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Bitter Herschel Walker tears into Eagles management

By Bart Hubbuch

and Jean-Jacques Taylor

The Dallas Morning News

(KRT)

DALLAS - Even nearly three years after the fact, mention the Philadelphia Eagles' front office to Herschel Walker and watch him simmer.

Suddenly thrust back into the spotlight with his game-winning, 64-yard touchdown reception against Jacksonville and fullback Daryl Johnston's neck injury, Walker blasted Eagles management Wednesday in advance of the 4-3 Cowboys' trip this week to Philadelphia.

Walker still seethes over his exit from the Eagles in the spring of 1995, shortly after Philadelphia signed Ricky Watters and Kevin Turner to replace him in the backfield following two straight seasons as the team's offensive MVP.

Mentioning Eagles' owner Jeffrey Lurie by name, Walker slammed the Eagles' front office as "pitiful."

"I didn't like the way they handled the situation," Walker said. "They had guys who couldn't stand up and be a man, and I think that's pitiful. All they had to do was come and talk to me. That was three years ago, so maybe some of them have grown up since then. But I don't know."

Other than Lurie, Walker wouldn't name names. But his dislike for Eagles' director of college scouting John Wooten - a Cowboys' official during Walker's first stint with Dallas from 1986-89 - has been well-chronicled in Philadelphia.

Walker, 35, signed with the New York Giants after leaving Philadelphia. Following that one-year stint, he has played for the veteran's minimum salary the past two seasons with the Cowboys.

Walker said his feelings for his former Philadelphia teammates, Coach Ray Rhodes and the city contrast sharply with his opinion of the Eagles' front office.

"Philadelphia's like home, like family to me," said Walker, who will start for the second straight game at fullback. "There will be a lot of fans in the stands still cheering for me."

INTENSE TIMES:

Coach Barry Switzer said he talked to the Cowboys before Wednesday's practice about increasing their intensity the next two weeks for road games against Philadelphia and San Francisco.

"I talked to them on the field because that's where things have to happen," Switzer said. "It's not what's on TV or in the newspaper, it's on the practice field where we have to make things happen."

INJURY UPDATE:

Safety Darren Woodson said he probably won't decide until game time Sunday whether or not to play because of a bone bruise on his right knee.

Woodson, however, did say he was leaning more toward following the medical staff's orders than he has he past two weeks.

"I just have to take my time and be patient," he said. "I'm not listening enough to the trainers."

Left tackle Mark Tuinei said he isn't sure if having surgery would end his career.

"I'm going to have to rehab it just so I can play golf," Tuinei said. "If I come back and it's stronger and they want me, then fine."

Trainer Jim Maurer said fullback Daryl Johnston met with a neurologist, who concurred with the Cowboys' doctors' opinion concerning the bulging disk in his neck. Two sources have said Johnston will need surgery to correct the injury to have a chance to play football again.

(c) 1997, The Dallas Morning News.

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