Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 18, 2001, Winnipeg, Manitoba S sunday ports Winnipeg free press Buzz c1 March reverting to form Stanford and Urcla All breezed into the round of 16 As Low seeded surprises were suddenly at a Premium As the Mcaa mens basketball tournament continued its second round yesterday Khabibulin signs with lightning free agent goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin signed a multiyear contract with the Nils Tampa Bay lightning ending his extended contract holdout Centre Eric Lindros has yet to play a game in the nil this season and is still embroiled in a bitter dispute with the Philadelphia associated press archives going into labour looming War has already taken prisoners in the form of holdout stars like most of you out Ive had it up to Here with ugly labour bitter contract wars and work stoppages that plague major league i they cancelled the world for petes so its a Good thing these yokels dont run or Nick would still be hunkered Down at the North As an unrestricted free calling his latest lion contract offer a slap in the so just How Jolly Are we supposed to be in Light of the lat est unnerving developments in the nil and major league specifically As the expiration dates of their respective collective bargaining agreements loom on the horizon the Eric Lindros situation is com due to questions about his but Hes still prepared to sit out the remainder of the and the Philadelphia flyers Are equally prepared to wish him the Best of Luck in his upcoming golfing endear even More at least from a fans is the season Long stand off Between talented Forward Mike Peca and the Buffalo a team that refused to Budge on its million offer to the unrestricted free Peca wants around million a then theres former Jet goaltender Nikolai who refused to accept the Phoenix coyotes piddly plus offer last just after the goaltenders rights were recently traded to Khabibulin finally agreed to a Deal with the lightning but Only after sitting out almost two full nil what does this Tell us bad things might be that because clearly the same nil owners who have a Bleak history of folding like origami experts Are starting to stubbornly dig in their even at their own teams expense in the disgruntled major league stars like Peca and who can now live a lifetime on one or two years Arent exactly filling put unemployment insurance forms at this very in the player at least pub that he can afford to wait indefinitely for his terms to be while the owners at least that they can no longer afford to question with the existing collective bargaining agree ment set to expire in Arent these current disputes Between Khabibulin and the or Peca and the sabres Only ominous precursors to yet another ugly and protracted labour Dis Pute Randy Arent they it looks like that the direction its going the Manitoba Moose head coach and pm prior to news of Khabibulin signing obvious with the economics of the game the players Are preparing themselves and the owners Are preparing i think its going to be a difficult and it will take cooler Heads at the negotiating table to bring them i think there is room for but both sides have to give a yet even who is far More Likely to be seen Reading the financial Post than the hockey cant get his head around the Nils current economic climate regardless of any pending Cuba Neotia look at he of the net minders prolonged holdout that ended its amazing that people can look at it and say million or million int its to comprehend for any the average fan Doest understand then Carlyle help but it goes Back to that old million Doest go As far As it used even optimists Are hedging their bets come is there a different dynamic out there now that All the Money has gotten so big said one nil requesting who is intimately familiar with contract theres some Validity to theres no question now that As players get More and More the less and less management can justify the signing continued please see labour c2 Frank Thomas staged a Brief holdout this Spring Over his measly lion clutch buckets Lead to Ciau final men in hoops title Tut Halifax the Francis Xavier x men and Brandon bobcats got big baskets with just seconds left in their games and now there in the final of the Cana Dian Intel University athletic Union mens basketball tournament for the Sec Ond year in a firs team Al Canadian Randy Nohr scored on a driving fad away jump shot from the Baseline with four seconds remaining to bring the to seeded x men Back from a on Point deficit in a 7876 Victory Over the 5 Mcmaster i told coach i wanted the Ball and i had the Iso said who finished with 14 15 assists and six they didst put any pressure on me at Centre and i crossed Over on the i thought i was to Tell you the but the hoop dropped and the rest is guard Tyrone Smith brought 3 Brandon within two Points late in the bobcats game against 2ranked Western Ontario then scored the winning Basket in a 7776 Victory on a drive that also came with four seconds left on the coach called for it to go Down said who led Brandon with 19 he go to the Hole and try to draw a the Guy Cut me so i could Only pull up and in just Happy it went but i knew it was bobcats 77 Mustangs 76 defending Champion Francis the defending takes on Brandon in the final today 3 firs team Al Canadian Fred Perry paced Francis Xavier with 16 the Nova Scotia school led 5039 at halftime after shooting 74 per the men twice led by As Many As 15 but Mcmaster took a 7675 its first of the with 14 seconds to play on a pair free throws by Rodney they had us on our but Randy Nohr showed Why Hes one of the great est players Ive Ever said x men coach Steve As great a player As he that one surprised me because the degree of difficulty was out of for Mike Moser award Winner Steve Maga was the top scorer with 21 despite missing four min utes of the second half after spraining an Maga returned with but didst attempt a shot for the rest of the Doug Doyle added 17 Points for in the second firs team All Canadian Earnest Bell and Point guard Charlton weasel head both added 13 Points for Andy Kwiatkowski had 25 Points and 21 rebounds for Western before fouling out Down the the who lost to Brandon in the semifinals for the second consecutive led 3424 at the my heart goes out to Western lets face probably 34 min utes of that game they outplayed but we had a hell of a last six said bobcats coach Jerry Hemmings earlier Matt Ross had 22 Points to Lead the Carleton Ravens to a 9786 Consolation semifinal Victory Over the Laval Rouge it the Ravens meet the Saint marys huskies in the Consolation final the huskies advanced with a 9058 Vic tory Over the Victoria Canadian ;