Detroit – Just when it appeared Joey Porter would get through Super Bowl week without talking his way into a headline, an opponent’s slight was relayed to his ears.
Sorry, Bill Cowher. Once again, it’s time for The Mouth to Roar.
Porter, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ talented and loquacious outside linebacker, took offense to a comment by Seattle tight end Jerramy Stevens.
Asked during the Super Bowl media day Tuesday about Steelers running back Jerome Bettis’ first Super Bowl in his hometown of Detroit, Stevens said the story was heartwarming, “But it will be a sad day when he leaves without that trophy.”
Stevens’ comment was relayed to Porter during the Steelers’ informal media session Wednesday morning as a guarantee Seattle will win Super Bowl XL. Porter, who had heeded Cowher’s warning of caution during his hour-long media-day interview session, destroyed his figurative muzzle before reacting to Stevens’ comment.
“I’ve been asleep all week, but now I got woke up,” Porter said. “Until now, it was ‘Watch what I say, I can’t say this, I can’t say that. Don’t do anything silly.’ But I’m ready now. I’m going to make sure he owns up to those words.”
Stevens was amused that Porter was upset by his comments. Wednesday, Stevens said he wasn’t trying to offend Bettis, Porter or Pittsburgh. He was just stating his thoughts.
“I wasn’t trying to disrespect Pittsburgh because I respect it a lot and it’s a great team,” Stevens said. “But we are not here to roll over for anybody. What I said (Tuesday), I meant it. I don’t think I said anything too out-of-pocket.
“I just said we’re here to win the game and other than that there is no reason to be here.”
Brady Bunch times three
Seahawks safety Marquand Manuel is one of 18 children. He’s the ninth oldest. Manuel said both his mother and father had kids from previous marriages, and together they had more. He couldn’t recall the number of kids in each circumstance; who could blame him?
He said because of the age differences – the oldest, John, is 39 and the youngest, India, is 14 – there weren’t more than nine kids living under one roof at one time.
“Dinner time was fun time,” Manuel said. “We’d get the chance to sit around, and the older brothers would be talking about things you don’t need to be listening to. But it was a chance to gather around and talk with everybody.”
Jurevicius a Logan fan
Seattle receiver Joe Jurevicius grew up in Cleveland and rooted for the rival Steelers before becoming a fan of Browns receiver Dave Logan, the former Colorado star and current Broncos radio announcer.
“One of my dad’s coworkers used to buy me Steelers sweat shirts and blankets,” Jurevicius said. “From that point, I think it was kind of reverse of what my dad thought. But then I turned into a Cleveland Browns fan with the ‘Cardiac Kids’ and Dave Logan and a lot of people I grew up emulating.”
