The Leader-Post from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada • 30

C2 Sports The Leader-Post Regina Saturday, March 11, 1995 SFL realliginis ittsellff Irish come for fun rival. The playoff structure would likely call for at least two wildcard qualifiers. Memphis is sitting down there with Jackson, Birmingham and Shreveport, so it would make sense to be in one division, Memphis Mad Dogs general manager Steve Erhardt said. But we havent made a final decision. Commissioner Larry Smith said the realignment and playoff structure wont be revealed until a regular-season schedule is released by the 21st or 22nd of March.

The league first must complete transactions involving new owners in Ottawa and Jackson, Miss. Former Ottawa Rough Riders owner Bruce Firestone has filed bankruptcy papers for his company. He has apparently waived any claims against new owner Horn Chen, a Chicago hockey-team owner who has paid to buy the team, put aside some operating capital and offered creditors between 25 and 50 cents per The deal is in excess of $3 million, said Smith, adding that it must first proceed through bankruptcy proceedings. A group known as Mississippi Sports and Entertainment, led by sports-merchandising businessman Dane Read Matthews of Cleveland and businessman Billy Lyons of Point Clear, has offered $1,825 million US to buy the troubled Las Vegas franchise and move it to Jackson. That deal hinges on several conditions, including acceptance from creditors who were offered 40 cents per dollar.

Part of any sales revenues will be distributed to CFL teams, including the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who are expecting to be reimbursed up to $400,000 for helping to keep the struggling franchises afloat. Well probably get a little more out of Las Vegas than we will out of Ottawa, Roughriders president John Lipp said. We should still get more than half of whats coming to us. By DARRELL DAVIS L-P Sports Writer SASKATOON Flexing their growing powers, the U.S.-based teams have refused to keep the CFLs east-west alignment. CFL general managers earlier recommended the leagues 14 teams be divided into a seven-team Eastern Division and a seven-team Western Division.

But league governors, led by the Americans and backed by B.C. Lions owner Bill Comrie, want to implement a six-team U.S. division and an eight-team Canadian division. I would favor a north-south because that would most likely get an American team and a Canadian team into the Grey Cup, Comrie said. Any realignment must be approved by CBC, the leagues television rights holder, which can veto scheduling changes.

Each team would still play 18 games with a home-and-home series against every division Jackson deal Brad Heidt is all concentration against Manitoba Heidt closes in on Brier crown By IAN HAMILTON and DARRELL DAVIS L-P Sports Writers Joe Merica has been told the cheque is in the mail. Merica, whose marketing firm was the largest unsecured creditor of the CFLs Las Vegas Posse, said Friday he has agreed to a deal with the clubs principal stockholders, Glenn Golenberg and Marshall Geller. They sent us the facts and figures of where the money was going in the deal, Merica said a few hours after the CFL club was sold to a group which will move it to Jackson, for the 1995 season. Principally, the current owners are getting no cash out of the deal. All theyre getting is stock in the new team thats locked up for three years.

They cant sell it or anything for three years. After having seen the whole breakdown and having seen that they (Golenberg and Geller) werent getting any cash, we decided to accept the deal. Well end up getting between 40 and 50 cents on the dollar. Mericas firm was owed about $200,000 by the Posse, which was a financial failure in its first and only season in Las Vegas. Despite By DAVID MOSER L-P Sports Writer Bill Keyes, head coach of Team Ireland, summed up his teams approach to Fridays exhibition boxing card: Were not here for gold medals were here for a boxing holiday, Keyes said.

Were here to enjoy ourselves. Were travelling, partying and enjoying ourselves. The Irish team, composed of boxers from clubs in and around Dublin, defeated Team Western Canada 54 at the second annual Ken Goff Memorial Boxing Classic at Queensbury Centre. The Irish team has cards slated for Sunday in Williston, N.D., and Thursday in Winnipeg. The Regina card, which was organized by the Regina Boxing Club and the Canadian Progress Club, attracted about 175 boxing fans.

We surprised ourselves, Keyes said. Most of our boxers come from primitive backgrounds. To come here and work out in the gyms is like going to Buckingham Palace. Were just here to give them some international experience. Most would never get this far on their boxing skills.

