Rendell told Comcast SportsNet yesterday that it would be a great way to preserve the rivalry that exists between the two franchises, which both entered the league in 1967. He also pitched it as a game that would disperse some of the proceeds to the United Way in both cities.

The NHL was thrilled with the reaction to the outdoor game it staged at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., this past New Year's Day. More than 71,000 turned out to watch the Sabres and Penguins play in a snowstorm. The feeling afterward was that the NHL would make an outdoor game on New Year's Day a traditional part of its schedule.

When reached in mid-December about the possibility of holding a game at 107,000-seat Beaver Stadium, Penn State sports information director Jeff Nelson was intrigued by the idea but didn't think the date would work. By New Year's Day, more than a month after the end of the football season, the stadium would be shut down.

"If somebody wanted to approach us with that idea, something like the end of the football season would really be the only possibility, like late November or early December," Nelson told the Daily News at the time. "The stadium would still be up and running [at that point]."

Having the governor carry the banner could remove a lot of obstacles, especially with his enthusiasm. Rendell noted that it would be a great event for people who normally don't get to see a game and predicted that an annual game would fill the stadium.

Friendly wagers a sure bet

* Mayor Michael Nutter must wear a Penguins jersey and fly a Penguins banner in Philadelphia for a day if the Flyers lose in a wager with Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. If the Flyers win, Ravenstahl must wear a Flyers jersey and fly a Flyers banner in Pittsburgh for a day. The loser also must travel to the winner's city and drop the puck at a future game.

* U.S. Reps. Bob Brady, from Philadelphia, and Mike Doyle, whose district includes Pittsburgh, have agreed that the congressman whose team loses will wear the winning team's jersey for a full day while the House is in session and treat the winner and his staff to lunch - cheesesteaks and soft pretzels from Brady or Primanti Bros. sandwiches from Doyle.

* State treasurer Robin Wiessmann and auditor general Jack Wagner also have put food on the line. If the Flyers win, Wagner, of Pittsburgh, will eat a cheesesteak in Philadelphia with Wiessmann. If the Penguins win, Wiessmann, from Bucks County, will eat a Primanti Bros. sandwich in Pittsburgh with Wagner. *