As If I Need Another Reason to Hate The Ravens

Vile and disgusting birds...

NFL to investigate Ravens 'bounty' on Steelers

Apparently, Terrell Suggs ran his mouth on a local radio show and now the NFL is investigating. From the story, at the link above:

Suggs revealed recently on the syndicated sports radio talk show "2 Live Stews" that the Ravens had a bounty on Mendenhall and on Ward.

"We definitely like to send our messages to rookie running backs who think they've made it." Suggs said. "We did a good a job of sending a message."

As for Ward, Suggs said, "Hines Ward is definitely a dirty player, a cheap shot artist."

It always amazes me when you kick somebodies butt enough times, they call you dirty. As you may recall, Steelers rookie Rashard Mendenhall apparently sent a friend on the Ravens team a text message before the September 29th match up stating he was getting the start and was going to have a big game. He ended up out for the season with a broken shoulder after being smoked by Ray Lewis.

Smash Mouth Football!

Taken to a whole new level...

Many of you may not be aware that over the past week or so, Hines Ward had been fined a total of $15,000 for a couple of hits during the Ravens and Jaguars game. Neither hit was flagged on the field, but the NFL in all its wisdom decided to fine him anyway. It was in the news last week, you may have heard.

And the Rooneys had sent a letter to the NFL last week asking for clerification. Polumalu did an interview with some comments about football becoming a "pansy game" and the guys that played this sport back in the day couldn't survive the fines being levied today. And Coach Tomlin had some comments on it as well, to the effect of "I'm tired of my players getting fined for being football players." I like him.

Well, it didn't seem to bother Hines Ward any. On the 4th play of the game yesterday, in which the Steelers won 38-10, Ward put a devistating block on rookie Linebacker Keith Rivers. In fact, he broke his jaw.

Smash mouth football baby!

Don't get me wrong, I hate to see a player out for the season. But Ward is a wide receiver. That's bad ass any way you cut it.

So now, it would seem the Steelers, who told Ward and other players, don't stop playing like you've played for years, are calling out the commish. They seem to be saying "This is who we are, deal with it."

Will they fine Ward again? It was a clean hit, no penalty once again. But a devistating blow. See it here:


Should there be a fine for that hit? I think not. This is football. It's not golf...




Side Notes:

Steelers move to 5-1, leading the AFC North, and in 2nd place in the Conf behind 6-0 Tenn. The Steelers face the Super Bowl Champion NY Giants this weekend. Time to earn your pay boys...

Ben Roethlisberger hasn't lost a game in Ohio in his 4 year NFL career. That's awesome.

Mewelde Moore had 3 TDs, 2 rushing, one receiving. Looking good. Gimme some Moore!

Woodley / Harrison! Are on pace for 24 sacks between them. Modern Day Lambert and Ham? I love what I'm seeing from these two. Remember the T-shirt that was floating around Michigan when Woodley was there, "Guns don't kill people, Lamar Woodley kills people." The man will be a star in this league.

We're Keeping Farrior

Yes!

Good news for Steelers fans today. James Farrior and the Steelers came to terms on a 4 year contract extension worth a total $18.25 million. A consistant leader on the Steelers defense, I think we got him pretty cheap. When you consider we've got two second year linebackers in Timmons and Woodley that can only stand to benefit from him sticking around.

I still think this season is going to be a tough one, so my hopes for 2008 are limited. However, with the addition of Mendenhall and Sweed this season, Timmons and Woodley last season, I think the future of the Steelers looks solid. We've got Hines Ward mentoring our future receivers, Farrior mentoring our future linebackers, I think we're making some very smart moves.

Steelers looking at QB Leftwich

Not sure what I think about this...

According to the Pittsbugh Post Gazette, Leftwich is in town and working out with the Steelers. The Steelers have brought him in for to possibly replace Batch as the back up.

"They have an opportunity to win it all," Leftwich said. "To be part of that, if I can help, that's my mind-set. I'm just trying to get back out there."

He's been injury prone in recent years, benched, released, released again. And honestly, I spent alot of games yelling for the Steelers to kick Leftwich's ass. It's going to be a hard habit to break.

All partisanship asside, he'd probably be a decent fit in Pittsburgh's offense. He's strong, and hopefully he's stayed in shape. He's a MAC guy like Ben and Batch, and played against Ben in College:

"I know Ben well, him and Charlie," Leftwich said. "I played against Ben, competed against him in college. It was fun."

Steelers QB Coach Ken Anderson coached Leftwich in Jacksonville and it's obvious he's got plenty of experience. So, I'm thinking this is not a horrible idea.

Except that I will have to stop taking pleasure when he gets knocked on his ass...

Uh oh...

Watching the Steelers/Eagles pre-seasong game right now, and they are reporting Charlie Batch has a broken collar bone. That leaves us with a rookie back up.

Two ways to look at that. My first thought was our offensive line just got even more important than it was 3 hours ago. With a rookie back up, keeping Ben safe becomes even more important.

