The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada • 12

fedWWWW-, THE GAZETTE, MONTREAL, SUNDAY, AUGUST 15, 1999 SPORTS Football Als' Baker does it all Not just field-goal kicker B4 IAN MocDONALD The Gazette Terry Baker is the best punter in the Canadian Football League, but he is also a very good field-goal kicker, which makes him an invaluable commodity to the Alouettes. With tight roster restrictions, a player who can handle the punting, field-goal kicking and kickoff BEN MARGOT, Af responsibilities comes in handy. When that player is a Canadian, like Baker, his team has even more flexibility so far as utilizing skilled import players at other positions. "He does an outstanding job, game in and game out," Alouettes head coach Charlie Taaffe said Fredericton's Matt Stairs, with a career-high 29 homers and 82 RBIs, hopes to slug the A's into the post-season for the first time since 1991. nn ss lie stairs to succe; re Canadian slugger emerges as driving force with the surprising A's of his kicker.

"He's a most valuable member of this team." Unfortunately, Baker, who leads the CFL in punting, gains more attention for his missed field goals than anything else. Like an outstanding all-around hitter in baseball who goes into a home-run slump, Baker has been struggling with field goals from the 40- to 50-yard range, going 2-for-6. On a team that doesn't SHI DAVIDI Canadian Press Terry Baker is invaluable. By '98, he was a full-time player, driving in 106 runs, and this season, the Canadian slugger has emerged as a driving force on the surprising Athletics. With a career-high 29 homers and 82 RBIs, Stairs, along with Jason Giambi and John Jaha, hope to slug the A's into the post-season for the first time since 1992.

"We feel good, the team is extremely happy," Stairs said. "We have a lot of energy, a lot of confidence right now, and guys are getting all (excited) about us, which is nice. TORONTO Eight years into his baseball career and unable to stick in the big leagues, Matt Stairs of Fredericton started contemplating retirement. It was 1996, and Stairs was sent down by the Oakland Athletics when Mark McGwire came off the disabled list. Back in Triple-A again, Stairs started wondering if he was ever going to make it.

Brief stints with the Expos in 1992 and '93 and the Boston Red Sox in '95 hadn't led to full-time jobs in the majors. And he was struggling with the Edmonton Trappers of the Pacitic coast League. "I couldn't even buy french fries down there, Stairs recalled before yesterday's 13-5 victory "We're not thinking wild card, we still think we can catch Texas." A's manager Art Howe said the big difference in Stairs since his return in 1996 is confidence. "He knows he belongs here now," Howe said. "He knows that he's not just a major-league player, but a quality major-leaguer." When Stairs was a teenager in Fredericton, that sense of belonging was in the hockey world.

A talented centre, and they'd be surprised because they didn't know I played." Stairs got called up to the Expos in '92, btit his stay lasted only 13 games. In '93, he got into only six games. Stuck behind Larry Walker of Maple Ridge, B.C., Marquis Grissom and Moises Alou in Montreal, Stairs asked for a release so he could play in Japan. He got it, on condition that when his contract with the Chunichi Dragons was up, he'd resign with the Expos. "It really helped me out a lot," Stairs said of the Japan experience, during which he hit six homers in 60 at-bats.

"It made me hungry to get back to the major leagues." Stairs returned to the Expos in '94, but they sold his contract to the Red Sox and he spent the season with Double-A New Britain. "It would have been nice to play my career in Montreal, being a Canadian in a Canadian city," Stairs said. "But I was stuck behind three all-stars." He got into 35 games with the Red Sox in '95, but Boston let him go after the season, much to the benefit of Oakland. Looking back, the married father of three isn't sure how he became a feared major-league slugger. "I have no clue," Stairs said.

"It was a lot of hard work and great support from my wife, my kids and my family." Now a resident of San Ramon, Stairs maintains his love of hockey. A rabid Canadiens fan, he has come to love the San Jose Sharks and is a season-ticket holder. "I think they play the way the Oakland A's play," he said. "They don't have two or three big, big names, but everyone goes out and busts their ass. I'd go crazy if I couldn't watch hockey." over the Blue Jays.

"I wasn't even hitting a put the ball in the end zone as often as it should, missed field goals stand out. Many fans focus solely on Baker's missed field goals and don't recognize his real value to the team. "We recognize what he does," Taaffe said. "He might be one of the best direction punters I've seen. He's punted a few times in the last couple of games in such a way there was no return at all." Baker booted a 63-yard single with less than 2 minutes left Thursday to give the Als a 14-point lead over Hamilton, meaning the Tiger-Cats would need three scores to win the game.

