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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1999)
A p ril 28, 1999 PageB3 ÿortlanfc (ßhaeruer The Curtain Closes on a Class Act Bi J O H N M O S S M A N © T he A ssociated P ress DENVER (AP) — For years, the Denver Broncos’ offense consisted o f John Elway and 10 other guys Gradually, the Broncos became more than a showcase for one daz zling quarterback. But now, with Elway ’ s retirement set, the Super Bow l champions enter uncharted terrain. After 16 seasons, the unparalleled m asterofthe two-minute drill is leav ing football. Elway all but announced his re tirem ent Saturday in an interview with Denver TV station KCNC in Pebble Beach, Calif., where he was playing in a golf tournament. “For so m any years everything in my family has revolved around me. It’s tim e for that to change,” the 38- year-old quarterback said. “I really accom plished everything 1 wanted to. T here’s no real upside to coming back.” If You Leave Him Out as a Possibility, It’s Your Loss T A L L A D E G A , Ala. (A P) Some people w ere ready to write o ff Dale Earnhardt. C ar ow ner Richard Childress w asn’t one o f them. “ D ale E arnhardt is the b est,” Childress said after Earnhardt broke a40-race winless streak Sunday with a dom inating victory in the DieHard 500. “I f anybody gives up on him, they’ve lost their m ind." His fans didn’t give up. They were joyous after Earnhardt drove his sig nature black No. 3 Chevrolet to vic tory at Talladega Superspeedway. As Earnhardt sat high above the front straightaway with his back to the big pressbox windows after the race, hundreds o f his fans stood below chanting: “Eam -hardt, Eam -hardt.” Between answers to num erous questions, Earnhardt would half turn in his seat and, grinning widely, wiggle his fingers at the crowd, drawing a roar that made his smile even bigger. But he happily shared the spotlight with Childress and Kevin Hamlin, who got his first W inston Cup win since becoming E amhardt ’ s crew chief midway through last season. The victory — only Earnhardt’s second in the past 101 starts — was a relief for Richard Childress Racing and for Earnhardt, w ho will be 48 Thursday. Still, like his car ow ner, he said it was other people w ho w ere w orry ing. not him. “ I t’s not been tough on m e,” Earnhardt said. “It’s tougher on you guys, keeping the stats and asking the questions. We ju st race from w eek to w eek and try to w in the next week. “W e don’t w alk around and look at each other and say, ‘It’s been a w eek since we won. It’s been 100 weeks since you w on.’ ... W e know. We talk about it. W e race to try to fix that the next race.” His com petitors ju st laugh when asked if Earnhardt has lost anything. “I w ish,” said Rusty W allace, who was am ong the top contenders Sun day until getting caught up in a wild, nine-car wreck. “ I ’d still rather have ju st about anybody on my tail then him. And getting around him when h e’s leading late in a race ... forget it.” Dale Jarrett is the latest d rive r to try — and fail. The Decision is in... IAAF Strips Race Medal From Slaney M ONTE CA RLO , M onaco (AP) — M ary Slaney was stripped o f her silver medal from the 1997 world cham pionships after track authori ties determ ined M onday she failed a drug test three years ago. A lawyer for the prem ier U.S. distance runner said the ruling by the International Am ateur Athletic Fed eration was based on “ legal fiction." “It is sad that the worldwide gov erning body for the sport o f track and field would choose to prop up its Elway reportedly considered an nouncing his decision two weeks ago, but owner Pat Bowlen was in Australia promoting the Broncos’ preseason game there. Then last week, the an nouncement was put offbecause o f the school shootings in suburban Denver. Out o f respect for the victims, some o f whose funerals were scheduled for Monday, the Broncos further delayed an Elway announcement. “W e’re shooting for a mid-week p re ss c o n f e re n c e , m o st lik e ly W ednesday,” Broncos spokesman Jim Saccom ano said Sunday night. Bow len bought the Broncos in 1984 and never has know n a team without Elway. “ I think it’s going to be odd for all o f us,” he said. Running back Terrell Davis told the D enver Post: “This really lets some air out o f your system. It’s going to be tough to com e back and not see him in the huddle. “ I really think this year w e’re go ing to face as much adversity as w e’ve ever faced. W e’re really going to see how much resolve this team has now.” B u t o ffe n s iv e g u a rd M a rk Schlereth took another view. “ I think in the early years, it w as a one-m an show w ith John h ere,” Schlereth said. " It’s not like that any m ore.” In fact, Elway acknowledged sev eral seasons ago that it w asn’t his team anymore. “ It’s T errell’s team now,” he said. W hile Elway