6B
Tuesday, November 21, 1995
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Chicago fans bearish about move
The Associated Press
GARY, Ind. — Lake County officials trying to lure the Chicago Bears to northwest Indiana were impressed after meeting with the team's president.
But prior to Sunday's chat with Michael McCaskey in a Soldier Field skybox, Bears fans below made it clear they weren't impressed with Gary.
"I think it is
"I think it is ridiculous," said Laura Margolas of Chicago, who helped friends make 150 protest signs. "I wouldn't go to Gary for any reason, and if I do,
I probably would wear a gas mask."
Some players feel the same way. Linebacker Joe Cain spoke for many last week when he said he didn't want to play in Gary.
"It would be ugly," he said.
Others, though, aren't as concerned.
"I've given it absolutely zero thought," offensive tackle Andy Heck said. Not surprising, since the Bears wouldn't move into the new stadium on Gary's lakefront until 2000.
Northwest Indiana political leaders were asked to meet McCaskey on Sunday by NIP-SCO Industries Inc., the utility holding company that has spearheaded the push to bring the Bears to Gary.
After talking with McCaskey, the 10-member delegation said they thought he wasn't joking about possibly moving the team.
"I think some of the elected officials for the first time think this is a serious venture," East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick said.
That's important, because Pastrick and the other leaders will have to persuade Lake County taxpayers to accept a .5-percent income tax to help pay for the new stadium.
"I hope we can relate to our people what this could mean." Pastrick said.
Under the $482-million package offered by a coalition of northwest Indiana business leaders, the Bears would be a tenant in a 1,100-acre development called Planet Park. It would include a retail mall, entertainment complex, theme park, golf course and RV park.
Bears officials will decide by January whether to move to Gary or to accept the city of Chicago's offer to renovate Soldier Field.
Chiefs continue surprise victories
Team has pulled together to win without Montana
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The unexpected happened again — just as expected — for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Mark Collins scooped up a fumble and ran 34 yards for the winning touchdown in the closing seconds. Sunday
night, giving the Chiefs a 20-13 victory over Houston.
Kansas City has built its NFL-best record of 10-1 in part on last-second surprises that have helped produce
three overtime victories at Arrowhead Stadium.
The latest was by Collins, with 15 seconds left.
The last was by Carlos, who coached "In 1990 in the Super Bowl with the Glants, we won the same way," Collins said. "I don't like making comparisons, but this parallels our 1990 season. To be honest with you, we had no business winning that (Houston) game in regulation. But it worked out perfectly.
"I scooped the thing up, and I just ran for the pylons. I just happened to be around the area. So far this year, we've done nothing but beat the teams we need to beat."
Kansas City played miserably on offense, rushing for just 66 yards, and it was clear that the defense was going to have to win the game.
Then Chris Chandler threw 40 yards to Chris Sanders for the tying touchdown in the fourth quarter on fourth and 25.
It appeared the Chiefs were headed for their fourth overtime.
The Oilers were backed up in their territory when Todd McNair, a former Chief, broke loose for a 17-yard run that suddenly made a winning field goal seem possible. But safety William White stood him up, and Doug Terry knocked the ball loose for Collins.
And so Collins joined rookie Tamarick Vanover and defensive back James Hasty as a miracle-worker. Vanover had an 86-yard punt return in overtime that beat San Diego, and Hasty went 64 yards with an interception for a win over the Raiders in overtime.
The Chiefs defeated the Giants in overtime on a 23-yard field goal after an offense that had slumbered through regulation suddenly came alive in the extra period.
"Our guys know you never give up," linebacker Derrick Thomas said. "I just have faith that if we work together, we are going to find a
way to win. We've got some playmakers on this football team. We can make things happen."
No one expected much from the Chiefs after Joe Montana's retirement.
But the players say again and again that while they knew Montana was one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, they may be a better team without him because they have to rely on themselves rather than count on him to pull them out of a jam.
"I've never been around a team like this," wide receiver Webster Slaughter said. "I've never seen a team like this that expects to win every time. We seem to find a way to make the plays, and we just have to thank God for giving us these opportunities to make plaus."
The Chiefs scored all their points against the Oilers in three interceptions of Chandler, including one by lineman Joe Phillips on a tipped ball.
"I told the Big Daddy (defensive coach Carl Hairston) that if I made an interception, we must be a team of destiny," Phillips said after getting the first one of his career.
Defensive end Neil Smith knows why the Chiefs are winning.
"The big man upstairs is watching over us, Smith said. "Everything is going our way right now."
Yankee captain expected to turn in his pinstripes
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Don Mattingly's baseball career has ended — at least for now. All that remains is his final announcement.
The source, who spoke on the condition he not be identified, confirmed the account first reported Saturday by The New York Times. Mattingly's agent, Jim Krivacs, did not return telephone messages.
A person who has been in contact with Mattingly's advisers said yesterday that the free-agent first baseman would issue a statement saying he wouldn't be playing at the start of next season. He said that the announcement could come as early as today.
New York Yankees manager Joe Torre said in a conference call that he did not know of Mattingly's plans.
back pain struck. He filed for free agency following this fall's World Series
Mattingly, who will be 35 April 20, wants to see how he likes retirement. He hit. 288 last season with only seven homers and 49 RBI in 458 at bats, earning a $4.02-million salary in the final season of a $19.3-million, five-year contract he signed in April 1990, about three months before severe
He hired for free agency allowing his dad's wives businesses. Mattingly, who began playing with the Yankees regularly in 1983, has been at times outwardly unhappy about the team and owner George Steinbrenner. Mattingly was an All-Star for six straight years through 1989, but the back pain took much of his power away, and he hasn't exceeded 20 homers or 90 RBI this decade.