"He's the centre of attention and a lot of people don't understand," Taaffe said. "We've told him we understand. That's why he was the only kicker we had in camp. "Baker's been doing this for 15 years (actually 13). He's a strong man with faith and he can take the criticism.

His teammates know what he means to this club." KICKING IT AROUND: The Alouettes' 5-1 start is their best since 1977, when they went 7-0. The Als went on to win the Grey Cup that year with a 41-6 victory over Edmonton in front of 68,318 fans at the Olympic Stadium, which is still But on a road trip to Tucson, Stairs's ca 'A A reer turned around. 'It was a combination of sunstroke, a late night Matt Stairs is a former Expo. and being tired, so I put my eyes up and my arms down," said Stairs, 31. "I lowered my hands and it worked out well." Did it ever.

That game, Stairs had four hits including a grand slam. He added two more four-hit games and a three-hit game in the series against Tucson, and slapped around PCL pitchers until he was back in the bigs with Oakland. Stairs thought he would make a living with a hockey stick, not a baseball bat. But in 1984, a knee-on-knee collision ended his hockey dreams. Four surgeries to repair the ligaments in his right knee shifted his focus to baseball.

He made Canada's under-18 baseball team as a shortstop in 1987, and played at the Seoul Olympics in '88. The Expos signed him a year later. "When people found out I signed a contract, they were all: 'Oh, good, which team did you sign with in Stairs said. "I'd say: 'No, base- "I started elevating the ball and driving it out of the ball park," Stairs said. "It was awesome.

When he got back up to Oakland in '96, he hit 10 a Cup attendance record. It was the Als' last Grey Cup win and the final game for coach Marv Levy, who left Montreal to coach the National Football homers in 137 at-bats. As a part-time player the next season, Stairs hit 27 homers and drove in 73 runs in 352 at-bats. League's Kansas City Chiefs. Concordia assistant coach Gerry McGrath was in Cleveland last Monday to watch Stingers graduate Sylvain Girard in his National Foot ball League exhibition debut with the Browns.

Though he admits watching with considerable bias, McGrath said the receiver showed enough to Go, Habs, go? Canadiens coach Vigneault optimistic about upcoming season possibly win a practice-roster berth. Girard did. however, drop a pass. With Nealon Green in Edmonton and Henry Burris (before he was injured) and Mike Mc andom thoughts while wondering how Jacques Villeneu ve will fail to finish today's Hungarian Grand Prix: Coy in Calgary looking like the CFL's exciting quarterbacks of the future, how long will it be before the take the wraps off Corby Jones? There's talk that he might be the best of the Canadiens coach Alain Vigneault knows that bunch. PASS THE BUCKS: Sport magazine asked NFL players if they would still play football if the he's in the minority but he believes that his team can turn things around for the upcoming season.

"I hear the talk in Montreal and around the province, and the fans don't seem too optimistic, but I believe we're going to have a good season." Vigneault said the key to his enthusiasm Is the fact that most teams In the NHL are equal In terms of talent and depth, and the difference can s- V. 4 i t- i ff x. My- be a few players either over-achieving or underachieving. Too many of the Canadiens fell into the latter category last season. "I think there are a lot of people -and I Include myself and my staff who have something to prove this season," Vigneault said.

"But If you look at what's happened 1 jL PAT HICKIY MUl CNIASSON, CP Alain Vigneault Is confident his underachlcvcrs of last season will overachicve this year. average salary were only $75,000 per year. Eighty-one per cent said they would. However, some dissenting views were Interesting: Detroit Lions wide-receiver Herman Moore: "No, I would find other things to do to tear my body apart and deform me for life that paid more." Lions fullback Corey Schleslnger. "Probably not.

You could have a steady job that you wouldn't be bashing your brains out for. That way I could be sure of being able to remember my kid's name when I'm 45 years old." THEY SAID IT: New York Jets coach Bill Par-cells Is near mid season form. After quarterback Vlnny Testavcrde, running back Curtis Martin and wlde-recelvcr Keyshawn Johnson made the Jets the fourth-best offence in the NFL last year. Parcclls added Pro Bowl tight end Eric Green and drafted highly touted guards Randy Thomas and David Lorenz. After a disappointing exhibition game, Parcclls said: "We're not getting production out of players that should be producing Superstar Central guys who think they can walk In a huddle and dial up a star any time they want." Miami Dolphins wldeoul coach Robert Ford: "If we keep our receivers healthy and out of jail, we should be OK." Dolphins wide receiver Tony Martin faces charges Involving money -laundering.

