NFL worried about off-field problems

By ERNEST HOOPER and Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 29, 2000

ATLANTA -- Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said the league is concerned about off-field crimes committed by its players. He also suggested those crimes are part of a deeper problem.

"I think our track record is better than society at large," Tagliabue said Friday at his State of the NFL address. "On the other hand, we don't tolerate violence. We don't condone it."

The league's well-polished image has been sullied this season by a number of off-field arrests.

The most serious are the first-degree murder charges against wide receiver Rae Carruth in the shooting death of Cherica Adams, who was pregnant with their son. Carruth was released by the Panthers after the charges were lodged.

Cecil Collins was suspended by the Dolphins after being charged with burglary in December. That led Louisiana to revoke his probation on a similar charge while he was in college and he is in a Miami jail.

Tagliabue noted the league set up counseling programs under former commissioner Pete Rozelle, and that rookies must attend a session as part of their mandatory orientation program.

George Young, the league's vice president for football operations, said the league program is modeled after one he installed when he was general manager of the Giants. It seemed to have straightened out defensive lineman Christian Peter and quarterback Kerry Collins, both had alcohol problems.

"Can we separate ourselves from society? Of course not," Tagliabue said. "We can't predict what NFL players will do any more than we can predict students shooting other students or workers shooting fellow workers."

DEBARTOLO'S FATE: Tagliabue said 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr.'s yearlong suspension will be over next month, but it will be up to a federal judge to determine whether he regains control of the team.

The league fined DeBartolo $1-million and suspended him through this season after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge relating to his pursuit of a riverboat gambling license in Louisiana.

Tagliabue said DeBartolo's sister, Denise DeBartolo York, probably will continue to run the team for the foreseeable future. A federal judge is trying to sort through the family's assets amid a slew of litigation.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON: Thanks to Anthony Dorsett, son of former Dallas great Tony Dorsett, the Dorsetts will become the third father-son combination to participate in the Super Bowl, and the first pair to start.

Anthony will play free safety for the Titans in place of injured Marcus Robertson, and he said his father had a feeling Tennessee might end up in the big game.

"He told me after the (wild-card) game that he thought we would be here," Anthony said. "Listening to him then and just taking everything as it comes, that day was just words, in one ear and out the other. But looking back, I realize he saw something in us. It's almost like it was destiny, like we were supposed to be here."

For the Rams' Keith Lyle, his presence in the Super Bowl gives his father, Garry, a chance to experience something he never enjoyed during his seven years as a Bears cornerback (1968-74).

"He's excited because he never even made it to the playoffs. He's living the experience through me and the rest of my family and its fun for him. He played with Hall of Famers like (Gale) Sayers and (Dick) Butkus and with guys like that, it's hard to imagine they never got to the playoffs."

DELTA DOWN: Delta Air lines Inc. canceled as many as half its flights through Atlanta for Friday and today because of a winter storm, leaving some fans without a way to Sunday's game.

The third-biggest U.S. carrier said travelers should anticipate cancellations and delays through Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport through tonight because of snow and freezing rain.

AD THIS UP: The NFL Quarterback Club named Visa's "Face Paint" commercial as the best NFL-related commercial of the year. In the ad, a meek and visibly pregnant woman searches for just the right shade of orange and blue paint, not to decorate a new nursery but to turn into a ravenous Broncos fan. Second on the list was Motorola's wireless communication commercial featuring a domesticated Brett Favre and DirecTV's dating game spot.

COIN TOSS: The pregame coin toss will feature seven Hall of Famers who participated in the fourth Super Bowl 30 years ago between Minnesota and Kansas City.

Representing the Chiefs will be founder Lamar Hunt, linebackers Bobby Bell and Willie Lanier and kicker Jan Stenerud, while former coach Bud Grant, defensive end Alan Page and safety Paul Krause will represent the Vikings. Kansas City won 23-7.

"We're going to practice this coin toss over and over to make sure there are no slip-ups," Grant said, laughing. "We're each going to carry our own coin so we won't wind up like that referee in the commercial."

In the commercial for Southwest Airlines, an official misplaces his coin and has to scramble to find one.

TALLAHASSEE GATORS: Rams defensive end Kevin Carter and Titans center Zach Pillar have more in common than being former Gators: Both players left Tallahassee and the heart of Florida State territory to play for Florida.

"Everyone kind of expected I would go to Florida State, but I wasn't even really looking at Florida State," Carter said. "They didn't have what I wanted academically. I wanted to go in medicine, I majored in biological science and (Florida State) wasn't up my alley.

"At the time, I prayed about it, talked about it with my mom and dad. It was important for me to get away. I have a great mom and dad, they're really supportive all my life but it was important for me to get away and kind of grow up, become a man."

Pillar said FSU simply didn't show as much interest as Florida. During his Gator days, he got the chance to beat Florida State in the 1996 Sugar Bowl and win the national championship. But these days, Pillar concededs he gets a lot of razzing from friends when he returns home.

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