The Kansas City Star reports two highly credible sources with connections to the Chiefs organization have said separately that Chiefs franchised free-agent TE Tony Gonzalez was so offended by GM Carl Peterson's ambush earlier this off-season that made Gonzalez look greedy that he would rather play somewhere else. The two sources are men who have a great deal of respect for Peterson but completely disagree with the way Peterson has handled the Gonzalez negotiations. "Carl preaches family and team and community and charity and loyalty," one of the sources said, "but when it comes time to reward the guys who buy into it, there's always a problem. He looks like a hypocrite. And trust me, the players in that locker room know it. I've talked to them." Meanwhile, agent Tom Condon has always maintained that Tony definitely wants to remain a Chief. "In all my conversations with Tony," Condon said, "he's made it clear that this is home. He loves the way the fans have treated him. He loves his teammates. Kansas City is where he wants to be." Gonzalez wants to remain a Chief, but he's also much more willing to move on if a suitable deal can't be worked out. In other words, if Gonzalez is to get the big money deal he wants, he may have to sit out some or possibly all of the 2002 season to get it.
The Dallas Morning News reports as the Cowboys wrapped up their final mini-camp Sunday before heading to San Antonio on July 26 to begin training camp, one thing is painfully clear: The defense is way ahead of the offense. HC Dave Campo and OC Bruce Coslet say that is to be expected as players learn a new offense against a defensive unit brimming with confidence after a fourth-ranked finish in the NFL last season. Still, RB Emmitt Smith would like to see the offense play with some of the emotion, tenacity and joy that the Cowboys defense plays with - even if it's in practice. "That defense has a bunch of guys who just work hard, guys like Brandon Noble and Dat Nguyen, and they were taking it to our guys," Smith said. "I want to see the offense playing with some of what the defense has. We're going to need that." On two of four plays during seven-on-seven drills Sunday, the defense intercepted the offense and nearly had a third, but S Darren Woodson dropped an easy pickoff. The team's official website adds the Cowboys might have finished their final quarterback school and mini-camp with a few players nursing some minor injuries, but all hands should be on deck when camp begins. None of the players currently in rehab should miss a significant amount of practice once camp begins with the first practice on July 27.
The Dallas Morning News reports as the Cowboys wrapped up their final mini-camp Sunday before heading to San Antonio on July 26 to begin training camp, one thing is painfully clear: The defense is way ahead of the offense. HC Dave Campo and OC Bruce Coslet say that is to be expected as players learn a new offense against a defensive unit brimming with confidence after a fourth-ranked finish in the NFL last season. Still, RB Emmitt Smith would like to see the offense play with some of the emotion, tenacity and joy that the Cowboys defense plays with - even if it's in practice. "That defense has a bunch of guys who just work hard, guys like Brandon Noble and Dat Nguyen, and they were taking it to our guys," Smith said. "I want to see the offense playing with some of what the defense has. We're going to need that." On two of four plays during seven-on-seven drills Sunday, the defense intercepted the offense and nearly had a third, but S Darren Woodson dropped an easy pickoff. The team's official website adds the Cowboys might have finished their final quarterback school and mini-camp with a few players nursing some minor injuries, but all hands should be on deck when camp begins. None of the players currently in rehab should miss a significant amount of practice once camp begins with the first practice on July 27.
