EMOTIONAL CLARK HAS HIS SAY, THEN HAS A BIG DAY

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, January 4, 1993                   TAG: 9301040028
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: TOM ROBINSON LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: MINNEAPOLIS                                LENGTH: Medium
EMOTIONAL CLARK HAS HIS SAY, THEN HAS A BIG DAY
Gary Clark wanted to go deep.
He wanted the Washington Redskins to make plays and score points.
He wanted them to earn a trip to San Francisco by beating the Minnesota Vikings, and for quarterback Mark Rypien to shine, and to be able to tell everybody who doubted his team to stick it.
Clark just wanted to win very badly, he said, which was the root of his animated sideline "discussion" with coach Joe Gibbs near the end of the first half of Saturday's 24-7 playoff victory.
When the Redskins, up 17-7, conservatively jockeyed for field-goal position as the half closed, the former Pulaski County High and James Madison University star boiled about not being thrown to downfield and popped off at Gibbs.
ABC television cameras captured the outburst, which by the standards of the politically correct Redskins seemed shocking.
Dissension in the ranks? Are the Redskins, as they approach Saturday's second-round playoff game in San Francisco, threatening a Philadelphia Eagles-like crack-up? Are Joe and Gary not speaking?
Not hardly.
"Gary gets upset a lot of times," Gibbs said. "That's Gary's personality. He's also a heck of a player and we always get along pretty good.
"You always kind of know where Gary is, and that's easier to deal with. At least you can deal with problems because he'll bring them out."
Clark did just that at a team meeting Friday night, reportedly exhorting his teammates with a spicy speech. He did it with Gibbs, before catching four passes for 70 yards and a touchdown in the third quarter.
And he did it afterward at his locker, wearing sunglasses against the TV lights, as he bathed in attention.
"There was no office to go into, so we talked out there on the sideline," Clark explained. "I'm a very emotional person. I wanted to make things happen, so I'm hooting and hollering. A lot of times I'm not really yelling at anything, I'm just yelling.
"Joe's saying, `Hey, make plays in the second half. Let's kick this field goal and make plays in the second half.' That's fine."
However, the best the Redskins could hand kicker Chip Lohmiller was a 58-yard attempt, which was short. Washington won big, though, and Clark, true to form, strayed off on a disjointed postgame ramble about vindication, respect and loyalty.
Clark on Redskins doubters: "We didn't care that people said we had little chance [Saturday]. In fact, I would like to thank all the people who said that. It helped give us motivation. I would encourage you to say it again before we go to San Francisco."
Clark on Rypien: "He's probably had more pressure put on him than anybody in the NFL. He's taken more s--- than anybody should have to take. He's our leader and we'll be behind him just like we have the whole season. That's what makes this team special. We don't get down."
Clark on his teammates: "This is a quality football team with quality individuals who genuinely care for one another. That's why you don't hear us bitching and moaning. We could've been torn apart by a 9-7 season."
Clark on fans: "We need you behind us, especially this week. Have parties. Whatever. Let us see that you care about the Washington Redskins, that we're still you're No. 1 team."
There amid the sweet aroma of victory, Clark issued the World According to Gary, and dismissed those who smelled a rat in his sideline set-to with Gibbs.
"Give us some support," Clark said into the camera. "You never know what's going to happen. We may come back from San Francisco smelling like we're smelling now."

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB