Disparity of Fines Is Questioned

San Diego strong safety Rodney Harrison is not happy that he was fined $10,000 for leveling Kansas City receiver Andre Rison while Denver linebacker Bill Romanowski was fined $7,500 for spitting in the face of San Francisco receiver J.J. Stokes.

“It’s ridiculous,” Harrison said Friday. “If you can be fined $10,000 for hitting somebody, and then you let a guy get away with spitting in someone’s face . . . [that’s] absolutely degrading. I mean, that’s the lowest possible thing you can probably do to a person, and you fine him $7,500. That’s not right, in my opinion.”

The NFL also docked Harrison $2,500 for taunting Rison following the hit. It was the third time the hard-hitting Harrison has been fined this year, and he plans to appeal.

Even Bronco teammates Shannon Sharpe and Willie Green, who are black, said Romanowski wasn’t punished harshly enough. Bronco Coach Mike Shanahan said he respects Sharpe and Green for expressing their views.

“I think they spoke their mind and they spoke the truth. . . . They made it known Bill Romanowski is not [a racist]. In fact, they were very supportive of Bill, even though they were not very happy with what was done.”

*

The Kansas City Chiefs, seeking help along the defensive line for the upcoming playoffs, claimed veteran defensive tackle Michael Dean Perry off waivers from the Denver Broncos on Friday. To make room for Perry on the active roster, the Chiefs waived rookie defensive back Clyde Johnson. Perry, 32, joined the Broncos as a free agent in 1995 after spending his first seven seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

*

Terrell Davis is making progress in recovering from a slightly separated right shoulder, although the Broncos insist a decision on whether Davis, the AFC’s leading rusher, can play Sunday against San Diego won’t be made until game time. . . . Washington Redskin running back Terry Allen was put on the inactive list, ruling him out of Sunday’s season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. Stephen Davis will start in Allen’s place in a game the Redskins need to win to have any hope of making the playoffs. . . . The Minnesota Vikings signed veteran receiver Jake Reed to a four-year contract extension. . . . Dallas Cowboy offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese expects to lose his job. “Someone always is held accountable when you lose,” Zampese said. “I’m the offensive coordinator, and it’s my responsibility to get guys to play and to score touchdowns. We haven’t done either one well this year.”