Evening It Out

Photo credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

"It" being the Pirates' season record, now at an even .500 for the first time this "late" in a season since Jun 11, 2005, when the Bucs reached a 30-30 mark before sliding suddenly into a precipitous spiral that's taken this long to reverse. Six years. But who's counting?

That 2005 team was almost an entirely different* Pirates crew, skippered by Lloyd McClendon, who seemingly lost control of himself and the team on the one day (in Yankee Stadium) when they had a chance to go 31-30 but blew a late lead on a bad call, and promptly went on to lose -- repeatedly and ignominously -- the rest of that stretch of interleague play (the Yankees, Boston, Baltimore), all the way through the rest of that season and ever since for the next half-a-decade under the volatile McCendon, the loquacious Jim Tracy and the imperturbable John Russell.

But that was then. This is now. And "now" has an entirely different feel than "then."

This year's edition of the Buccos, led by manager Clint Hurdle, feels fresher, more upbeat and more real than any we've seen in a long, long time. Not a finished product, by any means, and maybe a little fragile, but a team that is beginning to find itself and one that is surprisingly resilient.

After starter James McDonald pitched six stellar shutout innings (8 strikeouts vs. just two walks) and the Pirates cruising into the seventh on a 3-0 lead, the Astros quickly staged a rally vs. Chris Resop, who has been mostly reliable. The sudden turnabout was sickening, and the game abruptly had the feel of a crushing defeat.

Reliever Joe Beimel pitched a smooth 1-2-3 eighth, however, to steady things, and the Pirates staged a rally of their own in the bottom of the inning with a Neil Walker hit, a Steve Pearce walk and Ryan Doumit's exclamation mark of three-run homer to put the Pirates back in the lead. Joel Hanrahan closed out the ninth, and everybody went home happy.

It would have been a feel-good win in any case, but this one has a bit more sail to it and carries a little more "oomph" by virtue of the team reaching .500 -- 21 percent through the 162-game schedule!

We're one-fifth of the way through the season and not out of the race yet! Whooppeee!

Fans in other cities must think all this feel-good excitement and optimism is pathetic, but they haven't endured the past 18 seasons the way Pirates' fans have.

And, hey, right now, the Pirates are 17-17, in third place in the N.L. Central, trailing the division-leading Cardinals by just two-and-a-half games ... and leaving Houston (13-21), Milwaukee (14-20) and Chicago (15-18) all looking up at the Bucs in the standings.

Reaching .500 is a bit of a milestone, but hopefully just a mark on the road to better times ahead.

It's a start, and ya gotta start somewhere. Let's hope they keep it going.

Next up: The Dodgers at PNC Park, 7:05 p.m.; Jeff Karstens vs. Chad Billinglsley.

*Footnote: In a bit of irony (or is it coincidence?), the one player from that 2005 team still on the Pirates is Ryan Doumit, the hero of yesterday's game, who made his major league debut on June 5, 2005).

Dissa n Data ...
For what it's worth, The Houston Chronicle reports the Astros bullpen has been atrocious:

The Astros, who fell to 13-21, have seen their bullpen blow nine of its 14 save chances this season, which is easily the worst rate in the National League. The rotating cast of nine characters has a composite ERA of 5.54, the worst in the league and more than two full runs above the NL average.

It’s hard to figure which of the blown saves was the most excruciating, and really, it’s a fruitless exercise. But Sunday’s was certainly close.

Happy Mother's Day!

"I Love You Mom" card and image of pit bull mom with pup courtesy of artist Ginny York, Amherst, Va.

Wishing all mothers
everywhere
love and happiness
on Mother's Day.

R.I.P. Seve the Savvy Southpaw-Swingin' Spanish Swashbuckler

Rest in peace, Seve Ballesteros, the great left-handed-swinging Spanish golfer who won five majors (two Masters and three British Opens) among 80 tournament titles throughout his illustrious career. He died Friday, a young 54, of a brain tumor.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls know little about golf, but Seve seemed pretty cool.

Buccos Let One Slip Away

Padres outfielder Will Venable chases down a fly ball by Pirates first-baseman Lyle Overbay -- whose image and season stats are displayed on the outfield-wall scoreboard behind Venable -- in the first inning of last night's game at PETCO Park in San Diego. (photo and caption courtesy of SignOnSanDiego.com for the San Diego Union-Tribune; photo by K.C. Alfred)

As tempting as it is to examine the NFL Draft in copious detail, we have lots of time to do that -- weeks or months, in fact, until the lockout is resolved, training camp begins, and the season starts. Lots of time. We'll get to it.

Which leaves us with, well let's see ...

The Pirates let one slip away in San Diego last night. Too bad. Entering the game with a 14-15 record, they had a chance to move to .500, hold onto third place in the standings, and continue their relatively good (for them) momentum entering the game.

Nope. Didn't happen.

The Bucs got off to a decent start but were unable to hold a 5-3, seventh-inning lead against a struggling, putrid-hitting Padres team before an anemic crowd at PETCO Park, which looked much PNC Park if judging only by the size of the crowd.

Relievers Mike Crotta and Joe Beimel struggled. Here's what happened, as reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune:

(Reserve catcher Rob) Johnson’s shot into the left field stands on a full-count fastball from Joe Beimel decided the issue.

“I was I was really battling up there,” said Johnson. “Beimel gives you a lot of deception. I finally got to the 3-2 count and told myself stay back.”

Johnson’s homer set the stage for Bell, who got a further assist from Johnson when the catcher threw out Brandon Wood as the runner tried to advance from second to third with one out in the ninth on a Bell breaking ball that bounced in the dirt.

Wood had reached base on a walk to lead off the ninth, then was advanced to second on a nice sacrifice bunt by Ronny Cedeno. As announcers Greg Brown and Bob Walk debated whether the sacrifice in that situation went "against the book," Bell threw a breaking ball that bounced in the dirt and got away, briefly, from Johnson. Wood immediately broke for third, but Johnson recovered the ball quickly and threw him out.

Two outs. No word on whether Wood's effort went "against the book," but Walk defended him vigorously, saying it was a good try and that it took a perfect play to nail him, and asking, "How much better off is he at third than at second?"

Debatable, but it sure would have felt better to have Wood on second with one out than in the dugout with two outs against a guy who was going for his 41st straight save. Manager Clint Hurdle apparently felt the same way and, unlike Walk, expressed displeasure unhappy with Wood's dash.

"You're already in scoring position and if you're safe, we're all happy," Hurdle said. "But he pushed the envelope a little bit. At times you have to be smart, so when you're out at third like that, it never looks good."

Tough to argue with that. Doumit promptly struck out on another pitch that got behind Johnson -- but Doumit didn't see it and was late breaking for first. He probably wouldn't have made it in any case, but the ending was deflating. As was the loss -- a game they should have won.

San Diego native and former Padre Kevin Correia, 4-2 with a 2.90 ERA, goes for the Bucs tonight vs. San Diego lefty Clayton Richard (1-2, 3.80 ERA in eight starts).

With a southpaw on the mound for San Diego, it will be interesting to see which right-handed bats are in the line-up for the Bucs: Steve Pearce at third (or first, for the struggling Overbay)? Matt Diaz in left (for the left-handed Xavier Paul) or in right (in the regular platoon with Garret Jones)?

Here's more evidence that pitching coach Ray Searage is helping the pitchers, courtesy of the Union-Tribune ...

When Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage looked at 2010 tape of Correia, one thing stood out.

“He was pitching to avoid contact,” Searage said. “I told him, ‘I want you to pitch to contact. I want you to be aggressive. Go ahead and attack them with your weapons.’ Because he’s got weapons that are outstanding.

“The biggest thing you need to you, I told him, is keep the ball down. That’s all. And he’s doing it.”

Being more aggressive has resulted in fewer walks. A year ago, Correia averaged 3.97 walks per nine innings. This year: 2.0.

“I didn’t come over from San Diego and learn some magical pitch I didn’t have before,” Correia said. “I just think I learned the art of pitching.”

Food for Thought
Interesting article here about San Diego owner Jeffrey Moorad's plans to increase the Padres payroll.

Back to the Sandbox, Toyland ...

Back to the sandbox, Toyland ... in other words, sports.

Not to much to talk about today. The Pirates are hanging in there, with a record of 14-15, so that's something. At least they look more competitive than they have in recent years. It would be nice to see them keep it going and even improve.

Post-Draft Stuff
Many good collegiate players go undrafted and hope to sign as undrafted free agents. Willie Parker, Doug Legursky and many others fall into that category, and we're always interested to see which players emerge from the pack and actually make the team.

Usually, immediately after the draft, NFL teams scramble to sign 10-12 undrafted college players immediately after the draft. Not this year (because of the lockout). Normally, most teams make those calls to players during the draft to say things like, "Listen, if nobody selects you in the draft, we'd love to sign you to a contract afterwards and bring you into camp. You'll get a chance to compete!" ... which usually means most players are signed with some nominal interest to see what they can do, but in reality (in most cases) are brought in as training camp fodder.

Texas Tech running back Baron Batch had a tense wait before the Steelers drafted him in the seventh round. Writing on his blog, he tells the story of his day, which he spent with his father. Just a portion of his account follows, and it's not even nearly the best part. Read the whole thing (highly recommended, as is his "30,000 feet" story). Baron looks like an interesting guy.

Pick no.229 passed. No.230 passed as well, and shortly after pick no.231 sailed by without my name attached to it. By this time I had quit tracking the draft on my phone and sat it down, but right before I did I said a quick prayer and it went like this. “Please just put me where you want me. Amen.” I tossed my phone to the side and began watching a movie with my dad and little brother.

Not too long after I sat my phone down it began to vibrate. I glanced over to see that it was a number that I didn’t have saved in my phone; my heart began to race and with a shaky hand I answered.

It was the best phone call I have ever received.

With the 232^nd pick in the 2011 NFL draft the Pittsburgh Steelers had chosen me. They chose me! It was unreal. The past 11 years of work was wrapped and packaged into one phone call.

The poor kid with nothing but a dream and a tattered map of how to get there had reached his goal. I had been drafted into the National Football League. Did that just happen?

That is Good News, Man, That is GOOD NEWS!

Score one for the good guys. This one's for all the victims of 9/11.

And for everbody who has had to live with the repercussions of that awful day ever since.

The world is a better place today than it was just a couple days ago.

Congrats to the guys who went in and got him, to the intel forces who dug him out and to the President for making sure it got done.

Tough days lie ahead, but this was a good one.

Mock THIS!

If anybody claims their pre-event mock draft predicted this year's first round of the NFL Draft, they're lying.

Nobody could have predicted four quarterbacks in the first 12 picks. Or that Jake Locker, for crying out loud, would be the second QB taken, eighth overall. Or that Seattle would take Alabama tackle James Carpenter, whom Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he believed the Steelers were considering.

Or that Atlanta would have traded all of Peachtree Street to Cleveland for its first pick, No. 6 overall, to nab Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones.

Or that Pitt wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin would be drafted 26th overall, by Kansas City. Baldwin will long be remembered not only for underachieving at Pitt but even more sourly for throwing his coach and QB under the bus after announcing he was making himself eligible for the draft, would be drafted 26th overall, by Kansas City.

Mock drafts are fun, but this year ... probably not one person nailed the first round.

Sensible Shoes in a Land Called Cameron

Did you know this year's NFL Draft featured a Cameron Jordan and a Jordan Cameron? Or that three NFL teams drafted players named "Cameron" in the first round. Do you know which team drafted which Cameron?

More on point: The Steelers

Granted, the Steelers' draft lacks the WOW! factor of New England's draft, or Detroit's, or Cleveland's. But it appears more than solid, especially considering that they picked No. 31 and then sat patiently for their picks throughout the entire draft, never trading up or down, but picking up some intriguing players along the way. It was a pragmatic draft. Like sensible shoes.

As noted in prior posts, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like the first three choices, Cameron Heyward, defensive end, Ohio State; Marcus Gilbert, offensive tackle, Florida; and Curtis Brown, cornerback, Texas (pictured above, at the NFL Combine).

Although we know less about the players drafted on Saturday, they also look promising, especially the fourth- and fifth-rounders, Cortez Allen (pictured above), cornerback, The Citadel, and Chris Carter, OLB, Fresno.

Then the Steelers added Keith Williams -- and how far wrong can you go with a guard from Nebraska? -- and took a flyer on a running back, Baron Batch (no relation to Charlie), described as a "home run hitter," and there you have it: The 2011 Steelers' draft. Seven picks, straight up, no trades, no over-reaches, "no projects."

How these guys will fit in remains to be seen. The first three are easy to project:

• Heyward will step right into the defensive line rotation.

• Gilbert will compete for a starting job (hopefully) or at least be groomed to take over for either Flozell Adams or Max Starks.
  

• Brown's situation will be defined somewhat by Ike Taylor's free agency. We have a hunch Taylor will return. If so, Brown could compete with Bryant McFadden for a starting job on the left side. If Taylor doesn't return, Brown may very well start in his place. At the very least, Brown will see significant playing time as a nickel back and projects as an eventual starter.

The other corner, Cortez Allen, selected with the very next pick after Brown, is really interesting. Allen has the size/speed measurables and appears to have the intangibles and military-school discipline that already has secondary coach Carnell Lake saying this is a guy he can mold.

Allen's selection serves notice to 2009 third-rounder Keenan Lewis, who may be facing his last Steelers training camp. Lewis appears to have been surpassed already by last year's drafted corner, Crezdon Butler. Even if Cortez Allen does next to nothing this year, it will be more than Lewis has accomplished so far.

ESPN's Trent Dilfer was positively giddy over the selection of Chris Carter, who had 11 sacks (eleven!) and 16.5 tackles for loss (!) last year at Fresno. As a high-profile Fresno alum, Dilfer follows Fresno football closely, and he also broadcast at least one of the team's games last year, vs. the Cincinnati Bearcats, a good Big East team.

Of Carter's performance in that game, Dilfer said, "Carter wreaked havoc on Cincinnati's quarterback all, day, long." He also said Carter is a "dynamic first-step player" and cited his selection as yet another example of how the Steelers consistently "get it right" in the draft.

Sounds good. Especially for a fifth-round guy.

All in all, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are okay with the Steelers' draft. In fact, it looks good, and we'd say if we thought otherwise.

Addendum: Baron Batch seems really cool. Check out his excellent blog and this article from MyWestTexas.com, where he is quoted as saying,

"They told me I have to play special teams and that they like me on third downs because of the way I block and can catch the football."

Blocking and catching? We like the sound of that.

We Like ...

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like the Steelers' second- and third-round draft choices.

The team appears to have gotten "value" players from big-time programs (Florida and Texas) at positions of need (tackle and cornerback).

At 6'6", 330 lbs., Marcus Gilbert is big enough, that's for sure, as he joins fellow Florida Gators alumni Maurkice Pouncey and Max Starks on the Steelers' offensive line.

No doubt the Steelers asked Pouncey about Gilbert, since they played together on the same line at Florida, and the reports must have been satisfactory. One of the TV draft gurus last night said Gilbert has quick feet.

He'd better have quick feet, if he's going to handle the likes of pass rushers like Dontay Moch, the seriously fast (4.4 40 at 248 lbs.) linebacker out of Nevada, drafted in the third-round by the Cincinnati Bengals, daggnabbitt. Whatever. Gilbert can only help. We hope.

Curtis Brown, the third-round corner from Texas, made a great impression at the Combine a couple months ago. In fact, of all corners, he made the entire Combine's single, standout-highlight play during the skill drills.

Watching this unfold live on The NFL Network, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls literally sat bolt upright and said, "Who's that guy?!" when Brown leaped high to make an acrobatic, leaping, twisting, one-handed interception of a deep throw along the sideline -- a catch he made with the ball at its apogee and his feet way off the ground. Cameras caught the play in super-slow-motion high-definition, and showed it in replay with the announcers oohing and aweing just before a commercial break -- after which they came back to it, showed it repeatedly and continued their expressions of amazement --- making the point that Brown not only came down with the ball, he immediately turned upfield and ran it back. Dude can leap, and if that play was any indication, he has great hands, even if he did have only two interceptions at Texas. Our only concern is that he looks a little thin, so we wonder if he'll be tough against the run, which the Steelers require of their corners.

Steelers secondary coach Carnell Lake, who knows something about playing corner and safety, acknowledged that Brown's former teammate Aaron Williams is the bigger player, but said that Brown is the better corner, as Ed Bouchette reports in today's Post-Gazette:

Surprisingly, new Steelers secondary coach Carnell Lake said Brown was the more polished of the three Texas cornerback prospects in this draft.

"Probably the best cover corner coming out" of Texas, Lake said. "Aaron Williams was the first [Texas] corner taken. Aaron's bigger, but we thought he was more of a safety."

So, those second- and third-round picks assuage our concerns that the Steelers may have misfired on their first pick.

Plus, the more we hear about first-rounder Cameron Heyward, the more we like him. He will probably never be a superstar or rack up an eye-popping number of sacks, but he should fill the run-clogging/take-on-the-blockers role the Steelers require of their defensive ends and which Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel have performed so admirably for so many years. He started for perennial contender Ohio State for three-and-a-half years, so he is experienced in a big-time program, and by all accounts he is a high-character guy. No worries there.

Today: The Steelers are still on the clock. By the time anybody reads this, it may be a moot point, but the one player we'd like for them to nab? Taiwan Jones, running back, Eastern Washington, a young Fast Willie.

Damn, never mind. Jones just went to the Raiders. Just finished typing that, too.

Oh, here we go ... the Steelers just selected Cortez Allen, cornerback, The Citadel. Sounds good, with favorable comments from all the guys on The NFL Network ... good size, good speed, good tackler, they say. Good hands, and a nearly 40-inch vertical leap.

Just switched over to ESPN, and Mel Kiper has nothing but good things to say about Allen.

Let's see what Chad Reuter's scouting report on CBS Sportsline has to say ...

"The 2010 second-team All-Southern Conference pick (22 tackles, two INTs, five PBUs) has a build and movement quite similar to those of former Tennessee State star Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was Arizona's first-round pick in 2008. Allen has not been as productive as "DRC" and is not quite as physical, but has prototypical height and similarly quick feet. Those attributes should get him consideration in the mid-to-late rounds."

"Typically used in man coverage, lines up well off the line, in press-bail or occasionally in press. Excellent reaction time to attack the run and close on passes. Good range and hustle to chase down ballcarriers from behind. Quick hands, length and straight-line speed allow him to get good contact within five yards and stay with receivers down the sideline. Excellent height and vertical in one-on-one situations, FCS teams do not often test him downfield. Uses length and speed to recover if beaten on an inside or double move. Extremely quick feet and reactions on run plays, usually jumps around blocks to get into the play. Will also punch and slingshot around receiver to get off a block. Solid cut tackler whether supporting the run or in the open field; takes out the legs of oncoming receivers. Good hustle to help teammates, even to the opposite side of the field. Team captain in 2010."

Sounds good.

Who's next to the Steelers? A running back? A receiver?

What took so long?

The Steelers took no time at all to announce Cameron Heyward as their pick last night in the first round of the NFL Draft. No milking the 15-minute time allotment to field trade inquiries, or to debate player selections, or to twiddle thumbs on national television.

It was wham, bam, thank you Cam.

Nothing surprised Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls more than how quickly the Steelers turned in their draft card. Did they even take time to call Heyward before announcing the pick?

We'd figured it would make sense for the Steelers to pick Texas cornerback Aaron Williams or maybe an offensive lineman, but Heyward’s a good player, too, supposedly. We'll have to trust their talent-judgment ability. No doubt: The team needs to fortify the aging defensive line.

Still ... you wonder about the value. Heyward was the 12^th defensive lineman chosen (twelfth!) in the first round and the third “Cameron” taken, after Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and Cal defensive end Cameron Jordan.

Maybe the Steelers figured Heyward was the last, best option available at defensive end this year. And maybe they know something about Aaron Smith’s health. Maybe not. Perhaps they're just adding depth to the D-line rotation and planning for age catching up to Smith and Brett Keisel.

Or, maybe they really, really like Heyward.

Clearly, the Steelers valued Heyward more than Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod, taken with the very next pick by the Green Bay Packers, and Florida State guard/center Rodney Hudson, whom we like a lot and who remains available as a poor man's Maurkice/Mike Pouncey.

Granted, Heyward dominated at times during the 2010 season, but we would like to know more about his consistency and how he fared against Big 10 offensive tackles like Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi, drafted ahead of him at No. 21 overall. Surely, Heyward and Carimi must have squared off at some point during their respective college careers.

