COMMENTARY : Separating Facts and Fiction

Fact: The Cubs have won more games than any other team in major-league history. (You don’t have to believe it, but it’s true.)

Opinion: Cal Ripken should beat out Tony Fernandez for the Gold Glove (26 more double plays, 74 more chances, two more errors), but he won’t.

Fact: Muggsy Bogues is ranked in the top five in the NBA in assists and steals.

Opinion: The NBA All-Underrated Team: Indiana’s Detlef Schrempf, Denver’s Blair Rasmussen, Houston’s Otis Thorpe, Washington’s Darrell Walker, Indiana’s Chuck Person.

Fact: Tony Pena, who signed a $6.4 million contract with the Red Sox, had five more runs batted in than the Orioles’ Bob Melvin in 1989.

Opinion: If it were up to me, Major Harris would win the Heisman. But Andre Ware is going to win.

Fact: At age 33, Joe Montana has completed 72 percent of his passes and thrown 22 touchdowns and had four passes intercepted this season. Incredible.

Opinion: The Washington Bullets were foolish to think an expansion team would prefer Dave Feitl to Terry Catledge, who is averaging 21.5 points and 10.4 rebounds for Orlando.

Fact: Mickey Rivers is leading the senior baseball league with a .439 batting average, followed by Amos Otis (.426, nine homers). Rick Waits (4-0, 0.26 ERA) is the top pitcher.

Opinion: The only untouchable Orioles: Milacki, Olson, McDonald, Ripken.

Fact: There were 53,741 empty seats in the Los Angeles Coliseum Sunday when the Raiders played the Patriots.

Opinion: The NBA All-Overrated Team: New York’s Mark Jackson, Detroit’s Bill Laimbeer, Boston’s Kevin McHale, Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins, the Lakers’ Byron Scott.

Fact: Nebraska is the only team that has finished in the college football top ten every year this decade. Michigan (six times), Miami, Penn State and Oklahoma (five each) are the next best.

Opinion: The best running back in the NFL this year is Buffalo’s Thurman Thomas.

Fact: I know who wins Bud Bowl II. And I’m not telling.

Opinion: Denver will put up a better fight in the Super Bowl this time (but still lose).

Fact: In the last 12 months, Mats Wilander has fallen from No. 1 to No. 12 in the men’s tennis rankings.

Opinion: Boris Becker will pass Ivan Lendl for No. 1 in the next 18 months.

Fact: The Dallas Cowboys have won one game at Texas Stadium in the last 706 days.

Opinion: The Vikings should be embarrassed to be 7-5 with all that talent. But they will still win the division.

Fact: Nine of the 26 major-league baseball teams set single-season attendance records in 1989.

Opinion: I don’t care how fantastic Rickey Henderson was in the playoffs. I would not sign a 31-year-old free agent to a four-year mega-contract.

Fact: The AFC leader in sacks, the Chargers’ Leslie O’Neal, sat out almost two full seasons recovering from a major knee injury suffered in 1986.

Opinion: Eagles 24, Giants 21 (Sunday).

Fact: The Edmonton Oilers have won less than half their games (49 of 106) since trading Wayne Gretzky.

Opinion: Notre Dame is going to beat Colorado in the Orange Bowl. Miami will be No. 1.

Fact: Tom Kite has won more money than any other golfer in PGA history.

Opinion: The NBA All-Bust Team: Reggie Williams, William Bedford, Mel Turpin, any Bullets first-round pick and, of course, team captain-for-life Ralph Sampson.

Fact: The Bullets’ Jeff Malone, who was drafted six years ago, already has played in more games than Bill Walton, whose career spanned 1973-87.

Opinion: I can’t think of a less-relevant barometer than a college basketball poll this time of the year.

Fact: Cal Ripken set a major-league record this year for most at-bats without hitting a triple.

Opinion: Edgar Prado will become the top jockey in Maryland when Kent Desormeaux leaves.

Fact: Dave Meggett, the ex-Towson Stater, leads the New York Giants in total offense. Easily.

Opinion: When the Kansas City Chiefs make the playoffs next year, Carl Peterson, formerly the general manager of the Baltimore Stars, will get a lot of credit.

Fact: Brian Bosworth, who has played in 24 games in the three years since signing his $11 million contract, made a dozen tackles this season -- at $41,666 per -- before a shoulder injury ended his season.

Opinion: If I could pick five players to start a new NBA team today, I would choose David Robinson, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and, well, take a guess. (Hint: He sticks his tongue out a lot.)

Fact: Orlando and Miami combined to miss 33 free throws in their NBA game earlier this week.

Opinion: I’m so happy Bill Bidwill didn’t like Baltimore.