The News Tribune from Tacoma, Washington • 21

Inside: OUTDOORS State Muckleshoot Indian Tribe in dispute over elk hunting information C8 SPORTS Scoreboard C6 Weather C8 THE NEWS TRIBUNE SATURDAY JUNE 28 1997 NBA goes back to the past on its 3s Referee flap proves Tyson has slipped I The Auocuns Press Van Horn Thomas Br Mama Wssss The Washington Post LAS VEGAS -Once the baddest man on the planet Mike Tyson has been reduced to bullying the ref Hie one thing Tyson has never been at any point of his career is a finger-pointing excuse-aeeking whiner Until now Whether the complaints over referee Mitch Halpem were generated by Tyson himself or uium co-manager John HIRER VOICES Horne makes lit tle difference The rematch: A What WBA heavyweight championship fight champion Evander Hotyfield vs Mike Tyson 12 rounds When Today card starts at 6 pm Hotyfieid- Tyson fight will start between 8:309 pm Whan MGM Grand Garden Las Vegas Pumas- Hotyfiekl will make $35 million Tyson $30 million Ths Ins Tyson who lost to Hotyfieid last Nov 9 is a 9to5 betting favorite TetovMon-The figrt is available on TCI pay-per-view Cost is $5495 today Orders must be placed by 4 pjn today through TCI Inside -Tyson seeks redemption C3 might not increase scoring the aim is to improve the overall flow of the game The other rule changes were made with the same objective The timeout rule will prohibit players from calling a timeout if both of his feet are in the air and any part of his body has broken the vertical plane of the baseline or sideline The forearm checking rule will prohibit a defensive player from using his forearm to impede the progress of an offensive player who is facing the basket Forearm checking developed three sear sons ago when the league prohibited hand checking The under the basket will be expanded Hie area where an offensive foul is not called if contact is made with a secondary defensive player who has established position will consist of a half drole with a 4-foot radius NEW YORK -The NBA is try-1 ing to make life harder again for long-range shooters The Board of Gover- nors approved four rules changes -Friday including moving the 3- point line back to its original dis-1'tance of 23 feet 9 indies except in the comers where the distance will remain 22 feet The line was moved to a uniform 22 feet three -seasons ago Also approved were the recom-' mendations of the competition committee dealing with forearm checking calling a timeout while in the air and the area under the basket The number of 3-point attempts rose dramatically after the line was moved in to 22 feet Many blamed the shorter distance fin: contributing to the recent scoring dropoff because it encouraged low- er-percentage outside shots While moving the line back Van Horn to Nets Now that the Boston Celtics' grievance against the Philadelphia 76ers has been withdrawn the 76ers are allowed to start trading And so they did sending the rights to Keith Van Horn plus veterans Michael Cage forward Don Mac Lean and swingman Lucious Harris to the New Jersey Nets The Sixers receive the rights to forward Tim Thomas guard Anthony Parker and two veterans Jimmy Jackson and Eric Montross -C3 The bottom line is on the eve of a rematch with Evander Hdyfidd who knocked out Tyson seven months ago Tteam Tyson was happy to force Halpern to quit in favor of Mills Lank Blaming the ref is among the oldest and sorriest tricks in the book but it also further evidence that Tyson isrft the Iron Mike he used to be Ifi a shame an honorable man such aa into question but peihaps hia exit is ultimate- ly the best thing that could have happened under the circumstances because here's what Tteam Tyson no longer has: an excuse Please set Voices C3 Halpem had to have his professionalism called Rodriguez returns to homer in 8-1 win By 6mv Baooa The News Tribune East goes for 2 wins prep football all-star game By Cana Hu The News Tribune SPOKANE -Overtime might be fun for football fans but it causes ulcers for coaches and players So when the East-West All-Star Classic football game came down to a team deciding whether -or not to kick an extra point or go for two the MSaat fawm didn't hesitate It decided to go for two and the decision earned it a 19-18 come-from-behind victory Friday night rin the state high ached all-star game at Joe AM Stadium It was the Eastte fifth consecutive victory in the series The East trailed by 16 paints with six minutes to play when it finally started 1 to play wdL In those final min utes Kamintin quarterback Scott Mitchell threw a touchdown pass then rushed for another score minutes after the East recovered an onside kick But moat impor- tant pass came with 26 seconds to play and the East trailing 18-17 He hit Jimmy Smith for the two-point