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Inside slant | Strategy and personnel
--Antwaan Randle El, the Indiana quarterback the Steelers drafted to become a wide receiver, was the hit of their rookie orientation camp over the weekend. He made spectacular catches and looked like he played the position the past four years. He also added to his bag of nicknames he's been collecting since college. Kordell Stewart, who broke into the NFL as Slash and played receiver and quarterback his first two years in the league, dubbed him "Mini-Me." Others called him El Train and El Producto.
In college, "they called me Twaan," Randle El said. Then, some guys started calling me Twizzle and then twizzler because I was twisting people up." One coach called him Squirrel because of the way he scooted and he also was known simply as EB, for Energizer Bunny. --The rookies are permitted to return to Pittsburgh for workouts May 16 provided they have either graduated or their college class has graduated by then. Seven of their eight draft choices are eligible on that date. LB Larry Foote has to wait until May 26. --QB Tee Martin has lifted his Rhein Fire to victories in two of three games in NFL Europe by throwing TD passes in the final seconds. Last Saturday, Martin threw a 1-yard touchdown pass with five seconds left to beat Berlin, 20-16. He completed 20 of 36 passes in that game for 189 yards and no interceptions. He's improved as the season goes on and is playing behind a poor offensive line. Martin has been the Steelers' No. 3 QB the past two seasons. "That's good for him," coach Bill Cowher said. "He has to deal with the clock. I was watching one game while we were drafting. He has to get rid of the ball quickly with the offensive line he has." --Rookie QB Travis Cole, signed as a free agent from Minnesota, was erratic in his first pro camp. He has a strong arm and he showed it, but center Chukki Okobi wasn't impressed when he snapped the ball on one play, stood up and was drilled in the back of the head with a Cole pass. --The Steelers added veteran tight end John Allred last week, signing him to a one-year contract that will pay him the minimum of $525,000 and count $450,000 under their salary cap under new NFL rules. Pittsburgh did not draft a tight end, nor sign any free agent rookies at the position. Allred was a second-round draft choice of the Bears in 1997 and was in his fourth season when he tore two ligaments in his right knee in 2000. He became a free agent after that season, signed and was cut by St. Louis and did not play in 2001. "He can give you something in the passing game," Cowher said. --Josh Burr, a rookie free agent OT from South Dakota, is 6-9 and 330 pounds. The Steelers have never had a player that tall make their team. Burr is a longshot to do so. QUOTE TO NOTE Copyright (C) 2001 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved. |
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