Sports i ne riiiiCc ucuigc v^iuicii — wetiiidiuiiy, juiic o, ioik> —n MARK ALLAN Sports editor QUARTERBACK FOURTH ON ALL-TIME LIST Lions lose veteran as Holloway retires VANCOUVER (CP) — Veteran quarterback Con-dredge Holloway said Tuesday he hoped his career gained him a measure of respect after announcing his retirement following 13 seasons in the Canadian Football League. “Everybody is expecting me to say something negative, I guess, and I suppose I could,” he said in an interview. “But I came into this league as a respected young man and I want to leave it as a respected old gentleman, a guy they look at and remember well. “When people say ‘Condredge Holloway’ I want them to remember and say ‘Yeah, he could play.’” Holloway, 34, who was the CFL’s most outstanding player in 1982 while throwing 31 touchdown passes for the Toronto Argonauts, ended his career in Vancouver with the B.C. Lions after HOLLOWAY starting it with the Ottawa Rough Riders. “I didn’t just come up and play football and go home,” said Holloway, a Huntsville, Ala., native who came to the CFL from the University of Tennessee Volunteers. “I’ve got my landed immigrant status. I’ve got three good job offers, but two of them are back in Tennessee and I’ll have to wrestle with that one, because I want to stay. “I made the decision to retire, and all I have to say is ‘Thank you.’” Holloway’s retirement followed speculation he was too overweight and lacked the speed to figure in the Lions’ sprint-out offence under coach Larry Donovan. He played last year as a backup to Roy Dewalt, now a Winnipeg Blue Bomber after a contract dispute. “There was this tubby quarterback,” Holloway said. “Every coach, every general manager on eight teams called him a fat little quarterback. “But his own coaches didn’t, and his own general manager didn’t. Because that little fat guy was Ron Lancaster. “I can understand where the coach is coming from with the new offence. I can understand what he wants. But they wanted me to come in at 185 pounds. The last time I weighed 185 pounds I was 20 years old. I’ve always played heavier than that, and I think I’ve accomplished some things.” Career statistics put Holloway behind only three men on the CFL’s all-time list — Lancaster, Tom Clemens and Dieter Brock. Holloway’s retirement came as no shock to Donovan. “I thought something was up when he suddenly stopped coming to practice last week. There were some phone calls and the rumors started.” General manager Joe Galat of the Lions said Holloway simply told him it was “time to move on” and the move left the Lions without any experience at the pivot position. “When you play in this game as long as he has,” Galat said of Holloway, “the player tells you when it’s time to retire. “I don’t know what’s ticking inside him right now. We’ll keep looking for a veteran quarterback. .The position is open.” The Lions’ early quarterback camp will feature the throwing of little-known imports Rickey Foggie, Reggie Lewis, Walter Briggs and Willie Gillis. The team earlier released quarterbacks Ed Blount and Mark Stevens, while a knee problem ruled out Brian Ransom. Holloway’s career statistics include 155 touchdown passes and 94 interceptions. He completed 1,710 of 3,013 pass attempts for 25,193 yards in league play. His yardage total is fifth highest in CFL history. He joined the Lions last year as a free agent but played sparingly behind Dewalt. He ranked 23rd in the CFL passing statistics last year after completing 14 of 28 passes for 211 yards. * * , ' <- ^ **• ' 1 y yxmm Caught in the crush The Blackburn Barbarians controlled the ball in this play and the flow of the entire game Tuesday as they beat the Lakewood Lakers 38-4 to win the Prince George junior high school rugby championship. Blackburn, which went unbeaten Citizen photo by Dave Milne in league play, got three tries from Tal Goodkey and one each from Mike Noullett, Lome Bernard, Randy Fish and Jay Stone, who also had five converts. Blackburn led 24-0 at halftime. Lakewood’s lone try came from Trevor Maynes. Gretzky takes holiday while NHL honors best TORONTO (CP) - Wayne Gretzky isn’t expected to show up tonight for the NHL’s awards show and, for the first time in eight years, he might not have to. Gretzky’s domination of the NHL since entering the league in 1979-80 has parlayed into eight Hart trophies for most valuable player; seven consecutive Art Ross trophies for the top scorer and five of six Lester B. Pearson Awards, honoring the person the players feel is the league MVP. During the Stanley Cup playoffs, Gretzky said he wouldn’t be in the crowd tonight to watch notables such as British Olympic hero Eddie (The Eagle) Edwards, jockey