European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday december 20,1967 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary sir Charles rumbles in the Garden Charles called a Man in the islands you re a Blimp shortly after thai Man in the islands had exercised his right to free speech under inc first amendment on thursday night and Early in inc first Quarter at Madison Square Garden Charles Barkley of the Philadelphia 76crs, a personage of imposing physical dimension faked dribbled then Rose up and whirled through space and above the kicks. Who gaped in wonderment As if seeing something float in from another planet. He slammed inc basketball through the hoop with a ferocity Ihal could make grown men quake. And did "1 was t going to get in his Way Gerald Wilkins of the kicks said of that particular shot and 1 was l any Hyrc near  Barkley beats kicks would read a headline in the following morning s paper. That just about said it. One. Virtually against 5, or 10, or 15, if you include All inc Crick player. And coaches and Ball boys and Mike surr frs the Trainer. I propose a Trade someone Al court Side said. Charles bark icy for the entire Knick  arc you crazy said a companion. The 76ers would never go for  Charles Hartley known increasingly As sir Charles a Knight of the round Ball May still be a Blimp to some he has trimmed Down from 265 pounds to j5q but he s some Blimp. He is Good enough to be among the leaders in four of the National basketball association s eight regular statistical categories he s second in scaring average second in rebounding first in Field goal percentage and ninth in 3-Poinl-shot percentage. Ana with Only limited assistance from his supporting cast he has helped move Lic 76ers past the .500 Mark in in standing. Vel in inc not uncommon Indus lick of the fans1 balloting for the All Star came an feb. 7, he is Only the fourth Best vote getter at Forward in the Eastern conference Ira Berkow docs this bother him naw he said i m Happy just to help my learn win make two million dollars a year and live in a big House on a  Charles the Man in the stands shouted later inthe game Nice pants the Tan persisted in trying to dismay sir Charles focusing on Hartley s baggy Tomato red basketball drawers. Sir Charles smiled or continued smiling because he sometimes smiles on the court after he makes Asteal or a 3-Pointer and throw up his arms As if to say touchdown or takes part in a a Eccl play or generally i gum wins up the works for 1he other Guys. He had Good reason now to express Contentment in the first half As his learn look a 5008lead, All sir Charles did was score 27 Points snare nine rebounds Block shots throw limply passes steal others More than a night s work for most and pump up his team with his unselfishness his needling Mon we be got the Lead we re playing Ike we re behind his intelligence on the court his coach Matt Guokas Calls it presence and his boy like Joy of playing the game from opening tap to final Buzzer Wuh All his heart. It s a treat to Walch sir Charles Al 6-foot-5 and with considerable Chest and thick thighs who when he entered inc league three seasons ago from a Burn was known As the round Mound of rebound. Meanwhile it is not always what sir Charles docs dial is so terrific but what he does t do. In the second half thursday night he took Only four shots until deep in the fourth Quarter. He did Niche normally does except look for a shot i like to get a lot More Guys involved so they won t be left out out there he explained. I Gonna do whatever it takes to win. Hut when we need a Basket i m going to inc  hey Charles called the Man in the stands. Nice haircut the close cropped functional hair style perfect for inc Man on the go since All you nil is to look at it and it s the same As if you had spent hours cosh tlingit is reflective of his playing style All business. When the kicks closed the Gap 10 5 Points in the fourth Quarter. Sir Charles used his formidable and Mobile bulk to Nestle under he Basket seek a pass get it and crash past poor Sidney cd rec for an important Basket. He scored his team s last 9 Points and iced the game 106-96, winding up with 40 Points and 17 rebounds. At court Side inc 76ers television commentator Isil Pihir or own formerly of new York. He s up there with the Jordans and the magics and the Birds and the a cams said Brown. He docs this night in and night out. He exemplifies Tak ing he pressure. The greater the adversity the better he  it took a Little while for sir Charles to be fully appreciated. Bobby Knight for example did put him on his 19s4 olympic squad. In the pros Barkley did t make the All Star team until ins third year. He was Superb Back then and has gotten better. Last summer he Felt a need to improve his jump shot and he did sharpening his 3-Poinl shot 10 Boot. No one that big moves As fast or rebounds As powerfully or shoots from so far out so precisely. It s scary said Rick Pitino inc kicks coach. Charles called the Man in the stands putting on his coat his voice softer than before you Cost me Money  tin h foil , Bills out to match 3-year win total by the associated press the Buffalo Bills who won Only eight games in the three previous seasons have a Chance to match that total sunday and take a giant step toward their first division title since 1950, the Bills 8-40 in their three previous seasons Are seeking their eighth win of the season with a Victory Over the new England patriots at Rich