The back pain disabled him from July 25 to Sept. 11 in 1990, and he finished the season with a .256 average, five homers and 42 RBI. He had 86 RBI in both 1992 and 1993, then dropped to 51 in the strike-shortened 1994 season.
Without Mattingly, Yankees general manager Bob Watson has several options. He said last week that his first goal was to re-sign pitchers David Cone and Jack McDowell.
Depending on whether Watson succeeds, he may have enough money to chase Fred McGriff or Mark Grace. He already has expressed interest in second basemen Craig Biggio and Roberto Alomar.
Injured Philadelphia Eagles should be flying again soon
The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — Rodney Peete should be back at quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles game Sunday against the Washington Redskins. Defensive end Mike Mamula probably won't play.
Peete suffered a bruised hip flexor in the first half of Philadelphia's 28-19 victory against the New York Giants and was replaced by Randall Cunningham for the second half.
If Rodney is in any kind of pain, he won't play," said physician
"He must have two of the three to play," he said.
Arthur Bartolozzi. "We don't want to risk any further injury."
Bartolozzi later said there were three criteria for deciding whether Peete would play: motion, strength and lack of pain.
Mamula, who had three sacks in the first half of the game before suffering a dislocated left shoulder, will be fitted with a harness, Bartolozzi said.
"It's unlikely he'll play," Bartolozi said. "The shoulder was completely out of the joint."
Skater Grinkov dies of heart attack at 28
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Sergei Grinkov, part of the "G&G" duo that won two Olympic gold medals and helped revolutionize pairs figure skating, collapsed and died of a heart attack yesterday while skating with his wife. He was 28.
The Associated Press
Grinkov fell to the ice while lifting his wife, Ekaterina Gordeeva, in a practice at the Olympic Ice arena, said Don Krone, spokesman for the Olympic Development Authority, which runs the facility.
Grinkov was a body builder who was able to lift his 90-oound
Krone said further details would not be released until family members were notified.
On the ice, they were known as "G&G," a skating duo that transformed pairs both artistically and athletically.
Grinkov and Gordeeva were in their second year in the "Stars On Ice" program that was to be held at the arena.
partner high off the ice. Their precision and power won Olympic gold medals in 1988 and, after a change in rules allowed professionals to return to the Winter Games, again in 1994.
As with all Russian pairs and dance teams, they studied ballet along with skating. Their classic ballet training was evident in their hands, facial expressions and body movements, with one element flowing into another with elegance and beauty.
They won their first world championship in 1986 and two years later won gold in the Winter Olympics at Calgary. He was only 20, she just 16.
But theirs was not just a tale of sports. It was a love story, too.
They met at a Moscow skating club when Gordeeva was 4. Their coaches paired them in 1982, when she was 11 and he was 15.
After turning pro following the '88 Games, they began dating in 1989 and married in 1991. Their daughter, Daria, was born in 1992.
Louisiana Tech No.1 in women's basketball
The Lady Techsters steal top ranking from Connecticut
The Associated Press
A victory over the old No. 1 team made Louisiana Tech the new No. 1 in The Associated Press women's basketball poll yesterday.
Louisiana Tech, fourth in the preseason poll last week, shot to the top after beating defending national champion Connecticut 83-81 in overtime in Sunday's Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic in Knoxville, Tenn.
It's the first No. 1 ranking for the Lady Techsters since the final poll of the 1989-90 season. Connecticut, which lost for the first time since the 1994 NCAA tournament, dropped from first to third.
Georgia, which hasn't played yet, remained second, and Tennessee climbed two spots to fourth after beating Virginia in the second half of the Tip-Off Classic twinbill. Virginia slipped three places to sixth, and Vanderbilt stlaved at No. 5.
Louisiana Tech received 26 first-place votes from a national media panel.
Georgia was voted No. 1 on seven ballots, Vanderbilt got four votes for first and Connecticut and Tennessee each had one.
In total points, it was Louisiana Tech with 953 and Georgia with 899. Connecticut had 875 points — three more than Tennessee — and Vanderbilt had 860.
Louisiana Tech's climb to No. 1 means there already have been as
many changes at the top of the poll — one — as there were all last season.
Tennessee was No. 1 in the 1994-95 preseason poll and held that position until losing to Connecticut in mid-January.
Connecticut was No.1 the rest of the way.
At No. 4, Tennessee can try to start a new streak of top-five placings. The Lady Vols' No. 6 ranking in the preseason voting ended their string of 80 polls in the top five.
The first three rounds of the Preseason NIT caused some shuffling elsewhere in the poll.
Arkansas and Colorado have won three times and will meet in tonight's championship game. Arkansas climbed one spot to ninth, and Colorado moved up three places to 11th.
Duke split two NIT games and slipped from 17th to 22nd. Texas A&M, unranked in the preseason, went 2-1 in the tournament and moved into the poll at No. 23. Washington, 25th in the preseason poll, dropped out.
Penn State, the preseason favorite in the Big Ten, was seventh and was followed by Stanford, Arkansas and Purdue.
After Colorado at No. 11 were Texas Tech, North Carolina State, Kansas, DePaul, Southern Cal, Western Kentucky, Oregon State, Iowa and Mississippi.
Completing the Top 25 were Wisconsin, Duke, Texas A&M, North Carolina and Alabama.
KANSAS FALLS: The Kansas women's basketball team dropped one point to No. 14 in this week's poll. Scores & More, Page 2.