Indiana Gazette from Indiana, Pennsylvania • 14

Page 14 Saturday, Morch 11, 1995 tEht (gazette Big Guy' cuts big deal with Dolphins Cranberry polishes off Vikings come in here and do the best job and do what is asked of me." Dolphins coach Don Shula did not attend the news conference, but indicated the matter was undecided. (Green: is an explosive blocker as well as a fine pass Shula said in a statement. "We're going to have to make some decisions at the tight end position, and we intend to explore any and all possibilities." Jackson issued a statement late Friday saying he wasn't bitter. -The Miami Dolphins gave me an opportunity and made me a wealthy voting man." he said. "They knew that after this year I planned to retire, and I look upon this as a business decision on their part." Jackson.

30. caught 59 passes for 673 yards and seven touchdowns last season, his best as a Dolphin. His contract paid $1.5 million last season. With the signing bonus, the Dolphins can provide cash up front to Green, but still average it out over the length of the contract to count againstthe salary cap. Green recently moved to Orlando, where he is having a house built.

"It's close to home, grass field. Dan Marino, a great defense and the opportunity to win the Super Bowl with the latter being the primary goal, to win the Super Bowl." he said, and then added, "and my goif game." By JOAN THOMPSON Associated Press Writer MIAMI Free agent tight end Eric Green is coming to Miami with his mind on the Super Bowl and his hands itching to catch Dan Marino passes. Green signed a six-year. $12 million contract Friday with the Dolphins, making him the highest paid tight end in NFL history. His $3.5 million signing bonus is the biggest in Dolphin history.

"I came here with ihe intent to be no less than a Super Bowl contender." said Green, adding that he believed Miami could take him 27, has spent his five-year NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last season he caught 46 passes for 618 yards and four touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl the past iwo seasons. Green, highly regarded as a blocker, wants to boost his pass-receiving game. He cited Marino's leadership and his aim.

"I think Danny can do some things to take my game to an even higher level." Green said. Green wasn't concerned about competing lor playing time with tight end Keith Jackson, who has one year left on his contract. 'i always seem to rise to the occasion when it's called upon myself." he said. "My concern is to ffefc Brie Green, waves a Terrible Towel before the 7 994 AFC Championship Game, his last as a Sfeeer. (Gazette photo by Jason A.

Johnson) Jordan quits baseball, mulls return to Bulls and time to work out a new contract with the team he helped to three straight NBA titles before retiring at the start of the 1993-94 season. wanted him to have a chance to meet the dream of being a baseball player and I feel for him not having this opportunity. He did give it a great shot." Bulls coach Phil Jackson said. did everything possible, did all the things they asked of him. So he exhausted the possibilities, he worked at it as well as he could.

Now after fulfilling that. Michael is going to calculate and do what he has to do to come back to basketball if there is an opportunity for him." Jackson said Jordan would probably have a long talk with Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf. and if things were worked out he might be ready 10 play in a week and a half. Maybe sooner. "There is no point in engaging in any speculation about Michael's future until he informs us of his plans.

Whatever he decides, we will support." Reinsdorf said in a statement Friday. He learned Thursday night that Jordan was cutting short his baseball career. ball's labor dispute. He needed to play in games to sharpen his skills but couldn't because the union said players doing so would be labeled replacement players. He was apparently unhappy when those who chose not to play were moved into the minor league locker room.

i4It was a little bit of a surprise. But I respect whatever Michael decides," White Sox general manager Ron Schueler said Friday. "I think Michael felt very uncomfortable. He came down to play in the games. He was swinging the bat well.

