Last night as I lay down to fall asleep, the Warren Zevon song “Numb as a Statue” popped into my head. It is a great song off his final album, “The Wind”. I’m always intrigued by this album because he recorded it after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer therefore knowing it would be the last album he ever made.
That’s a pretty heavy concept… when you consciously know that you are doing something for the last time in your life, how does it affect you? When that act is writing a collection of songs, what do you write about?
Originally, my interpretation of “The Wind” was that Warren didn’t really care about death. It seemed that he acknowledged it, of course, but I read him as being generally indifferent towards both life and death. This seemed to line up with his entire career body of work, in my opinion.
Looking back on what happened, though, I think I read it all wrong. Warren was diagnosed with inoperable cancer and told he had few months to live. He refused treatment (I suppose the logic was, I’m going to die anyway, so why go through all that), instead opting to write an album with the little time he had left. In the act of performing his final task, however, he ended up living for over year. It seems to me that a person who should really only live a short period of time but instead extends that without the help of modern medicine really doesn’t want to die. He may give the appearance that he is indifferent about life or death, but somewhere deep inside him he wanted to live.
Now I interpret “The Wind” as Warren coming to grips with the fact that as much as his conscious mind wanted to believe that he didn’t give a shit about life or death, he couldn’t deny his unconscious drive to keep going. I think there was an incredible war within him over this point, both sides fighting for control of his body. And as he was writing the album, I think he realized the battle’s outcome was not what he originally predicted or even wanted to believe.
I really wish the man was still alive so I could ask him about this. But alas, his time has come and gone and that conversation will never happen. His ride on the wheel of life finally came to an end as he was crushed under the wheel on its trip around and around and around and around.
This is the fate of all of us. For some the wheel has a large circumference and the ride lasts quite a while before we find ourselves pinned between the wheel and the road. For others, the wheel is tiny and the trip short. Rest assured, though, at some point we will all be squashed.
This brings me to my own philosophy on life as told perfectly by Spinal Tap’s Viv Savage:
“Have a good time, all the time”
Life is limited and there is likely no true meaning to it at all. So you may as well have a good time as long as you are on the ride!
Hey, don’t think I’m overly shallow here. Of course doing good and leaving this place better than we found it are important as well. I’m just saying that you shouldn’t lose sight of having a good time while you’re at it. If you don’t do it now, you might find that it is too late.
That’s why after I’m done writing this I’m going to go sit on the back patio, turn on the radio, crack open a beer and stare at the sky.
You’re welcome to join me if you wish.
-David
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Draft wishes
All this talk of labor dispute in the NFL is really starting to bore me. I waffle between siding with the owners and then the players. Then I step back and think, their all filthy rich so who really gives a shit.
To take my mind off that silliness, I’ll focus on what the Steelers need to do to prepare themselves for the future via the NFL draft.
I’ll list the positions where I think the Steelers have the most need. Knowing the Steelers draft philosophy, I don’t expect them to draft people in this particular order, but as long as they walk away with most of these needs addressed I should be okay.
So, in order, here is what I think our need positions are.
1) CB: Prior to the Superbowl let down, I probably would have put OT in this spot. But that game just continued to highlight that beyond Ike Taylor, you really can’t count on any Steelers CB to perform worth a damn. I really have a secret dream that Crezdon Butler will all of a sudden become a stud #2 corner this year… but even if that were to happen we are not guaranteed to have Ike Taylor back. Things could be so dire here that I would be perfectly happy if we drafted two CBs this year. I’m not so sure we’ll get a good guy with the 31st pick, but hopefully by round 3 we’ve grabbed a guy that could play (at least nickel) in his rookie year. If not, I suspect it could be a frustrating year.
2) OT: I really do like Flozell Adams on the right side and I still hope we can keep Willie Colon. If we end up with both, we’re okay here for at least one more year. But our left side is a mess. Jonathon Scott is not good and we really have no depth behind Max Starks. And either way, all these starters are getting older so we need something to happen on the O-line. Maybe Tony Hills will step up. But just in case, I would really like to see us take a stud OL within the first three rounds.
3) NT: Casey Hampton is not getting any younger and we don’t appear to have his long term replacement on the team just yet. NT is VERY important in the 3-4 defense (some would argue the most important… see below).
4) S: I’d be okay with a strong safety or a free safety here. Polamalu is getting a bit older and he usually ends up injured at least a few games a year as it is. Ryan Clark is really starting to get older and though he’s been very durable, that will come to an end at some point. Ryan Mundy is okay, but he is only one man and we have two safeties on the field. Time to find a future stud starter.
5) DE: I’m actually really happy with the D-line and with Aaron Smith back, we should be that much better off. But, again, outside of Ziggy Hood everybody (starters and backups) are really old. We need to build for the future and this seems to be the year for stud D-Ends in the draft. Side note: Who will start at Left end next year? Hood or Smith? Smith has always been a stud but is he now a backup coming off his injury, I wonder?
6) QB: Dixon may or may not be an NFL caliber starter, but regardless, we’re not going to be able to keep him after his rookie contract ends. And since we don’t need a long term replacement for Big Ben just yet, it’s coming to the time where we need to throw this fish back in the ocean and get a new one. We could probably wait another year on this if we plan to keep Leftwich over Batch as the #3 QB this year, but it might be a nice grab if we can find a good guy in round 5 through 7.
7) LB, LB, LB: As always, you’ll never see me complain if we pick up another LB or two. It is the most critical piece of a 3-4 offense (well, I suppose you could argue the NT might be as well and maybe it is really a combo….). We’re in pretty good shape with our starters, and I like our depth with Fox in the middle and Worlids on the outside. I imagine Sylvester will fit in there as well. So really, we could skip LB this year if we wanted to.
What I do NOT want to see is us drafting a WR or RB in this draft. I think we have plenty of good, young depth at both positions. I also think we can pass on OG, but I suppose I wouldn’t be pissed if we picked one. I could see a scenario where we draft a TE or K, but I’m sort of hoping we don’t because I think we have greater needs than that.
What will happen? My guess is in the first round we either draft a DL or OL with pick #31 or we trade up a few spots and grab a CB if one we really love happens to slip into the 20s. By the end of round 3, I presume we’ll have a DL, CB, and maybe an OL. I also wouldn’t put it past us to grab 2 of one of those positions in the first 3 rounds and save the third position for later in the draft.
But you never know. The draft is so dynamic, that really anything can happen.
-David
To take my mind off that silliness, I’ll focus on what the Steelers need to do to prepare themselves for the future via the NFL draft.
I’ll list the positions where I think the Steelers have the most need. Knowing the Steelers draft philosophy, I don’t expect them to draft people in this particular order, but as long as they walk away with most of these needs addressed I should be okay.
So, in order, here is what I think our need positions are.
1) CB: Prior to the Superbowl let down, I probably would have put OT in this spot. But that game just continued to highlight that beyond Ike Taylor, you really can’t count on any Steelers CB to perform worth a damn. I really have a secret dream that Crezdon Butler will all of a sudden become a stud #2 corner this year… but even if that were to happen we are not guaranteed to have Ike Taylor back. Things could be so dire here that I would be perfectly happy if we drafted two CBs this year. I’m not so sure we’ll get a good guy with the 31st pick, but hopefully by round 3 we’ve grabbed a guy that could play (at least nickel) in his rookie year. If not, I suspect it could be a frustrating year.
2) OT: I really do like Flozell Adams on the right side and I still hope we can keep Willie Colon. If we end up with both, we’re okay here for at least one more year. But our left side is a mess. Jonathon Scott is not good and we really have no depth behind Max Starks. And either way, all these starters are getting older so we need something to happen on the O-line. Maybe Tony Hills will step up. But just in case, I would really like to see us take a stud OL within the first three rounds.
3) NT: Casey Hampton is not getting any younger and we don’t appear to have his long term replacement on the team just yet. NT is VERY important in the 3-4 defense (some would argue the most important… see below).
4) S: I’d be okay with a strong safety or a free safety here. Polamalu is getting a bit older and he usually ends up injured at least a few games a year as it is. Ryan Clark is really starting to get older and though he’s been very durable, that will come to an end at some point. Ryan Mundy is okay, but he is only one man and we have two safeties on the field. Time to find a future stud starter.
5) DE: I’m actually really happy with the D-line and with Aaron Smith back, we should be that much better off. But, again, outside of Ziggy Hood everybody (starters and backups) are really old. We need to build for the future and this seems to be the year for stud D-Ends in the draft. Side note: Who will start at Left end next year? Hood or Smith? Smith has always been a stud but is he now a backup coming off his injury, I wonder?
6) QB: Dixon may or may not be an NFL caliber starter, but regardless, we’re not going to be able to keep him after his rookie contract ends. And since we don’t need a long term replacement for Big Ben just yet, it’s coming to the time where we need to throw this fish back in the ocean and get a new one. We could probably wait another year on this if we plan to keep Leftwich over Batch as the #3 QB this year, but it might be a nice grab if we can find a good guy in round 5 through 7.
7) LB, LB, LB: As always, you’ll never see me complain if we pick up another LB or two. It is the most critical piece of a 3-4 offense (well, I suppose you could argue the NT might be as well and maybe it is really a combo….). We’re in pretty good shape with our starters, and I like our depth with Fox in the middle and Worlids on the outside. I imagine Sylvester will fit in there as well. So really, we could skip LB this year if we wanted to.
