THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 7, 1996 TAG: 9602070557
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
Heath Shuler has almost finished bringing in the newest occupants of the big ranch he bought last summer in east Tennessee outside of Knoxville. Up at dawn, to bed at dusk, calving season is about history. Football season is about to begin in earnest.
It's hard to believe that, little more than two weeks after the Dallas Cowboys dispatched of Pittsburgh to win Super Bowl XXX, Shuler will return to Redskin Park for good. He'll return heavier and stronger than ever, if his appearance Tuesday night at the Norfolk Sports Club Jamboree was any indication. He'll also return more confident than ever in his ability to kick down the door to stardom.
Until he broke the ring and pinky fingers on his left hand on a crazy play against the St. Louis Rams, Shuler was exhibiting more of the dazzling run-pass skills that made him the third pick in the '94 draft than at any time in his brief pro career.
Both fingers have healed and there may be more reasons than ever to believe Shuler will make his mark in the NFL, just as predicted by Washington coach Norv Turner.
``I want to be the first person to prove people were wrong to say I couldn't play,'' Shuler said. ``Someday, people will look at me and say that he went through his trials and tribulations, but now he's right where he should be.
``From where I had been before to the Rams game, that's exciting. It's a lot of work, but I'm willing to do it.''
Before he left the nation's capital for his Knoxville getaway, Shuler asked the Redskins to compile films of every game of the '95 season.
``I've looked at some of that tape; there's a difference between that and studying the films,'' he said. ``I've been evaluating the season, not just my play. I will come back with a better feel not only for my performance, but for that of the entire team.''
There will be plenty of time between now and the start of training camp in mid-July for Shuler to make a more in-depth, critical evaluation of his own skills.
``The biggest difference is going to be my physical and mental preparation, not only for the season as a whole, but for each and every game,'' Shuler said. ``I understand it better than ever.
``Your first year, you kind of bounce around from game to game. Your second year, you know what you did wrong.
``Starting this year, I plan to have a much more balanced view of the right and the wrong and how to do more of the right.''
Shuler, like many others throughout the league, thinks the Redskins are close to a complete turnaround from their doldrums of the past three seasons. He need do nothing more than point to two victories over the Cowboys as evidence the good times are near.
``We don't have just one big win, we've got two, over the Cowboys,'' Shuler said. ``I don't know what other people make of that, but to me that means we're capable of playing with the best.''
The biggest obstacle facing Shuler may be teammate Gus Frerotte. There's little question Frerotte has many of the same tools Shuler possesses to be an outstanding pro quarterback. The plan at the moment is for the two players to fight it out during training camp, though there are as-yet-unsubstantiated rumors that Frerotte is on the trading block and could be gone no later than draft day.
``Gus and I have both maintained a great attitude about our situation,'' Shuler said. ``I know I'm not going to change and, hopefully, Gus will maintain where he was last year.
``I'm behind him 100 percent and he's been behind me 100 percent. I think we've proven that old adage about their being no `I' in team.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Heath Shuler
by CNB