PITTSBURGH - Former Steeler great Lynn Swann was the recipient of a vicious blind-side hit by two former members of the hated Oakland Raiders while speaking at a campaign rally of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Republicans in Monroeville last night. Witnesses said Swann ran a straight route through his supporters before coming to the podium to give a "get-out-the-vote" speech. "Swann had both arms out and left his entire body unprotected," said Ray Zaborney, Swann's campaign manager. "Then, out of nowhere come these two guys. One hit him high, clubbing him across the back of the neck. The other guy went for the back of the knee. Lynn went down in a heap."
The two men, identified as former Oakland Raider defensive backs George Atkinson and Jack Tatum, were arrested by police on their way back to the huddle at a table paid for by the Rendell campaign.
Dan Fee, a spokesman for the Rendell For Governor Committee, attempted to distance his candidate from the attack. "Governor Rendell prefers to beat his opponent senseless with the force of his ideas, not with the fists of his hired goons." Fee added that he had no idea why so many ex-members of the Oakland Raiders had volunteered for the Rendell campaign. "Maybe they just want one more chance to beat up on Swann," he said.