What I do NOT want to see is us drafting a WR or RB in this draft. I think we have plenty of good, young depth at both positions. I also think we can pass on OG, but I suppose I wouldn’t be pissed if we picked one. I could see a scenario where we draft a TE or K, but I’m sort of hoping we don’t because I think we have greater needs than that.
What will happen? My guess is in the first round we either draft a DL or OL with pick #31 or we trade up a few spots and grab a CB if one we really love happens to slip into the 20s. By the end of round 3, I presume we’ll have a DL, CB, and maybe an OL. I also wouldn’t put it past us to grab 2 of one of those positions in the first 3 rounds and save the third position for later in the draft.
But you never know. The draft is so dynamic, that really anything can happen.
-David
Friday, February 4, 2011
Superbowl XLV prediction
I don’t know. I guess it kind of pisses me off that most of the experts seem to be picking the Packers to beat the Steelers in the Superbowl. I’m just having a hard time seeing it. Could the Packers win? Sure they could. But I really don’t expect that to happen.
There seems to be this huge conspiracy of people who want the Steelers to lose and they put all their mental powers into wishing that will happen. Well let me clue all you haters into something: Focus all your energy on your hating until the blood vessels in your head explode and you die like a dog. The Steelers didn’t come to the Superbowl to lose. And when they put their minds and bodies into something, they usually pull through.
Before the season started, I was sitting at my buddy Dave’s house getting drunk out on his back porch. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon and the whole crew was there. It was on that day that I pulled out the prediction I was working on for most of the summer. That prediction was that the Steelers would go 11-5 and win the AFC North. Every man and woman at Dave’s house to a person laughed at me until they rolled off their chairs. This was the Steelers that finished 3rd in the AFC North the season before. This was the team that missed the playoffs. This was the team that would not have their starting quarterback for the first 4 to 6 games. But I have to tell you, I looked at a team that had a down season. I looked at a team that was basically the same team that won a Superbowl. I looked at a team that had the potential to have the best defense in all of football. I looked at the Bungles and realized their previous season was a fluke. I looked at it being a dog fight between the Steelers and the Ravens and felt for sure the Steelers could pull through.
I made many bets that day on my 11-5 prediction. There was almost more action than I could take. And when the Steelers finished the season at 12-4 with the AFC North title, I won those bets.
Now we sit, two days before the Superbowl, and it seems that everyone wants to mock my predictions again. The betting line opened with the Packers as a favorite and never wavered. The critics were all coy with their secret passion for the Packers and now they are officially declaring their love for them to win. Why, after an entire season of winning, do people still insist that the Steelers are losers this year?
So while everyone else seems to be caught up in totally writing off the Pittsburgh Steelers, what am I doing? I’m picking the Steelers to win just like I did on that beautiful summer afternoon on Dave’s back porch.
Normally, I would break down exactly why I think that. But to be honest this past 2 weeks have been much more hectic than usual and I really haven’t even had a moment to sit down and critically analyze the game. So my bet is pure gut feel. I know the Steelers are champions. The players are awesome. The coaching is outstanding. Could the Packers have awesome players and outstanding coaches? They could and they might. But they’ll have to prove it to me.
Until they do though, I’ll bet on the Black and Gold.
Pittsburgh 31, Green Bay 24
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!
-David
There seems to be this huge conspiracy of people who want the Steelers to lose and they put all their mental powers into wishing that will happen. Well let me clue all you haters into something: Focus all your energy on your hating until the blood vessels in your head explode and you die like a dog. The Steelers didn’t come to the Superbowl to lose. And when they put their minds and bodies into something, they usually pull through.
Before the season started, I was sitting at my buddy Dave’s house getting drunk out on his back porch. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon and the whole crew was there. It was on that day that I pulled out the prediction I was working on for most of the summer. That prediction was that the Steelers would go 11-5 and win the AFC North. Every man and woman at Dave’s house to a person laughed at me until they rolled off their chairs. This was the Steelers that finished 3rd in the AFC North the season before. This was the team that missed the playoffs. This was the team that would not have their starting quarterback for the first 4 to 6 games. But I have to tell you, I looked at a team that had a down season. I looked at a team that was basically the same team that won a Superbowl. I looked at a team that had the potential to have the best defense in all of football. I looked at the Bungles and realized their previous season was a fluke. I looked at it being a dog fight between the Steelers and the Ravens and felt for sure the Steelers could pull through.
I made many bets that day on my 11-5 prediction. There was almost more action than I could take. And when the Steelers finished the season at 12-4 with the AFC North title, I won those bets.
Now we sit, two days before the Superbowl, and it seems that everyone wants to mock my predictions again. The betting line opened with the Packers as a favorite and never wavered. The critics were all coy with their secret passion for the Packers and now they are officially declaring their love for them to win. Why, after an entire season of winning, do people still insist that the Steelers are losers this year?
So while everyone else seems to be caught up in totally writing off the Pittsburgh Steelers, what am I doing? I’m picking the Steelers to win just like I did on that beautiful summer afternoon on Dave’s back porch.
Normally, I would break down exactly why I think that. But to be honest this past 2 weeks have been much more hectic than usual and I really haven’t even had a moment to sit down and critically analyze the game. So my bet is pure gut feel. I know the Steelers are champions. The players are awesome. The coaching is outstanding. Could the Packers have awesome players and outstanding coaches? They could and they might. But they’ll have to prove it to me.
Until they do though, I’ll bet on the Black and Gold.
Pittsburgh 31, Green Bay 24
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!
-David
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Conference Championship Picks
I’ve been meaning to get some predictions for this weekend’s football games out there but have been really busy this weekend.
For Green Bay vs. Chicago I’ve been mixed all week. I am having hard time visualizing this game. I think I’m going to pick Green Bay 35, Chicago 24 though I guess I could easily see it the exact opposite.
Now, onto the real game this weekend: When the week started, I was picking the Steelers to crush the Jets. As the week wore on, I began second guessing. I think I am underestimating Rex Ryan as a coach. I think the Steelers are by far a better team than the Jets, but they did get to the AFC championship and I think Ryan is a big part of that. That said, if the Jets win this game, which they could, I think it will be because Ryan outcoached Tomlin. However, I don’t see it happening. But I will adjust my original score of Steelers 27, Jets 10 to my new prediction of Steelers 21, Jets 14.
GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!
-David
For Green Bay vs. Chicago I’ve been mixed all week. I am having hard time visualizing this game. I think I’m going to pick Green Bay 35, Chicago 24 though I guess I could easily see it the exact opposite.
Now, onto the real game this weekend: When the week started, I was picking the Steelers to crush the Jets. As the week wore on, I began second guessing. I think I am underestimating Rex Ryan as a coach. I think the Steelers are by far a better team than the Jets, but they did get to the AFC championship and I think Ryan is a big part of that. That said, if the Jets win this game, which they could, I think it will be because Ryan outcoached Tomlin. However, I don’t see it happening. But I will adjust my original score of Steelers 27, Jets 10 to my new prediction of Steelers 21, Jets 14.
GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!
-David
Monday, January 17, 2011
First Round Picks
I was reading an article today that was talking about how well Steelers Defensive End Ziggy Hood has stepped up this season with Aaron Smith being out most of the season with an injury. That got me to thinking about our number one draft picks for the last few years. Check this list out:
2010: Maurkice Pouncey (C), starter
2009: Ziggy Hood (DE), starter (due to Aaron Smith injury)
2008: Rashard Mendenhall (RB), starter
2007: Lawrence Timmons (ILB), starter
2006: Santonio Holmes (WR), starter for NY Jets
2005: Heath Miller (TE), starter
2004: Ben Roethlisberger (QB), starter
2003: Troy Polamalu (SS), starter
Wow, look at that list. I guess you can argue that Holmes has some character flaws, but you can’t deny he is good.
The Steelers front office is currently 8 for 8 in with their most recent first round picks by my scorecard!
-David
2010: Maurkice Pouncey (C), starter
2009: Ziggy Hood (DE), starter (due to Aaron Smith injury)
2008: Rashard Mendenhall (RB), starter
2007: Lawrence Timmons (ILB), starter
2006: Santonio Holmes (WR), starter for NY Jets
2005: Heath Miller (TE), starter
2004: Ben Roethlisberger (QB), starter
2003: Troy Polamalu (SS), starter
Wow, look at that list. I guess you can argue that Holmes has some character flaws, but you can’t deny he is good.
The Steelers front office is currently 8 for 8 in with their most recent first round picks by my scorecard!
-David
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Coach of the Year
I’m not sure if the Pittsburgh Steelers have an award within their organization for coach of the year, but if they do I think hands down Offensive Line Coach Sean Kugler should win.
No one would ever mistake the Steelers Offensive Line as being the most talented group of football players. To call them (as a group) average would arguably be stretching it. The best guy on the unit, Center Maurkice Pouncey, is a rookie. The next best two guys, Tackles Max Starks and Willie Colon both missed basically the entire season. But that’s what makes what Kugler has accomplished with this unit all the more amazing.
Essentially he’s taken an Offensive Line that is starting its #3 and #4 tackles (Flozell Adams and Jonathan Scott) and while he hasn’t made them studs, he has at least prepared them enough to not be a detriment to the team. The fact that the Steelers have gone 12-4 this season with this rag tag group of guys is a testament to Kugler’s ability as a coach.
