The Battalion
PORTS
iexas coaches assess season chances
Baitauon file photo
\&M’s R.C. Slocum said recruit Chip Ambres
I ij undecided on a professional baseball career.
HOUSTON (AP) — Coaches from five
of the eight former Southwest Confer
ence schools made their annual high
school convention appearances Tuesday,
each brimming with summertime pre
season optimism.
Yet each team must overcome its
demons, whether it's fan apathy, NCAA
troubles, inexperience, a crumbling league
or pro baseball.
Pro baseball? That's Texas A&M coach
R.C. Slocum's biggest obstacle to winning
the services of star high school quarter
back Chip Ambres, who must decide be
tween Aggieland glory or minor-league
riches in the Florida Marlins system.
"I think he's a rare talent in that he's got
an excellent arm and excellent mobility/'
Slocum said of the Beaumont West Brook
product. "And he's a winner."
Ambres, a first-round pick by the Mar
lins, has said he'll choose baseball if Flori
da makes the right offer. Ambres is ex
pected to take a few cuts in batting
practice Wednesday at the Astrodome
while the Marlins continue a series against
the Astros, Slocum confirmed.
Slocum said all he can offer Ambres is
a football career, an education and prepa
ration for his future. Slocum added the
minors are littered with men in their late
20s with no higher education and no fu
ture in the majors, and he doesn't want
to see Ambres on that path.
"If they're going to ask (a player) to
make that kind of gamble, they dang sure
better pay them a whole lot of money to
do it," Slocum said.
tt
We’ve got a
good, good component
of players, not a lot
of fluff.
— Spike Dykes
Texas Tech Football Coach
Even without Ambres, the Aggies are
favorites to win the Big 12 South for the
second straight year. At the other end of
the scale is Baylor, which went 2-9 under
rookie coach Dave Roberts.
The Bears' porous defense returns just
one senior out of 14 regular players,
Roberts said. But he expects improved size
and an experienced group of young play
ers should make it an improved unit.
Despite the assertion last week by
Spring star running back Ben Gay that
he's academically eligible to play at
Baylor, Roberts said Tuesday that he's
not, but the school is appealing. How
ever, Roberts refused to say to whom
Baylor is appealing or what it entails,
citing student confidentiality rules.
Speaking of rules, Texas Tech's inability
to follow NCAA eligibility requirements
has stripped the Red Raiders of 14 scholar
ships in the next two seasons. The NCAA
is expected to announce any day whether
further sanctions will come down.
In the meantime, coach Spike Dykes
is confident he's making the most of his
remaining slots.
"We've got a good, good component of
players, not a lot of fluff," Dykes, who be
lieves he's got more players than ever that
he thinks can contribute, said.
The coaches' news conferences are held
each year in conjunction with the Texas
High School Coaches Association conven
tion, which alternates between Houston
and Fort Worth every other year.
Southern Methodist coach Mike Ca
van and Texas Christian coach Dennis
Franchione didn't attend because of
WAC media day in Las Vegas. New
Texas coach Mack Brown was scheduled
to appear but did not.
Sprewell sentenced
to home detention
MARTINEZ, Calif. (AP) — One day
before his trial was to begin, Latrell
Sprewell pleaded no contest to a reck
less driving charge and was
sentenced to three months
of home detention.
Sprewell, who was original
ly suspended for one year and
had his $24 million contract
terminated by the Golden
State Warriors last season for
choking coach P.j. Carlesimo,
also was placed on two years
probation, fined $1,000 and
ordered not to have a gun in his possession.
Sprewell swerved out of an exit-only lane
on a Walnut Creek freeway on March 1 and
struck another car, injuring a couple. Mo
torists had reported seeing Sprewell's car
speeding and weaving in and out of traffic.
The couple escaped with cuts and bruises
and have said they intend to sue Sprewell.
Defense attorneys suggested the plea
bargain to avoid gavel-to-gavel coverage
on Court TV.
Last week, Municipal Court Judge
Bruce Mills allowed Court TV's request
to televise the trial as long as it did not
interfere with the proceedings. Because
the charges were misdemeanors, how
ever, Sprewell would not have been re
quired to attend the trial.
