Lawrence Taylor

Ask Derrick Thomas about his role model, and he doesn't even have to mention the man's name. When the question came up the other day, Thomas said, "There's only one person I can chase, and he's in New Jersey." That person is Lawrence Taylor, and Thomas placed him in New Jersey because that's where Taylor and the New York Giants play their home games. This is no more than fitting since, in only his second pro season, Thomas already is being mentioned in the same breath as Taylor.

According to a 1992 grand jury report, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office had conviction rates of 94% in felony cases and 99% in misdemeanor filings. Why, then, is the office the Rodney Dangerfield of big-city prosecutorial agencies? The answer, put simply, is that it can't seem to win the big ones. From the "Twilight Zone" prosecution of film director John Landis to the McMartin preschool fiasco, the first Menendez brothers trial and the O.J.

Lawrence Taylor, the New York Giants' all-pro linebacker, is expected to end his one-day contract holdout and report to training camp today.

The fans at Giant Stadium chanted "L.T.! L.T.! L.T.! L.T.!" in honor of linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who may have played his final game there Sunday. But Taylor refused to say if the plannned to retire. Taylor has said that he has made a decision but he won't announce it until the season ends.

Probably the most intimidating silhouette in sports--next to Mike Tyson with his man on the ropes or Magic Johnson at the top of the key with the ball--stood on the tee and glared down the fairway. Lawrence Taylor looked at the hole as if it were Joe Montana trying to scramble out of the pocket or a halfback trying to bootleg around his zone. He glared, his jaw set, his palms twitched. If the hole were a quarterback, it would have called time out. The clubhead smacked into the ball.