To make his challenge even more ridiculous, last afternoon, in the AFC Divisional Championship game against the Ravens, the Steelers lost both Adams (for the rest of the game) and Scott (for about 1 series as far as I can remember (I was quite drunk)). When Adams went down, Kugler plugged in Trai Essex at Right Tackle (NOTE: Or maybe he plugged him in at Right Guard and moved Ramon Foster over?). Then, when Scott went down, I think he put Trai on the Left Tackle and to be honest, I’m not even sure who went over to Right Tackle or Guard. I remember seeing Doug Legursky on the field, I assume to play Right Guard, which leads me to think Ramon Foster slid over to Right Tackle.
So when you step back, we won that game last night with our #5 and #6 Tackles in the game. If I’m not mistaken, at that point, the five guys we had out there were the only 5 Offensive Linemen active and healthy for the Steelers. Granted, Scott came back into the game at some point but the Steelers were still driving the ball with this crew on the field against what some feel is one of the best defenses in the league.
Knowing how important chemistry is for an Offensive Line, the fact that Kugler can have the whole unit ready to the point where we can plug in our #5 and #6 Tackles while shifting the rest of the unit around to compensate and still see success on the offense against a very good defense just shows you how good he is at is job.
The most ironic part of this story is Kugler’s recent history. The Steelers picked him up from the Buffalo Bills at a time when the Bills clearly had the worst Offensive Line in the NFL. At the time I thought, “What the hell are we doing hiring this bum?” But I guess it just goes to yet once again prove my buddy Paul’s theory about the Buffalo Bills: All Buffalo Bills are great players… once they leave the Buffalo Bills! The poor guy is one of only two Bills fans left on the face of the Earth.
Way to go Sean, this next beer is for you!
-David
No one would ever mistake the Steelers Offensive Line as being the most talented group of football players. To call them (as a group) average would arguably be stretching it. The best guy on the unit, Center Maurkice Pouncey, is a rookie. The next best two guys, Tackles Max Starks and Willie Colon both missed basically the entire season. But that’s what makes what Kugler has accomplished with this unit all the more amazing.
Essentially he’s taken an Offensive Line that is starting its #3 and #4 tackles (Flozell Adams and Jonathan Scott) and while he hasn’t made them studs, he has at least prepared them enough to not be a detriment to the team. The fact that the Steelers have gone 12-4 this season with this rag tag group of guys is a testament to Kugler’s ability as a coach.
To make his challenge even more ridiculous, last afternoon, in the AFC Divisional Championship game against the Ravens, the Steelers lost both Adams (for the rest of the game) and Scott (for about 1 series as far as I can remember (I was quite drunk)). When Adams went down, Kugler plugged in Trai Essex at Right Tackle (NOTE: Or maybe he plugged him in at Right Guard and moved Ramon Foster over?). Then, when Scott went down, I think he put Trai on the Left Tackle and to be honest, I’m not even sure who went over to Right Tackle or Guard. I remember seeing Doug Legursky on the field, I assume to play Right Guard, which leads me to think Ramon Foster slid over to Right Tackle.
So when you step back, we won that game last night with our #5 and #6 Tackles in the game. If I’m not mistaken, at that point, the five guys we had out there were the only 5 Offensive Linemen active and healthy for the Steelers. Granted, Scott came back into the game at some point but the Steelers were still driving the ball with this crew on the field against what some feel is one of the best defenses in the league.
Knowing how important chemistry is for an Offensive Line, the fact that Kugler can have the whole unit ready to the point where we can plug in our #5 and #6 Tackles while shifting the rest of the unit around to compensate and still see success on the offense against a very good defense just shows you how good he is at is job.
The most ironic part of this story is Kugler’s recent history. The Steelers picked him up from the Buffalo Bills at a time when the Bills clearly had the worst Offensive Line in the NFL. At the time I thought, “What the hell are we doing hiring this bum?” But I guess it just goes to yet once again prove my buddy Paul’s theory about the Buffalo Bills: All Buffalo Bills are great players… once they leave the Buffalo Bills! The poor guy is one of only two Bills fans left on the face of the Earth.
Way to go Sean, this next beer is for you!
-David
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Getting ready for the 2009 Draft
It’s been 2 months since I’ve posted anything. Sorry, I guess I’ve been busy / unmotivated to write about much. I’m working up the energy to drop some heavy religious philosophy, but that will have to wait until another day.
In about 6 hours, the 2009 NFL draft starts and that is what has captured my attention this morning. There seems to be a lot of differences of popular opinion about how the first round will pan out so this should a really interesting year. On the subject of the first pick, last night before I went to bed I think I heard that Detroit had signed Matthew Stafford already. Or maybe I dreamed that? I haven’t checked the news yet this morning so I’ll leave that for later.
The most important aspect of the draft is the 9 picks that the Steelers have. Coming off a Superbowl win and a free agency period that sees most of the team still intact, the Steelers really don’t have any burning holes to fill. In fact, popular opinion seems to be that they will even package a few of those 9 picks together and move up once or twice in the draft to nail a person they really want. I suppose that is okay by me because I really can’t see how 9 rookies are really going to make our final 53 man roster and I’m not so sure they would even make our training roster. So you might as well give a couple of them up if it gets a guy you are really hot for. Again, I say that because we don’t have a lot of holes so I don’t think we need a bunch rookies to replace any of our veterans. We need our rookies to get prepared to take over for some of the veterans some day in 2010 or beyond.
Before I talk too much about what kind of rookies we need, let’s review the people we lost and gained in free agency. While we lost some O-Lineman with Marvel Smith and I think Kendall Simmons (or did we lose him last year?), none of them were really starting anymore or basically on the roster at all. So we won’t really miss them. We also lost Byron Leftwich but that’s okay because we still have Charlie Batch who is a more than adequate back up. So the only two losses that really hurt us were Nate Washington and Bryant McFadden.
Nate was the #3 WR so while not technically a starter, he did play quite a bit. I’m okay with losing him, though, because I was tired of waiting for him to break out. Every year for the past 2 or 3 years I’ve been saying, “This will be the year Nate breaks out (and quits dropping passes)”. Well I got tired of waiting. While he had some really nice catches last year (especially some deep balls), he still dropped a lot of passes and in the end I just don’t trust him. He may go to Tennessee and have a great couple seasons, but he’s just not worth the risk for the money that he was able to get on the open market. Goodbye, Nate. I appreciate what you were to us but it’s time we part ways.
The loss of Bryant McFadden, on the other hand, hurts. We will miss him. He was a very good corner, in my opinion. I don’t fault the Steelers front office for not paying him what he eventually got but I also would have been okay if they paid him that as well. I was right on the fence with the money he was going to get. William Gay eases that pain quite a bit, thankfully. Gay stepped in for McFadden in a few games this year when Bryant was injured. And Gay did a very good job as well.
So we lost 1.5 starters but have guys that can step in and replace them (Gay for McFadden and either Sweed or Baker for Washington). The good news is we have no urgent needs to fill in the draft. We have all of our starters in place already.
What do we need? In order, I think we need to draft the following positions:
1) Offensive line. Yeah, we won the Superbowl, but Ben got hit A LOT last year and our running game was too inconsistent, especially in short yardage. We really need to upgrade our starters at some point. I guess I’m okay playing 16 games this year with the guys we have but I would LOVE for a rookie to catch fire and make it into the starting lineup. That would be a pleasant surprise.
2) Defensive line. Our defensive linemen are STUDS and as long as Aaron Smith isn’t the injured one we have very nice depth behind them. The problem is, all the starters AND backups are getting very old. I think they are all over 30. Maybe one of them is just under 30. We really need some youth injected into the mix for future years. Also, Casey Hampton’s contract comes up in 2010 and I just don’t see us re-signing him (he’ll want too much money). So we are really going to need a 3-4 Nose Tackle fairly soon. Chris Hoke could step in and replace him, but again, he is getting old too.
3) Corner back. Yes, Gay will replace McFadden and do fine. Yes, Deshea Townsend is still there and can step into the starting role if needed. Yes we just picked up our only free agent from another team (a 27 year old perennial back up corner). But we don’t have a young guy in the mix that will eventually replace Taylor or Gay. Gay was that guy and now he will start. So we still do need to get a young guy in there that can become a starter eventually.
4) Wide Receiver. I guess I’m not 100% sold on Sweed and Baker just yet. I’m sure they can be a #3 for at least a year, but can either of them be a #1 or #2? Ward might only have a few seasons left and Holmes might never get another contract with the Steelers (depends on what he’ll ask for money wise). So we need to figure out who will be our next two starting wide receivers some day.
5) Safety. Troy and Ryan are the best two safeties in football as far as I am concerned. The problem is that behind them we’re not exactly lighting it up with talent. Tyrone Carter is okay. Hell, I can’t even remember what other safeties are on the roster other than him for that matter. We need some depth here.
6) Linebacker. For the 100th time you’ll here me say I am ALWAYS okay with the Steelers drafting a linebacker. In a 3-4 defense you need to make sure you always have a stable of young linebackers available. As you can see with James Harrison, good ones cost you plenty. You can’t afford to pay 4 guys like that so you have to always have quality young guys to plug in there and fill the holes.
And that’s about it. We are plenty deep at RB, QB, and TE so there isn’t much left to talk about.
