University of South Carolina Libraries
Wednesday, September 13, 1995 h As the NFL season slowly gets under way I have already seen some interesting developments. We have seen some players, like Jerome Bettis apd Randall Cunningham, flounder in starting roles, while others are making a big name for themselves. Team-wise, the early surprise has to be the 2-0 St. Louis Rams, (Look for them to go 3-0 after beating Charlotte in Clemson on Sunday), While the N. Y. Giants have sputtered out of the gate going 0-2. Above all this, it is still clear that the preseason favorites have played up to their potential. I would argue that there is a pair of teams in each conference that can be considered Super Bowl contenders. San Francisco and Dallas are in a class by themselves in the NFC, and the league in general, but both teams still have a tough schedule in front of them and thev still face each other on November 12. On the AFC side, Miami and Oakland are the dominant teams, but Oakland still needs to score points running the football. Oakland has upgraded their offense, giving Jeff Hosteller some shorter pass routes to complement the Raiders ever-present deep threat. When all is said and done, I am going to pick the Miami Dolphins to beat the Cowboys in the Super Bowl this year. As most of my more ardent readers will know, I am a Dolphins fan, and I have been riding their Super Bowl bandwagon for a few years now. I know most of you have heard this before, but this is the year. The Dolphins have been impressive in their two games this season. AD Hnt* \zfownn V*oo olmo^v nrl L/aii luai iiiu uao au ivovii^U midseason form and his receiving corps 3(to[p ;~:YvrStudent Footba included in yc return to Williai Athletic Tick Acq * Miami rea RYAN WILSON Sports Editor is one of the best in the league. Irving Fryar burned the Pati twice last week in the Phins 20-3 tory. 0. J. McDuffie is a great yo talent and Gary Clark provides veteran leadership and patience trio needs. Miami also replaced the stre Keith Jackson with the man-mc tain Eric Greene. Greene has y< make big waves catching the ball, his blocking has helped the Dolp] running attack. What ruined the Dolphins last; was tne lacn 01 a running game in the season. Injuries to Terry K and Keith Byars in the middle of year, gave undue pressure to Be Parmalee, and Miami suffered bee of their unbalanced attack. Also, mentioned earlier, the addition ol ic Greene allows Miami to run a from Pro Bowl left tackle Richm Webb, something they haven't 1 able to do in the past. Already this year they hav< tablished a quality running att gaining over 180 yards on the grc against the Pats last week. If the) keep the threat of a running g alive, Miami will only get better. r\ m (ill h "Rl #j if] He m Ge foi JiS"? - A mm W( m ch foe II tickets are bein iur tuition has all tns-Brice Stadium et Office on Rosei SPQ] nflint r mivi i idy to challenge Yeah, I know, everyone knows the Dolphins have one of the best offenses in the league, but what most people don't realize that the defense is also a formidable force. Once again, you can look at the pen formance against New England on Sunday, and realize it is obvious the Dolphins D is very underrated. Holding Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Bledsoe without a touchdown, and only ali lowing three points illustrated the potential of this defense. Bryan Cox is one of the best mid| die linebackers in the AFC, one of the most vocal leaders on the team, and held Patriot tight end Ben Coates to y|c one catch for three yards. Safety Troy Vincent has already returned a interthe ception for a touchdown this year, and the provides great run support. When talking about the Dolphins iaky defense, you can't overlook the line)un men. The Miami line is fast and agit to gressive, with Marco Coleman, Jeff but Klingbeil, and Trace Armstrong probins viding a excellent pass rush. Tackle Tim Bowens is a rising star in the NFL year and is The Dolphin run stopper, late As I said before, this is the Dolphins year. If they don't make it to the last big dance then this team will be torn mie apart by free agency, and key players' aus? contracts will expire. The Phins raided the free agent market this year, war picking up Armstrong, Clark, Greene tond ^ormer N?