THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512170163
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: JIM DUCIBELLA
LENGTH: Long : 146 lines
Here's the 1995 Coulda-Been Pro Bowl team, mixing worthy, but snubbed, AFC and NFC players, selected by a panel of one:
QB - Starter: Eric Kramer, Bears (26 touchdown passes, 9 interceptions). Backup: Neil O'Donnell, Steelers (14 TDs, 6 interceptions in limited duty)
RB - Terrell Davis, Broncos (third in the AFC with 1,117 yards and 4.7-yard average). Backup: Terry Allen, Redskins (1,141 yards and a 4.1-yard average only three NFC backs have beaten).
FB - Ironhead Hayward, Falcons (967 yards, 4.5-yard average and 6 touchdowns on the only team left playing a run-and-shoot)
WR - Isaac Bruce, Rams (95 catches, 1,503 yards. One of the greatest single seasons in NFL history). Backup: Eric Metcalf, Falcons (90 catches the first season anyone's thrown him the ball).
TE - Howard Cross, Giants (vastly underrated blocker and receiver victimized by Dave Brown's quarterbacking). Backup: Ken Dilger, Colts.
T - Blake Brockermeyer, Panthers (it's a team with no running backs and quarterbacks who spend a lot of time on their backsides, but it's rarely Brockermeyer's man doing the damage); Ed Simmons, Redskins (played well enough the last two years to make the trip)
G - Brian Habib, Broncos (only Elway and Shannon Sharpe get any recognition on that unit); Guy McIntyre, Eagles (led revitalized Philly line)
C - Tim Ruddy, Dolphins (maybe a year away from being handed his ticket to Hawaii)
Defense DE - Pat Swilling, Raiders and D'Marco Farr, Rams (two of the best sack artists in the game)
DT - Andy Harmon, Eagles (made the biggest improvement of any defensive linemen in the league); Hugh Douglas (rookie status hurt him).
LB - Sam Mills, Panthers (at age 36, the best story, and player, on the Panthers); Chris Spielman, Lions (any team without him on it isn't much of a team); Hardy Nickerson, Bucs (another 100-tackle season for an improving defense).
DB - Bobby Taylor (once he got acclimated to the NFL, rookie shut down guys like Michael Irvin); James Hasty, Chiefs (ex-Jet prime example of why that franchise is in the state it is).
S - Vencie Glenn, Giants (the main reason the Giants are even respectable on defense; Brett Maxie, Panthers (big part of the league's seventh-rated defense).
MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO: In the January issue of Esquire, Raiders general manager partner Al Davis says, ``So I keep going in front of the guys on the finance committee. You want to know who's on the finance committee? Bud Adams, who's moving the Oilers from Houston to Nashville. (Art) Modell, who left Cleveland for Baltimore.
``(David) Behring, from Seattle, who keeps threatening to move his team to L.A., now that I'm gone. And (Mike) McCaskey, from the Bears, who says he might even take the Bears out of Chicago if he doesn't get a new stadium deal.
``Every time I met with those guys, I realized they were asking me about offers I got from Baltimore and Orlando, places like that. Then I found out that while judging me, they're making calls on their own, seeing what kind of deals might be out there for them. These are the guys telling me what I can and can't do.
``Which is kind of cute, if you think about it.''
Yeah, cute, in a repulsive sort of way.
HUDDLING WITH . . . Fox football analyst John Madden
Are there really more occasions this season, as you hear, of teams not going full bore each week?
Yes, and it is because of the continuing difference caused by free agency. There is no loyalty anymore, and in football you really need it. The players used to stay with a team and there would be loyalty between them and the coaches. And with all the changes, there is less loyalty from the fans. It is harder to have that exchange of loyalty today. People keep calling it a business now. It is harder to coach than in my day.
But doesn't free agency help teams get better in a hurry?
Maybe, but it leaves them lacking the depth they once had. Things are so fragile now. Even the top teams hold on by a string now. If Charles Haley is out for the year, not only do the Cowboys lose their best pass rusher but they lose the guy who made other Cowboys better pass rushers.