In previous years I would get very worked up with the order we drafted these positions in. This year, I’m not worried at all. I could really care less what order we draft any of these guys in because at least for this year, we probably don’t need any of them. So we have the luxury of biding our time and taking the best player. And if that means packaging two picks together to jump ahead of someone to get our guy, go for it.
This should be a stress free draft for Steelers fans. So I can sit back, drink a beer, and enjoy.
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!
-David
In about 6 hours, the 2009 NFL draft starts and that is what has captured my attention this morning. There seems to be a lot of differences of popular opinion about how the first round will pan out so this should a really interesting year. On the subject of the first pick, last night before I went to bed I think I heard that Detroit had signed Matthew Stafford already. Or maybe I dreamed that? I haven’t checked the news yet this morning so I’ll leave that for later.
The most important aspect of the draft is the 9 picks that the Steelers have. Coming off a Superbowl win and a free agency period that sees most of the team still intact, the Steelers really don’t have any burning holes to fill. In fact, popular opinion seems to be that they will even package a few of those 9 picks together and move up once or twice in the draft to nail a person they really want. I suppose that is okay by me because I really can’t see how 9 rookies are really going to make our final 53 man roster and I’m not so sure they would even make our training roster. So you might as well give a couple of them up if it gets a guy you are really hot for. Again, I say that because we don’t have a lot of holes so I don’t think we need a bunch rookies to replace any of our veterans. We need our rookies to get prepared to take over for some of the veterans some day in 2010 or beyond.
Before I talk too much about what kind of rookies we need, let’s review the people we lost and gained in free agency. While we lost some O-Lineman with Marvel Smith and I think Kendall Simmons (or did we lose him last year?), none of them were really starting anymore or basically on the roster at all. So we won’t really miss them. We also lost Byron Leftwich but that’s okay because we still have Charlie Batch who is a more than adequate back up. So the only two losses that really hurt us were Nate Washington and Bryant McFadden.
Nate was the #3 WR so while not technically a starter, he did play quite a bit. I’m okay with losing him, though, because I was tired of waiting for him to break out. Every year for the past 2 or 3 years I’ve been saying, “This will be the year Nate breaks out (and quits dropping passes)”. Well I got tired of waiting. While he had some really nice catches last year (especially some deep balls), he still dropped a lot of passes and in the end I just don’t trust him. He may go to Tennessee and have a great couple seasons, but he’s just not worth the risk for the money that he was able to get on the open market. Goodbye, Nate. I appreciate what you were to us but it’s time we part ways.
The loss of Bryant McFadden, on the other hand, hurts. We will miss him. He was a very good corner, in my opinion. I don’t fault the Steelers front office for not paying him what he eventually got but I also would have been okay if they paid him that as well. I was right on the fence with the money he was going to get. William Gay eases that pain quite a bit, thankfully. Gay stepped in for McFadden in a few games this year when Bryant was injured. And Gay did a very good job as well.
So we lost 1.5 starters but have guys that can step in and replace them (Gay for McFadden and either Sweed or Baker for Washington). The good news is we have no urgent needs to fill in the draft. We have all of our starters in place already.
What do we need? In order, I think we need to draft the following positions:
1) Offensive line. Yeah, we won the Superbowl, but Ben got hit A LOT last year and our running game was too inconsistent, especially in short yardage. We really need to upgrade our starters at some point. I guess I’m okay playing 16 games this year with the guys we have but I would LOVE for a rookie to catch fire and make it into the starting lineup. That would be a pleasant surprise.
2) Defensive line. Our defensive linemen are STUDS and as long as Aaron Smith isn’t the injured one we have very nice depth behind them. The problem is, all the starters AND backups are getting very old. I think they are all over 30. Maybe one of them is just under 30. We really need some youth injected into the mix for future years. Also, Casey Hampton’s contract comes up in 2010 and I just don’t see us re-signing him (he’ll want too much money). So we are really going to need a 3-4 Nose Tackle fairly soon. Chris Hoke could step in and replace him, but again, he is getting old too.
3) Corner back. Yes, Gay will replace McFadden and do fine. Yes, Deshea Townsend is still there and can step into the starting role if needed. Yes we just picked up our only free agent from another team (a 27 year old perennial back up corner). But we don’t have a young guy in the mix that will eventually replace Taylor or Gay. Gay was that guy and now he will start. So we still do need to get a young guy in there that can become a starter eventually.
4) Wide Receiver. I guess I’m not 100% sold on Sweed and Baker just yet. I’m sure they can be a #3 for at least a year, but can either of them be a #1 or #2? Ward might only have a few seasons left and Holmes might never get another contract with the Steelers (depends on what he’ll ask for money wise). So we need to figure out who will be our next two starting wide receivers some day.
5) Safety. Troy and Ryan are the best two safeties in football as far as I am concerned. The problem is that behind them we’re not exactly lighting it up with talent. Tyrone Carter is okay. Hell, I can’t even remember what other safeties are on the roster other than him for that matter. We need some depth here.
6) Linebacker. For the 100th time you’ll here me say I am ALWAYS okay with the Steelers drafting a linebacker. In a 3-4 defense you need to make sure you always have a stable of young linebackers available. As you can see with James Harrison, good ones cost you plenty. You can’t afford to pay 4 guys like that so you have to always have quality young guys to plug in there and fill the holes.
And that’s about it. We are plenty deep at RB, QB, and TE so there isn’t much left to talk about.
In previous years I would get very worked up with the order we drafted these positions in. This year, I’m not worried at all. I could really care less what order we draft any of these guys in because at least for this year, we probably don’t need any of them. So we have the luxury of biding our time and taking the best player. And if that means packaging two picks together to jump ahead of someone to get our guy, go for it.
This should be a stress free draft for Steelers fans. So I can sit back, drink a beer, and enjoy.
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!
-David
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Aftermath... and the New Beginning
Wow, what a Superbowl. The Steelers obviously won taking my post season pick record to 7-4.
The game itself left me an emotional wreck. My wife and I were watching it with a bunch of Cowboys fans and general haters. So they took great fun in fucking with us every single time Arizona did anything. That said, my only option was to get really drunk and put on my full Steelers tailgating armor and fight back. Because of this, I couldn’t remember most of the game except that last drive.
So this past Sunday I finally re-watched the game and here are my observations:
In the 1st quarter, Arizona only had the ball 1 time (5 plays, 13 yards).
Ben’s rushing TD should not have been overturned.
Ben is awesome… On the first touchdown drive, on 3rd and 10, he hits Heath Miller for a 1st down after an awesome scramble.
The interception with 2:01 left in the 2nd half was not really Ben’s fault (tipped high in the air).
Very next series: James Harrison 100 yard INT for TD. The blocking was incredible, especially as he moved through the area where the Arizona offensive line was pursuing.
End of first half.
3rd quarter. This is where I predicted the game would be won or lost.
First possession, Arizona with time consuming drive ending on PIT 49, punt.
Second possession, Ben to Hines for another clutch 3rd down conversion. Ben kept the ball, scrambled like crazy, ended up getting roughed by Dansby (bullshit call but they all are). Rack it up to the scramble. Later in that drive, bullshit call against Arizona’s Adrian Wilson for running into the holder on a field goal try. Manage to get to 1st and goal but still can only walk away with a field goal.
Third possession, Arizona starts on their 20. The quarter ends on that drive.
Overall, the 3rd quarter was uneventful. The Steelers win it 3-0. My prediction comes true, I guess, though it wasn’t as spectacular as I thought it would be. For the record, Arizona would finally end this drive in the 4th quarter with a punt.
How did this game get close? 13 minutes to go in the 4th and Steelers are up 20-7 with the ball at the 50.
Well, it started with a sack by the Cardinals on Ben on 3rd down with that ball at 50.
Arizona receives a Steelers punt on their 13 yard line with 11:30 left. On their first full possession of 4th: Lot of passing. Lot of 1st downs. Passing into middle of field (TE, WR-Fitzgerald, JJ. Arrington, Fitzgerald again, and Fitzgerald again, quick Hightower pass and then Fitzgerald again in the end zone (fade). Damn near all these passes are into the middle of the field. Arizona figured something out and adjusted. Fitzgerald is good, really good. Taylor defended the TD play about as well as you can.. Drive took only 3:57 (lot of quick passes).
Steelers ball. Parker up middle. Sack (Dockett, number 2 on the game). Pass to Miller. Punt. 3 and out. Credit the Arizona defense.
Arizona ball. Steelers touch the punt dead. ~5:30 left in game. 20-14. Bullshit personal foul on Ike Taylor (fucking with a guy out of bounds). Breaston with a huge 26 yard catch and run up the middle (again!). Troy almost picked a ball off (a little outside). 3rd and 20. Steelers bring too much pressure for Warner to handle. Punt. ARZ downs it on the 2. James Harrison with really bullshit personal foul. He was just beating the shit out of someone. It’s football for christ’s sake. It’s his job.
Pittsburgh ball. 3:26 to go. Ball on 1 yard line. 1st down, incomplete (Hines with a rare miss he should have caught). 2nd down, Parker up middle… close to a safety. Parker did a good job to avoid the safety with a massive 2nd effort push. 3rd and 10 from the goal line. Beautiful 1st down catch by Holmes, negated by an ultra bullshit holding call. Safety. Steelers free kick (from 20). It is interesting to note that Tomlin later claimed that if they did not get this first down (I assume he meant if the pass went incomplete) that he would have taken the safety anyhow as opposed to punting the ball from the goal line. I see no reason to doubt that he would have.
