Quick Kicks
Rice steamed
Jerry Rice made his point on the field. In case anyone missed it, he made it again in the locker room. Seething at speculation the loss of Deion Sanders could be a fatal blow to San Francisco’s championship hopes, Rice went out and helped the 49ers take apart the Atlanta Falcons.
He also sent Sanders a message he’ll be ready for their Nov. 12 showdown in Dallas, beating Atlanta for two touchdowns on 11 receptions for 167 yards.
“You (media) guys made this into a circus,” Rice said. “It takes a team effort to get to the Super Bowl. It’s an insult what you guys did. The whole team was angry. It was an insult to all of the guys who busted their butts last year and in training camp this year.”
Then, after an obscenity-laden outburst, Rice was led away by 49ers public relations officials.
Top-ranked prank
No more calls, please. We have our winner for best prank of the year. On Wednesday, Tampa Bay coach Sam Wyche gathered his team for a routine locker-room meeting. Unexpectedly, a member of the Bucs’ front office informed Wyche that he had been summoned to a meeting with owner Malcolm Glazer.
About a minute later, who walks into the locker room but Jimmy Johnson, the man rumored to be Wyche’s eventual replacement.
“There’s going to be some changes in here!” screamed Johnson, who was actually in town to do Bucs interviews for the Fox network. “I know you’re feeling pretty good about yourselves, you just beat Philadelphia’s (butt). But it’s time to get to serious business. Now, I’ve got some papers to sign, so I want you guys to get into your film study. We’ll have practice at the regularly scheduled time. All right? Let’s get to work.
“Where’s Kenny Gant?” Johnson went on, looking for his former Cowboys cornerback. “Where’s my man (Alvin) Harper? Is he in the whirlpool?”
After uproarious laughter from the players, Johnson smiled and said: “Congragulations on a hell of a win.”
A smiling Wyche then entered the room, shaking hands with Johnson, who wore a Bucs jacket.
St. Louis welcomes Rams
Blue and gold balloons, kids in Jerome Bettis No. 36 jerseys, people cooking on portable barbecues - those were the sights as the NFL returned to St. Louis.
The Rams-Saints game was the first regular-season NFL game in St. Louis since the Cardinals bolted for Phoenix after the 1987 season. St. Louis fans appeared ready to embrace their new team.
“I couldn’t sleep last night - this is better than Christmas,” said Jeff Miller of Coulterville, Ill., who left home before dawn to get to Busch Stadium by 7 a.m. - 5 hours before kickoff.
Local watch
Former Eastern Washington standout Kurt Schulz scored on a 32-yard interception return that gave Buffalo a 28-9 lead with 2:03 left in the third quarter. … Ex-Mead High and Washington State kicker Jason Hanson made 1 of 2 field goals and an extra point. … Drew Bledsoe Pats QB from WSU, was 25 of 51 for 267 yards and two interceptions.
Monday night matchup
The Dave Wannstedt Bears are 1-3 against the Mike Holmgren Packers, but the Bears offense has scored only one TD in the four games. Bears favored by 3.