Disgraced Sprinter Johnson Could Catch Kicks In Cfl

From the Canadian Football League, the circus that brought you players flying through plate-glass windows, chairs flying past Lonie Glieberman's head and Dexter Manley flying off at the mouth, comes a new act: Ben Johnson.

The Ottawa Rough Riders have added the name of the disgraced Canadian sprinter to their confidential negotiation list and intend to have him flying past opponents as a kick-return specialist next season.

Glieberman, 25, the Rough Rider president whose decision to rehire the controversial Manley during the summer prompted irate Ottawa players to throw chairs at him during a locker-room meeting, was reluctant to discuss the Johnson matter.

"But I see nothing wrong with having a guy with world-class speed as a kick returner," Glieberman said. "There's no law that says he has to be a receiver or play any other position. He'd just be one of the guys on our roster."

The Riders are determined to sign Johnson, who turns 32 this month. If nothing else, they believe he will have gate appeal.

FULL OF BEANS

Wyoming Gov. Mike Sullivan has accepted Kansas Gov. Joan Finney's friendly wager on the outcome of the Dec. 29 Copper Bowl between Wyoming and Kansas State.

"Can you imagine she's betting a bushel of soybeans?" Sullivan said, delivering some good-natured ribbing. "I'm not sure what you do with those."

Sullivan said he would put up an assortment of steak and lamb products, "which I think by anybody's estimation would be a more valuable wager than soybeans."

CAN IT BE TRUE?

Mark Purkey of Golf magazine passes on a joke that was making the rounds in Britain after the Europeans lost in the Ryder Cup matches:

"Did you know that there were two Scandinavians on the European team?

"Joakim Haeggman, who is Swedish, and Seve Ballesteros, who is Finished."

CAN'T BE TOO CAREFUL

The U.S. Naval Academy's angora goat mascot, Bill XXVI, has been in seclusion awaiting today's Army-Navy game.

Bill's predecessors have been kidnaped from their pens, thrown into cars and driven north toward the Hudson River.

To assure it won't happen again, extra precautions include barbed wire and a security alarm at his Naval Academy dairy farm pen.

HIGH PRAISE

Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union Tribune recently asked Hall of Famer Bill Walton if the New Jersey Nets' Derrick Coleman was the most underrated player in the NBA.

Big Bill's reply: "Well, Michael Jordan was, but he's not playing anymore."

TO YOUR HEALTH

The Lillehammer, Norway, Winter Olympics Organizing Committee will distribute free condoms to all athletes, coaches, news media, VIPs and other accredited personnel as part of an anti-AIDS campaign.

"We thought it was important to emphasize the health aspect," said LOOC official Oystein Krugsrud.

The liberated Norwegians had considered marketing condoms as an official Olympic product, wrapped in special packages adorned with the Olympic rings.

"We decided against it," said Krugsrud.

THEY SAID IT

Charles Barkley, on himself: "Being Charles Barkley all the time is a grind."

Compiled from Toronto Globe and Mail, Los Angeles Times and Associated Press