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By Jerry DiPaola
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Antonio Bryant said there are soft spots in the Steelers secondary that he expects to exploit Sunday when the teams get together in Cleveland.
Bryant, one of the best wide receivers in Pitt football history, said injuries may make the Steelers' vulnerable to the Browns' passing attack. The Steelers will play their second consecutive game without veteran cornerback Chad Scott, who is out with a quad injury. Plus, safety Mike Logan is lost for the season.
"God gives you a lot, but he doesn't give everybody everything," Bryant said.
"Injuries hurt teams in many different ways, and give some teams strong points and give some teams soft points. We're working on that right now, just looking for the soft spots and trying to find what can work for our offense and the talent we have here."
Usually, Bryant will say most everything, but he refused to publicly pinpoint the Steelers' weaknesses.
"I'll never give you the secret ingredient to the cookies that are making me a millionaire," he said.
The game Sunday will mark the second appearance by Bryant against the Steelers this season. Two days after he recorded a 22-yard reception for the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 17, he was traded to the Browns for wide receiver Quincy Morgan.
"It has been rather pleasing so far," said Bryant, who has six receptions for 69 yards in two games for the Browns.
The trade was inevitable after he threw a sweaty practice jersey at Cowboys coach Bill Parcells in the spring.
"That's something that I feel had to happen in my life," he said. "That was a transition period for me, from becoming a boy to a man. At that point, it was something that balled up. I put a lot of effort into trying to compete for a (starting) job. Unfortunately, other minds didn't feel that way."
He said he prefers the Browns' style of offense.
"At Dallas, it was more of disciplined offense. Here, it's not free-lancing, but it's more of making plays. It's a little more my style. It allows you to be an athlete, not a robot."
Pitt coach Walt Harris also was on the receiving end of Bryant's public tirades, but Bryant said those episodes, actually, helped him reach the NFL.
"I know everything didn't work out the way I wanted it to," he said. "But you have to respect people that you learn from. That's life. Sometimes, those are the best relationships. The relationships that look smooth on the outside aren't the best relationships. The transitions I went through with (Harris) allowed me to get where I'm at today. I know he's a great coach. I sat down and had the one-on-one contact with him and I learned from him."
Harris said yesterday that Bryant has a "dynamite" future in the NFL.
"It was an honor to coach him because he was so passionate about the game," Harris said. "He was a young kid, a young, wild colt at the time. He's a special athlete who brought a special passion to the game of football here at the University of Pittsburgh."
Bryant was a second-round draft pick of the Cowboys in 2002. The Steelers chose wide receiver Antwaan Randle El in the same round when Bryant was available.
"That kind of made me a little frustrated," Bryant said.
"Am I a better receiver than Randle El? I feel that, yes. I can't take anything away from his athleticism. That's a great athlete. I enjoy watching him play. I thought I should have went before him, but everything happens for a reason."
Jerry DiPaola can be reached at trsp20@aol.com or 412-481-5432.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/steelerslive/s_271604.html
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Antonio Bryant said there are soft spots in the Steelers secondary that he expects to exploit Sunday when the teams get together in Cleveland.
Bryant, one of the best wide receivers in Pitt football history, said injuries may make the Steelers' vulnerable to the Browns' passing attack. The Steelers will play their second consecutive game without veteran cornerback Chad Scott, who is out with a quad injury. Plus, safety Mike Logan is lost for the season.
"God gives you a lot, but he doesn't give everybody everything," Bryant said.
"Injuries hurt teams in many different ways, and give some teams strong points and give some teams soft points. We're working on that right now, just looking for the soft spots and trying to find what can work for our offense and the talent we have here."
Usually, Bryant will say most everything, but he refused to publicly pinpoint the Steelers' weaknesses.
"I'll never give you the secret ingredient to the cookies that are making me a millionaire," he said.
The game Sunday will mark the second appearance by Bryant against the Steelers this season. Two days after he recorded a 22-yard reception for the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 17, he was traded to the Browns for wide receiver Quincy Morgan.
"It has been rather pleasing so far," said Bryant, who has six receptions for 69 yards in two games for the Browns.
The trade was inevitable after he threw a sweaty practice jersey at Cowboys coach Bill Parcells in the spring.
"That's something that I feel had to happen in my life," he said. "That was a transition period for me, from becoming a boy to a man. At that point, it was something that balled up. I put a lot of effort into trying to compete for a (starting) job. Unfortunately, other minds didn't feel that way."
He said he prefers the Browns' style of offense.
"At Dallas, it was more of disciplined offense. Here, it's not free-lancing, but it's more of making plays. It's a little more my style. It allows you to be an athlete, not a robot."
Pitt coach Walt Harris also was on the receiving end of Bryant's public tirades, but Bryant said those episodes, actually, helped him reach the NFL.
"I know everything didn't work out the way I wanted it to," he said. "But you have to respect people that you learn from. That's life. Sometimes, those are the best relationships. The relationships that look smooth on the outside aren't the best relationships. The transitions I went through with (Harris) allowed me to get where I'm at today. I know he's a great coach. I sat down and had the one-on-one contact with him and I learned from him."
Harris said yesterday that Bryant has a "dynamite" future in the NFL.
"It was an honor to coach him because he was so passionate about the game," Harris said. "He was a young kid, a young, wild colt at the time. He's a special athlete who brought a special passion to the game of football here at the University of Pittsburgh."
Bryant was a second-round draft pick of the Cowboys in 2002. The Steelers chose wide receiver Antwaan Randle El in the same round when Bryant was available.
"That kind of made me a little frustrated," Bryant said.
"Am I a better receiver than Randle El? I feel that, yes. I can't take anything away from his athleticism. That's a great athlete. I enjoy watching him play. I thought I should have went before him, but everything happens for a reason."
Jerry DiPaola can be reached at trsp20@aol.com or 412-481-5432.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/steelerslive/s_271604.html