Irving Daily News from Irving, Texas • Page 25

So the question arises, if Dave Kraayeveld is good enough to make the World Champs roster, how come no other NFL teams saw fit to draft the big, speedy lineman? After all, he is a free agent who came to the Cowboys, not they to him. The story goes that college coach, Rudy Gaddine, is a long-time friend of Brandt. Gaddine wrote Brandt a letter, telling him that this kid is worth taking a look at. So Brandt sent a scout to Milton, where he put Dave through the usual Cowboy testing program, and eventually signed him up. Kraayeveld reported to Dallas, where he was again run through a testing program with five members of the Cowboys scouting staff.

They all were in agreement that he had the potential, and that analysis was good enough ta put the big lineman into rookie camp for workouts. The rest of the fairy-tale story is pretty well-known by most Cowboy fans, and who knows? The Pokes just might keep him around for awhile to see how he develops. According to Kraayeveld, he has made the big play before; on four other occasions to be exact. That includes twice in high school and twice in college. But the biggest play he will ever remember was the one in his first professional game.

Even then, he had only one thing on his mind. That was, of course, to make the team. His reasons: First to pay off some debts which helped him through school, and the second, "just for the pride of playing with the I And according to Brandt, Kraayeveld may just be a pretty proud man come Sept. 4th, "Getting Dave Kraayeveld is the result of us picking up just one of many markers we have spread around, and the gamble just might pay off, for him and for Daily News Photo by JON STRONG IRVING Staci Goodwin (left), Jr. Key Link member, and Janey Fuller, Sr.

Key Link member, both of MacArthur, receive two tickets to the Ranger's Irving Night, Aug. 27, from Irving State Farm Insurance agent Bill Willenberg. Along with the tickets donated by Willenberg, were tickets donated by Citizens Bank, Southwest Bank, and Paul Tyson of McDavid Pontiac. These tickets were donated to the Key Link organization. Daily News Photo FRANCO RAMBLES Franco Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs for good yardage against the Cowboys last year at Texas Stadium.

Pittsburgh will again return to the Cowboy's home turf and the Pokes will try to get revenge of their 28-13 setback the Steelers gave them last regular season in Pittsburgh. Ron Durham The night was Aug. 5, 1978. The scene was Texas Stadium, before an audience of over 63,000 people. The man was Dave Kraayeveld, just another rookie trying to bust the tough Dallas Cowboy lineup.

i. That is, he WAS just another rookie until that night. For it was then that Dave Kraayeveld won the hearts of those 63,000 people when he intercepted a Steve DeBerg pass and rambled 61 yards for a touchdown in his first professional football game. There are those that will say that one play is the only reason that Kraayeveld has survived in the Cowboy camp this long. How else, they wonder, could a player out of Milton College (Where?) stay with a World Championship team this long and not get lost in the shuffle.

The answer, according to Cowboy scout Gil Brandt, is simple. The man worked hard during the off-season, and is still showing determination to make the 45-man roster. According to Brandt, Kraayeveld asked for, and received, permission to work out at the training facilities during the season. He proceeded to work out twice a day, six to seven days a week. That dedication impressed the Cowboy staff more and more as the weeks passed.

And if the Cowboy coaches were in doubt whether to keep him, the first pre-season game bought him a little more time. That play, he knew, make the team for him, and he knew he would have to play good, solid football if he expected to stick around for the season opener on Sept. 4. That, he has done. And there is a good chance that he may just unseat a veteran lineman if he indeed does make the squad.

Battling with eight veterans (Ed Jones, Jethro Pugh, Randy White, Harvey Martin, Larry Cole, Bill Gregory, Dave Stalls and Greg Schaum) Kraayeveld and first round draft pick Larry Bethea are the only rookies in camp at their position, so if either or both of those make the final squad, there will be some disappointed vets packing their bags. SECTION IV Wednesday, August 23, 1978 IRVINC DAILY NEWS Page 1 Both teams looking for revenge Dallas trying for record night in relief of Terry Bradshaw. Bradshaw will start and go the first 30 minutes against Dallas. After missing one game with a broken nose, he returned last week and throw the ball well while completing five of 10 but, like his backups, most of his efforts were stymied by mistakes. At the Cowboy press luncheon yesterday Tom said of Pittsburgh, "Pit sburgh is probably as talented a team as you'll find.

They have just excellent people and in almost every position. "They are solid. Their defense is unparalleled as far as personnel. We can match them pretty close, but they are very talented I think about even. "It should be a very close game.

The last time we played them, we only made one or two mistakes, and they boat us pretty bad. really have to hustle to Cowboy head scout Ermall Allen said this of the Steelers, "Pittsburgh has probably the most physical defense in the NFL. Their whole team is unmatched physically, with maybe the exception of Oakland. 'The only way to beat Pittsburgh is to outhit them. It is real easy to get intimidated by the ers, because as our receivers and backs can tell you, sting No preseason opponent has put together a solid scoring drive against the Pittsburgh defense and it has allowed just two touchdowns.

But the Steelers have not played a team with the fire-power of the Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Drew Pearson and the other World Champions. All phases of the Steeler game will be tested in playing a team of the calibre of Dallas. THINGS TO COME? This could be a hint of things to come Saturday night when the Dallas Cowboys unleash Doomsday II against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last season, Daily News Photo the Pokes blitzed Pittsburgh, 30-0, and Cowboy followers hope the same thing will happen again. Game time is slated for 8 p.m.

By DARELL JENKINS Sports Editor In final pre-season game of the year, a match up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, both squads have a revenge factor going for them The is the drumming they received last year in preseason, 30 -0, at the hands of the the Dallas team. is the pounding they received from the Steelers in regulars season play, 28-13, making the Pittsburgh crow the last team to ever defeat Dallas in regulars season play. Both teams have a 2-1 preseason records and are coming off surprising losses. The Steelers suffered their first setback last Saturday night when the New York Giants handed them a 13-6 defeat. On the same night Dallas lost the mythical Texas state championship to Houston, 27-13.

Prior to last week the Steelers had beaten Baltimore, 22-10, and Atlanta, 13-7, while the Cowboys were walking over the San Francisco and AFC Champions Denver Broncos. The loss to the Giants and the first two serious injuries of the summer put a damper into what had been a near-perfect training camp and, as a result, problems exist that, present a week ago. Wide receiver Jim Smith broke his left ankle two days before the game, and during the game linebacker Loren Toews suffered a severely sprained left ankle. One of the big pluses in the Giant game was the continued fine play of the Steelers two backup quarterbacks. Mike Kruczek and Cliff Stoudt both had another good outing and give the team its best depth at that position.

Both Kruczek and Stoudt will play Saturday.