Pleasurable Ringing in His Ears

The phone kept ringing at Steve Emtman’s house, but he wasn’t ready to answer.

The first player chosen in the 1992 draft, Emtman couldn’t decide whether to retire or simply sit out the season after he had been cut during training camp by the San Francisco 49ers, his third team in four years.

He ignored several offers from teams to try out. Then the Redskins called, and he decided he was ready to come back.

“I considered [retirement] for about two or three weeks,” Emtman, who was signed Tuesday, said as he settled into his locker at Redskin Park. “After sitting around trying a few other things, it was kind of like I still had the desire in me to play the game, and I wanted to go out and give it another shot. I want to walk away from this game with my head high.”

Emtman is the latest castaway to join the Redskin defensive line. Injuries and Sean Gilbert’s season-long holdout have caused the team to sign players and suit them up for games only days later. Emtman is no exception; he got two tackles in a relief role during the Redskins’ 23-20 loss to the Rams on Sunday.

Emtman is trying to prove he can be the dominating force he was with the University of Washington. Drafted No. 1 by the Indianapolis Colts, he hurt his left knee during his rookie season, his right knee the next year and was released in July 1995, having appeared in only 18 of 48 games.

Emtman moved on to Miami, where he played the last two years, largely as a backup, but was released in February in a cost-cutting move. He then tried to latch on with the 49ers.

“They have about six defensive linemen that are Pro Bowl potential, and I didn’t play well,” Emtman said. “When it came to game time, I didn’t get the job done. I shattered by finger in the second exhibition game, and tried to play through it.”

Emtman says he’s now injury-free. In fact, it’s a very sore subject with him.

“It’s frustrating that I still carry that label,” Emtman said. “I had two healthy seasons in Miami, and all anyone wants to talk about is the injuries I had my first two years. To be completely honest, I’ve very tired of it. It’s hard enough getting it out of my mind.”

ODE TO BILLY JOE

Sunday’s 16-13 victory over Carolina was New Orleans quarterback Billy Joe Hobert’s first victory as a starter in his six-year NFL career.

“I felt that they guys rallied around me,” he said. “I don’t know if they like me or not, but they know that I am under a lot of pressure to do something positive for this team.”

LET’S GIVE A HAND TO FOOTMAN

A season that began with Dan Footman as a reserve for the Indianapolis Colts will end with a career-high for sacks.

The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Footman tied the franchise record for consecutive games with at least one sack, recording one in each of his first six games as a starter. The streak ended in Sunday’s 20-17 loss to New England.

Footman was a reserve before Tony Bennett was sidelined because of a knee injury. He has started the last seven games and tied the Colt record set in 1976 by Joe Ehrmann.

“It was a matter of waiting my turn,” Footman said. “The way it came, it was an unfortunate situation. I had to make the best of it.”

To show how unexpected Footman’s performance has been, he has 7 1/2 sacks, nearing the total of nine he recorded in four seasons with the Cleveland-Baltimore franchise. His previous season high was five in 1995.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ‘UP WITH PEOPLE?’

Here’s the news you’ve all been waiting for:

The multimillion-selling R&B; group Boyz II Men will highlight the Super Bowl halftime show, a salute to Motown’s 40th anniversary.

Other acts performing will be the Temptations, the Tops (formerly the Four Tops) and Smokey Robinson, the NFL announced Sunday.

The Super Bowl will be played Jan. 25 at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium.

THEY’RE USED TO SIRENS IN OAKLAND

The Dolphins’ plane to Oakland on Saturday night had a minor hydraulic leak, but landed without a problem. Emergency vehicles were along the runway when the plane landed, and escorted the plane to the gate.

Players did not even know about the problem until the plane had landed safely.

ARRESTING DEVELOPMENTS

A crackdown on rowdy Eagle fans apparently is working.

Only five fans were arrested Sunday to be tried at the team’s in-stadium court, down from 20 arrests in the first week.

Two people were arrested on disorderly conduct charges and one was convicted, Eagle spokesman Ron Howard said. Two fans were convicted of public urination, while a fifth was found guilty of trespassing. The fans were fined between $200-$300.

The Eagles opened the court last Sunday in response to a Nov. 10 game marred by fights and the firing of a flare gun.

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First Things First

With 107 points, New York Jet rookie kicker John Hall is five points from leading the AFC in scoring. A rookie has led his conference in scoring only six times since 1970. A look:

1972--Chester Marcol, Green Bay: 128

1978--Frank Corral, L.A. Rams: 118

1980--Eddie Murray, Detroit: 116

1982--Marcus Allen, L.A. Raiders: 84

1985--Kevin Butler, Chicago: 144

1989--David Treadwell, Denver: 120

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE PLAYMAKERS

RUSHING

*--*

Player, Team No. Yds. TD TERRELL DAVIS, Broncos 26 178 1 JEROME BETTIS, Steelers 36 142 3 WARRICK DUNN, Buccaneers 24 120 0 FRED LANE, Panthers 13 112 1

*--*

PASSING

*--*

Player, Team Att. Comp. Yds. TD BOOMER ESIASON, Bengals 47 27 378 4 MARK BRUNELL, Jaguars 40 25 317 1 BOBBY HOYING, Eagles 42 26 313 4 JIM HARBAUGH, Colts 41 22 310 2 TONY BANKS, Rams 38 19 298 1 NEIL O’DONNELL, Jets 47 25 292 1 JEFF GEORGE, Raiders 34 17 272 2 JAKE PLUMMER, Cardinals 26 15 270 2 GUS FREROTTE, Redskins 45 20 258 1 DAN MARINO, Dolphins 34 19 241 2 JOHN ELWAY, Broncos 33 20 240 3

*--*

RECEIVING

*--*

Player, Team No. Yds. TD ROB MOORE, Cardinals 8 188 0 AMP LEE, Rams 6 128 1 TIM BROWN, Raiders 8 125 1 IRVING FRYAR, Eagles 7 122 0 SEAN DAWKINS, Colts 7 120 1 JAMES HUNDON, Bengals 5 118 2 ANDRE RISON, Chiefs 5 117 2 ED McCAFFREY, Broncos 7 111 2

*--*