Tampa Florida to finally get pro baseball when they expand. LOSERS OF REALIGNMENT: 1.) Boston Red Sox. They lose their rivalry with the Indians, which although it's not that intense, the Red Sox could almost always manage to win 6-10 games a year from Cleveland, even in their worst years. 2.) New York Yankees. They also lose precious "near-guarantee" wins over the Tribe and the Brewers. 3.) The Seattle Mariners. Without an improved team for 1994, the M's will be destined to stay out of the playoff picture for another 3-5 years. 4.) The Montreal Expos. They will (not in 1994, but perhaps as early as '95) have to make more trips to Atlanta and Miami, which will cost the team money. No big deal, but the Expos are hurting already financially, and chartering flights doesn't come cheap, ya know? 5.) The Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates. Both lose the intense rivalry between them. As a Western Pennsylvania resident, Three Rivers loses a lot of its fun when the Phillies aren't there to heckle. 6.) The Chicago Cubs. They lose their precious battle to stay an Eastern team in order to keep games on time on WGN-TV, which is how this whole realignment thing got started anyway. 7.) The Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies. The 1993 expansion teams lose the opportunity to create rivalries against such teams as the Pirates, Cubs, Reds and Cardinals. Although gaining rivalries against teams like the Braves and Dodgers make up for it somewhat. 8.) The fans of the game. Why do they lose? Because they now have to endure the very real possibility of having a World Series end in November. The Fall Classic with snow on the ground? I don't like the thought of it. Can you imagine a World Series, say in 2009, with the Colorado Rockies hosting the Milwaukee Brewers? It would have to be postponed until April! ΙΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝ» Ί MORE REALIGNMENT - A CASE FOR REALIGNING TWO OTHER SPORTS LEAGUES. Ί ΘΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΌ I actually favored baseball's realignment. I figure with satellite and radar tracking technology for mapping the planet and such, it is kind of silly to have the Atlanta Braves in the NL West while the Cubs and Cards are in the NL East. Since I pegged baseball's realignment fairly well, I've decided perhaps we can take a crack at two other sports leagues in dire need of realignment: the NBA and the NFL. Wait! Did I say the NBA and NFL need realignment? You betcha. Let's take a look at each, and see how they can become more interesting... PART I - THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION. The NBA has become a 27-team monolith of pro sports, aiming for and getting top dollar profitability for franchise owners and players alike. The NBA's become the model for other sports leagues to follow in a lot of ways. Five franchises have been added since 1980, and plans exist for anywhere from one to three more to be added in time for the 1995-96 season. Charlotte, Minneapolis, Dallas, Miami and Orlando have each received NBA teams since 1980. The Magic, which became an NBA team for a paltry $ 32.5 million a while back, recently sold for a whopping $ 81 million! The NBA makes money - hand over fist. Why should they realign? A couple of reasons: (1) traditional rivalries such as the Celtics-Knicks, Celtics-Sixers, Lakers-Warriors, and Bulls-Pistons must be preserved. With 27 teams in the mix with current scheduling, it isn't that feasible, especially if another three teams are added; (2) teams like Miami and Orlando, who should be facing other southern teams to create intense rivalries, are instead stuck in divisions with Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Cleveland, and Milwaukee. Doesn't it make sense that the San Antonio Spurs would draw more fans to see a divisional game between them and Orlando as opposed to, say, the Utah Jazz? The solution is to have a six-division league, in similar style to the NFL and now Major League Baseball. Make the Eastern and Western Conferences the American and National, giving each conference three divisions. How it could be laid out: AMERICAN CONFERENCE: Eastern Division: Southern Division: Central Division: New York Knicks Charlotte Hornets Chicago Bulls New Jersey Nets Orlando Magic Cleveland Cavaliers Boston Celtics Miami Heat Detroit Pistons Philadelphia 76'ers Atlanta Hawks Milwaukee Bucks Washington Bullets Indiana Pacers NATIONAL CONFERENCE: Midwest Division: Southern Division: Western Division: Minnesota Timberwolves San Antonio Spurs Sacramento Kings Denver Nuggets Houston Rockets Seattle SuperSonics Utah Jazz Dallas Mavericks Golden St. Warriors