Will the 49ers keep the title?
With Haley out, the 49ers will have the Cowboys' number.
Who is the NFL's best player?
Emmitt Smith, without a doubt. He does everything. He's a great, tough football player.
Who is the best quarterback you ever saw?
Joe Namath. He was smart and tough, and if you made a video on how to throw a football, you would just copy his form. If he had been really healthy, he would have been something.
What was the greatest difference when you went from coaching to broadcasting?
On the sidelines, you would hear the sound; upstairs you wouldn't. You were detached. Fox has really helped with audio. You now can hear audibles and the initial line contact. But you have to pull out because of bad language.
Are there any frontiers left for TV coverage?
Interactive TV is coming, and soon. You'll be able to isolate on a different camera for every play. It will be expensive at first, but it will be so successful and there'll be such a demand, prices will be driven down. It's coming for everyone. Fans are sophisticated now, but they'll be even more so.
Should television replays be implemented again to back up officiating?
I think eventually they have to, but it will have to be handled better, quicker. You can't continue to turn your back on technology. As it is now, the only people who don't know when they made a mistake are the officials. Even people in the stadium can find out watching replays. I just think it helps and will have to return.
SAD RECORD: The closer Larry Centers gets to the NFL record for receptions by a running back, the gloomier he gets. Centers, one of the Cardinals' few offensive stars, needs seven catches to eclipse Roger Craig's 92 in 1985.
At his current pace, he could tie Craig today in Philadelphia, then shoot for a 100-catch season against Dallas on Christmas night.
The bad news is that the Cardinals have lost five of their last six games, and Centers has to deal with as many questions about his support of coach Buddy Ryan as about his approach to a milestone.
``It would add a little light to what's been a dark season,'' Centers said about the record. ``And I'd be honored to be able to just be mentioned in the same sentence as Roger Craig.''
BLUE DARTS: Those of you think that just because it's the NFL, it automatically sells out, read this closely. Actual attendance this season - that's fans in seats - is the lowest it has been in any nonstrike season since 1985. The league expected to shatter last season's all-time record average of 62,636, anticipating a sizable goose from having teams in four new cities: expansion Jacksonville and Carolina and relocated St. Louis and Oakland. Yet the current average is only 59,720. That's a 4.7 percent decline despite the supposed boost from the new teams, three of which play in stadiums larger than the league average. ... Y.A. Tittle's daughter, Dianne Tittle de Laet, has written a book about the Giants of her father's era, their successes and failures. It's called ``Giants & Heroes,'' and reviews have been positive. ... The importance of home field and what Dallas may have kicked away: Since 1960, AFC and NFC home teams have a 68.5 winning percentage for the home team in the conference championship games. The visiting team has won 12 times in the AFC, most recently San Diego's victory at Pittsburgh in January, and 10 times in the NFC. ... Cowboys running backs coach Joe Brodsky thinks Emmitt Smith is carrying the football too low, which might be the reason for Smith's career-high six fumbles this season. ... Some Eagles players say a loud, profanity-filled Saturday night speech by coach Ray Rhodes lit the fire the Eagles needed to beat Dallas the next day. Rhodes' rap centered on the Eagles mentally preparing to fight the Cowboys every second. Rhodes got personal. He told them who and what he didn't care about. He ripped some people, from high profile to low bench-warmer. He appealed to his players' pride and told them how embarrassed he was with their performance in Dallas' 34-12 romp on Nov. 6. 1,000-yard season. Two home games later, he still needs 40. ... Big day for guys named Smith last week. Buffalo's Bruce had a two-sack day; Dallas' Emmitt had a 100-yard rushing day and a touchdown; Jaguars' Jimmy earned 79 receiving yards and a touchdown for Jacksonville and Saints' Irv had two TD catches. ... 49ers coach George Seifert thinks the Coach of the Year award in the NFL should be no contest - Carolina's Dom Capers. by CNB