AUSTIN (AP) - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says his team will find
inspiration in off-field adversity punctuated by star receiver Michael Irvin's
trial on drug possession charges.
If that is the case, there ought to be plenty of motivation for the world
champions to try to become the first team ever to win four Super Bowls in
five years.
"We were thinking of ways to get our people fired up," Jones said
earlier this year. "Thanks to the bad judgment of some of our players,
we've found a way to circle the wagons."
Beginning July 18, the Cowboys will have a chance to make headlines some
place other than a police blotter or on Court TV, when the team begins its
seventh training camp at St. Edward's University.
Last year, the only question at the outset of camp seemed to be how the
Cowboys could exact revenge and wrestle the Vince Lombardi trophy away from
the San Francisco 49ers.
After lawsuits and countersuits, coach Barry Switzer's fourth-and-a-foot
blunder in Philadelphia, a late-season slump and a near divorce between
Switzer and Troy Aikman, the Cowboys prevailed in their mission.
Switzer proudly proclaimed to the world that the Cowboys won the Super Bowl
"our way, baby." But at what price?
Aikman said he never had fun last year and that the team experienced more
internal strife than at any time in his seven years as a Cowboy. Aikman
lost total respect for Switzer after the coach didn't stand up for him when
former defensive line coach John Blake attacked Aikman for being harder
on black teammates than on white ones.
The All Pro quarterback and Switzer tried to iron out differences during
a couple closed door meetings this off season. But how long will the truce
hold? Aikman still longs for the discipline of Jimmy Johnson, and Switzer
laughed while his players took stretch limos to Super Bowl practices.
Before that, Leon Lett and Clayton Holmes were suspended for testing positive
for illegal substances amid reports that others had also tested positive
but weren't reprimanded because of technical testing violations by the league.
Jerry Jones contributed to the team's outlaw image, openly defying the NFL
by inking megabuck marketing deals with Nike, Pepsi and American Express.
The NFL, saying Jones had violated the league's marketing and revenue sharing
policies, then slapped Jones with a $300 million lawsuit. Jones returned
fire with a $700 million countersuit.
Cowboys coaches and players alike say other NFL teams have as many problems
but don't get the attention that America's Team gets.
Despite a steady drain of depth due to free agency, the Cowboys are still
the most talented team in the NFL, and no one has questioned Jones' commitment
to winning.
The fact that Deion Sanders will be attending his first NFL training camp
is testimony to the nonstop wheeling and dealing of Jones, who had hoped
the $35 million he coughed up for Sanders would convince him to ditch baseball.
But until the Cowboys take the field for two-a-days in the jalapeno heat
and humidity of Austin, questions persist:
Will an aging offensive line hold up? Can the defense thrive despite more
free agent losses? Is Kevin Smith's achilles totally recovered? Will Aikman
and Switzer ever see eye to eye? And what about Irvin?
Unlike the Pittsburgh Steelers, who told running back Bam Morris to stay
away from training camp after being arrested on drug charges and then released
him, Jones says Irvin is welcome in Austin no matter what his trial's outcome.
Irvin's wife wasn't making any appearances in court with the receiver, but
Jones said Irvin would be provided the love and support of a family at training
camp. His status as a starter could depend on whether jurors believe the
cocaine and marijuana found in an Irving hotel room belonged to Irvin or
two exotic dancers he was partying with March 4.
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has the right to suspend Irvin for up to
four games if he is convicted.
For the rookies and free agents at Cowboys camp, life will be strictly about
running and tackling.
With defensive end Tony Tolbert coming off surgery on both knees and Charles
Haley coming off back surgery, the Cowboys drafted Kavika Pittman, a 6-foot-5,
263-pound end from McNeese State.
Switzer likes his size, speed and strength and hopes Pittman can contribute
some this season.
The Cowboys also used a second-round pick on linebacker Randall Godfrey
of Georgia, who excels at pursuit but isn't known for fighting through blocks.
Dallas, however, may have more than made up for the free agent losses of
linebackers Robert Jones and Dixon Edwards by acquiring Fred Strickland
and Broderick Thomas.
Thomas is an imposing pass rusher when motivated, and Strickland, who lacks
Jones' speed, is considered a much harder hitter at 250 pounds.