Wednesday, July 17, 1996

Irvin at Press Conference: 'I Was Wrong'

By DENNE H. FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer

(July 17, 1996) See RELATED PHOTO

IRVING, Texas (AP) - Now Michael Irvin awaits judgment from the NFL.

While he gets away from football to reorganize his life after apologizing for his part in a scandal involving drugs and topless dancers, the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver has a decision by NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue hanging over his head.

Sources say Irvin could be suspended for at least four games, costing him more than $400,000.
The NFL hasn't said when Tagliabue's decision will come down, but it was expected either late this week or next week.

Irvin apologized Tuesday to everyone he knew, including his late father, for his mistakes.

Agonizingly, he faced almost as many cameras and reporters as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did the night he fired Tom Landry. More than 30 mini-cams and 100 media members watched as Irvin talked without notes about his mistakes. There were no questions.

"I hurt to the bone," Irvin said while members of his family, including his mother Pearl, wife Sandi and his two daughters looked on. Baby Chelsea, still being bottle fed, provided the only light moment for her moist-eyed father, who was interrupted several times by her jabbering.

It gave the grim Irvin his only chance to smile.

Irvin even apologized to his late father, who died while he was a senior in high school.

"I'm not the man my father was," Irvin said in a barely audible whisper.

"There's no getting around it," he said. "I was wrong. I was wrong."

The star receiver was 40 minutes late for his own news conference at the Cowboys' Valley Ranch headquarters hours after a judge sentenced him to four years' probation and 800 hours of community service for his no-contest plea to a felony cocaine possession charge.

"I'd like to apologize to my family," Irvin said. "I shall work on being a better father. I shall work on being a better husband."

The center of a scandal involving topless dancers, allegations of drug and sex parties and a murder-for-hire plot, Irvin said he will not report to Cowboys training camp when it opens today in Austin. Instead, he said, he was going to Miami to be with his wife and children.

"I'm going home to talk with my wife, and we're going to decide what we'll do from there," Irvin said.

Agent Steve Endicott said he didn't think Irvin meant he was going to retire.
"I think he loves football too much to do that," Endicott said.

Irvin did not say when he would join the team and left Valley Ranch carrying Chelsea without answering reporters' questions. He cited a gag order imposed by state District Judge Manny Alvarez in explaining why he would not discuss the particulars of his case.

Jones said he wants Irvin to take as long as he needs.

"We support Michael's wishes to spend some time with his family," Jones said. "We do not want to speculate when he will return to the team."

The receiver also apologized to Cowboys fans, expressing regret that he had disgraced the team only months after helping win a third Super Bowl in four years.

"I worked so hard for the fans to bring Super Bowls here," Irvin said. "I want to apologize for the offseason of turmoil instead of an offseason of enjoying the fruits of our labor."

In sentencing Irvin, Alvarez warned that violating terms of his probation could result in a far stiffer sentence, including a maximum 20 years in prison. Alvarez also imposed a $10,000 fine - about what Irvin earns in six minutes on the football field.

A one-month suspension from Tagliabue would be a big financial blow to Irvin's $1.7 million salary. He makes about $102,647 a game.

Last Friday, topless dancer Rachelle Smith described to the judge drug and sex parties in which Irvin allegedly participated. She said Irvin claimed ownership of marijuana and cocaine found at the March 4 bust at a motel that led to his indictment.

Smith also said Irvin had threatened her on several occasions - including having her body-searched for a hidden microphone.

Her boyfriend, ex-Dallas police officer Johnnie Hernandez, is accused of hiring a hitman to have Irvin killed, reportedly in retaliation for his threats against Smith.

Irvin was already the butt of jokes on some radio stations. One suggested Irvin's automobile license tag "The Playmaker" be changed to "The Pleamaker."

Asked why he didn't strike a plea bargain earlier, Irvin said it was the first time prosecutors had offered that particular deal.

"I knew then I had to take it, because I had put enough hurt and enough shame on the community," Irvin said. "They deserve better. This has been a sad offseason."

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