Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / April 14, 1988, edition 1 / Page 20
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Pag© B6 Wnston^Sakni Chrcmide Thursday, April 14,1988 PRO FOOTBALL AFC East Coaches say there is indeed room for expansion in the NFL By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer The five head coaches in the AFC East agree that NFL expansion is inevitable, and they say it won't dilute the quality of play. "The colleges are doing such a great job that there are lots of prospects coming out," Miami Coach Don Shula said. "The expansion teams will become competitive in a hurry." Shula and Indianapolis Coach Ron Meyer said players who could help expansion teams surfaced during last year's strike. "The replace- — have a heck of a football team. They were in the Super Bowl two years ago. And you have to applaud the job Buffalo and Indianapolis did to improve. ... "We used to dominate the AFC East. Last year we won two games and lost six against the AFC East teams." Indianapolis won the division last year with a 9- 7 record. The New York Jets were last at 6-7. Twice during the season, all five teams had the same record. "When we were all 6-6, that was a pretty good indication of the division," Buffalo's Marv Levy said. 'We were probably even a little more even than the standings indicat- ment squads pointed that direc tion - that there is some untapped talent out there," Meyer said. New England Coach Raymond "Thr colU'fic amcht'S are that the expansion teams in a hurry." doinfi such a ftreat job Mfill become eotnpeiitivc Don Shula .Uiami Dolphins ed, to tell you the truth." Meyer said this fall's race will be a repeat. "It appears to me very similar to the Masters teeing Berry said discussion of expansion shows the league is healthy. "It's a good sign for the National Football League that there are four, five or six cities out there that are making a case for a franchise," Berry said. "The National Football League is in demand." The AFC East coaches gathered Thursday for their third annual media day. Four of the five said their division is too even to predict this year's win ner, and Berry said the entire NFL has the most bal ance he's seen. Only Shula was willing to pick a division champion. Shula favored emerging Buffalo because of the Bills' pass rush, secondary and quar terback Jim Kelly, but he agreed the division is bal anced. 'Teople tend to relate it to mediocrity or subpar teams," Shula said. "But I consider New England to off today, in that anyone is capable of winning it, especially when you look at the quarterback talent in the division. And that's where we have to solidify," Meyer said. Berry said the division's balance is a reflection of the rest of the league. "It is as even as I have ever seen it," said Berry, who has been associated with the league for 27 sea sons. "Most any team with a little momentum and a few breaks can contend for the NFL title this year." The Jets, who made the playoffs in 1986, showed last season how quickly a team's fortunes can change amid the tight competition. "We felt in 1986 that we had a pretty damned good football team," Coach Joe Walton said. "But we had a tremendous amount of injuries the last couple of years that have decimated (us)." 'Sweetness' has hung up the spikes and gotten a lead foot in Toyota Grand Prix By the Associated Press ROSAMOND, Calil. - Walter Payton has traded in his helmet and pads for a set of white walls and racing gloves. Just three months after retiring as the leading rusher in NFL history, Payton has a new hobby, auto racing. Payton, 33, says in the short time he's been pursuing the sport, automobile racing has turned him into a more serious driver on public roads. "I’ll tell you what, it (racing) makes you a better driver on the street," he said. "It’s not even fun any more to speed out there." Last year, Payton was pulled over by police for driving 90 mph on a 35 mph stretch near the Bears' camp in Lake Forest "It was 125 actually. I slowed down before he clocked me," Pay- ton said. Payton already is applying his winning philosophy to his newly adc^ted hobby. ■You don't worry about people who are ahead of you or behind you,” Payton said. "Your concentra tion has to be on what you’re doing. "Once you lose that concentra tion, that's when things go awry," he said. After playing 13 seasons for the Chicago Bears, Payton plans to make his debut in auto racing Sat urday in a pro-celebrity race at the Tbyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. "The problem with these celebrity races is that it's embar rassing when you get lapped by someone like Helen Hayes," said comedian Jay Leno who also has signed up for the race. Tb train for the race, Payton has been getting instruction and practice time at a track north of Los Angeles. "Right now, Walter has very good car control," said Danny McKeever, Payton's instructor. "He's a little rough around the edges, but we're working on that and I have no doubt that he’ll be a very smooth driver." But Payton says he won't let auto racing distract him from his real goal, buying an NFL franchise. "My desire is to own an NFL team, and once that happens, then my goal is to take that team from No. 30, or whatever it will be, to No. 1," he said. "Racing is something I can do three or four times a year. All my attention and energy has to be dedi cated to my team." Budweisei Play Wilkins, Worthy and Ewing Three-On-Three HOyy TO ENTER OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM Send this completed entry form to: Budweiser 3-on-3 Sweepstakes P.O. Box 8876 St. Louis, MO 63102 Nam. Address City State Your 3’Oit-3 Team: zip 1. AGE; AGE; 3. AGE: R. H. BARRINGER DISTRIBUTING CO., INC BURLINGTON WINSTON-SALEM GREENSBOB A Subscription Makes a Great Gift caii 722-8624 Today! 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Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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April 14, 1988, edition 1
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