The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 14

A14 SPORTS The Vancouver Sun, Friday, March 10, 1995 CFL IN BRIEF Canadian content remains big issue heading into draft jry PSwJfv Journal story 'racist, gutless' The Boston Celtics denounced as "racist" and "gutless" a Wall Street Journal story suggesting that cocaine played a role in Reggie Lewis' death, and even produced his widow to say he never used drugs. The article published Thursday said the Celtics, Lewis' family, some doctors and lawyers sidestepped the possibility that cocaine contributed to his heart problems and thus failed to prevent his death in 1993. It also said that the team could have been hurt financially if Lewis had been found to have used drugs. Celtics chairman Paul Gaston denied that the Celtics gave Lewis anything but the best medical care and said the team would sue reporter Ron Suskind, the paper and its parent company, Dow Jones for $100 million. "To me, this story is an example of gutless journalism, yellow journalism, based completely on a disregard for the truth," Gaston said.

TOP PICKS These 10 should go high Saturday in the CFL draft; TOM NUTTEN, 6'5" 290-pound OL, Western Michigan HICHEM EL-MASHTOUB, 6'3" 290-pound OL, Arizona State MARK HATFIELD, 6'5" 280-pound OL, Bishop's SEAN GRAHAM, 6'2" 208-pound SB, UBC STEFAN REID, 6'2' 220-pound LB, Boise State TROY ALEXANDER, 6' 245-pound DL, Eastern Washington MARK MONTREUIL, 6'1 200-pound, CB, Concordia BRIAN CONLAN, 6'4" 300-pound, OL, UBC KEVIN REID, 5'10" 180-pound, WR, Guelph SHELDON BENOIT, 6'4" 238-pound, LB, Western Kentucky RICHARD MEIAP HARTFORD goalie Sean Burke (1) makes a stick save while Quebec Nordiques' winger Wendel Clark, center, waits. HOCKEY Whalers harpoon mighty Nordiques with Carson snnnlvina winning enve. Sampras struggles "rHv-r 1 GARY KINGSTON Vancouver Sun Whether punishing ball carriers with the force of 220 solid pounds or more compassionately manipulating their joints off the field, Stefan Reid has his career course pretty well mapped out "If football didn't pan out, probably chiropractic school," the Boise State University linebacker said this week of his future prospects. "Why? I've been to enough of them. "During the season, they're probably my best friend." Reid, a health sciences major, does, however, figure to be more patient than doctor for the next several years.

The 6T product of Kamloops' West-syde high school will likely be the first B.C. native selected Saturday when the Canadian Football League's eight Canadian franchises divide up the available non-import talent from both north and south of the border. The B.C. Lions would love to return Reid to his home province, but they don't expect the 22-year-old to be around when they pick last in the bonus round, eighth overall. "If we had the first pick, he'd be our guy," said Lions' director of player personnel Bill Quinter.

"I don't know how the other teams see him, but I think he's the best guy available." Hamilton, which owns the No. 1 pick, is expected to select Tom Nut-ten, a 293-pound offensive tackle from Western Michigan, but Ottawa, with the second choice overall, reportedly has a strong interest in Reid. And Saskatchewan Roughrider officials have said they will take Reid if he's still available when they pick fourth overall. "I think he's as good as anybody I've ever coached," says Boise State head coach Pokey Allen, the former Lions' defensive back. "He's got great speed, great jumping ability.

He's got the highest vertical of anybody on our team, better than any of our receivers or defensive backs." Reid began his college career at UBC in 1990 but dropped out after one year and played junior in Kelow-na. At the urging of a couple of friends, he went to Butte Junior College in Chico, in 1992 and then transferred to Boise State for his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, his 114 total tackles (62 solo, 52 assisted) led the Broncos, who went 12-2 before losing the NCAA Division 1-AA championship game 28-14 to Youngstown State. Reid also added 5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception. Those numbers have drawn the interest of a handful of NFL scouts he was scheduled to work out this weekend for the Atlanta Falcons but concedes his size may work against him.

