Page & The Heraid, Friday, October 5, 1979 LACK FANS Lion flu VANCOUVER (CP) — B.C, Lions Fever hasn't swept the West Coast sporting fans off thelr feet despite a disco beat and an impressive winning record. The Lions, 2-1, have the second-best record in the Canadian Football League this season, but haven't captured the imagination of the B.C. sporting public lke Vancouver Whitecaps did last summer, The last twa home games of the Lions attracted crowds of 25,819 and 23,964 to Em- pire Stadium to see the Lions defeat Toronto argonauts 34- 25 and Winnipeg Blue Bombers 22-21, The Lions, delleve it or not, have not lost a home game since Sept. 30, 1978. Yetina stadium seating more than 30,200, they've had only two nearcapacity crowds, The soccer Whitecaps were the darlings of the sporta public for many weeks when they won 20 of 30 league games and another seven of nine North American Soccer League playoff games in capturing Soccer Bowl 1979. The Lions, established in 1954, have their beat regular- season record so far since 1964 when B.C. won its only Grey Cup championship. But something 1a missing as the team attempts to identify with the public. A disco record called B.C, Lions Fever is played on local radio stations frequently and players make numerous public ap- pearances in goodwill ges- tures, But the fans still don’t turn out. Everyone talks about the need for a new sports stadium in an area with a metro population of about 1.5 million people. Empire Stadium has only 16,000 seats between the goal lines, yet detractors say the Lions haven't proven they can fill the seals they already have, A winning team hasn't overcome the stigma of aging stadium facility, however, and the future of the franchise has become clouded, ‘ “If we get a new stadium built in the next three years," club president Paul Higgins sald Thursday, “we'll be OK financially. “But if we don't, afler that. the economics become impossible to Ilve with.” Higgins said the Lions must attract ‘good gates — at least 25,000 people — in the remaining two games here” or the team will lose money in 1979. The Lions lost about $85,000 in club operations last year, but non-operating revenue — market and promotional rights — reduced the losa to about §7,- 000, said Higgins. better? Labatt's Brewery and the Pacific National Exhibition landlords have helped. the Lions ease the financial burden In past years, but this season Higgins sald ‘there are no big pockets to help bail us out.” . “The last couple of gates have been disappointing and ople seem to be turned olf ty the rather uncomfortable situation at the stadium," Higgins said, “We're hopeful that team performance vill get the fans In, but that lan’t always the cage.'' _ The Lions staged thelr annual fund-raising dinner Thursday night, hoping to raise ‘another $40,000 in non- operating revenue ‘by charging $125 a plate to people who wanted to talk football and mingle with the gridiron elite. ‘ Club directors also know that the team must have . $300,000 in the coffers by the end of the 1961 season to pay off a debenture lasue which was subseribed to in 1977. Higgins said the Lions have about 12,500 season- ticket holders and have to average at least 26,000 paying fans a game to break even, _ General manager Bob Ackles is hopeful that the two remaining regular-season games here, against Ed. Calgary Stampederr, will be Ca Stam’ Wi aitractive to the fans. Ed- manton currently leads the Western Football Con- ference by one point over the Lions, with Calgary three points back of B.C, with a game in hand. However, two of the team's biggest promotions didn’t attract sellout crowds, The Toronto. game Sept, 22 was Minor Football Night, an occasion which usually draws huge crowds of youngsters. And, the Sept. 29 game against Winnipeg was Jim Young Night, a tribute to the 13-year veteran. Club officials bellave bath games should have been sold out and no one seems to be able to put the finger on wh more people didn't atlend. “There are 50 many reasons, so many factors, that you just can't blame one thing, Ilke poor weather or whatever,” added Higgins, “If it was just one factor, we could work on that area... “But it's 0 much more, Sure, I’m disappointed, because we've put the product on the field. But we're not giving up. We're always working towards a better future.”’ It may take more than the proven abilities of Larry Key, Leon Bright and even - rookie Joe Paopao to excite the fans and make B.C. Lions Fever a disco hit on the West Coast. A new sports stadium aeems like the daly answers to this puzzling situation, A bettor’s nightmare Approaching the National Football League schedule logically has yielded nothing but aggravation for the laat two weeks. Teams that can't lose come up losers and teams that can't win sud- denly look like world: beaters. To combat this strange phenomenon, the Pro Picker offers an irrational selection this week. How about, for an Upeet Special, winless New York Gianta over unbeaten Tampa Bay Buccaneers? If you don't buy that theory, how about tem- porary insanity brought on by a second straight 7-7 week? The seagon’s record is 46-23, for .667, The picks: NY Glants 17 Tampa Bay 14: Newcomer Phil Simms at quarterback almoat wiped oul a 17-0 deficit at New Orleans last