Seattle GMcoach Mike Holmgren, who developed Ql Brett Favre Into a league MVP with Green Ray, discussing Seahnwks QB Jon Kllma: "Everything you want a quarterback to be, he Is. He's a hard working guy. He's bright. He's tough. He has leadership ability." Yeah, but can he win Super Howls? SITTING OVATION: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has made General Motors the team's official automotive company.

For that, the fans thank him. GM Is having cushions attached to the 6.S.675 seats in Texas Stadium. In this league in recent years, you see that it's easy to go from the Stanley Cup final to missing the playoffs (hello, Washington Capitals) or vice versa." The addit ion of Trevor Linden should help, Vigneault said, and he has heard good things about Jim Cummins, a pickup from Phoenix who fits Into the gritty-leader category I laving goaltender JcfT HaeMt Tor a full season will be a plus, but the best news Is that general manager Rejean I loulr doesn't have to deal with a long list of unsigned players going Into training camp. "It will be nice to go tntocamp and talk about hockey and not otxmt all (lie guys who aren't there," Vigneault said. IT'S THE CAR, DUMMY: Nike has developed a new line of shoes for NASCAR drivers and pit crews.

If you want to be like Jeff (Gordon, that Is), you can fork out $200 US. for the Air Zoom Speed, but If you Just want to be like one of the guys In his pit crew, you can pay half as much and forts. We doubt that there are any PGA executives who are working on the Ryder Cup as a pro-bono exercise. SOCCER BATTLES: Sneaking of disputes between athletes and bureaucracies, there's a dandy tussle going on between the United States Soccer Federal ion and the US. team that won the Women's World Cup earl ier this year.

After their victory, which raised the profile of soccer In the U.S.. the team announced a nationwide tour to cash In on the favourable publicity and to test the waters for a possible women's pro league. The USSF said the tour wasn't sane- Honed, and It took a week of wrangling to get an agreement. Now, the two groups are on opposite sides In a cereal mat kct ing (Junker Is producing a new cereal called US Soccer Golden Goals. The sweetened com and (Kit cereal will be shaped like soccer balls ami has the approval or the USSF, which will share In the profits.

Hut it will liedifTlcult to convince consumers that the cereal Is part of the women's team's training table. Five of (lie women's loam players, Including high profile st irsMlaHanim.nmuli Chaslaln and Michelle Akers, ill show upon Wheat ies boxes this fall. Glusseppe Gentile, a bronze medalist In 1968, played opposite Maria Callas In the movie version of Medea. But it's unusual for an enterta Iner to become a world-class atluYte. Geena awls Is hoping to make the leap.

She recently qualified for the semi finals of the US. Olvmplc trials In women's archery THAT'S WHY THEY'RE CALLED PROS: David Duval and Tiger Woods are taking a lot of heat for insist big that they be paid for their participation In the Ryder Cup matches next month. They've been called greedy attd mercenary but the reality Is that they are mercenaries. It'scalled pro golf the golfers are professionals whoearn their liv ing with their skills. The lGA takes In more than S00 million In revenue trom the Ryder Cup, and not a petuiy goes to the players, who are the only attraction.

The PGA Insists that the money raised mm the event goes to charity, but the "charitable" activities are. In fact, self centred groups geared to pnimot log golf. The players have an excellent argument when they say they want to get the money so they can contribute to charities In their own communities, charities that mean something to them. But even If they stuffed the money into their back pockets, they are entitled to be paid for their ef get the Air Pit Demon. We're hoping that Nike doesn use Its trade mark "It's the shoes" slogan for this line because, as Vllleneuve can tell you, In auto racing.

It's the car. GF.F.NA ON TARGET: A mimtierof world-class athletes luive found work as entertainers. Olympic gold miHl.il winning swimmers Johnny Wclssmuller and Clarence (Buster) Crabbc went from the swimming pool to swinging on vines as Tartan; Sugar Ray Robinson became a decent song and dance man; and triple-jumper.