European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 17, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday september 17, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 25 acc East Roundup patriots picked to replace Colts in two team Battle for Crown by Gordon Beard Baltimore a the Miami dolphins Are hurting the Buffalo Bills Are trying to rebound and the new York jets Start the Long Road Back without Joe Namath. As a result the Eastern division of the american conference appears to be a Clear two team Battle Between the new England patriots and the Baltimore Colts. Baltimore has won the last two division championships in a remarkable turnabout after winning just 11 games Over the Previ Ous three seasons but most observers figure new England will replace the Colts at the top in 1977. The pats were impressive at the end of last season winning their last six regular season games. Then in the first round of the National football league playoffs they lost 24-21 to Oakland s eventual super bowl champions in the final 10 seconds following a couple of controversial Calls which still rankle the  won the division with the same 11-3 record As new England but forthe second straight year the Colts were crushed in the first round of the playoffs by Pittsburgh. The Only fortunate thing about the 40-14 score was the fact that the rout sent most of Baltimore s fans Home Early before a Light plane crashed into the empty upper deck at memorial stadium soon after the game  addition to comparing the playoff re sults the forecasters also Point to the 1977schedule As a reason for picking the pats Over the Colts. While the Colts include Pittsburgh Washington and Denver among their six foes outside the division Cleveland is new England s Only outside opponent which posted a winning record last year. It s the Luck of the draw said Balti More coach Ted Marchibroda but it definitely gives them the Edge. I just wish the division Champion could be decided by playing the same  position scheduling with matchup decided in part by the league finish of the previous season does t go into effect until 1978. So Baltimore s Best bet this year would be to sweep the Home and series with new England. We Don t have any Cushion Marchi Broda said. We can t afford to lose and we have to win All the games we re sup posed to  i always thought you were the Champi on until you were beaten Marchibroda said. Anyway we weren t favored the past two years so that s nothing  Baltimore s defense even if defensive end John Dutton never ends his holdout figures to improve. Linebacker Tom Mac Blount ends holdout with see ers Pittsburgh up cornerback Mel Blount a mainstay in the Pittsburgh Steeles defensive secondary thursday night ended a 56-Day holdout and reported to the team for the 1977 season. Blount also dropped a $5million defamation of character suit he had filed against Steeles coach Chuck Noll. Lawyers for the Steeles would have had to answer the suit Friday in court in new Orleans. A Steeles spokesman said Blount s cur rent contract which runs through 1979, was not renegotiated or extended. Blount who will be in his eighth season with the team also was fined for missing the entire pre season training Camp. Blount and his attorney Reg Foster met with Steeles president Dan Rooney for one hour thursday and later at a hurriedly called news conference Rooney said in a statement we have resolved our differences and Are Happy Mel will be playing with the Steeles. That was our primary objective during this entire  Blount said he reconsidered several things and Felt it was in his Best interests to return to the team. O Brien gives warriors draft pick for la s Wilkes new York a commissioner Larry o Brien of the National basketball association has awarded the Golden state warriors a first round draft pick of the los Angeles lakers in the 1978 College draft wind be calms America s cup continued from Page 21 off Southern Cross 4-0. The aussies blamed their first race loss on a poor Choice of sails but were prevented from taking advantage of the Lay Day they asked for As wind gusts wednesday reached 25 knots and nobody in his right mind would risk a $1.5-million 12-meter yacht under those conditions. Australian skipper Noel Robins was a second in front As the boats crossed the starting line under Ideal racing conditions. Courageous had its Jib up first and then Turner hoisted a 5-ounce Genoa to take advantage of the Light 10-knot wind the heaviest attained during the Day and considered Best for the aussies courageous Crew immediately proved its superiority in tactics and seamanship As it reached the first Mark 48 seconds ahead of Australia. On tuesday the first leg margin was 68 seconds. Again the aus sies found their finest moment on the second leg when they trimmed Turner s time to 20 seconds. Turner brilliantly squeezed under Robins and forced the aussie skipper to take two extra tacks on the second leg but the Atlanta braves owner lost ground when he jibe a boat length too soon. Courageous picked up Speed on the third leg and was 44 seconds in front rounding the Mark As Turner had his Crew unfurl the lightweight red White and Blue Spinnaker. He was at his Best in the following beat when he opened his Lead to More than 10 plus $250,000, As compensation for the lakers signing of Forward Jamaal Wilkes earlier this summer. Wilkes played out his option with the warriors during the 1976-77 season became a free agent and signed with the lakers. The two teams could not agree on compensation so the decision reverted to o Brien under the collective bargaining agreement Between the Aba and the play ers association. The warriors will receive the earliest of the three picks the lakers had accumulated in the first round of the 1978 draft. Wilkes a College Star at Urcla was the warriors first round pick in 1974. He was the Aba s Rookie of the year and played in the 1976 All Star game. Last year the slender 6foot-6 Forward averaged 17.7 Points per game. O Brien issued a 19-Page opinion in which he detailed the negotiations which led to his Long awaited decision. In it he said he found the compensation packages suggested by Golden state Are  in a submission received by the league aug. 24, Golden state sought