Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 8

AtC4 CALGARYHERALD Players offer to return to their jobs, if New stars continue ROSEMONT, 111. (AP) The striking National Football League players offered Monday night to return to work if team owners agree to mediation and arbitration of their contract dispute under certain conditions. NFL players have been on strike for three weeks, but owners have continued to stage games by using replacement players the last two weeks. The decision by the player representatives of the 28 NFL clubs followed Sunday's breakdown in contract talks between the NFL Players' Association and the NFL Management Council, the bargaining arm for the league's owners. The conditions mentioned by NFL Players' Association executive director Gene Upshaw included: Reinstatement of all strikers to rosters, for the rest of the year.

That the 1982 Collective Bargaining Agreement would remain in effect until a new contract is reached. All player representatives and alternate player representatives would be protected for the rest of season. All issues currently on the table now would be submitted to mediation. After six weeks, all issues still outstanding would be submitted to binding arbitration. "The players feel this is the way to end the dispute.

If the owners are willing to agree (to the conditions), the players will return to work," Upshaw said. Upshaw was flanked by more than three dozen players, although a handful of the player representatives left before the news conference without commenting! Boomer Esiason, quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, was among the players leaving before Upshaw's announcement. A spokesman for the Management Council, Peter Ruocco, said in New York that the owners would have no immediate comment on the proposal. "We haven't seen any proposal," Ruocco lan but Upshaw noted that he had written letters to the 28 team owners asking them to help end the dispute. He said, however, that that didn't rule out bargaining with any representative of management, including Donlan and the rest of the Management Council.

"Jack has my home number. He knows where I can be found," Upshaw said. As for the replacement games, Upshaw said: "The owners created the problem. I think they'll find a way out of it." The players, who had hoped to return in time for last week's games, are looking at a third week of replacement games and a fourth without a paycheck. Moreover, if the replacement players play a third game this weekend, they will be entitled to a share of playoff money if their teams make it to postseason competition.

Meanwhile, television ratings for NFL games dropped for the second week of replacement games. Overnight Nielsen listings gave NBC a 10.2 rating, a drop of 13 per cent from last Sunday, while CBS drew a 13.6 rating for its first regional games and 10.7 for the second games, a decrease of 14 per cent. Upshaw's letter included one proposal that had not yet been made public an offer to moderate the union's demand for guaranteed salaries for all players. Instead, a fourth-year player would be guaranteed his salary if he made the final roster; a third-year player would be guaranteed 75 per cent, and a second-year player would be guaranteed 50 per cent. The most recent management offer made public gives fourth-year players their full yearly salary if they remain on the roster after three games.

Most of the letter, however, dealt with what Upshaw called the rebuff by Donlan at the bargaining table. "To put things in simple terms," he wrote, "it appears either that the owners are trying to bust the players or that a majority of the owners don't realize what is happening at the table." NFL STRIKE said. "We have no comment." Under the plan proposed by Upshaw, all the major disputes currently on the table, including the sticky subjects of free agency, pensions and management's demand for a contract duration of six years rather than three, would be subject to mediation, a concept that the union has previously rejected. Upshaw, asked if this was a last-move kind of offer, said: "I wou Id think so." "I would say, if the owners decline this, we are out for the duration, out for the year." Jack Donlan, executive director of the NFL Management Council, had suggested mediation on several previous occasions, but the union said no each time. Upshaw said the difference this time would be that mediation would be followed by binding arbitration.

An arbitrator would have the authority to reach a compromise on any point rather than choose one side or the other, as is the case in baseball salary arbitration cases. Upshaw said he was hopeful that the players could be back in time for next Sunday's games. However, he said that if a return couldn't be worked out by then, he hoped NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle would call off a third weekend of games involving teams made up of replacement players. Asked what incentive the owners might have to accept this proposition, Upshaw said: "We hope they would do it for the integrity of the game." Upshaw said he hadn't been in contact with Donlan or Rozelle and said there wasn't an actual vote on the union's change of tactics. "We don't need to vote at this time," he said.

"We have a pretty good idea of how we all feel about this." There is no meeting scheduled with Don 'jMtt UAMJUftPf frflMAI s. tefrin6MWt8ifl)ftflittJM I I vrt Wiltzen By Murray Rauw (Herald staff writer) There were no apologies coming from Jan Wiltzen as she tucked the $6,500 winner's cheque in her jeans. Her rink's play at the Labatt's Autumn Gold Curling Classic Was offensive just the way she liked it. Wiltzen's Kamloops' rink scored 32 points and surrendered 24 in three games Monday as it steamrollered to the championship at the 32-rink women's cash 'spiel at the Calgary Club. The final" touch was an 11-8 triumph 'over Calgary's Sandra Risebrough in the final.

