PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Steelers playbook anyone?

Working on a story about how coaches protect their playbooks and such in the information age of high technology, a writer asked Steelers coach Mike Tomlin what kind of precautions he uses.

"I'm not a big tree-killer, if you will," Tomlin said. "What I mean by that is a lot of what we do is word of mouth. The things we hand out are absolutely necessary to hand out. As long as you proceed with that caution, you are pretty safe."

Tomlin noted that eBay has for sale right now a 2004 Steelers playbook. Indeed, the Buy It Now price is only $10, and you might be able to get it for less.

"You are bidding on a 2004 Pittsburg (sic) Steelers offensive playbook from during coach Bill Cowhers's (sic) tenure!" the description with the ad reads. "This is a must for any coach or diehard fan!!!!"

The ad goes on to say that it is a digital download, which means the thing can be sold over and over again.

Were the Steelers that loose with their playbooks back then? Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt yesterday told about Steelers offensive guard Chris Kemoeatu leaving his playbook in the dining hall on the eve of their Super Bowl XL victory in Detroit.

"We as coaches saw it," said Whisenhunt, the team's offensive coordinator then.

"We grabbed it and had it with us."

Kemoeatu walked into the meeting that night before the Super Bowl carrying a little black book under his arm. The coaches knew it wasn't his playbook, so Whisenhunt said Cowher quizzed him on it.

"Chris, I need to see your playbook," Cowher said.

Kemoeatu was reluctant to give it to him.

"I need to see your playbook," Cowher repeated. "Hand it over."

Finally, Kemoeatu gave up the small black book.

"It was the room-service menu," Whisenhunt said, laughing.

The NFL passed several new rules yesterday:

• The owners eliminated the forceout rule on sideline pass receptions or interceptions. If a player does not get both feet in bounds, even if he can't because he is forced out by the opposition, there is no reception or interception.

• Decisions on the opening coin toss can be deferred, the same as it has been in college football for a while. The winner of the coin toss can now defer his choice to start the second half of the game rather than the first.

• 5-yard penalties for minor facemask infractions were eliminated.

The proposal to reseed playoff teams was resoundly defeated without coming to a formal vote. In a show of hands, only a few shot up in favor of it.

The Steelers were strongly opposed to the proposal which, if were in effect last year, would have had them play at Jacksonville in their playoff opener because the wild-card Jaguars had a better record than the AFC North champ Steelers.

The NFL took no action on various proposals to expand the offseason and training camp rosters by more than 80. In past years, teams often would take more to camp because they received exemptions for those on their roster who played in NFL Europe, which disbanded after last season.

But, sources said, there's no way the league willingly would expand their rosters at this time with a possible fight over the collective bargaining agreement looming again soon. That's a chip -- more jobs, even if it's only in the offseason -- they won't give away outside of a CBA agreement.