1.   The most alarming statistic was the state of the game before the advent of this precipitous Decline.

2.   The two meet at the Showgrounds this Saturday to play for pride -- and players for places -- in the final game before the Irish League campaign gets underway.

3.   Kevin Keegan, the new kid on the managerial chopping block, lasted just two games before falling victim to the short fuse of frustration.

4.   The result was a stutter of no consequence for Rangers, who had done enough to win several games before Coyle struck for the second time.

5.   An NFL official canceled the preseason game before kickoff after determining that soft spots under the Astrodome artificial turf endangered the players.

6.   And above everything else, Jordan will have had six days of rest and no games before tipoff tomorrow night.

7.   And Bonds still has more than a dozen games before the All-Star Game.

8.   And last year, I was thinking too much about the game before.

9.   And only two non-special teams plays in the entire game before the final three minutes?

10.   And no pro football game before it had gone into overtime.