European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 23, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday. September 23,1987 the stars and stripes Page 81 sports nil players go on strike by Dave Goldberg new York a nil players called i hair Sec Ond strike in six years monday night pulling i Cir  figure salaries on the line for the Freedom 10 choose where they Ivory. As of Midnight tonight inc players of the National football league will be on strike again and that s really really  cd Tiff Upshaw executive director of inc nil players association snid in announcing the strike during halftime of the new England patriots new York jets game monday night. There s no Way in can be averted. We be been Torci d Inlo an action that s bad for inc players the fans and the  the owners vowed to continue the season after a one week delay with non striking regulars and free agents who were Lold 10 report wednesday the same Day the Union planned to Start picketing. The owners said icy would Honor requests for ticket refunds. The main Issue is free Agency. The Union wants any player Wajih More than four years in inc nil to be free to negotiate with any team while the owners insist on some compensation for teams losing free agents a sys tem that has seen Only one player change teams in the past decade. The i �s2 strike which lasted 57 Days and Cost seven games of inc 16-game schedule was Over Money but since then the average player salary has risen froms90.000 to 1230.000 a year. Free Agency cannot be summed up in terms of dollars. It s not about Money it s about dignity and Freedom up thaw said. It s about who you work  there had been no talks since a meeting Friday be tween Upshaw and management Council negotiator Jack Donlan. And no further negotiations were scheduled. The Ball is in Gene s court said Jim Conway assistant executive director of the management Council the two sides have met 19 limes since the first Exchange of proposals on april 20, and each Side has made j us one counterproposal both within the last two weeks. Donlan said he Ofle Rcd concessions Friday on sever Al issues including pension and roster size if Upshaw would delay the strike 30 Days. Bui Upshaw said inc Only specific proposal was to increase rosters from 45 players to 49. For two weeks they refused to meet they were Loo Busy Donlan said. With seven Days left they made their first economic proposal. It would Cost $200 Mil lion and throw out the system thai is working. We have a Good system. It s taken the players up to $300,000 a year. We Don t want to throw that out a management Council Stalc ment monday said free Agency was the Only Issue hint could not be settled. Although Upshaw told the players to expect a Long strike he said in should not Lake Long to Settle the differences. I think you could her mtr out a Deal in n Mailer of a Day but in will Laic two or three Days to do the language Upshaw said. If we started today there would do no reason Ilire could t be games sunday even if we talked tomorrow it could still be done. I n 1982 they took eight weeks off and came right Back Conway said it would take a lot longer we Don t took for this falling id in 24 hours he said we think the parties have some hard bargaining Between where we Are now and any labor  commissioner fete Rozelle who attended the Man see strike an Page 25 Jeff beat patriots 43-24 strike is on the Denny Broncos player representative linebacker Ricky Hunley carries a strike sign As he Tes Rej a Iram meeting at which the players idled to go on strike Al Midnight monday. East Rutherford n j. A Al Toon s 58 Yard touchdown reception broke open a Light game monday night and helped the new York jets to a 43 24 Victory Over the new England patriots in the final nil game before the players went on strike. The jets held just a 6-3 Lead Al halftime but struck for three touchdowns in the third Quarter with Johnny Hector scoring on runs of live and nine Yards. Toon an All pro wide receiver last year out jumped cornerback Raymond Cray born Al me patriots 33 Yard line to grab the pass from Ken o Brien then broke Clayborn s tackle and sped Inlo the end zone. Four plays later Tony Collins fumbled and new York s Russell Carter recovered on the 30. O Brien who had a Streak of j3 straight completions in the game passed 16 Yards to Toon. Two plays later. Hector swept into the end zone for a 20-3 Lead new England which had Only 17 Yards on offence in inc decisive third period got a break when Rookie Roger Virk fumbled Al his 32 on new York s neat series. Andre Tippet resumed the turnover 32 Yards far a touchdown. Unfazed the jets came right Back. Jojo Townsel ran 60 Yards with the ensuing Kickoff to the patriots 32, he was caught from behind by Ernest Gibson As he appeared headed for the end