They can hold their own with the best of them. They may not beat their opponents, but theyll go the distance. Have a go its as simple as that Ireland got victories from Eugene LaCumber (125-pound division), Steve Preston (132-lb division), DJ. Kiman (160-lb division), Mark Riggs (143-lb division) and Sammy Crampton (165-lb division) the first five bouts of the Olympic-style boxing evening. Irrespective of the result, no one was hurt, the public went home happy and were happy, Irish team manager Benny Carabini said.

We love to get involved with a match like this. You win a few and you lose a few. Thats good fun. Thats the way we look at it. Western Canada came back to win the last four bouts with victories from Chris Coveney of the Calgary Boxing Club (156-lb division), Peter OKane of the Pan-Am Boxing Club in Winnipeg (178-lb division), Brook Welby of the Pan-Am club (147-lb division) and Larry Carr of the Regina Boxing Club (165-lb division).

We havent have much time to rest with all the travelling weve been doing, Kirnan said. Ive only been boxing for 18 months, so everything was new to me coming here. I just wanted to do my best and get through it." OKane, a silver medallist at the 1995 Canadian senior championships, didnt know anything about his Irish opponent So how did he approach the bout? Carefully I knew theyd be tenacious, OKane said about his fight against Irelands Jim Kennedy, which the referee stopped in the second round. Unfortunately, I couldnt get going in the first round. I was lackadaisical and he caught me with a few.

In the second round, I mixed things up and was effective. I faked a jab, caught him with a big right and hurt him. Plans are in the works for the third annual classic, with the Canadian national team heading the list of teams to come here. The idea was to put on a competition in my fathers name and what hes done in the past that is above the normal class of cards that are put on during the year George Goff, head coach of the Regina Boxing Club, said. Results in Scoreboard.

but ended up winning it all. Its hard to believe were in the final game, he said. Burtnyk and Martin play today with the winner advancing to Sundays final against Heidt. In the other playoff, Werenich curled an abysmal 39 per cent as Martin rolled to an easy 84 win. Martin, 28, had Werenich on the ropes almost every end, burying rocks behind cover and daring his 47-year-old opponent to dig them out.

Totally aggressive, Martin said later in describing his teams play. Were going to go for it right to the end. If things dont go right in one of the games, thats fine, but were going to force somebody to beat us. Werenich, who struggled with his shots all week and was eliminated with the loss, once again blamed bad ice for his troubles. This will be known as the bad-ice Brier, without any doubt, he said.

You cant legislate good ice, obviously. It just wasnt any fun. Theres no other way to describe it. Werenich was fortunate to get as far as he did. He curled only 72 per cent in the round-robin (ninth among 12 skips), but seemed to pull a big shot out of his hat when he needed it most.

But against Martin, who curled 89 per cent, he always seemed to face a wall of Alberta granite. Werenich had beaten Robert Campbell of Charlottetown 74 in a tiebreaker Friday morning. When asked if he felt sorry for Werenich, Alberta third Kevin Park replied: Hes done it to enough people over the years. Its payback time for Eddie. the settlement, Merica will still end up losing more than $100,000.

At some point, youve got to say, Thats enough, he said. I had no appetite for lawsuits or bankruptcy proceedings, so I said, OK, send me the cheque. But that piece of paper doesnt go far enough for Merica. I cant say Im really satisfied, but Im relieved the damn thing is about over, he said. I was a big believer in the Posse and Canadian football.

I thought it was an exciting game and I thought Las Vegas was a great city for the CFL Im disappointed that it didnt go the way I thought it would. The Americanization of the CFL continued with the appointment of three key executive mem-bers during annual meetings Friday in Saskatoon. Jim Speros, Baltimores principal owner, has been selected to replace Saskatchewan Roughriders president John Lipp as the leagues vice-chairman. Baltimore part-owner Michael Gelfond has become chairman of the expansion committee. And Steve Ehrhart, Memphis general manager, is the marketing chairman.

Saskatoon has drawn raves for the job done by Hugh Vassos in organizing the CFLs annual meetings, which end today with the Canadian college draft. Jeromie Kufflick said. We might as well get ready for it now. Regina was hardly ready for Saskatoon. The Blades scored on three of their first four shots and led 4-1 at both intermissions.

