European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday december 31.19b8 the stars and stripes Page 27 sports wire Esiason named nil most valuable player from press dispatches Cincinnati Boomer Esiason s value to the Cincinnati Bengali can t be measured by quarterback rankings. That s Why receiver Cris Collinsworth Shinta in i appropriate Tot Esiason to be named the nil i most valuable player. I dan1 think i be Ever been around a More dynamic Leader As a quarterback than what Boomer is Collinsworth said. And that probably is his biggest strength and his biggest asset for our football team especially alter last Esiason the try German in the league s top ranked offence was named thursday As the league s map by the associated press. He won the award in a close three Way Vole among sports writers and broadcasters covering each Octha nil s 28 teams. Esiason had 31 votes to 21 for quarterback Randall Cunningham of Philadelphia and it for running Back Roger Craig of san Francisco who was named the league1 top offensive player Mike Singletary of Chi Cago the defensive player of the year had six Voles and quarterback Warren Moon of Houston defensive tackle Keith Millard of Minnesota and running Back Herschel Walker of Dallas got one vote each. Esiason s personal statistics were impressive but not record setting 3,572 Yards passing 28 touchdowns a 57 percent completion Rale Ditka named a coach of year new York Mike ditto who lost a half dozen key players to retirement free Agency and injury and himself suffered a heart attack at mid season was named the associated press nil coach of the year thursday. Ditka led the Chicago bears to a 12-4 record and their fifth straight division title. It was the second time the award has gone to Ditka who also won in 1985,when Chicago won its first super bowl. Thai year the bears overwhelmed their opponents in route to a 15-1 regular season Mark and three lop sided playoff victories. This year was a struggle fro the Stan As Dilka had to paste together a team that included 13 rookies. You talk about a Guy who epitomizes the fighter who staggered in the Comer but came out slugging says Dave Mcminnis the team s linebacker co act Chicago was picked by Many forecasters to finish behind the Minnesota Vikings in the pfc Centra Lafter losing running Back Walter Payton and safety Gary Funcik to retirement and linebacker Wilbur mar shall to the Washington redskins in the first major free agent Transfer in a decade. That was compounded by season ending injuries to linebacker Otis Wilson and defensive tackle William Perry and Dilka s heart attack on nov. 2, Ditka Yasback on the sidelines 11 Days later As the bears beat the redskins 34-14 in Washington. But with All the problems Chicago still tied Cincin Nati and Buffalo for the Best record in the nil 12-4,and will have the Home Field advantage throughout the of playoffs. V Ditka got 33 votes in the balloting by writers and broadcasters who cover each of the nil s 28 teams. Buffalo s Marv Levy had 23 and Cincinnati s Sam Wychec was third with 19. Craig nabs a offensive honors Santa Clara Calif. Roger Craig of the san Francisco 49ers. Nil Leader in total yardage and key performer on the league s second ranked offence was named offensive player of the year thursday by the associated press Craig rushed for 1,502 Yards and nine touchdowns and caught 76 passes for 534 Yards and one score. He ranked third in the nil in Rushing and eighth in receptions but was tops in combined yardage with2,036. He averaged 4.8 Yards a run Best in the pfc. It s a Grai Honor not just for myself but for my teammates said Craig a six year Veteran. Especially for my offensive linemen Ana the Way they be played this year. And for the 49ers organization. It s a great Honor and something i did t expect till probably take a couple of Days for it to really Setin. 1ii say of i was chosen the offensive player throughout the whole league.1 thai s a phenomenal Honor.". Craig s contributions to san Francisco s 10-6 season and pfc West title cannot be minimized. Craig had seven 100-Yard Rushing games. His Best game was a 24-21 Victory Over the rams in Anaheim. He carried 22 times for 190 Yards and three touch Downs including a 46-Yard run in which he broke a Bunch of tackles. He also caught five passes in that contest. Craig rushed for 162 Yards against Phoenix. There were four games in which he had at least 100 Yards Rushing and five receptions and the 49ers won All four. They were 2 in his 100-Yard Rushing games losing Only in overtime to Denver and at the final gun against Phoenix when the defense wilted in the Arizona heal and blew a 23-0 second half Lead. I think it s great for Roger quarterback Joe Mon Tana said. He s had one of those years that would entitle him to the Honor. 