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Show r Page B6 Provo, Utah Friday, January 7. 2000, THE DAILY iiERALD, (www.hcraldextri.com), NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUl t A By DAVE Wade Phillips said. "It was a tough decision. It wasn't a haphazard thing." It may turn out to be a tougher decision. Johnson has talent. The Bills surrendered a No. 1 pick for him, then signed him to a r deal. $25 million But Flutie has magic and magic is what's needed in the playoffs, particularly against a Tennessee team playing as well as any team in either conference entering the playoffs. The Titans are favored by 4 t was added 12; the after Johnson was named the Bills' starter. The last time they played against the Bills in the postseason, they were the Houston Oilers and blew a 35-lead at Buffalo. Johnson will see a lot of Jevon Kearse. And with Flutie on the bench, the Titans won't blow any leads. TITANS, GOLDBERG The Associated Press For a wild-cargame, this one's not bad, the Buffalo Bills (11-5- ) at the Tennessee Titans , the most combined wins in any wild-cargame ever. Except that Buffalo coach Wade Phillips did a strange thing on the way to this (excuse the expression) clash off one strong of the Titans in a meaningless performance Rob Johnson elevated he game, to the starting quarterback role over Doug Flutie. d (13-3)- d OK, five-yea- half-poin- Flutie didn't have the year he had last season. But he still managed to find a way to win. In the last game he played, he started slowly, then completed his last 12 passes to overrally his team to a time win in New England. "My feeling is, with either one of them we can win," coach 13-1- 3 0 24-1- 4. Detroit (plus Washington 12) at 5 On Dec. 5, the Lions beat to end an the Redskins to streak losing Washington. They haven't won since and they haven't beaten the Redskins on the road since 1935, when the Skins played in Boston. QB Gus Frerotte, who got his revenge against the Redskins in Pontiac, is back for the injured Charlie Batch. Washington has too much firepower, so exit one bedraggled defense. Then Smith and Troy Aikman were hurt and the Vikings ended up winning 27-1- 7. 33-1- 7 e 8-- 8 team. REDSKINS, Dallas (plus Minnesota 31-1- 3. 7) at The Cowboys and their backers point to the game at the Metrodome on Nov. 8, when the Cowboys took a 17-lead as Emmitt Smith ripped through the porous Minnesota 0 hi But Minnesota has moved John Randle inside now. And the Cowboys are still a team on the road. 1-- r 7 They'll compete, but VIKINGS, ti ... 27-2- 1. Miami (plus 3 12) at Seattle There's drama here, but not much of it involves the game. Both teams stumbled into the playoffs, each losing five of six, the Seahawks only getting in when Kansas City's kicking game let it down and it lost to Oakland in overtime. The drama is if this might be Dan Marino's last game. The drama is if this might be Jimmy Johnson's last game. It might, but .. DOLPHINS, rtA j LM OTEROiThe Associated Press It's my ball: Dallas cornerback Deion Sanders, who was injured thje (ast time the Cowboys played Minnesota, will be at full strength fq'r playoff game between the two teams. Sunday's NFL wild-car- 16-1- 3. d Parcells says he won't coach again '1 Bill NEW YORK (AP) s L Parcells said today "it is not my intention to coach, again," yet left open the possibility he will be on the New York Jets' sideline next season. Parcells said in a conference call that he won't abandon his responsibility to the Jets, who are about to be sold. While he insisted that meant only in his roje of chief of football opera- tions, Parcells also said he would discuss every scenario either with the new owner Cablevision chairman Charles Dolan or Johnson & Johnson heir Robert Wood Johnson IV. "Here is my statement," said Parcells, who resigned as coach Monday, only to see successor Bill Belichick quit the team Tuesday. 