THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 10, 1995 TAG: 9512100171
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: JIM DUCIBELLA
LENGTH: Long : 101 lines
Friends of Bill Cowher don't expect the Steelers coach to give out portable phones this Christmas. They nearly ruined his season.
Cowher had to do some housecleaning to get his team revved into the six-game winning streak that gave the Steelers their third AFC Central title in four years.
Cowher banned all cellular phones and pagers from locker and meeting rooms, and the move apparently paid off.
``Guys were more concerned about cellular phones and pagers and stuff like that,'' linebacker Greg Lloyd said. ``It was a distraction, especially when the coach is talking and beepers are going off.''
Until Cowher's ban, players apparently were getting paged and returning calls on their cellular phones during meetings.
HUDDLING WITH ... Packers backup QB Jim McMahon
This isn't the first time you've at least tried to become a Green Bay Packer?
I tried out for Lindy (Infante) in 1991 and next thing I knew they signed (Mike) Tomczak. Heard later it was because fans were turning in season tickets. I haven't gotten along well with fans here.
You mean like in 1991, when you were with the Eagles and beat the Packers by throwing a couple of touchdown passes after Randall Cunningham got hurt?
The fans were yelling at me and I said, ``Just like old times, kicking you-all's butt.'' They kind of cheered after that.
You had your choice between Green Bay and Cleveland prior to this season. Why'd you pick Cleveland?
Biggest reason was my family. They had felt the rivalry with Packer fans and the kids were not all that excited about coming up.
Were you also promised a chance to compete for a starting spot with Vinny Testaverde?
That's what I was told. You just can't trust people. It was the wrong decision. It's a mess. Lot of unhappy campers. They have the best talent I've ever seen and they can't win.
Is this your last year in the NFL?
Nancy (his wife) and I have talked and figure this probably will be the last year. But I've got my body back feeling as good as I ever have and I'm throwing the ball as good as I've thrown it since I've been a pro. I still feel I can play a couple years. And coming here this week, it's a joy going to work again. Guys are happy here. Very professional. I think that has a lot to do with winning.
COSTLY DROPPED PASSES: You've heard the phrase a thousand times. A receiver drops a ball and the announcer says, ``That could be costly'' or ``What a costly mistake.'' In Mark Carrier's case, truer words were never spoken.
Carrier, who has become the Panthers' best receiver, donates $100 to his hometown church for every catchable pass he drops. His three drops at New Orleans recently resulted in a personal-record contribution of $300 to Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Church Point, La.
``It's just my way of trying to turn something negative into something positive,'' he said.
Carrier, 30, had never written Our Lady of Mercy a check that large to atone for his drops.
``I've given them $200 twice, I think, but never $300,'' he said.
WOODSON WANTS TO PLAY: Rod Woodson wants to become the first NFL player to return from a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury in the same season. And he's surprised how big a deal people are making of it, trying to keep him on the sidelines.
``Everybody wants me to sit out and let the knee heal 100 percent and come back next year, but I think differently than a lot of people and I always have,'' Woodson said. ``I'm aggressive in everything I do. I'd like to get back for the playoffs and, hopefully, I can get there.''
Woodson's newly transplanted anterior cruciate ligament would be only 80-85 percent healed next month, but he is convinced his presence alone might have a positive impact on the NFL's top-ranked defense.
Woodson tore the ACL while trying to tackle the Lions' Barry Sanders in the Steelers' opener Sept. 3. A patella tendon was transplanted to replace the ligament, and torn cartilage also was repaired. Three holes were drilled into the cartilage to allow it to bleed, thus accelerating the healing.
An ACL injury is among the most serious an athlete can sustain, and often requires up to a year of rehabilitation. Complicating Woodson's problem was the cartilage tear, which by itself can take six months to heal.
But, faced with sitting out an entire season at the peak of his career, Woodson refused to believe even his own doctor's forecast that he wouldn't play again this season.
BLUE DARTS: One reason the Chiefs' 11-2 record was unthinkable? They lack a wide receiver like Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin or Herman Moore. But they've compensated by spreading the catches around. It might be enough to make GMs reconsider signing marquee free agents - especially when you look at Cleveland's $17 million mistake known as Andre Rison. ... Ray Rhodes' reaction to his Eagles' unexpected loss at Seattle last week? ``I'll be damned if I let that happen again.'' ... The Panthers have 13 sacks in their last two home games. ... Talk about the worst of both worlds - the Jacksonville defense has 11 sacks, fewest in the NFL. The Jags offense has allowed a league-leading 51 sacks. ... Green Bay has become the rest home for all ex-Bear quarterbacks. That's where Mike Tomczak spent the 1991 season. It's where Bobby Douglass went in 1978 and Jack Concannon went in 1974. Now Jim McMahon. ... Even the players are caught up in the fair-market mentality when it comes to how their peers perform. On the play in which he clobbered Rams QB Chris Miller, Jets defensive tackle Marvin Washington beat guard Dwayne White. Washington couldn't resist the chance to tease his former teammate. ``They're paying you $5 million this year to protect the quarterback,'' Washington said. by CNB