The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page 25

i i School wrestling B12 School basketball B12 Princeton cagers lose Bl 1 B9 THE COURIER-NEWSThursday. January 26. 1984 after 88 mew ly "It was a pure money decision," says an NBC executive. "They weren't going to decide on anything else, like ABC's long association with the Olympics. But it got to a point, where our people started asking one another 'is this a sound business We just decided it wasn't." That, for ABC, is the scary point.

All three U.S. networks wanted the bidding to take place after Sarajevo, when ABC would have the ratings from 12 nights of prime-time telecasts to determine just how avid Americans are about winter sports. By DAVE GOLDBERG AP Sports Writer It's Christmas a month late for the organizers of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, upon whom ABC has decided to bestow $309 million for the privilege of bringing hockey, figure skating, biathlon and luge to millions of Americans. At which point, Joe Fan yawns and says: "Yeah, well I can't keep track of those millions and billions anyway and what do I care as long as I see it." Well, here's an attempt to try to make sense of it. That 309 billion is more than three times the $91.5 million ABC paid for the Winter Olympics that start next month in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia and just $6.5 million less than ABC is paying for Winter and Summer Olympics this year.

This year's Summer Olympics tab is $225 million. The comparison is so awesome that it raises the question of whether even the always-open network bank vaults contain enough to continue the escalation, particularly when as in this case three networks are turning the bidding into a "can you top this" auction. But the International Olympic Committee wanted the contract signed now, knowing that coming off the successful 1980 Lake Placid games, American interest is high. If the U.S. hockey team drops a couple of early games to Canada or Czechoslovakia and never gets to play the big, bad Russians again on ABC, the carryover to Calgarty will be far less positive.

Like Joe Fan said, who cares about all those millions and billions as long as we get to see it? analysis Maybe not, suggests ABC's Roone Arledge. Maybe, he says, the next plateau is pay television. The stories of the bidding for the Calgary rights make it sound like a case of three guys sitting around spewing out astronomical figures until two guys blinked. CBS dropped out first, then NBC, somewhere around $300 million. Chisox hoping for decision from Seaver ir Vv I I 'Jr 1 NEW YORK (AP) Tom Seaver met with the co-owners of the Chicago White Sox yesterday but the veteran pitcher who was selected from the New York Mets last week in baseball's compensation pool still had not reached a decision whether he would change teams.

"We had very good discussions for a long time and we'll speak again tomorrow (Friday)," Eddie Einhorn, president of the White Sox, said as he left the midtown hotel where he and board chairman Jerry Reinsdorf met with the 39-year-old Seaver. Asked if he was optimistic that Seaver would agree to join the White Sox, Einhorn replied, "I'm always optimistic and I hope Tom is optimistic." Einhorn rushed from the hotel and spoke to newsmen on the sidewalk. There was no sign of Seaver. Meanwhile, outgoing baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn disclosed he had tried to persuade the White Sox not to select Seaver. Einhorn would not disclose what was discussed, saying only that "we're into a hard negotiating position and we're happy to do it and we're going to continue.

I'm not going to talk about anything specific other than to say that this is the first round of discussions with Tom and his lawyer and there will be more tomorrow. We're here to try and bring this thing to a head. "It's hard to evaluate other than to say that this is a special situation and we're treating it as such. "There's no doubt that Tom Seaver wants to play baseball. That's why we picked him.

He has some good years left and he wants to play. "It's a very unique situation. The compensation pool isn't easy to go through emotionally and we've got to treat it with kid gloves." Seaver, who has won 273 games, spent the first 10Vj years of his career with the Mets, where he was known as "The Franchise." The Mets traded him to the Cincinnati Reds on June 15, 1977, for four players and reacquired him for three players on Dec. 16, 1982. But they failed to make him one of their 26 players protected from the compensation pool and the White Sox, who were permitted to pick any unprotected player after losing Type 'A' free agent pitcher Dennis Lamp to the Toronto Blue Jays, grabbed him.

The players in the top 20 percent in performance at each position are ranked as Type A i.e., premium players. A team losing a Type A player gets to pick someone from the pool as compensation. Five teams Boston, California, Los Angeles, Minnesota and Seattle are not participating in the pool for three years which means they may neither sign a premium player or claim one from the pool if they lose one. Seaver, who was stunned when the Mets left him unprotected him they went for younger players, many of whom have never played in the major leagues and crushed when the White Sox took him, reportedly wants a substantial raise over the $800,000 his contract with the Mets calls for. If he decides not to report to the White Sox, his only alternative is to retire.

The White Sox are not entitled to another pick from the compensation pool if Seaver retires. Kuhn denied any hostility toward Mets owner Nelson Doubleday, who led the fight to depose Kuhn. "Any suspicion that the White Sox took this guy to get even with the Mets makes no sense at all," Kuhn told the New York Times. "Any suspicion that I sat on my hands for the same reason makes no sense at all. "I did talk to the White Sox last week.

