Wednesday, April 14, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 5
Aikman to stay with Dallas
Quarterback signs six-year extension
The Associated Press
IRVING, Texas — Troy Aikman signed a six-year contract extension that will keep him with the Dallas Cowboys through 2007.
Team owner Jerry Jones disclosed the new deal for his star quarterback yesterday during a news conference to announce the return of center Mark Stepmoski. The former Pro Bowler was given a five-year, $10.5 million contract plus a $3.5 million signing bonus.
Jones refused to disclose details of Aikman's contract other than to say it was very salary-cap friendly. Neither Aikman nor his agent, Leigh Steinberg, attended the news conference. Steinberg did not immediately return a telephone call to The Associated Press.
"We have extended the contract of Troy Aikman to the point where this franchise and our fans are sure to have him for the rest of his career." Jones said. "We are very pleased this agreement has been completed."
Alkman, who had three years left
on his previous deal, has restructured his contract several times earlier but usually added only one year at a time. Now he's on the payroll until beyond his 41st birthday.
It's not unusual for teams to sign their marquee quarterback past the likely end of his career. Denver has done it with John Elway and San Francisco has done it for Steve Young. The teams are gambling that the salary cap eventually will go up enough to absorb those deals while giving them the immediate benefit of reducing the impact of the quarterback's signing bonus on the salary cap.
Two seasons ago, Alkman was fed up with the Cowboys. He was tired of his teammates' off-field transgressions and thought that the focus on winning had waned after three Super Bowl victories, something he mostly blamed on coach Barry Switzer. Alkman's patience was thin after Dallas went 6-10 in 1997.
But the Cowboys reversed their course by replacing Switzerland with Chan Gailey, and Alkman's attitude did a 180-degree turn, too. He smiled much more often as Dallas won its sixth NFC East title in seven years last season, even
though they were ousted from the plavoffs in the first round.
"His talent and commitment will help us ultimately get back to the Super Bowl," Jones said. "That's his goal. That's what he's all about. Any time you have ever seen him in any form of excitement or frustration it's because of the direction the team was going in his mind, toward doing things to win the Super Bowl."
Aikman and Stepnoski broke into
the NFL together in 1899 and were a formidable tandem for six years. But Stepnoski signed with Houston
after the 1994 season when Dallas didn't make re-signing him a priority.
Stepnoski said yesterday that it was the right decision at the time but that things didn't turn out as he had hoped. The Oilers missed the playoffs all four seasons, and the team moved to Tennessee halfway through his tenure.
"The whole emphasis on winning is definitely one of the key features that motivated me to come back," Stepnoski said.
Complaints filed against skating coach
The Associated Press
A former student and colleague of Richard Callaghan asked the U.S. Figure Skating Association and the Professional Skaters Association yesterday to look into his accusations of sexual misconduct and exploitation.
The USFSA and the PSA received complaints from Craig Maurizi. The PSA has 20 days and the USFSA 30 to decide what to do with the complaints.
moving at that time."
"We need an incredible amount of legal documentation, and that's why our rules are very clear there are 30 days of review to make sure our direction is the proper one," said USFSA president Jim Dibrow, who hasn't yet seen the complaint. "There will be an answer, a definite answer, to where we will be
Callaghan, who coached Tara Lipinski to the gold medal last year in the Nagano Olympics, was not notified of the complaints, nor will he be before a decision is made, said Dean Groulx, his lawyer. Callaghan has vehemently denied the accusations.
"We are confident that when the chair of the grievance committee reviews the allegations, it will find the grievance lacks merit and will take the appropriate action," Groulx said.
In a story first published Sunday in The New York Times, Maurizi said Callaghan made improper advances to him when he was 15. Maurizi, now 36, said Callaghan abused his authority three years later to initiate a full sexual relationship, which continued for four years.
Both complaints will go to a grievance committee chairperson, who decides whether any rule has been violated and evaluates the timeliness of the complaint. If the chairperson decides there is merit, a panel is formed to investigate and make a ruling.
in the USFSA, the panel would consist of as many as nine people who represent the organization, including athletes, coaches and judges, USFSA representative Bob Dunlop said. In the PSA, it's a threeperson panel, PSA president Jerry Lane said.
The grievance panel also would be responsible for deciding what, if any, punishment is warranted.
This is the first time anyone — including Maurizi — has filed a formal complaint against Callaghan.
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SOFT 'N' GENTLE BATHRROM TISSUE
No woman should ever run alone especially at night.
That's why Nike is holding a Women's Night Run-an informal gathering of women to raise awareness of campus safety issues-on April 14 at 8:45 PM. This short, non-competitive run is open to runners of all levels Meet at the Lied Center parking lot.
For more information, email me. Chuck Henderson, your Nike student rep at ksrower@hotmail.com