PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : Hostetler Suffers a Poke in the Eye

The Raiders received a scare Monday when their new quarterback, Jeff Hostetler, had to leave a practice session against the Dallas Cowboys at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Tex.

Midway through the afternoon session, Hostetler faded back to pass, hung in the pocket and was poked in the eye, accidentally it appeared, by an onrushing Cowboy.

Hostetler dropped to his knees, his left eye shut.

That ended practice for him. He was taken to an ophthalmologist for further examination, but said he was not seriously hurt and expected to be back in action today.

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When the Raiders practiced against the Cowboys a year ago, on-lookers figured their chances of seeing a fight were about the same as if they had been ringside.

And they weren’t disappointed.

Matters deteriorated quickly, and one fight seemed to lead to another.

Monday, the Raiders began a three-day practice schedule against the Super Bowl champions in Austin.

And sure enough, in the first of two sessions on the first day, there was the first skirmish.

Offensive lineman Rich Stephens and Dallas linebacker Charles Haley tangled, an angry Stephens grabbing Haley by the foot and flipping him to the ground.

But that was it.

The rest of the day was devoted to football.

Coach Art Shell had warned his players beforehand.

“I told them,” he said, “that we’re not going down there for fighting. I told them not to back away from a fight, but we’re going there to work.

“And both sides decided they wanted to work.”

The temperature in Austin on Monday was 81 degrees, but the humidity was 72%.