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Middleton makes his feelings clear

By ROGER MILLS and ERNEST HOOPER

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 15, 2000

TAMPA -- The trash talk has begun.

Four days from the long-awaited game against the Super Bowl champion Rams, Bucs offensive guard Frank Middleton fired the first salvo. And it was big one.

Middleton, a fourth-year player with a reputation for mixing it up with opponents, called the Rams dirty players and said he won't forget the way some celebrated on the Bucs sideline after the end of last season's NFC Championship Game.

"Okay, they're punks," Middleton said. "Everyone's a punk, and I don't like them. Just watch film, you'll see. In the game Sunday, (Vikings running back) Robert Smith made a good run and one guy wants to push him in the back of his head to make sure he's down.

"Stuff like that, I don't play. I don't play games like that. When you win a game, leave it alone, walk from it and be happy. But instead, they want to come to our sidelines, jump up and down, cuss us out and stuff. It's war man. Let's be fair, it's not a game anymore, it's war."

Middleton, accused by Buffalo coach Wade Phillips of unethical play against Bills linebacker Sam Cowart, will be a free agent at the end of the season and said: "If they don't like the way I played against Sam, no one's going to like the way I play Monday. It's the last part of the season and I have two more games. ... This could possibly be my last game at Raymond James, so I'm going to go out blazing."

In light of the opposing styles of the Bucs and Rams, Middleton suggested that the Rams' fast-paced offense was a sign that they don't want to mix it up.

"They want to have a track meet, they want to run up and down the field," Middleton said. "They don't want to get hit. Their defense is pretty much the same way. They want to blitz and stunt. They don't play football. ... They don't want to line up 11 on 11 and take hits. ... They want to run and hide, but sooner or later they are going to have to face us and play like men."

ALSTOTT RETURNS: Thursday was a good day for fullback Mike Alstott. He learned he was going to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl, then practiced for the first time since injuring his left knee Nov. 19 at Chicago.

"It felt great," said Alstott, who is second on the team with 456 rushing yards on 126 carriers. "I ran the ball, blocked, ran routes, the whole nine yards. I'm healthy and I'm ready. It wouldn't be smart to endanger my career, I'm not going to do that for just one game."

Alstott's teammates expressed excitement about his return.

"Mike's going to help because now we have a fullback that everyone relies on to tote the ball 10 or 15 times or whatever," Middleton said. "It's great to have him. I don't think it's gong to take anything away from the offense. He's going to help the offense."

Alstott's return, however, doesn't mean a diminished role for running back Warrick Dunn, who has been outstanding in Alstott's absence. Offensive coordinator Les Steckel said Dunn would get at least 20 touches against the Rams.

INJURY UPDATE: Left tackle Pete Pierson (left calf sprain) and linebacker Al Singleton (left knee sprain) sat out practice. Pierson said his calf feels better and he hopes to play Monday night.

"It feels good, 100 times better than the day it happened," Pierson said. "I'm going to go out and do a little bit of jogging and see what happens, but I plan to be out there on Monday for sure. Absolutely, (having a few days off) couldn't have come at a better time.

Starting linebacker Shelton Quarles (left ankle sprain) and running back Rabih Abdullah (right hamstring) both practiced and are listed as probable for Monday.

"I think we're fairly healthy," coach Tony Dungy said. "So, for this point in the year, that's pretty good.

ROSTER MOVE: The Bucs released safety Lemar Marshall from the practice squad and signed defensive end Mawuko Tugbenyoh. Marshall was signed four weeks ago after John Lynch and Eric Vance were injured against the Bears. To make room for Marshall, the Bucs released veteran receiver Andre Hastings. Tugbenyoh, a 6-foot-1, 245-pounder out of the University of California, was in camp with the Bucs but was released before the start of the season.

YOUR BEST SHOT: Bucs players and fans have had an eye on their game with the Rams since the schedule was released. Tampa Bay may bring out one of its best efforts because the Rams prevented it from going to the Super Bowl, but getting the best from opponents is nothing new for St. Louis this season.

"I think the thing this football team didn't completely realize, as well as the coaches, myself included, is when you line up you talk about and you think you're going to get the best from everybody, but you really do," Rams coach Mike Martz said. "No one has a down game when you play. You're the defending world champions and you're going to get everybody's best every time you line up. You can't have a down moment."

Another change for St. Louis is dealing with the increase in fame. Rams quarterback Kurt Warner said he's not able to do a lot of the little things he used to take for granted, but in another sense, the added attention has helped him in 2000.

"To tell you the truth, this year has been 10 times easier than it was last year," Warner said. "Last year coming in and not really knowing what to expect and the success that we had so early kind of got overwhelming at times. It was really hard to really get a handle on how to take it all in and how to use it and what was the best way to go about certain situations.

"This year coming in knowing I was going to be in that position, it's been much easier to handle that part of it; to really understand what comes with the territory. To know each week what I have to go through, what I have to do from a media standpoint, those types of things have gotten a lot easier."

BUCS BITS: The Glazer Family Foundation donated a total of $25,000 to 17 bay area organizations as part of its fall grant program. Four groups from Pinellas County were among the recipients: Community Pride Child Care, Foundation Village Neighborhood Family Center, Suncoast Earth Force and United Methodist Cooperative Ministries. The foundation makes grants to local organizations twice a year. ... Alstott and Dave Moore will host their fourth annual holiday party at Joshua House in Lutz on Saturday. All youngsters will receive No. 40 and No. 83 jerseys. ... Receiver Keyshawn Johnson hosts a Christmas party for 240 inner-city youngsters Sunday. Children from Metropolity Metropolitan Ministries, the Police Athletic League and the Boys & Girls Clubs will benefit.

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