THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 8, 1996 TAG: 9606080281
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 74 lines
William Fuller has heard the pundits claim that this latest offseason of free-agent losses and off-field controversies may be enough to sink the Super Bowl Dallas Cowboys. The Philadelphia Eagles defensive end isn't a believer.
``They still have a very strong nucleus, even though we don't know what's going to happen with this Michael Irvin situation,'' Fuller said. ``I've told a lot of people, he's just one player. They have five, maybe six, guys who get all the publicity, but that is a well-talented club at just about every position, especially offensively.''
Fuller, an Indian River High School alumnus, is in Hampton Roads to chair the Friends of Chesapeake Care fund-raising weekend. Chesapeake Care is a free clinic that performs treatment, even surgery, on people who don't have insurance or who can't otherwise afford the procedures.
Founded by Dr. Juan Montero in 1992, the clinic sees about 4,000 patients a year. This is the fourth year that Fuller has been involved. Hosting some of his buddies each June is a sharp reminder that it is only weeks until another training camp. This one will be Fuller's 14th, his third with the Eagles.
He's already started thinking about how to dethrone the Cowboys, who lost free-agent defensive lineman Russell Maryland, linebacker Dixon Edwards, cornerback Larry Brown and utility offensive lineman Ron Stone, and may lose Irvin, depending on the outcome of his cocaine-possession problems.
``You beat the Cowboys by having an offense that's high-powered,'' Fuller said. ``We're trying to close the gap by building a massive offensive line. Our goal is to keep time of possession on our side, keep them off the field. You give Emmitt (Smith) enough carries and the quarterback (Troy Aikman) enough time to throw and they'll make plays.''
Fuller seems convinced the blue-collar Eagles have improved from a year ago. Free-agent pickups like Troy Vincent should help. As for the rest of the NFC East, the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants are more difficult to gauge, seemingly headed south.
The Washington Redskins, Fuller says, are the mystery team. They'll be better because of the trade for defensive lineman Sean Gilbert, but he wonders if they have enough on-field leadership.
``I thought Washington had a lot more talent than they showed last year,'' he said. ``They didn't always play up to their ability. Both of our games went down to the wire and they beat Dallas twice. But then you'd see them against someone else, and you wouldn't see the same type of effort. They played better against NFC East opponents than they did anyone else, which tells me that they're a team that's probably missing a lot of veteran leadership. You can get the young guys geeked up for division games because they mean more and they could easily get embarrassed. You've got to get up for every team you're playing, no matter the record. That's tough, but the veterans are able to do it.''
Fuller, in the last year of his contract, will listen to offers next year. But it's going to take an outrageous offer to move him from Philadelphia, mainly because of coach Ray Rhodes.
``He relates to players on their level and that makes it fun,'' Fuller said. ``He's a tremendous coach, no ego. You can go to him and say you don't like what you're doing, you're not sure it's going to work, and he'll sit and listen. And a lot of times, he may act, take your advice. A lot of coaches won't do that.
``I'd love to finish my career in Philadelphia. It's like I've come full circle, having started my career in Philadelphia with the USFL. I won a championship in the USFL and I couldn't think of a better way to finish my career in Philadelphia than with a championship. I think we can do it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
William Fuller, an Indian River High alumnus, is chairman of the
Friends of Chesapeake Care fund-raising event.
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