[1-News-Head]
[TALENT=Keith]
On NEWS 7 tonight Tultex C-E-O Randy Rollins explains the decision to seek bankruptcy protection- -assessing what
he calls "a change in sea level."
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
And members of the LAST undefeated Virginia Tech football team recall THEIR triumphs from 45 years ago.
(------------)
[Sports-Head]
[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=sports head]
[GRAPHIC=none]
Tonight in sports, VMI and ODU meet on the hardwood, Tech's Corey Moore is up for another national honor and
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
another season of Friday Football Extra draws to a close Mike Stevens will join us live from the annual banquet.
(------------)
[WX-Head]
[TALENT=Robin]
[SS=None]
A dry day is on tap for tomorrow. But it's looking like rain will pay a visit on Friday.
Details are straight ahead.
[Video-Open]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=ejo]
[TAPE#=Video Open]
[GRAPHIC=News7at6]
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 3:49]
[IN Q=it is]
((RANDOLPH ROLLINS/TULTEX CEO: IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE LAST OPTION WE WANTED TO CONSIDER. WE LOOKED AT EVERY OTHER POSSIBILITY.))
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=IT IS ABSOLUTELY]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
The Tultex C-E-O speaks ... and says he regrets what he did last week.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
Good evening, I'm Keith Humphry.
[Rollins-Tultex]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sgo]
[TAPE#=99-38 TC 1:41:54]
[GRAPHIC=Tultex chapter 11]
Randy Rollins says it's been a tough few days.
But he's trying to put a positive spin on Tultex's future ... amid growing doubts the apparel company can pull itself out of bankruptcy.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Scott/Newsroom]
Scott Goldberg spoke with Rollins today and has more tonight from the newsroom.
[Live= Scott Full/Newsroom]
[SUPER=@Scott1]
Keith ... Randy Rollins became C-E-O in August.
He was enthusiastic and optimistic at the time ... but those emotions couldn't turn around his company's fortunes.
He's hoping now that filing for bankruptcy can.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Martinsville/October; :00]
[SUPER=01-Randolph Rollins/Tultex CEO; :12 quick]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=THAT KIND OF QUESTION]
(((///// SOT /////)
[SOT from 99-27]
[IN Q=natsound]
((NATS: SOMETHING QUICK FROM OCTOBER RALLY.))
[RUNS=01]
[OUT Q=]
It wasn't long ago that newly appointed C-E-O Randy Rollins rallied the Tultex troops ... telling apparel workers in Martinsville he was the man with the plan to bring the company back.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT from 99-27 at 1:29:47]
[IN Q=i want]
((ROLLINS: I WANT US TO SUCCEED, AND BY G-D, WE WILL.))
[RUNS=04]
[OUT Q=WE WILL]
Now ... days after filing for Chapter 11 and cutting 11-hundred of those workers ... he's asking the same question they are.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT today's tape at 4:48]
[IN Q=what happened?]
((ROLLINS: WHAT HAPPENED?))
[RUNS=02]
[OUT Q=WHAT HAPPENED?]
The answer, Rollins says, isn't that management made any big mistakes... just that it underestimated the company's ability to tread water ... in a clothing market overflowing with cheap foreign imports.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT today's tape at 5:07]
[IN Q=if i thought]
((ROLLINS; IF I THOUGHT WE'D MISSED A STEP SINCE AUGUST, THEN I'D FEEL A GREAT SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY. I DON'T THINK WE'VE MISSED A STEP. I THINK THE SEA LEVEL HAS CHANGED.))
[RUNS= 12]
[OUT Q=HAS CHANGED]
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT natsound -- Mexican workers]
[IN Q=nats]
((QUICK!!! NATS: MEXICAN SEWING MACHINES))
[RUNS=01]
[OUT Q=]
The plan to pull Tultex out of bankruptcy includes sending almost all manufacturing, including fabric-making, to Mexico.
Tultex already sews clothes south of the border ... and says its familiarity with the country gives it an advantage Pluma didn't have.
THAT company folded just four months after it filed for bankruptcy.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 9:03]
[IN Q=there's a big]
((ROLLINS: THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE. WE CAN ACTUALLY DELIVER ON THIS, WHICH THEY HAD SOME PROBLEMS DOING.))
