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At last, Bruener practices

Wednesday, July 31, 2002

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Mark Bruener yesterday threw his first block since Nov. 18, when the rotator cuff tore in the shoulder he lowered to move a Jacksonville Jaguar out of the way.

The Steelers' starting tight end took the field in pads for the first time since then, only it was a nagging, minor foot injury and not his shoulder that had kept him on the sideline since the start of training camp.

"It's good to be back on the practice field," said Bruener, whose season ended when he had surgery on his shoulder after the injury. "It feels very good to be hitting again ... I don't like to watch."

Bruener reported no ill effects from his first practice and said his right foot, which was injured a few weeks ago while he was running, has completely healed.

"I want to be out here because I'm tired of not playing football. But leadership is another part of it and just to contribute to my team as far as our mission this year."

A pain in the neck

Linebacker Kendrell Bell joined the growing list of Pittsburgh pros injured in the line of weightlifting.

Although not nearly as serious as back injury that befell the Penguins' Martin Straka, Bell missed practice yesterday after a workout with weights that went awry.

"Kendrell hurt himself lifting this morning," Coach Bill Cowher said in a tone of slight disgust. "He hurt his neck, strained a muscle in his neck."

The Steelers will re-examine that neck today to determine if Bell can resume practicing.

Rookie Larry Foote took over Bell's spot at the mack inside linebacker because the Steelers want John Fiala and James Farrior to maintain their competition at the buck inside linebacker.

Bettis vs. Porter

Halfback Jerome Bettis and linebacker Joey Porter got into a disagreement on the field after they ran into each other during a running drill, and Cowher was happy to see it.

"That was good," Cowher said. "I want them jawing. They're competitive guys, and that's the way we have to practice out here. There's nothing unhealthy about that; we need more of it. There's nothing wrong with that at all. On that particular play, Jerome won; on the second time, Joey won."

Peterson to talk to Brown

Fresh from another day of testing the Heinz Field wind tunnel, Todd Peterson will turn next to the biggest expert on kicking in the stadium -- victim No. 1, Kris Brown.

No one knows what Heinz Field can do to a kicker like Brown, who missed 10 field goals in the stadium's first year and then hightailed it to the friendly confines of Houston.

The Steelers signed Peterson from Kansas City after Brown signed with the expansion Texans, and the new kicker is doing all the homework he can on what became a notorious house of horrors for kickers.

"I had the opportunity [to talk to Brown], but I chose not to at this point," Peterson said. "I wanted to let him get settled and have fun, and me get here and get settled and relax and have fun, and at that appropriate time -- which is probably now -- give him a call." Peterson said he will talk with others who kicked in Heinz Field last season, such as Matt Stover and Phil Dawson.

"I'll pick their brains and see what they say. I think the best thing I can do is get down there and watch the film." He already has discovered some consistency in the three times he has practiced at Heinz Field.

"Kicking toward the river, everything goes right. I haven't had a single ball kicking toward the river go left yet."

Cowher said, tongue in cheek, that he was happy his kickers returned to camp after their visit to Heinz Field.

"They all showed up this afternoon, so that was a positive," Cowher said. "They didn't go right from Heinz Field to the Pittsburgh airport."

For want of a shoe

Poor Burke Dales. He'd give a king's ransom to find a kicking shoe.

He's in camp, trying to become the first straight-on kicker to make it in the NFL in years, but he hasn't been able to kick with Peterson and fellow free agent Joe O'Donnell.

Dales, a Canadian, kicked at Concordia University in Ontario using a 1970s-style, square-toed Nike his coach passed onto him. He tied the toe up to his ankle doing that, but that's illegal in the NFL.

So he commissioned famed shoemaker Bucky Palermo of Pittsburgh to make him a new, legal square-toed shoe. He finally got the shoe just before camp started, only it was too big. He's still waiting to get the right one as he watches his opportunities pass one week into training camp.

It's just a suggestion

Peterson would like to see one change made at Heinz Field. He'd like the Steelers to install artificial turf, the same kind of Field Turf they have on their indoor practice field and at more and more stadiums in the NFL and at colleges and high schools.

"Astroturf is a great thing. And even that new grass stuff [Field Turf] is a great thing because it's pure and true all the time. I think that would be a great decision.

"Seattle has it, and that's a great surface to kick off ... I think in places where you get inclement weather, it makes a lot of sense. I guess maybe some people would get upset because they wouldn't have a job. But, hey, it's a good surface. They say it reduces injuries; it holds up well."

Short snaps

Safety Mike Logan missed practice one day after leaving the field with a hamstring injury. Cowher said the injury is not serious. ... Cowher also said linebacker Pernell Griffin will come off the physically unable to perform list and practice today. ... The Steelers will practice at 7 p.m. today at Latrobe Stadium. They will sign autographs 15 minutes before the start. Admission is $3.