Portland TrailBlazers Phoenix Suns Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers Under this alignment, the only real problem occurs in the National Conference's Midwest Division, where Minnesota and Portland seem heavily out of place. But the other five divisions are natural rivals for one another. An 82 game slate in the regular season could put heavy emphasis on divisional play to determine post-season placements. And, with the possible addition of another three teams for a total of thirty, six divisions of five clubs each could provide an easy scheduling format (each team plays the others in its division eight times for 32 games, then plays two games a season against every other team in the league for another 50 - voila! An 82 game schedule!) PART II - THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. The NFL has had a serious alignment identity crisis ever since its formation back in 1920. Prior to 1933 there were no divisional alignments at all, which lead to standings containing 20+ teams in the early and mid 20's. Divisional play also lead to problems. A case history: (1) In 1933 there were Eastern and Western Divisions, later called Conferences; (2) In 1950 they switched to American and National Conferences, only to go back to Eastern-Western a few years later; (3) The sixties brought expansion to 16 teams, along with divisions named Century, Capitol, Central and Coastal, when Baltimore and San Francisco, on opposite coasts, were in the same division; (4) In 1969, to settle disputes about realignment following the AFL-NFL merger, the matter of alignment was literally decided by pulling slips of paper out of a bowl - which lead to Atlanta being in the NFC West while Dallas got placed in the NFC East; (5) Expansion added Tampa and Seattle back in 1976, putting the Bucs in the AFC West (with Oakland, Kansas City, Denver and San Diego) while the Seahawks were in the NFC Central (with Minnesota, Green Bay, Chicago and the Detroit Lions); (6) A year later, the NFL decided to reverse this, which made it slightly better but still ridiculous (Atlanta in the NFC West, Tampa in the Central and and Dallas in the East?); (7) Franchise relocations in the 1980's caused it to become even more of a farce: the Baltimore Colts packed up in the middle of the night, moving to Indianapolis. However, despite the fact that they are further West than all four AFC Central teams, they remain in the AFC's Eastern division. The St. Louis Cardinals, who at the time should have been in the NFC Central anyway, packed up and moved to Phoenix Arizona. The Phoenix Cardinals remain in the NFC East along with Dallas, while Atlanta, Tampa, and the New Orleans Saints remain in divisions they should not be in. (8) Talk of expansion in the 1990's has produced five formal candidates with legitimate chances: Baltimore, St.Louis, Memphis, Charlotte and Jacksonville. All eastern cities. The only problem is, the only spaces available for the teams, under the current alignment, are in the AFC Central and the NFC West! Realignment in the NFL is needed, and needed now, before expansion, in order to remove the only true gripe most football fans have about the NFL and its business dealings. Someone should send Paul Tagliabue, Art Modell, and other NFL owners a map, showing them that: (a) Indianapolis is further West than Cleveland, Cincinnati, Houston or Pittsburgh; (b) Dallas is further West than Atlanta, Tampa, and New Orleans; (c) Phoenix is further West than over half the teams in the league, and (d) No matter which two of the five cities listed above is selected for expansion, putting any of them in the NFC West is a mistake. It's time to correct the alignment problem, and to hell with the worries about rivalries being broken up - all for the good of the league, right? Let's take a look at how it should be, using both six division formats and four division format: Using the current, six division format... AMERICAN CONFERENCE: Eastern Division: Central Division: Western Division: New England Patriots Indianapolis Colts San Diego Chargers New York Jets Cleveland Browns Seattle Seahawks Miami Dolphins Cincinnati Bengals Los Angeles Raiders Buffalo Bills Houston Oilers Denver Broncos Pittsburgh Steelers Kansas City Chiefs NATIONAL CONFERENCE: Eastern Division: Central Division: Western Division: Atlanta Falcons Detroit Lions Dallas Cowboys Tampa Buccaneers Chicago Bears Phoenix Cardinals Washington Redskins Minnesota Vikings Los Angeles Rams New York Giants Green Bay Packers San Francisco 49'ers Philadelphia Eagles New Orleans Saints In the event that two expansion teams are added, all that would be necessary to make the alignment in this