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Wednesday, November 12, 1997

More buzz about Barry, etc.

By MIKE BALDWIN

The Daily Oklahoman

IRVING, Texas - Last week, the rumors were that Cowboys coach Barry Switzer was possibly going to be fired during the season and replaced by scouting director Larry Lacewell or special-teams coach Joe Avezzano.

On Tuesday, Skip Bayless, no longer a full-time employee of any publication or network, told a nationally syndicated radio show that sources close to the team have informed him that Dallas owner Jerry Jones will hire former 49ers coach George Seifert at season's end.

"There is no need for a comment," said Cowboys public-relations director Rich Dalrymple. "Jerry Jones is the only source that matters on any subject pertaining to the contract status of any coach on the Dallas Cowboys staff, and he has repeatedly made it clear that any speculation in that area is a waste of time."

Switzer once again labeled it the work of "fiction writers" and said that this week has been much calmer. "Winning is the only thing," Switzer said. "It cures any problem you've got. It doesn't cure cancer, it doesn't cure AIDS, but it damn sure cures football problems."

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Switzer said he expects guard Nate Newton (sprained knee) to play this week after missing last week's game. Offensive tackle Erik Williams (sprained ankle) is questionable. If Williams can't play, Tony Hutson or rookie Steve Scifres would start. Coaches were high on Scifres, a third-round selection, in training camp.

"We still are," Switzer said. "It's difficult to improve as a scout-team player out of training camp. When he's a rookie, you don't work with him because all you do in practice is you're a body that runs card-team plays ... You might be executing a play that's not even in our playbook to get our starters ready to play."

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Washington cornerback Darrell Green is 37, but the six-time Pro Bowl cornerback is enjoying another standout season. Green and free-agent signee Cris Dishman form one of the league's top cornerback tandems.

"Green can't run as fast as Deion (Sanders), but I bet he can run as fast as any other corner in the league," Switzer said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's as fast as Deion. Green's a world-class sprinter. And Dishman is an excellent player. That's where they really improved, their secondary. And I like their linebackers."

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)