A lot of bullshit penalty calls in this game against both sides. Fairly poor officiating but at least the errors were pretty balanced on both sides, I guess.
Arizona gets the ball on their 36, down by 4 points with 2:53 left. Incomplete pass on 1st. 2nd down is Fitzgerald TD. Wow. My first thought as this play happened on 2/1/09 was, “at least they left plenty of time on the clock”. Both safeties playing deep but on the outsides. Middle was wide open after Fitz got past Ike and Harrison. There was a 4 man rush on Warner. Wow. Quick score. Plenty of time on the clock. Both safeties bit on each outside receiver moving to the sidelines. Fitz cut from left right up the middle after other WRs broke. That passing into the middle of the field stuff is getting really old.
PIT gets ball on 22 with 2:30 left. Arizona up 23-20. Plenty of time.
1st down: Pass to Moore (4 yds), Hold. Ball moved back to 12.
1st down: Ben drops back to 2 yd line, scrambles to avoid multiple sacks. Pass to Santonio for about 14 yards. NOTE: This play was my favorite of the game and the reason I think Ben should have won the MVP. He should have been sacked. We should have been 2nd and long from the 2. 98 yards to go and a very bleak outlook. I think 95% of the quarterbacks in the NFL would have been sacked on that play.
2nd down: Quick play to avoid 2 min warning… deep to Washington, incomplete.
3rd down: (and 6). Ben to Santonio, he stands in the pocket amidst all the pressure. 1st down!
1st down: Washington, 1st down. In bounds. Ball on 50.
1st down: Ben, scrambles, rush up middle for 4.
2nd down: Timeout. 1:02 left, on the 46 of Arizona. Ben, plenty of time in the pocket. Stays in it. Pass deep to Holmes, run down to 7 yard line!
1st and goal: Time out . 49 sec. Why the time out?????? That was the last time out. Should have saved it for a potential field goal or not used it so all the time could be run off the clock. Pass right through the hands of Holmes on the left side. He should have caught it. Pathetic. Needless to say during the actual Superbowl I was motherfucking Santonio up and down during the instant replays.
2nd and goal: Santonio. Perfect catch. Feet in bounds. TD! Plenty of time. Threw into 3 Arizona defenders in a strange kind of fade afterthought. Perfectly thrown. Perfectly caught. Why did Ben even throw it? Into triple coverage? Chances are by the time the ball gets there Holmes will be out of bounds. Replayed a million times. But both feet down, control of the ball. TD, motherfucker! 35 seconds left. NOTE: Its worth mentioning that the ball spot strangely moved half a yard between 1st and 2nd down.
Arizona ball on their 23 with 29 seconds left. Steelers ahead, 27-23.
1st down: Fitzgerald almost 20 yarder. Timeout. 22 seconds to go.
2nd down: Arrington for about 12. All these passes are in the middle. At this point it makes sense as we were obviously protecting the sidelines. 15 seconds left. Timeout.
3rd down: Warner. Steelers Pressure. Good coverage. Woodley creates a fumble. 5 seconds left. Kiesel recovers.
1st down, Steelers. Victory formation. Polamalu in the V. Game over.
Steelers win their 6th Superbowl, the only team in NFL history to win 6 of them.
Ben should have been MVP. But maybe that’s ok… keep him hungry. If we get back again maybe that will drive him to super human levels.
As predicted, the better team wins. Arizona had a few glorious moments, but you just can’t stop Pittsburgh for 60 straight minutes. They are too good.
NOTE: I apologize ahead of time for the rough transition here. Now that we have closure on the 2008 season, it is time to focus on 2009. No rest for the wicked or the World Champions!
The Steelers have many things to address in the offseason, including re-signing both free agents (M. Starks, M. Smith, C. Kemoeatu, T. Essex, B. McFadden, N. Washington, etc.) and re-signing guys going into the last year of their contracts (J. Harrison, H. Ward, H. Miller, J. Reed, etc.)
In my opinion, here is the order that I think the Steelers should focus on when extending/offering contracts:
James Harrison (1 year left on contract)
Hines Ward (1 year left of contract)
Heath Miller (1 year left on contract)
Jeff Reed (1 year left on contract)
Bryant McFadden (Free Agent at the end of the month)
M. Starks (Free Agent at end of month, Steelers franchised him again)
Chris Kemoeatu (Free Agent at the end of the month)
Nate Washington (Free Agent at the end of the month)
Kenyaron Fox (Free Agent at the end of the month)
That said, I’d like to see them lock up McFadden before he become a free agent. The rest of the free agents I’m okay if the Steelers wait until they hit the market.
It seems like an automatic at this point that they will resign Harrison and Starks.
While I didn’t list him above, I also think we need to re-sign Charlie Batch. I didn’t list him because I think it is a given that he wants to come back so I can’t imagine it would be a great challenge to sign him.
The next priority will be the draft. I’m sure I’ll talk about that a lot later but off the cuff we need to pick up Offensive Lineman, Defensive Lineman, a Wide Receiver (especially if we don’t re-sign Washington), and maybe a Safety. A Corner if we don’t resign McFadden. Of course you’ll never hear me complain about drafting Linebackers.
Enjoy the offseason!
-David
The game itself left me an emotional wreck. My wife and I were watching it with a bunch of Cowboys fans and general haters. So they took great fun in fucking with us every single time Arizona did anything. That said, my only option was to get really drunk and put on my full Steelers tailgating armor and fight back. Because of this, I couldn’t remember most of the game except that last drive.
So this past Sunday I finally re-watched the game and here are my observations:
In the 1st quarter, Arizona only had the ball 1 time (5 plays, 13 yards).
Ben’s rushing TD should not have been overturned.
Ben is awesome… On the first touchdown drive, on 3rd and 10, he hits Heath Miller for a 1st down after an awesome scramble.
The interception with 2:01 left in the 2nd half was not really Ben’s fault (tipped high in the air).
Very next series: James Harrison 100 yard INT for TD. The blocking was incredible, especially as he moved through the area where the Arizona offensive line was pursuing.
End of first half.
3rd quarter. This is where I predicted the game would be won or lost.
First possession, Arizona with time consuming drive ending on PIT 49, punt.
Second possession, Ben to Hines for another clutch 3rd down conversion. Ben kept the ball, scrambled like crazy, ended up getting roughed by Dansby (bullshit call but they all are). Rack it up to the scramble. Later in that drive, bullshit call against Arizona’s Adrian Wilson for running into the holder on a field goal try. Manage to get to 1st and goal but still can only walk away with a field goal.
Third possession, Arizona starts on their 20. The quarter ends on that drive.
Overall, the 3rd quarter was uneventful. The Steelers win it 3-0. My prediction comes true, I guess, though it wasn’t as spectacular as I thought it would be. For the record, Arizona would finally end this drive in the 4th quarter with a punt.
How did this game get close? 13 minutes to go in the 4th and Steelers are up 20-7 with the ball at the 50.
Well, it started with a sack by the Cardinals on Ben on 3rd down with that ball at 50.
Arizona receives a Steelers punt on their 13 yard line with 11:30 left. On their first full possession of 4th: Lot of passing. Lot of 1st downs. Passing into middle of field (TE, WR-Fitzgerald, JJ. Arrington, Fitzgerald again, and Fitzgerald again, quick Hightower pass and then Fitzgerald again in the end zone (fade). Damn near all these passes are into the middle of the field. Arizona figured something out and adjusted. Fitzgerald is good, really good. Taylor defended the TD play about as well as you can.. Drive took only 3:57 (lot of quick passes).
Steelers ball. Parker up middle. Sack (Dockett, number 2 on the game). Pass to Miller. Punt. 3 and out. Credit the Arizona defense.
Arizona ball. Steelers touch the punt dead. ~5:30 left in game. 20-14. Bullshit personal foul on Ike Taylor (fucking with a guy out of bounds). Breaston with a huge 26 yard catch and run up the middle (again!). Troy almost picked a ball off (a little outside). 3rd and 20. Steelers bring too much pressure for Warner to handle. Punt. ARZ downs it on the 2. James Harrison with really bullshit personal foul. He was just beating the shit out of someone. It’s football for christ’s sake. It’s his job.
Pittsburgh ball. 3:26 to go. Ball on 1 yard line. 1st down, incomplete (Hines with a rare miss he should have caught). 2nd down, Parker up middle… close to a safety. Parker did a good job to avoid the safety with a massive 2nd effort push. 3rd and 10 from the goal line. Beautiful 1st down catch by Holmes, negated by an ultra bullshit holding call. Safety. Steelers free kick (from 20). It is interesting to note that Tomlin later claimed that if they did not get this first down (I assume he meant if the pass went incomplete) that he would have taken the safety anyhow as opposed to punting the ball from the goal line. I see no reason to doubt that he would have.
A lot of bullshit penalty calls in this game against both sides. Fairly poor officiating but at least the errors were pretty balanced on both sides, I guess.
Arizona gets the ball on their 36, down by 4 points with 2:53 left. Incomplete pass on 1st. 2nd down is Fitzgerald TD. Wow. My first thought as this play happened on 2/1/09 was, “at least they left plenty of time on the clock”. Both safeties playing deep but on the outsides. Middle was wide open after Fitz got past Ike and Harrison. There was a 4 man rush on Warner. Wow. Quick score. Plenty of time on the clock. Both safeties bit on each outside receiver moving to the sidelines. Fitz cut from left right up the middle after other WRs broke. That passing into the middle of the field stuff is getting really old.
