Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 7, 1994 TAG: 9412070125
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
He's going to locate a seam in the Detroit Lions' secondary, catch a pass for the 178th consecutive game and eclipse yet another record held by former Seattle receiver Steve Largent.
And as soon as it happens, Monk is going to be mobbed by his New York Jets teammates and receive a prolonged, standing ovation from 70,000-plus fans at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
That isn't the way it was supposed to happen. The record should be happening in Tempe, Ariz., and he should be mobbed by burgundy-and-gold-clad Washington Redskins teammates. Monk, the man once voted the most popular Redskin ever in a Washington-area poll, had caught an NFL-record 888 passes during a brilliant 14-year career with Washington, and 164 of the 177 games in the streak were with Washington. But Monk, who was involved in perhaps the most bitter and controversial parting of the ways in Redskins history, is continuing his march through the NFL record books with New York.
``It's not a matter of who's right or wrong,'' said Washington linebacker Monte Coleman, Monk's longtime friend and fishing partner. ``It's just sad that it had to happen this way.''
How it happened, and why it happened, why Monk spurned a one-year, $600,000 offer from the Redskins in April and signed with the Jets for $575,000, still is a sensitive issue with Monk and team officials at Redskin Park in Ashburn. Monk, 37, said he felt unappreciated after general manager Charley Casserly asked him to accept a take-it-or-leave-it 54 percent cut in his $1.3 million salary in 1993.
``Art could not prostrate himself and accept the Redskins' offer made by threat,'' said Richard Bennett, Monk's attorney. ``I fully concur in that decision.'' Redskins officials blamed the $600,000 offer on the new salary cap and the feeling that Monk's skills had deteriorated.
``Even with declining skills, Art would still be a Redskin if it wasn't for the salary cap,'' said one team official who requested anonymity. ``We would have paid enough to keep him around for the record, but we had some serious salary cap problems and some hard decisions to make.''
Faced with having to pare more than $12 million from the payroll after the 1993 season to get under the cap, Casserly took the money Monk turned down, added $700,000 to it and signed free-agent Henry Ellard to a $1.3 million contract, which included a $400,000 signing bonus.
``Art got the first offer,'' Casserly said. ``I told Rick Bennett that Art would get the first chance. Did he [Monk] tell you that he twice called back and wanted to take the offer?''
That's because Monk shopped his services around the NFL and found no other team willing to meet his demands, either. When he called back, Casserly had signed Ellard. That left one of the NFL's all-time great receivers having to settle for his next-best offer - $575,000 from the Jets.
When Monk departed Washington in early July for the Jets' training camp, he left behind 888 catches and fond memories as a guy who worked hard to master his profession and worked harder to stay on top of it.
``I'll remember Art as the consummate pro,'' said Jim Lachey, the Redskins outstanding offensive tackle. ``He was someone you wanted to model yourself after.
``Art was a quiet leader. He never said a whole lot, but everyone knew what he stood for. He was the type of guy that had the utmost respect when he walked into a room.''
``I could tell Art was special the first day I saw him,'' said Russ Grimm, a former Pro Bowl guard who is now an assistant coach with Washington. ``His work habits told me he was going to be special and play in this league a long time.
``After practices, he would get on the treadmill and run two miles. He did that throughout his career. A lot of our better workout people tried to train with him during the off-season, but they couldn't stay up with him.
``He was the kind of guy everybody watched and wished they could be like, and the rare times he spoke, he was like E.F. Hutton. People listened.''
Former Redskins receiver Gary Clark remembers a time during the 1990 season when the Redskins were struggling at 6-5 and a players-only meeting was called.
``We didn't know who called that meeting when we went,'' said Clark, a former Pulaski County High School star who plays for Phoenix. ``I thought some jerk had called it. When we found out that Art had called it, we became totally focused. It got our attention.''
It's Monk's dedication to his profession and his work habits, as much as the records, that have grabbed the attention of his new teammates in New York.
Through 13 games, Monk has 41 receptions for 535 yards and three touchdowns, the same number of catches and more yardage than he had in all of 1993. And he has been a positive influence on the Jets' young receivers, especially budding star Rob Moore.
``When you sit down and talk to Art, it's almost like you're a little kid and you have a big brother who goes away to the Army and comes back,'' Moore told Rich Cimini of Newsday. ``He's got a lot of wisdom.''
In the same interview, Monk said he enjoys working with Moore and rookie receivers Ryan Yarborough and Orlando Parker because he feels younger than he is.
``I see a lot of myself in Rob, back when I was in my third, fourth and fifth years, those really good years,'' Monk said. ``It brings back a lot of memories, keeps me competitive and keeps me going.
``Hey, I'm 11 years older than he is. I mean, I know how old I am, but I don't feel that old.''
But Art Monk is old enough to have played enough games to break Largent's record.
by CNB