The O. J. Simpson case, with its dramatic Friday night televised ending, continued to command attention yesterday across the country.

Here's a sampling of the discussion, opinion and debate around the Baltimore area:

* Edward Kim, 21, of Carney: "He was a great football player. You see him on NBC, 'Naked Gun' movies. Man, he had it made. Why would he do something like that?"

* John Wilson, 22, of Baltimore: "When the media said nothing went on between his wife and that other guy, I don't believe that at all.

"Have you seen this waiter? He looks like he stepped out of a magazine.

"And that stuff about him returning her sunglasses. . . . Wasn't she driving a Ferrari?

"Why . . . would she be interested in a pair of sunglasses when she drives a Ferrari?

"I mean, she went to the restaurant frequently. She would've been back and picked them up then."

* Gloria Gilliam of Baltimore: "There's too much media -- entirely. It seems to make people think that he's guilty before he's tried. . . .

"I say he's innocent until he's proven guilty."

* Wesley Gasque, 37, of Newark, N.J., who was born in Baltimore and lived here for 13 years, and Charles Baker, 38, also of Newark:

Mr. Gasque: "I just don't see the motive. It's not money. He had plenty of that. Must have been love. Obsessed love."

Mr. Baker: "What is love? Just a temporary feeling that can go away."

Mr. Gasque: "That's right. It just changes shapes and form. O. J. could've had any woman he wanted. He could've had any of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders."

* Carolyn Pinder, 45, of Baltimore: "I don't believe he did it because that's hearsay. We haven't heard anything. . . . It's the same thing with Michael Jackson. There are too many fishy things going on.

"I got to hear him confess to me. I got to see it come out of his mouth.

"I remember O. J. Simpson as a player. That's what I want to remember him as."

* Jim Walters, 35, of Wayne, N.J.: "It's pretty hard to know what's fact. We'll have to wait until the whole thing happens in court."

* Frank Waters, 53, of Catonsville: "The losers in this whole thing are the kids. They did nothing but be their kids."