THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 25, 1995 TAG: 9509250174
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TAMPA, FLA. LENGTH: Long : 110 lines
Redskins coach Norv Turner stopped by Cedric Smith's locker stall, whispered a few words, then gave him a well-intentioned, consoling pat on the back.
A member of the team's public-relations staff huddled with Smith and briefly tried to talk him out of fielding media questions about his role in maybe the biggest play in Washington's 14-6 loss to Tampa Bay Sunday.
Smith dismissed both gestures.
There was nothing anyone could say or ask that would make him feel better or make him feel worse about dropping the game-tying touchdown pass with nine seconds to play.
``Nobody is harder on me than me,'' Smith said, often fighting back tears. ``Nobody can do enough to me, or punish me more than I am going to punish myself.
``I'm going to kick myself over this the rest of the season.''
Smith, a fourth-year veteran from Florida best known as Emmitt Smith's blocking back in college, entered the lineup as part of the Redskins short-yardage team. On first-and-goal from the Buccaneers 1, Smith floated out of the backfield and into the end zone - completely alone.
Quarterback Gus Frerotte's throw, released a second before he was buried under the Tampa Bay rush, was perfect, shoulder high. The ball hit Smith in the hands and squirted through his fingers.
The Redskins ran almost the same play the next snap, but Frerotte threw away from Smith's side of the field, for tight end Coleman Bell. The pass was intercepted by Martin Mayhew.
``I just misjudged it, that's all I can say,'' Smith said. ``When you have a play, you have to make it. I didn't.
``I know this: I'm capable of catching the football.''
Turner believes that to be the case, too.
``Cedric's made that catch lots of times,'' he said. ``I have no problem with Cedric. He's in our short-yardage and goal-line package and he's going to stay.
``I'm not going to change.''
HEALTH, HEAT AND HEATH: Tampa Bay cornerback Charles Dimry, who had made several excellent plays in the secondary, was carried from the field on a stretcher with three minutes to play in the game after he and teammate Barney Bussey had a helmet-to-helmet collision.
Dimry lost consciousness briefly, but X-rays in the locker room showed no structural damage and the official diagnosis was a jammed neck.
Dimry's injury was the most serious of a long series of physical maladies to befall both teams. Many of those were created by the hot, humid conditions on the field.
``I only remember one game that was worse than this - and it was played here, too,'' Redskins defensive coordinator Ron Lynn said.
``When I was at the University of California, we played Florida. The Florida mascot passed out. In fact, when we got to our locker room at halftime, three of their mascots were there, their bodies packed in ice.''
Sunday, several players were taken from the game with cramps and dehydration. Redskins center/guard John Gesek left the game during a critical third-quarter series in which Frerotte eventually fumbled and lost reserve center Trevor Matich's snap.
Defensive tackle Tim Johnson suffered two shoulder bruises.
Also, safety James Washington strained his groin muscle and needed help to get from the locker room to the team bus following the game.
For the Bucs, linebacker Lonnie Marts was taken to the locker room during the third quarter and given fluids by intravenous feeding. He returned to the game. Special-teams standout Curtis Buckley suffered a hyperextended knee in the third quarter and missed the rest of the game.
Finally, Turner said that Frerotte definitely will start Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
Heath Shuler, who suffered a mild shoulder separation in the season opener, still isn't ready, though he has begun throwing in practice.
STATISTICAL ODDITY: The losing team in each of the Bucs' four games this season has scored six points. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
THE OFFICAL EXPLANATION<
Here is referee Mike Carey's explanation on Alvin Harper's
third-quarter touchdown catch that gave Tampa Bay a 14-6 lead, a
play on which side judge Doug Toole's ruled that Harper had just one
foot in bounds, but was overturned by head linesman Earnie Frantz:
``The official on the play (Frantz) ruled that Harper caught the
ball and was forced out of bounds. Therefore, (it is a) completion
in the end zone for a touchdown.''
Harper, upon seeing Toole's ruling, rushed over to Frantz,
grabbed him by the shoulder and swung him around. Frantz immediately
ejected him from the game.
``Mr. Harper came up behind me and said, `I was in bounds. I
caught the ball in the end zone,' '' Frantz said. ``And he grabbed
me by the shoulder and jerked me around. That's a foul in the NFL.
Once you throw your flag, it's an automatic disqualification. It was
(done) in an aggressive manner. If he comes and wants to talk, fine,
but he came up and grabbed me by the shoulder and yanked me
around.''
Sunday's controversial ruling comes on the heels of two disputed
officials' calls made last week in Washington's 38-31 loss at
Denver.
The first was a official's ruling that Broncos back Terrell Davis
had crossed the goal line before fumbling and was credited with a
touchdown.
Last Wednesday, the NFL's director of officiating Jerry Seeman
admitted that an improper ruling had been made.
The other was a ruling that Redskins receiver Michael Westbrook
was out of the end zone on a potential, touchdown reception, not
pushed out as it appeared on television replays.
Seeman ruled that play a judgment call and therefore not open to
question.
by CNB