Frank Banham, with two goals, Paul Buczkowski and Shane Calder scored for Saskatoon. "Our speed dictated a lot, Blades head coach Lome Molleken said. It gave us some good scoring opportunities. Colin Foley countered for Regina, which is on a 1-11-0 skid. Chad Mercier was terrific in goal for the Pats, making 42 saves.

Saskatoons Ian Gordon stopped 32 shots. Gordon has allowed only eight goals in seven games against Regina this season. The Pats have lost 11 straight road games since Jan. 20, when mrm Quad speed CD ROM drive Dud amplified speakers 16-blt stereo sound card 420 MB hard drive. 4MB RAM 14 SVGA monitor.

3.5 floppy drive VESAISAPCI Architecture HALIFAX (CP) A few weeks ago, Brad Heidts odds of winning a Labatt Brier seemed as long as a Prairie winter. Well, hello, early spring. The 36-year-old farmer from Kerrobert is one win away from the Canadian mens curling title after defeating Kerry Burtnyk of Winnipeg 6-5 in 11 ends Friday night Heidt will play either Burtnyk or Kevin Martin of Edmonton in Sunday's championship game. Against Burtnyk, Heidt stole one in the first end and never trailed in the game, which was largely dull and conservative and drew catcalls from the crowd. Bring back Eddie, bellowed one fan a reference to Ed Werenich, the colorful and controversial Toronto skip who was eliminated earlier in the day.

Bor-ing, bor-ing, some yelled. But things got interesting late when Burtnyk stormed back from a 5-2 deficit after eight ends to score two in the ninth end and steal one in the 10th for the tie. Whew, she was exciting, said a relieved Heidt afterwards. Heidt had a chance to win it in the 10th but his final shot wrecked on a Manitoba guard in front of the rings and Burtnyk stole a point. The Saskatchewan skip made up for it in the 11th when he drew to the four-foot for the victory.

I was kind of focused on knowing Id have to throw a draw and thats all I was focused on, said Heidt, who barely made it out of Saskatchewan. After a mediocre 4-3 record in the provincial round-robin, he qualified fourth for the playoffs Grenfell By L-P SPORTS STAFF The Grenfell Spitfires advanced to the South Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League championship final with a 6-5 victory over the host Assiniboia Southern Rebels on Friday. The Spitfires won the best-of-five semifinal series 3-0. They play the winner of the Regina Capitals-Regina Express series. Game 3 in that semifinal is tonight, 7:30, at the Pense Memorial Arena.

The Capitals Pats dont get message closer More than 700 people attended a $100 dinner Friday night and 1,000 are expected for todays draft at the Centennial Auditorium. At drafts in the late 1980s held in Hamilton, only 100 people would attend. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who pick first in todays draft, have signed their first selection, according to two other general managers. Offensive lineman Tom Nutten from Western Michigan is going to be Hamiltons selection. The Ottawa Rough Riders and Toronto Argonauts, who select second and third respectively, are expected to take Boise State linebacker Stephen Reid and Concordia defensive back Mark Montreuil.

Ottawa is expected to draft Reid and trade him to Edmonton for quarterback Rickey Foggie. Saskatchewan, which picks fourth, has rated Reid first, Montreuil second and Nutten fourth. In this scenario the Roughriders would pick defensive lineman-linebacker Troy Alexander from Eastern Washington. B.C. Lions placekicker Lui Passaglia, the CFLs all-time leading scorer, said Friday in Vancouver that he would like to play another season.

If he does, the 1995 campaign would be Passaglias 20th. they defeated the Lethbridge Hurricanes 7-3. Moreover, Regina has lost its last nine regular-season games in Saskatoon. Its definitely a challenge (to win at SaskPlace), thats for sure, Pats defenceman Dion Zukiwsky said. All of us are looking forward to it.

To play well for the last two periods and not be able to score leaves the guys a little frustrated. I think well be able to channel it and come out ready on Sunday. Two noteworthy streaks were snapped Friday in Seattle. The Thunderbirds 15-game winning skein ended when the Tri-City Americans won 54. Stockholm-born Seattle centre Chris Herperger, who had scored at least one goal in 15 straight games, was blanked.

