Page 14-Thursday, June 10, 1982-The Michigan Daily
FORMER DEFENSIVE END SAYS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD
Player says cocaine used in NFL
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NEW YORK (AP) - Don Reese, a
former National Football League
player and admitted drug user, said,
"Cocaine can be found in quantity
throughout" the NFL.
He laid much of the blame for the
alleged widespread use at the doorstep
of the league and the NFL Players
Assocation.
REESE WAS was a defensive end for
the Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Sain-
ts and San Diego Chargers. He and
former Dolphins' teammate Randy
Crowder, a defensive tackle, spent a
year in jail in Miami during 1977-78 af-
ter pleading guilty to selling cocaine to
undercover agents.
IN's
Reese
... alleges cocaine problem
In a cover story in the June 14 issue of
Sports Illustrated, Reese named
several NFL players with whom he
played as cocaine users.
Cocaine, he said in the story written
with the magazine's John Underwood,
is "pushed on players, often from the
edge of the practice field. Sometimes
it's pushed by players. Prominent
players. Just as it controlled me, it now
controls and corrupts the game,
because so many players are on it."
REESE IMPLIED that the NFL
does little in the way of combatting
drug use and that the union also fails to
take proper measures to look after its
players.
"Nobody really checks like they
should, of course," Reese wrote. "The
league could attack the drug problem in
a minute with urine tests but they steer
off that land mine because the Players
Association objects so strenuously. It's
crazy, really. You object to something
that will prove you're doing wrong, and
you get carte blanche to keep on doing
it. In sports involving dogs and horses,
they take tests all the time. And Olym-
pic athletes have to be tested. But they
don't dare test the players in the NFL.
It's crazy."
Reese mentioned Charles Jackson,
the NFL's assistant director of
security. "Jackson is an ex-narcotis of-
ficer, and he has a regular routine
aobut drugs that he uses to lecture
players with," Reese wrote.
"NOBODY SEEMS to take him
seriously, but you listen because he's
entertaining. I suppose the league of-
fice thinks he identifies because he's
black, but it boils down mainly to ap-
pearances. He makes an appearance, And I didn't call him back, either. I was
and nobody sees or hears from him too frustrated and too discouraged."
again for a year or so.' Repeated calls yesterday to Jackson
Reese also contended he had been and to Commissioner Pete Rozelle at
given a card by Jackson and was told to NFL headquarters in New York went
call him anytime he had any problems. unanswered. Late in the afternoon, a
Reese wrote that during the 1980 league spokesman said the com-
season, when the Saints lost their first missioner had not completely read the
four games they finished 1-15 that year, article and would have no comment un-
he realized the team was in trouble and til probably today. In Washington, Ed
he called Jackson's telephone number Garvey, executive director of the
in New York "and his secretary said he players' union, declined comment on
wasn't available at the moment, 'but Reese's story, saying he had not had a
he'll call you right back.' He never did. chance to read it.
Bru ins -makeaKiuzak
first pick in draft
MONTREAL (AP)- National Hockey League teams were busy trading as well
as drafting yesterday.
Four major trades were completed just prior to or during the entry draft yester-
day, with the Boston Bruins involved in two.
THE BRUINS acquired left wing Brad Palmer and Dave Donnelly, a center at
the University of North Dakota, from Minnesota in return for agreeing not to draft
Brian Bellows of Kitchener as the first pick in the draft. Instead, the Bruins took
defenseman Gord Kluzak of Billings.
Later, Boston sent defenseman Brad McCrimmon to Philadelphia for goaltender
Pete Peeters.
St. Louis obtained defenseman Rob Ramage from New Jersey in exchange for
the Blues' first-round picks this year and next.
AND, IN their second complicated deal in two days, the Calgary Flames sent
goalie Pat Riggin and right wing Ken Houston to Washington for defenseman
Howard Walker, center George White of the University of New Hampshire, and
one of the Capitals' sixth-round picks this year acquired from Quebec, third-round
pick in 1983 and second-rounder in 1984.
Late Tuesday, the Flames acquired goalie Don Edwards and defenseman Richie
Dunn, plus Buffalo's second-round pick this year in exchange for Calgary's Nos. 1
and 2 this year, No. 2 in 1983 and the right to swap No. 1 picks with Calgary next
year.
The Sabres also signed free agent goalie Bob Sauve, whom they had dealt to
Detroit last winter. Sauve, who went to Detroit in a seven-player deal, signed a
contract with the Sabres prior to the draft for four seasons plus an option year.
THE BRUINS almost acquired McCrimmon in March, but the Flyers backed out
of the trade, which would have sent goalie Rick St. Croix to Boston. This time,
Peeters was offered and the Bruins agreed.
"He's a front-line goalie," said Bruins General Manager Harry Sinden. "Peeters
was not available until now. I'm glad I got someone who could help our team for
McCrimmon."
"Everybody knows our weakness is defense," said Flyers Coach Bob McCam-
mon.
"McCrimmon is the kind of defenseman who will improve us a lot."
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I
4
Little progress made in
three days of NFL talks
WASHINGTON (AP)- Three days of ministrative judge will be held in New
talks between the National Football York.
League and the players' union ended HIGHLIGHTING this week's con-
yesterday with little or no progress in tract talks were the union's formal
reaching a settlement prior to the ex- presentation of its demand for a 55 per-
piration of the current contract on July cent share of each team's gross
15. revenue. Under the union proposal,
"The only thing we have agreed to is base wages would be determined by
the setting up of a subcommittee to years in the league, Bonus money,
discuss the players' proposal for the which could add as much as $200,000 to
right to choose a doctor," said Jack a players' base salary, would include
Donlan, executive officer of the NFL incentives based on individual and
Managment Countil, the owners' team performances.
bargaining arm. Garvey, quoting a financial analysis
"IF YOU think setting up a subcom- prepared by the A.G. Becker brokerage
mittee is progress, then progress was house, said projected television
made," Donlan said. He also said both revenues from all sources would net
sides had a chance to "clear the air and each team $39.2 million dollars in 1987.
learn where we stand on the issues." The NFL recently signed a five-year
Ed Garvey, executive director of the pact with ABC, NBC and CBS for an
NFL Players Association, saying some estimated $2.1 billion.
progress had been made during the "WHEN YOU project those numbers
week, was reluctant to assess yester- you have to be crazy not to bargain for
day's final session. gross revenues," Garvey concluded.
"It's like trying to describe your "We are unalterably opposed to a
marriage on a day-to-day basis. You fixed percentage of gross revenues,"
must take a broader view of the Donlan reiterated yesterday. "I think
situation," Garvey said. we can find a way to increase the
THERE ARE no additional talks players' benefits without a fixed per-
scheduled. centage."
"We will be busy preparing for the While Donlan said the owners would
National Labor Relations Board "entertain" discussions of a minimum
hearing on June 21 and imagine they wage, the league was anxious to keep
will be doing the same," Donlan said. the "status quo" on the general
The union has filed a charge against philosophy governing salaries.
,the league, alleging bad-faith "We have the most successful sports
bargaining for refusing to release system in history. We don't want to
financial data the union insists is fudge it up or mess it up too much,"
necessary to conduct negotiations. The Donlan said. "You don't want to chuck
hearing before an NLRB ad- a system that works."
I
Brian Bellow (left) pulls on the jersey of Gord Kluzak who was the
player drafted in yesterday's NHL draft, by the Boston Bruins. Bellows
second player picked, was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars.