PLATTEVILLE, Wis. After six years of mostly turmoil in Chicago,nothing surprises Dave Wannstedt anymore. But this did: RashaanSalaam, the pet project who personified the hope and ultimate failureof the Wannstedt regime, wasted his Bears career on a marijuana habitthat became an addiction.
"My only comment would be that I'm totally shocked," Wannstedtsaid Tuesday about Salaam's pot-smoking revelation in an interviewwith ESPN broadcast Sunday.
"We had no idea in Chicago. You know how extensive the NFL drugtesting is. It was never a problem with him when he was with us. Ihad no knowledge when he was playing for us that any of this wasgoing on."
Speaking from the Dolphins' training camp in Davie, Fla., where heis now the assistant head coach, Wannstedt said he hoped for the bestfor Salaam, now a reserve running back with the Oakland Raiders.
"Rashaan was a player everyone knew I was very fond of," Wannstedtsaid. "I think the world of him. My only feeling right now is thatI'm just glad he's able to talk about it and he's back on the righttrack. And if that's all behind him, hopefully he'll be able to havea nice career out there in Oakland."
Salaam was the Bears' first-round pick (21st overall) in the 1995draft. He rushed for 1,074 yards (3.6 per carry) and scored 10touchdowns as a rookie. But his career was otherwise marked byfumbles - 14 in 31 games - and injuries. He broke a bone in hisright leg and tore ligaments in his right ankle in the third game ofthe 1997 season and has not played since.
Salaam said the marijuana addiction affected his rehabilitationfrom those injuries. He was traded to Miami in April 1998, but thetrade was rescinded two days later because Salaam did not pass theDolphins' physical. The Bears released him last August, and he didnot play last season.
Asked if he was angry that Salaam had sabotaged his career - andindirectly Wannstedt's tenure with the Bears - with drug use,Wannstedt said: "No question. But the coach is accountable. If guysget off track or guys get hurt . . . nobody really cares, so whycomment on it. I'm just glad the kid's doing well."
Salaam said he approached Bears management for help early lastyear and was placed in drug rehabilitation. But Wannstedt said hewas not aware of it.
"I talked to Rashaan a couple of times, but we never got into thepersonal stuff," said Wannstedt, who said he has not talked to Salaamsince the aborted trade.
However, Wannstedt agreed the latest news typifies the way thingswent for Salaam - and himself - in Chicago.
"After his rookie year, he rushed for 1,000 yards and 10touchdowns and everybody was thinking, myself included, that he's thenext Walter Payton," Wannstedt said. "That's what our hopes were.It's unfortunate for everybody, and it's most unfortunate for Bearfans."
Wannstedt sounded refreshed and excited about coaching again. Hewas amused that the face of the NFC Central seems to be changing inthe Bears' favor the year after he was fired.
"That's about par for the course," he said. "We can't blockReggie White, and he retires. We can't stop Barry Sanders, and heretires. Robert Brooks retired, and (Antonio) Freeman's holding out.All we need now is for John Randle to retire and completeeverything."
But the Bears are not on Wannstedt's mind these days. He hasn'tspoken to anybody from the team since seeing public-relationsdirector Bryan Harlan at Mike Shula's wedding in early July.
"You know the type I am," Wannstedt said. "Whatever I'm doing,I'm totally committed to that, and right now, it's the Dolphins. The6 in the morning until 12 at night hasn't changed. There's only somuch time in the day."
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