PIT gets ball on 22 with 2:30 left. Arizona up 23-20. Plenty of time.
1st down: Pass to Moore (4 yds), Hold. Ball moved back to 12.
1st down: Ben drops back to 2 yd line, scrambles to avoid multiple sacks. Pass to Santonio for about 14 yards. NOTE: This play was my favorite of the game and the reason I think Ben should have won the MVP. He should have been sacked. We should have been 2nd and long from the 2. 98 yards to go and a very bleak outlook. I think 95% of the quarterbacks in the NFL would have been sacked on that play.
2nd down: Quick play to avoid 2 min warning… deep to Washington, incomplete.
3rd down: (and 6). Ben to Santonio, he stands in the pocket amidst all the pressure. 1st down!
1st down: Washington, 1st down. In bounds. Ball on 50.
1st down: Ben, scrambles, rush up middle for 4.
2nd down: Timeout. 1:02 left, on the 46 of Arizona. Ben, plenty of time in the pocket. Stays in it. Pass deep to Holmes, run down to 7 yard line!
1st and goal: Time out . 49 sec. Why the time out?????? That was the last time out. Should have saved it for a potential field goal or not used it so all the time could be run off the clock. Pass right through the hands of Holmes on the left side. He should have caught it. Pathetic. Needless to say during the actual Superbowl I was motherfucking Santonio up and down during the instant replays.
2nd and goal: Santonio. Perfect catch. Feet in bounds. TD! Plenty of time. Threw into 3 Arizona defenders in a strange kind of fade afterthought. Perfectly thrown. Perfectly caught. Why did Ben even throw it? Into triple coverage? Chances are by the time the ball gets there Holmes will be out of bounds. Replayed a million times. But both feet down, control of the ball. TD, motherfucker! 35 seconds left. NOTE: Its worth mentioning that the ball spot strangely moved half a yard between 1st and 2nd down.
Arizona ball on their 23 with 29 seconds left. Steelers ahead, 27-23.
1st down: Fitzgerald almost 20 yarder. Timeout. 22 seconds to go.
2nd down: Arrington for about 12. All these passes are in the middle. At this point it makes sense as we were obviously protecting the sidelines. 15 seconds left. Timeout.
3rd down: Warner. Steelers Pressure. Good coverage. Woodley creates a fumble. 5 seconds left. Kiesel recovers.
1st down, Steelers. Victory formation. Polamalu in the V. Game over.
Steelers win their 6th Superbowl, the only team in NFL history to win 6 of them.
Ben should have been MVP. But maybe that’s ok… keep him hungry. If we get back again maybe that will drive him to super human levels.
As predicted, the better team wins. Arizona had a few glorious moments, but you just can’t stop Pittsburgh for 60 straight minutes. They are too good.
NOTE: I apologize ahead of time for the rough transition here. Now that we have closure on the 2008 season, it is time to focus on 2009. No rest for the wicked or the World Champions!
The Steelers have many things to address in the offseason, including re-signing both free agents (M. Starks, M. Smith, C. Kemoeatu, T. Essex, B. McFadden, N. Washington, etc.) and re-signing guys going into the last year of their contracts (J. Harrison, H. Ward, H. Miller, J. Reed, etc.)
In my opinion, here is the order that I think the Steelers should focus on when extending/offering contracts:
James Harrison (1 year left on contract)
Hines Ward (1 year left of contract)
Heath Miller (1 year left on contract)
Jeff Reed (1 year left on contract)
Bryant McFadden (Free Agent at the end of the month)
M. Starks (Free Agent at end of month, Steelers franchised him again)
Chris Kemoeatu (Free Agent at the end of the month)
Nate Washington (Free Agent at the end of the month)
Kenyaron Fox (Free Agent at the end of the month)
That said, I’d like to see them lock up McFadden before he become a free agent. The rest of the free agents I’m okay if the Steelers wait until they hit the market.
It seems like an automatic at this point that they will resign Harrison and Starks.
While I didn’t list him above, I also think we need to re-sign Charlie Batch. I didn’t list him because I think it is a given that he wants to come back so I can’t imagine it would be a great challenge to sign him.
The next priority will be the draft. I’m sure I’ll talk about that a lot later but off the cuff we need to pick up Offensive Lineman, Defensive Lineman, a Wide Receiver (especially if we don’t re-sign Washington), and maybe a Safety. A Corner if we don’t resign McFadden. Of course you’ll never hear me complain about drafting Linebackers.
Enjoy the offseason!
-David
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Pittsburgh's going to the Superbowl (Here we go)
Well fuck me running up the side of a hill if lightening didn’t strike 3 times and the Cardinals once again muckered up my prognosticating. 1-1 last week brings me to a barely respectable 6-4 for the post season. But you know what? I think I can pull out the Superbowl pick and put myself over the edge here. Why?
Because Pittsburgh’s going to the Superbowl! Here we go!
Needless to say I’m ecstatic about this. We finally have the opportunity to pull in front of Dallas and San Francisco and take our rightful place atop the modern day NFL mountain. The other nice thing about this past bye week is that I’m also not a basket case like I was prior to Superbowl XL. Am I overconfident this time? Maybe. Am I just the second coming of Nostradamus as I proclaimed at the beginning of the post season? Maybe. Let’s get to the game analysis and then you can be the judge.
Pittsburgh vs Arizona? Who would have thunk it. Pittsburgh shouldn’t shock anyone as they’ve played high quality football all year long, pummeling their way through the league’s most difficult schedule at start of season. Arizona, on the other hand, started the year well, but then completely fell apart and only made the playoffs because they are in the weakest division in the NFL, the NFC West. Nonetheless, when they did get to the post season, they certainly did step up their game, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Can they pull out one more magical game and take their place in history? Another team did something similar a couple years back by squeaking into the playoffs and winning every game on the road to finally take down the Lombardi trophy in Detroit, MI. That team was the Pittsburgh Steelers and that magical run was the aforementioned Superbowl XL.
But the Arizona Cardinals are not the Pittsburgh Steelers and that, in the end, will be why Pittsburgh wins this game.
When I first started contemplating the game, I was a little nervous. Ken Whisenhunt is a good coach with a knack for knowing exactly when to throw in a trick play that can change the momentum of the game. If the Cardinals defense could at least keep the game under control for the first half, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Whis could pull out a trick play in the second half that could give the Cardinals the lead and then allow them to ride out the momentum all the way to the end.
And I think it probably will be a close game to an extent in the first half. I think you’ll see a halftime score that puts one team up by less than 10 points. I’m not even sure which team will be ahead to tell you the truth. But that is not going to matter because I think Pittsburgh will come out of the second half and play 30 minutes of pure ball control football. They’ll use the first half to soften up the Arizona defense and I think you’ll see the Willie Parker show in the second half as we proceed to keep the Arizona offense off the field. And when they get on the field (especially in the 4th quarter), you’re going to start seeing the wheels come off as the Steelers take advantage of their desperation.
I don’t think the Steelers’ will register a single sack in the first half. However in the second half I think you’ll see Warner on his ass 3 or 4 times and he’ll also turn the ball over at least 2 times. As the Steelers smell the fear they will become almost inhuman in their aggression, kind of like sharks circling a raft full of shipwrecked sailors. Feeding Frenzy. Double Frenzy.
By the time the clock ticks to zero, I think we’ll see that one team has completely and totally imposed their will on the other team.
And that will be the Steelers, 35 to 20.
Is that because Tomlin/Lebeau will win the coaching battle with Whis/Haley? Is that because Big Ben will not turn the ball over? Is that because the Steelers D will finally crack the riddle of getting to Warner? Or is that because Warner is a flaming douchebag?
No. The reason the Steelers will win this game is actually very simple. As a group of individuals that build up into a team, the Steelers are just flat out better. And the better team is going to win this game. At damn near every position on the field we are better than they are (and that includes the cornerbacks, Paul).
Yeah, Whis probably will catch us with our pants down for a trick play. But you can only hide the lack of talent on that team for so long with smoke and mirrors. The Steelers will destroy those mirrors and once again lift the Lombardi trophy above their heads.
-David
Other random thoughts on the big game:
Whoever wins the 3rd quarter will win the game.
I do wonder how Hines Ward will be in the game. They list him as probable and I do believe he’ll be in pretty good shape. If he is playing well and the knee is not bothering him I think that is just another nail in the coffin of Arizona. With Hines and Heath Miller on the field, both our clutch 3rd down weapons will be on display. Let the first downs begin!!
As far as the MVP? I would LOVE it if Hines would get it again. But I guess I’m leaning towards Big Ben taking it this time. My back up pick would be Troy Polamalu.
I read this week that the Mayor of Phoenix pretended to blow his nose on the Terrible Towel and then he threw it on the ground. BIG FUCKING MISTAKE, douchebag. No one disrespects the Terrible Towel. You’ll have to learn the hard way.
I also hear that the Steelers Nation has descended on Tampa. The vast majority of the true fans in audience tomorrow night will be Steelers fan. This is no surprise. The Cardinals and their fans aren’t going to know what to think. Our fans, like the team, are prepared for battle when they travel. Thousands of drunken yinzers will pour into the stadium in infinite waves to see the damage that will be wrought, drinking every last drop of beer the vendors have to sell in the process. The Cardinals fans are not going to know what to think of this. I expect the majority of them to shit their pants in fear of the Black and Gold mob. Hell, by the end of the game they will probably become Steelers fans. They will see that life is more fun that way.