stadium. Victo Ries Over new England and Philadelphia in their final two games would assure then of the division Crown. New England which has beaten Buffalo id straight times needs a win to keep its own flickering playoff Hopes alive. They re starting to believe in Hern selves winning big games making big plays and when you run into a team like thai you be got your hands  Patri ots quarterback Steve Grogan said of the Bills. This year their football team is the Best since i be been Here patriots coach Raymond Berry said. They re different football team than they have  the Bills revival spearheaded by quarterback Jim Kelly and a Young de sense bolstered by the mid season acquisition of Rookie linebacker Cornelius Ben Nen has sparked talk of a super to. Among some Buffalo fans. It s also Given the players something other than Christmas to look Forward to. This is a big Opportunity for us. I can remember this Lime last year and every body was making off season plans. This is a big change Center Kent Hull said. Indianapolis and Miami the two teams tied with the Bills in the acc East both face key games sunday the Colts who missed a Chance to take control of the division by losing to Buffalo 27-1 last sunday visit san Diego. The dolphins coming off two consecutive nil Roundup victories Host pfc Bast Champion Washington sunday night. The new York giants hosted Green Bay and Kansas City was at Denver sat urday. In other sunday contests it s Minne Sota Al Detroit new Orleans Al Cincin Nati Philadelphia at the new York jets Pittsburgh Al Houston Seattle Al Chi Cago Atlanta Al san Francisco St. Louis at Tampa Bay and Cleveland at the los Angeles raiders. Dallas visits the los Angeles rams monday night. Green Bay at . Giants the packers 5-7-1, need a win to keep alive their slim playoff Hopes. They also want revenge for last year when the gifts rolled to a 55-24 Victory on the Way their super bowl Triumph. Many of the packers til the giants rolled up inc score especially when they tied a fake Field goal with a 4i-2er the Broncos 8-4-1. Can Clinch at least a wild card playoff berth with a win against Kansas City at mile High stadium. Though they be made the playoff three times in the last four years he Broncos generally have had problem controlling their own destiny. Vve re not infallible in this Situa Tion linebacker Jim Ryan said. We can t say we re the Broncos we re at Home we show up and we win i think we know  Indianapolis at son Diego either learn could drop out of the playoff picture with a loss. The chargers 8-5, have lost four in a Row while the Colts 7-6, have to win to keep at least Ashare of the acc East Lead. The chargers won their earlier meeting in Indianapolis 16-13 on Vince Abbot s last minute Field goal ruining Eric Dickerson s debut with the col is Pittsburgh at Houston the oilers have never swept the sea son series from Pittsburgh but they have a Chance this time thanks to their.2 3-3 win at three Rivers stadium. Houston Iraik the Browns and Steeles by a Gamin the acc Central. Cleveland at los Angeles raiders the Browns 8-5, need a win to keep at least a share of the acc Central Lead but they have Only beaten the raiders once in 11 meetings a 7-3 Victory in 1973. The raiders. 5-8, have the nil s top Rushing offence while the Browns Are no. 1 at slopping inc run. In turn the Browns have the acc s lop raied passer Bernie Kosar against the nil s top pass defense. Philadelphia at new York juts it s the eagles second visit to giant stadium in 15 lays. Last Lime it was to play he giants. This Lime it s for their Fin game against the jets in East Rutherford . The eagles. 5-8. Have won Al three previous meetings Between the two clubs who have not met since 1978. The jets 6-7, nerd a win to keep their slender playoff Hopes alive. Seattle at Chicago Walter Paylon makes his final regular season Home appearance As the bears iry to rebound from their monday night massacre at san Francisco. Minnesota at Detroit the Vikings. 7-6, still control their own playoff Fate but have lost their last two games and need a win. The Lions. 3-10. Are lied with Atlanta and Kansas City for the nil s worst record. New Orleans Al Cincinnati the saints 10-3, bring he nil longest winning Streak seven games to riverfront stadium. They need Awin Over the bengals 4-9, to keep their Hopes of winning inc pfc West alive. The saints Lead the nil in turnover ratio plus-16 and Lime of Possession 34 03 per game. Allante at san Francisco san Francisco s Jerry Rice with is already can break the nil single season record for touchdown receptions with one against the Falcons 3-10. Steve Young will probably Start at quarterback for inc 49ers in place of injured Joe Montana St. Louis at Tampa Bay the cardinals 6-7, still have a Chanceford a wild card playoff berth if they win their last two Barnes. The cardinals Beai the bucs 31-28 last month in St. Louis by pulling the biggest fourth Quarter comeback in nil history starting Tampa Bay 4-9, on a sin game losing Streak. Washington at Miami the dolphins. 7-6, need a win 10 Tep Al least a share of the acc East Lead. The redskins 9-3. Have clinched the pfc East title but must keep winning 10 have any Hope of hosting a playoff game. The dolphins have the Bim record of any acc team is. The pfc 47-11. Dallas i los Angeles rams the rams. 6-7, will know if they have any playoff Hopes left by inc Lime they meet Dallas. Los Angeles has won its last five games while Dallas 5-8, has los four in a Row