THE IHL DELAYS DECISION ON BAN ON SIGNING NHL PLAYERS

     The IHL put off a decision on lifting its ban on signing
locked-out NHL players.  IHL Commissioner Bob Ufer doesn't expect
IHL teams to sign many NHLers because of his league's $1.2M
salary cap and the effect of locker-room atmosphere (Mike Weaver,
SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 12/18).  In Philadelphia, Gary Miles
warns, "Watch your backs, NHL."  But NHL Commissioner Gary
Bettman denies the IHL is a threat:  "They view themselves as a
different brand of entertainment and hockey than we are.  I think
people make more out of that than is really there."  Ufer:  "It
doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that we're headed in the
right direction.  We are major league in all ways except ticket
prices" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/18).