European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 31, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                V \ Page 28 the stars and stripes sports sunday october 31, 1993memphis suspects nil runaround by Woody Baird Memphis Tenn. Apr Memphis investors want a word of encouragement from the nil before continuing their bid for an expansion franchise. Cotton merchant William b. Dunavant said Friday he is unsure whether the nil is seriously considering the bid from his investment group. Dunavant said his groups proposed expansion agreement with the nil expired thursday and might not be renewed. Quot some encouragement from the nil would certainly weigh heavily with us in our final decision a he said. Dunavant made that announcement after meeting with the other seven members of his group two of whom attended by Telephone conference Call. Quot in a not saying we re not going to get Back in the race but in a not saying we Are a Dunavant said. He said the expansion agreement worked out Over .10 Days of talks with the nil spells out the Legal framework for buying a franchise. He said he did not know if the other groups seeking a franchise put expiration dates on their agreements. A we do not have an application before the league today. It expired thursday at 12 of clock a Dunavant said. Quot i would not term this a withdrawal from the race. I would term this As the Memphis owners group stepping Back and trying to Monitor what we think will develop Over the next couple of  nil owners met tuesday in Chicago and were expected to award two expansion franchises. They picked Charlotte n.c., for one but delayed making a decision on the other until nov. 30. That left bids from Memphis St. Louis Baltimore and Jacksonville fla., on hold. Nil commissioner Paul Tagliabue said All four cities Are still in the running. A a in a not sure i buy that a Dunavant said. The a Fly a decision to delay came one Day after major changes in the makeup of the St. Louis investment group. Dunavant and disappointed bidders from the other cities complained that the nil appeared to be postponing its decision to give a longer look at the St. Louis bid. St. Louis is considered by Many to be the front runner for the 30th nil franchise. Dunavant said he expects to talk with nil officials Over the next few weeks to seek Assurance that the Memphis bid is being considered a that a decision has not already been made. Quot none of this ownership group Are quitters a he said Quot but i also think that if we think we Are being made a fool of by the National football league we would take another  Dunavant said his group would Likely try to buy an existing team if the try for an expansion franchise , chiefs in key showdown by the associated press Joe Montana professes to have a great Deal of respect for Don Shula whose special Day he Hopes to ruin. Quot if there a a greater coach in the nil its hard to find a Montana said of Shula. Quot somebody would have to pull him out of the grave and bring him  admiration aside Montana and the Kansas City chiefs will try sunday to prevent Shula from Matching the late George Halasz league record of 324 victories. But even More important is the position the chiefs would put Shula themselves in with a Victory Over Shula a Miami dolphins. At 5-1, the two teams Are among the elite in the acc and could wind up As playoff opponents. If so the Winner of the game at Joe Robbie stadium would have a better Chance of hosting a postseason meeting with the  Roundup at Dolp a this game Means a lot because we re a pretty Pivotal Point in the season a Hins did defensive end Jeff Cross said. A they re probably the toughest team we have on our  of interest is the dolphins standing As the Only team never to experience a regu Lar season defeat at the hands of Montana. He did beat them in the 1985 super bowl however. Elsewhere sunday it will be Chicago at Green Bay new England at Indiana of is Tampa Bay at Atlanta the new Ork jets at the new York giants Dallas at Philadelphia new Orleans at Phoenix san Diego at the los Angeles raiders the los Angeles rams at san Francisco Seattle at Denver and Detroit at Minnesota. Washington visits Buffalo on monday night. Cincinnati Cleveland Houston and Pittsburgh have the week off. The chiefs have a four game winning Streak and Are off to their Best Start since 1971, when they last won the acc West. Their defense has allowed Only seven touchdowns in six games. How  fare against the unknown a in this Case backup quarterback Scott Mitchell a remains to be seen. Shula has a history of winning even without the likes of Dan Marino. Shula is 26-7 at Miami when he starts a backup