Newspaper Page Text
12
August 15, 1996
Jerry Jones delivers a message with
Emmitt’s golden multi-million dollar deal
Well, the Reebok commercials
apparently are true. It’s really
Emmitt Smith’s planet after all.
Who in their right mind could
ever argue otherwise after the
star Dallas running-back, who
has led the NFL in rushing four
times during his career, inked a
“new” S4B million (over eight
years) with the Super Bowl cham
pions?
With the men from the “Big D”
plodding through another mean
ingless pre-season at 1-2, Cow
boy fans were itching for a little
good news before starting the
regular season. Once again, “Un
cle Jerry camethrough. It’sbeen
a wild off-season for the men
from the Lone Star State to say
the least — see Michael Irvin’s
latest brush with the law. With
their All-Pro wide receiver
benched (actually suspended) for
the first five games (oouch!) by
the NFL watchdogsin New York
City, the Cowboys’ flamboyant
owner, Jerry “Let’s Make a Deal”
Jones, really had no choice but to
act swiftly to keep his promise to
Smith. That “promise” was to —
with apologies to Spike Lee —
“do the right thing” in terms of
hammering out a new contract
for the recent University of Flor
ida graduate.
Smith, facing an uncertain fu
ture as an unrestricted free agent
The Fan to bring high-school foothall to radio
AUGUSTA
The CSRA can look forward to
an outstanding season of high
school football on Sports Radio
1480 “The Fan” this fall.
“The Fan” will broadcast live
high school football games on
Friday nights beginning August
30. Each game will be preceded
We’'re
Egging
You On.
Come Taste the Food, the Fun, the Class of BL's!
BL’s Sunday Brunch Buffet.
All-New and Better Than Ever!
| Buy One BL's ;
| Sunday Brunch,
. Get One At Half Price.
T o ok B
AUGUSTA FOCUS
|
| STV
| Y
m: |
Timeout |
| i
{ % 1
5 1
with Tony (!
bl e ez o 7 o ]
at the end of this season, wanted
desperately to remain in a Cow
boys uniform for the rest of his
career. Lo and behold, Smith got
his wish, in a big way! Jones,
realizing that “a happy Emmitt
is a very productive Emmitt,”
coughed up the huge ducats and
delivered, thus breaking the
hearts of Redskins fans every
where. With two of the three
(sorry Deion!) established offen
sive weapons in the Cowboy cor
ral up and running for the start
of the 96 season, Jones is no
doubt betting (whoops — bad
word in the NFL), or should I say
praying, that Irvin’s absence at
by a pre-game show and will end
with a post-game show.
According to Don Beard, gen
eral manager at “The Fan”, the
selection of games put together
for this fall is the best ever as
sembled by this station.
The games’ play-by-play will
SRR N
N\ K/
Come See For Yourself!
Sports Focus
the wide-out slot can somehow
be minimized. Good try Jerry,
but think again!
Even with “Prime Time” Deion
Sanders patroling the outside
flanks on both offense and de
fense, Irvin’s absence will send
opposing defenses up the middle
and headed straight to Number
22! Hopefully for Smith and QB
Troy Aikman, Dallas head coach
Barry “How ‘Bout Them Cow
boys?” Switzer and his staff have
a secret plan, somewhere deep
within their bright and creative
offensive minds (NOT!), to keep
the heat off the “E-Man.” But
back to the owners’ suite for just
a moment.
Whether youlike him orloathe
him like much of the free world
outside Texas and Arkansas,
Dallas owner Jerry Jones some
howmanaged tonavigate around
the league’s salary cap once
again, to put together a sls mil
lion signing bonus (the highest
in NFL history) and construct a
contract that will dole out (on
average), six mil a season for the
Pensacola, Fla. native. The
former NFL and Super Bowl
MVP put his trust in his Boss
this time around the negotiating
tree and it paid off. (Emmitt held
out twice earlier in his career
with Dallas.) Smith’s future, bar
ring injury, is secured through
be done by Ashley Brown, host of
the Saturday morning show The
Coaches Round Table. Color com
mentator for the games will be
Frank Mercogliano, sports direc
tor at Augusta State University.
Fans will have the opportunity
to listen to action from schools
such as North Augusta, Strom
the year 2005. Yes, that means
Emmitt will be wearing the Star
on his helmet until age 34. Some
critics think not, due to the rig
ors and contact Smith is subject
to each Sunday. But, it could
happen. Emmitt continues to
work out year ‘round, and is al
ways very protective of his body
(with regards to proper condi
tioning and preparation).
The former high-school and col
legiate All-American is nothing if
notdurable. Onevery play Emmitt
runs on talent and a ton of heart.
Smith has rushed for nearly 9,000
yards in his six seasons as a pro,
and is on track to become the
youngest player in NFL historyto
reach the 10,000-yard plateau.