1 Don t think that anybody around the league has done More for their team than Craig edged Boomer Esiason of Cincinnati in the voting by writers and broadcasters in each of the 28 nil cities. Craig finished with 32 votes followed by Esiason with 29, Randall Cunningham of Philadelphia with five Dan Marino of Miami and Eddie Brown of Cincinnati with two each and her Schul Walker of dal Las with Ore Boggs suffers slight Cut Gainesville a. Boston red sox All Star third baseman Wade Boggs was Cut in the neck an threatened by a Man at knife Point police said Here. The Inch Long Cut was not serious enough to warrant medical attention Boggs said. I knew the situation was going to gel hairy Bogg told the Gainesville Sun from his Tampa Home wednesday evening. Luckily no one was seriously injured. Ii was a volatile situation thai could have grown into something -. Police charged George Young jr., 23, with armed burglary and two counts of aggravated Battery. Edward Benjamin Cox 3 a was charged with aggravated As Sault and carrying a concealed weapon. Boggs 30, said he was in his jeep outside a Gaines Ville bar showing a recently purchased 9mm hand unto two friends when two men blocked them with their vehicle according to police spokeswoman it. Sadie Darnell police said Young got out of the car carrying a knife and Cox waved a ,44-caliber revolver at Boggs and his friends. "-,.-. V-./vt.--. Young jumped into the Back seat of the jeep and held a knife to Boggs Throat police said. Meanwhile a Friend of Boggs ran to Flag Down police. Felony charge to be reduced fort Myers Fla. The felony charge against Florida slate All american cornerback Dion Sanders slimming from a shopping mall scuffle on Christmas eve will be reduced when police turn their Case Over to prosecutors the City s mayor said thursday. The situation did t warrant a felony charge mayor Wilbur Smith said. The police department did not feel and i did not feet there was maliciousness on or. Sanders Sanders 21, was arrested and charged with Battery on a police officer and disorderly conduct after he allegedly argued with a clerk Over the Price of earrings Ana struck an auxiliary police officer. The felony charge of Battery against a police officer will be reduced to the less serious Misdemeanour charge of simple Battery in the police report to be sent to the slate attorney s office Early Friday Smith said. Another Misdemeanour Battery charge also will be added because of the confrontation Between Sanders and a store clerk he said police chief Jere spurting is in Complete agreement with my recommendations and i would be very surprised if the state attorney s office does not go along with this said Smili also a criminal defense attorney. Penny Walker a spokeswoman for the state attorney s office in fort Myers said that decision would be made late next week at the the earlier disorderly conduct charge going unchanged Sanders 21, faces a maximum sentence of three years in jail if formally charged and convicted of the three misdemeanours. The important thing is that even if he is convicted of the misdemeanours us not going to ruin his future Smith said he entered the controversy Over fort Myers most celebrated athlete because he has a re i possibility to assure citizens of this City that they Ane treated fairly by Sanders became excited and agitated by the crowd that gathered around him during the incident and was forced into taking a reflexive swing at the officer. Smith said adding that the officer was not seriously injured. Elmer Tony Cait the fort Myers auxiliary officer allegedly struck by Sanders was briefly Hospital izod for Chest pain and hypertension not related to the punch. Smith said. Sanders in new Orleans practising for the Jan. 2 sugar bowl against Auburn was unavailable for com ment. lose to soviets 2 Uniondale . The new York islanders were caught Short thursday night the result was a 2loss to the soviet Central red army team. Their Speed is their biggest asset islanders for Ward Greg Gilbert said. They do things on the ice you Don t expect and Surprise referred to a pair of shorthanded goals that sparked the soviet1 Victory including one by Captai Sergei Makarov the soviets were Down a Man when Makarov broke tip ice to Lake a Lead pass from Vladimir was the kind of thing you did t expect but inc soviets arc full of surprises Gilbert said. That s Abig element of their Makarov s goal with 45 seconds left in the first period gave the soviets a 0 Lead. Makarov later returned the favor setting up Kru Tov s game winning goal with 4 36 to play. It was a Good experience islanders coach at Arbour said. That s a High powered machine. I was pleased with our defensive despite the red army s status As one of the world Best teams Many of the islanders Felt the soviets were re Good but like All great teams the myth might be bigger than reality islanders goalie Kelly Hurley said. They weren t at their Besl tonight. I be seen them red army team is now 11-2 against nil teams. 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