European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 31, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday March 31, 198? the stars and stripes Page 25 expect smoke before nil talks ignite  Angeles in it ii May get noisy Over the next five months. Most of it won t mean a thing because that s the nature of collective bargaining in professional football. The players Union will insist we want this  the owners will respond no  Only when  brought to beari.e., season is threatened by a strike Wilt negotiations Between the National football league players association and the owners grow More serious and substantive. Neither Side wants another unite. The last one in 19s2,Cost owners and players a lot or Money and left a bad enough taste in people s Mouths that league attendance an television ratings a not been the Sam since. To avoid All thai again the chief negotiators breach Side Gene Upshaw Orvic Union and Jack Donlan of the nil management councils have kept things  that continues into the summer however remains to be seen. For among the players demands arc two total free Agency and guaranteed contracts that would amount to fundamental changes. Analyst the Union argues that these arc Basic freedoms town Ich any employee is anti tied a player should have the right to select his workplace and a contract should be binding on both parties. For example if Phil Simms of the giants wanted to play for the jets he would Beable to change teams at the end or his contract and if the jets were to sign him for live years they Wouldhave to pay him the entire Amoun t of the contract. Under the current system which the owners would like to keep in place stems could switch teams Only if the giants failed to exercise their right of first refusal and if the jets resumed compensation to the giants. Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement that expires in August inc giant would be entitled to two no. I draft choices. And if Simms talents suddenly failed him the juts could dismiss him with just a Severance payment. Presumably a Compromise system can be reached. Out As important As free Agency and  con tracts May be to the players and m unfathomable As they May seem to the owners the Mckage from the Union leadership is that free Agency and guaranteed contracts arc no More critical to the membership than the Otter bargaining demands. They Dudt an improved pension plan a More efficient grievance proce Dure a drug program that does not it Lilc random testing  for players who serve rhe uni neither As officers or As team representative and the players have been schooled to i lie nation that free Agency and guaranteed contracts As coveted As they Are. Cannot exist in a vacuum. Tin other changes Are just As important Upshaw says. It could be that inc equal treatment Given to All the bargaining demands May in fact serve in i Fin the blow if and when the owners maintain their intransigence on free Agency and guaranteed contracts. Or it could serve to rationalize a walk out. In either Case in bargaining process has to endure a Rainy season of words before the seeds of a settlement Are sown. Mike Tyson left takes his 294 Mark is. Pink Lon Thomas 29-1-f, May 30 to vegas Tyson signs to fight Thomas in heavyweight title defense new York a unbeaten heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson will de fend his lilies May 30 in Las vegas,nev., against former world Champion Pink Lon Thomas Tyson s co manage has con tinned. It s signed it s Complete it s solid Bill cation said of Tyson s scheduled defense of Bis world boxing association and world boxing Council titles against Thomas the former wac Champ. The fight will be the first of four planned for the 20-year-old Tyson for tic remainder of this year Cayton said. He said Tyson plans to meet the win Ner of the International boxing federation title fight Between Tony Tucker television College basketball Mcaa men s championship game taped 10 30 , followed by Mcaa women s championship gome taped. And James Douglas plus British heavy weight Frank Bruno and olympic Gold medallist Tyroll Biggs. Cayton said Tyson plans to Light the if Champion in july Bruno in England in september and Biggs in november. Thomas 29, lost his wac title a year ago to former Canadian Champion tre Vor Berbick whom Tyson beat for the title lost november. Thomas is probably outside of Mike the Best fighter in the world Cayton said. He has not looked great in his los two fights but he was t motivated. We believe against Mike Tyson he s going lobe very motivated Thomas 29-1-1, won his last two fights both knockouts in the seventh round Over Danny Sutton on March 7and William Hosca lost nov. 22. Tyson went to 29-0, with 26 Knock outs after a unanimous decision March 7 Over Aba Champion Boncor Shersmith. The fight lacked spark with Smith holding Tyson throughout. Pay ton would t mind owning London team London