What will the Green Bay Packers do about Shannon Sharpe on Sunday?
One of the key matchups in the game figures to be Sharpe against Green Bay safety LeRoy Butler. But the Packers often use Butler to rush the quarterback, meaning somebody else will have to cover Sharpe, an All-Pro tight end.
Sharpe was insulted by the idea that the Packers might try to cover him with a linebacker.
“If they cover me with a linebacker, I’m the MVP, period,” Sharpe said Thursday.
And if the Packers do that and get away with it?
“If they cover me with a linebacker and beat my butt, I’m going to renounce my citizenship, leave the country and leave all my assets in your name,” Sharpe told a reporter. “I don’t have a lot of it liquid, but I’ve got a couple of cars, a house on a hill and $5 million left on a contract. I don’t know how much it all is, but you won’t have to write columns anymore, that’s for sure.
“Butler is the best strong safety in the game, and I’m the best tight end in the game,” Sharpe said. “This isn’t (San Francisco’s) Brent Jones or any of those NFC Central tight ends.”
The Broncos aren’t given much of a chance, which grates at Sharpe.
“We’re all professional athletes,” he said. “We took the hard road (as a wild-card team). None of the teams we beat will be as well organized as Mike Holmgren will have those guys. But I mean, what are we, cheddar cheese or chopped liver? Give us some credit. We’re here because we deserve to be here, and I’m not going to let you tell me otherwise.
“They lost three games in the regular season, we lost four games. They’ve won 15 games and we’ve won 15 games. I like our chances on Sunday. I don’t care if they have Brett Favre. I don’t care if they have 10 Brett Favres, I like our chances.”
So why not just predict a victory?
“I’m not Joe Namath,” Sharpe said. “If I touched the ball on every play, I’d guarantee it, but I don’t touch the ball every time.”
Terry Bannon.
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Officials named
Referee Ed Hochuli was named to head the seven-man crew of Super Bowl officials, all top-rated at their positions during the season. It will be Hochuli’s first Super Bowl, and his crew of umpire Jim Quirk, head linesman John Schleyer, line judge Ben Montgomery, back judge Paul Baetz, side judge Doug Toole and field judge Don Dorkowski has never worked a game together.
Don Pierson.
Just asking
Denver defensive end Alfred Williams has his clear favorites and villains among NFL left tackles he faces:
– Best: Teammate Gary Zimmerman. “Without a doubt, the absolute best,” Williams said. “He doesn’t give you anything. He stays parallel to the line of scrimmage, and when you’re playing right (defensive) end, then you have problems. What I want to do is create confusion for the guy. If he turns his body to where he can look at you, then you can go inside. If he stays back, maybe you can go around the corner. But Gary does a perfect job of staying square. If you go inside, he pushes you flat (in toward the center). If you go around the corner, he pushes you deep. Plus, he’s big and strong enough to take on the bull rush.”
– Dirtiest: Former Patriot Stan Brock. “I hate that he’s gone because he brings out the best in every defensive player he plays against.”
– Funniest: Miami’s Richmond Webb. “He treats it like it’s a game and has fun. He’ll laugh and enjoy playing. Most guys don’t say anything. Most left tackles in this league are very paranoid. They’re protecting the quarterback’s blind side. I don’t try to get in their heads . . . unless they’re rookies.”
John Mullin.
Ringmaster Beebe
Green Bay wide receiver-kick returner Don Beebe won’t be playing in his fifth Super Bowl because of the Packers’ decision not to activate him. Beebe, who was on three Super Bowl-losing teams with Buffalo before finally winning last year with the Packers, missed the last three games with a sore hamstring.
“He’s a speed guy, and while his hamstring is healed, we can’t run the risk,” coach Mike Holmgren said.
The Packers indicated they could activate rookie receiver Ronnie Anderson and thus protect him as an exclusive rights free agent in 1998 if they placed Beebe on injured reserve.
Beebe, a graduate of Kaneland High School in Maple Park, has plans for all those rings in the home he is building in southwest suburban Yorkville.
“They’ll be on display right as you walk in the house,” he said.
His advice for Denver’s Mike Lodish, who lost four Super Bowls with Buffalo: “Wait till next year.”
Terry Bannon.
Freeman ill
The Packers were down two wide receivers at practice Thursday after Antonio Freeman stayed home with a stomach virus, but Holmgren said he is sure the illness won’t prevent him from playing Sunday.
Terry Bannon.
Slippery when wet
Denver’s two-hour practice at the San Diego Chargers’ facility was conducted on a slippery field. “It’s as slick as can be,” Denver coach Mike Shanahan said.
Wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, who had his knee drained on Wednesday and is the only player from either team on the injury report, made it through the practice safely. He’s listed as probable.
Terry Bannon.
Famous faces
This is not a good omen for AFC champion Denver. The Super Bowl coin toss will be presided over by Joe Gibbs, Eddie Robinson and Doug Williams. This year is the 10th anniversary of Williams’ MVP performance in the Washington Redskins’ Super Bowl XXII victory; Gibbs was the Washington coach; and Robinson was Williams’ college coach at Grambling.
Washington’s Super Bowl XXII victim: Denver Broncos, 42-10.
John Mullin.
Momma’s boy
Denver wide receiver Rod Smith plans to bring more than a dozen family members to the Super Bowl. One, though, is more important than all the rest.
“My Mom has been to seven football games this year (in which we were) undefeated and I had nine touchdowns,” Smith said. “She has to go. She went on the road in the playoffs and when we went on to the next round, my Mom got a ticket.”
John Mullin.
Who is that man?
Asked to describe Denver coach Mike Shanahan, defensive end Alfred Williams came up with a new twist.
“I see him as a cross between George Seifert and Sam Wyche,” Williams said. “Everybody sees George Seifert and they think, `He’s the sternest, most no-fun guy I’ve ever seen in my life.’ And then you see Sam Wyche and he looks like he’s always having fun. I’ve been around both coaches, and as a player, I think coach Shanahan comes across as both guys.”
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Melissa Isaacson.
What paranoia?
The Chargers’ practice facility, which the Broncos are using, can be seen from the top of a hill. Extra security was hired, raising the question of paranoia, Super Bowl-style.
“It has been that way for us all year,” quarterback John Elway said of the security. “We had guards at home to make sure no one was spying on us. The last thing we want to do is let someone see something we’re going to do before we do it. You don’t get many chances to get to this position. You do what you do at this point to give yourself the best chance to win. I don’t look at that as paranoia at all.”
Terry Bannon.
Man of few words
Denver offensive linemen have lived under a self-imposed “code of silence” the last couple of years, with fines imposed for talking to the media and even being seen on camera. But at least one didn’t have much to say anyway.
Question to left tackle Gary Zimmerman: “Have there been times in the past couple of years when you wanted to talk but couldn’t because of the rule and fines?”
Zimmerman: “No.”
John Mullin .
Eat hearty
The owners were at the San Diego Marriott to ratify the NFL’s television agreement, and no doubt there were back slaps all around over the eight-year, $17.8 billion deal.
Oakland owner Al Davis, never without something to say, may have had the line of the day as the doors were closing on a large group of media waiting outside.
“Come on in and eat,” said Davis. “We can afford it.”
Melissa Isaacson.