"I'm probably undersized for an NFL linebacker. But maybe I could get a shot on a practice roster (as a free agent). Any kind of foot in the Top-seeded Pete Sampras, coming off a second-round loss in the U.S. Indoor last month, struggled past Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) Thursday in a second-round match at the $1.8 million Newsweek Champions Cup in Indian Wells, Calif. In doubles, Grant Connell of Vancouver and Pat Galbraith of the U.S.

improved their 1995 doubles record to 16 wins and only two losses with a 6-3, 6-4 quarter-final victory over South Africans Lan Bale and John De Jager. Brassard third Olympic champion Jean-Luc Brassard closed the World Cup freestyle ski season with a third-place finish in the last moguls competition of the year Thursday at Hundfjallet Sweden. The Grande-He, skier finished the World Cup year with three bronze and one silver medals and added a sil Associated Press HARTFORD Jimmy Carson broke a tie with a power-play goal early in the third period, and Hartford Whalers beat Quebec Nordiques 2-1 Thursday night Jocelyn Lemieux also scored as the Whalers outshot Quebec 37-31 en route to their first win over the Nordiques in five meetings. With the scored tied after a goalless second period, Carson, standing in the slot, took Darren Turcotte's pass from the right side of the goal, and shot as he fell backward. The puck slipped through Stephane Fisef pads at 6:51.

Wendel Clark was the lone scorer for Quebec, which couldn't capitalize on its two extra-man chances against the second-worst penalty killing team in the league. Hartford had given up 21 goals on 88 other teams' power plays before Quebec. Sean Burke finished with 29 saves for Hartford, including stopping five Quebec shots with under two minutes left to preserve the win. The win spoiled the return of Quebec's Fiset, who had 35 saves after missing four games with a groin injury. Flyers 3, Bruins 2 Ron Hex-tall made 32 saves, and Eric Lindros set up two goals as the streaking Philadelphia Flyers defeated Boston.

The Flyers, 5-1-1 in seven games and 8-3-2 since the Feb. 9 trade that brought John LeClair, Gilbert Dionne and Eric Desjardins from the Montreal Canadiens, came out the first period like a team still on a roll. Philadelphia had a combined 23 seconds with a man advantage on its first two power-plays and scored twice. DAN LEVINEReuter ver at the world championships. He finished with 26.29 points, NFL door, I'd look at" He's more likely headed for the CFL, even if the future of the Canadian player is in some doubt if, as expected, the guaranteed roster quotas are dropped.

"I'd like to think I could compete (in an open market). Playing down here the last few years, I know how I rate up against American players. But I believe you have to keep the quota. "Sure there's a business aspect and a playing aspect to the game and they've shored up the business aspect by expanding to the States. But if they delete the quota, it's just going to be another USFL" Reid said he'd love a chance to play in B.C.

"in front of a home crowd, so to speak" but concedes hell probably wind up elsewhere. "Personally, I'd like to go somewhere where the management is intact A lot of teams are having financial and other problems. The stability is important, knowing there's money there to win." SHORT YARDAGE The Lions plan on taking an offensive lineman with their first pick, the most likely candidates being Mark Hatfield of Bishop's or Brian Conlan of UBC the draft will go seven rounds, including the bonus round. Barring a trade, the Lions will have only four selections, having traded away their second-, third-, and fourth-round picks to Ottawa in a series of deals before last season Free-agent defensive back Anthony Drawhorn, who was strongly pursued by the lions, has signed with Birmingham for $60,000 US a season and a $15,000 bonus. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS' defenceman Kjell Samuelsson ties up New York Islanders' Ray Ferraro during the first period in Pittsburgh.

losing streak and moved back with behind winner Olivier Cotte of France (26.82) and silver medallist Sergei Shupletsov of Russia in one point of the first-place Que bec Nordiques in the Northeast Divi (26.75). In Thursday's season finale, sion. Blues 5, Flames 1 Torrid Brett Hull took the NHL goal-scoring lead with his 16th and 17th as St Louis Dominick Gauthier of Levis, was fifth (25.95), John Smart of lions Bay sixth (25.55). Marc McDonell of Nelson was 38th beat Calgary. (20.46).

