NFL Players Association officials plan to look into allegations that the Dallas Cowboys administered drug tests to their players, including quarterback Quincy Carter.
The union on Monday initiated a special-master proceeding to challenge the Cowboys' abrupt release of Carter, the team's incumbent starter entering training camp, on Aug. 4. The collective bargaining agreement between the league and the Players Association prohibits a player from being released by a club because of a failed drug test, and Carter reportedly had a recent violation of the NFL's substance-abuse policy.
After his release, there were reports that the drug test he failed had been administered by the Cowboys, not the league. NFL rules prohibit clubs from conducting drug tests, and Cowboys officials told members of the league office after the reports that the team was not testing its players.
But the union apparently continues to have its suspicions. NFLPA chief Gene Upshaw initially expressed concern about the reports, then has declined to comment more recently when asked whether he believes the Cowboys were conducting their own tests. Richard Berthelsen, the union's general counsel, declined to comment Monday on the same issue but said the union would be asking a "whole host of questions'' as part of its case before Stephen B. Burbank, the University of Pennsylvania law professor who serves as the NFL's special master and is in charge of settling disputes arising from the collective bargaining agreement.
A special-master case is a trial-like proceeding. When Burbank heard the Terrell Owens case in March, he listened to arguments by attorneys for the league and the Players Association in a courtroom at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. The union likely will conduct depositions of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Coach Bill Parcells for the Carter case. Jones told reporters Monday at the club's training camp in Oxnard, Calif., that he remained "very confident'' the Cowboys would be vindicated in the case.
Dial-a-QB
The Carter-less Cowboys suffered from erratic quarterback play in their 18-0 loss at Houston in their exhibition opener Saturday.
The ouster of Carter left the club with a 40-year-old starter, Vinny Testaverde, and two inexperienced backups, Drew Henson and Tony Romo. Saturday's outing by second-year pro Romo was particularly alarming, as he had a fumble and two interceptions and a passer rating of 1.5. He completed only three of 11 throws for 37 yards.
Parcells said during his daily news conference Monday in Oxnard that he was somewhat encouraged by Henson's 8-for-11, 94-yard passing performance, and he would give Romo more time to settle down. But he didn't dispute the notion that the Cowboys need help at quarterback.
"You know what I like about the media? I really do. This is funny,'' Parcells said. "They think you can just dial 1-800 and get a quarterback. There's teams been trying to dial that for 10 years. They think you can just dial it up. You think we don't look around? . . . They say, 'Well, you've got to get a quarterback.' No [expletive].''
Some people around the league are convinced that Parcells will sign Ray Lucas or Neil O'Donnell before the season. Testaverde had a fumble Saturday and completed 4 of 7 passes for 34 yards. . . .
As agent Eugene Parker tries to find Carter a new team, the quarterback is in Houston working out with Keenan McCardell, the veteran wide receiver who's holding out in a contract dispute with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gallery Scare
The Oakland Raiders got a scare Monday when left tackle Robert Gallery, the second overall pick in the draft, hurt his right elbow during a practice. But an MRI exam showed the injury to be a relatively minor ligament strain, according to the team. . . .
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, the third overall draft choice, is to be sidelined until next week by a sprained left ankle The Cardinals are without their top three receivers, with Anquan Boldin out at least two months after undergoing knee surgery and Bryant Johnson on the shelf because of a stress fracture in his foot. Johnson is scheduled to begin a running program next week and the Cardinals hope to have him back in the lineup by the end of the preseason. The Cardinals lined up at Monday's practice with Karl Williams, Kevin Kasper and Bryan Gilmore working with the starting offense in Coach Dennis Green's three-receiver formations. . . .
Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., the sixth overall selection in the draft, drew the ire of some Cleveland Browns veterans by lowering his shoulder into cornerback Roosevelt Williams in a non-tackling seven-on-seven passing drill during a practice Monday, resulting in a violent collision that knocked over Williams. . . .
The Tennessee Titans are among the teams that have expressed interest in free-agent defensive end Chad Bratzke, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts. But no club has met Bratzke's asking price yet. . . .
New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, working his way back from foot surgery in June, has increased the intensity of his practice-field work but is not scheduled to play in Thursday's preseason game at Carolina.
Coughlin Erupts
Tom Coughlin had his first honest-to-goodness on-field tantrum as the Giants' coach Monday. Coughlin interrupted a sluggish practice for a lecture to his players and, according to observers, could be heard yelling, "You couldn't beat a [expletive] high school team!'' . . . Coughlin today named Eli Manning the Giants' starting quarterback against the Panthers on Thursday, telling reporters it was the rookie's "turn'' to start in the quarterback competition. Kurt Warner started the preseason opener. . . .
The Denver Broncos' offense has struggled mightily in the first two preseason games. Quarterback Jake Plummer has thrown three interceptions (in 19 passes) and starting wide receivers Rod Smith and Ashley Lelie have gone without a reception. It's possible that rookie Darius Watts could move ahead of Lelie, a former first-round pick who has the speed but perhaps not the moxie to be a standout NFL receiver, and into the starting lineup before the season. . . .
St. Louis Rams Coach Mike Martz was upset when quarterback Marc Bulger hurt his right arm during a drill Monday when defensive end Leonard Little pushed offensive tackle Greg Randall into Bulger. The injury ended up being only a mild bruise, according to the Rams.
Colbert Impressing
The Panthers hope that rookie Keary Colbert, a second-round pick out of USC, can develop rapidly into an effective third wideout behind starters Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad.
The early returns are encouraging, as Colbert had three catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday night's 23-30 overtime victory over the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field in the preseason opener for the defending NFC champions. Colbert had touchdown receptions of 42 and 68 yards from reserve quarterback Chris Weinke.
"I didn't have the best of weeks last week at training camp,'' Colbert said after the game. "But what I tried to do was forget about that and focus on what I had to do in the game.''
Colbert knows about being a complementary receiver, having played in the shadow of all-America wideout Mike Williams at USC. Still, he is the school's career receiving leader with 207 catches. He played well in the Panthers' offseason practices but had struggled recently in training camp.
"I think [Saturday] he really showed an example of what he's capable of,'' Panthers Coach John Fox said after the game.
