European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 27, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday March 27, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary kicking off pro football in Europe what a Comfort to hear he nil will play it again in London. Just when i yearned for a fix of football the league announced thai the rams and Broncos will meet in the second american bowl on aug. 9 at Wembley stadium. You might recall London s party Tor 80,000 last year. The bears and cowboys showed up. Their stars Guys like fridge and too tall left Early. It rained like crazy. Yet nothing could Dampen hat Bash. The fans stayed the whole four hours. They chanted the night away for one fleeting football game British fans pork cd on pigskin. Good for them that they get another showcase matchup. Two playoff learns. One super bowl team. Maybe one Day britons will get to Cash in their fanaticism Tor a football franchise. Not an annual exhibition. A real learn that plays in a real league in a real season. Then maybe Germany could join the fray with a least in Frankfurt. And Italy with a club in Milan. And suddenly gis in Europe could watch pro fool Ball. Live. It s a tar Flung concept. And yet. The american of plea to federation might go thai very mule. The what the Aff a league you haven1 heard of a league thai might never hit the Field. And when you Start calling it son of Usel you might want it to crash on the Field. The Aff Wilt officially announce its birth next month. It will kick off for the first Lime on feb. 26, 1988, it will Field 10 stateside teams new York Boston Chicago Detroit Tampa Bay Orlando Dallas Houston los Angeles and san Jose. It will probably Field a team in London and another . Club representing Birmingham and Man Chester. Some Day Frankfurt and Milan might land franchise. All that Juicy stuff came my Way last Dixon a league co founder breezed in with Bucky Fox his double breasted suit and full length coat and Dis played a convincing format. When Dixon finished i believed Spring football can work even if the Usel proved it can to t want to believe because of this european Angle. Live pro football Here i m on the bandwagon. Dixon practically guaranteed that England would have two teams. He said four millionaires arc vying for he London franchise. And Down Hen in Germany what arc the chances within three years excellent. Within two years very Good. Next year one in three he said. Dixon 36, flew Here to investigate the european Market for his father Dave the Backbone behind the Aff. The Dii ions own an antique business in new Orleans. Dave Dixon was instrumental in getting the Louisiana sup Rome built. Now he wants to build a rival to the National football league. I Hope the Dixons succeed where the United states football league failed. I could get into cover ing pro football Here i n the Spring. But will the Aff Fly no says the Best expert on German Ameri can relations. He s Bill Merll the old pro who ran army sports programs in Germany far 40 years. Now retired Merrill stays Active in Frankfurt by mingling with German sports officials. When Frank Dixon asked whom he should con tact about German stadiums i led him to stayed overnight Al Merrill a which gave the Young Maverick loads of Lime to sell his league. Merrill won t buy the obstacles arc insurmountable he says. Why stadium problems Merrill confirms thai All of Germany s big league soccer stadiums arc owned by Amateur sports clubs. The clubs would lock out a football team that might tear up their turf. Merrill figures that travel costs prevent Fielding a franchise on this Side of the Atlantic. He says for get the Aff. Period one league the Usel lost 1200 million and they hid big Bucks behind them. I can t see How this league could gel those big Bucks Merrill could be wrong Dixon says advertisers and to Are showing interest in the Aff just like Merrill was wrong saying George Allen would never consider coaching the Apps los Angeles franchise. The Aff wants name coaches like Allen. Joh Ralston Ted Marchibroda Steve Spurrier and Roll i Dotsch is that realistic contacted at his California Home. Allen said it s too Early for him to commit to the coaching Job. But he endorsed the league. I think it s a great concept said Allen whose last coaching Job was with the Usel s Arizona wranglers. I think this new league would be belter than the Usel because there would t be As Many egos involved and i Don t think costs would climb out of sight like they did in the 1 like this american football federation because it s an ideas league. Try these 1. Night games in the Stales so As not to conflict with baseball. 2. Sunday afternoon games in Europe they would appear on sunday morning stateside to thus bump i no against vulnerable Bible shows. 3. Quick games. None of these four hour nil ordeals. Aff games would Rush through less than three hours. 4. Young Talent. No More forcing athletes to play College Ball. The Aff would allow certain players logo pro right out of High school. Just like baseball and hockey. A split season. 