Vegas Posse

Jan 18 -- The Calgary Stampeders sign Doug Flutie to a five-year contract.Jan 27 -- The Canadian Football League's board of governors approves expansion teams for Memphis, Tenn., and Birmingham, Ala.Feb 17 -- The San Antonio City Council approves an agreement to bring the CFL's Sacramento Gold Miners to San Antonio for the coming season.Feb 17 -- CFL commissioner Larry Smith brands as "totally preposterous" a report saying the league will fold within six weeks, then begin play under a new name to eliminate roster restrictions on Canadian teams.

Jan 18 -- The Calgary Stampeders sign Doug Flutie to a five-year contract.Jan 27 -- The Canadian Football League's board of governors approves expansion teams for Memphis, Tenn., and Birmingham, Ala.Feb 17 -- The San Antonio City Council approves an agreement to bring the CFL's Sacramento Gold Miners to San Antonio for the coming season.Feb 17 -- CFL commissioner Larry Smith brands as "totally preposterous" a report saying the league will fold within six weeks, then begin play under a new name to eliminate roster restrictions on Canadian teams.

The Canadian Football League has given the beleaguered Las Vegas Posse yet another deadline -- the fifth since March -- before it officially sanctions a transfer to Jackson, Miss.CFL governors voted yesterday to approve in principle the franchise relocation. They gave Orlando, Fla., investor Norton Herrick until 5 p.m. today to finalize the deal. At that time, he must have a signed lease to play in Jackson's Memorial Stadium and make a deposit of funds to operate the team.Shortly after the vote, the CFL faxed a 14-team schedule to each team, listing Mississippi as one of the teams.

The Canadian Football League has given the beleaguered Las Vegas Posse yet another deadline -- the fifth since March -- before it officially sanctions a transfer to Jackson, Miss.CFL governors voted yesterday to approve in principle the franchise relocation. They gave Orlando, Fla., investor Norton Herrick until 5 p.m. today to finalize the deal. At that time, he must have a signed lease to play in Jackson's Memorial Stadium and make a deposit of funds to operate the team.Shortly after the vote, the CFL faxed a 14-team schedule to each team, listing Mississippi as one of the teams.

BaseballNational League -- Suspended St. Louis Cardinals SS Ozzie Smith for two games.Chicago Cubs -- Announced the retirement of 2B Ryne Sandberg, effective immediately.Chicago White Sox -- Optioned IF Olmedo Saenz to Triple-A Nashville.Cleveland Indians -- Activated IF Omar Vizquel from the disabled list. Optioned P Bill Wertz to Triple-A Charlotte.Houston Astros -- Placed OF Steve Finley on the 15-day DL. Recalled IF Mike Simms from Triple-A Tucson.Montreal Expos -- Signed C Kurt Alderman, P Jeremy Powell, P Jason McCommon, P Jerald Stubbs, P Jacob Bentz, P Jason Cole, P Benjamin Fleetham, P Javier Vasquez, OF Carl Hall, OF Robert Hugues, OF Edward Bady, IF Jason Camilli, IF Simon Pond, IF Mark Lewis, IF Cary Fenton and IF Thad Chaddrick.

BaseballOrioles -- Activated P Kevin McGehee from extended spring training and assigned him to Triple-A Rochester.Boston Red Sox -- Optioned OF Greg Blosser to Triple-A Pawtucket and recalled OF Bob Zupcic.Houston Astros -- Announced the resignation of Ted Haracz, vice president of marketing.Los Angeles Dodgers -- Signed P Joe Klink to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Albuquerque; sent P Chan Ho Park to Double-A San Antonio; recalled P Omar Daal from Albuquerque.Milwaukee Brewers -- Recalled OF Matt Mieske from Triple-A New Orleans; placed OF B. J. Surhoff on the 15-day disabled list with a lower abdominal strain.

The future of Ottawa's 118-year-old Canadian Football League franchise was in doubt yesterday after Elliot Maisel, a Mobile, Ala., beer distributor, withdrew his offer to purchase the Rough Riders.Maisel agreed to buy the Riders last week and keep them in Ottawa at least two more seasons. But he apparently had a change of heart when a league audit of the team turned up new creditors and a fiscal liability of $2.5 million.Despite a league announcement that Maisel pulled out, Baltimore owner Jim Speros said he believes Ottawa will have a team next season -- and that Maisel will be the owner.

Auto racingRobert Yates Racing -- Named Dale Jarrett driver for the 1995 Winston Cup series.BaseballExecutive Council -- Suspended free-agent P Dwight Gooden for the 1995 season for violations of his drug after-care program.Cincinnati Reds -- Signed C Damon Berryhill to a minor-league contract.Los Angeles Dodgers -- Claimed 1B Jamie Dismuke on waivers '' from the Atlanta Braves.Minnesota Twins -- Claimed P Rich Robertson off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.New York Mets -- Claimed P Blas Minor off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

LAS VEGAS -- If an Aug. 12 baseball strike is inevitable, Jim Speros is ready to offer Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken the chance to make a return appearance at Memorial Stadium.Speros, owner of Baltimore's Canadian Football League team, said he wants to unveil a "ring of stars" before the CFLs' Aug. 20 game against the Toronto Argonauts.Ripken is one of six nominees Speros wants to honor. The group includes former Colts Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore and Art Donovan, along with Ripken, Brooks Robinson and Frank Robinson from the Orioles.

