Monday, August 17, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 21
Teasing, injuries mark NFL preseason camp
The Associated Press
Ryan Leaf is learning that there is more than one way a linebacker can make things difficult for a rookie quarterback.
Leaf, drafted second overall by San Diego, has been the victim of some costly pranks orchestrated by Chargers linebacker Junior Seau.
Before training camp, Seau came up with Leaf's credit card and treated 25 teammates to dinner at a sushi restaurant. The tab came to $2,800.
"He brought me a receipt and said, 'Here you go, we had a good old time,'" said Leaf, who received an $11.25 million signing bonus as part of a contract that could be worth $11.25 million over five seasons.
"He was mad," Seau said. "He got kind of riled up. But it's just one of those things you have to go through as a rookie."
At a charity auction, Seau announced that Leaf had won the bidding for a $1,500 skybox at Qualcomm Stadium.
"That would be $700 after the charitable write-off, and he needs the deductions," Seau said. "Hey, I love the kid. It's just part of the growing-up process in the NFL."
Seau said that when he was a rookie, he was victimized by linebackers Gary Plummer and Billy Ray Smith, who would charge room service to Seau's hotel bill and other items to his credit card.
Smith, in turn, said he was duped into buying dinner one night for several teammates by quarterback Dan Fouts.
Cowboys
A fractured rib will keep Deion Sanders out of Dallas' final three exhibition games and also might hurt his chances of plaving offense.
Cowboys coach Chan Gailey planned for Sanders, a Pro Bowl cornerback, to spend the rest of the preseason working at wide receiver.
"We'll just have to see how it all falls together," Gai lev said.
Sanders was injured during last Tuesday night's scrimmage against New Orleans. Although he is listed as day-to-day, owner Jerry Jones said Sanders likely would be out until the Sept. 6 opener against Arizona.
Defensive coordinator Dave Campo said he was not worried about Sanders.
"He's one of those few special players who doesn't need to be drilled back and forth all day," Campo said. "He knows what he needs to do and knows where he needs to be."
Seahawks
Seattle quarterback Warren Moon practiced for the
first time this season after missing three weeks of training camp in a contract dispute.
Moon, 41, said he would need about a week of practice to get back in the groove.
He was not expected to see any playing time Saturday in the Seahawks' exhibition game against San Francisco at Vancouver, British Columbia.
Wednesday, Moon agreed to a two-year, $4.97 million package that includes a $2.25 million signing bonus. He could earn another $1.2 million this season in incentives.
Bears
First-round draft pick Curtis Enis said he would sit out the season if he does not get what he considers a fair contract.
The former Penn State running back said he told agent Greg Feste he would simply re-enter the draft next year.
"There's no pressure or any pain — it's just being patient," he said Thursday in an interview with Houston's KRIV-TV.
Feste, who has blamed the Bears for the contract impasse, said sitting out was the only option for a rookie.
"If you can't come to terms with the team, then the client has the option to sit out and try again the following year," Feste said.
Jaguars
Defensive end Fernando Smith, released by Minnesota on July 28 after failing a physical upon his return from a hernia operation, signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with Jacksonville.
"I'm probably 75-80 percent at full strength but feel I should be close to 100 percent soon," said Smith, who had 161/2 sacks in four seasons with the Vikings.
The deal includes a $600,000 signing bonus.
Patriots
Robert Edwards, New England's top draft pick, practiced for the first time since aggravating a groin injury Aug. 2 against San Francisco.
"We're not ready to call for him to go full speed," coach Pete Carroll said. "We're going to probably wait until next week before we do that."
That means the former Georgia running back will not play in tonight's game against Dallas at Mexico City.
NEW YORK — The NBA lockout will be fought on one less front.
NBA players drop labor complaint
The Associated Press
The union for the locked-out players, making a sudden change in strategy, decided Thursday to withdraw its unfair-labor complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.
"It was determined that the players would not be able to obtain relief as swiftly as would be necessary to justify the effort and expense of litigation," attorney Peter Stegios said. "The (players association's) resources would be more effectively utilized in other forums at this time."
The move came just several hours before the board's regional director was to issue his recommendation on the union's contention that NBA owners illegally imposed a lockout before bargaining to an impasse, as required by federal law.
The next key date in the summer-long stalemate will be next Monday, when arbitrator John Feerick convenes a hearing on the players' grievance contending that about 220 players with guaranteed contracts should be paid during the lockout.
The union filed its legal briefs with Feerick on Friday, and the league's response is due this week. Feerick's decision is expected to be announced near Labor Day.
Union officials indicated that they withdrew the NLRB complaint so that they could focus their efforts on winning the Feerick hearing.
League officials seemed to think the players were cutting their losses.
"I assume they came to the recognition that this was a loser," deputy commissioner Russ Granik said. "This is obviously a defeat for the union strategy of litigation instead of negotiation.
"The players must now recognize that the NBA lockout is completely lawful, and the only way it will end is when the parties sit down and
reach a deal that is fair to both sides," Granik said. "This just demonstrates what we've been saying — that this is a perfectly legal lockout, that we have bargained in good faith and you don't have to lock out only when games are in place."