6. A bust of la acc championship series 7. No extra Point kick Only two Point pass or run,8. No Field goals. 9. Points awarded for penetration. 10. Five officials instead of the nil s seven to Cut Down on Penally flags. The Best idea is pro football in Europe. Until the Aff Brines it Over we can get a kick out of the nil at Wembley. Red sox suffer More catching woes by Aveo Hara fort Lauderdale. Fla. A the Boston red sox s catching problems mounted wednesday when a rays Dis closed that Marc Sullivan suffered a Bro Ken toe in an exhibition game with the new York Yankees. It s broken Sullivan said As he limped Back to the learn Motel from the Hospital. It s the fourth toe on the left fool next to the Little Sullivan who inherited the starting Job when Catcher Rich gedman chose to become a free agent in january was injured when hit by a Low fast Ball thrown by new York s Dave Righetti with one out in the ninth inning tuesday. Sullivan remained in the game ran to third on a double by Glenn Hoffman and scored on a single by de Romero As inc red sox dropped a 7-3 decision to the Yankees they told me there in t much Hal can be done for this Type of said Sullivan who returned from the Hospital still wearing h is running Type shoes. I won t be Able to do anything for about a week but i think i la be ready for the season opener april 6 in Milwaukee he added. It s just a Tough break i guess things were going Loo Well for in 11 games mis Spring Sullivan is bailing .387. He has 11 hits including two doubles ind two homers scored five runs and driven in , 28, has backed up gedman As the red sox Catcher for two years but has played in Only 77 major league games Balling .200. Tyson Holmes talks Are of or Toronto a negotiations have broken off for a proposed heavy weight boxing bout Between world Cham Pion Mike Tyson and former world to la Holder Larry Holmes says Tyson s co manager. Earlier this month Tyson s handlers had spoken about attempts to lure Holmes out of retirement to face the unbeaten world boxing Council and world boxing association Champion. But Jimmy Jacobs who co manages Tyson said Holmes 37, wanted too much Money for the match. Thai s Over. Of or Jacobs said tuesday of the Holmes negotiations. Bill Cayton who co manages Tyson said earlier this month he had offered Holmes $3.2 million plus a percentage to meet Tyson. Holmes responded by asking for 13.5 million $500,00 up front and a percentage. He Holmes said if the Price was right they d have a Light said Dick Lovell a spokesman for Holmes. Evi Dently they weren t willing to make inc Price right Lovell said Tyson s handlers were More interested in generating publicity than setting up a bout with Holmes the former wac and International boxing federation Champion. Asked Why Tyson would need extra publicity Lovell said after his last two tights he does t look As great As he s been Jacobs also said Tyson unbeaten in 29 fights has no plans to meet smok in Bert Cooper his year. Cooper a protege of former world Champion Joe Frazier crushed Canadian heavyweight till Holder Willie de wit in less than a photo Larry Holmes. Price was t right for sex Champ two rounds in a non till Boul feb. 14 Al Regina. Bert Cooper will not be one of our opponents in 1987," Jacobs speaking by Telephone from new York said of the North american boxing federation cruiserweight 195-Pound Champion. He d have to become a heavyweight. It has to be perceived by the Public As a logical match. There arc two things that arc missing. Number one he s not ranked in the lop 10. Number two no fight Tyson if Tyson outweighs them by 20 pounds. In order to get the Public to Purchase tickets they have to perceive it s a heavyweight against a Hea Cooper is slated to meet America Boone Pultz next month with a televised Dale against Carl the truth Williams in inc works. But Cooper has said his goal is Tyson. He s got Tyson on the brain said Sharon Hatch Cooper s manager. Jacobs however said Tyson s fight schedule is tilled for 1987 and that inc 20-year-old Champion will fight four More times this year. We already have the four opponents. Our fights this year Are All solid As a Rock Jacobs said. Jacobs said an announcement concerning Tyson s next fight could be made As Early As this weekend. Speculation has entered on Tyson meeting former wac Champion Pink Lon Thomas on May 30 at Las vegas nov. Asked if he had signed contracts with the four opponents Jacobs said Lei me Pui it this Way every fighter desp Craith wants to make a million dollars. When comes to going 10 a fighter and saying do you want to fight for the world heavyweight championship and make a Mil lion dollars you really Don t have to be a great other possible opponents for Tyson this year arc Frank Bruno the British heavyweight who beat american James Quick till is on tuesday Kalian fran Cesco Damiani and the Winner of the Tony Tucker James Douglas bout for the vacant if title. Tyson was Al ringside tuesday in Lon Don to Sec Bruno Slop till is in inc fifth round