In Thursday's women's Lindros' two assists stretched his point-scoring streak to eight games (six goals, 11 assists). The line of Lindros, LeClair and Mikael Renberg have combined for 28 goals and 32 assists in the last 13 games. Penguins 4, Islanders 2 Tomas Sandstrom scored twice in a three-goal second period, and John Cullen continued his outstanding play as Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Islanders. Cullen had a goal and two assists and now has a goal in each of his last four games. The Penguins stopped a two-game It was the second consecutive two-goal game for Hull, who led the Blues moguls, Raphaelle Monod of France finished first and also to their sixth victory seven games.

a row at the new Kiel Centre. clinched the overall title. Among Canadian semi-finalists, Tami Bradley of Vancouver was 17th and Bronwen Thomas of Delta 23rd. Thomas was 10th in the over Kings 4, Blackhawks 3 Rick Tocchet and Dan Quinn had a goal and an assist each as Los Angeles pounced on wobbly Chicago defensive zone play then held on. all standings.

Sailing along BASEBALL NOTES Vancouver's Ross McDonald came a close second to 1992 PAN-AMS Olympic gold medal winner Mark M's unfazed by UBL's B.C. foothold Reynolds of San Diego Thursday, but still retained the overall lead in the 68th Bacardi Cup Star Class sailing regatta in Miami. on hold for another season, the Sur McDonald, the defending world rey Glaciers continue to work towards their May 19 opener (in Grays Harbor, in the new independent champion in the Olympic Star class, and crew member Kai Bjorn of Montreal have a comfortable first-place position after four races in Western Baseball League. In fact, Glacier GM Stu Kehoe might be one of the few people in baseball who actu ally sees something positive in the the six-race series. They now have finishes of 12th, first third and second for 18 points before the one allowed discarded race.

Smirnov recovers Ontario gymnast on the sidelines with broken leg Canadian Press MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina The Pan-American Games hadn't even officially begun Thursday when Canadian gymnasts took to the floor. For Jaime Hill of Brampton, Ont, the competition was already over. Hill, 15, is one of 475 Canadian athletes at the Games and she's the first to feel the sharp sting of defeat. Hill suffered a slight fracture of her fibula near the left ankle Wednesday night doing a routine flip in a practice session and will miss today's compulsory women's gymnastics event "I guess I can still get a tan," Hill said wanly Thursday afternoon as she watched the Canadian men's team compete in their compulsories. Kris Burley of Truro, N.S., was tied for second place with four others two Americans, two Cubans following a strong performance by the Canadian men in compulsory Vitaly Smirnov recovered from LYNDON LITTLE Vancouver Sun Seattle Mariners won't be pushed into accelerating their agenda for putting regular-season games into B.C.

Place Stadium, just because the new United Baseball League has awarded one of its six inaugural franchises to Vancouver. The Mariners could have solidified their foothold in the Vancouver market by playing a limited number of games here this season, as originally planned. Without saying as much directly, Mariner vice-president of business development Paul Isaki suggests the American League team doesn't consider the UBL a credible rival at least not yet. "I can certainly understand why they (the UBL) selected Vancouver," Isaki said Thursday. "Yet it's another matter to follow it up with a team actually on the field.

It's a free market, but the UBL decision doesn't affect our interest in Vancouver. "Believe me, we're still committed to games in B.C. Place. Unfortunately, it's taking longer than predicted." While Isaki says it is disappoint ing the M's plan to shift eight-to-10 of their '95 home games from the King-dome to B.C. Place didn't come off, he maintains the good news is the groundwork for the necessary approvals is progressing "We've got quite a few more supporters that count behind us now," he said.