instance work with 30 teams is bumping the Pittsburgh Steelers back to the AFC Central, the Chiefs back into the AFC West, moving the Falcons into the NFC Central, and the Vikings, Saints or Packers into the NFC West. Keep playoffs same as they currently are. Now, my personal favorite, the four division format. Under this system, there would be no more American and National Conferences, a throwback to the AFL-NFL days. In fact, no conferences at all would exist. I'll explain how playoffs would work after I show you the alignment: Eastern Division: Southern Division: New England Patriots Miami Dolphins New York Jets Tampa Buccaneers New York Giants Atlanta Falcons Buffalo Bills New Orleans Saints Philadelphia Eagles Dallas Cowboys Washington Redskins Houston Oilers Pittsburgh Steelers Kansas City Chiefs Central Division: Western Division: Chicago Bears Los Angeles Rams Detroit Lions San Francisco 49'ers Green Bay Packers Los Angeles Raiders Minnesota Vikings San Diego Chargers Cleveland Browns Seattle Seahawks Cincinnati Bengals Denver Broncos Indianapolis Colts Phoenix Cardinals Playoffs: The four division champions, along with eight wild-card playoff qualifiers, regardless of division, advance to the playoffs. In the first round, all four division champs are given byes, while the eight wild-cards face each other, seeded #1 to #8. Winners then face the division champions, again seeded in the same manner the NFL has it now (the worst wild-card team must beat the best division champ to continue in the playoffs). Winners of those games go on to a semi-final game, and the two best teams in the league go on to the Super Bowl each year. Advantages: Creates an even more intense rivalry between: (a) Jets, Giants, and Bills fans, who would see their teams lock horns twice each year; (b) fans of the Oilers and Cowboys, who will see two regular season matchups annually as opposed to their annual, meaningless exhibition game; (c) Dolphins and Buccaneers fans, who will see two "Battles of Florida"; (d) every football fan in the state of California, who will see the Rams, 49'ers, Raiders, and the Chargers battle it out every year, and (e) Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings fans who wish to preserve their old rivalries which date back to in some cases the NFL's formation, while at the same time adding new rivals in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Indianapolis. Disadvantages: Eliminates the tired, worn out rivalries between Dallas and Washington, Dallas and the New York Giants, and so on. However, had it not been for the old alignment structure, these teams wouldn't be rivals anyway. Expansion could be handled simply by adding an eight team to two divisions; it also leads to the prospect of adding two more teams for a total of thirty-two. The six division format doesn't work out easily with 32 teams. ΙΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝ» Ί BASKETBALL IS TALKING EXPANSION - THE FRONT RUNNERS. Ί ΘΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΌ The National Basketball Association is looking to become either a 28 or a 30 team league. Since they're currently at 27, that means that they are planning to expand again - for the second time in less than a decade, and the third time since 1980. Back in the 1980's, the NBA blossomed from 22 to 27 teams, adding the Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Mavs were cheap to get in on, costing a measly $8 million. The other four cost $ 32.5 million each, and judging by the recent sale of the Orlando Magic ($ 81 million), these owners got in cheap as well. Now, word is out on the street that the NBA could be looking for as much as $75 million for an expansion team. The front runners in the latest NBA expansion derby at this point are Toronto, (which has three different groups applying for enfranchisement), Vancouver, Tampa, Pittsburgh and Nashville, Tennessee. Each have one celebrity or another pitching their cause, the most noteworthy of which is Earvin "Magic" Johnson pitching on behalf of one of the Toronto groups. I am involved myself with the Pittsburgh expansion project. A group called Pittsburgh Pro Sports, Inc., will be filing its expansion application on October 15, 1993. I am proud to say that I will be heavily supporting the move to put an expansion team in Pittsburgh, and if successful, I also (I'm not going to lie, or hide the truth for that matter) hope to make a mint off of it should a team come to the Steel City. I plan to join the core group of investors - the Pittsburgh group plans to make their club similar to the Boston Celtics, in that they will be held publicly. I'd personally like to see Toronto, Vancouver