Monday, July 20, 1998

Some unanswered questions are answered?

(KRT)

Can Chan Gailey get the Cowboys back on the winning track?

Not likely. Gailey's a good offensive coach, but he's taking over an aging team that badly needs an infusion of young talent. Salary cap problems have prevented Dallas from adding any significant free agents over the last two years, and personnel chief Larry Lacewell has been drafting one stiff after another since Jimmy Johnson left in '94. Troy Aikman still is one of the best quarterbacks in the game, but he no longer has a dependable line in front of him, and his only attractive receiving option is Michael Irvin. Don't look for Gailey to use many of those four- and five-receiver sets he employed as the offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh.

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What's the biggest difference between Gailey and Barry Switzer?

Gailey is smart enough not to ever carry a gun through an airport radar detector.

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What's the story with Emmitt Smith? Does he have anything left?

Three thousand NFL carries have taken the All-Pro magic out of his legs. At 29, he doesn't have the tackle-breaking quickness he once did. Does this mean he's washed up? Absolutely not. He's still a very good running back who can get you 4 yards a carry and won't put it on the ground. But his 25-carry-a-game days are over. That's why the Cowboys signed ex-Seahawk Chris Warren in the offseason.

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Why did the Cowboys move their training camp from Austin to Wichita Falls?

Jerry Jones felt there were too many distractions in Austin. He wanted a place with a few less bars and available women. He told his staff to find the most godforsaken spot on the face of the earth. Amarillo was taken, so he settled for Wichita Falls, which is about 120 miles northwest of Dallas.

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What's Switzer up to these days?

He's back home in Norman, Okla., catching up on his sleep and watching "Mannix" and "Gunsmoke" reruns on the TVLand channel.