European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 31, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday january. 1988 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary sheikh Gray hairs and an erratic foe Dave Anderson san Diego he s Only 27 years old but atop Ali Haji she ill s stylish Black mop. Occasional Long Gray hairs betray his Burden. At a Quick glance the Washingion redskins kicker appears to have sprouted one for each of the 35 Field goal attempts he has missed in his five seasons. As he awaits a super howl xxii Duel with Rich Karlis. The Denver Bron cos barefooted kicker the sheikh has missed five of his last eight attempts. And for More than a week. Joe Gibbs. The redskins coach had suggested that Jess Atkinson who has recuperated from a dislocated ankle might be their kicker on sunday. Sheikh is the kicker Gibbs finally said wednes Day. I did t anticipate a change but i did t want to totally Rule it  never before had a super bowl team let the identity of its Field Coal kicker linger so Long. And even though Libbi had declared that the sheikh would be the kicker sunday the sheikh disclosed that he had not been informed. The coach has t told me i m the  he said. Hut he has alluded to it All  Tiik loneliness of the Long distance kicker has Seldom been so much a part of the super bowl plot. Among their teammates and can among some coaches kickers Art not thought of As football players so much As they arc thought of simply As inter changeable legs. If your kicker is going bad put him on waivers and sign a kicker at Liberty after having been put on waivers by another team. Every kicker is Only As Good As his last Field goal attempt. As a Ginals Rookie in i9s3. The sheikh set a National football league record Wilh 3i Field goals. Surely the ii ans had found a kicker for at least a decade Lull he turned out to be too Good to he True. For the nest two seasons the giants tolerated the sheikh s slump Anil his ailments. But he was Cut at the Start of their super bowl xxi season. Raul Al in arc was eventually signed As his successor then the sheikh Drif cd to in e Atlanta Falcons who Cut him in training Camp last year. But when Atkinson dislocated his left ankle in the season opener the redskins signed the sheikh and now he s in the super bowl by default As much As by design. And yet the Bronco kicker perhaps As a form of therapy of motivation vividly discusses those misses. The toughest  he said is personally feel ing that  he acknowledged being real anxious in the last super bowl even on his 48-Yarilcr for a 3-0 Lead. When they called a Lim Coul my hear was Rac ing he said. "1 did l anticipate that. You kick that Ball 1.000 times you can t make one kick More important Titan another. You in51 have to pull the Trig Ger. But on the two i missed. I hit the Hall Loo Early. I did t give my Holder Gary Kutak time to handle he bait a lot of limes when 1 miss. I m Loo  like every kicker Karlis and the sheikh talked about How important their snapper and their Holder arc. I think the sheikh was a victim of his own Suc Cess Karlis said. He had that great year and everybody expected him to keep kicking like that. But then he lost Scott Brunner As his Holder. And he s what i Call a punch k follow through like nor Hurst and myself. Then there arc the punch kickers 1 Cal punch kicker. There arc us who irm Johnson and Mick Luck All Honji sheikh Guys he is ready in kick. I knew i would be Back inc sheikh said. To be n kicker you need a Short memory Only one super bowl has been decided by n Field goal. Jim o Brien s 32-yarder lifted the Baltimore Colls to a 16-13 Victor Over the Dallas cowboys with five seconds remaining in super Liol a also remembered As the Blunder bowl. Bui for better or for worse kickers have influenced most of the games As Karlis did a year ago when he missed a 23-Yardcr and a 38-Yardcr in inc first half. If i had made those two Karlis was saying now. We could to put the giants  do lure Kurlis missed 23-yarder for what would have been a 13-7 Lead the Bronco offence had a first and goal at the giants i Yard line. Instead of blam ing John Elway and the Bronco offence for not scor ing a touchdown most Bronco loyalists remember Only that their kicker now 28, missed n Chip shot. I could forget it Karlis said Wilh a smile if someone would let me forget  like Morten Andersen. Gary Anderson and the sheikh. If a punch kicker s not in the Groove he s in  throughout his giant troubles the sheikh never blamed his Holder Jeff title de the backup Quarter Back. The Best Holder i be Ever had was Scott Brun  he said referring to the giant backup Quarter Back during his Rookie year. The sheikh remembered that in his Rookie . 14 of his 35 Field goals were fewer than 30 Yards. I  he said that i be had that Many at tempts combined under 30 is Nee  although the giants coach. Bill i a cells. Is not known Fortis patience Wilh kickers the sheikh would not criticize i a cells other than to say that there s a difference in the Way Joe clip is treats a  maybe not that much of a difference Oihus has kept the sheikh guessing. Bul let sheikh pro fesses 10 be mentally ready for the game sunday. You have to go out  he said in the Frame of mind that no matter what happens you re going to make the kick no matter How quickly Cribbs might Cut you be fore next season starts. No matter How Many More Gray hairs you get. It hew vow txn4 super Bow predictions san Diego ii ii predictions for sunday s super bowl Between the Denver Broncos and Washington redskins Howard Baler the sporting news. Washington 28. Denver 27. Christine Brennan Washington Post. Washington 2b, Denver 24. Charlie Bra scr. San Jose Mercury news. Washington 30. Denver 20. I ctr Finney. New Orleans times a Iea Yune. Washington 27. Denver 17. Gordon Forbes. Usa today Denver 30. Washington 7. Tom Ford. Tampa Tribune. Washington 40. Denver 20. Michael gee Boston Herald. Denver 38, Washington 28. Rick Gosslin Kansas City Star. Denver 38, Washington 24, Rich Hoffman. Philadelphia daily news. Washington 24, Denver 20. Steve Hummer fort Lauderdale news Sun Sentinel Denver 28, Washington 24. Peter King. New Day. Washington 3f, Denver 17. Alan Lees. First Down British publication. Denver 31, Washington 21. Bully Kov kudu can stars and Stripe. Denver 30. Washington 7, Frank Luksa Dallas times Herald. Washington 31, Denver 27. Ira Miller. San Francisco chronicle. Denver 38. Washington 20. Leigh Montville Boston Globe. Denver 33, Washington 27. Malcolm Moran. The new York times. Washington 31, Denver 27. Jim Murray. Los Angeles times. Washington 30, Denver 2s, Gary Myers Dallas morning news. Denver 3k, Washington 24. Mike Rabun. I l. Denver 3d, Washington 20. Jon Roth is Oakland Tribune. Washington 24, Denver 21. Jocsan Chc Denver Post. Denver 42, Washington 24. Glenn she Lcy Atlanta journal Constitution. Denver 31, Washington 17. Art Spander san Francisco examiner. Denver 26, Washington 23. John St adman. Baltimore even ing Sun. Washington 23, Denver 17. Bob Verdi Chicago Tribune. Denver 31, Washington 24. Bill Verigan new York daily news. Washington 17, Denver 14. Don Williams Newark Star led Jar. Denver j3, Washington 24. Harrah s Reno race 1 sports Book. Denver by 3 v. Staying Loose Denver coach Dan recess shares Union in preparation for sunday joke Nellh he Quin Rimbeck John Elway sup a bowl to fisc with he Washington As he Broncos walk through a practice red kilns in Sun Alegn