Willie Parker

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers can't afford to have the wheels come off Willie Parker again. NFL teams rarely devote a first-round draft pick to a position of strength, but that is exactly what the Steelers did by choosing Rashard Mendenhall of Illinois with the No. 23 pick last weekend. Suddenly, Willie Parker -- the NFL's leading rusher until breaking his right leg on Dec. 20 -- finds himself competing for every carry and every snap. The Steelers didn't draft Mendenhall to sit him, and that means Parker must share a ball that rarely wound up in any other Pittsburgh back's hands last season.

PITTSBURGH -- Willie Parker is taking the gloves off for the New England Patriots. Actually, he's removing those rubber sleeves from his arms, the ones that were blamed for his two lost fumbles Sunday. And he's doing it because of a suggestion from a young fan. Parker, usually one of the NFL's least fumble-prone running backs, came in for considerable scrutiny for wearing the slick elbow sleeves on a rainy night.

A sign at Clinton High offers visitors a friendly warning. "Danger," it reads, "you have entered Dark Horse Territory." It refers to the unusual nickname of the school's athletic teams -- Dark Horse Stadium, home of the five-time Class AA state football champions, sits next to the sign. But it could also refer to a graduate named Willie Parker.

The Tennessee Titans needed a scouting report on Pittsburgh Steeler running back Willie Parker, so cornerback Michael Waddell issued this warning: Don't pay attention to his college career -- this guy can run. Who knew he could run like this?

5 REUNIONS * *--* Philadelphia receiver Terrell Owens and San Francisco * The ex-49er faces his former team for the first time. Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner and St. Louis * Warner faces the franchise he guided to two Super Bowls. Atl. DT Jonathan Babineaux and Seattle safety Jordan Babineaux * Guess which brother got to the dinner table first? Denver's Champ Bailey and San Diego's Marty Schottenheimer * Schottenheimer was Bailey's coach with the Redskins.