Vince Ferragamo may be headed for the Green Bay Packers. The 30-year-old quarterback, put on the trading block by the Los Angeles Rams last month, impressed Packer offensive coordinator Bob Schnelker in a workout Wednesday in Fullerton, Calif.
”We had heard he had hurt his shoulder, and weren`t sure he could even throw a ball anymore,” said Schnelker. ”There`s nothing wrong with his arm and nothing wrong with his hand. That`s all we were concerned with.”
Schnelker said he`d recommend the Packers make an offer for Ferragamo, who sat out most of last season with a finger injury. ”If we had Vince, we`d look at him as a second starter,” Schnelker said in a reference to Lynn Dickey.
The Rams signed quarterback Dieter Brock out of the Canadian Football League last month and let it be known Ferragamo was available.
— Robbie Martin of the Detroit Lions was arrested early Thursday after a machete-wielding siege on the home of his estranged wife and her male companion`s auto in Los Osos, Calif. Martin injured himself in the process, but neither his wife, Carrie Martin, nor her companion, Denton Sumner, was hurt.
Martin, a punt-return specialist, was treated in a hospital for cuts and then jailed. He was booked for investigation of burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and felony vandalism.
A KNOCKOUT ATTRACTION
NBC wants to televise the Larry Holmes-Michael Spinks heavyweight title bout, but only if it can be shown May 20, a spokesman for the network said Thursday.
Plans are underway for Holmes, the International Boxing Federation champ, to defend his crown against Spinks, the undisputed light heavyweight king. Both are undefeated.
NBC reportedly is prepared to pay more than $2.5 million for the domestic TV rights to the fight, but network spokesman Tom Merritt said negotiations
”have hit a snag. We`re dealing with three promoters. If we can`t agree on the May 20 date, we`re not interested in another prime-time date. We should know where we stand in 24 to 48 hours.”
NBC wants the bout on that date because of the May sweeps period when ratings are important to the networks.
Holmes said Thursday he wants to break Rocky Marciano`s record of 49-0. Marciano is the only heavyweight champ to retire without losing a fight. Holmes has a 47-0 record.
STRENGTHEN ADMISSIONS: BRADLEY
U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley (D., N.J.), a former pro and college basketball star, says colleges could prevent sports scandals by tightening their admissions policies. ”I think you have to uphold the integrity of the system,” Bradley said during a radio interview in Chicago. ”The kids are in college for an education primarily. That`s what we should insist that they get. That means not accepting an individual who can`t make the grade academically.”
— Gary Kranz, the Tulane student who allegedly made the first contact with Green Wave players involved in a point-shaving scandal, has pleaded innocent to 13 charges of sports gambling and cocaine dealing.
HENSON GETS A RAISE
Illinois coach Lou Henson has been given a four-year contract extension and a raise. ”Lou Henson is the premier coach in the premier conference,”
said athletic director Neale Stoner.
— Darrell Griffith of the Utah Jazz plans to enter the free-agent market when the season ends. ”We`re having trouble trying to come to a fair figure,” said Bob Woolf, Griffith`s attorney. ”The best way is to just let Darrell become a free agent and see what other people think is a fair figure.”
Griffith`s salary has been listed as $363,000. There were 10 guards in the NBA listed at $670,000 or more.
— Dan Issel, Denver Nuggets` reserve center, is likely to miss the rest of the regular season because of a bruised left knee.
SIGN OF THE TIMES
A Pete Rose countdown sign above Cincinnati`s Fountain Square Plaza will keep track of his quest to break Ty Cobb`s all-time hit record. ”Pete 92 To Go” read the sign Wednesday after Rose collected one hit in the Reds` 4-1 loss to Montreal. The Cincinnati player-manager has 4,100 hits and needs 92 to break Cobb`s mark.
— Among eight new managers making their debuts in the Midwest League this week are two former Cub catchers. They are Steve Swisher at Waterloo and Tim Blackwell at Clinton.
THE LAST HURRAH
Motorcycle daredevil Gary Wells, who was nearly killed five years ago in an ill-fated attempt to vault over the Caesar`s Palace Fountains in Las Vegas, says he will make his last jump Saturday in Phoenix. Hopefully, it will be his last jump because he plans to go into auto racing.
Wells, 28, is scheduled to attempt a five-story, free-fall jump on his motorcycle at the Arizona State Fairgrounds as part of a benefit show ”and then that`s it. I`m retiring. It`s my last jump.” Happy landings!