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Lake and 4 others may have to wait until season ends Thursday, September 03, 1998 By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
The Steelers aren't optimistic they will sign any of their players to contract extensions before the season begins, but it's been a good year for them nonetheless.
Since free agency began, they re-signed Joel Steed, Levon Kirkland, Earl Holmes and Brenden Stai to long-term deals.
They have the cap room to sign a few more, but Sunday's deadline looms and they appear nowhere near closing deals for Carnell Lake, Charles Johnson, Darren Perry or Mark Bruener - four starters who would become free agents after the season.
Tom Donahoe, director of football operations, said the Steelers would continue negotiations past their self-imposed deadline if they are making progress toward a contract.
"Our deadline is the start of the season, but we felt if we had a chance to sign someone we would let it go a little longer. Sometimes, we're too far apart and there's no sense continuing."
Donahoe thought they still had a chance at one or two players, but said it doesn't mean they won't sign them after the season.
"You're restricted by how much room you have under the cap. If we're talking to certain players, we'd like to keep them but we may not be able to work it out right now."
Ye olde snapper
One of the last remnants of the NFL strike of '87 that nearly splintered the league walked among players yesterday who were grade school pupils when he crossed the picket line.
Mark Rodenhauser, 37, owes his entry into the league to the month-long players' strike 11 years ago, and his continued employment to the Steelers.
The Steelers signed him as a long snapper this week after he was cut by Carolina. It will be his sixth NFL team and his 10th team in four different leagues.
Before he ever set foot into the NFL, Rodenhauser played for Memphis and Michigan in the USFL, the semi-pro River Grove Cowboys in Chicago and the Chicago Bruisers of the Arena League.
He was just getting over a case of rheumatic fever that put him in the hospital for a week when the Chicago Bears called him in 1987 to play on their strike team.
He started all three replacement games at center for the Bears, the only NFL games he has ever started. Since then, he has been a long-snapping specialist, like Kendall Gammon. As an 11-year veteran, the Steelers must pay him $325,000 to handle the job.
"There doesn't seem to be a lot of people who can do it," Rodenhauser said. "Snapping's not hard; it's snapping and blocking. A lot of people can snap during the week but not on Sunday."
Eric Green, thin?
That's how Rod Woodson described him, and he at least has some perspective. Woodson and Green were teammates here, when Green's weight ballooned to more than 300 pounds.
The Ravens list him at 285, but other reports place him at 277.
"I've never seen him that thin before," Woodson said. "It's shocking. He works out harder than he ever has when he was in Pittsburgh. He really looked good in camp. I was really impressed with Eric.
"I think he's played better [than he did as a Steeler]. He's a better all-around, blocking tight end. He's so big and so physical. He uses it all now. He still has soft, delicate hands."
TV stars
Two new shows starring Steelers offensive players will air this weekend and continue through the season. Tight end Mark Bruener will host his own show on UPN-19. It will air Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and again at 7 p.m. Jerome Bettis will host his show Sunday at 11 a.m. on KDKA-TV, followed by the McDonald's-Steelers Kickoff show at 11:30.
Cemented relationship
One radio man, Bill DiFabio of WTAE-AM, told Bill Cowher he has it on good source that a Pittsburgh native, working on the construction crew that built the Ravens' new stadium, buried a Terrible Towel in the concrete at the 50-yard line.
That news might be enough to make Jimmy Hoffa spin in his grave.
"I'll make sure I tell the appropriate people," Cowher said.
Quick slants
As he promised, defensive end Nolan Harrison went through a full practice yesterday. He is listed as questionable after missing the final two exhibition games with a sprained ankle, but he predicted he will play Sunday. . . . Two backups listed as questionable also practiced: nose tackle Oliver Gibson (foot) and cornerback Lance Brown (hamstring).
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