Dallas’ Smith Suffers Sprain
The Dallas Cowboys received a slight scare Friday when four-time NFL rushing champion Emmitt Smith limped off the St. Edward’s University football field with a sprained left knee.
Smith was followed to a sideline bench by two team trainers who thoroughly examined the All-Pro. A pressure brace was applied to his knee, and he is listed as day-to-day. He was walking about and laughing after the practice.
Team trainer Jim Maurer said Smith’s knee will not require a magnetic resonance imaging exam.
“He could play tomorrow if he had to,” Cowboys coach Barry Switzer said.
Meanwhile, responding to the NFL’s decision to suspend him for the first six regular-season games without pay, Shante Carver took responsibility for his misconduct and vowed to return to the Cowboys.
The 1994 first-round draft choice is the fifth player from the defending Super Bowl champions to be suspended for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue informed the Cowboys that Carver cannot play before the Oct. 20 game with the Atlanta Falcons.
The banishment costs him $204,705 in salary.
“I broke the rules, so they have to do what they have to do,” Carver said in a telephone interview from his Dallas home.
Bomb threat a hoax
A suspected bomb found at the back door of Reggie White’s community investment bank at Knoxville, Tenn., turned out to be an elaborate hoax. But authorities consider the threat genuine.
The bank is an offshoot of the Inner City Church, which was firebombed and spray-painted with racist graffiti in January.
Officials were quick to draw a connection, while lacking evidence linking the incidents.
White helped create the Knoxville Community Investment Corp. about two years ago with $1 million of his own money.
Smith signs, Reveiz retires
The Minnesota Vikings got a little boost on an otherwise depressing day when they followed the announcement of kicker Fuad Reveiz’s retirement with word that running back Robert Smith had agreed to a one-year contract.
As for Reveiz, he dissolved into tears as he announced his retirement from the Vikings, a sudden decision forced by a painful left foot.
Hastings ends holdout
Threatened with losing one week’s salary, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Andre Hastings ended his 23-day holdout and reported to training camp.
Lions 34, Redskins 25
Rick Strom, the third Detroit quarterback, guided the Lions to three scores in a 5-minute span of the fourth quarter en route to an exhibition victory over visiting Washington at Pontiac, Mich.
Rams 17, Jaguars 10
Rookie Tony Banks is doing his best to create a quarterback controversy with St. Louis, outplaying starter Steve Walsh in an exhibition victory over visiting Jacksonville.
Former Central Valley and University of Idaho player Mike Hollis kicked a 59-yard field goal for the Jaguars.