Separating the Facts From Opinions

Fact: Until the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl victory, never before had teams from one state simultaneously held the pro football, baseball and basketball championships. (You can look it up.)

Opinion: Had cornerback Lewis Billups not dropped an easy interception in the end zone in the third quarter, the Cincinnati Bengals would have won the Super Bowl.

Fact: Eight of the top 12 scorers in this week’s National Basketball Assn. rankings left college before their senior years.

Opinion: I’m so happy George Steinbrenner was pardoned.

Fact: Larry Brown already is quietly complaining that he is miserable coaching the San Antonio Spurs.

Opinion: Pistons and Lakers in the finals. Pistons in six.

Fact: About 79% of the Proposition 48 cases are eligible.

Opinion: You can have my seat to Leonard-Hearns. A couple of has-beens.

Fact: One year ago, college basketball’s ultimate national champions were in the middle of a four-game losing streak, their record dropping to 12-8.

Opinion: Charles Oakley for Bill Cartwright is the most lopsided trade of the year in sports.

Fact: Carl Yastrzemski’s father, Carl Sr., still works a daily shift at the port in Boston Harbor. He is 72 and works inside maintenance.

Opinion: Making Dave Schmidt a permanent starter is a good move. The Orioles should have done it 2 years ago.

Fact: There was a standing ovation the other night at Halsey Field House when poor Derric Turner, the Navy basketball player who is 6 for 44 shooting free throws this season, made one against UNC Wilmington.

Opinion: With freshman Alonzo Mourning and sophomores Dikembe Motumbo and John Turner, Georgetown has truly frightening potential. I can see the Hoyas winning 2 national championships in the next 4 years.

Fact: Seventeen of pro basketball’s 25 head coaches are in their first or second seasons with their current teams. (On the other hand, head coaches in the Big East, Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference have been in their current positions an average of 9 years.)

Opinion: It says much about the state of American soccer when, in the year the national team finally should qualify for the World Cup, the coach of the team, Luthar Osiander, quits because he would rather be a maitre d’ at a restaurant in San Francisco.

Fact: Oregon State basketball Coach Ralph Miller, retiring this year after 38 years in the business, knew James Naismith, who invented the game.

Opinion: It’s popular to say Mario Lemieux is hockey’s best player now because he is far ahead of Wayne Gretzky in the scoring race. Before this becomes law, however, it might be nice for Lemieux to lead a team to the playoffs once.

Fact: The Maryland basketball team has not won a game this year.

Opinion: Back from the Supe in Miami, I must admit I like stone crabs more than Maryland crabs. (Nah, did I say that?)

Fact: Reggie Lewis is averaging 19 points as Larry Bird’s replacement.

Opinion: I bet Dan Quayle has a lot to say about Proposal 42.

Fact: The Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League had 10 days off, then played back-to-back games this week.

Opinion: Pete Rozelle, the old pitchman, is losing his public relations touch. Before the Super Bowl, he said the Overtown riots had “ruined part of his week,” and that the leftovers from his mega-party would be given to the homeless. Such compassion.

Fact: After only 4 months at No. 2, Ivan Lendl again is the world’s No. 1 tennis player after winning the Australian Open.

Opinion: There is no better show in college basketball this year than Louisiana State freshman Chris Jackson. Yow.