conversion and the dramatic victory Even though an extra point would have tied the game and forced overtime I East coach Mika McLaughlin from Mead didn't want that hassle the last five yean coached about four overtime games and they are too MrTanghlin said I huddled all the players on the sideline and asked them what they wanted to doIt was Mitchell said he knew hia team was going to win tiie game aa soon as Lance iGustafson recovered an onside kick for the East had the momentum and they couldn't stop on Mitchell said were finally jelling there in the fourth Hie finnl six minutes was the antithesis of the I first three quarters The East managed (me solid J4rive but failed to look productive the rest of the Jtime through three quarters Hie East players said they started slow because ftiiey didn't have any contact drills during their tweek of practice IZ The West cm the contrary got off to a hot start Lakes Drew Miller gave the West the Nearly lead with his passing on a 71-yard drive for a field goal Pkase set EaWMtC5 While the Seattle Mariners have garoered a reputation as one of the most feared offensive teams in base '-ball the hitters Beem to be sure that run production is not the thing that wins championships The Mariners have hit 10 home I runs in the past three nights -three" in an 8-1 victory over Anaheim on Friday in the Kingdome But in the long haul Jeff extension of quality tarts by the starting rotation might be more important The pitching has become more important especially with hitting stars Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr missing time because of injury Rodriguez missed 14 games and the Mariners went 11-3 without him reaching a franchise-best 19 victories in the" month of June to take a 514-game It liUtil illJk JJlRMAH in the division Griffey the league leader in home runs has missed almost three full games with a strained hamstring and the team hasn't lost in hia ab- sence just tells you pitching really said Rodriguez who hit a home run in his first at-bat Friday after coming off the disabled hat -Ibat just shows no matter what star you have you've got to have good pitching and defense to win" The starting rotation now has strung together four consecutiv i Euvne THomkonTHe Assocwb) Press Alex Rodriguez fresh off the dtoaUed list watches hia flisHmrinC homer fly away In 8-1 victory over Anaheim Pfouf set KtariaaiSt CS 2 i Tacoma Dome makes bonus improvements for Tacoma Sabercata and their inaugural West Coast Hockey League season which will begin at home Nov 1 The first three rows of seating will be on significantly higher risen dramatically improving the Bightlines In addition the rows will be 38 inches wide instrod of 30 view for the 32 regular- season home games -I Olver said he is more than satisfied with the improvements think the sightlines will be aa good as any arena in the Olver said still playing hockey in a 22000-seat building So you don't get quite the intimacy But there also are amenities you don't get with a smaller building concessions rooms for groups and oth- he explained the this way: don't want anyone coming in not liking their seat and not coming Added Mike Combs Cnoles assistant: want to be a partner with this hotkey franchise We want it to be successful in Ttecoma The only way to do that is to work with them be a partner Their success is our success" Hie result will be a seating area of 9500 closer to the ice with much Seating to be higher risers steeper safety glass clearer than expected By John Lawrence The News Tribune Call it the extra mile though clearly a matter of inches Tacoma Dome officials have derided to make the facility even more stands by raising the risers from 4 to 10 inches and the moving of the main grandstand 18 feet closer to the rink Sabercata general manager John Olvercleariy was pleased by the developments all honesty you almost get to expect it because they keep doing it for Olver said amazing They are really committed to our Ttecoma city facilities director John Croley reveal a price tag But improving the view of the ice Hie height of the daaherboarda will be lowered by several inches through the elimination of an expansion joint that the prior boards were mounted on That will in effect improve the viewing angle from all the seats Hie first row of the main grandstands will be elevated to 6 feet from less than 3 feet Already promised and still to be delivered are an increase of the pitch of the seats in the main grand The old Plexiglas given to scratches and anchored to vertical standards will be replaced with i real glass dramatically -fan friendly than promised for the improved sightlines and a clearer Pleases Sabsrcats back mi jiteAi'u '-S 'AMHsJ 1 Wptprti hfr lSnA'IiV -JLdU hMk'ifc 1.