"I hope we can play better defence in the future, but as rule, I don't like the clean game," said the 34-year-old Wiltzen, who became the ninth visiting skip to win the bonspiel in its 10- year history. "I like to go gambling. I get twitchy when I see the guards up there, even when I'm ahead. I feel we should get behind them first when common sense says to get rid of them." Wiltzen's rink, which included third Sue Garvey, second Gailya Wasylk and lead Val Lacuik, was relatively unknown coming into the bonspiel, but in fact, it's the second time Wiltzen has banked a share of the top prize. The former Jan Fawdry played lead for Kerry Lynn Richard's winning quartet in 1981.

"But this is only the second spotlight the Giants," he said. "Anyone who cut me messed up, because I know I can play in this league." Prindle, who was looking for construction work when the strike started, kicked a 31-yard field goal in overtime to give Detroit Lions a 19-16 victory over the Green Bay Packers. It was Prindle's fourth field goal of the game. "I'm from Grand Rapids and went to Western Michigan," said Prindle, who was cut by the Lions in training camp. "The Lions were my team growing up, so doing it for them makes it more special." Neuheisel, who threw four touchdown passes for UCLA in he 1984 Rose Bowl, completed 18 of 22 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown to lead San Diego to a 17-13 victory over Tampa Bay.

Despite his impressive performance, Neuheisel was realistic about his post-strike future. "Normally, I'd say we'd spend this week getting ready for our next game," he said. "But we may spend next week getting ready for the next plane going home. "We'll just take it day-by-day. Meanwhile, we're just sticking together, enjoying each other's company." Shannon Oatway, Calgary Herald Autumn Gold Classic final HOCKEY The New Jersey Devils recalled goaltender Craig Billing-ton from Utica of the American League and announced that defenceman Marc Laniel is joining the Canadian Olympic team for a one-month tryout Meanwhile, in NHL action Monday: Nordiques 5 Canadiens 2 At Montreal, left winger Michel Goulet scored three goals and added an assist to highlight a five-goal, third-period comeback for Quebec's third straight victory.

Goulet, whose six goals tie him with Mike Gartner of Washington Capitals for the league lead, broke a 2-2 tie at 14:16 of the period, cracking a shot from the slot beyond goaltender Patrick Roy after a setup by Alan Ha worth. Rangers 4 North Stars 2 At New York, Marcel Dionne scored two power-play goals and set up another, leading the Rangers past Minnesota. Dionne assisted on a goal by Tomas Sandstrom at 10:14 and scored at 12:20 as Rangers took a 2-0 first-period lead. Dionne also scored with 4:26 left in the game, his 696th career goal, to make it 4-2. to bask in (Associated Press) A former grocery store manager brought home the bacon for Washington.

A onetime construction worker built up his reputation in Detroit. And a Rose Bowl star bloomed against Tampa Bay. Lionel Vital, Mike Prindle and Rick Neuheisel aren't exactly household names, but they did lead their teams to victory in National Football League weekend strike games. While established stars like John Elway and Walter Payton walk picket lines, replacement players like Vital and Prindle are making an impact in the watered-down version of the NFL. Vital, who was cut by the New York Giants in 1986, rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown to help the Redskins beat the Giants 38-12.

"I don't really know what I had," said Vital, who was managing a grocery store in Louisiana less than a month ago. "I just wanted to show people that I can play." The Giants cut Vital when Joe Morris returned to training camp after a contract holdout. On Sunday, Vital became the first player in almost two years to rush for 100 yards against the Giants. "I have no animosity toward I Zarley Zalapski minutes, was released Monday by Los Angeles Kings. The 33-year-old left wing has compiled 3,879 penalty minutes over the course of his 13-year career, including a league-high 358 minutes last season.

Williams, who came to the Kings in March of 1985, also had 16 goals and 18 assists last year. Hartford Whalers say goal-tender Mike Liut will not be able to play for seven to 10 days due to a back injury. Liut suffered the injury, which caused spasms in his lower back, during the third period of Sunday's 5-2 loss to Boston. Jan Wiltzen, left, outgunned Sandra Risebrough in offensive CURLING time I've ever won a cash bonspiel as a skip," said Wiltzen. "I won a small one in Cranbrook last year." Wiltzen qualified for Monday's championship play from the 'C event.

Her losses were to world champion Pat Sanders in 'A' on Saturday and 'B' qualifier Nancy Kerr of Regina. Down to her last chance, Wiltzen eliminated Switzerland's Ursula Schlapbach and then Sanders to advance to the money round. There she started with a 12-11 triumph over Susan Seitz of Calgary, followed up with a 9-5 victory over Carol Thompson of Toronto, before she polished off Risebrough in the final. Wiltzen had Risebrough on the ropes early in the finale, leading 4-1 after three ends. But the Calgary skip struck for three of her own in the fourth, forcing Wiltzen to start over.

That's exactly what she did. Still the $4,000 second-place cheque had to look awfully good to Risebrough, especially when she thought back to where she was on Saturday afternoon. "We got kicked in our first two games," said Risebrough. "We just weren't curling and the scores weren't even close. I thought then it was going to be pretty tough for us just to quali- fy" CFL quickly erased that deficit in the third quarter, throwing touchdown passes of 63 yards to Jeff Boyd, 30 yards to James Murphy and 72 yards to Perry Tuttle.