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&M’s Barnes suspended
world organization
W YORK (AP) — Track and field's national
ning body is incensed over the drug suspen-
Ons of shot putter Randy Barnes and sprinter
Mitchell by the sport's world organization.
HtSATF is concerned and dismayed that the
Rchose to temporarily suspend two Amer-
mniV ai !‘ ltWetes on kasis of unproven allega-
lUUll‘ ons ^ they have committed a doping of-
Hi Craig Masback, executive director of
udduns 'S/4 Track & Field, said Monday night. "US-
gtiez. Bobjects to the IAAF suspensions and will
eartins otEnforce them.
ilitaryho® flj.S. athletes are entitled to a full and fair hear-
people ngprior to being declared ineligible to compete,
leortofe pA’I F has on several occasions informed the
ittle. The' Iff' of its obi iga ti ons u nder the Ama teu r Sports
ileHear: tt.Therefore, we are outraged that the IAAF
o up of •ingly breached our confidentiality rules,
lethatgi'W 1 were P u t ’ n pl ace to protect those ulti-
cemenl ate ' v determined to be innocent."
officers t ! B 16 International Amateur Athletic Federation
woundedB° se d the indefinite suspensions Monday.
(l ie j r o;Basback said that Barnes and Mitchell would
j jeeivethe full support of USATF until such time
^ ^ mis determined that they have committed a
Ppjng offense."
AF spokesperson Giorgio Reineri said Tues-
e could not comment specifically on Mas
's remarks. But he said IAAF rules could not
idjusted for different national federations.
fWe know what the problems and laws are in the
■" Reineri said. "But we are the governing body
ackand field for all countries in the world, and
ave to apply the rules for everybody."
esaid it was now up to the U.S. federation to
exasstaiefpn the Barnes and Mitchell cases.
IitaryWjBarnes, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist and
vorld indoor and outdoor record-holder, and
[hell, the 1992 Olympic bronze medalist in the
deters, were cited by the IAAF for failing out-
bmpetition drug tests April 1.
larnes, who could face a life suspension for a
End offense, was tested in Charleston, W.Va.,
[Mitchell in Gainesville, Fla.
litchell is president of USATF's Athletes Ad-
was p|
ernoon.
[0!
visory Committee, the athletes' voice in the na
tional governing body, which has taken a strong
stance against drugs.
His suspension was handed down last week
and represents his first drug offense.
The IAAF did not officially announce the sus
pensions, and the precise terms of the punish
ment have yet to be determined.
These are two of the most prominent suspen
sions in track and field, following Ben Johnson at
the 1988 Olympics, Butch Reynolds in 1990 and
Mary Slaney in 1997.
Johnson is banned for life after two suspen
sions, but has requested reinstatement. Reynolds
served a 27-month suspension and now is com
peting. Slaney was found innocent after several
months and also is running again.
The suspensions come at a time when IOC
president Juan Antonio Samaranch has suggest
ed some performance-enhancing drugs be strick
en from the list of banned substances.
They also come as U.S. track and field is
seeking to regain its prestige and reputation
but has had difficulty attracting sponsors and
television coverage.
In determining an athlete's drug test, the IAAF
examines a urine sample twice. Reineri said from
Monaco that only the A sample from Barnes and
Mitchell have been tested. However, that is suffi
cient to levy a suspension.
If the B samples are positive, the IAAF then
rules on the severity of the punishment pending
a hearing by USATF. If the B sample is negative,
the athletes are cleared.
Barnes was first suspended for two years
starting in 1991 for the steroid methyltestos-
terone at a meet in Malmo, Sweden, in 1990. This
time, the substance is androstenedione, a banned
nutritional supplement.
Mitchell tested positive for testosterone. If
found guilty following the B sample, he probably
would receive a two-year ban.
Reineri did not know the testosterone level in
Mitchell's sample. The allowable ratio of testos
terone to epitestosterone (another natural sub-
Aikman says he enjoys
Cowboys' open offense
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Photo courtesy of Texas A&M Sports Information
Former A&M Track and Field standout Randy
Barnes set the world indoor shotput record in 1989.
stance) is 6:1. Anything above that level merits
an investigation.