[RUNS=05]
[OUT Q=PROBLEMS DOING]
Still ... Rollins won't say if the odds are in Tultex's favor.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 7:07]
[IN Q=would you]
((SCOTT GOLDBERG: SCOTT GOLDBERG: WOULD YOU PUT YOUR ODDS AT 50-50? BETTER? WORSE? ROLLINS: I'M NOT A PREDICTOR OF FOOTBALL GAMES OR THAT KIND OF QUESTION.))
[RUNS=09]
[OUT Q=KIND OF QUESTION]))
(--------------)
[Live= Scott Full/Newsroom]
At Tultex, Rollins makes 275-thousand dollars a year.
Neither he nor the company's other officers are taking pay cuts.
But a company spokesperson said that's always under review ... the company will consider every option that will help it survive bankruptcy.
[Double Boxes=Keith and Scott/Newsroom]
Keith.[Sugar-Bowl]
[ANCHOR=keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-40 2:00:36]
[GRAPHIC=Sugar Bowl tickets]
The Sugar Bowl is not only profitable for the schools involved-- but also for ticket scalpers.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg/November 26;]
Depending on the location of the seat, tickets are going for anywhere from 250- to nearly a thousand dollars over the internet.
Police Chief Bill Brown says selling or buying scalped tickets, either in person or over the internet, is NOT illegal in Blacksburg.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=We haven't]
((BILL BROWN/BLACKSBURG POLICE CHIEF: WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY COMPLAINTS WHATSOEVER, FOR EXAMPLE, DURING THE MIAMI GAME WE HAD PEOPLE ALL ALONG MAIN STREET AND ALL THE STREETS WITH SIGNS NEEDING TICKETS SO TO SPEAK AND THEN WE'D SEE PEOPLE WITH SIGNS SELLING TICKETS, SO TO SPEAK, AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE WAS REALLY HAPPY WITH WHAT WAS GOING ON. ))
[SUPER=01-Bill Brown/Blacksburg Police Chief; :00]
[RUNS=20]
[OUT Q=going on.]
(------------)
[anchor=keith]
[ss=Hold]
Scalping is NOT illegal in the state of Virginia-- unless an individual town or city passes an ordinance-- such as
Roanoke did.[Gilmore-Bowl]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-48 26:27]
[GRAPHIC=Sugar Bowl]
Virginia's First Family's bowl-bound -- despite the fact that both mom and dad got their degrees from the University of Virginia.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:28:20]
[IN Q=As governor]
((GOV. JIM GILMORE: AS GOVERNOR, I'D LIKE TO GO DOWN AND SUPPORT THEM. SO WE'RE MAKING OUR PLANS TO GO TO THE SUGAR BOWL. Does it matter that you're a Wahoo? IT MATTERS. IT MATTERS. BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF VIRGINIA TECH. AND I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME AND PLACE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WHICH I BELIEVE THEY WILL WIN.))
[SUPER=@Gilmore;]
[RUNS=19]
[OUT Q=they will win.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Keith]
[SS=Hold]
The Governor says he's still thinking about what to bet Florida Governor Jeb Bush on the outcome of the bowl.
[Tech-Challenge]
[ANCHOR=keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=tha]
[TAPE#=99-43 1:27:10]
[GRAPHIC=hold]
One bet has already been made.
Blacksburg's Mayor is so confident the Hokies are going to sweep the Sugar Bowl-- he's put more than his pride on the line.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]
Today Roger Hedgepeth called up Tallahassee's Mayor to issue him a challenge.
Hedgepeth wants the losing team's city council members to wear the winning team's jerseys at one of their meetings.
But Tallahassee's mayor upped the ante.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I'm so]
((SCOTT MADDOX/TALLAHASEE MAYOR:I'M SO CONFIDENT IN THE SEMINOLES IF MY TEAM LOSES I'LL GET YOUR TEAM'S LOGO TATTOED ON MY LEFT HINDQUARTERS.
ROGER HEDGEPETH/BLACKSBURG MAYOR: YEAH, I THINK WE'RE ALL ENDOWED WITH AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF FLESH.))
[SUPER=01-Scott Maddox/Tallahassee Mayor; :00]
[Super=03-Tallahassee, FL; :07]
[RUNS=18]
[OUT Q=of flesh. (laughter)]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Both men were joking....
But they did agree on the challenge involving the jerseys.... and to send the winning team's city a basket of local goods.