week, Maybe he can lead the Gianta out of the wilderness. New England 23 Detroit 14: The Patriots have too many offensive weapons for the Lions to handle. Kansas City 19 Cincinnati 10; Now if the Bengals had Bench, Foster and Seaver, they might not be winless. Buffato 27 Chicago 20: Every week, Joe Ferguson's pitching makes the Bills look better and better. Phitadelphia 21 Washington 10; Still riding high after beating the Steelera, the Eagles should handle the Redskins, Pittsburgh 24 Cleveland 21; This won't be easy for the Steelers, The Browns are always tough at home. Atlanta 17 Green Bay 16: Waa that.a, Monday night mirage or the real Packers? For the mo.,.ent, we'll choose mirage. . Houston 31 St, Louls 13: The Oilers are rolling and they have incentive now that Pittsburgh has lost a game. Los Angeles 24 New Orleans 10; Thelr shutout of the Cardinals has the Rams’ defence ready for anything Archie Manning might thro their way. : NY Jets 21 Baltimore 17: Even the return of Bert Jones won't be enough to atralghten out the Colts —~ at least not immediately, San Diego 30 Denver 4; Here's a chance for the Chargers to really take contro] In the AFC Weat, They won't miss it, either. Dallas 26 Minnesota 10: if Detroit gave the Vikings fits, imagine the trouble the Cow- boya can cause them. Miami 24 Oekiand 17 (Monday night): Bounce back week for the Dolphins, who almost bounced back with 17 points in the fourth quarter against the Jets last Sunday. Commercial Hockey practice schedule Saturday McEwan & Terrace Hotel 30:15 Weat End & Skeena 9:4S-il Monday McEwan 86:58 Terrace Hotel 9:05-9:50 Ice Clean 9:50-10: 10 West End 10: 10-12:05 Skeena 11:05-12 Thursday Skeena & Terrace Hotel 910 McEwan & West End 10-11. -Timberman. moves along bermen. By DON SCHAFFER Herald Staff Writer. Doug Matheson used to play for the Tim- bermen. He skated here in Terrace for three years, but this year he has moved on to what he hopes will be bigger and better things in the | semi-pro Western International Hockey League. - Matheson was ‘here in Terrace to watch his old teammates play the CP Air Bulldogs Wednesday night. He was just up for a couple of.days before - heading back to Kimberley, where he will be - playing for the WIHL Kimberly Dynamiters. His new team's league consists of six teams, Spokane, Trail, Nelson, Cranbrook, Fernie and Kimberley. : Matheson has been given a job in Kimberley, working for the Mucking Mine, a zinc-mining operation outside of tawn. He considers the move a step up, as the league is two tiers up from the PNWHL. . The WIHL is home to many ex-junior A players who didn’t make the NHL, as well as ex- professional players. The tearm Matheson will be on has an ex-Vancouver Blazer, John Migneault playing on it, as well as Mike Walton's brother Glenn and Allan Fleck, a former New West- minister Bruin player. - . Matheson will be one of the only B.C. bred: players on’ the Dynamiters. According to Matheson, most of the players on the team are either from back east or from Alberta. ‘Matheson says that the Dynamiters are quite different from last year’s edition of the Tim- “There is a lot more listening, a lot more obeying,” he said. ‘We don't fool around as much down there, or we get our tailskicked.”. 7 ~ He says it's also a much tougher league, a lot more hitting and skating than the PNWHL. “It'll be an adjustment, getting used to the new style of play,”’ he says. © . - night. Flyers win again Philadelphia Flyers ended thelr National Hockey League pre-season schedule ona winning note Thursday The Flyers nipped New York Rangers 5-4 In one of two preseason games, Minnesota North Stara blanked Winnipeg Jets 6-0 in the other game, . Bobby Clarke scored with 2:39 remaining in the game to give the Flyers their .fourth victory against two losses and five ties, The Rangers dropped to 1-3-3. ‘New York grabbed a 1-} lead midway through the firat period on a goal by Bill Lochead but Paul Holmgren tled the game 19 seconds later with his first of two goals. The Flyers took the lead just before the end of the period on Tom Gorence's goal, © The Rangers grabbed a 9-2 lead in the second period on ’ ‘goals by Claude Larose and top draft-pick Doug _ _ Sulliman. : Rick MacLeish tied the game and Holmgren’s second goa) sent the Flyers ahead going Into the third period. A power-play goal by Larose tied the score 4-4 early In the third period, set- ting up Clarke's winner. Gary Sargent, Brad Maxwell, Glen Sharpley, Ron’ Zanussi, Mike Polich and Al- MacAdam each scored once to lead Min- nestta to its fourth win against a pair of defeats and tour tles. Winnipeg’ record dropped to 4-5-0. North Stars goalie Gary Edwards stopped 12 shots to ‘aarn the shutout as the Jeta played without three regular defencemen. In related news, New York Islanders sent right winger Duan Sutter, their No. 1 draft pick, to Lethbridge Broncos of ‘the Western Hockey An Islanders spokesman aald Sutter, 19, would benefit ‘from more ice time in the junior ranks, =. ‘The Jets purchased the contract of forward Ron Wilson fram Montreal Canadiens. Wilson played with Nova Scota Voyaguers of the American Hockey League last Season. © Vancouver Canucks assigned veteran goalie ’ Gary Bromley to the club’s Central Hockey League farm club in Dallas. - Los