Troy Aikman's View Of Future Doesn't Have Barry Switzer In It

Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman obviously is thinking clearly despite those seven concussions, including one three weeks ago.

When he confirmed last week that he is considering an extension of his eight-year, $50 million contract, he let friends know there were important contingencies.

First, he told everybody that he must be healthy, which means no more serious concussions.

But more interesting, he told close friends that his decision on an extension depends on whether Barry Switzer remains as head coach. Aikman has complained privately that the Cowboy coaching staff does not have the team under control and playing up to potential.

The nine-year veteran quarterback is in the midst of a deal that runs through the 2001 season. Owner Jerry Jones expects Aikman to extend his contract after this season, which would help the Cowboys gain room under the salary cap.

"I could see that happening," Aikman said. "Assuming physically that I'm capable of playing, I could definitely see that happen." Such extensions are common, especially with highly paid players represented by superagent Leigh Steinberg, who has helped the 49ers numerous times by rearranging the contract of quarterback Steve Young.

On the record, Aikman, Steinberg or Jones would not confirm that the quarterback has made any demands regarding Switzer. But a source close to Aikman insisted that a change in coaches will be required before an extension is considered.

All of this is probably moot because Switzer isn't expected back even if the Cowboys win the Super Bowl. And that if is bigger than the state of Texas.

Names of possible replacements are dominating the sports talk shows in Dallas. The most intriguing suggestion was that of the former 49er coach, George Seifert.

Forget it.

Seifert is willing to listen to offers and there are some in the Cowboy organization who would like to talk to him. But it would be a bad match and Seifert surely realizes that. Seifert does not like dealing with difficult players or a three-ring circus. When Seifert was head coach of the 49ers, he made it clear what his choice was when given an option between talent and a problem.

That's why Ricky Watters, the gifted running back, went to Philadelphia and Charles Haley, the moody-but-talented pass rusher, wound up in Dallas.

And as long as Jerry Jones owns the Cowboys, they will be a circus act with plenty of difficult-to-handle players. So don't expect Seifert to sit in the coach's saddle for Dallas.

The more logical candidate to replace Switzer is not available. . . . yet.

But when the Chicago Bears dump Dave Wannstedt, he could become the No. 1 candidate in Dallas. It would make a good marriage. He would bring toughness and order, while the Cowboys would give him what Chicago cannot - talented players, especially at quarterback.

Unless, of course, Jones keeps the job for himself.

Forgotten fish

It was 25 years ago that Coach Don Shula led the Miami Dolphins to a perfect season, 17-0 and the Super Bowl championship.

It remains unequaled in the NFL. But apparently perfection doesn't mean much.

In an NFL-authorized book recently published about the history of pro football, the 1971-73 Dolphins were ranked sixth among the greatest teams of all time.

They trailed such teams as the 1946-55 Cleveland Browns, the 1960-67 Packers, the 1972-79 Steelers and the 1981-92 49ers.

"Sixth! Sixth!" Shula bellowed. "That hurts me. Why don't you go by winning and losing? Why not? We went 32-2 over two seasons and went to two Super Bowls. Why should I have to defend that record? Why isn't that team recognized? Why?

"I don't understand why there's even any question about it (being considered best). Doesn't history go by team accomplishments and the record? Nobody had ever done 17-0 before, and nobody has ever done it since. We've done something that nobody else has ever done, so why doesn't history ever recognize that fact?"

Paul Warfield, the Hall of Fame receiver who played for that great Dolphin team, agrees with his former coach.

"We definitely feel slighted. I think we accomplished something that certainly no other team in the history of pro football has accomplished, and that's to go through a season and not lose any games. You can talk about the great teams, the Packers of the '60s, the Steelers of the '70s, the 49ers of the '80s, all those teams. But the fact remains that we did something no other team did."

Former Dolphin linebacker Nick Buoniconti probably hits at the heart of the controversy when he suggests that the great Miami teams of the early 1970s would have been looked upon more favorably if they were in a larger market or had deeper roots in the original NFL.

