Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 21, 1995 TAG: 9507210056
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ED HARDIN LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: SPARTANBURG, S.C. LENGTH: Medium
Asked how long it might be before he speaks to the media again Foster basically said ``Don't hold your breath.''
On a day when breathing came painfully in 90-degree heat and humidity hovering around 90 percent, Foster decided to end his boycott of the reporters who have requested an interview with the former Pittsburgh star every day.
``Charlie, the PR guy, kept bugging me,'' Foster said. ``I thought I'd help you guys out.''
Charlie Dayton, Carolina's communications director, set up the long-awaited interview with aplomb.
``I asked Barry Foster to speak to you, and here he is,'' Dayton said.
The 10-minute news conference was easily the highlight of the camp thus far.
``I thought some [press] guys were gonna pull a hamstring running over there,'' coach Dom Capers said.
Foster has been one of the highlights on the field, too. The three-time Pro Bowler is the closest thing the Panthers have to a star on the team, and he is already being called Carolina's one ray of hope in what appears to be an otherwise very average offense.
Tim McKyer, the Panthers' veteran cornerback, became the latest defensive player to find out that Foster still has a lot of football left in him. McKyer tried to stop Foster during a running drill Wednesday night only to find himself being stepped on as Foster blew through McKyer like he wasn't there.
``Yeah, he bounced off me,'' McKyer said. ``I got trucked.''
``That's what I do,'' Foster said. ``I run the football, and sometimes guys get in the way.''
The Panthers are hoping Foster runs the football a lot this year and avoids the injuries that have slowed his career in recent seasons. The 5-10, 217-pound runner had 3,943 yards rushing in five years as a Pittsburgh Steeler. But the past two seasons have been cut short by injury.
An ankle injury in 1993 ended his season after nine games. Last year he played in 11 games. Despite the injuries he was named to the Pro Bowl both seasons.
The Panthers traded two draft picks for Foster on May30, effectively handing the starting job to the former Arkansas fullback. Foster will make $2.39 million this year and next year for Carolina.
For that, the Panthers are hoping to get as much as possible out of the 26-year-old running back. Capers, an assistant at Pittsburgh during Fosters' last three seasons, said Thursday that he has no doubt that Foster will return to the form of 1992, when Foster finished second to Emmitt Smith for the NFL rushing title. Foster rushed for 1,690 yards in 1992, the 13th-highest total in NFL history.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB