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Tuesday Notebook Cowboys' owner 'dubious' of retirement report
Posted: Monday July 10, 2000 03:56 PM
By Don Banks, Sports Illustrated BALTIMORE -- Michael Irvin's reported retirement plans came as a surprise to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Tuesday. At least on one level. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, citing an unnamed team source, reported Tuesday that the Cowboys standout receiver has decided to retire rather than risk paralysis by playing with spinal stenosis, a congenital condition that leaves Irvin with a narrowing of the spinal column. But when asked about Irvin's intentions Tuesday at the first day of the league's two-day owners meeting, Jones did anything but confirm the report. "I'm dubious about that," Jones said. "I don't have any knowledge about any situation. "I know first-hand that Michael has not conveyed that to the organization," he said. "A team source may in their mind think he's going to retire, but he has in no way let me know or let a coach know his plans in any way." That said, the Cowboys have not made plans for 2000 that included Irvin, who did not play last year after being injured Oct. 10 in Philadelphia. Dallas in essence replaced Irvin when they traded two first-round draft picks to Seattle for star receiver Joey Galloway this offseason. Jones acknowledged as much Tuesday when asked if he would be surprised if Irvin did retire with 750 career receptions, tied for 10th alltime. "I just think what I should say is that I haven't talked to Michael," Jones said. "I just haven't talked to him. But we certainly have to accept a certain reality of the situation. I don't want to say it's not a surprise, but we've already moved on with our plans at that position." Is Cunningham Tampa Bay-bound?Veteran Minnesota quarterback Randall Cunningham will be released by the team on or around June 1 in a salary-cap move. That much became certain when the Vikings didn't invite Cunningham to their late-April minicamp. But much less certain is where Cunningham will land. While reports have been circulating for weeks that Cunningham will likely wind up accepting a one-year minimum deal to back up second-year man Shaun King in Tampa Bay, two Bucs team sources said Tuesday that scenario is a long way from assured. While the Bucs will definitely explore signing Cunningham after he is released, Tampa Bay is not certain that a move will be feasible and appears willing to enter the season with Eric Zeier in the No. 2 role behind King, with rookie Joe Hamilton in the third spot. One Bucs source put the odds at 2-to-1 against Cunningham joining the team, but did so with the caveat that Tampa Bay is definitely interested. The Bucs this offseason re-signed Zeier, but some within the organization question whether he can offer them the veteran protection needed if King should falter or get hurt early in the season. The Bucs are the heavy favorites to defend their NFC Central Division title this season and many have tabbed them as the NFC's Super Bowl favorite. One strike against Cunningham? The Bucs are going to a shorter, possession passing game this season under new offensive coordinator Les Steckel. Cunningham is adept at the deep pattern, and struggles at times on delivering the ball on shorter routes. Cunningham, who has made no secret of his desire to play for Tampa Bay head coach Tony Dungy, balked at the Vikings' request that he significantly reduce his 2000 base salary of $3.5 million. The Vikings in February asked him to play for about $1 million -- in line with what they had budgeted for a veteran backup. By cutting Cunningham on or after June 1, Minnesota can spread the salary-cap ramifications of his release over this season and next year: $1.83 million in 2000 and $2.5 million in 2001. Still trying to land the big Fish(er)It was nearly four months ago that Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams stood up at his Super Bowl news conference and said he had every intention of signing coach Jeff Fisher to a contract extension in the very near future. Less than two months shy of the opening of training camp, Fisher remains unsigned. Why? Adams, Titans club president Jeff Diamond and Fisher all say the two sides just haven't made enough time to get the deal done. But that's about to change. Fisher has set a June 15 deadline for getting signed and Adams said there's no reason that goal won't be met. Diamond and Fisher's agent, Marvin Demoff, have swapped contract proposals in recent weeks. "I think [Diamond and Fisher] are making a lot of headway," said Adams, whose team made the Super Bowl last season for the first time in his 40-year ownership of the franchise. "I want to see them get it done here fairly quick. I'd say no later than June 15th. And there's no reason we can't get it done. "I think Jeff likes it over in Tennessee. His players love him and he loves them. I see no reason why he wouldn't want to stay." Fisher is entering the final year of his deal and neither Diamond or Adams want to open training camp with a lame-duck head coach. Before last season, Adams issued a playoffs-or-else ultimatum to Fisher, who responded by leading the newly renamed Titans to a 16-4 record. "I basically felt that June 15 would be a good time to cut things off," Fisher said Tuesday. "Just because of the fact that that's when our coaches will go away a couple weeks with the families, and I don't want to spend that time doing a contract. And I really don't want to be distracted with it during the season. "But I'm confident that we'll be able to get things put together. We'll sit down in the next 10 days and hammer things out. We're making progress, but we just need to sit down and turn the phones off for a day." Diamond said talks with Demoff will intensify next week. "June 15th, that's the target and I'm hopeful of hitting it," Diamond said. "We're definitely not wanting to open camp with it still unsettled. He's clearly the guy that we want to lead this team. We want to get something done and he wants to get something done."
Super Bowls of the futureThe league does not expect to award the host duties for the 2004, 2005 and 2006 NFL title games until its fall owners meeting in October. But several suitors are here this week to make presentations as part of their bids. Houston has the inside track for the 2004 game and will make the formal bid in October. Jacksonville, Oakland, South Florida and Atlanta are in the running for 2005 and Detroit and Jacksonville are vying for 2006.
Quote of the dayFrom the ever-quotable Art Modell, 74-year-old owner of the Baltimore Ravens, on the league's efforts to realign to eight, four-team divisions in 2002: "There seems to be an inflexibility on the part of some owners who want to perserve their home and home rivalries. Understandably. You can't separate Washington and Dallas. It would take an act of Congress."
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