earned his second straight Super Bowl title and the gam e's MVP honor last January with a 34-19 win over Atlanta, he missed all or part o f six games with ham string, back and rib injuries. Instead, it was Davis, a 2,008- yard rusher and winner o f the league ’ s M VP award, w ho carried the team. W ith Elway gone, Bubby Brister steps in. Brister slipped seam lessly into the lineup last season and guided the Broncos to a 4-0 record while Elway was out. But how will he hold up during a 16-game schedule? And will Brister at QB put more pressure on Davis? Even Shanahan has some qualms about his new quarterback. Brister, who turns 37 in August, hasn ’ t started more than eight games in a season since 1990. The backup is Brian Griese, a third-round draft choice in 1998 with limited experience. So, the Denver Rocky Mountain News reported, the Broncos agreed to sign Chris Miller, who turns 34 in A ugust and retired four years ago because o f concussions. “It’s agreat addition," Brister said. “ If something happens, he has a lot o f experience. You can ’t have enough good quarterbacks.” Brister is looking forward to tak ing over an offense that tight end Shannon Sharpe likened to a Ferrari. his only previous Derby starter. is taken in concentrated form to im Denver Broncos' John Elway sham drug-testing program at the prove performance. expense o f one o f its greatest ath A Clean-up Man, for Real The IAAF suspended Slaney, c laim- letes,” lawyer Doriane Colem an said. ing USATF was slow to investigate. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mark Slaney is free to com pete since USATF imposed its ow n suspen McGwire never did it. Neither did the IAAF said she had retroactively SPORTS STANDINGS sion. But Slaney, backed by her spon Babe Ruth nor Hank Aaron. com pleted her tw o-year ban. 1983 SPRING STANDINGS sor N ike, challenged the ruling, and Nobody in baseball history had A three-m an IAAF arbitration SOFTBALL in Septem ber 1997 the U.S. federa ever hit two grand slams in one in BASEBALL panel said the 40-year-old runner yy L To Wilson tion cleared her. The IAAF also later ning. Until Fernando Tatis came along. Madison 10 1 L tested positive for high testosterone Madison 9 2 F,W cleared Slaney to com pete but re With home run king McGwire play Lincoln levels before the 1996 Olympics. Marshall 8 3 C,F,M Wilson ferred the case to arbitration. ing setup man, Tatis hit a pair ofbases- The IAA F im posed a ban on Franklin 7 4 L,L,M,M Cleveland Slaney now joins other prom inent loaded homers in the same inningFri- Slaney that ran from June 1996, when 7 4 M,JM,C,L Franklin nam es in track found guilty by the day night. Both were off Chan Ho Park Grant the test was adm inistered, to June 6 5 C.M.W.M Marshall Lincoln IA A F: Ben Johnson, Butch Reynolds in the third inning o f the St. Louis Roosevelt 1998. Thus, Slaney loses the medal 5 6 Benson Cardinals’ 12-5 win over Los Angeles. L,M,JM,W,C and K atrin Krabbe. she won at Paris in the 1,500 meters. Cleveland Grant 2 9 “What an accomplishment: I get Another high-profile case is pend “ Let them com e and try to get the Roosevelt 1 10 goose pimples ju st thinking about it," Benson ing. U.S. sprinter Dennis M itchell is $20,000 (in prize m oney) that she Jefferson Jefferson 0 11 going to arbitration after testing posi said St. Louis managerTony La Russa, won in Paris,” lawyer Jim Coleman. GIRLS TENNIS who also had a great seat last year MENS TENNIS tive for high testosterone. To L W Doriane’s husband, said. “They don’t Cleveland 0 8 during M cGwire’s 70-homer season. Lincoln say they’re going to ask for it back, Lincoln L 1 6 Grant "W hat have they got, 100 years o f It’s Derby Time Again in but the order suggested they might. Wilson L 1 6 Wilson baseball, and this is the first time it’s ... T hey’ll never see the m oney.” Kentucky Grant G.L.W 3 5 Franklin ever been done? Wow." He called the test “bogus.” L.W.G.F Benson LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Bob, 4 3 Benson Tatis, w ho had never hit a grand Cleveland Franklin “W hat they should have been do B F.W.L.G 5 3 W ayne and N ick have com bined to slam and totaled ju st 24 homers in Marshall 6 2 ing is trying to find a w ay to prove Roosevelt win the K entucky Derby six times in Jefferson 6 1 h is p re v io u s 225 m a jo r league Madison when a female athlete has used test the 1990s, and it w ouldn’t be surpris Roosevelt 8 0 gam es, also set a record w ith eight Marshall osterone. Rather than doing that, ing if one o f the trainers is in the Madison No team Jefferson RBIs in one inning. they've been trying to find a way to w inner's circle again Saturday. He was stunned. save a test that doesn’t w ork.” “ I feel good about this Derby,” GIRLS TRACK L I W MENS TRACK “ I can ’t believe it happened. I did Added Slaney's husband, Rich Benson 0 4 Bob Baffert said. “ I’ve