Sanders Running Behind a Screen

Lawrence Phillips says he’s back in the NFL to stay and Barry Sanders says he’s gone for good.

Who do you think will gain the most yards this year?

If you believe Detroit Lion running back Barry Sanders has retired, surrendered the chance to pass Walter Payton as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and become a couch potato at 31, you are as gullible as Bill Walsh, who has bought into Phillips’ revitalization with the San Francisco 49ers.

Sanders doesn’t like Detroit Coach Bobby Ross. He is still mad that Ross threw away last season after two games, promoting a rookie to replace Scott Mitchell at quarterback. He doesn’t like Ross’ two-back offense and never embraced Ross’ uptight approach to football, something that led to Ross’ early exit in San Diego.

Cry a tune. You probably have a boss you don’t like. There are editors who make Ross . . . never mind.

Barry Sanders is having an NFL tantrum. He has probably been reading his preseason football magazines, which predict five or six wins for the Lions again this season. He’s tired of losing--the Lions having posted a 78-82 record in his distinguished 10-year career--and is probably miffed at having to pay $300 for a ticket to get to the Super Bowl.

But Barry Sanders is not going to retire. He’s an athlete, and beyond being competitive, there is this sobering tidbit to consider: If he walks away now, he must repay $7.3 million of the $11-million signing bonus the Lions gave him when he extended his contract in 1997.

After writing out that $7.3-million check, it might also dawn on him that he will be surrendering his $3.2-million salary this season. That’s giving up more than $10 million because Bobby Ross is an ogre and the Lions stink.

For that kind of money, there are some irritated players who might adopt Bobby Ross as their father and let him live in their home.

“I don’t feel Barry left because of me,” Ross said. “I don’t feel that way at all.”

Get a clue. Sanders has not responded to Ross’ attempts to telephone him, did not reply to handwritten letters and when it came time to announce he was quitting, instead of calling his boss, his statement was given to the Web site of a newspaper in Wichita.

Sanders turned up in London on Wednesday after announcing his intentions to retire a day earlier. There is no indication when he will start looking for work.

“I’m going into retirement, and I don’t see my plans changing,” Sanders said.

Sanders also said in a statement that he had the good fortune to play for two great coaches in Wayne Fontes and Ross, so no one can believe what the guy says.

Barry Sanders wants to be traded to a team that can win and won’t be coached by Ross. It’s very simple, although NFL rules make it very difficult.

There are all kinds of salary-cap considerations, and some of the Lions’ stiffs might have to take a pay cut if Sanders is traded this season. But in effect, it will cost Detroit a little more than $2 million under its salary cap to deal Sanders.

Double, triple, multiply that by 10 and that’s the public-relations cost to the Lions if they accommodate the NFL’s most exciting runner. If the Lions were going to win five or six games with Sanders, how many without?

A solution might be firing Ross, who had to fight off the hiring of Matt Millen in the off-season because of the front office’s unhappiness with his job performance.

That probably won’t happen until after the season, which means Sanders could take a year off and then return.

But imagine what Barry Sanders might do for the Miami Dolphins this year. Or the New England Patriots. The 49ers.

The Washington Redskins have three No. 1 picks in next year’s draft and a new young owner looking to make a splash one month into his new job. But do the Lions trade Sanders for a truckload of potential, and then sit back all season long while Sanders disgraces them, gaining 1,458 yards to surpass Payton and his 16,726-yard career total?

It’s a problem no matter what the solution, but the guy is going to change his mind. He will play. It might be for another team. It might be for the Lions. But he’s going to play.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Sanders said.

Sure, and Phillips is never going to draw another headline for poor behavior while leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Barry Sanders at a Glance

RECORDS

Consecutive seasons with 1,000 or more yards: 10

Consecutive seasons with 1,500 or more yards: 4

Consecutive games with 100 or more yards in a season: 14

Most games with 100 or more yards in a season: 14

Most seasons with 1,000 or more yards: 10 (tied with Walter Payton)

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CAREER RANKINGS

Carries: 3,062 (second)

Rushing yards: 15,269 (second)

Most games with 200 or more yards: 4 (tied for second)

Most games with 100 or more yards: 76 (second)

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NFL CAREER LEADING RUSHERS

Through 1998 season

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Player Att. Yards Avg. TD 1. Walter Payton 3,838 16,726 4.4 110 2. Barry Sanders 3,062 15,269 5.0 99 3. Eric Dickerson 2,996 13,259 4.4 90 4. Tony Dorsett 2,936 12,739 4.3 77 5. x-Emmitt Smith 2,914 12,566 4.3 125 6. Jim Brown 2,359 12,312 5.2 106 7. Marcus Allen 3,022 12,243 4.1 123 8. Franco Harris 2,949 12,120 4.1 91 9. x-Thurman Thomas 2,813 11,786 4.2 65 10. John Riggins 2,916 11,352 3.9 104

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