I think he just wanted to try to make the White Sox club and then go on to Triple-A if that didn't happen." What Jordan might do has drawn interest all across the city for several days. It's everywhere. When a TV camera spotted Jordan entering a downtown hotel late Friday afternoon, several hundred people converged on the building and jammed the sidewalks for several hours. Jordan later slipped away without much fanfare, leaving those wondering what he would do next. By RICK GANO AP Sports Writer CHICAGO Michael Jordan's short baseball career, like a long home run.

is outta here. It's gone. Now a city that worships his every move awaits the word they've been longing for months to hear that Jordan is headed back to the basketball court, his shorts long, his tongue wagging, his concentration unshakea-bie. his moves incomparable. "If he does come back, or when he comes back we're still waiting to hear just to be able to play with him is fun.

to be able to watch him," Bulls center Will Perdue said Friday after a shootaround that Jordan did not attend. wouldn't necessarily bet the house on it. It does look good, but until" it made arm and he definitely makes a commitment. I ll wait until then." Jordan did announce Friday he was giving up his baseball career with the Chicago White Sox because his development was being impeded by the players' strike. Now he needs time to get in basketball shape A source told The Associated Press on Thursday night that Jordan would indeed return to the NBA as soon as he unproved his basketball conditioning.

In a statement released Friday through his agent's office. Jordan said he was quitting the baseball career he launched in the winter of 1993. 'As a 32-year-old minor leaguer who lacks the benefit of valuable baseball experience over the past 15 years, I am no longer comfortable that the; re is meaningful opportunity to continue my improvement at a satisfactory pace," he said. Jordan struggled in Double-A last season but had shown marked improvement this spring before bolting camp last Thursday alter the White Sox divided their team into players who were willing to compete in exhibition games ami those who would not. "He did not fail at baseball.

Baseball failed him, I think. It means Michael has the opportunity to come back and play basketball without baseball being the dream that he's been holding on Jackson said. Jordan was caught in the middle of base By JOHN B. SMATHERS Gazette Sports Correspondent GROVE CITY Pun or no pun. Cranberry fiat-out did it.

The three-time state champions "berried" Apollo-Ridge, 66-39, in the first round of the PIAA Class AA state playoffs Friday at Grove City Arena. The Vikings' loss eliminated the only area girls team to make it to the interdistrict level, leaving only the Purchase Line boys still alive among the 23 area teams to play in the postseason. "I wanted to see which of our kids could stand up and play this quality of ball against this competition," said Ray Bartha. the coach of the senior-less Vikings. "(In that way) it was good game for us to be in." Cranberry climbed to 28-0 in search of its second consecutive Class AA state crown and fourth championship overall.

The Berries were Class AA champs in 1992 and 1994, capturing the Class AAA title in 1993. The Vikings were led by junior forward Ann Hreha, who posted team-highs of 16 points and nine rebounds. She was 7 of 18 (.389) from the field. Junior guard Danette Blystone scored nine points and was the team's most persistent outside shooter despite draining only 4 of 14 If only the Vikings (21-6) could have maintained possession of and shot the ball as well as they rebounded, they might be going on to the next round. "Boxing out was not our strong suit," said Berries coach Scott Creighton.

"Offensive rebounding was a clinic they taught us tonight." The Vikings had a 47-38 advantage on the boards and a 25-18 edge in offensive rebounds, but they canceled out too many opportunities by committing 27 turnovers. The Berries had just 14 giveaways. Both teams kept up aggressive full-court defenses throughout, but the Vikings succumbed far too many times to steals, double dribbles and bad passes. Conversely, the Vikings would not have had as many offensive rebounding opportunities if their shooting had been better. "They did a nice job of keeping the paint and making us shoot from the outside." said Bartha.

Apollo-Ridge was just 17 of 57 .298 from the field and 8 of 29 -276) in the second half. Cranberry seniors Star Rial and Susan Blauser had no such problem and were deadly accurate in the low post. Rial carried the First half with 13 points and finished with 19 after shooting 8 of 11 (.727) a fine game for a 5-foot-7 forward who averages 4.5 points a game. Blauser. a 6-1 center, took command in the second half on 14 points and left with a game-high 20.

She was 9 of 15 from the floor and the team finished 26 of 56 But it was Rachel Agnew (12 points) that broke a 7-7 tie and started Cranberry's first scoring rally. Her pair of 3-pointers got Cranberry rolling on a 19-2 run that spanned the first and second periods. Apollo-Ridge came back to out-score Cranberry, 12-9, in the last seven minutes of the half after Blauser sat down with her second foul. However, three straight turnovers with the score 31-19 seriously curtailed Apollo-Ridge's momentum and left the Vikings trailing, 35-21, at the half. When Blauser returned in the second half, it was all Berries.

