SUPER BOWL XXXIII NOTEBOOK : FALCONS TRY KIND, GENTLE APPROACH.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Reeves has done this Super Bowl thing eight times previously, but he's still scratching his head trying to figure out just how to go about it.

He was 1-1 as a player with the Dallas Cowboys, 1-2 as an assistant with Dallas, and 0-3 as head coach of the Broncos.

So he's mixing up a few things as the Falcons (16-2) prepare for Super Bowl XXXIII against Denver (16-2) next Sunday in Miami. The most notable development is that Reeves decided to allow players to have their families stay with them at the Miami Airport Hilton and Towers hotel.

``You've got to enjoy it,'' Reeves said. ``It's not going to be one of those things where we bunker down and take away everything and not allow them to have a life this next week. They just got to realize what is important, and get themselves ready for the biggest game they've ever played in.

``Our families are staying with them at the hotel. That's something not many teams would do, but that's the way we've approached the whole season. Hopefully, we'll handle that well.''

In Atlanta, truth hurts

Denver Post writer Jim Armstrong tells Coloradans why Falcon Fever is a new phenomenon.

``With the possible exception of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - OK, with no exceptions - the Falcons have been the NFL's worst franchise of this generation,'' writes Armstrong, on location in Suwanee, Ga. ``When they were born, somebody should have slapped the doctor.''

Black n' white issue

As home team, the Falcons chose their black uniforms for the Super Bowl, leaving the Broncos in white. Since switching to their predominantly navy uniforms before the 1997 season, the Broncos have posted a startling 21-0 record in blue. In white uniforms, the Broncos have been only 11-6, including a 2-0 postseason mark.

Also . . .

Denver's John Elway (38) and Atlanta's Chris Chandler (33) are the oldest starting quarterback combination in Super Bowl history. . . . Super Bowl XXXIII will be the Falcons' first game on grass in 10 games.