Wednesday, July 29, 1998

Aikman a happy training camper under Gailey

By DENNE H. FREEMAN AP Sports Writer

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (AP) - It's blast-furnace hot, but Troy Aikman seems not to notice.

He has decided to run a few laps after two practices on a day when the mercury bubbled up to 106 degrees. He jokes with teammates. He signs some autographs. He gives a few interviews.

Football is a joy again for the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, and it seems as though he hates to leave the Midwestern State University field.

"I sense we're getting better every day," the sweat-soaked Aikman says. "We're having more peaks than valleys. This is a new philosophy for me and it's exciting."

Aikman and new coach Chan Gailey have a relationship of respect, and it's obvious in the way they work together.

Gailey demands discipline and tolerates no nonsense on the field. They're the very two things Aikman found lacking in the departed regime of Barry Switzer.

"I think the offense we had been running was a pretty good one," Aikman said. "Those in football know it (the problem) was not the system. We won three Super Bowls with it. It wasn't the system. It was the execution."

Now Aikman has a brand-new offense that sometimes features the shotgun, four-wide receiver sets and Michael Irvin in the backfield or in the slot.

"Chan has a lot of confidence in his ability to attack a defense," Aikman said. "He has some really good ideas. It all boils down to if we execute we will win. Everyone believes in what we are doing and it makes it exciting to come to practice."

And, yes, contrary to popular misconception, Aikman doesn't hate the shotgun.

"I've never said I didn't like the shotgun," Aikman said. "It has its good points. I'm more than willing to give it a chance. It gives you a little extra time to get rid of the ball."

Aikman caught a lot of the blame last year in the Cowboys' 6-10 season. He was sacked 33 times and served up 12 interceptions.

Then, to prove things could get even worse for the quarterback, part of his new house burned down. And he had an operation to take a cancerous mole off his neck.

Along came Gailey, the former offensive coordinator at Pittsburgh, who immediately earned Aikman's respect.

"He's got a way he does things and doesn't vary from them," Aikman said. "He's definitely in control."

Aikman, now a 10-year-veteran, feels so good he's even joking about his age.

"As long as John Elway, Dan Marino, Warren Moon, and Steve DeBerg are playing I really feel like a young buck," he said.

Gailey has confidence and respect in his "young" quarterback.

"Troy thinks he should complete every pass," Gailey said. "I'm willing to concede that's not possible although I seek perfection.

"He's just a great person. All you have to do is play golf with him to find that out. I doubt we'll ever go on vacation together, but he is a perfectionist and there's nothing wrong with that."

Asked if he was having fun, Aikman said, "Yeah, for now. But we know the only fun is winning. Last year wasn't. Now, I think we have a chance again to get back to the playoffs."

Aikman has shown he can do wondrous things in the playoffs - he's 11-2 in the postseason, and 3-0 in Super Bowls.

"Right now we're trying to get our confidence back," he said. "We need to get comfortable with what we're doing."

On Tuesday, the rejuvenated Aikman did the unthinkable for someone who has had seven career concussions. He scored on a quarterback sneak during a live scrimmage.

Asked what he thought of that, Gailey said, "Well, he scored."