European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 24, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thanksgiving Day showdown v. " Ris Lions by Harry Atkins Pontiac Mich. A despite what the Calendar says it s playoff time for the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. That s the attitude the teams will have when they meet on thanksgiving Day 6 30 . Get on an television. It s a game neither can afford to lose. Both Are teams with plenty of Talent yet they Haven t played Well this season. The Bills 6-5losers of the last four super bowls Are one game in Back of the Miami dolphins in the acc East. The Lions 5-6two games behind the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago bears in the pfc Central face almost certain elimination from the playoff picture with another loss. Our playoffs started last week Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly said. We be talked about it a lot. That s what we be  Buffalo snapped a two game losing Streak sunday with a 29-20 Victory Over the Green Bay packers. And the Bills looked impressive doing it. Kelly who had a swollen hand and did t practice most of the week threw for 365 Yards his Best in 2v6 years and the fourth Best total of his career. Andre Reed had a team record 15 catches and a career Best in cowboys picked Over packers an to and radio following Bills sons game tonight Page 34. Yardage. ". Kelly and Reed now have connected for 56 ads tied for fourth in nil history and More than any Active Tan dem except Steve Young and Jerry Rice who had three sunday night for 57. There Are about six or seven teams in each Confer ence that has a Chance to get to the super bowl Bills coach Marv Levy said. I think we re one of  the Bills got off to a 3-1 Start but then lost four of their next six including successive losses to the new York jets and Pittsburgh Steeles. The win Over the packers ended that skid. We re not veal Happy with 6-5. I d Rathe be better Levy said. But we re not giving up the fight. If it ended today we would t make it into the playoffs. However it does t end  an uplifting 20-17 overtime Triumph in a monday night game against the Dallas cowboys enabled Detroit to get off to a 2-1 Start. But the Lions lost their next three and Haven t been the same since. Sunday the Lions May have hit Rock Bottom with a 20-10 loss at Chicago. The bears kept the Ball for 44 minutes 12 seconds. We have to play with More consistency Detroit coach Wayne Fontes said. That Means getting our of sense on the Field. We re still in this  the Lions have won the pfc Central two of the last three years. It appears they will have to win their last five games for a Chance at the playoffs. In the race for three wild card spots the Vikings bears and Philadelphia eagles All 7-4, and packers 6 5 have better records. The Lions Are tied with the Ari Zona cardinals and Atlanta Falcons. Still they have history on their Side. The Lions have been fast finishers for Fontes in the past. In 1991, the Lions won their final six regular season games and went to the pfc championship game where they were ousted by the Washington redskins. Last season Detroit won three of its last four to wrap up another divisional title. The thanksgiving Day game frequently signals the Lions turnaround. Since Fontes took Over with five games remaining in the 1988 regular season the Lions have compiled a 29 37 record before thanksgiving they have been 18-12 on and after the Holiday. 1 a -4 is f s a i. A %  the stars and stripes november 24,1994 Page 36 Jeff Bagwell talks with the press in Houston tuesday after agreeing to a Long term contract with astros. Bagwell gets $27.5 million Deal by Michael a. Lutz Houston a Jeff Bagwell the National league map agreed tuesday to a four year $27.5 million contract wit the Houston astros the fifth highest in the majors. The contract Calls for three years of options that could keep him with the astros through the 2001 season. I m Happy this is a seven year con tract and i Hope it can become 15 years Bagwell said. The astros also hired Tal Smith steam president. Smith the father of san Diego padres general manager Rand Smith was fired As Houston s general manager 14 years ago. Bagwell would have been eligible to become a restricted free agent in two weeks if owners implement their salary Cap proposal and Grant service time fro the strike. But the astros acted first and signed him to a Deal averaging $6.875million annually. As much As everyone thought i wanted to be in Boston i really wanted to stay in Houston and have a Chance to finish my career Here Bagwell said. Bagwell was the no s unanimous map selection last month following a year when he set franchise records with 39home runs 116 Bis and 73 extra base hits. He was second in no hitting with a.368 average. He would have made $2.5 million this year if the season had t been interrupted by the strike. Bagwell 26, will receive a salary of $6 million per season for 1995-1998 and a $3.5 Bonus when he completes his Ter with the astros. In the option years Bagwell would get $6.5 million per year and the option would become guaranteed if Bagwell plays in 145 games or has 502 plate appearances. The salary would increase to $7 million if in the previous season Bagwell made the All Star team ranks first second or third in the map voting or wins a Silver slugger award. Says Parker Best Man for Job los Angeles a recently re tired Southern Cal basketball coach George Raveling says Charlie Parker not Kareem Abdul Jabbar is the Best Man to coach the trojans. Raveling announced his retirement through his attorney last week citing in juries he sustained in a near fatal car Accident on sept. 25. \ Abdul Jabbar the leading scorer  history has been quoted As saying he talked with athletic director Mike Garrett about the possible opening last summer when Raveling considered Leav ing to take the head coaching Job at Seton Hall. Abdul Jabbar also has said he would be interested in the Job when Parker s season Long contract expires. Parker a assistant under Raveling for the past six seasons was named interim coach upon Raveling s retirement. In his first interview since his announcement Raveling made his feeling Clear. Charlie has a vast amount More experience As a coach than Kareem does though he perhaps does t enjoy the National stature of Kareem Raveling said. The trojans Are 0-1 under Parker los ing to new Mexico state 97-84 two Days after Raveling announced his retirement. I246850"00050411