Apollo-Ridge was held out of the hoop for nearly the first three minutes while Cranberry mounted a 9-0 run. The Vikings committed 11 turnovers in the third period. "We needed to come out and get a bucket or two, try to cut the lead under 10 points," said Bartha. "But the reverse happened." Cranberry rattled off another run of 7-1 to start the fourth period, as the Vikings searched for a field goal until Hreha scored on a putback with 4:20 left. NOTES: Blauser, a Rutgers recruit and scorer, also led Cranberry with three steals, three blocks and eight rebounds.

Neither the Vikings or the Berries were very good from the foul line. Apollo-Ridge was just 4 of 13 Cranberry 11 of 26 Cranberry missed six 1-and-l openers, but gave Apollo-Ridge only two such opportunities in the game. Cranberry had only one foul in the first period and five in the first half. Cranberry takes on Bellwood-Antis in the next round. The Blue Devils handled Brentwood, 59-39, Friday.

Baseball As Jagr has gone, SS58 -SEES vr-i so have By The Associated Press PITTSBURGH Jaromir Jagr has the NHL's player of the month award for February, a couple of splashy magazine spreads and a growing reputation as the NHL's most marketable young talent. He also has a four-game scoring slump, his worst in more than two years. His slide has coincided with the Pittsburgh Penguins' falloff five losses in eight games since Uneir franchise-record 13-1-2 start After a torrid start in which opposing coaches lauded him as the lctague's best player, Jagr is feeling the grind of the compressed NHL season, the effects of the flu and the sgpecial defensive attention he now receives nightly. "It's tough," Jagr said. "There's not a lot of room.

It's real close defense every night." getting his second career hat trick against Boston on Feb. 14, Jagr hris three goals in 12 games. Since his four-assist game against Hartford on Feb. 16, Jagr has two assists in II games. "When Jagr's on the ice, so is the opponent's checking line and best defensive pair.

The result: Jagr's longest drought since Jan. 7-14, 1993. "It's a learning process now that he 's moved up to that next level," linemate Ron Francis said. "He's seeing more shadowing and there an; more hooks and hoids." Francis thinks the NHL should do more to let the game's stars shine, in the meantime, he thinks Jagr must adapt, too. "Maybe he has to start taking some dives to draw penalties," Francis said.

7." here are other reasons for Jagr's dropoff in production. Like many of the Penguins, he has battled a severe case of the flu. Although he didn't sit out any games, Jagr was Penguins weakened and has been unable to regain the weight he lost. The flu has ravaged nearly the entire team and recently forced defenseman Kjell Samueisson to miss four games. "(Jagr) is beat up a little," coach Ed Johnston said.

"He's tired. He's losing the puck a lot, which he never does." Jagr also suffered when Francis missed four games because of back problems and the flu. Francis is the Penguins' best playmaker and fa-ceoff man, but has struggled with his timing and conditioning since his return. 'We've all been kind of frustrated by the whole situation," Francis said. Francis hasn't scored a goal since Feb.

14 and has no points in the past three games. Luc Robitaille. the left wing on the line, also has no points in three games. Only last month, he scored four goals in a single game. Johnston thinks all three players are pressing too much, so he may break up the combination, if only temporarily.

''They've taken it upon themselves to try and do too Johnston said. "Sometimes if you make a change for a game or so or a period or two, things open up again. They pop a goal and away they go." Johnston also worries that the offensive frustrations are having an effect at the other end of the ice. Jagr. Francis and Robitaille each were mimis-2 in Thursday's 4-2 win over the New York Islanders.

Jagr has had a plus rating just once in the past 1 1 games. Francis spent part of Wednesday watching game tapes of Tuesday's 5-4 loss to Quebec, looking for answers. He's open to suggestions. "If you figure it out, let me know," he said. talks go 'Goofy' By RONALD BLUM AP Sports Writer NEW YORK Goofy.

