THE BATTALION Page 9 ^ a TUESDAY, MAY 5, 1981 Sports before- 3 s close (to 3 a gain, W{ ; e ’ n g them, reinavehi- P on f here you've walking to a u assume its ev. John L anta Police police ollic- also are su(- layings of26 ’ disappear- arron Glass, nonths. Ficers) have y. be saii Payton may head north for money United Press International CHICAGO — Walter Payton’s attorney said the Chicago Bears’ star running back would sign with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football league only if the salary offer was “over whelming.” A Bears spokesman said the NFL club expects to sign Payton, whose 5-year contract expired at the end of last season. “Walter’s feelings are now — and always have been — that the people in Chicago, the fans and the team, have always been first class to him,” Payton’s attorney, Bud Holmes, said by telephone from Hattiesburg, Miss. “And if for any reason some thing worked out and he went to Canada it would not be because of any ill feelings for the club or the town, because all he has is love for both. “It would have to be that the amount of money would be so overwhelming that good business judgment would dictate that as a professional person he would owe his duty to himself to accept,” Holmes said. Payton is the Bears’ all-time leading rusher and the NFC top runner the last five seasons. His contract expired at the end of the 1980 season when he was the high est paid player in football at $475,000. Alouettes owner Nelson Skalba- nia, who this week signed Bears wide receiver James Scott and Los Angeles Rams’ quarterback Vince Ferragamo, told the Edmonton Journal he planned to go after Payton. “I need one good running back,” Skalbania said. “And to give me twice as good a chance of getting one. I’m going after Hers- chel Walker and Walter Payton. “I’ve offered Payton a contract. I shouldn’t be saying this because when you print it, the Chicago Bears are going to realize the situation and the price will go up. “What are the odds of signing him? About the same as Herschel Walker. It depends on what I want announced he plans to remain in to pay him. I think the odds are college. good.” Payton was in Jackson, Miss., Walker, the University of Geor- working out with his brother and gia’s freshman sensation, has other teammates. Icouponl ■coupon| Rockets assume familiar role as underdogs in finals I c o Ol o i I I I I 25C Off On Each Entre Offer good through May 15. Tues.-Fri. ST 3 MALL United Press International HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets, making their First appearance in the NBA champion ship series, had been expecting to the Philadelphia 76ers, but ihey will have no trouble getting up for the Boston Celtics instead. “I’d rather play Boston,” Coach Del Harris said. “If we had gone up there and beaten Philadelphia to win the NBA title, half of the people would still be saying that : can’t beat Boston. To be NBA champion, you have to beat Boston.” Boston fought from a 3-1 deficit after four games and beat the 76ers 91-90 in the seventh to take the Eastern Conference cham pionship Sunday. The first game of the best-of-seven Houston- Boston championship series is to day in Boston. The Rockets, who have not beaten the Celtics in 13 games in cluding four straight losses to the 13-time NBA champions in last year’s Eastern Conference semi finals, are clear underdogs. But a team that finished 40-42 in the regular season — while Boston finished 62-20 — is used to the underdog role. “We’re back on old familiar grounds, playing against a team that nobody thinks we can beat. That’s okay. We understand that,” Murphy said. Forward Robert Reid said the Rockets should not be intimidated and the Celtics should not be overconfident. “We are in the final series, you know, and there has to be a reason for us to get this far,” Reid said. “The Celtics are going for a 14th title and we are going to try to be a thorn in their side. “They’re talking like they’re the champions already, but all they are is the best team in the East. We re the best team in the West. If they beat us four times, then I’ll say they are the best team in bas ketball.” Center Moses Malone said: “We’ve got to stop Boston’s penet ration and we've got to keep Bird off the offensive backboards. I’m convinced we can play with them.” Murphy said the Celtics would be in trouble “if they pack in around the basket against us like they did against Philly. We’ve got the outside shooters to kill them. They’re going to have to find another way to beat us.” Reserve Major Jones said Hous ton nevertheless faces a big chal lenge. “We’ve got to hit the boards real hard on both ends of the court,” Jones said. “If we can rebound, we’ll be in good shape. We’ve got to stop their running game, and the way to do that is to not let them bury us on the backboards. “Also, we guys on the bench will have to outplay their bench. They’ve got a great bench. 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