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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Turner Selects Shuler To Start Against Bengals

From Wire Reports

In another mini-climax to a tense preseason drama, Heath Shuler was selected Tuesday to start the game that will decide the Washington Redskins’ quarterback battle.

Coach Norv Turner said Shuler will play the first quarter and most of the second Friday night against the Cincinnati Bengals at RFK Stadium. Gus Frerotte will then take over, continuing with the first team through the third quarter and possibly into the fourth.

“He has to put one of us ahead of the other,” Shuler said. “We both can’t put our hands up underneath center at the same time.”

The third-year quarterbacks are basically even going into the last of the three-game exhibition series that is supposed to settle the dispute for good. Turner will name the regular-season starter Sunday or Monday, after consulting with General Manager Charley Casserly and owner Jack Kent Cooke.

Jones gets poked in eye

Cedric Jones, the New York Giants first-round draft choice and the fifth overall selection, left practice after being poked in the same eye that underwent a cornea transplant in December.

The defensive end was in a pass rushing drill against Jerry Reynolds when the backup tackle’s hand slid under a protective visor he supposedly was wearing and poked his left eye.

Jones was taken off the field on a cart and did not return to practice.

Irvin snitch to serve time

The man whose hidden-camera footage of Michael Irvin fueled a drug scandal around the Dallas Cowboys receiver was ordered to serve 30 days in jail for violating a judge’s gag order.

Dennis Pedini, 30, was cited for contempt June 4 for giving an interview and providing hidden-camera video of Irvin to the syndicated television show “Hard Copy.” State district Judge Manny Alvarez also fined Pedini $500.

Deion Sanders failed to show up in Cincinnati for a civil trial stemming from a 1994 dispute with a Riverfront Stadium security guard.

Sanders is being sued for $1 million by security guard Herb Kohus over the Aug. 8, 1994 incident following a Cincinnati Reds baseball game.

Sanders, who was playing for the Reds at the time, argued with Kohus after allegedly trying to drive his motor scooter through a pedestrian-only gate. Kohus was hurt when Sanders allegedly dragged him with the scooter.

Harvey Martin, 45, a former star defensive end for Dallas, was arrested after fighting with his girlfriend and will be observed for mental illness.

Meeting planned on Ruettgers’ status

The Green Bay Packers and Ken Ruettgers, who has missed all of training camp with persistent knee problems, will sit down and try to resolve the veteran tackle’s status.

Ruettgers, who will be 34 Tuesday, remains on the physically-unable-to-perform list. He had arthroscopic surgery in March but still has pain in his left knee that might prevent him from playing.

Because his base salary counts $1.8 million against the Packers’ salary cap, they are seeking an answer to his status for the season so they can make alternate plans if he’s unsure whether he can play.