MONDAY,AUGUST 26,2002
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5P
Baseball team owners decry players' proposal
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Owners immediately slammed baseball players Saturday for making what management called backward proposals on the key issues of revenue sharing and a luxury tax.
"We could not have been more disappointed in the proposal we received," said Rob Manfred, the owners' chief labor lawyer. "This is raw regressive bargaining."
The union said its proposals were a positive step and moved closer toward the clubs, and didn't understand why management publicly attacked them. Just six days before the union's Aug. 30 strike deadline, the sides appeared to be on a collision course for baseball's ninth work stoppage since 1972.
"Whoover the bar owner was in 'Casablanca' was shocked to find gambling, too," union head Donald Fehr said.
Manfred accused players of backtracking on increased revenue sharing, because the union's proposal Saturday phased in the increases. Owners want the entire amount of the increase to start next year, which players think would cripple the richest teams.
While owners want $268 million transferred next year from the wealthiest teams to the poorest ones, up from about $169 million under the current formula, the union proposed transfers of $172.3 million in 2003, $195.6 million in 2004, $219 million in 2005 and $242.3 million in 2006.
In 2006, the final year of the proposed deal, the sides are relatively close. Owners have proposed transferring $268 million. All figures use 2001 revenue figures for analysis.
Under the union's plan, teams would share 33.3 percent of their local revenue, up from 20 percent under the current deal. Fehr said players had previously been at 31 percent and owners at 37 percent, and that the union shifted to management's preferred method of
redistributing the money, which favors middle-markets teams.
Fehr said the sides had discussed phase-ins for at least the past 11/2 years. The union thinks that's important because the very richest teams, such as the New York Yankees, would have to pay more next year, even though the overall transfer amount wouldn't change.
"The parties have discussed for a long time that when agreements are eventually reached, changes will have to be phased in over time," Fehr said. "They clearly understand this would be phased in. Therefore, I am at a loss to explain what this is all about."
The union also moved $5 million toward the owners on the luxury tax, designed to slow spending by high-payroll teams, but Manfred said that was far short of what owners want because it would affect only two teams next year, based on this season's salaries.
"If they had made any sort of
move that was in our direction we would have made a countermove already. The thing we're dealing with is how to respond to a move that went the wrong way," Manfred said.
He called the proposal "so out of the realm of expectation that it's going to take us a little time."
While owners want to tax the portions of 40-man payrolls over $102 million (including $9 million in benefits), players proposed thresholds of $125 million in 2003, $135 million in 2004 and $145 million in 2005—all $5 million less than the union's previous offer.
Players have proposed tax rates of 15-40 percent, while the owners have proposed 37.5 to 50 percent. Owners also are angry players refuse to agree to a tax in 2006, the final year of the agreement.
Manfred chided Fehr for giving a "20-minute monologue" before the proposal on "Don's view of the world."
"It was a recitation of his view of how the negotiations had gone." Manfred said.
On Friday, when asked what was needed to spark talks on the key issues, Fehr said: "Rob knows what he has to do."
"My answer to that is apparently Don doesn't know what he needs to do," Manfred said.
Players said they thought their plan would move talks forward.
"We never expected them to accept it, but at least it's a move, and it's a significant move," Arizona's Mark Grace said.
"Any kind of dialogue and any kind of movement is good. They moved a few days ago, and we moved today, so the gap was narrowed. If we continue to do this, pretty soon the gap will be small enough that we can avoid a work stoppage."
Players and owners also are apart on drug testing, with owners saying the union's proposal doesn't go far enough. The union is willing to have mandatory ran
dom testing for illegal steroids and wants 2003 to be a survey. Players proposed that if more than 5 percent test positive, a second survey be taken in 2004. If more than 5 percent test positive that year, mandatory random testing would start the following year.
"Sort of by definition, if we make the proposal, it can't be adequate, and that's too bad," Fehr said.
At Yankee Stadium, Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez backtracked from his comments Friday that he would give back 30 to 40 percent of his pay if it would improve the sport.
"I'm willing to do my part. Thirty to 40 percent? Probably not. I was speaking off the cuff," he said.
"What I wanted to say is I love the game of baseball and would do anything to help it. Obviously, that was a very drastic statement. I wouldn't take it literally."
NASCAR
Jeff Gordon zaps dry spell with win in Sharpie 500
The Associated Press
Gordon, the four-time and defending Winston Cup champion, passed Wallace by driving his Chevrolet up onto Wallace's bumper and sliding past in Turn 4 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Jeff Gordon snapped his 31-race victory drought Saturday night, bumping his way past Rusty Wallace with three laps to go to win the Sharpie 500.
After crossing the finish line, Gordon coasted around the track as his crew celebrated over the radio.
TENNIS
"You were like a man on the mission tonight baby, beautiful," crew chief Robbie Loomis said. "The winless streak is over, what are they going to write about now?"
After a series of burnouts, he drove to victory lane and jumped into the arms of car owner Rick Hendrick.
"I just wanted to take advantage of an opportunity, these guys deserved a win, we don't deserve to be written about this losing streak, so I'm glad it's over," Gordon said. "It feels like my first win!"
Wallace, riding a 50-race winless streak, finished second and wasn't pleased with Gordon's bump-and-run, claiming Gordon wouldn't have got past his Ford without a tap.
Hewitt's attitude brings titles, trouble
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Lleyton Hewitt's fighting spirit has helped him become a Grand Slam champion and the world's top-ranked player. It also gets him into trouble.
He's been fined for yelling at linesmen, lost a point for throwing a ball near an official and was criticized for what was perceived as a racially influenced outburst during a match in last year's U.S. Open.
Away from the court, though,
Hewitt can be affable and even
shy, seeming very little like the
brash player who wears a backward baseball cap and peppers his matches with shouts of "Come on!"
He's the defending champion and seeded first at the U.S. Open, which starts Monday. Neither Hewitt nor Venus Williams, who is trying to become the first woman to win three straight U.S. Opens since Chris Evert took four in a row from 1975-78, plays on the opening day.
Top matches Monday include Williams' younger sister, topranked Serena, against Corina Morariu, who'll be playing her first Grand Slam match since returning to the tour after fighting leukemia for more than a
year.
Serena is aiming for her third consecutive major title, after beating Venus in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon.
Others playing Monday include two-time Open champion Andre Agassi, fourth-seeded Lindsay Davenport and French Open winner Albert Costa.
"I love competition and I love getting out there, working hard," Hewitt said.
Hewitt can't wait to get on court. His first-round match is against 103rd-ranked Frenchman Nicolas Coutelot.
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FITNESS & PHYSICALITY A vigorous contact sport that demands all-round athleticism and conditioning.
The Kansas Men's Rugby Team is working off a winning season with a record of 15-2.
Last Years Accomplishments:
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Men's practice: Tues & Thurs @ 6:30 pm Contact: The Rugby House, 843-2022 www.jayhawkrugby.com
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Games and practices are held at Westwick Rugby Complex
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