European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 26, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday october 26, 1994 sports t the stars and stripes Page 29the Buck won t Stop at How do you turn Down $99 million the question is posed literally Here. How do you Tell a person offering you such Money for your services that it Isnit enough a. What do you say do you Trump up some weak explanation just to get out of the awkward situation a gosh in a really flattered but my Cable Bill is going up and my cat loves expensive litter Ana i have to plan  \ do you pass the blame a a it a a lot of Money and id really a % John Eisenberg love to say yes but my Mommy told me not to and i done to want to get in  do you try intimidating your suitor in Hopes of getting your Way a ninety nine million Are you talking to me listen done to even come around Here anymore until you get serious Jack. Done to insult me a what do you say when $99 million Isnit enough its the etiquette question dear Abby never answered brought to you by the financial cuckoos nest known As the National basketball association. And you thought baseball salaries were ridiculous. And you thought hockey salaries made no sense. Why they re right out of a the grapes of Wrath compared with Aba salaries. Larry Johnson 12 years $84 million. Chris Webber 15 years $74 million. Jason Kidd nine years $60 million. A a  a a a a a for those keeping score at Home that a $218 million wrapped up in three players who have never led a team to Victory in a Best of seven playoff series. Now comes Glenn Robinson the first pick in the past draft insisting that he wont dribble for the Milwaukee Bucks unless they pay him $100 million with every Penny guaranteed. Commentary what is he going to say if the Bucks offer $99 million that his lifelong dream is to own Florida and he always promised himself head do everything he could to attain it that his accountant says hell need a minimum of $100 million because its going to Cost a Fortune to Send his kids to College in 20 years that he thinks he a actually Worth $100 . There is already enough suffering in the world. A v a a a a a a. A a a a a considering that the entire franchise probably is Worth $75 million Herb Kohl the democratic senator who owns the Bucks responded elegantly to Robinsons demands a i was thinking of saying to or. Robinson a ill Tell you what ill take your contract and you can have my  a a contract Worth More than the franchise for a player who has never scored a Basket in the league see baseball and hockey Are bastions of fiscal prudence compared with the Aba. As crazy As it sounded for the san Francisco giants to give Bariy Bonds $43 million Over six years they could almost make a Case for it based on the increases in attendance wins interest and Cap sales that Bonds could generate. And did in his first season similarly Cal Ripken is conceivably Worth $30 million to the Baltimore  Robinson  possibly sell enough tickets or Caps to be Worth $100 million to the Bucks. And most importantly he might not even help them win Many More games. That is the True lunacy of the Aba s salary Structure in which rookies Are Worth vastly More than proven stars. Everyone thought it was crazy when the lakers gave magic Johnson a 25-year, $25 million contract a decade ago but magic had won two titles and shown he was maybe the Best guard Ever. Who is Glenn Robinson sure he was a Load at Purdue but he never went to the final four and Dukes Grant Hill shut him Down in the regional finals last Spring. There a a 50-50 Chance he a overrated As is the Case with every College Star s 1 but Robinson can ask for $100 million because he is the no. 1 pick and the Aba has this Frankenstein of a salary Structure in which players who have done Noth a ave Quot a a a a a a 1 pc Grant Hill has scored but Hill makes twice As much. In Zupi ing have All the clout. Charles Barkley has scored joints in his career which is 17,53c 17,530 50 More than other words if the orioles were in the Aba Jeffrey Hammonds would make much More than Ripken or Rafael Palmeiro the Aba salary Structure was reasonably sensible until Charlotte hornets owner George Shinn Tore up Larry Johnson a contract last year and gave him a new one for $84 million. Suddenly All the top Young players were demanding a Mega Fortune. And they wanted it guaranteed just As Quot Shinn had guaranteed every cent of Johnson a contract. Guaranteeing a huge contract for longer than a decade is foolish enough As Johnson continues to prove each time he. Gets injured but giving a Young a accomplished player such guaranteed wealth is As stupid As stupid gets. Thus even though Aba commissioner David Stern continues to paint a sunny picture of the leagues health done to be fooled. Things Are a mess. A some Veteran players disgusted by Rich rookies agree with management on the necessity of a salary Cap. But the Union leadership does no to want it. No matter what Stern says there is the real possibility of a strike or a lockout at some Point in the coming season. Glenn Robinson Isnit worried about any of that of course. He a just worried about becoming the first player to break the $100 million Barrier. And truth be known he Isnit sitting around worrying about what to Tell the Bucks if they offer him $99 Mil lion he has a simple answer ready. A very simple answer a a a a  the Balmor Sun Price propels cars to win Over rockets Aba by the associated press Oklahoma City Mark Price returned to his Home state and scored 24 Points monday night in leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 122111 exhibition Victory Over the Houston rockets. Price played the first three quarters hitting 7 of 14 shots. Mike Luz Ohno went 6-for-7 and scored 14 of his 18 Points in the fourth Quarter for the Cavaliers. Greg Dreiling scored 20 Points Chris Mills had 19 and Michael Cage grabbed 14 rebounds for the cars. Shakeen Olajuwon led Houston with 25 Points in 33 minutes. Sam Cassell scored 20 Points before fouling out. In other Aba games monday night suns 135, magic 129 Phoenix a Wayman Tisdale a 23 Points helped Phoenix 5-0 remain uneaten in exhibition play. Shaquille of Neal had 23 Points and 11 rebounds and Anfernee Hardaway 31 Points nine rebounds six assists and six steals. The magic 4-2 also got 23 Points from Donald Royal and 15 each from Nick Anderson and Anthony Bowie. Dan Majerle had 18 Points and Wesley person 17 for the suns. Hardaway hit Buzzer beating 3-pointers at the end of the first and second  114, hornets 104 Charlotte . Grant Hill scored 18 Points in his first trip to North Carolina As an Aba player with Detroit. Hill who last played at the Charlotte coliseum in april when Duke lost to Arkansas in the Mcaa title game played three quarters to help the pistons 2-3. Atlanta 129, new Jersey 101 Atlanta a Stacey Augmon led the e Hawks in scoring for the fifth consecutive exhibition game with 25 Points. Andrew Lang had 18 Points and 11 rebounds and Kevin Willis added 15 Points and 10 rebounds. Jazz 131,76ers 108 Salt Lake City a John Stockton scored 20 Points including 15 on 7-for-7 shooting in the first Quarter to Lead Utah. Clarence Weatherspoon topped Philadelphia 2-5 with 21 Points. Shaw Staley honoured Colorado Springs Colo. Sha Quille of Neal the most valuable player of the world championships of basketball and Dawn Staley the most valuable player of the Goodwill games have been chosen recipients of the Usa basketball male and female athlete of the year awards. A a Staley led the Usa team to the Goodwill games Gold medal with a 4-0 record in August and the world championship Bronze medal with a 7-1 record in june. She finished the Goodwill games As the . Assists and steals Leader with averages of 5.8 and 2.5, respectively while averaging 9.3 Points. At the world championship she also was the . Assists Ana steals Leader with 3.9 and 1.3, while averaging 11.6 Points. Of Neal an Aba All Star with the Orlando magic led dream team ii to an 80 record at the world championship of basketball. He topped the team in scoring 18.0rebounding 8.5blocked shots 1.9 and shooting percentage .713 while averaging Only 17 minutes per game. Of Neal finished the Aba season second in scoring and rebounding with averages of 29.3 and 13.2, As Well As sixth in blocked shots at 2.85. Of Neal also had the highest shooting percentage of the season .599. Pistons Grant Hill reaches in to Block shot attempted by Charlottes Scott Burrell