Generals deny
R. White offer
‘By Gary Myers
Staff Writer of The News
A top New Jersey Generals official
said Tuesday that no offer has been
made to Randy White and he accused
agent Howard Slusher of using the Un-
ited States Football League team to drive
up the price of his clients.
“Nobody in our organization has
made an offer to Randy,” said Jim Gould,
the Generals executive vice-president
and assistant to owner Donald Trump.
“Howard Slusher has done this every-
where in the country. I have no respect
for the guy. I think he’s trying to use us,
but he’s not having success. We better
not find him misrepresenting Donald
Trump again.
“We are not in the habit of making
offers and then having them negotiate
with other teams. We've never expressed
an interest in Randy. And-we won't nego-
tiate with Randy through Howard.
Randy White . . . 1984 will be his
option year with the Cowboys.
Slusher approached us with Randy part
of his package. We just listened. He men-
tioned numbers. We never made an of-
fer.”
A published report Tuesday indicated
Trump, who is worth $200 million, of-
Please see GENERALS on Page SB.Generals deny offer to R. White
Continued from Page 1B.
fered White a $400,000 signing
bonus and a salary of $700,000.
White's contract with the Cowboys
expires on Feb. 1, 1985. “If Randy
can get that, God bless him,” Gould
said. “But he’s not getting it from
us. It’s totally off the wall. Donald
Trump is tired of reading state-
ments that are not factual.”
White was fishing Tuesday and
not available for comment. Slusher
failed to return phone calls.
Three weeks ago, Slusher went
to New York and approached
Trump with a list of 119 players he
represents.
He brought up the idea of sell-
ing Trump an 8&player package,
which included White, Raiders
quarterback Marc Wilson, holdout
defensive backs Mike Haynes, Gary
Barbaro and Jeris White and San
Diego tight end Kellen Winslow.
Slusher doesn't even represent
Winslow, but told Trump he was
close with Winslow's agent, Jim
Steiner, and could deliver Winslow
to the Generals.
A few days later, the Raiders,
who had just named Wilson as
their starting quarterback, signed
him to a 5-year, $4 million contract.
“Slusher played Al Davis like a
drum,” Trump said on national
television. He denied making an of-
fer to Wilson.
“Apy club (official) dumb
enough to pay that kind of money
on the basis of Slusher’s word is an
idiot,” Gould said
“We don't think Slusher con-
trived the situation for the purpose
of getting a better deal from us,”
said Al LoCasale, the Raiders exec-
utive assistant. “We thought they
(the Generals) were clear and pres-
ent competition and a situation
that needed to be answered. No, I
don’t think we panicked.”
LoCasale said he thought Trump
denied interest in Wilson to save
face after making a bonafide offer
that was rejected. He suggested that
perhaps he won't admit to making
an offer to White to avoid getting
burned if he can't sign him.
“I'm surprised Al would say
that,” Gould said. “Honest to God.
we never made an offer to Marc
and never discussed an ‘offer for
Randy. Donald Trump does have an
interest in a lot of people. He has
the world at his feet — although it
is expensive.”
White's USFL rights belong to
the Washington Federals, which
doesn't eliminate the Generals
rom making a bid. Cowboys presi-
dent Tex Schramm said Tuesday he
doesn’t think he will lose White but
will not destroy the team's salary
structure to keep him.
White. who signed in 1980, is
making $300,000 and the 1984 sea-
son will be his option year. Danny
White is the highest-paid Cowboy.
making $550,000. He signed a new
contract Sept. 7.
“I won't get into a bidding war,”
said Schramm. “I’m not going to get
carried away because of a supposed
offer by the USFL. The USFL can’t
afford to pay our salaries, not to
mention more than we pay. They
might have a lot of money, but they
don't like to lose it any more than
anybody else. If they do, then it’s
just self-defeating.”
Of perhaps more immediate con-
cern 10 the Cowboys is the situa-
tion with defensive tackle Don
Smerek, whose lawyer, Spencer
Kopf, has had extensive talks with
the Michigan Panthers. The Panth-
ers recently acquired Smerek’s
rights from the expansion San An-
tonio Gunslingers, Smerek at-
tended a game in Michigan in the
spring and has received a very at-
tractive offer. Kopf also had nu-
merous discussions with the Panth-
ers on behalf of Larry Bethea and
with several USFL teams regarding
Mike Hegman. Smerek, Bethea and
Hegman are in their options years
and eligible to become free agents
Feb. 1 and play in the USFL's sec-
ond season, which begins in
March.
“I have no comment at all.”
Schramm said.