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Tuesday, September 25, 2001

By Ed Bouchette

Steelers (0-1) at Bills (0-2), 1 p.m. Sunday, Ralph Wilson Stadium. TV: KDKA. Radio: WDVE-FM (102.5) and WBBG-AM (970).

A fairy-tale rookie season has turned into a healing experience this season for FB Dan Kreider. First, he waited all summer while his torn right calf muscle healed. Now, he has a broken right hand. Nothing has gone right for Kreider, who was the team's rookie of the year in 2000.

He left practice yesterday when his right hand was fractured while he was blocking. The latest bad news might not keep him away as long as his previous injury. The Steelers hope he will be able to play Sunday in Buffalo after having a cast put on his right hand. He practiced last week after not having a full practice since his calf was injured July 20 in a walk-through drill at St. Vincent College in Latrobe.

Kreider was unavailable for comment after practice yesterday but had talked about his eagerness to return to the game earlier in the day. "I feel I can help out right now," he said. "I'll just go out there and work hard and try to get back into things again."

The Steelers figured their inaugural game items might become collectibles some day, now they will become even more valuable -- to the families of the people who died aboard Flight 93 in Somerset County. The team will sell items that were produced for its inaugural game at Heinz Field with the original date of Sept. 16 against Cleveland. And they will donate all proceeds to the American Red Cross to help support the families of the passengers of Flight 93, said Tim Carey, the Steelers' merchandising manager.

The items will go on sale Oct. 7 at Heinz Field, when the new inaugural game will be played against Cincinnati. The items include T-shirts, caps, Terrible Towels, NFL Wilson footballs, junior-sized footballs and plastic ticket-holders. "Anytime you open a stadium, it's a big deal," Carey noted.

That's why the Steelers ordered thousands of the items with the original date on them. They have plans to produce only two items that will hail the Oct. 7 game against Cincinnati as the Heinz Field Inaugural -- the game program sold that day and a panoramic photo that will be taken of the crowded stadium.

The new grand opening of the Coca-Cola Great Hall at Heinz Field will be Friday in a daylong celebration. The event, which will include activities and entertainment for fans, will showcase a collection of historical items, including the original lockers of Steelers Hall of Famers, in the 40,000-square foot center. Admission is $5 after 6 p.m. Parking, at $3, will be in the G-1 lots. WDVE Radio will kick off the events when its morning show broadcasts live from the Great Hall. WDVE will do live broadcasts through 6 p.m. from the Hall, and entertainment will continue through 10 p.m. and will include visits by former Steelers, Joe Gresheky and the Iron City Houserockers (8-10 p.m.) and an appearance by The Bettis Bus. Concession stands and Club 33 will be open to the public from 3-10 p.m.

The Coca-Cola Great Hall will be open on event days and also on Fridays from 5-8 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from noon-7 p.m. and Mondays from 7 p.m.-midnight through the month of October.

Now that the Cowboys' Emmitt Smith has surpassed Barry Sanders to become the No. 2 rusher in NFL history, Jerome Bettis believes Smith can go for No. 1. Smith, who has 15,291 yards rushing, needs 1,436 to pass Walter Payton.

"He's shown he's durable and has stayed healthy," said Bettis, who ranks 14th with 9,832 yards rushing. "The question becomes, how well can he do this year, considering he doesn't have a lot of supporting cast."

NT Kimo von Oelhoffen got rid of the big boot that protected his sprained right ankle and did some work on the side while the Steelers practiced yesterday. He will wear the boot at night this week as he tries to recover from the injury he sustained Sept. 9 in the opener in Jacksonville on the second play of the game. ... CB Chad Scott practiced yesterday but did not join his teammates during their 11-on-11 session. He missed the opener with a sprained knee. ... Rookie LB Kendrell Bell, who also left the opener with a sprained ankle, put in a full practice and is expected to make his second start in Buffalo.