Who cares, Yo?

Victoria Sun

Friday, March 23, 2001 | 10:04 a.m.

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Las Vegas Outlaws running back Rod Smart has "He Hate Me" on the back of his jersey instead of his last name.

The moniker is in reference to the fact that Smart motivates himself by thinking opposing players hate him on the field and they're going to hate him more after he tears through their defense.

Based on the Nielsen ratings of last Saturday's game between the Outlaws and the Birmingham Bolts on NBC which netted a 1.6 rating, believed to be the lowest ever in prime time on the top three networks (NBC, CBS and ABC), is the rest of the country sending a similar message?

Do they hate the XFL enough that they can't be bothered to watch it?

Recently acquired Outlaws wide receiver Yo Murphy isn't worried about it.

"I don't care about ratings," Murphy said on Thursday. "A long time ago, a coach told me that I get paid to do my job.

"There might be five people watching and it doesn't matter. I know the five are going to be my family and friends so I'm not worried about the ratings. I know the people important to me are watching."

The Outlaws (4-3) will try to avenge an early-season loss to the West Division-leading Los Angeles Xtreme (5-2) Saturday at the L.A. Coliseum (5 p.m.).

During the Outlaws' 34-12 victory over the Bolts at Sam Boyd Stadium and the team's 27-15 loss at Orlando, Murphy was surrounded by important visitors on the sidelines -- some former teammates on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Warren Sapp, Anthony "Booger" McFarland, Anthony Reidel and Shelton Quarles were among the Bucs who stood on the sideline to support Murphy.

"It's cool," Murphy said of having his former teammates around. "I think the big thing is, they're just my friends.

"Whether it's a guy no one's ever heard of that's never played football that comes to the game or them, it's the same thing.

"They like it (the XFL). They like how they got the mics, the crazy names, stuff like that. But the bottom line is, it's football."

Murphy played under Outlaws coach Jim Criner for the Scottish Claymores in NFL Europe. The 5-8 wideout earned MVP honors after nabbing eight catches for 138 yards and three touchdowns during the Claymores' World Bowl victory over Frankfurt following the 1996 season.

He spent the last two seasons at Tampa Bay, but didn't re-sign with the team at the end of this season because it gave him an ultimatum: Play in NFL Europe again before returning to the NFL, or walk. Murphy decided to take his chances as a free agent and rejoin Criner after the Outlaws called him.

"It's just a chance to play football," Murphy said. "I mean, a lot of people talk, 'It's not the NFL.'

"Well, no kidding, you know. Right now it was an opportune time for me to come play. Usually in the off-season I've been with an NFL team the past few years and just worked out during the off-season."

So far, Murphy has worked out for the Outlaws.

After appearing in only three games, he leads the team in touchdowns (three) and has 11 catches for 110 yards.