(------------)
[Old-Hokies]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=jda]
[TAPE#=99-39 1:21:48]
[GRAPHIC=vIRGINIA tECH FOOTBALL]
The success of the Virginia Tech football team this year has focused attention on another impressive season... the campaign of 1954, when "the Gobblers" went eight- 0- and one.
Tonight, Joe Dashiell has their story.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=In 1954]
[SUPER=03-Victory Stadium/1954; :00]
[SUPER=01-Billy Kerfoot/'54 Guard; :10]
[SUPER=01-Jack Prater/'54 Center; :35]
[SUPER=01-Dickie Beard/'54 Halfback; 1:03]
[SUPER=01-Don Divers/'54 Fullback; 1:19]
[SUPER=01-George Preas/'54 Tackle; 1:53 QUICK!]
[SUPER=01-Bill Cranwell/'54 Quarterback; 2:02]
[RUNS=2:23]
[OUT Q=the entire team was doing that.]
((In 1954, Virginia Tech was coming off a five and five season, but after a strong spring practice expectations were high.
[SOT]
[IN Q=We opened with NC State]
((BILLY KERFOOT: WE OPENED WITH NC STATE. AND WE PLAYED A GOOD GAME AGAINST THEM AND THEN THE NEXT GAME WAS AGAINST WAKE FOREST. WAKE FOREST I THINK THE WEEK BEFORE HAD BEATEN MARYLAND AND WE BEAT WAKE FOREST 28 TO NOTHING. SO THEN WE WERE ON THE WAY.))
[RUNS= :18]
[OUT Q=so then we were on the way.]
But what started out with such promise almost came to an early end when senior quarterback Johnny Dean was injured.
[SOT]
[IN Q=Well, Johnny breaks his leg]
((JACK PRATER: WELL JOHNNY BREAKS HIS LEG IN THE RICHMOND GAME OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THIRD GAME. AND YOUNG BILLY CRANWELL SOPHOMORE TOOK OVER, DIDN'T WAVER, FALTER OR ANYTHING.))
[RUNS= :15]
[OUT Q=or anything.]
The team wasn't very big... Cranwell weighed in at just 165 pounds... but the players were fast and smart.
On the way to an 8 - 0 and 1 season, The team would beat all four ACC opponents... including Clemson in Death Valley.
[SOT]
[IN Q=And we played Clemson in 101-degree]
((JACK PRATER: WE PLAYED CLEMSON IN 101- DEGREE WEATHER DOWN THERE. YOU TALK ABOUT HOT.))
((DICKIE BEARD: SOME OF THE BOYS ON THE SIDELINE GOT SUNBURNED IT WAS SO WARM. AND PLAYING BOTH WAYS WE WERE GLAD THE GAME GOT OVER.))
[RUNS= :14]
[OUT Q=glad the game got over.]
They were prepared for conditions like that... Coach Frank Mosely was a disciple of Bear Bryant, and a strong disciplinarian.
[SOT]
[IN Q=We did have eight seniors]
((DON DIVERS: WE DID HAVE EIGHT SENIORS WHO HAD BEEN THROUGH HELL. MOSELEY, WHEN HE GOT THERE, THERE WERE 90-SOME BALL PLAYERS. FOUR YEARS LATER THERE WERE NINE LEFT.))
[RUNS= :11]
[OUT Q=there were nine left.]
One of the nine was George Preas, the tackle who went on to play eleven seasons with the Baltimore Colts.
He credits Frank Mosely with the conditioning and coaching that helped him succeed in the NFL.
Today, he lives with Parkinson's Disease but hasn't lost his passion for Tech football.
[SOT]
[IN Q=Mosely he made a team out of us]
((GEORGE PREAS: MOSELY, HE MADE A TEAM OUT OF US. HE HAD US RUNNING EVERY DAY, HITTING AFTER PRACTICE.))
((HE THOUGHT WE COULD GO ON AND WIN IT, AND HE WAS RIGHT.))
[RUNS= :12]
[OUT Q=and he was right.]
By all accounts it was a close-knit group, one in which the seniors encouraged the younger players.
[SOT]
[IN Q=There wasn't a practice]
((BILL CRANWELL: THERE WASN'T A PRACTICE THAT WENT BY WHEN JOHNNY DEAN AND I CHANGED PLACES THAT HE DIDN'T STOP ME, SHAKE MY HANDS, PAT ME ON THE BACK, TELL ME WHAT A GOOD JOB I WAS DOING AND SAY "GO ON KID." AND THAT HAPPENED IN THE GAMES TOO AND IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE THE ENTIRE TEAM WAS DOING THAT.))
