Super Bowl XXXIV • Site: Georgia Dome • Kickoff: 6:25 p.m. EST Sunday • TV: ABC • Line: St. Louis Rams by 7½ • Discuss the Game • Who's Going to Win?

By Leonard Shapiro and Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, Jan. 29, 2000; Page D4

ATLANTA, Jan. 28 – Charley Casserly will move into his new office in Houston on Monday and start unpacking boxes to begin preparations to build the city's new expansion team from ground zero.

The NFL's 32nd team will begin play in the 2002 season with Casserly as its first general manager.

Casserly, the Washington Redskins' former general manager, said today he has no plans to hire a head coach at least before next year, and could wait as long as two years depending on who becomes available.

For now, he will focus on assembling a scouting and office staff, and will begin full-time scouting this summer of college and pro personnel.

Casserly came to the Super Bowl this week with owner Robert McNair, mostly to meet and greet about 200 potential team sponsors.

He can't sign any players until December of 2001, and following the 2001 season, "we're on the clock just like everyone else."

Casserly was asked today if he felt vindicated by the Redskins winning the NFC East title and making their first playoff appearance in seven years.

He helped build that team, including the signing of quarterback Brad Johnson, before he was fired by team owner Daniel M. Snyder last summer.

"I never looked at it as vindication," he said. "I wasn't looking for vindication.

"Everyone who was there when it happened should be proud, the people there now and the people who are not there now.

"When I left, I told Dan Snyder, 'You've got a quarterback, three No. 1 picks and a manageable salary cap.'

"I thought when we left, it was in good shape so they could never say you were lying down on the job."

Clash of Titans
Two of the Tennessee Titans already had their game faces on today during a 1-hour, 40-minute practice inside the Georgia Dome. Wide receiver Derrick Mason and safety Blaine Bishop came to blows after an incomplete pass thrown by quarterback Neil O'Donnell.

According to a pool report, "even after the two players were separated, a task requiring much effort by teammates, they again tried to get back at each other before both were dismissed from the remainder of the drill. Mason walked off the field complaining about Bishop having hit him in the helmet."

After practice, Coach Jeff Fisher huddled with both players for several minutes and the players, according to the report, "talked out their differences and hugged before departing."

Said Fisher, "It's over with. They compete.

"They are highly competitive. That happens over the course of a season. Those two are about as competitive guys as I've got."

The Rams practiced for 90 minutes after the Titans left the field and Dick Vermeil said Jeff Wilkins will be the Rams kicker on Sunday, despite tendinitis in his left leg that has caused him problems planting his foot.

Vermeil said he came close to signing Washington native Nick Lowery to kick for him this week, until Wilkins had a good practice on Thursday.