Sandy Hawley, Olympic double bronze medallist Karen Percy along with hockey’s Tony Esposito, Maurice Richard, John D’Amico and Scotty Bowman hand out the silverware. Gretzky is nominated for the Hart again but Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who has won the 1987-88 Art Ross, may wrest it from him. The other finalist is Gretzky’s teammate, goal-tender Grant Fuhr. “I don’t expect to win it,” Gretzky said of the Hart award during the playoffs. “I’ve made holiday plans for those two weeks. “I don’t plan to be in Toronto.” Gretzky is also nominated for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the most gentlemanly player — an honor he won in 1980. His competition is Mats Naslund of the Montreal Canadiens and Joe Nieuwen-dyk of the Calgary Flames. Gretzky’s third nomination is for the King Clancy Award, a new one, along with Bryan Trottier of the New York Islanders and Lanny McDonald of the Calgary Flames. It’s for humanitarian effort off the ice. While the Hart isn’t a shoo-in for Lemieux, the race for the Vezina, Norris, and Calder trophies isn’t tight. Fuhr should have no problem beating Tom Barrasso of the Buffalo Sabres and Kelly Hrudey of the Islanders for the Vezina, voted on by the league’s general managers. Boston veteran Ray Bourque will likely repeat as the Norris winner for the best defenceman. His competition is Scott Stevens of the Washington Capitals and Gary Sut-er of Calgary. Nieuwendyk appears to have the top rookie award — the Calder Cup — locked up ahead of goalie Darren Pang of Chicago and Ray Sheppard of Buffalo. ■ In Minnesota, North Stars right wing Brian Bellows, who earlier said he wanted to be traded, has signed a multi-year contract with the NHL club, the team announced Tuesday. S; m. a WHEELCHAIR ATHLETE Harris aiming for Olympics by MARK ALLAN Sports editor Pat Harris is looking beyond the Canadian wheelchair track and field championships this weekend in Edmonton. Not that he’s taking the national championships lightly, but the 32-year-old Prince George wheelchair athlete wants to qualify for the Olympics for the Disabled later this year in Seoul, South Korea. Harris has been named to what’s called the national shadow (tentative) team in the 100-, 200- and 400-metre distances — the same events he’ll be competing in during the next few days at the national championships in Edmonton. I ' 11 " The meet is one of the final and most important yardsticks to determine who will compete in Seoul. The national team is expected to be named next month. “You have to make 80 per cent of the international time — the world record,” explained Harris, who wants to repeat the success he enjoyed last year at the national championships in Brantford, Ont. There, he won a gold in the 100, plus silver medals m the 200 and 400. Harris also was on the winning B.C. teams in the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays. “I’m probably in better shape this year (than at the same time last year), but a June track meet is pretty early for me,” says Harris, who is prevented by winter weather here from training outdoors year round as others in more temperate climates can. “I did indoor stuff (training),” said Harris. “It’s just not the same, you know. “My times in practice are a little down from last year,” admitted Harris, whose chief competition from last year won’t be back. Ron Payette of Edmonton, who beat Harris in the 100 and 200 in Brantford, died within months of last year’s national championships. Harris competes Thursday in the 100, Friday in the 200 and Saturday in the 400. Superweek for cyclists tests mettle by PAUL SMITH Sports Reporter The Prince George Cycling Club begins its most gruelling series of races tonight in Pineview. The aptly named Superweek begins with an individual time trial at 6:30 tonight from the Pineview store, kicking off five straight days of racing. There is a criterium at 6:30 Thursday at Valleyview Pari one-kilometre sprint at 7:30 Friday on Pulpmill Road and a hillclimb at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The event concludes with the annual CJCI Vanderhoof-to-Prince George road race at 1 p.m. Sunday, a 90-kilome-tre test of endurance which doubles as a club championship points race. PGCC president Gary Schlesing-er expects between 30 and 40 cyclists to compete, although he feels it’s unlikely they’ll all make all the races. “I don’t expect we’ll get that many trying to do all of the events,” says Schlesinger. “It’s pretty tough to do all five events.” Those tough enough to complete all the races, however, have a better chance at the overall title. Schlesinger says the points system will favor those who compete most. And the