FOOTBALL from Page 12
My bookie, Dr. Intensity (not his
real name), is an odd one as book
makers go. He’s usually brooding
over the Wall Street Journal or on
the phone trying to close a deal on
a new Chrysler when I stop over on
money day. Bookmaking is of
secondary interest to him, really
catering to a small clientele of regu -
lars. And he books none of this
other fluff, such as basketball.
Only football, which brings us
back to Monday night and the
Rams.
I’ve found that it’s more com
forting, for me at least, to watch a
game that I have money on in a bar.
Not just a place where you can get
a drink, but a BAR, filled with blue
collar drunks and hapless Monday
night gamblers like myself. For
some reason, I always seem to feel
more in control of a game when I
am in this sort of environment, and
Barry’s Bar and Grill suited my
viewing needs nicely for the sec
ond half.
L.A. had squandered several
opportunities to put the affair out
of reach in the first half with offen
sive penalties and turnovers. The 3
1/2 spread fell in and out of jeop
ardy throughout the second half as
the two teams traded field goals
until the fourth quarter. 10-6 Rams,
10-9 Rams, and then finally the Bills
did something they hadn’t been
able to do for 3 1/2 quarters --
sustain a drive for a touchdown,
makingthescore: Bills 16, Rams 13.
L.A. had 2:23 remaining, the
fT rr
football and a major offensive <
threat in Jim Everett. There still was I
hope. I bore down on another i
Miller Genuine Draft in an effort to ;
steady my nerves. But the Rams 1
were stopped four straight times, <
andBuffalotookoverondowns.lt <
was time to leave, with a reminder
of what I’d always known - book
ies cannot be beaten.
/ only can describe
my exuberance as
being like some
sort of twisted re
ligious enlighten
ment when Everett
lofted a 78-yard
pass to wide re
ceiver Willie An
derson, who scur
ried the rest of the
way to the end
zone to give LA.
an apparent vic
tory. But winning
isn't everything
you also have to
cover the spread.
I was stopped at a red light at
17th and O streets when the an
noying voice of Brent Musburger
:rackled through my car speaker. A
'umble. Buffalo, attempting to run
>ut the clock, had given the ball to
i careless Thurman Thomas who
eft the ball laying on the wet turf of
Orchard Park. Here was another
:hance, a rare thing for gamblers.
I only can describe my exuber
ance as bein^ like some sort of
twisted religious enlightenment
when Everett lofted a 78-yard pass
to wide receiver Willie Anderson,
who scurried the rest of the way to
the end zone to give L. A. an appar
ent victory. But winning isn’t eve
rything - you also have to cover
the spread. The Rams did, with the
bare foot of Mike Lansford making
good on the extra point. I barreled
my Chevy into the closest handicap
stall of my local liquor store, decid
ing to make the switch from Miller
to Heineken.
I was in the checkout line think
ing about designer suits and
I.R.A.’s when, looking up at the
black and white screen in the cor
ner of the room, I saw a hideous
mirage. Buffalo, with just 20 sec
onds left in the game, somehow
l i j • -_ .1 n nn -A 1:—.^
uauuuv^.11 iw iiit ixain L4.-yaiu wux..
A quick screen pass to Thurman
Thomas turned into a 14-yard gain
when a would-be tackier, in an
effort to make the play, staggered
and fell down like some lost wino.
Madness. With 16 seconds left,
quarterback Frank Reich again hit
Thomas, this time for an 8-yard
touchdown that sealed my doom.
I took back the Heineken, opt
ing instead for Black Label.
SUNDAY FOOTBALL
OLD STYLE PITCHER $2.00
HOTDOGS 25c
(DURING GAME ONLY)
OPEN SUNDAYS
Suite 9 Lounge 2137 Cornhusker
HEY PUMPKIN HEAD,
COME SEE US FOR YOUR
HALLOWEEN THREADS!
Second
Uiind
Vintage Clothing and Collectables
720 "O" Street (Under the Viaduct)
fm
Hi
>
)t I
|H
%■ -
}
1
III__I
EHBH
IBHi;