[RUNS= :20]
[OUT Q=entire team was doing that.]))
[Super=@Joe1;]
[Live=Joe Full/Microwave]
(ad lib)
[Double Boxes=KeithANCHOR/Joe Microwave]
(toss back to keith)[Y2K]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6]
[WRITER=khu]
[TAPE#=99-44 1:12:41]
[GRAPHIC=Battling the Y2K Bug]
It's December 31st- -and the first reports are coming in from overseas:
...medical equipment is failing in New Zealand, blackouts blanket Australia, railroad signals malfunction in Germany, computerized dispatch systems shut down in England.
It looks like it's all headed our way, as midnight approaches the east coast of the United States.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem]
A roomful of emergency planners and other local government leaders grappled with the worst case scenario in Salem today.
It may all turn out to be nothing worse than a typical winter weekend in western Virginia.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 3:47:15]
[IN Q=We don't expect]
((WE DON'T EXPECT ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS ON JANUARY FIRST. BUT WE DO NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES LIKE ICE STORMS AND SEVERE WINTER WEATHER. THE THINGS WE PUT IN PLACE- -THE CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR THOSE THINGS- -WILL CERTAINLY BE ABLE TO BE USED, IF WE DO HAVE PROBLEMS ON JANUARY FIRST.))
[SUPER=01-Wanda Reed/Rke Emergency Services Dir.]
[RUNS=18]
[OUT Q=January 1st.]
(-------------)
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[ss=hold]
Wanda Reed says if people are prepared for a typical ice storm, they ought to be able to weather whatever Y-2-K may bring.
[Jubilee-CTR]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-42 1:32:16]
[GRAPHIC=none]
A Lynchburg community center is experiencing its own Y2K problem..
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]
The Jubilee Family Development Center has until January 1st to pay back a 200- thousand dollar construction loan to One Valley Bank.
The center-- which serves as an after- school gathering place for neighborhood children-- wants to pay off the loan before starting construction on a new gymnasium.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:17:43]
[IN Q=We're so new]
((STERLING WILDER/JUBILEE CENTER DIRECTOR: WE'RE SO NEW WE DON'T WANT A LOT OF DEBT, THAT'S THE MAIN FOCUS OF PAYING OFF ONE VALLEY, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT A LOT OF DEBT HANGING OVER OUR HEAD. US BEING A NEW ORGANIZATION, OUR GOAL IS TO PAY OFF THE FIRST BUILDING, IT WAS A BOARD DECISION TO PAY OFF THE FIRST BUILDING FIRST PRIOR TO BUILDING THE SECOND PHASE WHICH IS THE GYM.))
[SUPER=01-Sterling Wilder/Jubilee Center Director]
[RUNS=17]
[OUT Q=which is the gym.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Today, Sixth District Congressman Bob Goodlatte dropped off a check for a thousand dollars.. part of his annual pay raise that he gives back to the community every year.
(------------)
[City-Stadium]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=99-41 1:19:20]
[GRAPHIC=none]
She's never been to a Lynchburg Hillcats game, but starting in 2001, the ballpark where the Hillcats play will bear her name.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]
New York developer Ann Merritt Hutchinson today donated one million dollars toward the renovation of 60- year- old City Stadium.
The gift pushes fundraising efforts closer to the 5-million dollar mark, which would pay for the "deluxe" version of an overhaul.
The Campbell County native says she just wanted to make a difference in the community.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:01:30]
[IN Q=I know that]
((ANN HUTCHINSON/MILLION DOLLAR DONOR: I KNOW THAT IT WOULD TOUCH THE LIVES OF SO MANY PEOPLE AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO IT THAN TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE MORE PLEASURABLE, A WONDERFUL STADIUM TO ENJOY THEIR FAVORITE SPORT.))
[SUPER=01-Ann Hutchinson/Million Dollar Donor]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=their favorite sport.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
Hutchinson was given the key to the city today, along with a Hillcats jersey and cap.
City Stadium will be renamed "Merritt Hutchinson Stadium".
(------------)
[Flag-Guy]
[ANCHOR=Keith]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=equ]
[TAPE#=99-47 26:18]
[GRAPHIC=none]
He's one man against the system.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]
But state health department officials say the lone protester in front of the Governor's office today has alternatives.