system will allow cyclists from any category — from cadet to senior — a chance at the overall championship. “We’d like to make it a little more open,” says Schlesinger. “Make it available to everyone, so anyone can win from any category.” The overall winner gets $100 and there are additional prizes for the Vanderhoof-to-Prince George race. Last year’s winner, Olav Stana, won’t be competing. He’s attending a Canada Cup stage race in St. Georges, Que., this weekend. The event here has been scaled down this year. Last year there were six races in seven days, which Schlesinger says was harder to organize. “Logistically it was tough to organize. It’s tough to do it for seven day^s — five is bad enough.” Defence key as Pistons take opener INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) -Coach Pat Riley, who guaranteed a year ago that the Los Angeles Lakers would repeat as National Basketball Association champions, repeated a familiar line on Tuesday night. “I go back to what I’ve been saying to the team the whole year. If we win, it will be the toughest thing they’ve ever done,” Riley said. The Lakers, who had the NBA’s best regular-season record (62-20) this year after their championship season of 1986-87, seem to be making it hard on themselves. After struggling to seven-game victories in the last two playoff series, against Utah and Dallas, the Lakers came out flat Tuesday and were beaten 105-93 by the Detroit Pistons in the opening game of the championship series. Detroit’s defence, which has caused trouble for each of the Pistons’ playoff foes this year, was a factor, but the Lakers had many costly lapses at both ends of the floor. And they couldn’t get the ball into the basket — shooting 39.8 per cent to the Pistons’ 57.5 per cent. “They didn’t do much to bother my shots; they just didn’t go in,” said Lakers centre Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was 2-of-10 shooting in the first half as Los Angeles fell behind 57-40. “It was probably one of the worst games we’ve ever played in the playoffs here,” Riley said. “(Michael) Cooper missed seven open shots,‘Kareem couldn’t get a skyhook to go in.” “Mentally we weren’t there,” said Laker Magic Johnson. “We didn’t carry out our defensive game plan.” Johnson scored 28 points on 8-of-ll shooting, with eight rebounds and 10 assists. The Pistons figured they earned the win by playing tough. “I don’t think they were prepared well enough for the tough defence we play,” said Detroit centre Bill Laimbeer. “Our defence has done it all through the playoffs and it came through again.” Adrian Dantley, who had a game-high 34 points, said the Pistons have been making their opposition look bad. Canadians win second KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) -Canada recorded its second straight win Tuesday at the women’s pre-Olympic qualifying basketball tournament, trouncing Japan 95-67. The Canadian team, rated one of the best in Group C of the four-group, 24-team event, opened a 48-36 halftime lead and was never threatened. France suffered the only unexpected loss in the second day of the tournament, dropping a 52-50 decision to Zaire. Of the 24 teams competing, the top six will join the defending champion United States and hosts South Korea at the Seoul Olympics beginning in September. Coach sacked by new owner The Pistons visit the Lakers at 6 p.m. Thursday on KIRO (cable 7). SAN ANTONIO, Tex. (AP) -The San Antonio Spurs’ new owner fired coach Bob Weiss on Tuesday, saying a change in direction was needed after two consecutive losing seasons. “My decision is a subjective one, but it was mine to make and I just felt it was best for this operation at this time,” B.J. (Red) McCombs told a news conference. McCombs gave no reason for the decision he said he relayed to Weiss by telephone, but changes were expected after McCombs gained control of the team last month. Weiss, a former assistant with the Dallas Mavericks, had a 59-105 record in his two seasons with the Spurs. The Spurs are still awaiting for the arrival of centre David Robinson, the NBA’s top draft pick last season. Robinson, a mobile seven-footer who was the most sought-af-ter player in that year’s amateur draft, is in the middle of a two-year hitch in the U.S. Navy. ■ In Orlando, city commissioners have approved another $9.7 million to complete an arena in time for a new professional basketball team, bringing the cost of the project to $99.4 million. ^Nx\\\\\ I 111!////////,/,/> ooooooo oooooooooooo Mutual tv Life of Canada — o 1550-4th Ave. (Just Off Victoria St.) O_ We are now "Street Level" for your convenience 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday 563-0585 OQUOOOOQOor)