Different Room, but Same View

The empty seats outnumbered the fans, and the ones who showed up definitely need some help with their NFL etiquette.

The Tennessee Oilers staked their claim to their new state Sunday by beating the Oakland Raiders, 24-21, in overtime.

But only 30,171 attended, and many were wearing Raider black-and-silver at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, the Oilers’ home away from Nashville the next two seasons.

Jeff Williams, a Raider fan who drove over from Little Rock, Ark., expected more than a half-empty Liberty Bowl, which seats 62,300.

“I didn’t really expect a sellout, but I thought it would approach 50,000,” said Williams.

The crowd was still more than the Oilers drew to five of their eight games in Houston last year. But the city of Memphis, which owns the Liberty Bowl, barely broke even, needing 30,000 fans to pay the bills. The Oilers’ rent is $1 per seat sold.

Car salesman Richard Graham of Dickson, Tenn., 170 miles northeast of Memphis, isn’t worried by the poor turnout. He blames the 400-mile round trip for Nashville fans not coming in greater numbers.

“When you get on a bus for home games, it doesn’t feel like a home game. It’s the difference between renting and owning a house. If this is where they would be playing permanently, everyone would be here,” he said.

Morning rain limited the number of tailgaters around the stadium. Inside, the sound system kept fading out as the Commodores sang the national anthem.

A group of fans wanted to keep the ball after Cole Ford’s extra point into the stands put the Raiders ahead, 14-13. When police officers came to collect the football, they chanted “Keep the ball,” and booed when police led the man away.

IT HAS GIVEN HIM A NEW LEASH ON LIFE

After his game-winning touchdown catch, Carl Pickens did a new dance to celebrate.

“That’s called the dog tail. I’m going to do it every time I’m in the end zone,” Pickens said. “My cousin and I came up with it in the off-season.”

KIDS, DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME

It’s time for the second annual review of redesigned uniforms. In honor of school starting this week, an important lesson will be drawn from each new uniform.

* Cincinnati--A Bengal emblem was added to jersey sleeves and sleeve uniform numbers have been moved to the shoulders. Also, the Bengals now wear black socks instead of orange. Lesson: In the wild, Bengal tigers wear no socks whatsoever.

* Tampa Bay--The primary colors have been changed to red, black and pewter. The Buccaneers will wear red jerseys for home games with pewter pants. Pewter helmets and jersey sleeves will feature a Jolly Roger flag. Lesson: When Pirate ships in the 17th century raised the Jolly Roger when passing a ship, it was a warning that a fierce battle would begin soon. Historical parallel: If any of you go to school on the first day and refer to any item of clothing you are wearing as “pewter-colored,” a fierce battle will begin soon.

* Denver--The Broncos now wear navy blue home jerseys with a five-inch-wide orange Lycra striping that curls down the side from the shoulders. Additional orange appears in piping on the jersey neckline, outlines on the numbers and sock stripes. The Broncos’ navy blue helmets have an orange center stripe and a stylized white bronco with an orange mane. Lesson: If you want to see what a white bronco with an orange mane looks like, take a trip to Ringling Bros. circus. That goat with a bat stuck in its head they pass off as a unicorn looks a lot like the Broncos’ new logo.

* Miami--The Dolphin helmet emblem has been redesigned to make it more prominent. Lesson: To learn more about dolphins, forget all that annoying homework and watch “Flipper,” now showing on Nick at Nite’s TV Land.

FOR THOSE WHO SAY BASEBALL IS BORING

Atlanta and Detroit took part in a bizarre exchange of penalties late in the first quarter. With Atlanta trying to punt, it was called for back-to-back illegal procedure penalties. On the third punt, Detroit was called for running into the kicker, and on the fourth attempt, another Atlanta illegal procedure nullified the Lions being called for an illegal block. Finally, on the fifth try, Dan Stryzinski shanked a 35-yarder out of bounds.

LET’S SEE SOME FOOTAGE OF THE PLAY

In the Raiders’ last scoring drive, Oakland quarterback Jeff George was called for kicking the ball forward. When asked about that, George said, “I knew you aren’t allowed to kick it, but the guy had me by the arms.”

When told that, in fact, he was not the player who kicked the ball, George said, “I didn’t? I was trying to.”

--Compiled by Houston Mitchell

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Grand Openings

The best opening-day rushing performances since 1933:

* O.J. SIMPSON, BUFFALO

vs. New England, 1973

(29 carries, 250 yards, 2 touchdowns)

* EDDIE GEORGE, TENNESSEE

vs. Oakland, 1997: (35, 216, 1)

* GEORGE ROGERS, NEW ORLEANS

vs. St. Louis, 1983: (24, 206, 2)

* GERALD RIGGS, ATLANTA

vs. New Orleans, 1984: (35, 202, 2)

* NORM BULAICH, BALTIMORE

vs. N.Y. Jets, 1971: (22, 198, 1)

* ALAN AMECHE, BALTIMORE

vs. Chicago Bears, 1955: (21, 194, 1)

THE PLAYMAKERS

RUSHING

*--*

Player, Team No. Yds. TD EDDIE GEORGE, Oilers 35 216 1 ROBERT SMITH, Vikings 16 169 1 TERRY ALLEN, Redskins 25 141 2 ANTHONY JOHNSON, Panthers 20 134 0 ADRIAN MURRELL, Jets 24 131 0 LAWRENCE PHILLIPS, Rams 26 125 3

*--*

PASSING

*--*

Player, Team Att. Comp. Yds. TD DREW BLEDSOE, Patriots 39 26 340 4 VINNY TESTAVERDE, Ravens 41 24 322 3 TODD COLLINS, Bills 39 25 299 1 JEFF GEORGE, Raiders 37 21 298 3 TROY AIKMAN, Cowboys 30 19 295 4 ROB JOHNSON, Jaguars 24 20 294 2 CHRIS CHANDLER, Falcons 36 20 290 1 NEIL O’DONNELL, Jets 25 17 270 5 RODNEY PEETE, Eagles 23 17 268 1 JEFF BLAKE, Bengals 35 24 252 1

*--*

RECEIVING

*--*

Player, Team No. Yds. TD TIM BROWN, Raiders 8 158 2 MICHAEL IRVIN, Cowboys 7 153 2 MICHAEL JACKSON, Ravens 8 143 1 ANDRE REED, Bills 7 142 0 MICHAEL TIMPSON, Eagles 9 125 0 CRIS CARTER, Vikings 8 121 2 HERMAN MOORE, Lions 7 115

*--*