'This is on my watch. I feel a very strong obligation to this organization and will not abandon this organization. What I said on Monday is the truth. When I made that statement on Monday, that was completely my intention. "I am not leaving a ray of light to deviate from that, but I do not know what is in the future. I do want to discuss with the new owner what he wants and what he wants done here. But my intention is to not coach." While the agent for Belichick hand-chose- n riiiii:isi ii tkifr iik mi siuh ini kim ni vi iiniiiiv ni - iii i Kit sii h nw iuiii ii quarterback Jeff George, was voted as the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year on Thursday. ii iiiiv ii iv 3M rni4 Y oung earns comeback honor NEW YORK (AP) Bryant Young knew he was all the way back from a horrifying leg injury when he began getting double-teame- d again. The San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle received further proof Thursday when he was selected by. The Associated Press as the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year. "It's special because it's the award that shows overcoming adversity and obstacles in one's career," Young said. "I think highly of that award." Young was an overwhelming choice by a nationwide panel of 50 media members, getting 20 votes. Perhaps the voters recalled the seriousness of Young's injury. J 15-inc- The voting for the 1999 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Associated Press a nationwide panel of the media: named by the in balloting by Bryant Young, San Francisco Brad Johnson, Washington Isaac Bruce, St. Louis Jeff George, Minnesota Alonzo Spellman, Dallas Qadry Ismail, Baltimore Michael Westbrook, Wash. Tyrone Wheatley, Oakland Stephen Davis, Washington Marcus Robinson, Chicago 20 7 6 4 4 3 2 2 1 1 1 behind me," Young said. "I'm looking forward to next year being an even better year for me." This season wasn't bad individually, although the 49ers had their worst year since 1982, going Young was one of the few defensive players to show any consistency, and he wound up. with a team-hig11 sacks despite little help from his team. mates. "From a team perspective, I wish we had a better record and that we were in the playoffs," Young said. "That would have, been the icing on the cake, bnt it didn't happen. So from that standpoint, there's some disappointment, but.I felt good about being able to overcome adversity and play again." To play at such a high level was what impressed 49ers coach Steve Mariucci. h - g. h . PLAYER VOTING i. On Nov. 30, 1998, Young broke both bones in his' lower right leg, the result of a freak collision with teammate Ken Norton Jr. They were closing in from opposite directions to tackle New York Giants quarterback Kent Graham when the linebacker's helmet struck Young's leg, snapping the tibia and fibula. The iniurv was so severe it was considered But Young completed a vigorous rehabilitation and was back in the starting lineup for the season opener at stabiJacksonville. A inrod his titanium lizing tibia; which at times irritated his knee, will Jbe removed after the Pro Bowl. "I feel 'like I've made a giant step forward and once I get that hardware out of my leg, once I "get those procedures done, then that will all t AP NFL COMEBACK . career-threatenin- ii . "He exceeded all of our expectations this year," Mariucci said, "not only in regards to how soon he began playing for us in the opener, but how well he performed given the sever- ity of the injury and obstacles he faced. "It took a tremendous effort in his rehabilitation, and it took a tremendous effort to play through a lot of pain. It's a tremendous accomplish- ' ment. "We are very proud of Bryant. He's the kind of person everybody wants on their team. His value goes far beyond sacking the quarterback and stbp- ping the run. He's a role model, an outstanding player and a great man off the field. He's the complete package. He is truly one of the great players in the NFL and embodies what a professional athlete should be." Washington quarterback Brad Johnson was second in the balloting with sev,en votes, followed by St. Louis, receiver Isaac Bruce with six. Behind them were Dallas defensive lineman Alonzo and Minnesota Spellman quarterback Jeff George, each with four; Baltimore receiver Qadry Ismail (3); Washington receiver Michael Westbrook and Oakland running back Tyrone Wheatley (2 each); and Washington running back Stepheri Davis and Chicago receiver Marcus Robinson (1 each). Last year's winner 'of the first Comeback Player of the Year award was Buffalo quarterback Doug Flutie. , criticized the NFL today and planned to file a grievance with the league about his client's contract with the Jets prohibiting Belichick from talking with other teams, Parcells said he has not spoken with Belichick since Tuesday. "He made his decision and I respect that," Parcells said. "We have had a good professional relationship for a long time, and I appreciate what he did for me. "If he wants to talk, I am here to talk to him. But I take everything he said at face value." The sale of the team by the estate of Leon Hess, who died in May, is expected to be completed within the week. But NFL owners also must approve the new buyer. Parcells said he