THE Dallas Cowboys were in Mexico City yesterday, losing to the New England Patriots, 21-3, in an NFL preseason game. Tuinei hopes to
saddle up one more timeBut the guy who helped make the Cowboys Hawaii's Team for a lot of fans here spoke at the Honolulu Quarterback Club yesterday.
"They're probably warming up as I speak," said Mark Tuinei, a one-time fixture at left tackle for the Cowboys.
You can't blame Tuinei for having the Cowboys on his mind. Until this season, he has played for every Dallas coach -- Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson and Barry Schwitzer -- after signing as a free agent out of the University of Hawaii in 1983.
Tuinei still hopes to belong to the "Chan Gang" and play for Chan Gailey, the Cowboys' new coach.
"I'm semi-retired. I'm not retired yet," said Tuinei, who still is rehabbing from surgery on his right knee. "Hopefully, I'll go back in September and see what happens. See if anybody goes down."
Kiddingly, Tuinei added, "Recently, Michael Irvin tried to take out one of them for me."
Tuinei was referring to the Cowboys' "Scissorsgate," in which Irvin allegedly was involved, when offensive lineman Everett McIver was cut on the neck during preseason dormitory scuffle over a haircut.
But Tuinei was serious about his attempt to play one more season with the Cowboys, thereby establishing a franchise record for longevity. He shares the team mark of 15 years with Ed "Too Tall" Jones and Bill Bates, who retired this season to become a Dallas assistant.
GETTING that record is motivating Tuinei to play one more year for the Cowboys.
"No question, I'd love to get it. If the opportunity's there, I'm going for it," said Tuinei, who says that Dallas owner Jerry Jones has left the door open for his return.
"He's told me if that if I come back healthy and there's an opening, I'll be welcomed back. It's not just the record. I miss the guys, the camaraderie. Even now."
Tuinei feels that the Cowboys, despite their 0-3 preseason showing, will be really exciting this season under Gailey.
"He's really organized and gets along with Troy (Aikman). He also will be the offensive coordinator, which should be good for Troy, who didn't really get along with Barry," Tuinei said.
Because of the chance to return, Tuinei isn't suffering from any withdrawal pains about not playing football for the first time since his high school days at Punahou.
Besides, it's still preseason, which is much too long in the National Football League, according to Tuinei. He sees a time when the NFL will shorten preseason and lengthen the regular season.
Of course, by then, Tuinei hopes to be happily retired and spending time at Makaha, where he's spending his time before returning to Dallas.
He's relaxing at the beach and playing golf. "My make-believe training. If Makaha's not God's country, I don't know what is," said the 6-foot-5 Tuinei, who's right at his playing weight of 305 pounds.
IF for any reason he doesn't play at all this season, Tuinei said he won't attempt to try again in 1999.
"Not at my age. I can't miss the whole season and come back. Fortunately, I've made good money and I've built a good nest egg," he said.
"One of my long-term goals is to come back to Punahou and help them beat St. Louis," Tuinei said, looking over at Crusaders' coach Cal Lee, also one of the QB Club speakers yesterday.
"I hope you keep playing," Lee countered.
That's exactly what Tuinei hopes to do -- at least for one more year with the Cowboys and Cowboys only.
"I'm going to shoot for it," he said.