THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 13, 1994 TAG: 9411130195
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: JIM DUCIBELLA
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines
Agent Leigh Steinberg makes a large portion of his colossal livelihood representing quarterbacks, and so, naturally, he's worried.
Worried that the NFL isn't doing enough to deal with the ravages of all the concussions that have befallen players this season. Steinberg, who represents Troy Aikman and Steve Young among others, thinks the league should make medical counseling mandatory for any player who suffers more than one concussion in a season, or two in his career.
Aikman has suffered two concussions in the last nine months. One back in January threatened to knock him out of the Super Bowl. By Steinberg's count, Aikman has suffered three concussions in six pro seasons.
``Players should have to spend some time talking to medical experts and get counseling to discuss the long-term risk involved in suffering a number of concussions,'' Steinberg said recently. ``They might not follow the advice, but at least they would have been offered it. The NFL and each team has a responsibility to spend a certain amount of time laying out the risk of head and neck injuries the same way they lay out the risk involved in the use of steroids and recreational drugs.''
The league already has in place policies that are designed to help prevent head and neck injuries, such as the rule against spearing. But somebody's not paying attention.
And don't think the concussions suffered by quarterbacks are isolated instances.
The Chiefs have had seven players suffer concussions this season; cornerback Mark Collins twice.
And Pittsburgh fullback Merrill Hoge retired this year in the middle of his seventh pro season after a second concussion left him with recurrent memory loss.
CHATTING WITH . . . Cowboys safety Darren Woodson
Q: Randall Cunningham of the Eagles claims you are the best safety in the NFL. Is there anyone you patterned your style of play after?
WOODSON: I like the way Ronnie Lott played, the way he hit. He was the ideal safety. He demanded to have control of the game. He was a dictator. That is what I want to do. I want to be a complete safety. I'm looking for chances where I can put a hit on somebody like James Washington and Steve Atwater. But the most important thing is to be the complete player.
Q: Obviously, you hope that this season you'll make the Pro Bowl. But it sounds like you've progressed beyond that point. How do you feel when people suddenly are comparing you to Lott and Joey Browner?
WOODSON: I don't know if I've reached that level. But that is where I want to be. I'm not there yet. If the Pro Bowl happens, it happens. That is something I'm pushing hard for. But I have no control over that. I only control what Darren Woodson does.
MOUTH-WATERING GOOD: Ex-Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson is opening a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale around the middle of January. Among the items on the menu is a 5-foot long creation known as the ``Jerry and Barry.''
The ingredients?
Stacks of bologna and tongue.
Seriously.
Johnson gathered the media last week to introduce his new venture. He insisted he had nothing to do with naming the sandwich. But, wielding a huge knife, he couldn't help but toss a little jab at Jerry Jones and Barry Switzer.
``Ahhh,'' he said, sawing his way through the bread. ``I can hear them screaming right now.''
Johnson's name for his sports bar?
C'mon, you know. Jimmy Johnson's Three Rings Bar and Grill.
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT: Eagles DE Mike Flores has an art degree from the University of Louisville and is illustrator and creator of a comic book called ``Ultimate Man.'' . . . At the recent owners' meeting in Chicago, the owners discussed another way to block Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos from buying an NFL team. Since Wayne Huizenga, the Dolphins owner, already owns the Marlins and Panthers and Dan Rooney, the Steelers owner, wants to buy the Pirates, they talked about passing a rule that would only allow owners already in the NFL to own teams in other sports. It's uncertain if such a provision is legal. . . . Tampa Bay fans threw several things - including a pair of binoculars - at Bucs coach Sam Wyche a couple of weeks ago after the home team was throttled, 36-13, by the Vikings. ``That was the first time I've ever had that happen to me,'' Wyche said. ``The good news is we really didn't have anybody with very good aim.'' Sam I Am is 12-29 in Tampa Bay. . . . Packers defensive end Sean Jones convinced fellow defensive end William Fuller to leave Houston and sign a free-agent deal with the Eagles - at least he's taking credit for it. ``(Fuller) was talking about coming back,'' said Jones, Fuller's former teammate in Houston. ``But I brought up some things and convinced him he had to leave. It's not about loyalty.''. . . Cowboys coach Switzer is compiling a list of potential replacements for Butch Davis, the Dallas defensive coordinator who is considered a cinch to leave Dallas for a head coaching job when this season is done. At the same time, Cowboys special-teams coach Joe Avezzano reportedly is being looked at by the University of Texas.
THEY WROTE IT: From Kevin Blackistone of the Dallas Morning News:
Kyle Collins is a Dallas Cowboys fan. He is also an owner of a defensive driving school in Dallas. Jerry Jones ought to give him a crown suite in exchange for a little service. His company, called Comedy Defensive Driving School because it employs comedians, is willing to cut the Cowboys a deal. . . ``But to make it under the salary cap, we'll let Jerry (Jones) have it for $25 a head.'' MEMO: Material in this column was obtained from Virginian-Pilot and
Ledger-Star wire services. by CNB