As compensation the assignment of Kareem Abdul Jabbar s contract or payment in the amount of Wilkes total contract with Losangeles or $1,250,000, whichever was  when this was rejected the warriors asked for either $1 million plus two 1978 first round draft choices or the two firs around picks $750,000 and two players from among Kermit Washington Earl Tatum and Kenny  the negotiations the lakers offered one first round  Brien s Compromise decision leans considerably closer to the lakers offer than to the warriors demands. Jones hut Hundred race Terre haute ind. Up Bubby Blount sued Noll after the Pittsburgh coach said Blount s rough play could qualify him As belonging to what Noll called professional sports criminal  Noll made the statement in july during testimony in a slander suit filed against him by cornerback George Atkinson of the Oakland raiders. A Federal court jury ruled in favor of Noll. Blount who lives in Slidell la., and raises Quarter horses on a farm he owns in Georgia was named the National football league s most valuable defensive player in 1975. Morrall joins Lions staff to assist coaches Pontiac Mich. A Earl Morrall former Detroit quarterback has Bee hired by the Lions to assist the coaching staff the National football league club announced Here. Morrall 43, played with Detroit from1958-1964. In his 21-year nil career the second longest in league history he also played with san Francisco Pittsburgh new York Baltimore and  played College football at Michigan state and was in the 1956 Rose bowl. Earl has a lot of experience and should help us a great Deal Lions coach Tommy Hudspeth said. Hell be in the press Box with our coaches observing checking opposition coverages and offering suggestions that should help  Morrall said i did t want to get into coaching but this Way i can keep Active in football. I want to stress that i m not Here to replace someone. I m Here merely As adviser just to help Tommy and the other  the Lions said Morrall would join them in Chicago on sunday for Detroit s opening game of the regular season against the bears. Leod is Back healthy and Veteran Corner Back Norm Thompson was signed after playing out his option with St. Louis. On offence the Colts Are loaded with quarterback Bert Jones who passed for 3, 104 Yards and 24 touchdowns running Back Lydell Mitchell a 1,200-Yard rusher and wide receiver Roger Carr who caught 43 passes for 1,112 Yards. New England however can counter with quarterback Steve Grogan who passed for 1,903 Yards and 18 touchdowns last season while operating behind a line which permitted Only 18 sacks. He s also a running threat having scored 12 touch Downs on the ground. Fullback Sam Cunningham rushed for 824 Yards despite missing three games be cause of injury in 1976. His replacement Don Calhoun pounded out 721 More. But it was defense where the pats with a 3-4 front and Superior deep backs had a Clear Edge on the Colts. Buffalo 2-12 last season Hopes to regain respectability As quarterback Joe Ferguson and fullback Jim Braxton come Back healthy. Ferguson passed for 2.426 Yards and 24 ads in 1975, but missed half of last season after fracturing some Bones in his Back. Braxton was Hurt on the first play of 1976.even without Braxton s blocking super Star . Simpson won the nil Rushing title with 1,503 Yards. Simpson who says hell play Only two More years needs Only 98 Yards to replace Joe Perry As runner up on the All time list and trails Jim Brown by 2,686. His Job will be a bit tougher however now that the Bills have traded tackle Donnie Green. But the Bills chief problem continues to be defense As it was last year when they lost their last 10 straight including nine in a Row under Jim Ringo a second year coach in search of his first Victory. Miami 6-8 last season has monumental obstacles to overcome As coach Don Shula tries to rebuild for the second time in the 1970s. On top of recent defections and retire ments and last year s raft of knee injuries the dolphins lost defensive tackles Randy Crowder and Don Reese after they pleaded no contest to charges of attempting to sell cocaine. As the season approaches defensive end Bill Stanfill safety Charlie Babb and guard Bob Kuechenberg Are out with injuries. And Miami signed free agent Steve Spurrier monday after Veteran Quarter Back Bob Griese experienced blurred vision. The jets Hope to improve on a 3-11 record under new head coach Walt Michaels and quarterback Richard Todd who no longer will have the spectre of Namath watching from the sidelines. Todd still has outstanding receivers in Jerome Barkum and Rich Caster plus highly rated Rookie Wesley Walker. Clark Gaines will have to maintain his Rookie Effort of 724 Yards Rushing but the line is the weakest link in the offence. Most of new York s draft concentrated on offence leaving the defensively oriented Michaels to perform some sleight of hand magic with a unit which recorded Only 16 sacks in 1976.the jets allowed new England 79 Points in two games last year and Baltimore was held to 53. Much work needs to be done and it won t be accomplished overnight. Lauda signs with Brabham minutes. Then the wind dropped off and it Jones won the 25th annual hut Hundred turned into a frustrating Day of no decision Sac midget race grabbing the Lead on for the Brash courageous skipper. The 69th Lap to beat Mel Kenyon London up Niki Lauda assigned a two year contract for the Brab Ham formula 1 team which will make him the highest paid grand prix Driver in history Brabham team manager Bernie Ecclestone said thursday. We have signed Lauda and our sponsorship will be with the italian Parlamas company next year Ecclestone said. We have ended our sponsorship agree ment with  Lauda who already has sewn up this year s world championship announced aug. 29 he was quitting the Ferrari team and for the past two weeks there has been speculation whether he would join Brab Ham or the Wolf team of Canadian Multi millionaire Walter Wolf. I cannot Tell you How much Lauda is being paid but i can say that the Deal will make him the highest paid formula 1 grand prix Driver Ever Ecclestone said. Other sources in formula 1 racing said the figure was around one third of a million dollars. Lauda also won the world championship in 1975