Emmittis oneofthe bestever,and
his S4B million contract signifies
that fact, as well as his impor
tance to the Dallas organization,
both on and off the gridiron.
Say what you will about Cow
boy drum major Jerry Jones, he’s
no dummy. Why, this time out,
the man who “fired” legendary
NFL coach Tom Landry even
managed to teach his critics a
few lessons during this last ne
gotiating episode. Double “J”
proved that, despite his millions,
he does know how to spell COM
MITMENT after all.
Tony Cornish Jr. is a freelance
sportswriter based in Augusta.
Thurmond, ARC, Greene-
Taliaferro, Lakeside, Hephzibah,
Glenn Hills, Lucy Laney, Augus
ta Christian, Curtis Baptist,
Westside, Swainsboro, Aiken,
Butler, South East Macon, and
of course last year’s champions
T.W. Josey.
High School Foothall 1996
“LIVE” Every Friday!
Date Schools Times
Aug.3o North Augusta @ Strom Thurmond 8:00 PM
Sept. 6 Greene Talioferro @ ARC 1:30 PM
Sept.l3 ARC @ T.W.Josey 1:30 PM
Sept. 20 Lakeside @ Hephzibah 130 PM
Sept. 27 Lucy Laney vs. Gienn Hills (@ Butier) 7:30 PM
Oct. 4 Augusta Christian @ Curtis Baptist 8:00 PM
Oct.ll Swainshoro vs. Westside (QARC] T:3O PM
Oct.lß Westside @ T.W.Josey 1:30 PM
Oct. 25 Aiken @ North Augusta 8:00 PM
Nov.l Hephzihah @ Glenn Hills 1:30 PM
Nov.B Lucylaneyvs.TW.Josey (@ ARC) 1:30 PM
N0v.15 South East Macon @ Butier 130 PM
WRDW SPORTS RADIO 1480 AM
\fl 1 4 //,‘\
3
=@7 PO | *f\\
Smoltz 20-win bid due to
good health, official says .
By Timothy Cox
AUGUSTA FOCUS Sports Writer
Years ago, the mark of an out
standing baseball pitcher was the
elusive 20-win season.
In recent years, 20-game win
ners have steadily diminished
from baseballdom.
For Atlanta Braves pitcher John
Smoltz, a 19-6 record halfway
through August could at least
mean a 27-win season for the 29-
year-old
Not since Denny McClain won
31 games with the Detroit Tigers
in 1968 has anyone in the big
leagues hit the magical 30-game
mark.
In the past five years, Smoltz
has been the lower man on the
Braves stellar totem pole, a rota
tion including Tom Glavine, Greg
Maddux and Steve Avery.
After winning and losing about
15 games each of the past few
seasons, this year, Smoltz has fi
nally become the man.
Jim Schultz, Braves director of
public relations, said good health
is behind Smoltz’s new-found suc
cess.
“He had surgery on his right
elbow in ’94 (strike season) and
had to recuperate last year. This
isthefirst season he’sbeen healthy
since the operation,” Schultz said,
just before his team captured an
August 14 doubleheader from the
Phillies.
After Phil Niekrohurled 20 wins
in 1979, Atlanta fans failed to see
any big-time winning pitchers
until Glavine won 20 in 1991.
“People ask, ‘Why is it now that
John is having so much success?
He’s always been a good pitcher
for us — for several years,” said
Schultz.
“It all comes down to his (good)
health.”
In the 19605, 20-game winners
were plentiful. Namely, Ferguson
Jenkins, Juan Marichal, Bob
: E ::: 3
3 : \“)":""‘*»-,‘v "
o .
E e q
=
s v .
Smoltz: Headed for 20 wins.
Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Don
Drysdale and “Sudden” Sam
McDowell. A
“It’s a significant statistic,” Mr.
Schultz said. He equated 20 wirs
for pitchers as significant as 40
home runs for a batter. 7
WELCOME BACK TEE
PEE! Terry Pendletonisback with
the Braves, and that’s good news.
Hopefully, the talented veteran
infielder can earn himself the
World Series ring he missed ot
on last year. After all, Pendleton
was instrumental in the Braves
1990 s championship drive.
Though Terry played for the Mar
lins the past couple seasons, he'll
alwaysberecalled asthetalented,
sparkplug third baseman who
jump-started the championship
St. Louis Cardinal teams of the
1980 s.
EMMITT GOT PAID! Emmitt
Smith is a darling of a running
back. Up until last season, I still
doubted how Emmittrated among
the NFL’s best backs. His talents
embody a bit of all the great ones
from Jimmy Brown, to 0.J., to
Sweetness Payton, to Dorsett, to
well, Emmitt! sls million-dollar
signing bonus; S4B mil over eight
years; 8,956 in just six years—
some great numbers, indeed.