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Sunday, September 17, 2000

The last time Neil O'Donnell started a game in Three Rivers Stadium, he helped lead the Steelers to the AFC championship against the Colts in 1996.

The next time he starts there could be next Sunday.

Quarterback Steve McNair has a bruised sternum, won't practice this week and may miss Tennessee's next game after the Titans' open date this weekend. If he can't play, O'Donnell will start against the Steelers.

Titans Coach Jeff Fisher said the earliest McNair will return to practice is tomorrow.

"It's going to take some time," Fisher said. "How much time you really don't know. It really depends on how quickly he comes around the next few days.

"It's unlikely to think he's going to be 100 percent by Pittsburgh."

Words not as Sharpe

This time, Shannon Sharpe came to praise Dan Marino, not bury him.

The last time Sharpe spoke about Marino, he labeled him "a loser" after his Denver Broncos beat the Dolphins, 38-3, in a 1998 playoff game.

Now that he's in Baltimore, Sharpe has a different vision.

"I would have loved to see Dan Marino win a Super Bowl," Sharpe said. "With the numbers he put up, he's the greatest pure passer of all time. To go out with all those accolades and not the big one, I'm a little disappointed he didn't get an opportunity to win the Super Bowl.

"Whatever I said could not distract from what Dan Marino had accomplished. He's got records that I don't think will ever be broken."

Break out the hard hats

No snowballs will fly out of the stands when the Broncos and Raiders hold their rematch today. But since the game takes place in Oakland, fans likely will fling more dangerous items.

When they met last November in Denver, eight fans were arrested, 13 ticketed and 50 ejected, many for throwing snowballs. Some Raiders crawled into the stands looking for the fans after they were hit.

Oakland fans have been known to throw far worse -- batteries, coins, eggs, etc.

"We might want to wear body armor," said Denver wide receiver Travis McGriff. "Those fans are nuts to begin with. Now it's going to be even crazier."

Broncos safety Eric Brown said, "If they're throwing anything it's going to be rocks."

The seventh sign

Offensive lineman Tom Myslinski of the Steelers and wide receiver Andre Rison of the Raiders have something in common.

They are playing with their seventh team, more than any other active NFL player.

Myslinski actually should hold the title. He has played for Washington, Buffalo, Chicago, Jacksonville, the Steelers, Indianapolis, Dallas and the Steelers again. He's also been on other rosters that don't count because he never actually got into a game.

He was originally a fourth-round draft pick of the Cowboys, but was released Aug. 31 before his rookie season, 1992. He was re-signed by the Cowboys and put on their practice squad Sept. 1.

Seven days later, the Cleveland Browns signed him to their roster and he was inactive for three games before being released Oct. 9. The Browns signed him to their practice squad Oct. 14 and released him Oct. 17. The Redskins signed him to their practice squad Oct. 21 and put him on their active roster Nov. 11, then released him Nov. 28.

So, that's really nine teams, plus the practice squad of a 10th, the Cowboys. Plus, two tours of duty with the Steelers.