Placekicker Trevor Kennerd chipped in with a 40-yard field goal and the defence went to work on Edmonton quarterback Matt Dunigan as the Bombers outscored the Eskimos 24-0. Clements finish the day completing 17 of 31 passes for 364 yards. He has a personal best 32 touchdown passes on the season and has thrown for over 4,000 yards for the third time in his career. Dunigan threw touchdown passes of 53 and eight yards to Stephen Jones in the first half, but was forced to scramble for his own survival most of the second half. He was sacked four times on the day and Edmonton could manage just four points in the final 30 minutes.

One bright note for the Eskimos was Brian Kelly's four catches for 73 yards. Kelly now has a CFL record 10,858 yards receiving, breaking the old mark of 10,837 held by Tom Scott. Roughriders 23 Ticats 20 Somewhere high over Lake Superior, quarterback Kent Austin got his chance to strutt his stuff in the CFL. to foes But Risebrough's crew of Levonne Louie, Heather Loat and Brenda Rogers reeled off four straight wins in 'C to assure itself a cheque. On Monday, they increased the winning streak to six, ousting Wendy Conn 5-4 in the quarterfinals and Cordelia Schwengler 7-3 in the semifinals.

"When I went out for the final, I remember thinking it would be nice to win one of these cash 'spiels," said Risebrough. "I've qualified a lot of times, but I've never won one." Earlier in the bonspiel Seitz and Schwengler qualified from the 'A' Event, while Kerr and Conn won the 'B' berths. Wiltzen, Risebrough, Thompson and Carol Davis of Calgary survived the 'C sudden-death traumas and won the last four berths in the triple-knockout format. LAST STRAWS: Seitz beat Schwengler 7-5 in the Royal Bank Challenge, a Sunday exhibition between the two 'A' qualifiers. But Schwengler beat Thompson 7-1 in the third-place playoff Monday.

She won $2,700, while Thompson took $2,000 home Marilyn Bodogh-Darte's hope of winning three straight Autumn Golds died in the 'C final, where she lost 7-6 to Davis The only winning streak to approach Risebrough's was turned in by Kerr. After dropping her bonspiel opener, she won five straight in 'B'. Tom Clements The Saskatchewan Roughriders were flying east to face Hamilton when coach John Gregory decided to start Austin, a former member of the NFL's St Louis Cardinals, who's been with his new employer for 2 weeks. The choice was between Austin and another rookie, Jeff Bentrim, who had completed 44.2 per cent of his 181 passes for 905 yards- "We needed to find out what Kent Austin can do," said Gregory, whose team is running out of time in the playoff hunt "So why not now." After a shaky start, Austin settled down and finished with 15 completions on 24 passes for 292 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Ray Elgaard and Walter Bender scored touchdowns for Saskatchewan.

i I Clements dissects Eskimos with bomb Zalapski is sidelined with lower back injury 1 '(Canadian Press) Quarterback Tom Clements doesn't throw the bomb indiscrim- 'i inately, but given the chance he blew the Edmonton Eskimos out I of the water Monday with five touchdown passes to lead his Blue Bombers to a 38-20 Cana- I dian Football League victory. On Sunday, Saskatchewan Roughriders kept their slim playoff hopes alive by beating Hamilton Tiger-Cats 23-20 on Dave Ridgway's late field goal. Bombers 35 Eskimos 20 i "You can't just throw the bombs if they're not there," 1 Clements, the studious 12-year veteran said after the game, i "Today, we felt we could have a couple shots. When they did give us the opportunity to throw long bombs we did." Clements said his task was made easier when the Eskimos decided to try blitz him in the third quarter. "They had to bring the free safety up to cover somebody and there was no one to help out deep.

We caught them in that a few times. I just put it up there, the guys made good catches and ran away from them after that." Clements, the Notre Dame graduate and offseason lawyer, hit running back Willard Reaves touchdowns of three and seven yards in the first half, but Edmonton still took a 16-14 lead into the dressing room. The soft-spoken attorney (CP-AP) Defenceman Zarley Zalapski, Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round draft choice in 1986, will have his back placed in a brace and be sidelined for one to three months, the National Hockey League team said Monday. Zalapski, 19, is suffering from spondylolisthesis, a breakdown of one of the lower lumbar vertebrae, according to Penguins' doctors. Zalapski will have the brace removed after one month in order to re-evaluate his condition.

Zalapski played last season for the Canadian Olympic team and was scheduled to rejoin the team after playing in the Penguins' first eight regular-season games. His status for the rest of the season won't be determined until his back is re-examined next month, the Penguins said. Doug Jarvis's amazing iron man streak in the NHL has ended. Jarvis had his record of playing in 964 consecutive games broken Sunday night at Boston when he was benched by Hartford coach Jack Evans for the Whalers' game with the Bruins. Jarvis, 32, began his record streak in seven years with the Montreal- Canadiens.

Then he played three years for Washington before moving to Hartford. Dave (Tiger) Williams, the NHL's all-time leader in penalty i.