Kevin Mack

Now that he's made it to 1,000 yards, Cleveland Browns' rookie Kevin Mack says he intends to help teammate Earnest Byner reach that plateau, too. Byner has 814 yards rushing through 14 games and needs to average better than 90 yards a game in the last two weeks of the season to get to 1,000. That total seems accessible, however, because Cleveland's opponent this week is Houston, against whom Byner gained 188 yards in one game last season.

We need only to read the sports page to see how the NFL winks at drug use. Can anyone really think the commissioner is serious about controlling drug use when he allows Kevin Mack to even be considered eligible for play after that sad, sad person is convicted of selling drugs--after having been convicted of drug use? BILL HUGGINS, Fullerton

Offensive guard Eric Moore of the New York Giants, who pleaded guilty to possessing steroids, avoided prison when a federal judge in Atlanta sentenced him to three years probation. . . . James Orthwein, owner of the New England Patriots, is stepping down as chairman and majority owner of a St. Louis group seeking an NFL franchise and is beginning negotiations to sell the Patriots. . . .

With few marketable players to use for bargaining to acquire fresh talent, the Dallas Cowboys have tried to trade All-Pro running back Herschel Walker, according to published reports. Walker rejected a trade Thursday that would have sent him to the Minnesota Vikings for "a slew of draft choices," officials said. The Cleveland Browns also expressed interest in trading for Walker, but the running back's veto of the trade to Minnesota apparently silenced talks with other teams as well.

Garrett Lepisto of Agoura High, above in the 40-yard dash, and Nick Czernek of Newbury Park High, right in the vertical leap, were two of 76 players from 16 schools who participated in the fourth Ventura County football combine at Rio Mesa High, co-sponsored by the Ventura County Coaches Assn. and The Times. Recruiters from 34 colleges attended, including Nebraska, Wisconsin and six Pac-10 schools. Recruiters were given the players' academic transcripts, then evaluated them in four events.