The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • Page 28

Indy 200 set abuzz by Calkins Rookie captures title in Indy Racing League season opener By Javier Solano OF THE SENTINEL STAFF 46 eV I finishers were all Indy-car first-timers. Rookies Robbie Buhl and Michele Alboreto finished third and fourth, respectively. "I think after today, you see that these people are pros," said Calkins, a 24-year-old Denver resident. "Some people were expecting havoc out there, and I didn't think it was anything like that." On the contrary, IRL founder Tony George and Disney couldn't have asked for a better debut. There were sunny skies, a sellout crowd of in the stands, a national television audience, no major accidents or injuries and a trio of much-scrutinized rookies on the podium.

"Very high marks in my book A-plus plus," George said. Calkins graded out 100 percent, calling his Please see INDY 200, C-20 Top 5 LAKE BUENA VISTA Rookie Buzz Calkins was one of the drivers everyone was worried about heading into the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway. Based on Saturday's winning performance, the Indy veterans need not worry any longer. Calkins, driving for Bradley Motorsports in a '95 ReynardFord Cosworth, gained immediate respect by winning the season-opening event of the fledgling Indy Racing League, finishing .866 seconds ahead of rookie Tony Stewart in the first major race ever held at the "Mickyard." After all the worries about how the Indy rookies would mix with the veterans on a tight, new 1-mile trioval, Saturday's top four 1. Buzz Calkins Reynard-Ford 2.

Tony Stewart Lola-Menard 3. Robbie Buhl Reynard-Ford 4. Michele Alboreto Lola-Ford JOHN RAOUXTHE ORLANDO SENTINEL 5. Roberto Guerrero Reynard-Ford Complete coverage, C-19, C-20 Indy 200 winner Buzz Calkins is joined by Mickey Mouse in Victory Lane. The Orlando Sentinel SUNDAY, January 28, 1996 Questions on stabbing cause Australian champ Seles to cry, C-3 r-rJi nnr I "I 2T -ary A.

A. 5r I 1 II II II I 4 ,4 a -M it 1 JWUULb -P -1 I IT Pittsburgh QB yT: if PI Neil O'Donnell MX. II i rw i I ll Super rout? Steelers say not this time Larry Guest THE SPORTS COLUMN Pittsburgh, despite being a 13-point underdog, doesn't see Dallas as an invincible team. Super Bowl XXX to pit flash vs. worKing class By Charean Williams OF THE SENTINEL STAFF EMPE, Ariz.

In all of 3 the XXIX Super Bowls before today, never has there existed such a pronounced contrast I r-n nr in the personalities of the two teams. The Dallas EMPE, Ariz. The AFC has lost the past 1 1 Super Bowls. The Dallas Cowboys have won two of the past three championships. The Pittsburgh Steelers have only four players who have appeared in a Super Cowboys vs.

the Pittsburgh Lyj Til iroy AiKman 1 i p5si ffVY Steelers is chic vs. lunch pail. It's Neiman Marcus vs. Ace Hardware. Rolex vs.

Timex. Gucci vs. Dickies. Glitz and glitter, flash and dash vs. grunt and groan.

Style vs. substance. A few of these Roman-numeral epics have matched gaudy showoffs against blue-collars, but never to this extent. In this comer, bowing and braying, throwing kisses, in the blue satin trunks with the diamond-encrusted stars and silver tassels are the NikePepsiAmerican Express Cowboys, the darlings of Wall Street and MTV. And in this comer, glowering in their frayed black-and-gold work denims and hard hats are the traditional, roll-up-your-sleeves Steelers, heroes of the night shift down at Bethlehem Steel.

Steelers punter Rohn Stark agreed that his team is, indeed, blue-collar, particularly when compared to the brash Cowboys. "They're the biggest self-promoters in the free world," said Stark, who added, astutely: "Teams take on the personality of the dominant guy at the top, whether it's the coach, as in our case, or for Dallas, the owner." So true. The Cowboys' swagger starts with maverick owner Jerry Jones, whose countenance appears in the dictionary alongside "brassy." The Steelers' toiling, down-to-earth style reflects their square-jawed, no-nonsense coach, Bill Cowher, who would look right at home in brogans, L-lAJ iij Bowl. The team in white jerseys, the uniforms the Cowboys will wear today, has won 17 of the 29 Super Bowls. Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell wears No.

14, and no team quarterbacked by No. 14 has won the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are 4-0 against AFC teams this season, having dispatched Oakland, Kansas City, Denver and San Diego by a combined score of 1 1 3-63. Is there any reason to believe that the Steelers stand a snowball's chance in the Valley of the Sun to upset the Cowboys? Oddsmakers say no, pegging Dallas a Uh-point favorite. Belief in the Steelers seems to end at the Pittsburgh city limits.

"For some reason, you guys have labeled the Cowboys as being 'America's that they're invincible," Pittsburgh linebacker Greg Lloyd said. "Do these guys have bulletproof vests on? Can they grow wings and fly?" There seems to be nothing to fear but the Cowboys themselves. They have a star-studded cast that includes Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Charles Haley, Deion Sanders and an offensive line of self-proclaimed "fat boys" that is regarded as the best in the league. Is there any reason to believe they could lose? Please see SUPER BOWL, C-13 -'vtl Cowboys coach Barry Switzet Steelers coach Bill Cowher A 1 WHEN: TODAY KICK0FF: 6:20 p.m. TV PREGAME: 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: SUN DEVIL STADIUM, TEMPE, ARIZ. TV: NBC(WESH Ch.2) COMPLETE PREVIEW, PACES C-11 C-l 3 Pittsburgh running back Bam Morris Dallas running bock Emmitt Smith AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA CHIN WANGTHE ORLANDO SENTINEL Magic miss their exit on bumpy road at Indy, too By L.C. Johnson OF THE SENTINEL STAFF Indiana extended its home winning streak against Orlando to 10, holding the for their 10th consecutive victory. "We came out of the Houston game feeling that we were about to start putting it together on the road," said Scott, who was held to seven points against the Pacers after having scored 19 against the Hawks. "But then we lost a tough game in the fourth quarter in Atlanta, and that took a lot out of us.

Then, we had to try to come here tonight and play at a place where we know we haven't won for a while." Please see MAGIC, C-9 night as the Pacers crushed the Magic, 102-79. The road woes for the Magic (30-12) have been well-documented. But the Pacers (28-14) have been particularly rude hosts, having defeated the Magic here 10 games in a row, including six consecutive during the regular season. As for the Magic, their road record dropped to 9-12. The 79 points marks a season-low scoring total, coming a day after being held to 84 in a loss at Atlanta.

The Magic's victory over the Houston Rockets last Sunday at The Summit marks the only time they have beaten a winning team on the road Magic players as All-Star C-9 this season. "There's some frustration on our part be-, cause we have struggled on the road," Magic coach Brian Hill said. "What we have to do is pull together and work that much harder at correcting whatever it is that we're doing wrong." Magic forward Dennis Scott concedes the club was drained from the loss to Atlanta. In that game, the Magic led for three quarters before the Hawks rallied in the fourth quarter homely Magic to a onnsvi 1 i INDIANAPOLIS Orlando Magic coach Brian Hill had joked that his team had not won a game in Market Square Arena since Abraham Lincoln was in office. As far as the Indiana Pacers were concerned, the Magic may have to wait a few more presidential elections before they think about winning here again.

It certainly was not about to happen Saturday ocdauii-iuw jjuhiuj total during a 102-79 victory. v..