Mitchell's suspension was handed down last
week, after he finished fifth in the Goodwill
Games 100 and ran on the winning U.S. 400-me
ter relay team. If Mitchell is banned, he and the re
lay team of Jon Drummond, Tim Harden and
Maurice Greene would be disqualified and forced
to refund all prize money from the meet.
Mitchell was entered in the U.S. Open at Ed-
wardsville. 111., Saturday night, but the IAAF
would not allow him to compete.
aiming’s agent
grees to terms
iNDERSON, Ind. (AP) — Peyton Manning's
itand Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian
:hed agreement on contract terms for the top
tpick on Tuesday, the club announced,
earn spokesman Craig Kelley said no details
e available on the agreement between Polian
agent Tom Condon. He said final details on
agreement would be completed Wednesday.
ESPN reported the contract was worth $45
lion over six years with an $11.6 million bonus.
r Veroi# Negotiations to get Manning, who has missed
U practices since workouts began at Ander-
a)i UPF University on Friday, were conducted for
st of the day at the team's headquarters.
Polian and Condon weren't available for
nment. They didn't immediately respond to
!phone messages.
The agreement came two days after quarter-
kRyan Leaf, the second overall pick, reached
eement on a five-year, $31.25 million deal with
_ San Diego Chargers that included an $11.25
llion signing bonus. Although Polian and Con-
lf n didn't say so, it was believed they would
pjujKi' it for the Leaf deal to be finalized to give them
etter framework for negotiations.
^ Polian had said while he had been seeking to tie
Manning for longer. Leaf's contract made the
Its more willing to accept a five-year contract.
Manning has said he wasn't determined to
at Leaf's deal.
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NFL owners unanimously approve
McCombs’ purchase of Vikings
GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — Red McCombs
will be the new owner of the Minnesota Vikings.
NFL team owners to
day unanimously ap
proved the Vikings' $250
million purchase by the
San Antonio business
man and decided how to
stock the expansion
Cleveland Browns.
The new Browns, who
will begin play in 1999,
will get at least 30 veter
an players from other teams and 14 extra draft
choices in their first two years, commissioner
Paul Tagliabue announced.
Tagliabue and several owners said the plan will
allow the Browns to be competitive immediately
much like the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville
Jaguars, the last two expansion teams.
No decision was made on picking an owner
for the Browns. At least seven groups have pub
licly expressed interest in buying the team,
which could go for $500 million or more.
Tagliabue said owners will meet again Aug.
19 to consider bidding for the Browns, which he
said will result in a sale by mid-September.
Approval of the Vikings' sale to McCombs
had been expected after the league's finance
committee unanimously endorsed it Monday
night. McCombs' partner, Gary Woods, said the
sale should close by mid-August.
"I think this team has a very good chance
of winning every game on the schedule," Mc
Combs said.
McCombs said he will spend a month eval
uating the team but does not anticipate a shake-
up. He reiterated his promise to keep the team
in Minnesota but said he understands fans'
concerns about an owner who wants an NFL
team in south Texas.
On Monday night, the league's finance com
mittee unanimously approved McCombs' bid.
That committee recommended accepting the bid
to the rest of owners.
McCombs, who first bid $187 million for the
Vikings in February, paid a reported $250 mil
lion for the club. His bid was accepted by the
Vikings ownership group July 2.
"I'm very excited about it," McCombs said.
"I expected it to go that way, but it is a very nec
essary step in the approval process and I'm glad
we got past it."
The author originally outbid McCombs and
Vikings president Roger Headrick, but Clancy
skipped the required finance committee meet
ing when it became apparent he didn't have the
$200 million to back the bid.
WICHITA FALLS, Texas (AP) —
It's blast-furnace hot, but Troy
Aikman seems not to notice.
He has decided to run a few laps
after two practices on a day when
the mercury bubbled up to 106 de
grees. He jokes with teammates.
He signs some autographs. He
gives a few interviews.
Football is a joy again for the Dal
las Cowboys quarterback, and it
seems as though he hates to leave the
Midwestern State University field.
"I sense we're getting better every
day," the sweat-soaked Aikman said.
"We're having more peaks than val
leys. This is a new philosophy for me
and it's exciting."
