Cowboys, Beset by Personnel Disputes, Entertain Division Rival New York Tonight

The New York Giants, favored to unseat the Dallas Cowboys as champions of the NFC East, hope their strife-ridden opponents will be too disorganized to be sharp in their NFL opener tonight at Texas Stadium.

Besides the walkouts and holdouts in the Cowboys’ camp, the Giants must deal with the uncertainty of how Coach Tom Landry will use celebrated running back Herschel Walker.

Dallas strong safety Dextor Clinkscale never came to camp and will be replaced by Bill Bates. Clinkscale has been told by Landry that he will not be allowed to return and will be traded.

All-Pro cornerback Everson Walls walked out in a contract dispute last week, and if he doesn’t return he will be replaced by Johnny Holloway, a rookie who was a wide receiver at Kansas last year.

Running back Joe Morris, who is asking for a $2.5 million contract, said, “The Giants should trade me if they don’t want me.”