Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 19, 1995 TAG: 9507190048
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
DeShazo, Virginia Tech's career total offense leader, agreed Tuesday to a three-year deal with the Calgary Stampeders. The contract does not start until the 1996 season, when DeShazo will begin his CFL work as a backup to former Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie, who has Calgary off to a 3-0 record and 129 points scored.
Carl Mathison, DeShazo's Florida-based agent, said the recent Tech graduate is expected to sign today. Neither Mathison nor DeShazo would release terms of the deal, but a source familiar with the drawn-out negotiations said the former Bassett High School star should start with a salary of about $70,000 annually.
``I will tell you it's one of the top rookie contracts in CFL history,'' Mathison said.
Flutie's Calgary contract runs through 1997, and the Stampeders - who waited for several other CFL clubs to relinquish negotiation rights to DeShazo - plan to groom the ex-Tech signal caller as Flutie's successor. The 1995 CFL season started three weeks ago, and DeShazo wasn't able to sign a contract until Birmingham gave up its bid to sign him.
``I feel like I've been through a ringer,'' DeShazo said Tuesday from Shelor Chevrolet in Christiansburg, where he has and will continue to work as a sales representative. ``At least I'm going to get my chance to play at the next level. If I had gone up there and not made it, then it would have been different, but all of this wasn't my fault.''
The negotiations for DeShazo eventually involved CFL commissioner Larry Smith. Mathison, at one point, referred to the CFL rights of negotiation rules as ``blatantly archaic and unconstitutional, and that was fine as long as there were no U.S. teams in the league.''
The 13-team CFL has five U.S. clubs.
Calgary wants DeShazo to move there after the end of the season in November to begin working with coaches to learn the system.
``The objective is that when it's time for training camp next June, Maurice will be totally versed in Calgary's offense,'' Mathison said. ``We're just happy he's going to get an opportunity, and get one with a great organization that's been in the Grey Cup [championship game] in recent years.
``When it came down to the end, the logjam was broken as a result of the league and the players association feeling he deserved a fair opportunity. They thought he deserved the chance to be properly trained and coached to be a star in the CFL.''
DeShazo's CFL rights originally were held by Las Vegas, until the club folded. Hamilton gained the rights, but couldn't work a desired trade of DeShazo's rights for defensive help, so the Tiger-Cats let him go to Ottawa. The Rough Riders then released DeShazo's rights when they signed former Virginia and Martinsville High School star Shawn Moore.
``It's all worked out,'' DeShazo said. ``I have my college degree and I have a job now, and I'm going to get a chance to play at the next level. Saturday, really, I'd given up on this. Monday, I came back to work at Shelor. And Tuesday I get a contract. It's amazing.
``Now, I want to ask everybody to come out and buy a car from me.''
by CNB