Aikman and new coach Chan
Gailey have a relationship of re
spect, and it's obvious in the way
they work together.
Gailey demands discipline and
tolerates no nonsense on the field.
They're the very two things Aik
man found lacking in the departed
regime of Barry Switzer.
"I think the offense we had been
running was a pretty good one,"
Aikman said. "Those in football
know it (the problem) was not the
system. We won three Super Bowls
with it. It wasn't the system. It was
the execution."
Now Aikman has a brand-new
offense that sometimes features the
shotgun, four-wide receiver sets
and Michael Irvin in the backfield
or in the slot.
"Chan has a lot of confidence in
his ability to attack a defense," Aik
man said. "He has some really good
ideas. It all boils down to if we exe
cute we will win. Everyone believes
in what we are doing and it makes it
exciting to come to practice."
And, yes, contrary to popular
misconception, Aikman doesn't
hate the shotgun.
"I've never said I didn't like the
shotgun," Aikman said. "It has its
good points. I'm more than willing
to give it a chance. It gives you a lit
tle extra time to get rid of the ball."
Aikman caught a lot of the
blame last year in the Cowboys' 6-
10 season. He was sacked 33 times
and served up 12 interceptions.
Then, to prove things could get
Aikman
even worse for the quarterback,
part of his new burned down. And
he had an operation to take a can
cerous mole off his neck.
Along came Gailey, the former
offensive coordinator at Pitts
burgh, who
immediately
earned Aik-
man's re
spect.
"He's got a
way he does
things and
doesn't vary
from them,"
Aikman said.
"He's definite
ly in control."
Aikman, now a 10-year-veteran,
feels so good he's even joking
about his age.
"As long as John Elway, Dan
Marino, Warren Moon, and Steve
DeBerg are playing I really feel like
a young buck," he said.
Gailey has confidence and re
spect in his "young" quarterback.
"Troy thinks he should complete
every pass," Gailey said. "I'm will
ing to concede that's not possible al
though I seek perfection.
"He's just a great person. All
you have to do is play golf with
him to find that out. I doubt we'll
ever go on vacation together, but
he is a perfectionist and there's
nothing wrong with that."
Asked if he was having fun,
Aikman said, "Yeah, for now. But
we know the only fun is winning.
Last year wasn't. Now, I think we
have a chance again to get back to
the playoffs."
Aikman has shown he can do
wondrous things in the playoffs —
he's 11-2 in the postseason, and 3-0
in Super Bowls.
"Right now we're trying to get
our confidence back," he said. "We
need to get comfortable with what
we're doing."
On Tuesday, the rejuvenated Aik
man did the unthinkable for some
one who has had seven career con
cussions. He scored on a quarterback
sneak during a live scrimmage.
Asked what he thought of that,
Gailey said, "Well, he scored."
Valderama fined record amount
NEW YORK (AP) — Miami Fu
sion midfielder Carlos Valderrama
was fined a record $10,000 by Major
League Soccer Tuesday for refusing
to train with his American club.
The 36-year-old midfielder re
fused to partiepate in practice on Fri
day, hours after Argentine coach Ca
che Cordoba was fired and replaced
by Ivo Wortmann. He also failed to
show up for Saturday morning's
training session and Wortmann did
not take the disgruntled player to
Boston for Sunday's game against
the New England Revolution.
The fine was double the previ
ous largest fine issued by MLS, a
$5,000 sanction to Tampa Bay
goalkeeper Thomas Ravelli earlier
this month.
Ravelli also was suspended six
games for kicking a ball which
struck referee Ruben Rodhas in the
Mutiny's 3-2 loss to New England
on July 4.
Miami won Wortmann's debut 2-
1 against the Revolution. Wortmann
was to meet with Valderrama later
Tuesday to discuss his status for Mi
ami's home match Wednesday night
against Columbus.
Valderrama, voted MVP of the last
two MLS all-star games, is scheduled
to start for the World team versus the
United States in this year's contest on
Sunday at Orlando, Fla.
The MLS' 1996 season MVP and
one of three finalists for the award
last year, Valderrama had played in
two league and one U.S. Open Cup
matches since his return from the
World Cup on July 18.