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Thursday, February 27, 1997

Troy, Deion, K-Dub and the Moose relax during off-season

By DENNE H. FREEMAN AP Sports Writer (Feb. 27, 1997)

IRVING, Texas (AP) - Troy is playing golf, filming Brut cologne commercials and trying to recover from one of his most difficult seasons. Deion is playing baseball. Michael has returned to court. Jerry has gagged everybody except himself.

Moose is running loose as a free agent. K-Dub may go to Miami. Erik has sued the Dallas Police Department.

Such are the off-season doings of the volcanic Dallas Cowboys, the team America loves to loathe. The team where you can use the first name like soccer stars do and everybody knows who you're talking about.

Troy Aikman has neck and calf problems and will be seeing doctors soon. He can still play golf but he's sore and dispirited from a chaotic 1996 season that ended in the divisional playoffs with a loss to Carolina.

"I've got to see if I need any surgery on the calf," says Aikman, who says he'll probably play again. "If I had to bet on it, I'd bet I'd be back. It was a frustrating season for us. Changes do need to be made."

Owner Jerry Jones has been working on some of them, trying to jiggle contracts around so the Cowboys can afford fullback Daryl Johnston, who in addition to being a great blocker, receiver and special teams asset is also a good friend of Aikman's.

Aikman could restructure his contract so the Cowboys could afford Johnston. It should be easy since Leigh Steinberg represents them both.

"I think DJ will stay because Leigh is very creative and Jerry can be also," Aikman says. "This team needs Daryl."

Aikman said the Cowboys, beset with well-publicized off-the-field problems, also need to settle down.

"It's been hard to enjoy games on Sunday," Aikman says. "It gets frustrating. All this has to stop."

The Cowboys have hired a quarterback coach, Jack Reilly, to help offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese. The Cowboys' offense fell off dramatically last year because of suspensions and injuries.

"I was all for it," Aikman says. "It would give us some different ideas."

Deion Sanders has created a stir within the Dallas organization by opting to play baseball for Cincinnati. It means Sanders, who was trying to be a full-time wide receiver as well as a full-time cornerback, won't be counted on as a two-way starter.

Even with a training camp and daily work, Sanders caught only one touchdown pass as a starting receiver last year.

It would stand to reason that with no work, Sanders could hardly be considered a primary target for Aikman's passes.

"I'm doing this to please myself," Sanders says from Plant City, Fla. "I will probably be there with the Cowboys for 16 games."

Probationer Michael Irvin, who missed the first five games last year because of drug-related problems, had to go back to court recently because he and several other Cowboys found they had been sold stolen airline tickets at a discount.

In this case, Irvin was testifying for the prosecution.

The Williamses, Kevin and Erik, also have made off-season news.

Free agent Kevin Williams has received an offer from Miami coach Jimmy Johnson, who drafted the speedy wide receiver for the Cowboys. The offer could be too high for the Cowboys to match.

Erik Williams has sued the Dallas Police Department and a local television station in the aftermath of the groundless rape charges.

Jones has decided to muzzle his entire staff so draft and free free

Jones has decided to muzzle his entire staff so draft and freeagent secrets won't be leaked to his enemies.

Kevin Williams, safeties George Teague and Brock Marion, and linebacker Darrin Smith are likely to be free agents who could be leaving Valley Ranch.

One top priority is to find a solid wide receiver. The other is to make Aikman happy.

"I don't know that we deserved to make it to the Super Bowl last year because of some of the things that we went through off and on the field," Aikman said.

If the Cowboys don't have a good off-season with free agents and the draft, they may not deserve it in 1997, either.