Hayes, Johnson Await Blockbuster : Raider, Bronco Haven’t Forgotten Their Last Meeting

In Denver it’s “Raider Week II, The Away Game,” so the Broncos have put away all complaints for the moment.

This has allowed for the rehabilitation of the reputation of a certain Raider whom they once characterized as a low-down, no-good, dastardly, dirty, cheating, intimidating, eye-gouging, late-hitting, holding, jive-talking fill-in-your-own-noun.

“Me?” Lester Hayes squealed.

That was eight weeks ago, after the Broncos’ hot young receiver, Vance Johnson, had accused Hayes of trying to gouge his eyes.

Hayes said that Johnson had tried to cut-block him, that he had then spotted a piece of dust on Vance’s eyebrow that he had attempted to flick off.

“I don’t think it takes much,” Johnson said Wednesday. “And it wasn’t dusty at all outside.”

Johnson started the week, declaring that he wasn’t going to renew old gripes or allow himself to be pulled into any controversies. Then he accepted an invitation to talk by telephone with the reporters covering the Raiders and told them the same thing.

Of course, he wasn’t retracting anything.

“I just don’t care to repeat them,” Johnson said. “That’s not necessary. What’s been said has been said.

“I decided to go out and just prove what I can do, with my speed and catching the ball. Doing what I do best rather than talking and not being able to back things up sometimes.”

Having said that, Johnson went into the eye-gouging incident, said he hadn’t been intimidated and added that he’d cut-block Hayes once more.

“If the play calls for me to cut Lester again, I’m going to have to do it because that’s what I get paid for,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to get cut (from the team) just because I didn’t go out and cut Lester Hayes.”

A horde of scoopmen--Hayes’ term for writers--dragged a comment out of the Raider cornerback.

“Vance said that? “ Hayes said. “That’s so lame. That’s so lame.

“If he goes for my knees, that’s going to put him in a position of detriment. It’s not safe going for my knees. It’s not safe at all. I wouldn’t go for my knees.

“It’s something that’s been passed down from Jack Tatum and George Atkinson; it’s just a distinct no-no.

“I don’t think he’s going to do it this time. It’s just not very logical on Vance’s part, and Vance is a very, very logical guy. I hope he’s logical.”

This was personality on personality. Anyone who says he won’t discuss something because it’s too hot and then talks about it for half an hour on a conference call could be a Raider. Even if some Raiders don’t think Johnson’s Grace Jones haircut is all that becoming.

He wasn’t far away from becoming a Raider, either. With the Raiders looking for a fast receiver and the prime group of Al Toon, Eddie Brown and Jerry Rice gone in the ’85 draft, they chose Jessie Hester, narrowly, over Johnson.

So Vance met the Raiders as an opponent. After the first meeting last season in the Coliseum, he said out loud, and many times, that he’d been intimidated. With wonder in his voice, he recounted how Hayes had thrown him down on the Coliseum’s running track, which is, of course, far out of bounds.

“He’s not going to do it this time,” Johnson told the Denver Post’s Joseph Sanchez before the season opener. “Of course, we don’t have a track.”

Johnson left that game early with four catches and a knee injury, the result of what he called “definitely a clean hit” by Mike Haynes. A day later, he said Hayes had gouged his eye.

“I could open it, but it hurt really bad,” Johnson said Wednesday. “It was scratched up pretty bad. I couldn’t see the whole first quarter out of my left eye. It’s better now. The scratches don’t show anymore.

“It was just something that happened because both of us were really excited. I’m sure he didn’t do it to put me out of the game, just like I didn’t cut him to put him out of the game.”

The two sides can sign off on that harmonious note until Sunday. The Coliseum track stands ready for whatever use they can find.

Raider Notes

Marcus Allen and Mike Haynes, who have ankle injuries, are listed as probable again, but both practiced Wednesday for the first time in two weeks. Coach Tom Flores said that Howie Long, who has a slight hamstring pull, is much better and will be listed as probable, too. Rod Martin, whose dislocated finger is in a splint, is expected to play. . . . The Bronco offensive line is hurting. Tackle Mark Cooper was put on injured reserve last week and replaced in the lineup by veteran Paul Howard. Keith Bishop, the starting left guard, is doubtful this week because of a knee injury.