Questions about Bell anger Cowher
PITTSBURGH – Bill Cowher saw the mob of reporters surrounding injured linebacker Kendrell Bell and didn’t mince words in expressing his displeasure. “I’m not going to discuss the status of players. OK?” said the coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. “I have that on the injury report. I think it’s unfair that you put the kid in the situation. I’m going to talk to him about it as well. I’ll discuss it. The status of players will be something that’s given out on the daily injury report. He’s questionable. We’ll leave it at that.”
Bell practiced on a limited basis yesterday. After practice, he was asked about the ankle injury that caused him to miss the last three games.
“Everything’s getting better,” he said. “I’m just running around, trying to see where I’m at.”
Bell said that a decision on his playing status will be made on the day the Steelers play the Cincinnati Bengals. He was also asked to make a best guess.
“I can’t do a guess,” Bell said as he looked over at Cowher. “He doesn’t like that. I told you guys that and Coach Cowher said the same thing. That’s what I’ve got to deal with.”
Cowher met the media with disdain. He sharply turned away the first question and didn’t like the second question much, either: Was it safe to assume he’s 100 percent since he practiced?
“I will put a player out there that I feel can play,” Cowher said. “I’ve always done that with every player in the 11 years I’ve been here and I’m not going to deviate from that now.”
Perhaps Cowher’s anger had something to do with the decision to play Bell in the opener. He’d sprained his ankle in the second preseason game, aggravated it in the opener and again aggravated it while practicing during the bye week.
“It was a Monday night game against the Patriots. I had every reason to push myself to play, but it was a bad decision on my part,” Bell said. “It was a lesson. I’ll learn from it.”
While Bell practiced on a limited basis, Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala (ribs), Wayne Gandy (ankle), Mike Schneck (elbow) and Mike Logan (hamstring) missed Wednesday’s practice.
Not-so-chatty Chad
Chad Scott was also angry with the media yesterday. The Steelers’ cornerback played poorly against the New Orleans Saints, but afterward laughed it off and guaranteed that the Steelers would make the playoffs.
“I was misquoted,” he said to reporters who still had tape of the comment.
Scott told reporters that he wouldn’t talk to them anymore for the record. Apparently, Scott will continue to be available for advice and general chit-chat.
Hat on a hat
Guard Alan Faneca suffered a face laceration against New Orleans that required six stitches during the game. He saw a plastic surgeon Tuesday and was given two more stitches. Faneca was asked if that meant trainer John Norwig did a poor job initially.
“Oh, I wouldn’t let Norwig get anywhere near my head with stitches,” Faneca said with a laugh. “Dr. (Jim) Bradley did it and he was just trying to do it good and do it quick so I could get back out there. Luckily I only missed the one play after that and the first play of the next drive.”
Faneca will wear extra padding under a “taped headband” next week.
QUOTABLE
Bengals Coach Dick LeBeau on why he had so much success as the Steelers’ defensive coordinator: “We had great players. We had a field full of All-Pros. … Greg Lloyd may be the best football player I have ever seen. Kevin Green was almost unblockable on the other side. Then we had Chad Brown and Levon Kirkland inside. We had two secondary guys in Carnell Lake and Rod Woodson. I have been coaching around this league a long time. I have not seen very many players better than those two and they were in the same backfield. We had a good, solid line with Joel Steed and you could just go on and on. Those kinds of guys make you a very good coach.”