And what’s up with the media all of a sudden starting to pick Arizona. It’s damn near becoming fashionable. Maybe they think Arizona is charmed? Maybe they are just haters? The majority of those hacks are still picking the Steelers but it disturbs me that more than a couple seem to think the Cardinals could do this. I think it must be the NFL paying them off to make people think it will be a good, close game.
As for me? Unlike Superbowl XL, I will not huddle inside my house like a crazed hermit and watch the game far away from the eyes of the my critics. I’ll be going into the belly of the beast – No – not to an Arizona Cardinals fan’s house (because there are no such things in existence). Rather I’ll be going to my buddy Dave’s Superbowl party. Dave is a Bengals fan (he has issues) but I’ll be surrounded by two of the biggest Pittsburgh Haters I know (Cowboys fans, of course) as well as your odds and ends of Redskins and Bills and etc. As far as I know, my wife and I will be the only two Steelers fans in attendance. But don’t fear, dear reader. I am true Black and Gold to the core and I will rise above all the haters and help the rest of the Steelers Nation will them on to victory.
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!
-David
PS: Obviously this week’s entry is about the farthest thing from “objective” as you can get. But fuck it. Give me a break this one time. That part about us being the better group of players is true and is honestly why I think the Steelers will win.
PSS: Fuck Kurt Warner and his wacked out Christianity. And fuck his haggly wife. On second thought, no, we’ll leave him to fuck that nasty thing. The only thing that could be better than a Steelers win would be a Steelers win which includes us knocking that fucknut out of the game and forcing Playboy Leinart to come in and embarrass his team. Salt on the wound, baby.
Because Pittsburgh’s going to the Superbowl! Here we go!
Needless to say I’m ecstatic about this. We finally have the opportunity to pull in front of Dallas and San Francisco and take our rightful place atop the modern day NFL mountain. The other nice thing about this past bye week is that I’m also not a basket case like I was prior to Superbowl XL. Am I overconfident this time? Maybe. Am I just the second coming of Nostradamus as I proclaimed at the beginning of the post season? Maybe. Let’s get to the game analysis and then you can be the judge.
Pittsburgh vs Arizona? Who would have thunk it. Pittsburgh shouldn’t shock anyone as they’ve played high quality football all year long, pummeling their way through the league’s most difficult schedule at start of season. Arizona, on the other hand, started the year well, but then completely fell apart and only made the playoffs because they are in the weakest division in the NFL, the NFC West. Nonetheless, when they did get to the post season, they certainly did step up their game, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Can they pull out one more magical game and take their place in history? Another team did something similar a couple years back by squeaking into the playoffs and winning every game on the road to finally take down the Lombardi trophy in Detroit, MI. That team was the Pittsburgh Steelers and that magical run was the aforementioned Superbowl XL.
But the Arizona Cardinals are not the Pittsburgh Steelers and that, in the end, will be why Pittsburgh wins this game.
When I first started contemplating the game, I was a little nervous. Ken Whisenhunt is a good coach with a knack for knowing exactly when to throw in a trick play that can change the momentum of the game. If the Cardinals defense could at least keep the game under control for the first half, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Whis could pull out a trick play in the second half that could give the Cardinals the lead and then allow them to ride out the momentum all the way to the end.
And I think it probably will be a close game to an extent in the first half. I think you’ll see a halftime score that puts one team up by less than 10 points. I’m not even sure which team will be ahead to tell you the truth. But that is not going to matter because I think Pittsburgh will come out of the second half and play 30 minutes of pure ball control football. They’ll use the first half to soften up the Arizona defense and I think you’ll see the Willie Parker show in the second half as we proceed to keep the Arizona offense off the field. And when they get on the field (especially in the 4th quarter), you’re going to start seeing the wheels come off as the Steelers take advantage of their desperation.
I don’t think the Steelers’ will register a single sack in the first half. However in the second half I think you’ll see Warner on his ass 3 or 4 times and he’ll also turn the ball over at least 2 times. As the Steelers smell the fear they will become almost inhuman in their aggression, kind of like sharks circling a raft full of shipwrecked sailors. Feeding Frenzy. Double Frenzy.
By the time the clock ticks to zero, I think we’ll see that one team has completely and totally imposed their will on the other team.
And that will be the Steelers, 35 to 20.
Is that because Tomlin/Lebeau will win the coaching battle with Whis/Haley? Is that because Big Ben will not turn the ball over? Is that because the Steelers D will finally crack the riddle of getting to Warner? Or is that because Warner is a flaming douchebag?
No. The reason the Steelers will win this game is actually very simple. As a group of individuals that build up into a team, the Steelers are just flat out better. And the better team is going to win this game. At damn near every position on the field we are better than they are (and that includes the cornerbacks, Paul).
Yeah, Whis probably will catch us with our pants down for a trick play. But you can only hide the lack of talent on that team for so long with smoke and mirrors. The Steelers will destroy those mirrors and once again lift the Lombardi trophy above their heads.
-David
Other random thoughts on the big game:
Whoever wins the 3rd quarter will win the game.
I do wonder how Hines Ward will be in the game. They list him as probable and I do believe he’ll be in pretty good shape. If he is playing well and the knee is not bothering him I think that is just another nail in the coffin of Arizona. With Hines and Heath Miller on the field, both our clutch 3rd down weapons will be on display. Let the first downs begin!!
As far as the MVP? I would LOVE it if Hines would get it again. But I guess I’m leaning towards Big Ben taking it this time. My back up pick would be Troy Polamalu.
I read this week that the Mayor of Phoenix pretended to blow his nose on the Terrible Towel and then he threw it on the ground. BIG FUCKING MISTAKE, douchebag. No one disrespects the Terrible Towel. You’ll have to learn the hard way.
I also hear that the Steelers Nation has descended on Tampa. The vast majority of the true fans in audience tomorrow night will be Steelers fan. This is no surprise. The Cardinals and their fans aren’t going to know what to think. Our fans, like the team, are prepared for battle when they travel. Thousands of drunken yinzers will pour into the stadium in infinite waves to see the damage that will be wrought, drinking every last drop of beer the vendors have to sell in the process. The Cardinals fans are not going to know what to think of this. I expect the majority of them to shit their pants in fear of the Black and Gold mob. Hell, by the end of the game they will probably become Steelers fans. They will see that life is more fun that way.
And what’s up with the media all of a sudden starting to pick Arizona. It’s damn near becoming fashionable. Maybe they think Arizona is charmed? Maybe they are just haters? The majority of those hacks are still picking the Steelers but it disturbs me that more than a couple seem to think the Cardinals could do this. I think it must be the NFL paying them off to make people think it will be a good, close game.
As for me? Unlike Superbowl XL, I will not huddle inside my house like a crazed hermit and watch the game far away from the eyes of the my critics. I’ll be going into the belly of the beast – No – not to an Arizona Cardinals fan’s house (because there are no such things in existence). Rather I’ll be going to my buddy Dave’s Superbowl party. Dave is a Bengals fan (he has issues) but I’ll be surrounded by two of the biggest Pittsburgh Haters I know (Cowboys fans, of course) as well as your odds and ends of Redskins and Bills and etc. As far as I know, my wife and I will be the only two Steelers fans in attendance. But don’t fear, dear reader. I am true Black and Gold to the core and I will rise above all the haters and help the rest of the Steelers Nation will them on to victory.
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!
-David
PS: Obviously this week’s entry is about the farthest thing from “objective” as you can get. But fuck it. Give me a break this one time. That part about us being the better group of players is true and is honestly why I think the Steelers will win.
PSS: Fuck Kurt Warner and his wacked out Christianity. And fuck his haggly wife. On second thought, no, we’ll leave him to fuck that nasty thing. The only thing that could be better than a Steelers win would be a Steelers win which includes us knocking that fucknut out of the game and forcing Playboy Leinart to come in and embarrass his team. Salt on the wound, baby.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Conference Championships, baby!
Now that’s more like it. I went 3-1 last weekend which brings my post season picks to 5-3.
Before we get to the meat of this weekend’s picks, let’s just get the bane of my post season predictions out of the way… what’s up with the Cardinals? Did they really win that game or did Jake Delhomme and the Carolina secondary just flat out lose it in a cataclysmic fashion?
This weekend’s NFC Championship game between the Cardinals and the Eagles is going to come down to one thing: mistakes. I’m not even going to be obvious and say turnovers. I’m going to say any kind of mistake (turnovers, blown coverage, missed protection pick up on the line, etc.). What I mean by that is that apparently Arizona CAN beat a real team if they play a perfect game. But I just don’t think they can afford to make a single mistake. One mistake and they are probably done. Philadelphia, on the other hand, can probably afford to make a few mistakes and still win because, let’s face it, they are better than Arizona. This especially holds true when the Cardinals D faces the Philly offense. Philly’s offense has a tendency to sputter (especially in the last couple games) while Arizona’s defense has been playing on FIRE. If those two trends keep up… The Arizona Cardinals in the Superbowl? Could it be?
All that said, I’m taking Philly. I don’t see lightening striking 3 times in a row.
Now, to the important game this weekend: Pittsburgh vs Baltimore. Let’s face it, neither of those NFC teams could beat either of these AFC North powerhouses. So when you watch the AFC Championship this weekend, you are finding out who will be the Superbowl champ.
