Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 9, 1995 TAG: 9502100080
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Gilmore filed the ``friend of the court'' brief Tuesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
In a statement, Gilmore said he opposes the NFL Players Association's attempt to force Redskins management to suspend any player who fails to pay union dues.
``This action would be in direct violation of Virginia law,'' Gilmore said. ``Virginia has a direct and substantial interest in enforcing its right-to-work laws and protecting its workers.''
The Redskins are a ``Virginia team,'' and players deserve the same protection as other workers in the state, Gilmore said. The Redskins' headquarters and practice facility are in Ashburn.
``The team's name says `Washington,' and they spend a few Sunday afternoons playing football on the other side of the Potomac,'' Gilmore said. ``But the Redskins are a Virginia team. They practice here. They're entitled to the protection of the Virginia right-to-work laws.''
Under state law, a person's right to work cannot be denied because of membership or nonmembership in any labor organization.
The NCAA football rules committee has recommended a tie-breaker system be used in football bowl games beginning next season.
The system is the same used in lower-division NCAA football championships, as well as regular-season league games in the Big Sky, Ohio Valley, Yankee and Mid-Eastern Athletic conferences. It gives each team a chance to score after regulation.
The rules committee, meeting this week in Amelia Island, Fla., granted the tie-breaker waiver at the request of the NCAA's special events committee. It also agreed to a special meeting to discuss sportsmanship and the ``mean-spirited and self-promoting'' antics now often seen in college games.
Final approval for the tie-breaker is up to the NCAA executive committee, which includes many representatives of the same big-time football interests who are seeking the change through the special events committee.
The Carolina Panthers completed their coaching staff with the appointment of Cary Godette as defensive line coach. Godette coached outside linebackers at North Carolina State during the 1994 season. He had previously worked as a defensive line coach at Georgia Tech and Cincinnati.
Upshaw, former Braves pitcher, dies
Former Atlanta Braves pitcher Cecil Upshaw died Tuesday at a Lawrenceville, Ga.., hospital after a heart attack. He was 53.
Upshaw, selected the National League's Relief Pitcher of the Year in 1969, signed with the Braves after graduation from Centenary College in 1966.
He appeared in three games of the 1969 National League Championship Series.
Upshaw pitched for the Braves until 1973, though he spent most of that season with Houston.
He also played for Cleveland and the New York Yankees in 1974 and spent his last season, 1975, with the Chicago White Sox.
In nine years in the majors, Upshaw was 34-36 with 86 saves and a 3.13 ERA in 348 games.
He is survived by four children and two grandchildren.
Bryant Gumbel is back in sports broadcasting, something he said he would never consider 13 years ago when he became host of NBC's ``Today'' show.
``I never thought I would get back,'' Gumbel said. ``I've always enjoyed watching, but I've got a great job that's already pretty time consuming.''
On Wednesday, Gumbel joined Home Box Office, the premium cable station owned by Time Warner, in announcing he would be host of a new sports magazine series that will bear his name, ``Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.''
Gumbel said he also will do some reporting for the new HBO show, although he is not yet sure how much time he will have to devote to it.
by CNB