The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 63

The Vancouver Sun, Friday, November 29, 1991 E15 CFL FOOTBALL apt''- Five Lions on CFL all-stars Lions' fans faci Canadian Press ng big ticket increase: TICKET TALES from their Grey Cup triumph, placed eight players on the squad. The Calgary Stampeders, who lost 36-21 to the Argos in last Sunday's championship game, had four players voted to the team by members of the Football Reporters of Canada. The Edmonton Eskimos placed five players on the team while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers had four players honored and the Saskatchewan Roughriders one. Neither the Ottawa Rough Riders nor the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had a player chosen. The Toronto contingent was evenly split between offence and defence.

On offence, rookie wide receiver Raghib (Rocket) Ismail, guard Dan Ferrone, placekicker Lance Chomyc and punter Hank Ilesic were chosen. Defensively, tackle Harold Hallman, end Mike Campbell, linebacker Darryl Ford and halfback Don Wilson were named to the team. Calgary's slotback Allen Pitts, who led the league in pass receptions, is the Stamps' lone offensive all-star while Johnson, corner- TORONTO Quarterback Doug Flutie and wideout Ray Alexander were two of five B.C. Lions selected to the Canadian Football League's all-star team, the league announced Thursday. Flutie, named the league's most outstanding player, set a handful of league records in 1991, including most pass attempts (730), completions (466) and yardage His 38 touchdown passes were two short of Peter Liske's league record set with the Stampeders in 1967.

caught 104 passes for 1,605 yards. The Lions' other all-stars were slotback Matt Clark, offensive guard Leo Groenewegen and offensive tackle Jim Mills. Flutie and Alexander were unanimous choices along with Edmonton fullback Blake Marshall, who tied a league record with 20 touchdowns; and Calgary defensive end Will Johnson, who led the league in quarterback sacks with 15 and had 13 tackles for losses. The Toronto Argonauts, fresh GARY KINGSTON Vancouver Sun Calling it a "matter of survival," B.C. Lions' president Frank Gigliotti has announced sharp increases in season and single-game ticket prices.

A top seat at B.C. Place a new super sideline category that takes in 6,000 season-ticket-holder-only seats on the lower level between the 30-yard lines will cost $319.93, including GST. That's $88 more than the top season-ticket price in 1991. The remainder of the sideline seats under the dome will sell for $287.83, or $31.67 on a single-game basis. Last year's top single-game ticket was $26.

Gigliotti said 1991 losses of $2 million and the likelihood that huge dollars will be needed to re-sign star A new super sideline seat category 6,000 season-ticket-only seats between the 30-yard lines will sell, including GST, for $319.93, or $287.83 if bought before Jan. 15 and paid in full before April 30. Last season, those same seats sold for $231.12. Sideline seats will sell for $287.83 $258.94 on the early-bird package or $31.67 a game. Those seats were $231.12 or $26 per single game in 1991.

Corner seats will cost $197.95 $177.62 if bought early or $24.61 a game. Those same seats were $173.34 or $19.50 in 1991. End zone seats will sell for $159.43 $143.38 if bought early or $17.66 a game. Those same seats were $144.45 or $16.50 in 1991. The Toronto Argos, at $31, had the top single-game ticket price last season.

A sideline seat at Edmonton or Calgary cost $28 and it was $25 in Ottawa. All CFL clubs are expected to follow the Lions' lead and increase ticket prices. DOUG FLUTIE: another honor back Junior Thurman and halfback Darryl Hall were named defensive stars. Winnipeg offensive tackle Chris Walby was named to his seventh all-star team while running back Robert Mimbs, linebacker Greg Battle and cornerback Less Browne were also chosen. Joining Marshall as Edmonton's all-stars are defensive tackle Brett Williams, linebacker Willie Pless and special-teams selection Henry (Gizmo) Williams.

Safety Glen Suitor is the Saskatchewan's lone all-star. LIONS 4' sign Flutie. Flutie, who was named the CFL's outstanding player in 1991 after breaking all of Warren Moon's single-season passing records, was the league's second-highest paid player (at $350,000 a year) behind Raghib (Rocket) Ismail. "We want to sign him to a two- or three-year deal," said O'Billovich. Is $600,000 in the ballpark? "Yeah, probably something like that but his contract is going to be a special situation.

We're probably going to have to do some different things. "We'll make him the best offer we possibly can. But there's no doubt that if a team in the NFL gets excited about Doug Flutie and wants to pay him $1 million or $2 million, he won't be here." Flutie told reporters in Winnipeg last week that he would almost certainly wait until after he becomes a free agent on Feb. 15 before deciding where he will sign in 1992. But O'Billovich said he hopes to be able to announce something well before that.