Albino (al-BEE-no) Fossa (FAH-sa) says he can't understand why he can't get a septic field permit to expand his Shenandoah Mountain Inn in Augusta County.
So he took his case to Richmond.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11;44:36]
[IN Q=It's up to]
((ALBINO FOSSA/PROTESTER: IT'S UP TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TOP MAN, TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO SEE TO IT THAT THE PEOPLE BELOW HIM DO THEIR JOB. AND THE MAIN JOB OF ANY PUBLIC OFFICIAL IS TO LOOK INTO THE CONCERNS OF THE CONSTITUENTS.))
[SUPER=01-Albino Fossa/Protester;]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=the constituents.]
(-------------)
[TALENT=Keith]
[SS=none]
A spokesman for the state health department says the county could approve a slightly smaller septic field than what Fossa wants to build.
And, he says, Mr. Fossa could appeal the earlier decision-- but has chosen NOT to.
[S-FFE]
[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=mst]
[TAPE#=sp-49]
[GRAPHIC=FFE LOGO]
The 16th annual Friday Football Extra awards banquet is just about ready to start out at the Wyndham Hotel.
[DOUBLE BOX TOSS TO MIKE-MICROWAVE]
And we find Mike Stevens in the Grand Ballroom joined by a room full of special guests.
[MIKE FULL LIVE MICROWAVE]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
[SUPER=@mike1;]
(Mike will adlib about awards and guests and then shift his attention to the Lee Cook and scholar athlete honor!)
[ROLL CUE: ...THE REVERAND, MAYOR NOEL C. TAYLOR]
(vo runs 39 seconds, but get out when appropriate)
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=04-Last December; :00]
Each December at our annual awards' banquet, the longtime pastor of High Street Baptist Church would grace us with his presence to bless our meal, and then later in the evening send us home with a prayer of safety.
Taylor also was a faithful fan of the program and one who took extreme joy in personally meeting each and every player of the week, and greeting our coaches of the year.
The self-proclaimed "Barefoot Boy from Bedford" died on October 29th at the age of 75. We will all miss his presence at the head table tonight, but the memories we have of the good Reverend will always be with us.
(------------)
[OUT ON LIVE TWO SHOT OF MIKE & SHAVER]
[SUPER=05-Roanoke;]
[SUPER=01-Jim Shaver/WDBJ Vice-President; ]
[THEY WILL ADLIB INTERVIEW ABOUT TAYLOR AND THEN TOSS BACK TO STUDIO]
[S-Lombardi]
[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=Six]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-55 tc 35:39]
[GRAPHIC=Corey Moore]
Another national honor could be coming Corey Moore's way.
The Virginia Tech defensive end is one of the finalists for the 30th annual Lombardi Award.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Charlotte, NC/Monday Night;]
Monday night Moore recieved the Mike Fox-Bronco Nagurski trophy as the nation's top defender.
Tonight in Houston he'll find out if he's the nation's top college lineman.
[super=04-NCAA;]
Tech's Sugar Bowl foe also has a candidate in the running. Number 53, Florida State's Corey Simon is a finalist.
(------------)
[anchor=Denise]
[ss=ncaa football]
Two Penn State players are also finalists...defenive end Courtney Brown and linebacker LaVar Arrington.[S-VMI]
[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-54]
[GRAPHIC=VMI basketball]
VMI plays host to Old Dominion tonight at Cameron Hall in the 19th meeting between the two schools.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lexington/This Past Monday; :00]
The Keydets are coming off a 65-46 loss to Virginia Tech earlier this week.
VMI is 4 and 14 against ODU coming into tonight's seven o'clock game.
While the Keydets boast a winning record eight games into the season, there is no time to sit back and relax.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="yeah...]
((ANDRE QUARLES/VMI SENIOR POINT GUARD:))
[SUPER=01-Andre Quarles/VMI Senior Point Guard; :00]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=...i don't know"]
(-------------)
[S-Cox]
[ANCHOR=Denise]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=rst]
[TAPE#=SP-46 (1:21:50)]
[GRAPHIC=New York Jets]
The New York Jets may be without linebacker Bryan Cox for the rest of the season.
(------------)
[VO NAT]
[SUPER=04-NFL; :]
Cox is scheduled to see a specialist to determine if he needs season-ending abdominal surgery.
He's been bothered by the abdominal strain for most of the season.
(------------)
Cox says he'll consult a specialist this week then decided whether to end his year.
by SS