DATE: Friday, July 18, 1997                 TAG: 9707180812

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C2   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: JIM DUCIBELLA

DATELINE: FROSTBURG, MD.                    LENGTH:   78 lines

REDSKINS REPORT

The defiant Terry Allen, the one always complaining that he doesn't get the recognition he deserves, was missing Thursday afternoon as the Washington Redskins reported to training camp.

Instead, there was the slightly embarrassed model, the one who at one point in a brief press conference admitted, ``I just want to play football and everything else will take care of itself. The kind of attention I'm getting lately I don't care for.''

That's because the focus on Allen has included his arrest last week in Georgia, where he was charged with driving under the influence and clocked speeding in a Ferrari at 133 miles per hour. He wasn't apprehended until after he'd wrapped the car around a tree and into a stop sign.

It's possible the NFL will conduct an investigation into the incident and it's possible Allen could miss camp time and maybe even a game.

Allen, who was selected to his first Pro Bowl and eclipsed John Riggins' single-season club record with 1,353 yards, didn't have much to say about his legal problems.

``First of all, I'm glad that I wasn't injured and I'm glad no one else was injured, either,'' Allen said. ``And on the advice of my attorney, I'm not going over anything else about that incident. We can talk about anything else that is football related.''

Allen, who signed a four-year contract after last season that will pay him $2.6 million in '97, insisted he will be able to handle all the drills and workouts the Redskins will begin this morning.

``Why not? I'm here, aren't I,'' he replied. ``If I couldn't do them all, I wouldn't be here,'' Monk signs ceremonial contract, and then retires

Art Monk's bitter struggle to continue a playing career the Redskins told him was over three years ago, finally ended Thursday. Monk, out of football all last season, signed a ceremonial contract with the Redskins, then immediately retired from the NFL.

``I have said on more than one occasion to Art that nothing, and I mean nothing, would delight us more than for Art to officially retire as a Redskin,'' team president John Kent Cooke said. ``Today is a joyous one for the entire organization.''

Monk played 14 seasons with the Redskins and is the team's all-time leading receiver with 888 catches and 12,026 yards. After leading the Redskins after the '93 season, Monk played one season for the New York Jets in 1994 and three games for the Philadelphia Eagles in '95.

Although it has become common practice in the era of free agency for players to sign such ceremonial contracts, it has no impact on how Monk enters the pro football hall of fame. He could have gone in as a Redskin even if his last game had been with the Eagles. Quick kicks

GM Charley Casserly wasn't scheduled to arrive at camp until late Thursday evening, and it's possible he could come with a couple of signed contracts in hand. Quarterback Gus Frerotte remains close to inking a four-year, $18 million deal; only minor elements remain unsolved. And No. 1 pick Kenard Lang, a defensive end from Miami, also could agree to a deal at any moment, as could Pro Bowl punter Matt Turk. ... DT Sean Gilbert and the Redskins are all but at an impasse, said Gilbert's agent, Gus Sunseri. Gilbert wants a $7 million signing bonus and $5 million a year. The Redskins have offered about $5 million signing bonus and $2.8-$3 million a year. Gilbert is living in Pennsylvania and hasn't taken part in any of the team's offseason conditioning workouts. ... Kicker Scott Blanton signed a contract Thursday worth $196,000. He converted 25 of 32 field-goal attempts and all 40 extra points last season. Tight end James Jenkins signed a one-year deal worth $600,000. He is the team's best blocker at that position. Coach Norv Turner already has said that rookie guard Brad Badger of Stanford will get most of the work with Jenkins when the Redskins employ their two-tight-end set. ... G Tre' Johnson (shoulder) and T Ed Simmons (knee) will miss a week or so of workouts and probably the opening exhibition game against Tampa Bay while they recover from recent surgeries. Badger, World League refugee Matt Reem and rookie Michael Batiste will fill in for Johnson. Shar Pourdanesh mans Simmons' spot.

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