zone. The jets got into the end zone anyway As icy drove to the 9 and Hector again scored on a sweep. New York added a safety 69 seconds Inlo the final Quarter when Many Lyons tackled Mosi Tatupu in the end zone after a punt by Dave Jennings was downed on the 3. Pal Leahy kicked Field goals of 22 and 34 Yards for the jets in the first half. Tony Franklin Hil from 32 Yards in the second period for new England i i. And Greg Baty caught a 1-Yard touchdown pass from Tony Eason in the fourth Quarter. With the Victory inc jets joined the los Angeles raiders As the Only 2-0 teams in the acc. Nuu Faaola added two i Yard touchdowns in the final period o Brien who finished 19-for-m for 313 Yards his in la 300-Yard game Hil Wesley Walker with a i9-Yard pass just before Fanala s first touch Down. Toon had 89 Yards on three catches one More Yard than Walker got on four receptions. The patriots staged their second straight 80-Yard March for their final score with Stephen starring catching a 12-Yard touchdown pass. But new eng land s offence did not Click until it was Loo Laie gaining Only 57 Yards through three periods. Eason was a last minute starter because Steve Gro Gan who led the patriots to a 28-21 Victory Over Miami in the opener suffered neck and muscle spasms in the War maps the jets defense spotty in the second half of a 31 28 Victory at Buffalo last week had five sacks in the first hair two each by linebackers Bob can blk and Alex Gordon and one by nose in Klc Gerald Nichols Gordon and Nichols arc rookies. The patriots had successive sacks of o Brien Early in the second Quarter by nose tackle Toby Williams and linebacker Don Blackmon. But o Brien Shook off those tackles and hit Toon for inc big touchdown on the next play. New England got a break 4 4$ into the second period when Mickey Shulor fumbled Al the jets 38. Tippelt re covered then Collins gained 11 Yards on a trap play. An illegal hit by the jets Jerry Holmes gave new England a first Down at the 17, but new York held and Franklin s 32-Yard Field goal made i 6-3. The Juls to cd their second fourth and inches Gam ble with three minutes Lefi in the half bul fun Jolt Ivas stopped at the new England 47. But the patriots could Noi take advantage. New England lost three starters in the first half running Back Craig James and guard Ron Woolen with twisted Knees and Rookie tackle Bruce Armstrong with a twisted ankle. Tile last game before inc 1982 strike was also played in giants stadium with Green Bay beating inc new York cunts. Players support nearly unanimous by the associated press National football league players expressed near unanimous support for their Union s Call for a strike while management made plans to Hustle in replace ment players 10 keep the season going. The thing is this if we Are going to do this we re got to do Ilas a team Dallas cowboys running Back Tony Dor sett said. If someone takes it on himself to Cross the picket line that person is going to create a lot of negative vibes within the family.  could be some thing that could  tear this Tuani apart.". The Chicago bean voted unanimously monday night to join the strike while the st. Louts cardinals fell one vote Short of unanimity. It s a shame we re not 100 percent said cardinals player representative Joe Bostic who did l name the player. I m not sure whether he is going to Cross or  Here there is 100 percent solidary  bears linebacker Mike Singletary said after his team voted. We believe in the Issue. We believe that something has 10 be done and we by Iee thai an agreement has to come  Indianapolis Colts Puvar rep Nesby Glasgow expects "90 to 9i percent of the Guys will be out if not 100  Coin owner Robert Irsay said he has signed 30 free agents and would held the Best team  i be got signs they re All printed up and ready to go los Angeles rams player representative Carl Ekorn said. And no they re not left Over from 1982. I Haven t talked with any of the Guys who Are planning to play but i d love 10." Ekorn added. I d like to Tell them the effect they re having on nil players. Bul i Don t anticipate any  Neil Olkewicz of the Washington redskins had said he will try to make in difficult for replacement players to enter the redskins practice facility. We Don t know if there will be any problems redskins general manager Bobby Beathard said but we re plan Ning to take All the precautions Nec  Many of the players feel this thing could have been averted if the two sides had gotten together George Martin of the new York giants said. Dave Durson. Assistant player rep for the rears believed the Issue of free Agency was overblown by both sides. The owners could perk up our ears if they came up with benefits in other areas tic said. Nobody will Benefit Dallas defensive tackle Randy White said. Every body will