European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 25, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday january 25, 1991 the stars and stripes. A. A a a a a Page 25commentaryseeing sports through sandstorm you know the Deal with sports jargon. Its a War out there. Air Force bombs Ohio state. Douglas bloodied Tyson. Pistons shoot Down Trail blazers. Univ massacres Duke. Reds behead to Battle Bills. New York Quot and Buffalo have invaded Tampa for sundays super showdown. The players Arentt the Only ones gunning for Victory. The fans Are also digging in for the Only thing that matters Victory. Especially with the super bowl party killed. A this is life or death particularly for those with heavy bets. Except right now. You want life or death go to the persian Gulf. You want Battles and Bloodbath visit the Middle East. Suddenly who wins the super bowl is a question having trouble filling a to screen. Certainly the arts screen. The armed forces radio and television service announced this week that it wont carry abcs two hour super bowl pregame show. Arts plans to show hard news before the Bills giants game and maybe during it. Good for the arts people in Sun Valley Calif. On a cynical note i can to stomach the puffy super bowl pregame show anyway although its hard news compared with the marshmallow halftime. On a grim note desert storm could blur into a land War by sunday. Arts knows priorities. To a Point. Afro so quashing of other sports on the air is maddening. You can bet Guys in the Gulf wan Bucky Fox a j radio and to games big time. Our possible land invasion can give you the jitters. That goes without saying for soldiers out to get Saddam insane. It also goes for people wit dose connections to our desert Stormer. Take Ray Mercer. A Little Over two years ago he was an infantryman in Baum older Germany. Two weeks ago he won the world boxing organizations heavyweight title in Atlantic City . He dedicated his ninth round knockout of Francesco Damiani to his military comrades in saudi Arabia. Mercer mostly aimed his dedication at James Crisp an army Boxer who once fought out of Niernberg Germany. Crisp is Down in the desert and might have to fight soon. Fight for life and death. A if it happens a Mercer told new Day a a we re going to lose a lot of people and some of them Are going to be my friends. It saddens me.�?�. Crisp has plenty of company from Guys who used to be connected with sports in Europe. Thomas Ayers is setting his sights on Baghdad. He played on Baum older Susareu basketball championship bears of the Early 1980s. Now he a a sergeant first class with the 101st airborne div. Ayers wrote from his station a i Hope we will be Home soon. Need some sex and Jon Baskin is planning to land atop iraqis lie starred at halfback for Heidelberg High school in the mid-1970s. Now he a a Captain with the 101st. Baskin wrote from the desert a a in Mon my last leg of my military experience and Why not go out with a bang deployment Here is an experience which i am sure i will talk about for years to come As i do often about Heidelberg to anyone who will listen. Life is great. If Only we could predict our Paul Kachurak is notching gains against the bad Guys. He was a Safe a Best football statistician while at Hahn a Germany in 1987. Now he a a staff sergeant with the 354th,tac fighter Wing. Kachurak wrote a a in a in saudi Arabia taking care of business. I can to believe Dave Olson sem Baches fullback linebacker is still trying to w in the big one. Its harder than people think. Just ask i Todd Mayer is ready to steer what he Calls a your new toy the m1a1 tank across the Sand lie was a big Cincinnati fan while stationed in Bamberg Ger Many. Now he a a Captain with the 24th inf div. And still a Cincy Backer. Mayer wrote a one of these Days i would like to treat you to a reds game that a Why we need to get Hussein out of Kuwait by april a that would suit Joe Mulligan just Fine. He a another reds fan in desert storm. Mulligans civilian Job in Germany is sports director for v corps. As a lieutenant colonel in the reserves he a in charge of communications Security for the 3rd amid div. Maybe Ayers Baskin Kachurak Mayer and Mulligan will find time to watch sundays super bowl. Maybe have to watch something More deadly. Something where winning really is everything. Ali Star and strip War affects european Olaf clubs by Barry Wilner Tampa Fla. Apr the War in the Mideast has caused Only one minor change in the we aft a plans. The world league of american football will make its debut in March league president Mike Lynn said wednesday. The league owned by 26 nil teams and with franchises in 10 cities spanning five countries will begin March 23. The league has made one alteration in its preseason plans. The three european teams based in London Frankfurt and Barcelona Spain will train in Florida until Early March. A after then All teams will go to their respective cities a said Lynn who was president of the Minnesota Vikings before joining the Olaf. A a we re not insensitive to the situation in the Gulf. No one can predict with any degree of certainty what could still the league is set to go while keeping an Eye on developments in the War. A there literally Are thousands of International and multinational corporations that do business in Europe and they have not closed Down a Lynn said. A the plan now is to continue to do other teams will be in Sacramento Calif. Raleigh Durham . Birmingham Ala. Montreal new York san Antonio and Orlando. The Olaf is viewed by nil officials As a developmental league that also is breaking new ground in Europe. Lynn is not concerned that it will be viewed abroad As an american entity thus its players and administrators. A i done to think we Are a visible Symbol of a America but of the locale in which the team is playing. That will be the identity a Lynn said. While world league officials met the Media in Tampa Center Bart Oates left and nose tackle Erik Howard of new York giants show their support for Gulf troops with their a desert storm to shirts. Olaf officials also announced rules variations from the nil. Two Point conversions wiil be used. If a team does not run a Kickoff out of the end zone but Downs it the bail will be placed at the 10-Yard line not the 20. If a Kickoff sails through the end zone it will go to the 20. It Wil take six Points to win in overtime. The Olaf will not use instant replay on officiating Calls and. Has dropped the in the grasp Rule which Hasni to served its purpose of protecting quarterbacks in the nil. Workouts and drafts begin feb. 11 at Orlando. A weighted lottery will determine selection order with separate drafts held for each position a offensive linemen followed by running backs punters and kickers quarterbacks receivers and tight ends defensive linemen linebackers and defensive backs. Jerry Vainisi vice president of football management and Nis staff evaluated 14,000 prospects. From that Pool 710 signed players will be in Orlando. Quot More Olaf developments Are expected to surface in super bowl week. The Frankfurt Galaxy a general manager Oliver Luck said he would name his head coach in Orlando. The March 23 openers have London at Frankfurt Raleigh Dur Ham at Sacramento and Montreal at Birmingha that first weekend includes new Yorkus trip to Barcelona March 24 and san Antonious visit to Orlando March 25