quarterback. Mitchell produced a six year nigh in Points for the dolphins in a 41-27 Victory last sunday Over Indianapolis. Quot i was watching the film and i thought it was Marino left handed a Montana said. Quot i thought the film was in backwards. He has the same drop and antics and throws the Ball almost like  in the other key game sunday Minnesota will try to wrest the pfc Central Lead from Detroit. Considering the presence of nil Rushing Leader Barry Sanders in the Lions Backfield the Vikings probably Arentt thinking about winning the game on the ground. But Rookie Robert Smith has Given Minnesota Hope of doing just that. A week ago he gained 80 Yards on 14 carries a one of them a dazzling 26-Yard touchdown run a in a 1912 Victory Over Chicago. Quot that was probably As Good a run As you la see in the league Quot Viking coach Dennis Green said. A the hit the Hole used Speed to get outside and then beat Guys who had an Angle on  Smith is in Awe of Sanders. A you can to help but see Barry Sanders a he said. Quot if you watch the highlight films on to every sunday they show a Bunch on him. He a the kind of Guy where you say t want to be like  a the Lions enter the game at Minnesota with a 5-2 record. The Vikings Are 4-2. Dallas 4-2 needs a Victory Over _. Injury riddled Phil Sanders Adelphia 4-2 to remain no worse than a game behind the giants in the pfc East. A loss coupled with a Victory by the giants 5-1 Over the jets 2-4 would Force the cowboys to beat the giants the following sunday or fall three games behind in the pfc  Henderson Heads latest free list by Murray Chiass the new York times Rickey Henderson and three others who played in this years world series joined a growing list of free agents Friday. Henderson and Danny Cox of Toronto and Jim Eisenreich and Larry Andersen of Philadelphia were among 30 players who filed bringing the number of free agents to 67. Steve Farr the new York Yankees no. 1 Relief Pitcher and Frank Tanana who joined the team in september added their names to the list after the Yankees opted not to offer them salary arbitration. Charlie of Brien one of the new York Metsy catchers also filed. Twenty of the 30 players who filed Friday acted after their teams did not offer arbitration by the t thursday Midnight deadline. These Are players who previously were free agents and faced a five year waiting period before they could become free agents again. The Only players with repeater restrictions who were offered arbitration were. Jeff Reed of san Francisco and Kevin Gross of los Angeles. Henderson who signed a record tying $3 million a year contract four years ago w As one of that unclaimed group. When the Blue jays acquired him from Oakland july 31, they agreed As an inducement for him to waive his no Traue rights that they  offer him arbitration so he could be a free agent at the end of the season. That was before Henderson batted a disappointing .215 for the Blue jays in the final two months of the season and an even worse .170 in Post season games. Late in the season George Steinbrenner expressed interest in bringing the enigmatic left fielder Back to the Yankees but he seems to have cooled on the idea. Henderson who will be 35 years old dec. 25, May find it difficult getting the contract he wants. Cox who signed with the Blue jays As a free agent last Winter relieved in three world series games and had an 8.10 earned run average. Andersen relieved four times for the Phillies and emerged with a 12.27 Era. He was the Pitcher against whom Toronto started the six run rally that won game 4,15-14. Eisenreich a Plato Ned right fielder hit the three run Home run that propelled the Phillies to a 6-4 Victory in the second game. When he signed with them As a free agent last january the Phillies agreed not to offer him arbitration so he could be a free agent again this Winter. The Yankees apparently have interest in re signing Farr who had 78 saves for them the past three seasons but at a lower salary than he could have attained in salary arbitration. They signed the right hander As a free agent three years ago to a $6.3 million contract. Among the others filing Friday were Fernando Valenzuela 1 Larold Reynolds and Lonnie Smith of Baltimore Tony Pena of Boston Bob Ojeda of Cleveland Hubie Brooks and Dennis Rasmussen of Kansas City Dave Henderson and Rich Goose Gossage of Oakland Jeff Reardon of Cincinnati and Charlie Hough of Florida. Dickie Thon of Milwaukee filed after the Brewers chose not to buy out the option year in his contract for $100,000. Fhe athletics picked up the option in Bobby witty a contract Lor s3.25 million for next season. Ice key Henderson a Price is too High for Blue jays