Browns, Steelers heading south

Staff report

Scott Fujita was a post-Katrina pioneer.

The veteran linebacker was one of the first pro athletes to choose to make the battered Big Easy home, to invest in New Orleans financially and emotionally, and to take an active role in the city’s renaissance.

Today, less than nine months after he paraded triumphantly through downtown to celebrate the Saints’ first NFL championship, Fujita will be back in the domed stadium where fans adored him for the past four years, less than a mile from the warehouse district condominium he still owns.

Only this time, he’ll be trying to help the desperate Cleveland Browns (1-5) take down his old teammates with the Saints (4-2), who unlike Fujita still have a Super Bowl title to defend.

“It will be natural for there to be some emotions with it. I am going to try and not get too caught up with it. I have too many teammates teasing me, telling me I better not cry,” Fujita said. “There are so many strong feelings about that city. I am always going to have those feelings.”

STEELERS-DOLPHINS

The VIP entrance, new South Beach-style end zone club and addition of LeBron James to the fan base have somehow failed to help the Miami Dolphins’ home-field advantage.

Heading into today’s game against visiting Pittsburgh, Miami is 3-0 on the road but 0-2 at home.

“It’s odd,” receiver Brian Hartline said. “It obviously needs to be fixed.”

Part of the Dolphins’ problem at home has been the difficulty of the schedule. Their first three opponents in Miami have been the three teams with the NFL’s best records — the Jets, New England and now the AFC North-leading Steelers (4-1).

Another issue for the Dolphins: The parade of celebrities — including James at the home opener — and the party mood cultivated by owner Stephen Ross has created something less than a hostile environment.

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger liked playing in Miami just fine when his team won 30-24 last January.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “The stadium is great. We had a lot of Steeler fans there, and hopefully we’ll have a lot more this time around.”