I can't meddle in player deals between clubs. But in the past, I've gotten into certain deals and talked to the clubs if the circumstances were unusual and they involved the best interests of baseball." The White Sox supported Kuhn in his losing effort to remain in office. Chiefs file photo Former Rutgers University football star Deron Cherry year as a starter. Cherry led the AFC in Interceptions is one of the few players In National Football League this season as a free safety for the Kansas City Chiefs. history to make the prestigious Pro Bowl In his first From Rutgers to the Pro Bowl -Time was 'ripe' for Cherry Getz is surprised over mat success By GEORGE GOVLICK 'Courier-News Sports Editor LEE GETZ is certainly resilient.

You'd never know he had missed an entire year of athletic competition judging by his performance so far From free agent to nickel back to All-Pro. i That's the three-year zero-to-hero National Football League story of former, Rutgers University star Deron Cherry, "Hard work and lots of hours watching game films got me where I am today Deron Cherry who'll play in the nationaiiy-teievisea rro Hitting wl Sunday in Honolulu. A Home By 1 AhJL STEVE ,3 SMITH Km "I was a pretty good punter my senior year with a 41-yard plus average," recalled Cherry, "but when I saw I wasn't going to make it as a punter with KC I asked for a chance to try out at safety." Cherry called checkoff signals after the opposition lined up on offense. If the Chiefs' alignment was not the correct one, Cherry snouted the correct setup and defensive backs and linebackers reacted accordingly. "It might sound like a tough thing to do for a first year starter," said Cherry, "but that's why the hard work pays off in pregame preparation.

We go through possible situations, so I pay attention and study the game plan. "They pick the free safety to make the check calls because he's the center fielder and gets a clear picture of offensive alignments and shifts." It also indicates Chiefs' head coach John Mackovic has confidence in Cherry. "This was Mackovic's first year as head coach," noted Cherry. "His defensive philosophy was different from what it was my first two years. This helped me because I was learning new things along with veterans.

I sort of fit right In." Cherry and his AFC defensive teammates will face scrambling NFC quarterbacks Joe Theismann of Washington and Joe Montana of San Francisco in the Pro Bowl, telecast Sunday by ABC starting at 4 p.m. "We'll play mostly zone defense," said Cherry. "Chuck Knox of Seattle Is coaching and uses mostly zone, but we'll be playing some basic man-to-man too. "There are defensive limitations on blitzing because we have less than a week to prepare for the game. "No way did I think I'd be in the Pro Bowl before the season started.

I went In thinking I'd give it my best shot for the starting Job." this season. The former Voorhees High School wrestler, winner of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association's heavyweight crown in 1982, has made quite a comeback this year for the Rutgers University wrestling team after missing his freshman campaign. "Actually I'm somewhat surprised about the success I have had," the 245-pounder admitted. "I didn't expect to get beaten badly by any opponent but neither did I anticipate that I would be undefeated after six matches." i Already Getz has pinned all six of his opponents this year for the Scarlet Knights. When you consider his physical status just a year ago, that's some accomplishment.

Getz came to Rutgers a year ago on a football scholarship, but a knee injury suffered during the summer after his senior year at Voorhees forced the Glen Gardner resident to red-shirt his initial football and wrestling seasons. However, he returned to letter as an offensive tackle on the 3-9 Scarlet Knight football team, then decided to return to the sport that enabled him to carve out a 32-0 record, including 26 pins during his championship year at Voorhees. "I was in good physical condition after playing football," Getz noted. "But I didn't know if I was in wrestling shape. "Wrestling shape is when you are properly conditioned and are able to time your moves properly." It didn't take long for the wrestl- Contlnoed on page B12 Not bad for a guy who supposedly lacked the physical tools to make it in pros, much less honored as an all-star by bis peers.

"I guess it is kind of unusual, me making All-Pro my first year as a starter in the NFL," said the Kansas City Chiefs' free safety, "particularly because some people thought I was too slow and too small to play pro football. "Hard work and lots of hours watching game films got me where I am today," continued Cherry, who admits he got a big break when Gary Barbara quit the Chiefs to sign with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League. Barbaro made All-Pro three straight years. Cherry, who lives in Palmyra, was his backup the previous two seasons, but mainly saw action on special teams and at nickle back. "Gary helped me a lot and said back in 1982 I'd be ready to step in if he got hurt or something.

When you are behind a guy like that you can't help but learn the right way to do things." When Barbaro decided to switch leagues, Cherry got his chance and won the starting job In pre-season camp. Cherry led the NFL in midseason with six Interceptions. He started getting longer looks from the opposition in game films, and by season's end coaches and. players agreed via ballot he was among the best in the American Football Conference. He finished with seven interceptions, tied for third in the AFC with safety Ken Easley of Seattle, who also earned a Pro Bowl berth.

"I'm not a blazer," said the 5-foot-U 190-pound Cherry, "but I have done 4.6 in the 40, so my speed is decent. I think I have quick reflexes and a sense of awareness of what's happening around me. "I worked very hard in pre-game preparations and study game films. You learn tendencies of quarterbacks and receivers from film and it can give you a jump on the ball." At Rutgers, Cherry played safety and punted. Although earning All-East honors in 1979-80, he was bypassed in the NFL draft.

"That hurt," admitted Cherry, "but at least it gave me the opportunity to pick a team interested in me. Most interest was shown by Cleveland and Kansas City, and Cherry selected the Chiefs "because they were looking for a punter and backup safety. it LEE GETZ graduate.