Friday, January 3, 1997

Business as usual for Cowboys

By DENNE H. FREEMAN / AP Sports Writer (Jan. 3, 1997)

IRVING, Texas (AP) - Distractions. What distractions?

The Dallas Cowboys practiced Thursday as if they were oblivious to a police investigation that has the potential to damage their Super Bowl run and send two of their star players to jail.

Wide receiver Michael Irvin and offensive tackle Erik Williams, the subjects of the sexual assault inquiry, worked out as if this were another day of drills at the team's practice site.

Irvin left Valley Ranch for about 90 minutes during the middle of the day but was back for the afternoon session only five minutes late.

"Our game preparation has been the same," said tackle Mark Tuinei. "I talked to Erik and Michael about this just for my own satisfaction. Erik is part of the offensive line family and I was curious. I won't say what he said. I just feel for those guys."

Tuinei said sensational sideshows don't bother the Cowboys, who are seeking a record fourth Super Bowl in five years and play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C.

"We're pretty darn close team," Tuinei said. "This team has handled adversity well through the whole year. That's why we've had so much success. This team is accustomed to it (adversity)."

Linebacker Darrin Smith said "everything is going smooth as usual in practice. We're having fun. Nobody is down."

Smith said nobody should blame coach Barry Switzer for the Cowboys' off-the-field problems.

"Each person is responsible for himself," Smith said. "We're all grown men. Coaches and management can't be with a player 24 (hours a day) and seven (days a week)."

A team source told The Associated Press that Irvin has been relaxed and laughing this week in practice as opposed to grim mood during his previous problems with cocaine charges. At that time, he was placed on four years' probation and suspended for the first five games of the NFL season.

"Mike has been joking and telling his teammates to take it easy on the media," the source said. "He's been very upbeat not like some person who is under police investigation."

Defensive tackle Tony Casillas said the team is "focused and doing what it has to do to win. A lot of you guys (media) can do your circus act. We'll play football. We'll be focused. All the guys on this team are great guys and the bottom line is that we'll do our job."

Casillas added: "We have to stick together. We can't get caught up in this tabloid journalism. We're not interested in all that sensation press."

Usually outspoken Nate Newton said he just wanted to talk football.

"There's a lot of excitement and enthusiasm at practice," Newton said. "We're the living dead. We've been written off as dead at least seven times."

Switzer said Thursday that rookie linebacker Randall Gofrey will not play in the game because of a sprained ankle. Jim Schwantz will start, instead.

Switzer noted the large media contingent at practice.

"I guess everyone is just during their job, but some of it is a lot of wasted time," he said.