On other contract matters, O'Billovich said he expects to renegotiate the contracts of outstanding rookies Matt Clark and Jon Volpe, who both have a year and an option left on their exisiting contracts. Gigliotti said there will be no lifting of television blackouts next season for Lion home games. place up," Sidhoo said. "But it's the wrong time with the economy to be raising prices. They should be lowering prices to get more people in." "That's ugly," said Greg Ryan, another long-time season-ticket holder, when told of the increases.

"The entertainment value was pretty good and I was pleasantly surprised, but I think they need a couple more solid years under their belts before they go raising prices like that." Around the rest of the Canadian Football League, only Winnipeg has announced its ticket prices for next year. The Bombers' top-priced ticket will go for $27, with an 1 1-game season-ticket nine regular-season games, one exhibition, one playoff selling for $275. The highest-priced single-game ticket in 1991 was in Toronto, where the Argos charged $31. In Edmonton and Calgary, it was $28, while Ottawa charged $25 for its top seat. All those ticket prices included GST.

Gigliotti said Lions' tickets have been grossly undervalued for years and that the price increases shouldn't "be a big deal considering the value on the field." Meantime, head coach Bob O'Bil-lovich, who also doubles as the vice-president of football operations, acknowledged that it could take more than $600,000 a season to re quarterback Doug Flutie means the club had to bring ticket prices to a level that will allow it an opportunity to break even next year. "The perception is that (club owner) Murray (Pezim) is making more money than he knows what to do with well, he's not making money hand over fist," said Gigliotti. "He can't sustain those kind of losses." Ticket prices have essentially remained stagnant for the last four years in fact the Lions had one of the lower top-end tickets in the league last year. Last season's average ticket price dipped to only $10 because of the large number of complimentary and discounted tickets that were made available. "We're not out to try to rip anybody off," Gigliotti said of the increases.

"These ticket prices should have gone up considerably over the years." He said preliminary surveys with season ticket holders who will be required to pay the super sideline rate if they renew indicates they "will do it gladly. But he acknowledged that the price hikes announced Thursday will "catch a few people by surprise." One of those is Jab Sidhoo, a Vancouver businessman who has had Lions tickets for more than 30 years. "They got the momentum last year and now they want to fill the UNIVERSITY Skinner retirement cpmes 'on High note' GARY KINGSTON VanouverSun Veteran B.C. Lions' fullback Chris Skinner has called it quits. Skinner, who turns 30 next month, said Thursday he decided to retire after eight CFL seasons to spend more time with his family and pursue other interests.

"I wanted my career to end on a positive note, instead of playing untjl somebody else fired the last gun," Skinner said in a telephone interview from his home in Edmon-toni-'We accomplished a lot as a youfig team last year, but now it's time to move into other pastures. "I've played football since I was 14 years old and that's a lot of wear and tear on your body. I want to be able to do things down the road. I was fortunate not to have any major sur geries and to come out healthy is a Crighton Trophy as top football player goes to Western Ontario back Tindale blessing." The 6-foot, 220-pound native of Saint John, N.B., broke into the CFL SUN FILES CHRIS SKINNER: more time for family and new career witfi the Edmonton Eskimos in 1984 after an outstanding college career with the Bishop's University Gaiters Canadian Press Lennoxvule, Que. He was a tailback in his years in Edmonton where he won his only Grey Cup ring but was switched to fullback when he was traded to Bisons capture first place in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association with a 6-2 record after going 2-6 in 1990.

Linebacker Ray Bernard of Bishop's captured the President's Trophy as the top defensive player. The 24-year-old Laval, native had 32 tackles and an interception for the Gaiters. Also nominated were Wilfrid Laurier's Fred Grossman, Alex Elio-poulos of St. Mary's and Roger Hen-ning of the B.C. Manitoba running back Domenic Zagari was the Peter Gorman Trophy winner as the top rookie.

The 21-year-old native of Two Mountains, ran for 872 yards and five touchdowns. Ottawa prior to the 1989 season. He lasted one year in Ottawa before being dealt to the Lions prior to the start of the 1990 season. He finished his career with 2,850 being controlled by other people for so many years. It's hard to adjust to that, being 30 and being told what to do." Skinner, whose wife continued for the last couple years to live in Edmonton, where she ran the family's physiotherapy clinic, said he hopes to find a job in the marketing or public relations field.

"There's no question I'm going to miss the buddy system and I'm thankful for the chance I had to play with (former Edmonton teammate) Stew Hill again. But I guess I've got to close that door and move on." back Jon Volpe last season. And with younger Canadian backs such as Ryan Hanson, Mike Marasco and Sean Millington in the Lions fold, he figured now was the time to get out. "I know what it's like to be a young guy waiting for an opportunity and the more playing time they get the better they'll be," he said. "I still think I can play and I'm happy to go out on a high note, where people think you could play a few more years.