The sides have
The sides have not scheduled any new formal negotiations, and none should be expected until Feerick issues his ruling. That will give the sides two to three weeks to finalize a collective-bargaining agreement in time for training camps to open at the beginning of October.
If the sides cannot agree on a deal — and the sides are far apart on the main economic issues — the league stands to lose regular-season games to a work stoppage for the first time in its history.
Chiefs sign lineman Chung for two years
The Associated Press
RIVER FALLS, Wis. — In the wake of center Tim Grunhard's elbow surgery, the Kansas City Chiefs signed veteran offensive lineman Eugene Chung to a two-year contract Thursday.
The 6-foot-5, 311-pound Chung was the 13th overall selection in the 1992 draft but since has struggled to live up to that high ranking.
CHIEFS
As a rookie with the New England Patriots, Chung played in every game, starting 14. He was selected in the 1995 expansion draft by Jacksonville, Fla., where he played in 11 games.
Mo. He is expected to play for seven to 10 days.
Chung was released in the preseason by San Francisco in 1996 and Green Bay, Wis., in 1997. Last year in Indianapolis, he played mostly on special teams but gradually earned more playing time on offense.
"With Tim being down and the absence of Nate Parks, we wanted to get a guy there with some veteran depth," said coach Marty Schottenheimer, who also likes Chung's ability to play every line position.
Grunhard had a small bone chip removed from his right elbow Tuesday in Kansas City,
Chung is the Chiefs' second offensive-line signing during training camp. Two weeks ago, the team signed veteran guard-tackle Rob Selby to replace Parks, who left training camp during his first week for personal reasons and is not expected to return.
To make room for Chung, the Chiefs released first-year free agent cornerback Kavis Reed.
Kansas City might not be through signing linemen.
spent last season with the Chiefs, will take a physical tomorrow in Kansas City before a possible deal is made. Tamm did some long-snapping last season for the Chiefs.
Veteran Ralph Tamm, who
Grunhard was back on the practice field Thursday for the first time since his surgery. He was not in pads but practiced snapping to quarterback Rich Gannon on the sidelines.
Defensive tackle Chester McGlockton, who has struggled with back spasms, was not in River Falls on Thursday.
"We have sent Chester back to Kansas City to get further evaluation from our medical staff," Schottenheimer said. "He was 30 percent better today, but we decided that we didn't want to sit and wait around for another two or three days when the doctor in Minneapolis was going to get a chance to look at him, so we went ahead and sent him down there."
WELCOME BACK STUDENTS!
GET READY GET SET GET GREAT STUFF
A COOL KU T-SHIRT the definitive campus fashion statement
A CLASSY GLASS your first party favor of the year
A FABULOUS DINNER DURING FINALS fortify yourself for exams
when you become a Student Member of the Kansas Alumni Association for only $15
PLUS other benefits:
Mentoring provided by alumni and faculty through 'HawkTalk □ Access to dining at the Adams Alumni Center □ Great deals from local merchants □ Updates via e-mail □ Newsletter □ Social activities □ New friends □ Membership card
PLUS other benefits:
Pick up your application at the Info Fair
7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, Strong Hall Lawn
4:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, Daisy Hill
9 a.m.-2 p.m., Friday, Aug. 21, Kansas Union
at the Kansas Alumni Association Adams Alumni Center 13th and Oread across from the Union
OR fill out this form and send it to us!
Student name___
or, if you're a new student, at Get the Scoop, 6:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 17 (check out our other ad)
KUID# ___ KU phone___
KU ID# KU phone
---
- Enclosed is my check for $15 payable to the Kansas Alumni Association
City ___ State ___ Zip
Return to: Student Membership, Kansas Alumni Association 1266 Oread Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66044-3169 or drop in Campus Mail
MEET OUR STUDENT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS KENDALL DAY, PRESIDENT DAWN WORMINGTON, VP OUTREACH LESLIE VINK
VP INTERNAL RELATIONS BRANDON LABARGE, VP STUDENT MEMBERSHIP TROY DINGES, VP SPECIAL EVENTS RORY SMOOT, VP UNIVERSITY RELATIONS JENNIFER NUELLER, STUDENT PROGRAMS COORDINATOR
YOU'RE INVITED TO ENJOY SOME FABULOUS ICE CREAM. (The fabulous part is that it's FREE)
MAKE YOUR OWN SUNDAE MEET SOME COOL PEOPLE - STUDENTS,PROFESSORS AND EVEN SOME HIP DEANS
ENJOY COOL TUNES AND GIVEAWAYS
GET INTO THE KU GROOVE
BE AT THE ADAMS ALUMNI CENTER
6:30 P.M., MONDAY, AUGUST 17
WALK DOWN TO THE TRADITIONS NIGHT CELEBRATION AT 8 P.M. IN MEMORIAL STADIUM
等
A 'Hawk Week Tradition Sponsored by the Student Alumni Association and the Office of New Student Orientation
硫
r