THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 16, 1994 TAG: 9410160170
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: JIM DUCIBELLA
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
It's a bye week for the Lions. Some people in Detroit would like that name changed - to bye-bye week.
The object of their hostility is Lions coach Wayne Fontes. His defending NFC Central champions are 2-4 - 0-3 since that thrilling overtime victory at Dallas on Sept. 19.
The players say the team has underachieved. The media says the team has underachieved.
The Lions have a week left to prepare for a home game against the Bears; suddenly a critical affair. Many think this would be a good time to bring in a new coach.
Surprise. Fontes isn't among them. He still has confidence the Lions will rebound, achieve their destiny.
``We'll come back. We need a big win,'' Fontes said. ``We've played outstanding quarterbacks so far.''
After Warren Moon, Troy Aikman, Drew Bledsoe and Steve Young, Fontes should be relieved to get either Steve Walsh or Erik Kramer next week.
But he admitted he and the team are walking a tightrope. There is precious little margin for error the rest of the way.
Asked when his optimism for a good season might waver, Fontes said: ``When you lose that sixth game, then it gets critical.''
WALK LIKE A MAN: It riles Eagles linebacker Byron Evans that some of his teammates have taken shots at departed end Clyde Simmons and linebacker Seth Joyner, saying that those two were responsible for dissension in the clubhouse by pitting offensive and defensive players against each other last season.
``Nobody said that when they were here,'' Evans says. ``But now that they're gone (to Arizona), everybody wants to say it was their fault. That's scapegoating. We've always been united. But sometimes when a guy's not holding up his end of the bargain you say so. We've had times when the defensive guys have been laying it all out on the line and the offense hasn't and someone just needed to let them know about it.''
FROM THE LOOSE-LIPS-SINK-SHIPS DEPT.: Jerry Jones' big mouth probably cost him two players recently. A month ago, the Cowboys' owner let it slip that he was going to sign fullback William Bell off Washington's practice squad. Bell was, literally, headed out the door at Redskin Park when word hit Washington.
Redskins general manager Charley Casserly called him back in, signed Bell, and put him on the 53-man roster. Last week, Jones told everybody that the Cowboys were going to sign running back Cleveland Gary. But Miami owner Wayne Huizenga scooped him up before Jones could get his name on a contract. In some circles, that led to speculation that this was another sign that Huizenga's signature of Gary was another symbol that he was closing in on Jimmy Johnson as his next coach when Don Shula is done, since Gary and Johnson supposedly were close. The other, less subtle implication from the two near-misses is that someone close-mouthed like Johnson would never have gloated about signing the two backs until after they'd become Cowboys.
NFC NUGGETS: Tom Coughlin, head coach of the expansion Jacksonville Jaquars, will have the second pick in the April draft behind the Carolina Panthers. Apparently, he has a pretty good idea of what he wants. Coughlin traveled to Lorman, Miss., last week to look at Alcorn State quarterback Steve McNair. Coughlin was the fourth member of the Jaquars' organization to scout McNair this season. However, the Jaquars' top choice right now is said to be Brigham Young junior QB John Walsh, assuming Walsh comes out. ... From Alan Malamud, Los Angeles Times: ``Remember all those wild scoring NFL games the first couple of weeks of the season? The average point total for the 11 games played last Sunday was a fraction less than 35. Obviously, it is time to install some new rules that favor the offense. Allow defensive players to make only eye contact with quarterbacks. Extend the end zones by 10 yards even if that means the second row of seats at some stadiums. Stop the clock after every completed pass. Give the Arizona Cardinals five downs instead of four.'' as spokesman on responsible dog ownership. ... William Fuller worked during offseason for University of North Carolina Education Foundation and is on its Board of Directors. ... 49er rookie LB Lee Woodall was starting forward on 2-time Pennsylvania state champion high school basketball team (Carlisle) that featured Golden State Warriors forward Billy Owens. ... With Jay Novacek hurting due to a strained abdominal muscle, Cowboys coach Barry Switzer urged team vice president Stephen Jones to contact the Steelers about the availability of veteran tight end Jonathan Hayes, buried deep on the Steelers' depth chart. They also fielded a couple of calls from the Bears regarding troubled running back Tim Worley. But the trading deadline came and went without anything being accomplished. ... This week marks the fifth anniversary of the infamous Herschel Walker trade. You remember, the Vikings sent eight draft picks, including three first-rounders and three second-rounders, and five players to Dallas for the former Georgia All-American running back. Next thing you know, the Cowboys have won two straight Super Bowls. Ex-Vikings general manager Mike Lynn, who orchestrated the deal, still defends it: ``How much did trading away those high picks hurt this franchise? Well, it certainly looks like they're going to the playoffs for the third straight year.'' MEMO: Material in this column was obtained from Virginian-Pilot wire reports. by CNB