ril 5,199c The Battalion SPORTS 11 Thursday, April 5,1990 Sports Editor Richard Tijerina 845-2688 r^yhound la y offered 1 Easter to Northeast . rec apture fon durine tike. R statejudg rom hiri nR hound said in^. d riv ’ers and 1(1 mainte. off the job over wages s operated since then placements who cross -ff granted temporan ' ecl on an ule passed Council in pany from rs “for the 'ch person loyment of stry or es- strike or reyhound’s s to drivers e “tends to e that stri- sed.” tan George g wouldn’t much. “It t our basic hire strike- ey hound, ily nation- i been re- e the strike inly in the ’ President the walk- ningless in However, the North- •r about 10 I revenue, t. ■dnesday it I service hv res on Fri- rom New riladelphia Guaranteed ’ and buses "ive within! duled arri aid. “If wt passengers :ree round good onh r, April 15, d by June t lirman of the s and Means om the Leg •sentativesoi directly dis the state m . Gov. e mentioned form, his compant rat are con- ax increases t of business ■ specificall) hluetersaid er or lundi ices.” tive directot rid that sue! for lawmak ing of legit’ by all ol ltl( rid. “It h” ill those "h f resources, aps the onh d lead. ar for about ?d down ” ent, bull* ment fro® Alan Lehmann Senior Sport* Writer Take my word: Rangers will take AL West division fjivery day people come up to me and say, “Hey, who’s gonna win the American League West?” I smile and reply that the Texas Rangers will. Then I try to ignore the laughter. I’m getting better at it. I’ve been picking the Rangers to win the division since the early 1980s (when the Rangers usually lost 100 games), so I’m used to skepticism. True, I’ve been wrong every time, but sooner of later the law of averages will catch up to me and Texas will win the West. The Rangers were tantilizingly close in 1986 — the year that the team was loaded with rookies like Pete Incaviglia, Ruben Sierra, Oddibe McDowell, Bobby Witt, Jose Guzman and Edwin Correa. They built up my hopes, playing like kids who didn’t know how to lose. But, like their predecessors, they wilted in August and finished five games behind the Angels. Since then, Texas hasn’t even been close. They fell below .500 in 1987 and suffered from miserable pitching in 1988. Last season, the Rangers started the season sizzling. They opened by winning 10 of their first 11, and were 16- 4 before they faltered and were passed by the eventual World Series champion Oakland A’s. Things don’t look much more promising for the Rangers this year. The Kansas City Royals bring back the strongest pitching staff in the major leagues. The Angels strengthened their staff with Mark Langston — the best See Lehmann/Page 14 Cason’s ban lifted Sprinter released from suspension, allowed to compete By NADJA SABAWALA Of The Battalion Staff Texas A&M track star Andre Cason can breathe a little easier. The Athletics Con gress on Wednesday decided to lift a two- year suspension which was imposed on the sprinter March 28. The announcement released Cason, the 1990 NCAA 55-meter indoor champion, from suspension imposed when he failed to report for a December 1989 drug test. “I’m relieved by the decision and I hope it dispells any misconceptions which might have resulted,” said Cason through a statement released by the Sports Informa tion Department. “I’m not too thrilled about my name be ing dragged through the mud,” he said. “But at least now I can put it behind me and concentrate on running.” The suspension would not affect his col lege eligibility, but would bar him from competing in any TAG and lAAF-sanc- tioned events. Cason said that last year he notified TAG officials that he would be enrolled at Blinn Junior College-Brenham for the fall semes ter. Since he did not know what his address would be, Cason listed his previous address at Cain Hall. On Dec. 11, TAG, the governing body of track and field in the United States, sent a notification of the drug test to that same Cain Hall address, but because of his ab sence, the letter went unopened for three days. When Cason called the A&M track office Dec. 15, he was told of the letter and he gave permission to assistant coach Robert Parker to open it. Upon studying the con tents of the letter, Parker told Cason to call TAG officials and explain his situation. Cason contacted TAG officials imme- diatly and was informed that he had vio lated a 48-hour deadline and faced suspen sion according to TAC’s drug testing policy. Although he was denied a stay, the cir cumstances surrounding the suspension al lowed Cason an appeal to be reviewed by a three-member board. The board then reversed its earlier deci sion, and the suspension wits lifted. “We are very happy for Andre,” head coach Charlie Thomas said. “I’m pleased On the prowl... Wolf pack hungers for Valvano resignation, offers compromise Battalion file photo by J.Janner A&M sprinter Andre Cason had his TAG suspension for failing to appear for a drug test lifted Wednesday. the review board understood the circum stances and reversed what was a highly un fair and misleading decision.” At the end of last year, Cason was ranked No. 6 in the world in the 100-meter dash by Track & Field News magazine. Cason was the only American to receive two gold medals at the 1989 World Univer sity Games, and has earned All-American honors five times at A&M. In the NCAA Indoor Championships, Cason set a school and Southwest Confer ence record in the 55-meter dash. His time of 6.04 is the fourth best ever recorded. He also runs a length on the 400- meter relay team which is just .02 seconds away from qualifying for the NCAA Out door Championships in May. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jim Valvano is willing to compromise on the $500,000 buyout clause his contract requires North Carolina State to pay if the school forces the basketball coach’s resignation, his lawyer said Wednesday. “He doesn’t want to stick it to the univer sity that’s been good to him,” attorney Woody Webb said. “By the same token, he’s been good to it, too.” Though Valvano’s contract has the $500,000 buyout clause, Webb said, “It’s safe to say he’s willing to come off that.” Webb said a compromise proposal would be delivered to university attorneys, who have told Valvano he would not be per mitted to remain as coach. Webb also said he thought State was soft ening on its initial offer of a $106,000 pay off, but he declined to give details. Valvano’s salary is $100,035, but sneaker contracts, product endorsements and local TV and radio programs would make his to tal income many times that amount. Meanwhile, N.C. State guard Chris Cor- chiani was still pressing for an exemption to NCAA rules that would make it easier for him to transfer should Valvano leave, the ^er’s attorney said. attorney Mark Rodgers, in a telephone interview from West Palm Beach, Fla., said he filed an appeal Tuesday with the NCAA Rules Interpretation Committee. A hearing will be held by teleconference April 13. Rodgers said it would be unfair for Cor- chiani, who will be a senior, to sit out a year before playing for another team as NCAA rules specify. “For him to transfer to another school and sit out a year means he will have to stay in school one more year than he’d antic ipated,” he said. “It’s almost like a one-year probation to the kid.” Webb said several members of the Board of Trustees are annoyed with reports that the school’s attorneys have shut out Valva no’s overtures to keep his job. Trustee Bill Burns wrote a letter to Val vano supporters saying the board wants to be fair. 1 ~ ‘ “Jim Valvano’s request to Ffcmain one more year has not been turned down. The press does not know everything that is going on,” Burns said. Burns vowed to “do everything I can to effect a resolution that, when it is all said and done, Coach Valvano will say that it is his choice and the university has been very fair to him.” Webb suggested that it would be in the university’s best interest to keep Valvano, particularly since other state school’s are struggling with a statewide budget shortfall. “From an economic standpoint, it makes no sense,” Webb said of the buyout. “More over, they’ll have a team that will be com petitive and generate more revenues.” Valvano, who has coached the Wolfpack the last 10 years, led North Carolina State “ I Uim Valvano’s request to remain one more year has not been turned down. The press does not know everything that is going on.” playc —Bill Burns, NC State trustee to the NCAA championship in 1983. Since January, however, he and the bas ketball program have been the targets of controversy. State was placed on two years’ NCAA probation last fall for violations involving the sale of sneakers and tickets, although Valvano was never accused of any wrong doing. Recently, there were allegations of point shaving involving former Wolfpack players. Valvano came under increased pressure when former player Charles Shackleford, New I now with the C€ an school up to $1 million in postseason reve nue. ' Jersey Nets, admitted ac cepting loans while playing at N.C. State — an NCAA violation that could cost the SPORTING GOODS PRE-EASTER SALE SAVE s 40 TUI\JTLJf*/ TUNTURI DUAL-ACTION EXERCISE BIKE Features rowing and pedaling actions In a practical modern design with minimum space requirement. Speed/distance meter and timer. 9999 orlg. 139.99 HALLMARK™ READING RACK Enables you to read or study while you pedal away calories. 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