Dickerson Reverses His Field, Softens Analysis of the Rams

The voice on the other line was distant, muffled, subdued. It was supposed to be Eric Dickerson, the noted running back with the running mouth.

But you couldn’t help thinking “Imposter,” when he refused to take the bait on such provocative names as John Shaw, Greg Bell and John Robinson.

You imagined Dickerson sitting in Indianapolis, gagged, as Colt officials had somebody else reading from a prepared script on a conference call with a standing-room-only crowd of 17 Los Angeles reporters.

Eric Dickerson is coming home this week, for the first time since his celebrated trade from the Rams to the Indianapolis Colts in 1987. And there he was with an open forum, pens poised, and tape recorders rolling.

But Dickerson fumbled.

Theories abounded: Maybe someone spiked his orange juice. Or maybe Coach Ron Meyer held a gun to his head, afraid that his star might say something to incite the Rams before Sunday’s game.

This much was clear: For perhaps the first time in his life, Eric Dickerson was boring.

“I’m going to treat it like any other football game,” he mumbled. “We expect to win, just like they expect to win. The media will make a bigger deal out of it than anything.”

Not with material like that.

Since his famous trade, of course, Dickerson has called Ram quarterback Jim Everett “an organizational pimp,” described Ram Vice President John Shaw as greasy, referred to Ram tailback Greg Bell as a dwarf and vowed he wouldn’t save Robinson’s life if the coach was drowning.

Yet, he refused to expound on any of those topics, choosing a low-key approach to Sunday’s game. And he said no one put him up to it.

“I am not taking shots at John Robinson,” Dickerson said. “I’m not taking shots at anyone. That’s how I felt at that time. As far as you put it, taking shots, I don’t look at it as taking shots. You asked me a question, and I gave you what I thought was my answer. Me saying that John Robinson didn’t stick up for me, to me, that’s not taking a shot, that was the truth. But that’s not even my concern right now. My life goes on, John Robinson’s life goes on, Jim Everett’s life goes on.”

Dickerson even said he thought that Everett, who is in the last year of his contract, was worth $2 million a year because that’s what top quarterbacks are making. That’s all he ever wanted from the Rams, he said--fair market value.

The focus Wednesday was more on what Dickerson wouldn’t say. He wouldn’t admit, for instance, that the Rams treated him unfairly, even though he has said it a dozen times before.

“What do you think?” was all Dickerson offered.

He wouldn’t say what he thought of Shaw, the Ram negotiator who ultimately made the three-team trade that sent Dickerson to the Colts.

“I’m not playing against the management,” he said. “You know, the management has nothing to do with me. They have nothing to do with what goes on the field on Sunday. John Shaw’s not going to step on the field. That doesn’t really matter.”

He wouldn’t say what he thought of Greg Bell, a throw-in player in the trade who rushed for 1,212 yards last season.

“I don’t really know Greg Bell,” Dickerson said. “Greg doesn’t really know me. I know him, I see him, I speak to him, but that’s as far as it goes. I’m not an enemy of Greg Bell’s. I’m not his good friend, either.”

Dickerson wouldn’t say that he was the greatest runner of all time, leaving such speculation for others.

Meyer said, “The simple fact is this: He has gone further, faster, than any human being in the history of the game. I think that says something. . . . You name me a better running back?”

Someone mentioned Jim Brown, even though Dickerson surpassed the 10,000-yard rushing mark in fewer games than it took Brown, 91 to 98.

“Well, I think I’m damn good, to be honest,” Dickerson conceded. “I don’t think I have any problems saying I’m good. It just depends on what you like. I loved O. J. (Simpson), watching him play. He was my favorite running back. I like Walter (Payton) also.

“Every person has their perception of who the greatest quarterback or defensive player was. Everyone thinks differently. I think I’m the best. When you play a game like football, and step on the field, you have feel like you’re the best football player out there. If I was a kicker or punter, I’d feel like I was the best punter.”

Dickerson seemed most excited about meeting some of his old teammates. He didn’t mention the coaching staff. In fact, asked if he would go out of his way to greet Robinson before the game, Dickerson said: “No, not really.”

When he was a Ram, however, Dickerson often teased the defensive players about what he might do against them if he were ever traded.

“Just what they’d do against my stiff arm if I got in the open field,” Dickerson said. “It was all in fun. It’s still in fun in the off-season, talking about it. I have a lot of friends on the team, a lot of guys I respect. I have no hard feelings toward the players, because we as players have nothing to do with what goes on in the front office.”

But Dickerson said all friendships will be left in the locker room.

“That’s just like if I had a brother who played defense for another team,” he said. “It wouldn’t make a difference. If I had to run over him or stiff-arm him to the ground, I’d have to. At that point, everything’s reaction. I’m trying to do a job, just like they’re trying to do a job.”

Ram Notes

The Rams said goodby again to quarterback Steve Dils, releasing him to make room for guard-tackle Kurt Becker, a seven-year veteran recently released by the Chicago Bears. Becker gives the Rams the eighth offensive lineman they have been looking for. Dils, a former Ram, was signed as insurance until Mark Herrmann’s cracked rib healed. “Herrmann is the ideal backup quarterback for us at the moment and he’s completely healed,” Coach John Robinson said.

Becker started 35 games for the Bears in seven years before his cut this summer. “Chicago’s on a youth movement,” he said. “In the last two years, they’ve kept 18 rookies.” Becker spent two days in Minnesota with the Vikings, who also cut him. His position with the Rams promises to be more secure. “I travel light,” Becker said. . . . On Monday, the Rams reported that 9,000 tickets remained for Sunday’s game. Wednesday, they put the number at 10,500, saying that the first figure was incorrect. No matter. Sunday’s game will not be televised locally even if it sells out before 1 p.m. today.

Linebacker Larry Kelm is out of Sunday’s game with a foot injury and safety Vince Newsome is questionable with a groin pull. . . . The Rams say talks with former Raider linebacker Matt Millen are on hold while he considers other offers around the league. With Kelm injured, Robinson said Millen play immediately.