The choice is Warner, hands down

Sporting News, The, Feb 24, 2003 by Dan Pompei

So when Kurt Warner is on hold, you push the blinking button. TSN

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M@IL BONDING

DAN POMPEI ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

The league is investigating the Lions for hiring Steve Mariucci without "seriously interviewing" at least one minority candidate. Although the league's effort to help minorities land head-coaching jobs makes sense, isn't it a bit ridiculous in this case? If the Lions had given lip service to the league's procedures and interviewed a minority candidate before hiring Mariucci, it would have been a farce.

Andrew Segal, Montreal

Andrew: Let's face it, the Lions knew they wanted to hire Mariucci long before they fired Marry Mornhinweg. They should not be penalized for their decisiveness. They acted in good faith and tried to comply with the league guidelines by attempting to set up interviews with several minorities, but the minorities contacted had no interest in being inter viewed. What were they supposed to do, call every minority coach in the business until one agreed to an interview?

SPEED READS

* The most logical fit to coach the 49ers was Dennis Green. A former assistant under Bill Walsh in San Francisco, Green would have carried on the team's rich tradition. No one is more familiar with the politics of the 49ers' job. Although Green has a reputation for being a power monger, he had indicated a willingness to work within the 49ers' power structure.

* The Falcons can't afford to allow Keith Brooking to become a free agent. He's one of the rising stars in the league, and he probably hasn't played his best football. If it means using the franchise tag on the two-time Pro Bowl linebacker, that's what Atlanta will have to do,

* You might never have heard of one of the best players expected to be available in the flee-agent market. His name is Randy Thomas, and he has been one of the league's most underrated guards the past few years. The Buccaneers, Cowboys and Redskins are rumored to be interested in Thomas, a four-year starter with the Jets, so his price won't be cheap.

INSIDE DISH

By DAN POMPEI

After Elvis Grbac declared he wanted to attempt a comeback and found an unnamed team was interested in signing him to be its starting quarterback, he abruptly decided to remain retired. In the course of shopping for a team, Grbac, 32, who sat out last season, decided he didn't want to uproot his family again. Now, Grbac's only interest in playing again would be in Cleveland, where he lives. ... Although Marshall QB Byron Leftwich won't be able to run or participate in drills at the Scouting Combine this week, the event will be important for him because medical staffs of NFL teams want to know if Leftwich's leg fracture still is an issue. Leftwich hasn't even been able to jog before this week, but he has been participating in an intensive conditioning program at the International Management Group complex in Bradenton, Fla. Since heading to Florida at the beginning of the year, Leftwich has dropped 20 pounds. IMG trainers have Leftwich in a non-weight-bearing cardiovascular program and a nutritional program, and he also is doing flexibility and resistance training. He is not expected to be ready to work out for teams until early April, but at that time it will be important for Leftwich to get his 40 time under 5.0. So the weight loss is significant.... A number of head coaches have higher base salaries than Super Bowl winner Jon Gruden, but no bake sales will be needed for the Bucs' head man. Gruden received close to $1 million in bonuses for winning the Super Bowl, and that was just the start of his extra income. He's also getting $50,000 for each speaking engagement, and the phone is ringing nonstop.... Despite rumors to the contrary, the Browns had not shopped QB Tim Couch as the week began. That doesn't mean they won't, though it would have made sense to dangle him before the start of the free-agent market when his trade value might have been at a premium. Couch probably win have a hard time winning his starting job back from Kelly Halcomb, if coach Butch Davis even allows an open competition. Insiders say key veterans on the team are squarely behind Holcomb, and not giving him the starting job could be divisive. ... Also in Cleveland, Browns DT Gerard Warren has come to realize he can't be a dominant player just because of his athleticism. So after two mediocre seasons, the third pick of the 2001 draft has told Browns coaches he will take part in their offseason program for the first time. Warren now knows he has to work as hard as his peers to have a chance to take advantage of his considerable abilities.... The Ravens are trying to lock up CB Chris McAlister to a long-term deal before the start of the free-agent market, hut if they don't, they will put a franchise tag on him. Signing McAlister is like trying to hit a moving target, however. He's on his fourth agent.... The Broncos aren't giving up on CB Deltha O'Neal, their 2000 first-round pick who was benched late in the season. They still believe O'Neal's athletic ability rivals that of almost any top corner in the NFL. The problem: confidence. O'Neal slips into funks, and it's tough to get him out of them. The Broncos are hoping new co-ordinator Larry Coyer will be able to reach O'Neal better than Ray Rhodes did.