The Michigan Daily--Wednesday, July 14, 1982--Page 11
Rogers admits he used cocaine
NEW ORLEANS (AP)- George
Rogers of the New Orleans Saints ad-
mitted yesterday that he used cocaine
last season-when he was named
Rookie of the Year and led the National
Football League in rushing-but
promised "it will never happen again."
Rogers, who set a rookie record with
1,674 yards for the Saints last season,.
said he underwent testing and treat-
ment for drug abuse last week at a
Florida clinic.
"I AM SORRY for what I did," the
1981 Heisman Trophy winner from
South Carolina said at a press con-
ference. "I made a mistake, and I have
to live up to that. I made a mistake and
it will never happen again."
Rogers, his attorney Ed Holler and
Saints Coach Bum Phillips would not
answer any questions regarding the
drug scandal surrounding the team and
the NFL.
U.S. District Judge Veronica Wicker
NFL running back says
it won't happen again
has issued a gag order in the drug case
involving former Saints running back
Mike Strachan, who is scheduled for
trial Aug. 30 on charges of distributing
cocaine. A number of Saints players
allegedly were among his customers,
including Rogers.
ROGERS' FIRST link with the scan-
dal came last month in published repor-
ts quoting unidentified sources as
saying he told a federal grand jury he
spent $10,000 on cocaine last season.
Holler described Rogers' use of the
drug as "a brief recreational use of
cocaine."
Reading from a prepared statement,
Holler said Rogers spent July 7 through
July 9 at the Palm Beach Insititue. He
said Rogers underwent psychological
and physical testing, including drug
screening and laboratory tests.
"GEORGE Rogers was found to be
healthy emotionally and medically and
shown to have no signs of dependence
on cocaine or any other habit-forming
drug," Holler said.
"It was determined that George had
a brief recreational use of cocaine, and
that there is no evidence of any use of
cocaine or habit-forming drugs since
January of 1982."
Phillips said this was probably the
most important press conference he
had ever attended.
"I'VE BEEN to a whole lot of press
conferences in my years in sports-
OWNERS MAKE NEW OFFER:
Football talks resume
NEW YORK (AP)- National Foot-
ball League owners, resuming contract
talks with the players, offered yester-
day to increase minimum salaries as,
much as 56 percent and to reduce com-
pensation that the union says has
blocked free agency.
The owners' pay proposal, $50,000 for
a fifth-year player, is still far less than
the $140,000 the players want. Players
now earn at least $32,000 after four
years.
THE OWNERS' proposals, the first
solid offer presented during six months
of negotiations, also includes increased
post-season pay, insurance coverage
and injury protection benefits. Only two
days are left before the current collec-
tive bargaining agreement expires.
"We gave it to them, and now we'll
see what they say," said Jack Donlan,
executive director of the NFL
Management Council, which formally
submitted the proposals.
High scoring battles.
highlight hoop league
By RON POLLACK evening, Central Cafe trounced
Basketball fans tired of the low Moe's Sport Shop/Whiffle Tree, 95-
scoring defensive struggles typical 82. Central Cafe never trailed in
of Big Ten play got quite a treat the game.
last night at the Sandy Sanders Johnny Johnson scored eight of
Summer Basketball League held at the victors first 14 points. Central
Pioneer High School. The three Cafe took a quick 21-10 lead and led
winning teams scored 104, 95, and by double figures almost the entire
100 points.first half which ended 55-40.
In the first game of the night JOHNSON LED the way for Cen-
Stein and Goetz/Wilkinson tral Cafe with 27 points while Mark
Luggage defeated the Washtenaw Bostic added 23 .
County Police Athletic League In the final game of the aght
(PAL), 104-97. PAL jumped out to Penthouse Hair Design beat
a quick 23-10 lead with Mike Brewer's Gulf (a team made up of
McGee scoring eight of those poin- Michigan recruits and Eric Tur-
ner),100-96.
Earl inthesecod hlfPAL THE FIRST half was closely
Early n eight point lead. But for contested with the biggest lead
built an eih spon lead. euthr coming when Penthouse Hair
most of the second half neither Design went up 36-27.
team could build a lead larger than With 2:25 left in the first half,
five points. Roy Tarpley scored for Brewer's
With three minutes to go inthe Gulf to tie the game at 46.
game, Stein and Goetz/Wilkinson The two teams traded buckets
Luggage's Leslie Rockymore the rest of the half and Penthouse
scored a bucket to put his team up Hair Design took a 56-53 halftime
for good at 94-93. lead on a Terry Duerod basket.
JAMES AND McGEE shared Down 82-70, Brewer's Gulf came
scoring honors with 26 each. Gar- hack and tied the game at 84
ner and Rockymore scored 23 and behind fourtpoints by both Turner
22 points apiece in victory while and Tarpley.
Eric Santifer (Syracuse) netted 20 Penthouse Ha. Design then
in a losing effort.- went up 88-86 and never
In the second contest of the relinquished the lead.
The players union asked for time to
consider the proposals during the first
of a planned three days of negotiations.
UNDER THE proposals, minimum
pay for rookies would jump from
$22,000 to $30,000. The players union has
sought a minimum of $75,000 for first-
year players.
The proposal also reduces the amount
of compensation a team would have to
give for signing a free agent. A new
club signing a free agent for $80,000
would give up a third-round draft
choice to the club losing the player,
rather than a first-round pick in the
'current system. The first-round draft
choice level under the proposal begins
at $110,000.
Playoff pay for each post-season
game would also increase. Players
would receive $30,000 for winning the
Super Bowl game-rather than the
current $18,000-for a total of $56,000 in
postseason money, rather than $35,000.
THE PLAYERS claim the current
compensation levels are so high that
they restrict free agency.
The owners' proposal does not ad-
dress the issue of players receiving 55
percent of the gross income. The
players have sought a pay scale based
on dividing 55 percent of all ticket sales,
television revenue and other income.
The current five-year contract bet-
ween the players and owners, which
was worked out during three years of
negotiations, expires tomorrow.
Neither side expects a settlement by
then, nor is either side particularly
concerned.
TRAINING camps will be opening
during the final two weeks of July, and
players have promised not to stage a
boycott. Owners have promised not to
lock players out of camps.
"It would be a miracle to settle things
before Thursday," said Ed Garvey,
president of the players' union. "The
expiration date Thursday has brought
the realization that we have to
negotiate."
Both sides acknowledged that a con-
tractmay not be worked out until the
final/weeks before the regular season
opens on Sept. 12.
some bad, some good," he said. "I've
never been to one as important as I
think this one is.
"I think it's important for this foot-
ball team, this town, the NFL. But it's
more important for a bunch of in-
dividuals who have made a' mistake-
but not a mistake that can't be rec-
tified."
Phillips said he can forgive Rogers
for his mistake, and intends to treat
Rogers as if he were one of his children.
"I'VE RAISED six of my own and
3,300 of other people's," Phillips said.
"I'm treating him like one of my own.
"I'm certainly not a believer in
drugs, but I am a believer in people,"
Phillips said. "I am convinced in my
mind ... that it is over and done with."
He said he hoped Rogers would not
renege on his promise to stay clear of
cocaine.
"If it happens once, shame on you. If
it happens twice, shame on me,"
Phillips said.
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