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Friday, August 22, 1997

Cowboys, Oilers uncertain whether Governor's cup matchup to continue

By DENNE H. FREEMAN / AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) - This used to be one of the exhibition biggies, a joust for the Governor's cup between the Dallas Cowboys of north Texas and the Houston Oilers of south Texas.

Now, the Oilers are in Tennessee and nobody is certain where the cup rests.

Dallas beat the Oilers 24-19 in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando last year back when Houston was still Houston.

Such is the backdrop for Friday night's preseason finale in Texas Stadium in which the Cowboys plan to play their reserves for most of the game and the Oilers the same.

It's a lot different from 1989 when owner Jerry Jones gave then-coach Jimmy Johnson a big bear hug after they won their first game following the ouster of Tom Landry and Tex Schramm. It was against the Oilers in a preseason game on a hot, sultry night in August.

Then the Cowboys went on to a 1-15 regular season.

Or, the days of Bum Phillips coaching the Oilers into a frenzy. Beating the Cowboys in a preseason game was considered a big deal by Phillips. There were always sellout games in the Astrodome and packed houses in Texas Stadium.

The game Friday night isn't a sellout.

Dallas owns an 18-13 edge in the series which could be in jeopardy. Jones and Oilers owner Bud Adams have yet to schedule another game next summer.

Most of the Cowboys wish this game wasn't even on the schedule.

"If they come and ask me if I want to play, then I'm going to tell them no," said Dallas running back Emmitt Smith. "If they ask me to play then I guess I might have to play."

Dallas coach Barry Switzer said he would like to see Smith play, a little, alongside quarterback Troy Aikman and wide receiver Michael Irvin.

"We'll go with our regulars a short period of time," Switzer said.

Aikman said "We'll probably play like we did in the first preseason game. We may go about two series then turn it over to the reserves. We had our main dress rehearsal last week against St. Louis."

The Cowboys played only two offensive series against New England in their Aug. 3 preseason opener. Smith didn't play.

"I don't know the last time I played in the last game of the preseason," Smith said. "But if they put me in there I'll go all out. You'll get hurt if you try to go half-speed."

Steve McNair, who shattered NCAA passing records while at Alcorn State, and running back Eddie George will play for the Oilers.

Houston coach Jeff Fisher said he expects this to be the last preseason game between the teams.

"This is probably the last preseason matchup for a few years," Fisher said.

However, he said both teams will have enough pride for a good effort.

"A lot of players know each other, the coaching staffs, are familiar with each other," he said. "Last year we scrimmaged them twice and played them at the end of the preseason. The rivalry still exists. Guys will come out and play hard and trying to win. There's still a few players who can show us what they can do as far as making the team."

Houston placekicker Al Del Greco said the rivalry "won't be the same as it was before. I think that's good. Now they can be the team of Texas like they said they were all along. We'll be Tennessee's team.

"I don't know if too many people in Dallas liked us anyway."

Tennessee is 0-3 in the preseason while the Cowboys, fresh off a 34-31 victory over St. Louis, are 1-2.