Sunday, October 05, 2003

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

It's a good thing coach Jim Haslett signed that big, fat contract in New Orleans before last season. The five-year deal through 2006 was estimated to be worth about $15 million, so Haslett won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Neither is his team the way it is playing.

The Saints held a players-only meeting after they were drilled by Indianapolis Sunday night, 55-21, to fall to 1-3 after they folded late last season and failed to make the playoffs. The meeting lasted about 10 minutes, or about the time it took Peyton Manning to throw three touchdown passes against the Saints.

"That was a very embarrassing effort put out on the field," quarterback Aaron Brooks said, "and I think it was time for some people to speak up for all of us to hear."

Things don't get easier for Haslett and his team, which plays at Carolina today.

Emmitt's welcoming committee

Emmitt Smith returns to Dallas today, and his old 'Boys are waiting for him. They have been ever since Smith called his former teammates "trash" during an interview with Sports Illustrated this summer.

Smith has 193 yards rushing for the Arizona Cardinals, who are 1-3.

"If you have any pride of playing the game of football, it did have an effect on you," Dallas linebacker Dexter Coakley said. "Especially [coming from] a guy who had been here so long, done so much in this game, and to go out and say some of the things he said. ... It was very painful."

Defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban said the Cowboys are better off without Smith, whose drive toward the NFL rushing record last season at times seemed to take precedence over winning.

"I think, perhaps, at times, the focus on the season was based on him getting his rushing record rather than us having a successful winning percentage," Ekuban said. "Good or bad, it was a distraction, so we have better things to focus on now as a team, and that is winning games."

Overzealous owner

Why owners should be seen and not heard in the locker room: Vikings owner Red McCombs, so giddy over his team's 35-7 victory against San Francisco last Sunday that he interrupted coach Mike Tice's post-game talk to his players.

"Mike is recounting all the good things we did in the game," McCombs said. "I couldn't control myself. I screamed out, 'What about that Purple Pride on those two fourth-down stops?'

"Mike wasn't done talking. He stopped for a second, looked over at me, looked at his coaches, looked at the players and said, 'Any of you still want to be a head coach?' "

Quick slants

The Cowboys have more wins at Giants Stadium this season than the Jets and Giants combined. Dallas' two victories there are more than they have at Texas Stadium (none). The Cowboys also have a winning streak for the first time since 1999 and have won consecutive road games for the first time since '95.

Atlanta wide receiver Peerless Price, who has 15 receptions for 133 yards and no touchdowns, said of his offensive line: "Certain plays, guys didn't block the guys they were supposed to block."

The Chicago Bears, who could not sell out the first game played in the new Soldier Field, had to endure plenty of boos from the 58,933 who did attend Monday night. "I try not to pay attention to the fans," rookie cornerback Charles Tillman said. "Not to talk bad about them, but some of them don't really know anything about it, they just go to watch for entertainment."

Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb hasn't thrown a touchdowns pass in 111 attempts this season.

Seattle, 3-0 after having an off week, is 12-3 in the week before a bye and 3-11 the week after a bye.

Ahman Green has five runs of 50 yards or more with Green Bay, breaking the club record owned by Hall of Famers Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor.

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