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Thursday, October 31, 2002

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m., Sunday, Cleveland Browns Stadium. TV: KDKA. Radio: WBGG-AM (970). WDVE-FM (102.5) and the Steelers Radio Network

Playing center, long an iron man's job with the Steelers, has turned into bad luck this year. Yesterday, Chukky Okobi left practice after he was injured and was added to the official injury list as probable for Sunday's game in Cleveland. Okobi replaced starter Jeff Hartings, who missed last week's game with a knee injury. The next in line for the position would be rookie Kendall Simmons, the starting right guard. Coach Bill Cowher, though, was optimistic not only about Okobi but also about Hartings. "He's all right," Cowher said. "He's got a hip pointer." Cowher said Hartings should practice today.

Hines Ward pledge to pay half of any fine Plaxico Burress receives from the league for his role in Sunday's fight with the Ravens. Baltimore CB James Trapp jumped on Burress' head with both feet and then ripped his helmet off. Both players were ejected. "Plax just lost his cool, that's all," Ward said. "The guy jumps on your head, that's ridiculous right there. He lost his cool. He came out to try to help me out, even though I didn't think I needed any help at the time. I had two or three Ravens around me, and he tried to pull some of them off me and he was the one who fell to the ground.

"I told Plax, if he got fined I will pay half of it. He's out there battling with me and I respect the guy for doing that. He didn't have to come out there and try to help me out at all."

When a reporter joked that the fine might be high, Ward said: "I'm not going to pay his penalty for getting ejected, because they're going to eject him for some other stuff he did. He wasn't even around when it all happened. I was walking off the field and I got ear-holed by [LB Edgerton] Hartwell, and that's when it all began. He ear-holed me. I was walking off, and he just knocked the crap out of me. I got up and I didn't particularly like that. That's where it all began. He was just trying to pull guys off of me."

NFL rules prevent players for paying portions of fines for teammates.

Cleveland QB Tim Couch, who complained when the home fans cheered him when he was injured in a 26-21 loss Oct. 6 to Baltimore, said he and Browns fans "are fine now. Ever since the game against Baltimore when the incident happened, everything has been good. We have been winning more and winning cures everything.

"I have had nothing but positive stuff since the incident happened. I have been getting a ton of e-mails and letters. The fans have been really great so far. I am glad I got it off my chest. Obviously, I would have chosen some different words than the ones I used in the interview. I got it off my chest. I moved on from it and I am just trying to win games, and I think the are all behind me."

The knee injury that caused Jerome Bettis to miss last week's game in Baltimore and has him doubtful for this one, is the same kind that caused him to miss a game in 1998. Bettis has a mild sprain to the MCL in his left knee. It comes at a time when he is closing in on O.J. Simpson and John Riggins to move into the NFL's top 10 career rushers. He needs 35 yards to pass Simpson and 151 to pass Riggins into 10th place. Bettis has 11,202 yards rushing. "It's disappointing," Bettis said, "but it's something I could not have avoided. If I'm five years younger, it's still going to happen. It's not one of those injuries that happens just because your getting older."

Bettis and Hartings did not practice yesterday but TE Jerame Tuman (thigh, questionable) did. The Browns have declared three players out of Sunday's game -- starting CB Corey Fuller (hamstring), starting S Robert Griffith (shoulder) and LB Ben Taylor (hamstring). LB Brant Boyer (chest) is probable.

Antwaan Randle El was named specials teams player of the week in the AFC. He returned one kickoff 37 yards and averaged 27.5 yards on his two kickoff returns and 15.5 yards on two punt returns.