"The owners and the players' association have pretty well indicated they will give their approval. The key development is that Gene Budig (the new American League president) is a big supporter." Although B.C. Place would still prefer to play host to one or two complete Mariner series while the M's are thinking in terms of eight or nine single games, the work behind the scenes at B.C. Place continues. The M's have been giving the stadium people tips on how to reduce their setup and teardown costs for baseball.

"It mostly has to do with modifying how the fences go up and handling the turf for baseball," said B.C. Place general manager Neil Campbell. "We're also getting ideas on moving some of the overhead lighting to make it easier to follow the ball." While Mariner games here are a fall that cost him 15 seconds and won the 30-kilometre, classical-technique cross-country race at the world nordic ski championships Thursday in Thunder Bay. protracted major league labor dispute. "It could be a blessing in disguise for us," says Kehoe.

"I hope it (the strike) goes on for about another month. Then, there's suddenly going to be a flood of players on the market The good thing is they (the suddenly unemployed replacement players) are going to be in great shape and looking for jobs. A lot of them have been out of baseball for a couple of years but now they've got the itch back to play." BASES ON BALLS Kehoe says the Glaciers' conversion of Cloverdale's Stetson Bowl from a rodeo-only stadium into a multi-purpose facility is on time and on budget. He says they are required under their contract with Surrey to be 90 per cent complete by April 30 Glaciers' manager Dick Phillips is in Florida scouting replacement games. The 31-year-old from Kazakhstan was timed in one hour, 15 minutes 52.3 seconds to win his eighth career world championship medal.

His arch-rival, Norway's Bjorn Daehlie, was second in 1:16:52.4, followed by Alexei Prokurorov of Russia in 1:17:35.0. Fiery Italians MIKE BLAKECP CANADIAN GYMNAST Jamie Hill lost before she started, breaking her leg in training for the Pan-Am Games It's beginning to look like some Italian soccer defenders must THIS IS NOT AN ARTICLE Baseball expanding by two teams worry more about their fans than their rival forwards. Associated Press The luxury car of Gianluca Luppi, stopper for Fiorentina, was set afire overnight, and police WILDCA1S STAMPEDE HOI! UQIIOil STORE "They came in the loading bay door" theorized Thursday that it was probably done by some Florentine fans angered by the 8-2 rout of their team in last Sunday's league game against Lazio. Luppi was one of the defenders pitted against Lazio's Major league players walked out last Aug. 12, and the move brings some extra cash to the 28 current teams, who claim to have lost in excess of $200 million last year.

The new teams will pay $130 million each in actual cash as franchise fees, but the payment schedule and an exclusion from national broadcasting, all-star and post-season money for up to five years brings the actual franchise cost to about $155 million. Initial payments, about $25 million per team, are due July 1. The final portions are payable in November 1997. PALM BEACH, Fla. At least baseball fans in Phoenix and Tampa Bay have something to celebrate.

While there's no end in sight to the seven-month strike, baseball owners voted unanimously Thursday to add the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays for the 1998 season. "We strongly believe the time is right," said expansion committee chairman John Harrington, also the head of the owners' negotiating centre forward PierLuigi Casir-aghi, who tallied four goals. BY W.H. ALE Vernon A Vernon liquor store was taken by surprise yesterday by dozens of stampeding Wildcats. The Wildcats reportedly arrived 30 minutes before rolling in like oranges." A store cashier believes the Wildcats were actually skids loaded with a new, easy-drinking beer that costs less.

Mr. Styles sticks by his story. "They weren't boxes, they were felines." the store opened. Store manager David Styles speculates that the Wildcats waited at the rear of the store and pounced once the back door was unlocked. "Soon as the loading bay door opened, they started A few days ago Giuseppe Baronchelli, a defender of Brescia, was pushed by a group of fans dissatisfied with his recent performances in league games..