European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 23, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday december 23, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 23 i of Pace cars say beef is yes to come by Chuck melv1n Richfield Ohio a if you like what you be seen of the Cleveland Cava Liers so far this season hang on. Mark Price says the Best is yet to come. We re not As Good As we re going to be Price said. We re a Young learn. We still have a lot to  Don t iry telling thai to he Detroit pistons Atlanta Hawks Utah jazz or Boston celtics four Premier teams that were embarrassed by inc Cavaliers. Cleveland beat the pistons 119-98, the Hawks 120-94, inc the 110-94 and the celtics 11s-114 in their last four games. The victories gave Cleveland a 17-5 Mark inc Best winning percentage .773 in the Aba. The inv Ahers have won 10 of their last 12 games under coach Lenny Wilkins and they be become almost unbeatable at Home with 13 victories in heir last 20 games dating to last season including playoff games. We can t judge our season by these last few games Price said. These two games Aren t typical. We re not going to win every game by 20  still Price said the impressive show Ings against two of he Aba s lop teams Speaks Well of the Cavaliers future. It s exciting to see the potential thai we have but its a Long season he said. The Cavaliers transformation from a rebuilding team to a contender appears to have taken place last season after for wards Larry Nance and Mike Sanders were acquired in a mid season Trade with. Phoenix. When Nance and Sanders have been in inc starting lineup with Price Ron Harper and Brad Daugherty the Cava Liers have gone 20-8. I m sure they re gelling More comfortable with each other  Atlanta coach Mike Fralc Llo said. The More games you play the More Confidence you  Price was outstanding in the two most recent victories scoring 17 Points in the first half of each game. He had a flawless first half against Atlanta going 7-Lbr-7 from the Field and 2-for-2 from inc foul line without committing a turnover. He finished with 23 Points. The victories followed a ii1-102 loss to the defending Champion los Angeles lakers dec. 13. Cleveland fans have shown their appreciation for the Cavaliers by turning out in record numbers. Last week s three games Drew a total of 57,574 fans to the coliseum 19,191 per games franchise record for a three game week. The Victory Over Atlanta also avenged one of the Cavaliers two Home losses this season 97-95 on nov. 15. Price took Only seven shots in that game. We changed it up a lot this time Price said. The last time we played them they bogged us Down in our half court game. So we wanted to spread the floor. We had our big Guys come up High and set picks and could come off them in either  Cleveland s improvement has been aided by a Strong Bench with Forward John Williams As the sixth Man and vet eran tree Rollins As a backup to Daug Herty. You saw it last year in the playoffs when they started to improve said at Lanta s Dominique Wilkins referring to Cleveland s 3-2 loss to Chicago in a first round playoff series. Osborne Cor huskers May have been paid Omaha neb. A in Light of Oklahoma players saying they took improper gifts and Money from sooner alumni and boosters Nebraska coach Tom Osborne says it is possible Nebraska football players did the same without the knowledge of Cor Husker coaches. I think it certainly can happen of Bonic said tuesday. "1 guess whenever we be v Felt that maybe there was the possibility of an improper relation ship we be tried to step in "1 think there have been three or four limes in the last 15 years where i be asked someone to slay away from the  Philadelphia eagles Light end Keith Jackson said tues Day he had taken improper gifts and Money As a col Csc player at Oklahoma Oklahoma coach Barry Saiwer said similar situations happen in other College football programs. It happens at Nebraska. It happens at Texas. It happens in every major College football program in America Switzer said in reaction la the Mcaa probation placed on the sooner Early this week. When you re dealing with Over 100 football players it is almost impossible to say thai no one has Ever taken a it Ayr out to dinner or Given him a $ to Bill of bomb said. Osborne "1 think the players Are basically aware of what s Legal and what in to and most fans Are aware of bomb told the Omaha world a child a lot of it has to do with the environment surrounding the program. 1 think Here at Nebraska i Haven t Felt it As a common problem. Like i said i m sure it Musl occur occasionally.". The Mcaa placed Oklahoma s football. Program on a three year probation Mon Day with severe sanctions for numerous violations. Nebraska received a one year Proba Tion without sanctions in 1986. In the midst of its Mcaa investigation Nebraska ended its Lincoln Parent pro Gram Osome said because of the Mcaa s concern about inc potential for players getting extra benefits. The program joined Lincoln sponsors with players from outside the City in an Effort to give them a Home Selling while Al Nebraska. That was the main reason the Lin Coln Parent program was really Scrulia Nied by the Mcaa when it came Here Osborne said. Quile often when a relationship develops Between a family and a player ills very easy for the Parent to begin feeling some Bond with the player l hat exceeds  an Mcaa investigator told Osome he was really surprised when they looked at the Lincoln Parent program and did t find More than the did Osome said. The Mcaa found one player who drove a vehicle owned by his Lincoln parents without paying for its use. Mike Sanders came to Cleveland in an "87 Trade with Phil Nix. Driver Lanier sentenced to life term in drug Case Benton 111. A Randy Lan Ier the 1986 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the year was sentenced wednes Day to life in prison without parole for his part in a multimillion Dollar drug smuggling operation. You have caused a lot of heartache and ruined a lot of lives in this coun try . District judge James fore Man said in sentencing Lanier 34, on charges he helped spearhead a drug operation that brought More than 600,000 pounds of marijuana into the United states from Colombia. A few minutes earlier Lanier had told the judge he thought a life sen tence without parole would be cruel and unusual punishment a person should not have to  rest of his life in prison for marijuana Lanier of Davit. Fla., said. -. A. Foreman said he detected a hostile Lone in Lanier s remarks but Lanier s attorney Robert Ritchie of Knos Ville said later. The change in the tone of his Lanier a  to keep his composure. He was trying to keep from  Wilchie called inc sentence unjust and said he would file an Appeal with in today. A Federal jury convicted Lanier an two co defendants oct. 4 on charges of engaging in a continuing criminal Enterprise and conspiring to distribute More than 1,000 pounds of Mari Juana from i9s2-86, a fourth defendant was found guilty on the distribution charges. " in addition to the life sentence Lanier was sentenced wednesday to the maximum 40 years on the distribution charge and to five years on a third charge of conspiring to defraud the internal Revenue service. Braves Atlanta a the Atlanta braves Are trying to sign Detroit tigers infield or Darrell Evans a player the icam cast off More than 12 years ago. Braves general manager Bobby Cox con firmed inc Cam s efforts to sign Evans tues Day and said he was trying to Contact Evans agent Jerry Kaplein. He declined to be specific about the status of negotiations. He s somebody who could hit a Home run and win a game off the Bench Cox said of Evans. We need to upgrade our team in a lot of  Evans. 41, began his major league career with inc braves in 1969. He was traded to san Francisco on june 13,1976, along with shortstop Marty Perez for four players including Nisi baseman Willie Mon Lancz. He has hit 125 Home runs during the past four seasons with Detroit an average. Of 31.3 per season. In 1988, Evans batting average slipped from .257 to .208, and he hit 22 Home runs with 64 rib. That s the Type Guy we need somebody who s a threat off the Bench said. Braves manager Rusi Nixon. .