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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Sports
Thursday, August 5, 1999
Grubbs excited about Eagles' workout effort
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Aug. 5, 1999 -- They didn't get in their midnight practice as
planned, but the Pecos Eagles still managed to work out under the stars,
if not under the lights on Wednesday, on the first day of preseason football
drills.
A total of 39 varsity players showed up for the evening workouts, which
began in the sunlight but ended with 30 yard sprints shortly before 10
p.m. at the Pecos High School practice field. Another 57 players worked
out both on the junior varsity and freshman teams, with the ninth graders
practicing at Crockett Middle School.
"Right now we've got about 100 kids out, and we're probably missing
about 20 kids who'll be back in town," said new head coach Gary Grubbs,
who spent last season as an assistant to Dan Swaim on the Eagles' staff.
Grubbs is Pecos' fourth head coach in the past five seasons, but compared
to five years ago — when only 54 varsity, JV and freshmen players showed
up to begin workouts — the football program is in much better shape. The
Eagles come into 1999 off their first winning season since 1986 and their
first district championship and playoff berth since 1975.
"The kids had a great attitude out there. I couldn't be more excited
and the whole coaching staff is excited," Grubbs said. "Some of them could
be in a little better condition, but as far as the effort they gave out
there, it was awesome.
"I don't think some of them worked out as good as they should have,
but the effort was there, so they'll be all right," he added.
Full contact workouts won't start for another week, so aside from conditioning
work, Wednesday practice involved as much mental work as physical for the
Eagles.
"Coach (Ron) Arnesen has them going over gap response alignments," said
Grubbs. Instead of running plays, Arnesen, the Eagles' new defensive coordinator,
checked to see if Pecos' defenders knew which spots to go to in their defensive
alignments.
Pecos run off a few offensive plays near the end of the workout, and
Grubbs said practice will get tougher as the week goes on.
"For conditioning we're going to add just a little bit each day, on
offense we'll add a little bit each day and on defense we'll add a little
each day," Grubbs said.
Aikman says he's still hungry for title
WICHITA FALLS, Aug. 5, 1999 (AP) — Troy Aikman feels is helpless against
the pull of perfection. No matter how much he tries to ease up, the Dallas
Cowboys quarterback continues to demand it from himself.
"Sometimes I try to back off a little bit and not be quite be as competitive,"
Aikman said. "But that's just my makeup."
That makeup has helped the Dallas Cowboys win three Super Bowls this
decade. It's also helped Aikman become the highest-paid player in NFL history.
And as he prepares for his 11th season, it keeps him from being satisfied
with a career that will one day earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame.
"I want to win the Super Bowl as badly today as I did before I won the
first one," Aikman said. "I'd be highly disappointed if I left the game
and didn't win another."
Aikman, who turns 33 in November, said Wednesday he plans to play 3-5
more seasons. That's quite a change from earlier in his career when he
talked about retiring by 30.
"I still feel like my best years are ahead of me," Aikman said. "I still
feel like I can go out and play at a high level, compete and do the things
I need to do."
Although the Cowboys have won only one playoff game in the three seasons
since their last championship, Aikman said he believes they have the talent
to win it all this year.
If they don't, it would be the longest championship drought of his career.
Loaiza tames Twins' hitters in 3-1 victory
ARLINGTON, Texas, Aug. 5, 1999 (AP) — At the end of spring training, Esteban
Loaiza lost his spot in the rotation to 39-year-old Mike Morgan. The Texas
Rangers opened the season with Loaiza in the bullpen, and there were no
guarantees he'd stay with the team.
But Loaiza found his way back into the rotation when others faltered,
and he's made the most of his second chance.
On Wednesday night, he pitched six shutout innings, allowing just two
hits, as the Rangers improved to 10-0 against Minnesota this season, beating
the Twins 3-1.
"I'm just trying to do the best job possible," said Loaiza, who won
his fourth straight decision. "I can't get a big head."
Loaiza (4-1) worked around five walks, sending the Twins to their fourth
straight loss. He's pitching as well as he has in two seasons with the
Rangers.
"Any time you get six shutout innings, I'll take it," manager Johnny
Oates said. "Five walks are too many, but the defense bailed him out. I'd
like him to throw more strikes. Sometimes he tries to be too fine."
Jeff Zimmerman pitched two innings and gave up Denny Hocking's home
run in the eighth. John Wetteland pitched the ninth for his 33rd save,
completing the combined four-hitter.
The AL West-leading Rangers (65-42) won their fourth in a row to tie
Cleveland for best record in the majors. Texas is 17-3 since the All-Star
break.
Oates said he'll be excited if his team still has the league's best
mark in two months.
"Right now, what does it get me?" he asked.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 1999 by Pecos Enterprise
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