Griese Appears Fit Enough to Start

Under the discriminating eye of Coach Mike Shanahan, Denver Bronco quarterback Brian Griese passed another test Friday in his bid to return to the starting lineup.

Griese, who missed last week’s game against Kansas City, practiced with Denver’s first-team offense for the third consecutive day despite torn cartilage in his right shoulder.

His throws looked crisp and accurate during the 90-minute practice. Equally important, there was no visible sign of pain.

Shanahan stopped short of declaring Griese the starter for Sunday’s home game against New England but left little doubt he would be.

“Every morning he’s come in, he’s felt better,” Shanahan said. “My evaluation is to take a look and see how he performs. He’s performed at the level where I could not tell if something was wrong with him.”

Terrell Davis, recovering from a sprained left ankle, is expected to start.

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Tennessee Titan quarterback Steve McNair will be back in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants, but defensive end Jevon Kearse might not be on the playing field.

McNair last started Sept. 10, when he bruised his sternum against Kansas City. He did play the final minutes against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday, directing a game-winning drive after Neil O’Donnell was sidelined because of a neck injury.

Kearse strained his leg against the Steelers and practiced Friday for the first time since.

Tight end Frank Wycheck (concussion) and defensive tackle Joe Salave’a (neck) have been cleared to play.

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Players mimicking the touchdown celebrations from last week’s San Francisco 49er-Dallas Cowboy game--running to midfield and posing--will draw a 15-yard penalty for taunting and be fined by the NFL.

Jerry Seeman, the league’s senior director of officiating, has sent a memo to coaches notifying them that the NFL rule on taunting applies to the actions of the 49ers’ Terrell Owens and the Cowboys’ Emmitt Smith. Taunting fouls draw a minimum $2,500 fine.

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St. Louis safety Devin Bush and wide receiver Ricky Proehl are nursing hamstring injuries and probably won’t play for the Rams against San Diego on Sunday.

The Rams also could be without outside linebacker Todd Collins (ankle), but linebacker London Fletcher (ankle), cornerback Todd Lyght (hamstring) and running back Marshall Faulk (knee) will play.

The Rams will have a bye week after facing the Chargers.

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LaVar Arrington, the second overall pick in April’s draft who backed up Greg Jones at strong-side linebacker for the Washington Redskins in the first three games, appears to have secured a starting job. He started in last Sunday’s 16-6 victory over the New York Giants, and he’ll start again Sunday when the Redskins play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Hank Stram says he meant no offense and was only joking when he made an anti-Semitic remark during a radio interview on ESPN Radio last week.

The former Kansas City Chief and New Orleans Saint coach was questioned about his readiness to spend heavily on Joe Theismann when the quarterback was entering the NFL in 1974.

“Yeah, I was ready to play that Jewish organ. . . . Hit the cash register,” Stram told host Mike Golic.

His remark prompted the American Jewish Congress to denounce Stram as the winner of the “Stupid Bowl.” The New York-based advocacy group is dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism and has some 50,000 members.

“It’s ridiculous for anybody to think that I am anti-Jewish,” Stram, 70, told the Associated Press.

Stram, who is Polish, said he grew up in an ethnically diverse neighborhood in Gary, Ind., and “never dreamed” anyone would take offense at what he said.

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The father of San Diego Charger defensive tackle John Parrella was shot to death at his home in Grand Island, Neb.

The body of 63-year-old Joe Parrella was found by sheriff’s deputies responding to a home security alarm at 3 a.m. CDT, the sheriff’s department said.

No suspects have been identified, and the body was taken to Omaha for an autopsy.

Parrella was a local car dealer. Business associates told The Grand Island Independent that Parrella was looking at the security alarm when he was shot twice outside the house.

Parrella flew to Nebraska early Friday to be with his family, but expects to play against the Rams.