Redskins an early hit in camp

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By DARRELL FRY

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 5, 2001

So much for easing into training camp.

New Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer wasted little time throwing his players into the fire, opening camp with two-a-day practices and weightlifting in between. Plus, the first day included a drill that had folks talking all last week.

It's called the "Oklahoma Drill" or "Crackback Drill," and it was made famous in the 1960s. It pits a defensive player against an offensive blocker with a runner trying to get past the defensive player. Everyone else crowds around in a circle, egging on the action.

It may sound basic, but observers in Washington say it's extremely brutal and violent.

Folks said there was more hitting that day than the Redskins had during entire training camps in years past.

None of the players really complained, and Schottenheimer loved the fierce contact.

"That's the way the game's played," he said. "This drill is basic football. Blocking, tackling and running."

GOING DEEP IN MIAMI: The Dolphins, hoping to rev up a conservative offense, are giddy about three speed-burning receivers brought in this season. James McKnight, Dedric Ward and rookie Chris Chambers have impressed observers during camp -- that is, before Ward went down with an injured foot last week -- and look to give the team big-play capabilities it hasn't had in years.

"Those guys are streaking up and down the field," safety Brian Walker said. "They can run and jump, and you can see the difference. When they come up that sideline, you definitely have to respect them."

HE SAID IT: "The mark of a good player is being able to play in big games, and nobody played better in big games than Lynn Swann."

That came from former Steelers coach Chuck Noll, talking about Swann, who was inducted Saturday into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

CLIMBING THE POLE AGAIN: So far so good on troubled defensive lineman Dimitrius Underwood, who is trying again to make it in the NFL. This time he's with the Cowboys, who have switched him from end to tackle.

The Cowboys, like everyone else, love his football potential. It's his ability to cope with everything else that remains in question since he was diagnosed with an acute bipolar disorder.

"It's been going good. I'm climbing that pole again. I kind of fell off," he said. "The thing with me is to find a balance in life and not take everything to the extreme. I have a tendency to take things to the extreme. But now I wake up every day ... and just take it one day at a time."

DID YOU KNOW?: Former Florida offensive lineman Lomas Brown (New York Giants) is entering his 17th NFL season.

"I figure that I'll keep going until they don't let me or my body can't do it anymore," said Brown, 38. DID YOU KNOW, II?: Cowboys receiver Joey Galloway had a small non-speaking role on The Young and the Restless two months ago. Galloway played a security guard in two episodes.

THE NEXT PRIME TIME?: Don't look now, but the Redskins already may have found a Deion Sanders look-alike to replace the flashy cornerback who recently retired. Rookie cornerback Fred Smoot, who is wearing Sanders' old No. 21 jersey, is making an impression with his play and his trash-talking in camp, making it impossible for anyone to forget Neon Deion just yet.

"I wanted to play with him and replace him," said Smoot, who wore No. 2 in college, Sanders' college number. "I want his cover skills. I was looking forward to learning from him. Since I can't, I've got to be grown early."

BATTLE IN THE BIG EASY: It's just a hunch, but look for Aaron Brooks to win the starting quarterback job ahead of Jeff Blake in New Orleans. Remember, you heard it here first.

DON'T ASK: Bucs quarterback Brad Johnson isn't the only player who showed up at his team's training camp with an odd injury.

Atlanta defensive back Ray Buchanan reported to camp with 14 stitches in his right knee after tripping over a sprinkler head and landing on some broken glass. When he first looked at the wound, Buchanan said he could see all the way to the bone.

Fortunately for the Falcons, he didn't miss practice time.

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

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