"If this team was in New York, Los Angeles or Chicago, we'd have gotten more respect," he said. "We weren't one of the original NFL teams. We were an upstart from the old AFL. I think that has a lot to do with it."

For what it's worth, here's one vote for small towns, real grass and perfection. And another for Shula as the best coach in NFL history. . . . Just in case that was the next question.

Fine situation

In an attempt to avoid playing so much flag football, the St. Louis Ram offensive unit is implementing a fine system for penalties. The proceeds will go to charity. And the take could be significant.

The Rams, after all, lead the NFL in penalties (92) and penalty yards (665). One of every 10 plays - on offense, defense or special teams - resulted in a penalty against the Rams last Sunday in Green Bay.

So the offensive players got together this week and decided to make penalties a fineable offense.

All penalties can be appealed through the normal review of game film on Monday. But in all cases, the decision of Mark Rypien is final. Why Rypien?

"I'm Judge Wapner," Rypien said.

Consider the possibilities. . . .

Offside, St. Louis. There's another $25 for the Make A Wish Foundation!

Holding, Rams. Chalk up 50 bucks for Catholic Charities!

Unsportsmanlike conduct, St. Louis. That means a crisp $100 bill is headed to the Animal Protective Association!

What a civic-minded bunch, those Rams.

Here's the pitch

When tight end Troy Sadowski showed up in Pittsburgh last week, the Steeler coaching staff wanted to pump him for information. So they signed him up and began to hear what he knew. They learned his father, Bob, once struck out Pirate Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente four times in a game. "Clemente could never hit my dad," Troy boasted.

But the Steeler coaches didn't want to hear about baseball or Troy's family tree. How about Troy's football experience? He recounted how he was on four bowl teams at Georgia before coming to the NFL and how he has played the past five seasons for Bruce Coslet.

Bingo. Coach Coslet and the Cincinnati Bengals visit the Steelers this week. So it was no coincidence that Sadowski was signed by the Steelers at this time.

Sadowski was with Coslet and the New York Jets two seasons and then three more with the Bengals, before being waived in training camp this year.

"I was with him for six years," Sadowski said of Coslet. "I know Coslet's system inside and out."

And Sadowski is especially willing to tell the Steelers all because he is still unhappy about how he was released. "I know Bruce's and Al Roberts' (special-teams coach) systems so well I am sure they are going to have to scramble and try to change a few things - hand signals or calls or whatever."

So if Sadowski contributes anything of a physical nature on the field, it will be a plus. Otherwise maybe he will pack his bags and see who the Bengals play next week.

More of the same

Minnesota Coach Dennis Green and first-year Detroit Coach Bobby Ross have a lot to discuss - if they are so inclined - when they meet this week in Pontiac, Mich.

Both earned their first NFL head coaching jobs in January 1992.

Both gave up college head coaching jobs to enter the NFL and both have experience as NFL assistants.

Both won division titles in their first NFL seasons, Ross with San Diego, and went to the playoffs in three of their first four NFL seasons. In their final game as college coaches, they faced each other, with Ross' Georgia Tech team edging Green's Stanford squad, 18-17, in the 1991 Aloha Bowl.

The only other time Green and Ross met was 1993, when Ross' Chargers beat the Vikings 30-17 at the Metrodome.

Green and Ross differ in NFL postseason success. Ross is 3-3 in the postseason, getting San Diego to Super Bowl XXIX before losing to San Francisco. Green is 0-4 in the postseason.

Perhaps the most celebrated difference between the two at this time is that Ross is in his first year as head coach with Detroit and, all things considered, Green is probably in his last year with the Vikings. True to the title of his controversial book, "No Room for Crybabies," Green isn't crying about it.

