The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • D2

SPTR0303-A-D -Composite Proof 0:13 0:00 FSPTR0303OD2 Replate 2D 2D Blue Red Yellow Black Blue Red Yellow Black D2 Thursday, March 3, 2005 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 6 NFL By KEN SUGIURA Many of the power brokers met Wednesday in Atlanta amid reports that the league and the players union are inching closer to extending their labor peace. At a four-hour league meeting headed by commissioner Paul Tagliabue with representatives from every team in the league, including New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and Falcons owner Arthur Blank and team president and general manager Rich McKay, teams were apprised of the progress in negotiations with the union. is just an informational day of saying, where we are, here are the proposals, this is being talked McKay said. agenda included the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players union, and the negotiations on television contracts for the Sunday night and Monday night packages. The league and union are trying to extend their agreement.

It runs through the 2008 draft, but both sides want any new agreement to be in place by the end of the 2006 season. Amajor sticking point between the union and owners, and within each camp, is the formula for sharing revenue between teams and players. Currently, players receive 65.4 percent of what is termed gross The union has sought to have all football revenue including income from suites, premium seats and local broadcasting, which is not shared with the rest of the league included in the calculation of the salary cap. League spokesman Greg Aiello said that the negotiating committee has acceded to that demand. The sides are now negotiating what percentage of that increased revenue pie the players will receive.

The negotiations with Disney for the Sunday night and Monday night games were also updated. ESPN and ABC have the rights to those games through the 2005 season. Also updated was its development of a cable package to broadcast games on Thursdays and Saturdays after Thanksgiving. Briefly The agent for Ed Jasper the recently cut Falcons defensive tackle, said his client definitely will play football next season. Ron Slavin said Jasper has scheduled a visit with the Oakland Raiders on Monday and that other teams have expressed interest.

Jasper hinted he would retire during the last month ofthe season and stated his intentions again following loss in the NFC title game. He was cut along with Travis Hall and Cory Hall on Monday. The agent for unrestricted free agent Matt Stewart starting strongside linebacker for the past three seasons, said Stewart visited the Cleveland Browns Wednesday and will visit the Miami Dolphins today. Labor situation seems favorable Revenue percentages at issue CURTIS COMPTON Staff Cut by the Falcons, defensive tackle Ed Jasper will talk to the Oakland Raiders. GM Rich McKay of the Falcons is involved in the current NFL meetings.

RSPT0303OD2 IN HONOR OF HISTORY MONTH NADIA COMANECI 1961- PRESENT GYMNASTICS adia Comaneci became first perfect 10 at the 1976 Olympics, a score so unexpected that the scoreboard registered The 4-foot-11 Romanian, who had been training since she was 6, earned seven three gold medals (including the all-around title), a silver and a bronze. Asked if she planned to retire, Comaneci said, only Four years later, she added two golds and two silvers at the Moscow Games. In1989, Comaneci defected to the United States. She later married American Bart Conner, an Olympic gymnastics champion whom she first met in 1976. Comaneci now lives in Norman, Okla.

Rosen CALENDAR Home games shaded Ga. Tech Georgia Saturday Hawks March 10 or 11 Ga.State Gladiators Tuesday Today Saturday Men vs. Clemson 1:30 p.m. TV: WATL March 10 March 10 Wednesday Men vs. Miss.

SEC tournament, 3:15 p.m. TV: WATL Saturday at Celtics 7p.m. TV: FSN Force Sunday vs. Columbus 2p.m. March 12 atNew York 7p.m.

TV: FSN March 19 vs. Orlando 1p.m. TV: FSN at Bucks 8p.m. TV: FSN GOING ON Friday at Mississippi 8:35 p.m. Women at Atlantic Sun tournament Men at ACC tournament Men at Tennessee 7p.m.

vs. Texas 7:35 p.m. Men vs. Belmont inAtlantic Sun tournament 7p.m.; TV: CSS Friday Women vs. Miami at ACC tournament 11a.m.; TV: FSN Friday Women at SEC tournament, vs.

TBA, 7 p.m. TV: FSN Tuesday vs. Columbia 7:05 p.m. Saturday vs. 76ers 7p.m.

TV: PAX Saturday Women at Troy 8p.m. FOR REPRINT PERMISSION, GOTO: AJC.COM/PERMISSIONS TV TODAY BASEBALL Preseason: Pirates at Yankees, 1 p.m., ESPN BASKETBALL Women: SEC Tournament Alabama vs. Florida, 1 p.m.FSN Women: SEC Tourn. Auburn vs. Kentucky, 3:20 p.m.FSN Atlantic Sun Tourn.

Belmont vs. Georgia State, 7 p.m.CSS Miami at Duke, 7 p.m.ESPN Charlotte at Louisville, 7 p.m.ESPN2 Women: SEC Tourn. Mississippi vs. South 7 p.m.FSN Pacers at Nuggets, 8 p.m.TNT Florida State at North Carolina, 9 p.m.PAX Purdue at Illinois, 9 p.m.ESPN2 Atl. Sun Tourn.

Jacksonville vs. Lipscomb, 9:30 p.m.CSS Women: SEC Tourn. Ark. vs. Miss.

State, 9:20 p.m.FSN Pistons at Suns, 10:30 p.m.TNT Washington at California, 11:30 p.m.FSN GOLF Dubai Desert Classic, 9 a.m.GOLF Ford Championship at Doral, 3 p.m.USA MOTORSPORTS Grand Prix of Australia Practice, 10 p.m.SPEED RADIO TODAY BASKETBALL Atl. Sun State vs. Belmont, 6:30 p.m.WRAS (88.5) ON THE AIR THE COUNTDOWN 1 Week until the ACC and SEC basketball tournaments start YOU HAD TO ASK Things you always wanted to know about sports but were afraid toask. What was the total annual home attendance last year for the Braves, Hawks, Falcons and Thrashers? Atotal of 4,073,177. For the Braves, 2,322,565 fans attended 81 regular-season home games in 2004.