-1 pick Steve Entman, )een in a attempt to give Dan Marino and Don Shula one more chance. ? e g. In closing, I would like to tell San ack Francisco and Dallas one thing: Stop >und looking over your shoulder, the Phins r can might have already passed you by. ame Super Bowl 29: Miami 31, Dallas 24. Dan finally gets his. iBw Hp ll. : Jl^ Louisiai ilac nf t . ' . : ' : : : ' . . : ' ' '. ''' : jou have not alr< >use Room 205, 1 tfour ID card sc ftnefgame. rive early to shoi irm-ups (gates o eer ana scream >tball team. l|ea|||tej| #1 nei g distributed in the Russ eady paid for your tickel i for a four game home s wood Drive or at the Stui stadium startin tors iff inter ! Dallas for NFL As you all know, the Dallas Cowboys picked up free agent Deion Sanders Monday, signing him to a five year, multi tnllion-gazzilhon and something contract. After watching Sanders and the rest of the San Francisco 49ers run past his Cowboys to the Super Bowl last year, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones j figured that he had to have him. Well, I he got him, and the Dallas Cowboys will win their third Super Bowl in four years in January. I 1 After beating Buffalo in Atlanta to win their second straight Super Bowl in 1994, the Cowboys showed no signs I of letting up. A young, hungry team fl^g and a solid nucleus of key players made ente< everyone expect that this would be the next dynasty. ^ Then came the stepping down (fir- betwe ing) of Jimmy Johnson, and all hell reme broke loose. Barry Switzer was hired j^gg by Jones to replace Johnson, and it was enouj all downhill from there. Switzer, be- prese fore the 94 season, told the Dallas play- jnten ers that it was their team, and that they p( would determine if the Cowboys were cen^ to win a third straight title. pleas Well, a torn running back's ham- twee] string and about four months later, the ] Cowboys were in the quagmire of Can- cjose dlestick Park battling the Forty Nin- me(jj ers for the NFC Championship. 0ff ^ About nine minutes after that, the ^ory Cowboys found themselves in a 21-0 t^e g hole that they would never chmD out pjay( of. The Niners won, and the Dallas Dy- everj nasty was over ? or put on hold for a ^ while. las. j Obviously during the offseason, the j)ej0] Dallas players and coaches needed to ^ra^ do some extensive soul searching - which they did. What few people seem to re- cosg alize is the competitive desire of three c]oge men: Emmit Sinith, Michael Irvin, and Troy Aikman. The fire that bums these ^ Up la Tech ; i ; k Ilk _ jriilk JtJf J mmmm A A i >: ! Z^: ill 1 SI IliSllll. f ; ' : :-- ig f V :5::: :|p|5. 5ady done soJlru with your Studei anned and choc f If |?:i I! : I!;: n yoursupport c pen at 5:00, kic loudly for your < \s% N s% *' ll?j| * s \ 4 ct week. ell House, Room 205, to t, so grab a seat and ch< tand. Any remaining tic] ient ticket office locatec g at 12 noon. c ests supremacy? down. ?n, i SU( sional Fn ^ever j LARRY WILLIAMS tosay Sports Editor th?n additu is enough to propel a team as tal- ^ 1 as the Cowboys to the Super all oft lose who saw the preseason game _ Sa sen the Cowboys and Broncos will Micha mber Michael Irvin on the side- neec^ , blasting a player for not having battles jh motivation. This was just the every ason, and Irvin is one of the most ^ se players ever. I don't or those who would like a more re- saruy example of the Cowboys furor, their 1 e see the Monday night game be- San F i the Boys and the New York Gi- would last week. The game figured to be , but not on this day. Dallas imately knocked the stunned Giants ^c leir blocks, cruising to a 35-0 vie- a Even in the third quarter when 1 ame wasn't in doubt, Irvin was in ^ )fF form, rising to the occasion at a ' 'call. le must also recall Sunday's Dal- ^ ^ Denver erame. DesDite the whole r ii controversy that obviously dis- F id the Cowboys all week, the Pokes t miss a beat. Beating the Bron1-21, the game wasn't even that Dai^ i. Every time Denver would get n seven points, Dallas would turn a notch and score another touch- ^ go UfU SIX iotuixi1 le" in to the Russi nt ID card. isp vnur tirkp 5:5$: luring pregan fc-off is 7:00). Gamecock day from 9-4. The i ;er on the Gamecock kets can be picked u I at the Northeast en V I 9" ccess of the Cowboys aside, I just lee how this whole Dieon soap has been good for the sanctity tegrity of football. Where's the ft Deion plays for the 49ers one hen goes to their most bitter rihe Cowboys, the next. Obviousl colters around money, and thafs the major problems of professports. om a football perspective, how[ am a Cowboys fan, and I have that I was slightly happy to hear iws. Sanders will be a welcome Dn on the field. Notice I said ON !d It remains to be seen if Sanders i able to squeeze his ego in with :he other ones in Big D. nders will also undoubtedly make lei Irvin a better player (like he it). I would pay to see thl one on 3 these two will stage in practice day. e thing that intrigues me is that, t really think that Dallas necesgrabbed Sanders to have him on team, they signed Deion so that "ran, Miami, or some other team ln't benefit from his Services. ren though Deion is in Big D, look e November 12th game between >wboys and Niners to be the baroms to who is the better team. San is still awesome, and it should be a game; however, wisdom tells us when Ricky Watters left for the s, a chunk of their offense did too. ) longer will the 49ers have a quick, threat out of the backfield to supnt their deadly passing game. You to believe that Watters was as imit a player as any last season, and him gone the niners will lose to 3 November 12th, and again in the Championship. iperBowl29: Tempe, Ariz.-Dal, Miami 27. You heard it here first to i ell t le it ictivity fee s as they p from die d of the