13Ers Leg-Whipped Denver, Reeves Alleges

NEW ORLEANS - An angry Coach Dan Reeves, the morning after his team's lopsided loss in Super Bowl XXIV, accused the San Francisco 49ers of injuring his Pro Bowl linebacker, Karl Mecklenburg, with an illegal leg whip.

``The only thing I told the officials before the game was to watch for the leg whipping,'' the Denver Bronco coach said. ``This team is the worst leg-whipping team I've ever seen. And then Karl got leg whipped.''

Right guard Bruce Collie of the 49ers, identified on the game telecast as the player who injured Mecklenburg, said: ``I don't leg whip. I just play football.''

Mecklenburg had his legs cut from under him in the first half. He returned but clearly was hampered. He was scheduled to undergo surgery for torn cartilage in his knee today and won't play in Sunday's Pro Bowl game in Hawaii.

Reeves' comments, in sudden anger, came at the end of a 20-minute news conference before the Broncos left New Orleans.

He had spent much of the time telling reporters how much the 55-10 defeat hurt. ``There is no conciliation in anything

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anyone can say to you,'' Reeves said.

Leg-whipping allegations are nothing new to the 49ers.

After a victory over the Raiders in 1985, defensive end Howie Long of the Raiders cornered Bobb McKittrick, offensive line coach of the 49ers, in a tunnel leading into the Los Angeles Coliseum and threatened him, accusing him of ``teaching leg whipping'' to his

players.

McKittrick, who couldn't be reached for comment yesterday, has denied the allegation.

Faithful few greet Broncos

-- DENVER - Only 53 faithful fans waived banners and shouted encouragement as the somber Denver Broncos returned home yesterday from their 55-10 loss to San Francisco in Sunday's Super Bowl game.

There was no parade and no police escort. Most of the players didn't acknowledge the greetings of the fans.

``Forget it. Blow it off,'' said Levi Gonzales, propped on crutches to ease the pain of a fractured hip. ``They look a little discouraged.''

Robin May, who took a break from her freight sales job, said, ``They all look like they've been run over by a truck. I feel bad for them. They did the best they could. They played hard.''

Coach Dan Reeves and quarterback John Elway signed autographs on the way to their vehicles.

``We've got great fans. We think the world of our fans,'' Reeves said. ``I'm sure they're as disappointed as we are.''

While players picked through rows of luggage in an airline hanger, fans stood on the other side of a 6-foot fence topped with barbed wire.

Some shouted. A few waved signs, one of which said: ``Great Year. Bad Day.''

Jets, Holmgren to talk

-- NEW YORK - General Manager Dick Steinberg of the New York Jets will interview Mike Holmgren, San Francisco offensive coordinator, for the Jet coaching job.

Steinberg has interviewed 11 candidates since Joe Walton was fired Dec. 26.

``We're going to meet at an undisclosed time and place in the near future,'' said Steinberg, who has been cautious about his interview plans since Michigan State's George Perles spurned the Jets last week to remain at the school with the additional duty of athletic director.

It is believed Steinberg will meet Holmgren Thursday or Friday at the scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Steinberg twice was denied permission by the 49ers to interview Holmgren, who also is a candidate for the Phoenix Cardinals' coaching job, until after the Super Bowl.

Two Chiefs sentenced

-- KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Two members of the Kansas City Chiefs have been given suspended sentences after pleading guilty to carrying concealed weapons.

Wide receiver Pete Mandley and defensive back Kevin Porter each was charged in separate cases. Each had a 30-day sentence suspended and each was put on six months unsupervised probation.

Court cases for the two had been set in late January and late February, but the cases were moved up after the football season ended in an agreement with city prosecutors.

Court records indicate Porter pleaded guilty before Jackson County Associate Circuit Judge Robert A. Iannone Dec. 29, and Mandley pleaded guilty Jan. 3.

Mandley was arrested Nov. 16 after shots were fired outside a midtown Kansas City nightclub. Police stopped Mandley's car because it matched a description given them, and arrested him when they found a loaded 9mm handgun in the glove compartment.

Porter was arrested two weeks later after he placed a .25-caliber pistol on the bar of another nightclub.