and Pittsburgh get franchises. My reasons for Pittsburgh getting a team are obvious. Toronto and Vancouver would create one hell of a Canadian rivalry in the NBA. Tampa or Nashville are both fine cities, but Nashville I think is ill equipped to support an NBA team at this time, and Tampa, despite its prime location as a sports haven due to retirees and locals with tons of bucks to go around, has the Orlando Magic within easy driving distance. Realistically, however, Toronto will probably get an expansion team, and maybe Vancouver will be thrown in primarily for purposes of a rivalry. The other three however might not make it, including Pittsburgh. The Steel City has a quarter-century old arena (Pittsburgh Pro Sports has no intention apparently of building a new facility outside the Pittsburgh city limits - which it does desperately need), low local television revenue prospects, and the population has a tendency to abandon sports teams that lose (for instance, the Pirates were in very serious danger of leaving Pittsburgh as late as 1986, drawing less than 1 million paying fans a year. Four years and a division title later, the fans came in droves, nearly topping 2 million. The Penguins as well are fair weather friends in the City of Champions. Now that they've won two NHL titles they are the toast of Pittsburgh and a seat is almost impossible to get; five years ago, you could sit so close to the ice you would get frostbite - even with Mario Lemeiux.) Again, in the Pittsburgh case, their principals look at exhibition games which have been held in the city recently, stating that Michael Jordan or Charles Barkley will bring people to come watch a Pittsburgh expansion team. True, I admit... but how many Mugsy Bouges will people plunk a $ 20 bill to come see? Uh-huh. You get the picture. Unless you could rotate between the Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Portland TrailBlazers and Orlando Magic for an entire 82-game schedule, the Pittsburgh club would not draw. ΙΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝ» Ί THE 1993 CHAMPIONSHIP AND WORLD SERIES PREDICTIONS. Ί ΘΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΌ As of this writing (September 30th), there is one divisional race remaining in Major League Baseball, specifically the National League West, where the Braves and Giants, both with over 100 wins, are battling it out in the Hunt for a Wild October (I couldn't think of anything better off hand, so sue me). If there was ever a year which a wild-card playoff berth could occur, I would say that this would be it, as regardless who wins the NL West in 1993, both teams deserve to go on in my book. Anyway, the Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies have clinched their respective divisions and will move on to their respective league championship series. In the American League, look for a stunning upset as the defending World Champs take it on the chin. The ChiSox pitching staff will stymie Blue Jay batters, and the Sox will take the ALCS 4 games to 2. In the National League... oh, by the way, did I mention the Braves will win the NL West? No? Okay, the Braves are gonna take it. They then are going to go on to beat the Phillies in a boring NLCS 4 games to 1. The Phils are outhit, outpitched, outfielded, outgunned, and they will be out of the playoffs before the World Series. In the 90th fall classic, look for the Chicago White Sox to send the Atlanta Braves to their third consecutive World Series defeat in seven games. The Braves have the hitting, but the White Sox have the pitching, and the defense, and the Giants chasing the Braves right now will have a lot to do with it as well. Fatigue is a big thing here. The White Sox have the time right now to take several days off (well, the key players do) to regroup, relax, get a proper mind set, and so forth before they go on. The Braves will not, and it may play a large part in who wins and who doesn't. ΙΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝ» Ί IN NEXT MONTH'S ISSUE (WE HOPE, ANYWAY), "BACKBEAT." Ί ΘΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΝΌ Next month, we hope that our issue will contain your commentaries on the world of sports, whether the topic was mentioned in this issue of SportsBeat or not. "BackBeat" will basically work out to be a "Letters to the Editor" section. If you've got a question about a sports event of the past, write to us with it and we'll try to answer it as best we can. Espouse your opinions on anything from the expansion topics that were mentioned in this issue, to how you think the Mets should fire Dallas Green, to whatever you wish. I want to hear from you. - end -