Blaine Bishop is the Tennessee Titans own Tasmanian devil. The strong safety flies around the field stopping runners at the line of scrimmage, zipping from side to side covering receivers or slashing into the backfield for a sack. Rookie Jevon Kearse got most of the publicity this season, but Bishop has held the Titans defense together in this Super Bowl season. And he does everything at 110 mph. Hes ferocious, tackle Jason Fisk said. Hes got it on all the time. Its something in his personality. When he gets out there on the football field, dont make him mad. Hell go crazy. Rams running back Marshall Faulk, the NFLs Offensive Player of the Year, said a runner always must be on the lookout for the bow-legged Bishop. Blaines a crafty safety. He loves getting big shots on you, and hes a guy whos smart. Hell get the sure tackle. You have to be careful when playing Blaine Bishop, Faulk said. Not bad for a guy no one wanted when he came out of high school, who had to walk on at Ball State and then waited until the eighth round of the NFL draft in 1993 before hearing his telephone ring. Hes probably my favorite guy Ive ever coached, Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said. People tell you all the things he cant do. He cant backpedal. He cant turn his hips, but he really gets after it. When I first saw him, I wanted to know those same things. But my opinion changed completely when we put him in a helmet and pads. Bishop now has the respect of the NFL.He has been to the Pro Bowl three times, and the Titans designated him their franchise player just before they left Houston for Tennessee in 1997. They re-signed him for six years and $18 million. But he still sees himself as a scrawny player trying to convince coaches that yes, he can play football. They think Im crazy. I feel like not only myself, but the team, doesnt get a lot of respect, Bishop said. His teammates see Bishop as a defensive coordinator on the field and a tireless defender who has led the team in tackles three of the last five seasons. Hes best when telling people what he thinks. Hes not a guy whos worried about your feelings, free safety Anthony Dorsett said. If he doesnt think youre going to get the job done, he will let you know. Linebacker Joe Bowden has never seen someone as intense as Bishop. Hell get in your face, slap you around, cuss and talk crazy, Bowden said. Its easy to be intense when no one ever gave you a chance to do what you love. Growing up in Indiana, Bishop dreamed of playing for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame or the blue and maize of Michigan. Neither school called. Actually, nobody offered the 5-foot-9, 203-pound Bishop a college scholarship. Always the tweener: A step too slow to play corner and too short to play safety, Bishop said.