FAMILIAR FACES MAKE THEIR PICKS.(Sports) - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

It's time again for that annual gridiron spectacle - no, not the Super Bowl, but the Scripps Howard Celebrity Super Bowl Poll. Personalities from the worlds of entertainment, politics, and sports make their picks for Sunday's game between the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans.

ELIZABETH TAYLOR, legendary actress: I'm for the Rams because I once had a boyfriend who played for the Rams, Glenn Davis, one of the greats who was an All-American when he played at West Point.

FAITH HILL, country singer, will sing National Anthem at Super Bowl, has been at all three of the Titans playoffs games and picked Tennessee to win each time. She also sang the national anthem at the first Titans' preseason game this year: Tennessee, 34-27.

STAN MUSIAL, legendary St. Louis Cardinals Hall-of-Famer: I'm picking the Rams. I've gone to several of the games. It's my hometown team.

BOB COSTAS, sportscaster who lives in St. Louis: Rams by a field goal in a high-scoring game.

SEN. JOHN McCAIN, R-Ariz., presidential candidate: St. Louis, because it's been a great comeback story for Dick Vermeil and all those other schmaltzy reasons. I'm an eternal optimist and maybe the Arizona Cardinals will do it sometime this century.

BILL BRADLEY, Democratic presidential candidate who grew up 30 miles from St. Louis: When asked for a prediction, he looked at the reporter and walked away.

GREGORY PECK, screen legend: I believe the Rams will take it. Once I lived in St. Louis, and in spite of the fact that Georgia Frontiere took the Rams away from L.A., I guess I'll go for them out of some maybe misplaced loyalty to a town.

SAMMY BAUGH, NFL legend: The Titans because I used to coach for the Houston Oilers.

JOHN ELWAY, NFL legend: I'm an AFC guy. Go Tennessee.

MICHAEL JORDAN, NBA legend: Whoever scores first will win.

JOHN WOODEN, legendary UCLA basketball coach: You know if I ever thought a game was a tossup, this is it. Because of my acquaintance and friendship with Dick Vermeil, I'm pulling for the Rams. But I'm worried. I'm afraid it's going to be the Titans. Both teams defensively are very strong, but I don't think it will be 11-6.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, III, son of the slain civil rights leader and president of the Atlanta-based Southern Christian Leadership Conference: I would like to see Tennessee win because I'm fond of (Steve) McNair. I was hoping to see the Falcons. I was hoping they would break history: No team that has ever hosted the Super Bowl has ever been in it.

SEN. FRED THOMPSON, R-Tenn.: I was embarrassed that I only picked the Titans to beat the Jaguars by 3. This time I'm predicting a 24-17 Titans win. And I need a ticket.

HALEY JOEL OSMENT, child actor, ``The Sixth Sense'': The Rams. They've shown through excellent play execution on both sides of the ball that they have what it takes to win. The stats also affect my choice. The Rams have the lowest penalty average, and all their players' stats are top notch. The Titans just can't cut it against a team like that. Sorry, Nashville, maybe next year. Rams by 14.

GENIE EASY, astrologer with Astronet.com: We're pretty much going with Tennessee. We believe they will be more much emotionally empowered, especially Steve McNair. We believe it will go into overtime. Tennessee and McNair are astrologically in better position to make the adjustments because of the sun connecting with Uranus.

GEORGE TENET, CIA Director: Tennessee Titans. The reason for the pick and the point spread are secret.

PETER KRAUSE, actor, Casey on ``Sports Night'': I'm pulling for the Titans. I like the underdog.

DAN REEVES, Atlanta Falcons coach: St. Louis 20, Tennessee 17. The Rams have too much speed, and you can't scheme against speed.

DAN ISSEL, Denver Nuggets coach: `I'd like to see the Rams win, only because I can't imagine how much (coach) Dick Vermeil will cry if he wins the whole thing. I like that kind of stuff.

MERV GRIFFIN, entertainer/producer: Does this mean if the Rams win, they'll come back to L.A.? Tennessee by a touchdown.

GOLDBERG, WCW pro wrestling superstar and former NFL player: Rams.

CHAMIQUE HOLDSCLAW, WNBA star: Tennessee all the way! Jevon Kearse is a great defensive player and I like Eddie George, they're my two favorite football players. I'm a big fan of Jevon Kearse, I think he's going to be great, he's going to be the next Lawrence Taylor. And Eddie George is just a good running back. I think Tennessee, once Steve McNair came back and started getting back into the flow, they started getting better.

DICK SCHULTZ, executive director, U.S. Olympic Committee: Even though I will be pulling for Dick Vermeil and the Rams for their great comeback this year, I am going to pick the Titans. They are obviously a team of destiny and they are really playing very well right now. I think they have better balance. However I think this has the potential of being one of the better Super Bowl games.

DICK SCHAAP, sportscaster and author: I love the fact that a quarterback from Northern Iowa (the Rams' Warner) is going head-to-head with a quarterback from Alcorn State (McNair). But I go with Northern Iowa.

JOE FRAZIER, former heavyweight boxing champ: I love the Rams because they are a small piece of leather well put together. Dick Vermeil remembered my career very well when he came to play Philadelphia and said I was an inspiration to him. I'll remember that and root for him.

BOB DENVER, actor, Gilligan on ``Gilligan's Island'': I don't know. I watched both playoffs. I thought the Rams were going to run over (Tampa Bay), but they just barely made it. The announcers, I love when they have to eat crow. I'll probably go with St. Louis. I think Vermeil has just probably got them wired, I think since he brought them from nowhere.

AL LEWIS, actor/politician, Grandpa Munster on ``the Munsters'': The Winner: St. Louis. Coach of the Year: Dick Vermeil. No question about it.

AL FRANKEN, author/performer: Boy, I don't know. I'm a Vikings fan. I guess I'll go with the Rams, the team that beat my team. That way it makes us look less bad. Think how bad Miami is.

ROBERT STACK, actor: The Rams, 21-0. We're neighbors of Georgia Frontiere.

DONNA SHALAHA, secretary of Health and Human Services: She demurs that she hasn't followed the Titans and Rams closely enough this season to make a Super Bowl call, but forecasts ``the Cleveland Browns will take it next year.''

Scripps Howard News Service