"Plus, it's a chance to gain control over my life for a change, instead of yards rushing on 570 carries and 2,874 yards receiving on 278 catches. Skinner rushed for 600 yards in 1990 but was used primarily as a I Manufacturers i Authorized blocker for sensational rookie tail- HOCKEY TORONTO Tim Tindale, the elusive Western Ontario running back who established two records this season, was awarded the Hec Crighton Trophy Thursday as the top player in Canadian university football. Tindale, a 21-year-old native of London, set Canadian Interun-iversity Athletic Union single-season records for yards rushing (1,208) and touchdowns (17) and also averaged an impressive 9.3 yards per carry with the Mustangs. Running backs Grant Keaney of the Mount Allison Mounties and Craig Kittleson of the Calgary Dinosaurs, along with Bishop's quarterback Silvio Martel, were the other Hec Crighton nominees. British Columbia quarterback Jordan Gagner won it in 1987 and St.

Mary's passer Chris Flynn started an unprecedented string of three straight Crighton awards in 1988. Defensive end Jason Rauhaus of the Manitoba Bisons was presented with the J.P. Metras Trophy as the CIAU's top lineman, garnering the honor over Queen's Ron Herman, Toronto's Richard Fischer and Noah Cantor of St. Mary's. Rauhaus, a 24-year-old Winnipeg native, had seven sacks and three fumble recoveries in helping the Soviets accelerate plans for pro league Associated Press HAMBURG, Germany To counter raids by NHL Most Of Our Imported Suits Jackets are teams on their best players, Soviet hockey officials are stepping up plans to start a professional league in their country, says the coach of the Soviet national team.

their departure has been felt. The Soviets finished third in the 1991 world championship. "We have to provide better conditions for our players, so that they don't leave us," Tikhonov said. "If we don't achieve that, in two years we'll end up playing with juniors. It would be a catastrophe." Tikhonov said he had prevented eight players from leaving recently because he wants to keep his team together for the Olympics in February.

He did not name the players. The coach said the talent raids were comparable to "a thief stealing the best things from your house over and over." Viktor Tikhonov said the league originally was r. Reduced planned to open in 1995, "but life is forcing us to introduce it now." Tikhonov, in an interview published Thursday in the German magazine Sports, said he did not know when the league would start. Dozens of Soviet stars have joined NHL teams and HOCKEY A Large Selection vf Dress Shirts and Ties hate been Oilers scrape lustre off Smith's homecoming Canadian Press reduced from EDMONTON Life at the rink couldn't be better for Chicago Black- hawks defenceman Steve Smith; it's 50 yV Nov 29 Through Dec. 7 only adjusting to life in the big city which is proving the greatest challenge for the former Edmonton Oiler and his family.

for six seasons and won four Stanley Cups. Manson scored first for the Oilers, unleashing a torrent of goals from a team that had been held scoreless for 138 minutes. "It didn't matter to me who scored the goal," said Smith, as Blackhawk players silently went about getting dressed. "It was just unfortunate it was against us that he scored tonight." Vince Damphousse scored twice on the power play and Esa Tikkanen also scored with the man advantage. Joe Murphy and Martin Gelinas completed the scoring for Edmonton.

Jeremy Roenick scored both Blackhawk goals. Smith said it was a night of mixed emotions for him in his first game back in EdmorUon as a Blackhawk. "I was sort of excited at first, and when the game started it was difficult," said Smith. "We didn't play well and that definitely drags down the feeling of being here. "It was a tough night for me; there were so many things racing through my head." Chicago is now 2-6-3 on the road and 8-4-2 at home, leaving the team nine points behind last season's pace.

In contrast to the Blackhawks' depressed dressing room, Oiler players were able to smile for the first time in a while. But they were also doing their best to keep the win in perspective. This month the Oilers are 3-7-1 and have had a season-long pattern of winning one game and losing two. ton. It has been a difficult task to this point.

From the standpoint of the hockey, it has been the easy part." The biggest challenge for Smith and his family has been the lifestyle shock which living in Chicago has brought. "I come from small-town Ontario and moving to Edmonton was a big change," said the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Smith. "Now I've moved into a city of eight million people, and it's tough to readjust your lifestyle to leaving an hour earlier than in the past." Smith, 28, one half of the twin towers when he was paired with Jeff Beukeboom in Edmonton, was traded to Chicago in early October in exchange for defenceman Dave Manson. Smith jliayed in Edmonton 'It has been tough to this point, I spent a ENAMONA L' lot of time in one city, said the soft-spoken giant, after a 6- 9 MUI 1 BOS WEST BROADWAY, VANCOUVER BC, TEL: 8 7 3 4 4 4 1 his former owrnn teammates on Wednesday. "I was able to grow up Edmon-.