European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 03, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sports Vikings tie for top spot  a no need to Check the Calendar. Minnesota finally won again so it must be december. After finishing november 1-3 for the second year in a Row the Vikings began the final month of the season with their first Victory in four games. Just barely. Kevin Butler s 40-Yard Field sailed just inches outside the left upright five min utes into overtime thursday night. Two plays later the game was Over. Cris Carter turned a Short pass fro Warren Moon into a 65-Yard touchdown giving Minnesota a 33-27 Victory Ove Chicago and a share of the Lead in the pfc Central. What is it about december with the Vikings who finished 4-1 last year to Sal Vage a playoff berth i Don t know Man safety Vincic Glenn said. Tell me what it is about no vember. All i know is we had our backs up against the Wall and when you be go your backs up against the Wall you come out fighting Carter s second touchdown catch of the game rejuvenated the Vikings 8-5who lost in overtime to Tampa Bay jus four Days earlier and seemed destined to let another game slip away. Minnesota led 13-7 at halftime and 27-24 late in the fourth Quarter but a 55 Yard Kickoff return by Nate Lewis set up the bears 8-5 for Butler s tying Field goal with 1 55 left in  bears won the Coin toss and drove to the Minnesota 22 before Lineback ered Mcdaniel stopped Lewis Tillman for no gain on third-and-1. Enter Butler whose 27-Yard Field goal in overtime sunday gave Chicago a 19-16win at Arizona and coupled with Minne Sota s loss to Tampa Bay sole Possession of the division Lead for the first time this season. This time Butler failed. _ the stars and stripes Page 37 Golf notes the Vikings Chris Carter runs into the end Rone with his game Wynn Long touchdown against the bears in Minneapolis thursday night. The Vikings won 33-27. Norman says he will work by Fth fhe p 3a by the associated pres Melbourne Australia world tour promoter Greg nor Man said Friday he would continue discussing the proposed elite Cir Cuit with pea tour officials next week when he returns to the us to estates. -v.-,1 of. Norman said he had spoken Tonga tour commissioner Tim Fin chem overnight and had repeated his Assurance that he would attempt to work in conjunction with the tour. Farmington Hills Mich. Nick Price Winner of six tournaments in 1994, including the British open and pea championship was voted player of the year by the Golf writers association of America. Laura Davies was voted player of the rear on the Lyga tour and Dave Stockton was honoured on the senior pea tour. Sun City South Africa Nick Faldo of England shot a 6 under Par 66 to take a two stroke Lead Over Ernie Els of South Africa and Bernhard Langer of German after the first round of the million Dollar  Ham pin Nick Price of Zimbabwe and America Scorey Pavin and Tom Lehman opened with 71s on the Gary player country club course i Tarpon Springs Fla. Joanne Carner and Jim Albus shot a 7-under-Par 64 in the opening est Ball round in the a Penney classic to tie with Jane cd Desand Brian Claar and Marta Figue Ras Dotti and Brad Bryant. Nis Hinomiya Japan Naomi Chi Joe Ozaki of Japan shot a 5-under-Par 66 Friday to in crease his Lead to five shots after the second round of the Golf nip Pon series.  Atlanta a no matter How you crunch the numbers they seem to add up to a Florida Victory in the Southeastern conference championship game sat urday 9 30 . Get live on an television and radio.  -. No team in the league can come close to the gators explosive fun n gun offence which is averaging 45 Points a game. Danny Wuerffel is the Sec s highest rated quarterback just ahead of the Man he beat out for the starting Job in mid season Terry Dean Florida s defense is hardly a wimpy unit either sur rendering less than 17 Points a game. The gators Are nearly impossible to run against allowing Only 2.7 Yards per carry. But in couple of numbers favor Alabama 11 and 0. That s the Crimson tide s record a testament to looking beyond the cold hard statistics when measuring the Worth of a team. We know what we have to do to win offensive lineman Kareem Mcneal said. If we have to come from behind to win that s what we do. That s what we have done a lot this  saturday third ranked Alabama meets no. 6 Florida 9-1-1 for the third year in a Row in the league championship game the Only one of its kind in major College football though others Are on the horizon with Confer ence realignment. For the first time the championship will be played i Atlanta s Georgia dome after two years at legion Field in Birmingham. The teams split those two games Alabama winning 28-21 in 1992 on the Way to a nation Al championship Florida rallying to Post a 28-13 Deci Sion last year. Gator coach Steve Spurrier is Happy about the on paper but change of venue feeling Atlanta is a fairer site than Birmingham where the tide plays three Home games a year and had a big crowd advantage in the first two championship games. _ _ _ it i think it was a very smart move by the commissioner to put it at a Neutral site he said. Also it puts the game in a domed stadium. It seems like the weather was not the Best those other two years in Birmingham. We re guaranteed excellent weather  so there s a couple of More factors in Florida s favor no Home Field advantage for Alabama and perfect conditions for the gators to throw the Ball up and Down the Field. Maybe that s Why they Are considered touchdown favorite despite Alabama having the better record and higher ranking. Alabama does t mind the role of underdog. Not at All defensive lineman Shannon Brown said. Nobody expects us to do anything. Nobody expects unto reach the top of the  Alabama climbed slowly in the rankings with Good reason. The tide s 10 victories Over division i a opponents have been by a total of 80 Points and half of those have been decided by seven Points or less. But those tight margins have instilled a Confidence steadfast will that May be difficult for Florida to match especially after the gators squandered a 28-Point Lead an the fourth Quarter against Florida state and wound up tied 31-31 last week. That devastating finish left Spurrier s team in a stat of turmoil. Defenders Ellis  Larry Kennedy complained to the reporters that no adjustment were made to Stop the seminoles fourth Quarter onslaught. And the gators whose nine victories have been by an average of 35 Points still Haven t forgotten their Only other close game a 36-33 loss to Auburn. Danny wac Frfd spearheads potent Florida offence