But then it hit me. Four years ago we had a rookie back up quater back that ended up finishing the regular season undefeated as a starter.

Watching Dixon play, perhaps the second point is far too optimistic. Somebody get me Chad Pennington's number...


UPDATE: Pennington was signed by Miami. Damn it...

Steelers Ready To Play Somebody Else

And I don't blame them...

It's always better to hit somebody other than your teammates. Friday Night, the Steelers get that chance when they take on the Philidelphia Eagles. For a little preview and some updates, I'll send you to a KDKA Video Update

If you're outside of Pittsburgh, and you don't have NFL Network, get it today. The Steelers/Eagles matchup will be broadcast live on NFL Network at 7:30 pm EST.

O-Line News

Where it all starts...

Anyone that knows football knows that every offensive play is first and foremost dependent on the offensive line. Yes, the QB has to read the coverages, the running backs have to be able to pick up the blitzes in certain situations. But it's the offensive line that must execute without mistake to protect the QB and the backs.

So, on the subject of the O-line, we have some good news. First of all, Chris Kemoeatu is off the sidelines, and mixing it up in practice. He came into camp with a triceps injury, and was immediately placed in the Unable to Perform list. He's back, and eager to replace Alan Faneca. No small task as we all know.

Another piece of optimism comes from the addition of former NC Panther, Justin Hartwig. He's actively competing with Sean Mahan for the starting spot at center. At 6-5, 310 lbs, he's bigger than Mahan, and the thinking is he can better anchor the O-line. It all starts with the Center. Something long time Steelers fans know all too well. We all long for the days of Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings. A storied history at the position in Pittsburgh, and some big shoes to fill. Hopefully, the competition factor will push both Hartwig and Mahan to step it up and get better. This only serves to make the O-line better, and therefore, make the Steelers better.

Oy, Now Limus?

Maybe not...

It was reported late yesterday that rookie Limus Sweed was carted off the field with a possible hamstring injury. However, local NBC affiliate WPXI is reporting:

He was taken off the field in a golf cart with some ice on his leg.

Sweed did not suffer any major injury, but trainers are making sure that everyone stays hydrated.

I sure hope it was just a cramp. I don't want anyone to panic here, but it does seem like the injuries are mounting quickly.

Another interesting thing I found in a story about the transition from Cowher to Tomlin being complete:

According to right tackle Willie Colon, there was tension along the offensive line all season as All-Pro left guard Alan Faneca, now with the Jets, refused to implement some changes sought by new offensive line coach Larry Zierlein.

Faneca's stubbornness created doubt among the younger linemen, who didn't know whether to follow a star player's lead or to do what was asked of them.

"Alan was a leader," Colon said. "Sometimes you can't teach old dogs new tricks. We have to realize Alan is gone, coach Zierlein is the boss and that's how we have to approach it. ... It's a new year and a new ship and we have a lot of new guys on deck."

Tension among our offensive line last season? Shocking! Of course that was sarcasm. However, I'm a little disturbed to learn it was brought on by Alan Faneca's refusal to get on board with the new coaching staff. Perhaps if he wasn't so stubborn, the Steelers might have been more willing to pay him...

Sepulveda, OUT for the season

With a torn ACL...

Damn it!

From the the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Daniel Sepulveda, 2nd year punter out of Baylor, will miss the entire 08 season with a torn ACL in his right knee.

That's not good. Apparently we got some scrub off of waivers from Detroit. I can't even remember his name. Who cares. I bet he can't do this...



Yes, that was Sepulveda...

How many punters can do that? This sucks.

You Smell That?

The smell of the grass. The smell of sweat. The taste of the dirt on your mouth piece that you just can't keep clean. That unbelievable heat. The steam seems to just rise from the grass. I can almost smell the athletic tape and the sports cream. Sore muscles, breathing heavy, trying to get through 2 a day practices. The grass drills, the tackling drills, the blocking drills, all making you so tired, you feel like your eyeballs are about to start bleeding.

It's go time...

I line up, looking at the guy across from me, knowing I need to flat out knock him on his ass. Gotta make my mark. Gotta show the team who is the baddest man here. Don't want to ride the bench. I hate the bench. The bench sucks. The bench is for losers. The bench is for participants, not players. I'm a player. I was born to be here. I was born to play this game. It's what brings me joy. More than family. More than friends. More than anything I can think of. This game is what makes me whole. The battle, the glory, the rush of victory. The pure joy of it all. The rush...

But I've got so many things to remember. Which block on this play, against this formation, against that shift, who's my man? Is he leaning? What's the snap count? Did he say on one, or on two? Do I get the linebacker? I think he's gonna blitz. Do I take the noseguard? What's the snap count? Is this a pass play? I've got to kill this guy or I'll get benched. I hate the bench. Listen to the count. Did he just audible? Is it a sweep? Is it a pass? It's so freakin hot. When's the water break? Pass block or chop block? Linebacker or noseguard? I hope he doesn't make us run sprints again. Is it on one or on two, don't jump offsides, hit him so hard his girlfriend dies, snap the ball!