would con- tact the winning bidder immediately after Goldman-Sachthe investment firm handling-thsale, makes an announces, ment. The unsettled ownership situation was cited by Belichick as his main reason for quitting. But his agent, Neil Cornrich, made it clear that Belichick wants the freedom to decide where he will work, even though the NFL considers the Belichick's contract with Jets binding. Belichick signed a six-ye- ar deal when he and Parcells left New England for New York jn 1997, and Belichick received- a $1 million bonus last January from the Jets." "It is unfortunate that wie commissioner's office issued; a directive that precludes Bjll Belichick from speaking Jjto other clubs about future N!FL employment, thereby denying himjihe ability to earn a himself and his family," Cornrich said in a statement "Likewise, it is disappointing that this sanction was imposed - i liveui-hoodT- without even having heard Bill's position on the various reasons he is entitled to seek other employment. We will be addressing the issue with the NFL shortly and are hopeful that there will be a prompt resolution to allow Bill to move forward with his life." Belichick is interested in the Patriots' Saints searching for new GKV1 and coach NEW ORLEANS (AP) The coach with the best record walked away tearfully in but most of the 10 others who have coached the New Orleans Saints went out like Mike Ditka fired as losses mounted. Still, a day after Ditka left, the Saints job has gone from hot seat to hot commodity, and numerous NFL coaches past and present are considered candidates to fill it. The names include former Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer; Dom Capers, a former assistant at New Orleans and now defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars; and Bill Belichick, former coach of the Cleveland Browns and Bill Parcells' assistant in New York before rejecting the Jets' top job. Also, Gary Kubiak, offensive mid-seaso- " position, ! ?i V Jim Mora as coach. Mora produced the only winning n seasons in franchise history. Mora had a record in 10 with Saints. the But his years teams faltered three years in a 93-7- 4 1 row. Midway through the 1996 season, and a day after one particularly angry, profanity-filletirade, Mora held a d post-gam- e tearful meeting with players, then announced his resignation at a news conference. Bill Kuharich, who eventually landed the role of team president and general manager after Finks' death in 1992, hired Ditka three years ago. Kuharich also was fired 'Wednesday. "It's always important to have one person in charge," said Charles Bailey, the Saints' assistant general manager who is in coordinator and quarterbacks charge of football operations. coach for the Denver Broncos; "And it's important that the general manager and coach be able Dave McGinnis, defensive coofor rdinator the Arizona to work together." Bailey, who spent 10 years in Cardinals; and Mark Martz, the player personnel departoffensive coordinator for the St. ment of the Pittsburgh Steelers Louis Rams. Team owner Tom Benson said before joining the Saints, has in a statement that he intended said he would like to be a generto, "begin the same process that al manager. He refused to diswe used in 1986, a process that cuss the Saints job, however, produced Jim Finks as president saying he had not spoken to Benson. and general manager." in According to Gil Brandt; an Finks, turn, hired then lit . coaching which opened on Monday when Pete Carroll was fired, But because he already was elevated to head coach of the Jjets under the terms of his contract, the Jets denied New England permission to talk with Belichick. In addition to the ownership uncertainty, Belichick said he was unsure what role Parcells would play as the team's head of football operations. M'7 f.. yLJ : BILL HABERThe Associated Press ! Why weren't you healthy? Former New Orleans Saints ' coach Mike Ditka may have kept his job if rookie running back Ricky Williams (34) had been healthy this year. NFL consultant and former player personnel director of the Dallas Cowboys, Mark Hatlpy, director of player personnel or the Chicago Bears, is the leading candidate to become tshe GM. Brandt said those saine rumors have Schottenheimerin line for the coaching position. The pair worked together Jin Kansas City. "That's the word around the league - Schottenheimer ahd Hatley," Brandt said. Schottenheimer oversaw the Chiefs' rebuilding. Kansas CJty went under Schottenheimer. He resigned in 1998 and nbw after going j is an analyst for ESPN. - 94-49-- 7-- 9 1 |