got two horses Madison not expect to hit another one. I’ve Benson Grant 1 ard: “According to the IAAF. you're 3 w ho are contenders. I hope one o f Lincoln never been a home run hitter. I just Franklin 1 3 guilty until you prove your innocence. ’’ them w ins.” Madison 1 3 try to m eet the b all. I’m not like Mark Grant Slaney repeatedly has proclaimed I f General Challenge or Prime Tim- Cleveland 2 2 Lincoln M cGwire,” said Tatis, who at 5-foot- her innocence. Earlier this month, ber — first and second, respectively, Wilson 2 2 Wilson 10 and 170 pounds is 7 inches shorter she sued the IAAF and the U.S. Olym in the Santa Anita D erby— does win, Franklin 3 1 Cleveland and 80 pounds lighter than the St. pic Com mittee, w hich adm inistered Jefferson Baffert will be the first person in any 3 1 Marshall Louis first baseman. Marshall 3 the original test. 1 Roosevelt racing capacity to win the Kentucky Everything fell into place for Tatis Jefferson Roosevelt 4 0 She claim s the te sto ste ro n e- Derby three straight years. to make baseball history. epitestosterone test is unreliable for The last horseman to be in position GIRLS GOLF I yy k Eric Davis was out with an injury, MENS GOLF w omen who take birth control pills in to win three straight was D. W ayne 0 6 Wilson so Tatis moved up a spot to bat their late 30s or 40s. Lukas. He sent out Thunder Gulch to Grant 5 0 cleanup. M cGwire singled to load Grant The IAAF disputes that argument Wilson win in 1995 and followed with Grind 4 2 Cleveland the bases once, then flied out to leave Franklin and said the decision by USA Track 2 4 stone, but in 1997 his Deeds Not Franklin Cleveland them loaded the next time. 4 2 & Field on Sept. 16, 1997, to clear Lincoln Words finished 13th as Baffert won Roosevelt 3 Davis missed his second full game Benson 3 Slaney was “erroneous.” The IAAF with Silver Charm. Baffert’s winner Madison 9 2 Madison with an injured left hand, hurt when said M onday’s ruling was "final and last year was Real Quiet. Benson 6 0 Jefferson he was hit by a pitch in the seventh binding," with no right o f appeal. Lukas will try to return the favor Marshall 6 0 Marshall inning o f T uesday’s game. “Mary is fine," Jim Colem an said. Jefferson at Churchill Downs w hen he sends 7 3 Roosevelt “She was prepared for what hap out Charism atic and Cat Thief. pened in M onaco. It’s o f no concern “ I th in k the h o rses th at are to her. She’s totally ignored it. It’s a b attle -te ste d w ill be there at the F ° ° nonevent as far as w e’re concerned. e n d ,” said L ukas, w h o se tw o colts U S A T F e x e c u tiv e d ir e c to r ce rtain ly are ju s t that. C raig M asback called the decision Charism atic, fourth in the Santa "a trag e d y .” Anita Derby and a w inner o f the “Clearly, she’s one o f the great Lexington at Keeneland, will be athletes in the sport and a pioneer," fjyuui making his 15th start. Cat Thief, M asback said. winless in four starts this year but “T-E testing for women is not second twice and third once in Grade supported by scientific evidence ... I stakes in his last three, will be going never mind for her particular test. I to the post for the 12th time. think it’s unfortunate that the IAAF “I’m grateful to be in this posi decided to pursue this case after we tion," said Nick Zito, who will try to exonerated her. They should come win his first Derby since 1994 (Go for up with a legal test, not pursue some Gin) with Adonis, w innerofthe Wood one w ho is innocent.” Memorial at Aqueduct, and Stephen The IAAF imposed the ban after Got Even, w inner o f the Gallery the arbitration panel said there was Fumiture.com at Turfway Park. “ failure to establish by clear evi Zito likes the Derby rivalry h e ’s dence that an abnormal T-E test was formed with Baffert and Lukas. attributable to pathological or physi “ I would love to finish it off,” he ological conditions.” said o f winning the final Derby o f the Slaney, the 1983 world champion ‘90s. I would love to have that honor.” at 1,500 and 3,000 meters, gave a Zito also said he d id n ’t w ant to urine sample during the 1996 U.S. seen the 1990s end with four trainers O lympic trials that showed a T-E have two Derby wins apiece. That ratio above the 6-1 limit. would happen should Carl N afzger The T-E test detects the presence win with Florida Derby winner Vtear. o f testosterone, a naturally occurring Nafzger won in 1990 with Unbridled, Tickets avallatole at TieketMaster outlets. Ftose Garden Box Office and the Forest Dragons ticket office muscle-building horm one that also PIL ► Horrn Ien Standings W 8 L 8 8 2 2 5 5 1 G.M.B.W 5 5 6 4 3 3 0 7 7 9 No team W k 8 7 7 0 0 2 3 5 4 4 4 3 2 1 0 6 W L 0 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 0 ALL w yyw .d rag o n sfo o tb all.co m 4 W k 4 0 0 2 6 3 3 3 1 0 1 1 2 3 5 5 5 0 No team M ay 1 s t n at 6 FIRST 5001! 5 8 9