SHREVEPORT, La. -- Reinforcements have been arriving for weeks; more could be on the way.It's the NFL season in the Canadian Football League.This is the time that CFL teams traditionally stock up with NFL cuts. It's time for the second-half playoff run.It's also time to start thinking about the cold-weather element in the CFL.As the Baltimore CFLs approach the halfway mark of their inaugural season, it's time to look ahead.In the past two weeks, Baltimore coach Don Matthews signed a number of NFL cuts to strengthen his offensive and defensive lines.

The future of Ottawa's 118-year-old Canadian Football League franchise was in doubt yesterday after Elliot Maisel, a Mobile, Ala., beer distributor, withdrew his offer to purchase the Rough Riders.Maisel agreed to buy the Riders last week and keep them in Ottawa at least two more seasons. But he apparently had a change of heart when a league audit of the team turned up new creditors and a fiscal liability of $2.5 million.Despite a league announcement that Maisel pulled out, Baltimore owner Jim Speros said he believes Ottawa will have a team next season -- and that Maisel will be the owner.

There were no quick solutions to the problems at hand for the Canadian Football League owners yesterday.But there seemed an endless supply of possibilities.The homeless Las Vegas Posse, for instance, might wind up in San Antonio next year. Or Birmingham, Ala., or Los Angeles, or operations may be suspended for one year until the franchise can find solid ground.On the first day of the league's board of governors meetings in Baltimore, the good news for the CFL came from San Antonio.Commissioner Larry Smith announced that Tom Herring Jr., who owns a chain of restaurants in Texas, has submitted a $100,000 application fee for a team -- either through the relocation of an existing team next season or the arrival of an expansion team in 1996.

Auto racingRobert Yates Racing -- Named Dale Jarrett driver for the 1995 Winston Cup series.BaseballExecutive Council -- Suspended free-agent P Dwight Gooden for the 1995 season for violations of his drug after-care program.Cincinnati Reds -- Signed C Damon Berryhill to a minor-league contract.Los Angeles Dodgers -- Claimed 1B Jamie Dismuke on waivers '' from the Atlanta Braves.Minnesota Twins -- Claimed P Rich Robertson off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.New York Mets -- Claimed P Blas Minor off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

It took an injury to get Ken Benson off the field, and another one to put him back on it.And the time in between nearly drove the former Arkansas Razorback crazy.Benson made his regular-season debut for the Baltimore CFLs last night against the Las Vegas Posse, starting at weak-side linebacker in place of Matt Goodwin, who hurt his left shoulder in last Saturday's 40-13 win over the Ottawa Rough Riders. He inherited the roster spot belonging to Alvin Walton (right hamstring), another casualty from last weekend's game.

In their infancy, the Baltimore CFLs were more dream than football team, more fantasy than fact.They were a wisp of Don Matthews' fertile imagination as recently as Feb. 17, the day pro football returned to Baltimore under a Canadian Football League banner.Within hours of the formal awarding of the franchise, Matthews ++ and his transplanted coaching staff began implementing the master plan:Take 37 American players, mix in some defensive seasoning, add a quarterback who can operate in tight spots, and put an emphasis on speed at the flanks.

SHREVEPORT, La. -- Reinforcements have been arriving for weeks; more could be on the way.It's the NFL season in the Canadian Football League.This is the time that CFL teams traditionally stock up with NFL cuts. It's time for the second-half playoff run.It's also time to start thinking about the cold-weather element in the CFL.As the Baltimore CFLs approach the halfway mark of their inaugural season, it's time to look ahead.In the past two weeks, Baltimore coach Don Matthews signed a number of NFL cuts to strengthen his offensive and defensive lines.

It took an injury to get Ken Benson off the field, and another one to put him back on it.And the time in between nearly drove the former Arkansas Razorback crazy.Benson made his regular-season debut for the Baltimore CFLs last night against the Las Vegas Posse, starting at weak-side linebacker in place of Matt Goodwin, who hurt his left shoulder in last Saturday's 40-13 win over the Ottawa Rough Riders. He inherited the roster spot belonging to Alvin Walton (right hamstring), another casualty from last weekend's game.

There were no quick solutions to the problems at hand for the Canadian Football League owners yesterday.But there seemed an endless supply of possibilities.The homeless Las Vegas Posse, for instance, might wind up in San Antonio next year. Or Birmingham, Ala., or Los Angeles, or operations may be suspended for one year until the franchise can find solid ground.On the first day of the league's board of governors meetings in Baltimore, the good news for the CFL came from San Antonio.Commissioner Larry Smith announced that Tom Herring Jr., who owns a chain of restaurants in Texas, has submitted a $100,000 application fee for a team -- either through the relocation of an existing team next season or the arrival of an expansion team in 1996.

LAS VEGAS -- What started in the arid, desert heat ended with a gulp of relief for the Baltimore CFLs.What started out as a test of manhood all too soon became a pop quiz on team depth.By the time the CFLs escaped the caldron that was Sam Boyd Stadium Saturday night, they had survived 112-degree heat, a handful of injuries and the combative tendencies of the Las Vegas Posse.There were a lot of vacant expressions in the CFLs' locker room after a 38-33 Canadian Football League victory witnessed by 10,122.

LAS VEGAS -- If an Aug. 12 baseball strike is inevitable, Jim Speros is ready to offer Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken the chance to make a return appearance at Memorial Stadium.Speros, owner of Baltimore's Canadian Football League team, said he wants to unveil a "ring of stars" before the CFLs' Aug. 20 game against the Toronto Argonauts.Ripken is one of six nominees Speros wants to honor. The group includes former Colts Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore and Art Donovan, along with Ripken, Brooks Robinson and Frank Robinson from the Orioles.