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Wednesday, July 30, 2003

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Dan Rooney defended the Steelers' minority hiring record yesterday, one day after Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford called it "terrible."

"I'm very proud of our record, from the very first until now," Rooney said on the field after practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe. "We had an African American on our very first team. We had some outstanding players play for us down through the years, and we have a lot of [minorities]."

Rooney is chairman of the NFL's diversity committee that was formed last year to encourage teams to hire more blacks in various positions. The NFL adopted a recommendation by the committee to require each team to interview at least one minority candidate before hiring a head coach.

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, reportedly at the urging of the diversity committee, fined Lions President Matt Millen $200,000 last week for not interviewing a black candidate before hiring Steve Mariucci as Detroit's coach in January. Ford said the Lions tried to interview five black coaches but that all refused the request because they realized that Millen had made up his mind to hire Mariucci.

Steelers defensive coordinator Tim Lewis reportedly was among those coaches who declined to be interviewed by the Lions.

Ford said the Lions had a better record of minority hiring than the Steelers. He said the Lions have 12 African-Americans in top jobs. The Steelers have at least 10 blacks on their coaching staff, in their front office and on their football support staff.

"... The Steelers and the league office have a terrible record," Ford said. "They're great ones to be picking us out."

The Steelers do not have an African American among the five men listed under their administration. Four are part owners of the team -- Dan Rooney, Art Rooney II, Jack McGinley, Art Rooney Jr. -- and the fifth is former coach Chuck Noll.

"I'll let them have that," Rooney said. "But I'm very proud of that record, too. I'm not going to dodge that, I think our record there speaks for itself. You have to know who's who; we don't run around saying who's a minority and who isn't."

Rooney pointed out that the Steelers last year were the first team to hire a woman trainer, Ariko Iso, and that she is Asian.

"I had the job of being the head of the diversity committee, and I think the diversity committee did an outstanding job and we did as much as we could do. Everybody made the commitment to follow the program, and it's fine."

Halfback Jerome Bettis, who captains the Steelers' offense and has played for them since 1996, also came to their defense.

"I think the Steelers are very proactive" hiring minorities, Bettis said. "They've never had a problem with minority coaches, they've never had a problem with internships in the front office and in the scouting department, all over the place. You have to think this organization is definitely on the forefront."

Bettis said teams should not be fined for not interviewing minority candidates.

"[They judge] a player based on his ability and his credentials, not on his color," Bettis said, "and I think that should be the same way with the head coach."

'Kissed' soldier a special guest

Michael Rega arrived at training camp yesterday wearing a smile almost as large as the one that landed him on the cover of Newsweek.

Rega and his family were special guests of the Steelers for practice yesterday afternoon, more than a month after the Army reserve corporal arrived home to Mount Pleasant from serving in the war in Iraq. There, after the fall of Baghdad, Rega had been photographed in uniform being kissed by a joyful Iraqi citizen. The photo made the cover of the April 21 edition of Newsweek.

Rega is enrolled as a freshman for the fall term at the University of Pittsburgh.

Miller ready to punt

Three weeks after having 20 percent of the meniscus in his right knee removed, Josh Miller wants to pull on his practice uniform by the end of the week and punt in the Steelers' first exhibition game Aug. 9 in Detroit.

Cowher said it will probably be Monday before he activates Miller.

Miller's knee was injured while he was punting on his own two weeks before training camp opened, and the surgery resulted. He has been punting on the side with no pain.

"I've been killing the ball," Miller said. "I'm real happy with it. It's like an Indy car -- it's a long race but the engine's still good."

Short snaps

CB Hank Poteat left practice early after his shoulder was jammed when he ran into rookie CB Ike Taylor during a special teams drill. "I don't know if he sublexed his shoulder or not," said Cowher, who promised an update on the injury today. ... The Steelers will hold a practice tonight at Latrobe Stadium. They will sign autographs starting at 6:45. Admission is $3 for adults 18-65, $1 for others. Children under 12 will be admitted at no charge if they are accompanied by an adult. Proceeds will benefit the Greater Latrobe School District athletic program. The Steelers will hold a second night practice at Greensburg's Offutt Field next Wednesday.