European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 29, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes december 29,1991 c Page 28 Russell tops offensive rookies Ken Griffey jr.$10 million a year for Griffey or. ? by Jim Henneman the Baltimore evening Sun Back when free Agency was in its infancy which must seem like a lifetime ago to most owners it was speculated that Robin Yount would become baseball s first $10 million Man. For his career. Now 15 years later the pundits Are trying to Zero in on the player who will earn that much in one season. After much not too scientific calculation the Early favorite to be the first eight figure Man is Ken Griffey or. If you want to pinpoint the year try 19197, provided that television networks done to bankrupt themselves with billion Dollar commitments before then. That would be the third year after Griffey becomes eligible for free Agen. _ by for the first tune. Already acclaimed by Many As the biggest Impact player in the game the Seattle Center fielder will be Only 25 after the 1994 season when he logs his sixth season in the big leagues. To get an idea How far baseball has progressed in the 15 years since free Agency reared its Dollar signs after the 1976 season consider the first marquee player to test the system. Reggie Jackson asked the Baltimore orioles for $1.5 million for five years in 1976 and was turned Down. The $2.9 million he enticed from the Yankees became the Standard by which All subsequent contracts were judged. Yount was 20 at the time with three years experience As a major league shortstop. He had a Chance of being a free agent three times in the prime Ornis career. To some it was mind boggling to suggest he might make $10 million Over the next 15 years. Now compare Yount to Griffey. With arbitration As an ally Griffey will make at least that much in the next three years a and then be Able to test the open Market three or four years before what is normally considered an athletes prime. Prediction Griffey will make $10 million a year before he is 30. While on the subject for those who Are wondering Why the Baltimore orioles Aren t knocking Down the Oriole Park at Camden Yards warehouse to extend Cal Ripkens contract a read the above. Ripken is destined to become baseball s highest paid player at least for a while with his next contract. And while his representative Ron Shapiro in t Adverse to negotiating now neither is he in a hurry. By Howard Ulman Foxboro mass. Apr from the time they were tykes Pat Harlow knew Leonard Russell could Fly. But by the time he was in College Russell Felt he had flunked As a football player. Now they Are teammates on the new England patriots and the rest of the nil knows what Harlow knew. Russel much better at running than rating himself was named the leagues offensive Rookie of the year Friday in balloting by 82 Media members. He received 34 votes 20 ahead of Washington running Back Ricky Ervins. The 235-Pound pile Driver from Arizona state restored Power and productivity to a patriots running game that was ranked 25th out of the 28 teams last season. This season the patriots improved to 18th, and Russell finished fourth in the acc with 959 Yards despite missing nearly two full games. He also was a big part of their improvement from a 1-15 record to 6-10. A it feels Good to say you contributed to that Quot Russell said. A was a Rookie coming in you want to establish yourself and make yourself known around the nil with the players and the coaches. A so it Means a lot to be recognized As being one of the top players to come into the league this year. I Felt if Given the Chance to play i had a legitimate Chance for Rookie  he got help from the blocking of Harlow the 11th pick in the draft who was outstanding at right tackle. Russell was the 14th Choice. Both grew up in California. A i played with him since he was 8 years old and he probably could have come out of High school and done this a a Harlow said of russells Rookie performance. Rated by some As the nations top prep Prospect in 1987, Russell came out of High school and into the anonymity of mount san Antonio Junior  win the Kansas City chiefs beat the los Angeles raiders 10-6 saturday in an acc wild card game that ended As this edition went to press. Complete nil playoff coverage will be in tomorrows stars and stripes. New England a Leonard Russell. Rushed for 959 Yards in 1991 that same year Eric Bieniemy went to Colorado and Ervins went to Southern California where he played with Harlow. Like Russell both Are running backs Quot i saw my buddies who i was playing with out of High school. On to Russell said. A so i Felt Down. 1 Felt like i had  but after two outstanding seasons at Junior College Russell went to Arizona state last year where he rushed for 810 cards and nine touchdowns despite Harlow said having a no help at air from his teammates. Russell decided to turn pro after just one season at a major College. A the has t played that much a patriots coach Dick Macpherson said. A that s a Beautiful body that Hasni to been bruised  russells was the first running Back drafted this year and had a much better a it season than both Ervins and san Diego a Bieniemy. A i Felt that i could play. It was a hard adjustment for me a Russell said. A i had a lot of people Here to help me out. John Stephens was a big  Stephens biggest contribution May have been his contract holdout until the week before the regular season. Russell won his Job in the meantime and never gave it up. Stephens gained 1,168 Yards in 1988 when be was the nil offensive Rookie of the year. Russell needed 86 Yards in his final game to reach 1,000. But like in most of their games the patriots had to Battle from behind and abandoned the run. A Leonard was capable of gaining 1,000 Yards a Stephens said. A the had it in him and a lot  Russell did Fumble eight times. Opponents recovered six of them. But like Nis self doubts he s optimistic the fumbles Are in his past and 1,000 Yards Are in his immediate future. A next year a Russell said immediately after gaining 45 Yards in last sunday s 297 loss at Cincinnati a i want 1,500 Yards to make up for this  a i think its definitely realistic a he said the next Day. A the Confidence is there for  and for his coach. Michigan must Stop Washington defense by Ken Peters Pasadena Calif. Apr Michigan coach Gary Moeller pondered the possibility for dealing with Washington defensive tackle Steve Emtman Winner of the Lombardi and outland trophies. A a he a a great player i done to know How you Stop him. I guess maybe you have to Block him hold him or maybe even tackle him a Moeller said. A a in be got the answer the old 12th Man trick. A but really if you get too conscious of the Guy then another Guy on their team will kill you. Its not like they be just got the one  while the huskies offence has been extremely productive this year averaging 42 Points and 472 Yards a game their defense is generally regarded As their Strong suit. A a it a the Best defense weve seen All year a said Moeller who is preparing his fourth ranked wolverines 10-1 for their Rose bowl meeting with no. 2 Washington 11-0. Bethard Ross wants to coach in nil but to fils Georgia tech s Bobby Ross. Will he accept Charger Challenge Atlanta apr san Diego chargers general manager Bobby Beathard said be does t expect Georgia tech to try to outbid him for the services of football coach Bobby Ross. A i know they want him to stay from what i understand he wants coach in the nil a said Beathard who was quoted in saturdays editions of the Atlanta Roumal Constitution. Ross is Beathard Stop candidate to replace the fired Dan Henning. Beathard said Friday he had spoken to Rosss agent Atlanta attorney Jack Reale and was waiting for a mutually convenient meeting time probably before the new year. A a they be said  get Back to me and i m sure they will a he said. A from what i understand there Are some details that they d like to take care of at the school before they meet with us. When those Thines Are completed Well get  Beathard said there was no Rush for a  a everything a out on the table from both sides. I Trust them and i think they know where we re coming from a he said Ross who just turned 55, said hot would like to go to san Diego to Mee Beathard and wrap up a Deal. A i m Hope nil of bringing it to a head within the nex two or three maybe four Days a he said. Ross just completed his fifth season with tech with an 18-17 Victory Ove Stanford in the Aloha bowl on Christina Day. He a 31-26-1 at tech including 8-i this season. College football bowl matchup a Page 21 tar heels win in Germany a Page 25 Wacker takes Over gophers a Page 26 Spencer muffin grabs Lead a Page 27