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Sunday, December 09, 2001

Compiled by Ed Bouchette

Randy Moss isn't a fan of the fans who boo in Minnesota or of the Minnesota media, but he sure does like the home dome.

"The Metrodome? Man, that Metrodome be [loud]," Moss said.

Joey Porter said the noise in Heinz Field last Sunday when the Steelers beat the Vikings was the loudest he has ever heard at a football game. That was nothing, Moss said.

"We had Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh had a brand-new stadium," Moss said, "and I told myself and talked to a few other guys, I've been around the last four years looking at stadiums, and Pittsburgh wasn't that loud."

Moss has been making enough noise the past two weeks for everybody in the NFL. First, he said he did not go hard on every play. As teammates and coaches tried to say everyone was taking his comments the wrong way, Moss fired back this week that he meant exactly what he said.

"That ... is what I said. When I want to play, I'll play."

Steelers receiver Hines Ward, who has never been accused of taking a play off, defended Moss.

"I don't think any receiver goes all out on every single play," Ward said. "He's not in an offense where he's asked to block as much as receivers here. They got him there to go out and be explosive and put some points on the board. He's done that ever since he's been there."

Thrashing the combine

Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Noll often mentioned sarcastically how some scouts became enamored with players "in their underwear." It was a reference to all the tests scouts give prospects -- wearing shorts or sweats and no pads -- at the combine workout each February in Indianapolis.

San Francisco Coach Steve Mariucci seconded Noll's opinion.

"I told our team that coaches come to Indy every year for the combine, and I said, just out of curiosity, 'How many of you guys weren't even invited to the combine?' And I'll be darned if I didn't see 20 hands go up. This is with an 9-2 football team in the NFL. And about 20 of our guys weren't even invited to the combine, let alone get drafted.

"What does it say? ... Sometimes, we in football, maybe we rely a little too much on the measurables -- how big and tall and fast is this guy? -- before you start thinking about his instincts and his heart and his determination and his background."

Nothing used to be finer

Carolina Panthers' management is so worried about having its 57-game sellout streak end, that it is appealing to area businesses for support.

The Panthers have sold out every game since Ericsson Stadium opened in 1996.

They have tickets remaining for their final three home games. They sent a letter to 680 businesses asking them to purchase 10 tickets apiece at a total cost of $390 to each business for the Dec. 30 game against Arizona.

Middling linebacker

Eagles defensive players did not wait for the season to end before they voted middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter as the team's defensive MVP. It was an attempt to send a message to management to sign him before he can become a free agent after the season.

Trotter is looking to become a $6 million-a-year linebacker, or thereabouts. He had to settle for $1.2 million this year.

"He's the leader of this defense," said defensive end Brandon Whiting.

Problem is, the Eagles are only 19th in the league against the run, and Trotter is smack in the middle of it.

Quick slants

Arizona wide receiver David Boston is big as a tight end. He's listed as 210 but goes 235. He leads the league in drawing pass-interference penalties, seven.

The Lions start rookie Mike McMahon at quarterback today against Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers are 5-1 under Coach Tony Dungy against rookie quarterbacks. Their only loss came against Detroit's Charlie Batch. It's a Pittsburgh thing.

The Fox broadcasting team of Sam Rosen and Bill Maas will work the Giants' game today at Dallas. The Giants are 10-1 when they do.

The Eagles have scored 121 of their 255 points in the second quarter. That's 47 percent.