Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 27, 1995 TAG: 9509270039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Apparently, the Carolina Panthers have come to their senses, deciding rookie Kerry Collins isn't just their quarterback of the future. He's likely to start Sunday against Tampa Bay, behind an offensive front that has 32 career NFL starts among five players.
Collins' quick promotion also means the voidable years in his seven-year, $21.6 million contract will be reached sooner. If the Penn State alumnus is on the field for at least 35 percent of the Panthers' offensive plays in each of his first three years, the final four seasons of the deal will be voided. Carolina then would have to pay him a $6 million bonus - in addition to his $7 million bonus when he signed in July - to keep him.
Collins' base salary this season is $632,000, followed by $790,000 and $948,000.
SHORT: Tiki Barber needs help at Virginia, and not from his blockers. The back from Roanoke has rushed for more than 100 yards in four games and had 99 in the Cavaliers' victory over William and Mary. Well, the UVa record for consecutive 100-yard ground games is five, shared by Barry Word (1985) and Terry Kirby ('90).
``Really?'' Barber said. ``I need someone to look at that [William and Mary] tape and find me a yard.''
'CANED: Once-awesome Miami (Fla.) has scored eight and seven points in losses at UCLA and Virginia Tech, sandwiching a victory over NCAA Division I-AA foe Florida A&M. The Hurricanes' next game is Oct.7 at top-ranked Florida State, and with a loss there, they would have to win six of their remaining seven games just to qualify for a 13th consecutive bowl.
Miami hadn't scored fewer than 10 points in consecutive I-A games since starting a 3-8 season in 1977 with a 10-0 loss at Ohio State and a 10-6 setback at Georgia Tech.
ICE MAN COMETH: With the Roanoke Express starting training camp this weekend in Hillsborough, N.C., the first prediction of the hockey season is that local ice fans will warm to more than the melodious name of rookie wing Louis-Phillipe Charbonneau.
In 47 games in Quebec juniors last season, Charbonneau had 18 goals, 13 assists ... and 404 penalty minutes. Projected over a 70-game schedule, that's 601 minutes in the sin bin. The ECHL record for penalty minutes is 467, set by Roanoke's Jason Clarke last season. Clarke remains on the Express roster, too.
EMPTY CUP: Yes, Virginia, the United States' loss of golf's Ryder Cup is rooted in the commonwealth. If captain Lanny Wadkins wanted to add his pals to the team instead of more deserving players, then why didn't he name brother Bobby to the squad, too? More than a few Americans rooted for the Europeans because they were the underdogs. Others pulled for the foreigners because of Wadkins' cronyism.
ROOKIE BUCKS: One of the pluses of the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement is a rookie salary cap, so more of the money under the increased salary cap goes where it belongs. That's why several veteran free agents - most notably guard Dana Barros with Boston - have gotten bigger bucks than expected in recent signings.
The losers are the top draft picks, when compared with those of recent years. A year ago, top pick Glenn Robinson signed a 10-year, $68.15 million deal with Milwaukee. Joe Smith, taken No.1 by Golden State after exiting Maryland early in the spring, will get a maximum of $8.53 million over three years.
NEW FACES: The Cleveland Indians are in. If the Seattle Mariners and Colorado Rockies hang on to reach baseball's expanded playoffs, it means that in the past 14 years, 26 of the current 28 franchises will have reached the postseason.
What are the excuses for the other two?
The Florida Marlins are only 3 years old. The Texas Rangers? They used to be the Washington Senators.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB