NFL Strike Roundup : Upshaw Suggests Negotiations Be Televised

The National Football League strike entered its second week Monday with the two sides locked into immovable positions, no negotiations in sight and union head Gene Upshaw suggesting that the next talks be televised.

Upshaw, who met with players from six teams in Los Angeles on Sunday, made the suggestion in Cleveland, where he talked with the Browns and other players who live in the area. He also went to Chicago and plans to meet with the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Giants today.

“We have nothing to hide by putting them on television,” Upshaw said. “We think the public should see that we are making movement at the table, and they could really see what the owners think and do at the table.”

However, later in Chicago, Upshaw said that when serious talks resume and the union presents its new offer: “We will do so in a closed meeting room and not before the media.”

John Jones, a Management Council spokesman, said such a televised meeting would be defined as an unfair labor practice by the National Labor Relations Board.

Union counsel Dick Berthelsen suggested that Tuesday’s meeting of the Management Council’s executive committee might result in overtures for new negotiations.

“Every time they meet, they usually make overtures to us and we’re hoping they might again this time,” he said.

The owners, who are planning to play regularly scheduled games Sunday with non-union players, still say they will talk only if the union gives up its demand for unrestricted free agency.

There appears to be little chance of resuming talks until next week, all but ruling out any resumption of play Sunday by regulars.

“I think that if we play on Sunday and we’re successful, that does create additional pressure on the players,” said Jack Donlan, executive director of the Management Council. “By the same token, if we’re unsuccessful, we’ll probably have a little egg on our face because we tried to play.”

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Reggie Williams said he plans to play with the non-union team scheduled to face San Diego Sunday at Riverfront Stadium.

“If the Cincinnati Bengals are lining up to play a game that counts in the standings and toward the Super Bowl, I plan to be there to lend my assistance,” Williams said after an informal workout with 28 striking Bengals.

“I hope I’ll be playing with the guys who are on this field today, but if I’m not, then I’ll play with whatever players are wearing the Bengals’ uniform.”

Former Tennessee quarterback Tony Robinson was given clearance by the NFL office to play for the Washington Redskins.

Tim Priest, Robinson’s lawyer, said he, the quarterback and Knoxville lawyer Bob Ritchie talked late last week with NFL officials in New York. Robinson, who was arrested early last year on a drug charge, took a drug test at that time, Priest said.

Defensive back Elbert Watts became the first Green Bay Packers regular to cross the picket line when he reported to work so he could receive treatment on his injured knee.

He must still attend meetings of the Packers’ strike replacement team to receive the treatment and be paid his 1987 salary of $75,000.

Two more members of the Indianapolis Colts, wide receiver Walter Murray and defensive back Jim Perryman, decided to end their strike and join the club in preparations for Sunday’s game with Buffalo.

Coach Ron Meyer, who also has quarterback Gary Hogeboom practicing with replacements for other striking players, said Murray and Perryman will start Sunday.

The first crack in the solidarity of the striking Seattle Seahawks occurred Monday when reserve center Stan Eisenhooth crossed the picket line to join the team’s replacement players.

Eisenhooth, a 300-pounder from Towson State in Maryland, became the first striking Seahawk to cross. He had been on the injured reserve list since breaking his hand during training camp five weeks ago, but the hand has healed and he will be eligible to play Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

His older brother, John Eisenhooth, an offensive lineman from Lock Haven College in Pennsylvania, joined the replacement team over the weekend. Stan Eisenhooth said the presence of his brother had no bearing on his decision.

“I haven’t been for the strike since the beginning,” Eisenhooth said. “I am not a starter, you know. Then I broke my hand, making it harder to make this team. I have to play football to prove myself. My contract is up next year, too.”

In St. Louis, women who work in the Cardinals’ ticket office crossed the picket line to go back to work.

The three women, members of Local 744 of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees, honored the players’ picket line last week and gave Cardinals’ union leaders Joe Bostic and Luis Sharpe some encouraging advice on the importance of unity.

The women went back to work after learning that several Cardinals, including Sharpe, crossed a picket line by striking ticket sellers to attend a concert Friday.

Former UCLA quarterback David Norrie, who was with the New York Jets through training camp before being placed on injured reserve, will be the starting quarterback for the New York Jets Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Former USC running back Michael Harper will be one of Norrie’s wide receivers. Also on the Jets’ roster is linebacker Jay Brophy, a four-year veteran who played with the Miami Dolphins and was cut by the Jets in training camp.

Coach Bill Parcells of the Giants made his first cut--Eric Jeffries, a cornerback from Texas who was one of the last players released by the Chicago Bears before the regular season started.

“He just didn’t look like he would be able to do anything,” Parcells said. “I’m not trying to be funny but if it was the same guy, I’d be surprised.”

More than half of the fans responding to a newspaper poll in Denver said they plan to buy tickets for the Broncos’ “replacement” games. Of the 242 Rocky Mountain News readers who phoned in their opinion, 147 (60.7%) said they were in favor of attending the replacement games beginning Oct. 4 at Mile High Stadium.

Of the 129 season ticket-holders who responded, 69 said they intended to keep their tickets and attend the game.