Both teams are bruising juggernauts on both offense and defense. Thankfully, I think this one boils down to injuries, which favors the Steelers who only have Troy Polamalu and Justin Hartwig with ailments. Now, I need to be careful when I say “only” Polamalu because he is just that big of a difference maker. In addition, while Justin Hartwig is not even close to being the best center in the league, he is the guy who snapped balls to Big Ben all year. So I hope whoever our back up center is (Darnel Stapleton?) he is getting a lot of practice snaps this week. There is nothing worse than a botched snap exchange that leads to a lost fumble. And while Hartwig may be ready to go at the beginning of the game, what if he gets re-injured during the war? Let’s be ready just in case.
On the other hand, the Ravens have a ton of walking wounded. And unlike the Steelers, their injuries are serious enough that guys might not even play. The most notable are Terrell Suggs, Samari Rolle, and Le’Ron McLain. Remember what happened last year to the Steelers when Aaron Smith and Ryan Clark went down and on top of that Troy should have gone down (but he is just too damn tough for that). Our defense essentially fell apart. If both Suggs and Rolle don’t play combined with some of the other guys on D who are banged up… I just don’t see how Baltimore can win this game. The Steelers offense, while anemic most of the year, should be able to take advantage of that. Especially the passing game as Suggs is critical to their pass rush and Rolle is a key to defending the pass.
On offense, McClain is one of the only running backs this year who gave the Steelers D some problems. We ended up containing him pretty well in both games, but he is a big, bruising son of a bitch. If he is out of there and all we have to do is contain Willis McGahee… well let’s just say I think it is going to be a long game or Joe Flacco as we won’t have to respect the run so much. If Ray Rice wasn’t injured a while back I would be concerned about him as well as he is their rookie change of pace back. In fact if all 3 RBs were healthy I would be fairly nervous. But it looks like only McGahee will be healthy enough to make an impact which heavily favors the Steelers. McClain will probably play, but I expect him to re-injure his ankle and spend most of the game on the sidelines.
After the injuries, the next biggest key to this game is the quarterbacks. Everyone knows that these defenses are the two best in the league, so how will these quarterbacks attack? I think this key boils down to which QB throws the better deep balls. The Pittsburgh D had a few uncharacteristic issues with the deep ball last week against the Chargers. I’m sure Baltimore noticed that and will attack that aggressively with Flacco’s big time arm. He can really wail one down the field and Coach Harbaugh seems to have no problem getting those kinds of plays dialed up for him.
On the flip side, Big Ben can also throw a ball out the back of the stadium parking lot. The difference here is probably Ed Reed. He is biggest ball hawk in the league. This whole story line probably boils down to who wins the mental game of Big Ben vs Ed Reed. Can Ed disguise his deep coverage enough to force Ben to throw into an area he is watching? Can Ben get a bead on Reed and make sure to keep the ball away from his range of coverage? To be honest, I don’t know who will win this battle. What I do know is that Bruce Arians can help this situation GREATLY by always giving Ben two options on the deep ball plays. I’d like to see him call plays where if there is a deep route, there are two. For example, send Washington on a deep post down the right sideline and Holmes down the left. Or send one of them and Hines Ward down the same sideline and then about 25 yards out have Hines cut his route back to the middle of the field. This way, you are probably forcing Reed to bite on one of the two routes. If he does, then Ben can just toss the ball to the other route who most likely now has single man coverage.
If Ben can keep the ball away from Ed Reed, the Steelers can and will win this game.
This game will be a battle of the ages. It will be one of those games, like the Immaculate Reception where the Superbowl isn’t the most remembered game of that post season. Thirty years from now, when people think back on Superbowl XLIII, they are going to have a vague memory in the back of their mind that Baltimore and Pittsburgh were playing for the Lombardi trophy. This game will be burned so deeply into their memories that they’ll completely forget it was just the AFC Championship game, not the Superbowl.
I can’t wait.
For the record, I’m picking Pittsburgh.
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!
-David
PS: And also for the record, in the Superbowl I’m picking the AFC team, regardless of what happens in either game this weekend.
Before we get to the meat of this weekend’s picks, let’s just get the bane of my post season predictions out of the way… what’s up with the Cardinals? Did they really win that game or did Jake Delhomme and the Carolina secondary just flat out lose it in a cataclysmic fashion?
This weekend’s NFC Championship game between the Cardinals and the Eagles is going to come down to one thing: mistakes. I’m not even going to be obvious and say turnovers. I’m going to say any kind of mistake (turnovers, blown coverage, missed protection pick up on the line, etc.). What I mean by that is that apparently Arizona CAN beat a real team if they play a perfect game. But I just don’t think they can afford to make a single mistake. One mistake and they are probably done. Philadelphia, on the other hand, can probably afford to make a few mistakes and still win because, let’s face it, they are better than Arizona. This especially holds true when the Cardinals D faces the Philly offense. Philly’s offense has a tendency to sputter (especially in the last couple games) while Arizona’s defense has been playing on FIRE. If those two trends keep up… The Arizona Cardinals in the Superbowl? Could it be?
All that said, I’m taking Philly. I don’t see lightening striking 3 times in a row.
Now, to the important game this weekend: Pittsburgh vs Baltimore. Let’s face it, neither of those NFC teams could beat either of these AFC North powerhouses. So when you watch the AFC Championship this weekend, you are finding out who will be the Superbowl champ.
Both teams are bruising juggernauts on both offense and defense. Thankfully, I think this one boils down to injuries, which favors the Steelers who only have Troy Polamalu and Justin Hartwig with ailments. Now, I need to be careful when I say “only” Polamalu because he is just that big of a difference maker. In addition, while Justin Hartwig is not even close to being the best center in the league, he is the guy who snapped balls to Big Ben all year. So I hope whoever our back up center is (Darnel Stapleton?) he is getting a lot of practice snaps this week. There is nothing worse than a botched snap exchange that leads to a lost fumble. And while Hartwig may be ready to go at the beginning of the game, what if he gets re-injured during the war? Let’s be ready just in case.
On the other hand, the Ravens have a ton of walking wounded. And unlike the Steelers, their injuries are serious enough that guys might not even play. The most notable are Terrell Suggs, Samari Rolle, and Le’Ron McLain. Remember what happened last year to the Steelers when Aaron Smith and Ryan Clark went down and on top of that Troy should have gone down (but he is just too damn tough for that). Our defense essentially fell apart. If both Suggs and Rolle don’t play combined with some of the other guys on D who are banged up… I just don’t see how Baltimore can win this game. The Steelers offense, while anemic most of the year, should be able to take advantage of that. Especially the passing game as Suggs is critical to their pass rush and Rolle is a key to defending the pass.
On offense, McClain is one of the only running backs this year who gave the Steelers D some problems. We ended up containing him pretty well in both games, but he is a big, bruising son of a bitch. If he is out of there and all we have to do is contain Willis McGahee… well let’s just say I think it is going to be a long game or Joe Flacco as we won’t have to respect the run so much. If Ray Rice wasn’t injured a while back I would be concerned about him as well as he is their rookie change of pace back. In fact if all 3 RBs were healthy I would be fairly nervous. But it looks like only McGahee will be healthy enough to make an impact which heavily favors the Steelers. McClain will probably play, but I expect him to re-injure his ankle and spend most of the game on the sidelines.
After the injuries, the next biggest key to this game is the quarterbacks. Everyone knows that these defenses are the two best in the league, so how will these quarterbacks attack? I think this key boils down to which QB throws the better deep balls. The Pittsburgh D had a few uncharacteristic issues with the deep ball last week against the Chargers. I’m sure Baltimore noticed that and will attack that aggressively with Flacco’s big time arm. He can really wail one down the field and Coach Harbaugh seems to have no problem getting those kinds of plays dialed up for him.
On the flip side, Big Ben can also throw a ball out the back of the stadium parking lot. The difference here is probably Ed Reed. He is biggest ball hawk in the league. This whole story line probably boils down to who wins the mental game of Big Ben vs Ed Reed. Can Ed disguise his deep coverage enough to force Ben to throw into an area he is watching? Can Ben get a bead on Reed and make sure to keep the ball away from his range of coverage? To be honest, I don’t know who will win this battle. What I do know is that Bruce Arians can help this situation GREATLY by always giving Ben two options on the deep ball plays. I’d like to see him call plays where if there is a deep route, there are two. For example, send Washington on a deep post down the right sideline and Holmes down the left. Or send one of them and Hines Ward down the same sideline and then about 25 yards out have Hines cut his route back to the middle of the field. This way, you are probably forcing Reed to bite on one of the two routes. If he does, then Ben can just toss the ball to the other route who most likely now has single man coverage.
If Ben can keep the ball away from Ed Reed, the Steelers can and will win this game.
This game will be a battle of the ages. It will be one of those games, like the Immaculate Reception where the Superbowl isn’t the most remembered game of that post season. Thirty years from now, when people think back on Superbowl XLIII, they are going to have a vague memory in the back of their mind that Baltimore and Pittsburgh were playing for the Lombardi trophy. This game will be burned so deeply into their memories that they’ll completely forget it was just the AFC Championship game, not the Superbowl.
I can’t wait.
For the record, I’m picking Pittsburgh.
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!
-David
PS: And also for the record, in the Superbowl I’m picking the AFC team, regardless of what happens in either game this weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