"I'm not really thinking about what's going to happen next year," Green said. "I'd love to keep coaching. I've coached for 26 years. But let's face it. I'm basically working on the last year of my contract, and that doesn't happen very often. Of the 30 coaches in the league, I'm the only one whose contract expires after the 1998 season. And that affects your players, and new players coming in. There's a lot to putting a good football team together. I just haven't seen it done very well with guys that are in the last year of their contract."

Notes, quotes, anecdotes

Nothing special: The Philadelphia Eagles have the top-ranked offense in the NFC and are ranked in the top six in every offensive and defensive category in the conference. Overall in the NFL, they are third in offense and defense. Yet they are 4-6. Why? Terrible special teams. "It comes down to field position," said Eagle Coach Ray Rhodes. "Our defense is always defending a short field and our offense is always working on a long field. That makes it tough."

Broom time: With a victory against Carolina this week, the San Francisco 49ers would become the 14th team since the NFL's 1970 merger with the AFL to complete a sweep of all their division games in a season. It would be the fourth time the 49ers have done it; no other team has accomplished the sweep more than twice. Of the 13 teams that swept their divisions, six went on to win the Super Bowl. The 49ers (9-1) are the only team in the league that has not lost a division game this season.

Many happy returns: Two touchdowns on punt returns by Darrien Gordon and an interception return for a TD by Tyrone Braxton in last Sunday's win over Carolina put the Denver Broncos in reach of an NFL record held by the Chiefs. Those TD returns give the Broncos nine scoring returns this season. The 1992 Chiefs have the NFL record with 11 touchdown returns. The 1986 Chiefs are tied for second on the all-time list with 10.

Replacing the king: When Kansas City QB Rich Gannon makes his second start of the season against AFC West leader Denver, the game plan will be the same as it would if Kansas City's strong-armed first stringer, Elvis Grbac, were playing. This despite a 24-10 loss at Jacksonville with Gannon playing for Grbac. "The thing we didn't want to do is slow down the development of our offense," offensive coordinator Paul Hackett explains. "We didn't want to make radical changes for Rich because Rich has been there before, Rich has been in the system for three years, Rich knows what we're asking of him. I don't think we can change that. We have to do what we do and what got us to seven wins."

Grbac was the starter for those seven victories before suffering a broken clavicle against Pittsburgh on Nov. 3.

Freebies: Before last week's game in Memphis between the Oilers and Giants, a man went to the ticket office next to the Liberty Bowl and saw a box on the ground. In it he found 531 tickets to the Giants-Oilers game with a face value of $40,000. Instead of trying to sell them - as if anybody would have bought them - he called the Memphis Commercial Appeal and a television station. They contacted the Oilers, and the Oilers picked up the tickets. He had planned to buy four tickets, but he got them free. Now the joke in Tennessee is that the Oilers left the tickets out there hoping someone would steal them and give them away to boost attendance. That is a joke, isn't it?

No respect: Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, the Atlanta Falcons' coordinator of player programs and former return specialist, was asked by Upper Deck trading cards to do a promotion with them. They sent him a box of cards to autograph. On the side of the box was written "Gale Sayers." Inside, however were cards with Johnson's picture on them. But it was such an old picture, it had Johnson wearing black shoes, instead of white shoes. Said Johnson: "You'd think they might know where my nickname came from, right?" Johnson did not sign the cards. By the numbers

36 - Number of seasons since the Raiders lost 11 or more games in one season (1-13 in 1962). To avoid that, they must play .500 ball for the remainder of the season.

74-36 - Steve Young's record as a starting quarterback for the 49ers, which gives him the best winning percentage in franchise history, .740. His predecessor, Joe Montana, had a record of 100-39, which puts him at .719.

End quotes

"I told Coach Reeves before the game, I see these guys where we were last year. It's going to take some time, but these guys are going to beat some people and generate some enthusiasm." - Buccaneer Coach Tony Dungy, recalling his talk with Atlanta Coach Dan Reeves . . . just before clobbering them last week, 31-7.