European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 12, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday january 12, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 23 Payton was never Shaf Yard Short when the game ended and the bears hid lost when lie knew he would never play Ito Ball again. Waller Payton sat on the bears Bench with his head in his hands for perhaps live minutes. In the chill it Felt As if it was 23 degrees below Zero his teammates had hurried off Soldier Field to the warmth of their locker room. But in his "34" Jersey the Best running Hack in National football league history was nut there All by himself on the bears Bench his face smeared with tears. One More n voice in the stands yelled. One More year Waller you can do at 33, 1 Ayton had planned on two More games and another super bowl ring. But with the bears if ailing 21-17 with 41 seconds remaining he had lined up in a found and a a the bears .16-Yard Hie snap. Jim Mcmahon drifted Back and tossed a Sihirl pais to 1 Aylon. Who was driven out of Bounds along he right sideline by several Redskin tacklers Ai the 43-Yard line a Yard Short Ofa first Down. After nil the years and All the Yards on his last play. Paylon had been stopped a Yard Short of a first Down. You Gal to try to get out of Bounds he would say later. And you got to try to get As much As you possibly list when Paylon was a Yard Short the a cars were out of the super howl xxii playoffs. And now after walking to the bears locker room he was still Wear ing his Helcl and his uniform and even his Gray Thermal gloves As he moved through inc notebooks wailing at his Corner locker. Withful a word he Salon the wooden Bench of the adj Accel locker and put his right leg up pm he Bench near his locker. With his eyes closed behind the face mask of his helmet he Sal there in silence As if posing for an Uil painting. After perhaps five minutes of watching Pylon i meditation another running Back. Calvin Thomas who dressed at inc next locker leaned Over his 5 Fuul-11.201-Pound teammate. Vou All right Thomas whispered. Dave Anderson yeah i m Fine Paylon said smiling. I m just Gonna Lake my time. This is the last Lime 111 take it another minute Payton began taking off thai uniform almost ceremoniously. One eve one he lugged at the fingers of the Gray Thermal gloves and tossed them to Gary hang or the equipment manager. He lifted off nil turf scraped helmet Hul left on a Navy Blue Wool Hood. He unbuckled his shoulder pads and pulled them Over ins Black curly hair. He rat Down and Tore the White tape off his shoes. He took off his knee pads and his striped uniform stockings then he Eui the tape off his right ankle Ihnn his left ankle. Now he reached inside his White uniform pants yanked the thigh pads out and handed them to the equipment manag years High school four years College and 13 seasons Here he said i be worn the same thigh took off a Wool Hood then he look off a Blue sweatshirt and a White to shirt. And wearing Only his Jockstrap he walked to the Shower room when he returned with a smudge of soap near his left car Bill Gleason. A longtime Chicago sports columnist was waiting at his locker. You going to miss me Cleason joked you going to miss me Payton asked. Absolutely said Gleason who waved at the swarm of notebooks and asked. Are you going to miss this no not too bad Payton said smiting. Bui i la miss you. What do you remember most How much fun you were Gleason said. That s the main reason Why i was playing pay ton said. A was silting at his locker now Paylon put on knee High Black socks Gray jeans a Lone sleeved Luqu disc sports shirt and polished Black Cowboy boots. Quickly he reached for a Towel and wiped the Boon. Got to look the he said smiling. After All those collisions in 1.1 seasons. Payton walked away with Only a Small Bandage on hit left Elbow. Playing a position at which a career can end on inc next tackle his Knees were never scarred by a Scalpel. He had missed Only one near game in 1975. His Rookie year. And unlike some running backs notably Jim Brown he was not Only a willing Bloke or but a Good mocker. Nobody Ever count a How Many blocks i Ayton threw but All his other numbers will new he chiselled Inlo Bronze. Including his Posl Scann Sia Ristics. He rushed for record 17.303 Yards im26 during a regular season. He also caught ims passes for 4.716 Yards returned kickoffs for i Yards and completed ii of 34 option passes for 331 Yards. Added up. That s 23.001 Yards. More than 13 Miles. is inc yardstick by which All nil running backs will be measured. Ironically on his last play he was a Yard Short. But now wearing a Black Cardigan sweater with a shawl Collar Payton was standing in the inter View Lent outside the hears Lucker room when he was asked if that isl play had been n microcosm of the bears season. This is the season he said firmly. Three games to the super bowl. That s the season. Overall it s been a lot of fun he said. When you Lake away the fun. In s Lime to leave. That s Why u s so hard to leave now. In s still fun. God s been very Good to me. I m truly with that Paylon walked Inlo the Sunset outside Soldier Field Inlo an unspecified role in the bears front office. And despite what happened on Ilis last play he was never a Yard Short. Bucks Deal nets 13th straight defeat on Road try the associated press Milwaukee Sidney Man Crick scored 17 Points sunday As the Milwaukee Bucks handed new Jersey its 13th consecutive Aba Road loss his season with a 105-87 Victory Over the nets. The Bucks who had lost four of their last five games including three of four at Home Huili a 20-Poinl Lead in the second Aba Roundup Quarter then held off a fourth Quarter Williams led the nets with 24 Points and Dwayne Washington added new Jersey which has lost 21 string he on the Road Over twi seasons closed in deficit to 77-68 with 11 minutes left after scoring seven straight Jack Sikma s Dunk on a break and two baskets by Moncriff capped a 14-4 spun and the Bucks had a 90-72 Lead with 5 37 to go. Moncef had right Points in the final Bucks used a 16-4 run in the Sec Ond period to build a 4m9 Cushion with 2-ad left in the , which shot 58 percent 22 of 3s in the first half had a 53-3s Lead at sunday s Only other is a game Klaus 109. Supersonic Lull Sacramento. Calif. Harold Pressly s 20-foot jumper with 1 14 left in the game put Sacramento ahead and the Kings held on to Edge Seattle. Xavier Mcdaniel s 14-foot Baseline jumper at the Buzzer bounced off the backboard to assure Victory for the Kings who had rallied from a 17-Noinl, third Quarter deficit. Pass away from pressure Dennis Hopson 23 of the new Jersey nets uses around inc Bucks Sidney Moncrief in an Aba contest at Milf a Kec sunday. The Bucks built a big arty Lead then fought off Lite Mil in posting Al 05-87 Victory. 3-Point shots help hoyas defeat Depaul Chicago al1 Ilas Kels from 3 Point Range Don t have a permanent spot in the Georgetown playbook. But coach John Thompson knows his no. 14 to As like the outside hoyas made seven 3-Po it baskets sunday As they Defeated Mcpaul 74 64.many came Wilh the Blue demons College basketball gaining momentum and Georgetown clinging to single Point leads. You want me to lie to you Thomp son said when asked if the 3-Poini baskets were part of his team s strategy. Shooters can t be nervous about taking Good shots. They understand from me if you have it take Mcdonald scored 16 Points and Reserve guard Charles Smith added 15 a Georgetown fought off a late Mcpaul 64-61 Wilh 1 40 left. George town outscored Depaul 10-3 inc rest of the Way to improve its record to 11-1. This game could have own Anyim game 1 Nom Pum wid "1 Call it a Hail Mary coach Jih a Meyer Laid the loss was Bestle a you can have u a poor game on National to Meyer said. We did t Lake advantage of the chances we had Stanley Brandy Amik Jevin Edwards played excellent games but they did t get any Hozay who entered the second half ahead 10-27. Pushed their Scad to 54-44 after a Dwayne Bryant Basket at the 9 44 Mark. Depaul s record dropped to 8-3