Don't ya just miss it?

3 Steelers Unable to Participate in Training Camp

2 legit injuries, and one apparently lazy nose tackle...

This isn't good. Casey Hampton made the "Unable to perform" list because he's apparently so freakin fat, he can't finish the runs. He was told by coach Tomlin that he will not practice until he loses some weight. Listed at 325, my guess is he's much heavier than that. And with the heat and strain of training camp, this is a move that could very well be saving his life. Total speculation on my part, but hey, he's freakin huge.

He was unable to finish 8 100 yard sprints. He only ran 5. And even at that was a reported 30 yards behind Brett Keisel. Hey, I run the 40 in about 2 days, so I shouldn't talk. Oh wait, I don't get paid a ton a money to be able to run. So yeah, I guess I can talk some smack...

Yo Casey, my man! What the hell are you thinking? We need you in the middle. What have you been doing in the off season? Apparently nothing. This is not good.

In other news, Troy Palomalu is out with a hamstring injury he sustained during off season workouts. Also Chris Kemoeatu apparently injured his triceps while lifting weights in the off season. This is notable because he is apparently Faneca's replacement.

Stay tuned to the Steel Nightmare for updates on training camp as I get them.

Goosemon's Steelers Season Preview

The rookies are signed, so let's do this thing...

From Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Steelers sign top picks Mendenhall and Sweed

"The Steelers came to contract terms today with their top two draft picks and will have all their picks signed to contracts when they open training camp Sunday in Latrobe."

And I don't care where you are in the Steelers Nation, that's good news. Training Camp starts on Monday and all of the Steelers draft picks are sign and will be reporting on time. Being an ol' school fan of the game, I can't help but think this is crucial to a productive training camp.

On Wednesday Coach Tomlin expressed his excitement for the start of Training Camp, and now that there are no remaining holdouts, it is time to get this train rolling full speed so we can meet the leagues toughest schedule head on.

If you've not looked at the schedule, we play 8 teams that made the playoffs last season. You add in the 6 divisional games against the Ravens, Bengals, and Browns, that's 14 of the 16 games that will have a playoff atmosphere. The only other 2 teams we play are the Texans and the Eagles, who both come from divisions that each had two playoff teams. This is by far the toughest schedule in the NFL and we're going to need all of our ducks in a row to have a shot at the playoffs.

As any former center would be, I'm very concerned with our Offensive Line. We lost the core of a front line that gave up over 40 sacks when we lost Faneca. 40 sacks is a ridiculous number. Especially when you consider the number of sacks Roethlisberger managed to escape.

This has to be the single biggest concern for the Nation. If Ben gets hurt, which he has a tendency to do, we could be looking at a very long season, despite the fact that Charlie Batch has shown competence as a back up.

Don't get me wrong, Ben is probably one of the toughest quarterbacks I've watched play the game. But that tough guy attitude can put him in jeopardy at times. And I'm hoping QB Coach Ken Anderson is stressing the idea of throwing the ball away to avoid the sack. Ben was holding on a little too tight last season, trying always to save the play. Hopefully, another year of experience will help him realize we can't score on every play.

As for Mendenhall completing a promising duo with Fast Willie, I think everyone will agree a major key to having a shot at a 6th ring will be staying healthy. I doubt seriously with the addition of Mendenhall, Willie will be in contention for the rushing title again this season. However, I'm confident Willie would rather have a shot at the title, remaining healthy and strong come playoff time. A tandem running back offense can help achieve that goal.

I'm excited about Limus Sweed as well. If you get a chance, go to Youtube and do a search for some highlights on this guy. He's got mad skills, that I think will make you forget he didn't play much during his senior year. If he can learn from the veterans, and be even mildly productive this season, it could be exciting for all of us.

On the defensive side, there's not alot to talk about. Losing Clark Haggans was not my idea. Having met him on a couple of occasions, I'm definitely sorry to see him go. However, Lamarr Woodley, a rookie last season, had the same amount of sacks (4) as Haggans, with probably less than half the playing time. We have James Harrison and Larry Foote coming back, as well as Andre Frazier who as always shown promise. But I am concerned with Lawrence Timmons. Our first round draft pick from a year ago has not lived up the deal he signed and really needs to make his presence known, and soon. We're not paying him all that money to be on the kick off team.

All that being said, I am as excited about this season as I've ever been. I think Coach Tomlin had a great season as a first year head coach and has the great attitude needed to coach winning teams. One thing I am curious to see is if he can take 3rd and 4th round draft picks and turn them into Pro-Bowl caliber players. I realize that was Bill Cowher's strength, and I may be asking too much. But it's what we've come to expect in the Nation. We don't suffer fools and losers. Lord knows, we don't want to go back to the 80's, or what I refer to as "The Dark Times." So Coach Tomlin definitely has his work cut out for him.

And our Offensive Line, had better step up. Or we'll all be throwing things at our TV's. Go Steelers!