IPC CDFX-66 $2,149 Intel 486DX266 MHz processor DOS 6.22, Windows 3. 1 1, mouse l4.4VolceFaxModem Microsoft Encarta 95 Works, Golf, Money. Dangerous Creatures, Entertainment Pack. Brain twisters -A Ao1 RESERVE 'i By ROB VANSTONE L-P Sports Writer Recognizing deficiencies is one thing. Solving them is another.

Regina Pats head coach Norm Johnston could attest to that on Friday, when the Saskatoon Blades posted a 4-1 WHL victory before a season-high Agridome crowd of 5,601. If the players dont do what we do at practice, I dont care if Scotty Bowman comes down and coaches my hockey team, Johnston grumbled. We spent one hour at practice (on Thursday) working on faceoffs and power plays. Do you know what our worst two things were? Faceoffs. And power plays.

Especially the power plays. Regina was 0-for-7 with the man advantage. That helped the Pats become 0-for-8 no victories, eight losses against the Blades this season. Saskatoon will gun for a ninth straight victory over Regina when the teams meet Sunday at SaskPlace. If you want to win hockey games toward the end of the season, you have to start scoring on power plays, Pats right-winger Rhett Gordon observed.

The defeat ensured that Regina will finish seventh in the East Division for the third straight season. The Pats are 2540-2 heading into their final five regular-season games all on the road. Obviously, being in seventh, we have to go on the road to start the playoffs, Pats right-winger sweeps lead the best-of-five series 2-0. Lindsay Rae notched the winner at 10:16 of the third period. Craig Lafond and Graham Christie, with two each, and Courage Bear also scored for the Spitfires.

Ryan Morissette, with two, Jason Lentes, John Kessler and Lanny Silbemagel replied for the Southern Rebels, who outshot the Spitfires 50-31. The Spitfires were assessed seven of 16 minor penalties and one misconduct. Chicago Craven shipped to Ideal Computer Environments Ltd. The IPC logo is a trademark of 30 CO A .00 A0 lnlel L9 is a reQister6tl Microcomputers vPH LLKJt, trademark ot Intel Corporation VANCOUVER (CP) The winter of waiting and hoping is over for Murray Craven. The veteran centre, idled by his uncertain free agency status, was traded Friday by the Vancouver Canucks to the Chicago Blackhawks for Christian Ruuttu.

Craven has not played since the Stanley Cup final in June and Correction The Canadian Press erroneously reported that Don Gallagher of the Boston Bruins was suspended by NHL president Clarence Campbell because of gambling associations. The report, which appeared on Page B3 of Thursdays Leader-Post, should have read Don Gainger. Chicago. Theyve got a great team over there and its good to be wanted by somebody else. Cravens career had been in limbo since the NHL resumed play Jan.

20 following a 105-day lockout. An arbitration hearing was held last month to determine if Craven was a restricted or unrestricted free agent, based on. the average NHL salary last season. The results of the complicated hearing have not been released by the NHL or the NHL Players Association, Craven was in Chicago for medical examinations Thursday and apparently signed a four-year contract with the Blackhawks. In his only full season with the Canucks, Craven scored 15 goals and added 40 assists.

He was a valuable contributor during the 24-game playoff run last spring to the Stanley Cup final. Ruuttu, who played in the 1988 NHL all-star game, has been mainly checking forward in WAonf trnnw was unwilling to return to the Canucks after earning about $565,000 US last season. The Blackhawks wanted Craven now and we get a player who can help us at centre ice, said Vancouver general manager Pat Quinn. Ruuttu has technical skill on the defensive side of the game and quickness as a skater. The Finnish-born Ruuttu, 31, is in his ninth NHL season.

The first six were with the Buffalo Sabres. Ruuttu indicated he had a gut feeling he was about to be traded by the Blackhawks, who had reduced his ice time this season. Theres been a lot of rumors around here and they told me thiS morning that I was on my way tn Vonpnmw Pinittn coiH fVnm Do you enjoy a challenge? If so, the Communication Reserve is for you. It's a unique opportunity to earn extra part-time income while still pursuing your civilian career. You get to travel, you receive hands-on training in communications and electronics, and you enjoy a variety of employment options.

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