For the Falcons, it was 564,829 in eight regular-season home games. In 41home games in the 2003-2004 season, the attendance was 565,728. For the Thrashers, it was 620,055 in 41 home games. BASKETBALL Hawks: Single-game tickets at www.ticketmaster.com or 800-462-2849. Georgia Tech: games are sold out.

single-game tickets $4 at www.ramblinwreck.com or 888-832-4849. University of Georgia: single-game tickets $15, $5 at www.georgiadogs.com or 877-542-1231. Georgia State: single-game tickets $8, $5 at 404-651-3166. FOOTBALL Georgia Force: Season tickets Single-game at 404-2238088, www.georgiaforce.com. HOCKEY Gwinnett Gladiators: at Arena atGwinnett Center box office and Ticketmas- ter at 404-249-6400 or 800-326-4000.

TICKET WINDOW The flagship metro radio stations: Force: WQXI-AM (790) Georgia basketball: WSB-AM (750) Georgia State basketball: WRAS-FM (88.5) Georgia Tech basketball: WQXI-AM (790); WREK-FM (91.1) Hawks: WSB-AM (750); JAMZ-FM (97.1) LOCAL TEAMS ON RADIO Nicklaus: Death of toddler devastates family Continued from D1 and Krista Nicklaus. She and the two boys had just returned indoors after playing in the in-ground hot tub at the home in North Palm Beach just before 5p.m., investigators said. Brickweg went into a bedroom to change, still accompanied by Steven and then asked him to hang a wet towel on the porch. Soon after, Brickweg realized Jake inside the home and she saw the sliding glass door ajar. She found the boy face- down in the hot tub.

One of the panels of the baby barrier that surrounded the pool and hot tub was open, according to investigators. Jake was pronounced dead at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center at 6:31 p.m. Nicklaus family spokesman Scott Tolley described the family as distraught and asked that their privacy be respected. Several of Jack fellow golfers expressed their sorrow. sad for anybody to lose achild like said Tiger Woods.

unfortunate and sure all of us here at the tournament send our condolences. something you ever wish anyone to have to go Added PGA Tour pro Dudley Hart: imagine what going through. Just let them know they have a lot of friends out here who are thinking of Brickweg, the live-in nanny, is not in police custody. Adrowning could be prosecuted with a charge of aggravated manslaughter, as in the recent case of West Palm Beach, woman Dora Chong, who was sentenced after her toddler son drowned in a backyard pool while she shopped. depends if there was any willful neglect on the part of the person said Mike Edmundson, a spokesman for the State Office.

By SETH COLEMAN After jumping out to the best start in franchise history, the Georgia Force suffered a blow Wednesday, announcing that quarterback Jim Kubiak will be out for the remainder of the season. Kubiak will undergo surgery onhis left knee within the next few days to repair damage from a hit he took during the second quarter of game at Austin. The Force defeated the Wranglers 66-63 on Nelson field goal as time expired. Kubiak, who missed all of 2004 as a member of the Detroit Fury because of a severe neck injury, had a key role in 4-1 start. After signing as a free agent during the offseason, Kubiak completed 104 of 158 passes (65 percent) for 1,148 yards, with 22 touchdowns against three interceptions.

you sit out a full season, it takes a while to get said Force offensive coordinator Steve Thonn. Jim was really playing well and getting even more Kubiak will be replaced by backup Matt Nagy, a three- year AFL veteran who signed as a free agent after playing for Carolina last season. He started the first 10 games of the season for the Cobras and threw for a career-high 47 touchdowns. After replacing Kubiak in Austin, Nagy was 19-for-25 for 257 yards and seven touchdowns, and was named the Offensive Player of the Game. His first pass was a 6-yard touchdown to receiver Troy Bergeron, and Nagy went on to complete his next nine passes.

really proud of how our team maintained its level of play with Matt in coach Doug Plank said. did a good job for us as a backup and we think be fine as the Glen Gauntt, a part-time starter for Dallas last season, will be moved from practice squad to its active roster and become the backup. The Force returns to Philips Arena to face the Columbus Destroyers (1-3) at 2p.m. Sunday. ARENA FOOTBALL Force QB Kubiak out for season Ravens sign clutch receiver ASSOCIATED PRESS The Washington Redskins did it again, jumping Wednesday to sign the first free agent ofthe season.

But the Baltimore Ravens landed the biggest prize of the first day of free agency, signing wide receiver Derrick Mason, whose 96 catches for Tennessee last season led all NFL wide receivers. catch was a former Raven, center Casey Rabach, who joined a team that has spent millions in the early days of free agency the last two seasons. The Cleveland Browns traded defensive tackle Gerard Warren, the third overall pick in the 2001 draft, to Denver. The Browns will get just a fourth-round draft choice for the underachieving Warren. Minnesota shored up its inner defense by agreeing to terms with tackle Pat Williams, who will team with Pro Bowl tackle Kevin Williams.

The defense ranked 28th last season, 21st against the run. Indianapolis released tight end Marcus Pollard, one of the key cogs in the potent offense. And the Bengals resigned wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The 31-year-old Mason, one of six Titans cut last month in asalary cap purge, will join a team whose leading receiver had just 35 catches a year ago.

St. Louis, meanwhile, signed 32-year-old linebacker Dexter Coakley, one day after he was released by Dallas..