World League To Get TV Money

NEW YORK - After more than a year putting together the nuts and bolts, the NFL's new international venture is about to get its first transfusion of money.

The cash comes from ABC, a figure put by sources at between $12 million and $15 million per year for two years. Official word was to come today.

The new spring league has changed its name several times and is now called the World League of American Football.

It is expected to start play in a little over a year with six franchises in the United States, four in Europe and one each in Mexico and Canada.

The league is headed by Tex Schramm, former president of the Dallas Cowboys, and is overseen by a board of NFL owners.

As for television, ABC is expected to carry a game of the week with local or cable stations televising away games back to home markets in the United States.

NFL legal bid rejected

-- NEW YORK - An NFL request for an injunction prohibiting individual players from filing lawsuits against the league's free-agency restrictions was denied by U.S. District Court Judge David S. Doty, sitting in Minneapolis.

``NFL management has been promising the clubs that there was no need to worry about legal challenges by free agents this year. Obviously, they were wrong,'' Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL PLayers Association, said.

Last week, 274 players whose contracts expired became free agents subject to first refusal by their former clubs.

In addition, some 490 Plan B players who were not among the 37 players each club was allowed to protect have until April 1 to sign with any other team with no compensation required.

Doty also formally dismissed requests by the NFLPA to end the NFL's first refusal-compensation system, the college draft and player contracts.

Coaches weigh the fat

-- NEW YORK - Take a good look at Buddy Ryan. You're not going to be seeing as much of the Philadelphia Eagles coach next summer.

In a sports bar here yesterday, Buddy Ryan and five of the more obese head coaches in the NFL vowed to lose a combined 277 pounds of fat.

Led by Art Shell of the Los Angeles Raiders, the heaviest at 338.6 pounds, they launched an AFC vs. NFC weight-loss contest that could lead to lucrative television commercials, new wardrobes and a free trip for two anywhere in the world.

But the greater reason, they all said, was that the contest will benefit the Miami Project, a foundation attempting to find a cure for paralysis resulting from spinal-cord injury. A diet-product firm is donating funds for every pound lost.

``Buddy Ryan, Philadelphia Eagles, 258 and one-tenth pounds,'' shouted Dan Dierdorf, master of ceremonies.

``I'm going to lose 30 pounds,'' Ryan announced, ``but Art Shell could lose about three people.''

``Bill Parcells, New York Giants, two hundred sixty-five and five-tenths pounds,'' shouted Dierdorf.

``This will be just another prime example of NFC superiority,'' Parcells said playfully, then seriously pledged to lose 40.5 pounds.

The AFC team - Shell, Chuck Knox (236.6 pounds) of the Seattle Seahawks and Dan Henning (222.7 pounds) of the San Diego Chargers - weighed in at 797.9 pounds. The NFC team - Ryan, Parcells and Joe Gibbs (240.1 pounds) of Washington, weighed in at 763.7. They are scheduled to weigh in again July 1, just before training camps open.

Notes

-- A teammate of Major Harris said the West Virginia quarterback is ready to sign with an agent and turn professional. Harris will be represented by Ed Abrams of Los Angeles, the teammate, who asked not to be identified, told Thomson Newspapers in a report published yesterday.

-- Utah quarterback Scott Mitchell has decided to forfeit his senior year of eligibility and participate in the NFL draft in April, The Salt Lake Tribune said.

-- Denver Bronco General Manager John Beake is a top candidate to become NFL director of operations, the Rocky Mountain News reported. Other candidates include Cleveland General Manager Ernie Accorsi, Buffalo GM Bill Polian and former Seattle Seahawk GM Mike McCormack, the newspaper said.

-- Tom Casanova, a former LSU football star and defensive back with the Cincinnati Bengals, has been named the Walter Camp Foundation's 1989 alumnus of the year for his work in the area of visual impairment among lepers in Louisiana.