I had arrived in Dallas eight years before as a 21-year-old, wide-eyed, big-mouth rookie from Langston University as the Cowboys' No. 1 draft choice.

Manning and the undrafted free agent Jared Lorenzen played the wide-eyed rookies getting their first glimpses of life in the N.F.L.

He recalled his days as a defensive back with the Philadelphia Eagles; he would dare the wide-eyed rookies who were looking to take his job.

The deal ends a tumultuous relationship between a star player and a storied franchise, one that began in 1996 with Owens as a shy, wide-eyed rookie who had trouble catching the football.

Beyond that, though, he has been comporting himself not like a wide-eyed rookie, but like a confident and willing-to-improve pro.

"I've seen stuff this year I never thought I'd see," said Chrebet, the wide-eyed rookie.

To a wide-eyed rookie, it was a great time to be a cop, and Officer Walsh embraced his job with zeal, former colleagues say.

Piazza has dispensed a little advice to the wide-eyed rookie.

During that seminar, Brooks and I talked about how to give wide-eyed rookies a glimpse of what was in store for them.

Isiah Thomas was a wide-eyed rookie who was unaware that one of his basketball heroes had a reputation for surliness.