Grumpy and Sleepy will be at the baseball talks next week and that's even before players and owners arrive. The negotiations, which have cast a dark cloud over more than a dozen sites, are set to resume Tuesday in a land of happiness and smiles Disney World. Management wanted Chicago or Dallas. The union wanted New York. After a long day of tough negotiations, the sides settled Fridav on Lake Buena Vista.

at the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel seemingly appropriate for the Mickey Mouse atmosphere of the talks. Acting commissioner Bud Selig. speaking from his office in Milwaukee, said the owners" entire 12-per-son negotiating committee will meet Monday to formulate management's next proposal. Union officials will arrive the following day. Mediator W.J.

Usery spoke at Thursday's major league meeting in Palm Keach. and asked teams to submit their best offer. Selig said he won decide until next week whether to attend the talks. Management officials said Selig probably wouldn't attend the talks early in ihe week, but would travel to Orlando if negotiations progress positively. I think he is perfectly willing to be part of them if we get down to the point he's needed." said Chuck O'Connor, the owners chief labor lawyer.

"But he'll be in touch by phone. He has stayed very current by telephone." Meanwhile, there were growing indications the National iabor Relations Board will say next week how it intends to rule on the union unfair labor practice charges against the owners. Two sources said the NLRB may tell players and owners as soon as Tuesday. In Florida and Arizona, many teams unilaterally renewed the contracts of their unsigned players. Just 236 of the 1.069 players on 40-man rosters have contracts for 1995, and management's Player Relations Committee told the teams to renew all unsigned players by Saturday.

Because owners aren't agreeing to salary arbitration and changed the language of the contracts, the union is. claiming all unsigned players are free agents. 'Autograph, Dale Earnhardt signs far one of his fans Friday after winning the pole position for Sunday's Purolator 500 ot Atlanta Motor Speedway. The seven-time Winston Cup champion turned on event-record 185.077 mph on the 1 track. That broke the previous record of 180.207, set last March by Loy Allen and gave Earnhardt, who has only 18 career poles, his fourth in this event.

Earnhardt won the pole by five-thousandths of a second over Bobby Labonte. Jeff Gordon, the pole-winner the past two weekends and the race winner at Rockingham, was third (184.454), followed by DarreU Waltrip (1 84.31 1) and Terry Labonte, Bobby's older brother and the winner lost Sunday at Richmond (183.718). (AP photo) Woodall honored by girls basketball publication Local Briefs Satellites knocked off ARAMARK 54- 44, Tech's downed KGB Cobras 55- 48 and Video turned back Victory Energy 59-53. Scholastic Hockey Franklin Regional won the Western Pennsylvania Intel-scholastic Hockey League Class AA championship, defeating North Catholic, 2-1. Franklin Regional joins Indiana High in next week's Penguins Cup tournament with 21-1-2 record! North Catholic is 19-4-1.

placed 24th in the PIAA Swimming and: Diving Championships at Penn State's McCoy Natatorium Friday. Jtinine Thompson. Laura Honacfci, Robin Frutchey and Carrie Srsic combined to finish in 1:45.33. entry won the event in a state record 1:49.90. Trie competition concludes today.

Recreation Basketball Miike Stever's 23 points led Bank to an 81-58 Indiana Area Recreation Competitive Basketball Leajnje victory over Peoples' Bank From staff reports Indiana High's Megan Woodall was named Full-Court Press "Player of the Month" for the month of February 1995 in WPIAL Class AAAA. She scored 60 points in five games while averaging six rebounds and 3.5 assists. Woodall. a 5-fool-IO junior guard, figured high in area scoring ranks at 16.2 points a game this year. She is a two-time All-Gazette selection.

Each "Player of the Month" will be recognized at the Full-Court Press Annual Girls Basketball Hall of Fame Banquet in May. PITTSBURGH The Punxsutaw-ney Chucks' girls basketball season came to a conclusion Friday night as they dropped a 39-50 PIAA Class AAAA decision to Bethel Park Fridav night at Keystone Oaks High School. The Chucks finished the season at 9-16. Scholastic Swimming STATE COLLEGE Indiana High's 200 yard medley relay team of Pa. Josh Vislosky led Peoples' Bank with 22 points.

Denny's bounced McDonald's 80-74, thanks largely to Anthony Frazier's 24 points. Keith Sharbaugh popped in 21 points in a losing cause. MicroneticsYoder's won by forfeit over Luigi's. In Over-30 League play, See-World i.