According to various reports, including ESPN, Heyward's best collegiate game was his last one, the Jan. 5 Sugar Bowl vs. Arkansas:

Defensive end Cameron Heyward had his best game as a Buckeye in his last game, racking up 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. "Cam was a beast," OSU head coach Jim Tressel said. "He was all over the place."

Player of the game: Ohio State's Heyward. Terrell Pryor came up big as well, but Heyward was all over the field and really disrupted Arkansas' offensive rhythm at times. The son of the late Craig "Ironhead" Heyward turned in a dominant effort in his dad's old stomping ground.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, “That was even more impressive after it was revealed that he suffered a torn ligament in his left elbow in the second quarter but remained in the game. The elbow injury required reconstructive surgery on Jan. 12 and prevented him from accepting an invitation to the Senior Bowl and from working out at the NFL combine and at OSU's pro day on March 11. He held a separate pro day on March 30, instead.”

Could the January elbow injury have hurt Heyward’s draft stock? After all, Heyward was the eighth defensive end among 12 defensive linemen chosen in the first round.

By Comparison ...

Four other defensive linemen from Heyward’s own conference, the Big 10, were drafted ahead of him. Those were Wisconsin's J.J. Watt (drafted 11th overall, by Houston), Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan (drafted 16th overall, by Washington), Illinois's Corey Liuget (drafted 18th overall by San Diego) and Iowa's Adrian Clayborn (drafted 20th overall by Tampa Bay). Not to say 30 other teams made the right choice by passing on Heyward, but that is pretty deep.

Heyward was a good player at Ohio State. Hopefully, he will be an even better player for the Steelers. Hey, he’s a Pittsburgh native, his father was a big-time player for Pitt, and he’s a Steeler fan. He has a winning attitude and seems to have his head screwed on straight. Give him a chance. Time will tell.

Dissa ‘n Datta …

Like every other team in first round, the Steelers passed on Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers. Just a few months ago, Bowers was considered the potential No. 1 pick overall and a certain top 10 selection. He fell out of the first round because of medical concerns. It will be interesting to see where he ends up and how his career plays out. He will certainly be motivated, one would think, as he will try to prove wrong those eight teams -- including the Steelers -- who chose defensive ends ahead of him.

The Cleveland Browns made a great trade out of the No. 6 position to gain a boatload of surprisingly high draft picks in this draft, plus first- and fourth-round selections next year. They fleeced the Falcons. The Browns have holes, and they are many, so they need multiple players. They made a good start last night by drafting a massive nose tackle, Baylor’s Phil Taylor, in the first round. You can do worse than building a team from the inside out, and the Browns took a major step in that direction by selecting Taylor as the keystone building block to anchor their defense for years to come. They just improved their run defense dramatically. Too bad -- we'd been counting on the Browns to screw up once again.

Speaking of building from the inside out, big kudos to both Detroit and Miami. Nick Fairley and Ndamokongh Sue on the same defensive line in Detroit? Wow, that is awesome, and clearly something for Detroit fans to get excited about. Finally. And the Dolphins obviously hope Mike Pouncey gives them the same production his twin brother Maurkice gave the Steelers last season. Great choices for both those teams.

On the other hand, Jake Locker? What was Tennessee thinking? Locker has never hit a 60 percent completion rate in college. And the Titans passed on Blaine Gabbert? So, too, the 49ers, who still need a quarterback – as do the Titans, we suspect, even after drafting Locker.

We expect quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton to go early in the second round. The Bengals need a QB, but so do other teams, so there could be some early maneuvering. Don't be surprised if teams start to stockpile picks for next year, in anticipation of a tiered rookie salary scale.

The NFL Draft Begins Tonight, Doesn't It?

The show must go on.

Even as the NFL Lockout-related courtroom rulings fly, even as questions about the status of free agency run amok, and even as every NFL team disseminates nothing but rumors, innuendo and disinformation about their draft intentions and possible trades, the NFL Draft will begin this evening on prime-time TV.

What will the Steelers do? We have no idea. So much depends on what the 30 teams picking ahead of the Steelers in the first round do, and there could be several trades.

Everybody wants an offensive lineman, and there is much to be said for that. Despite the Steelers' woes on the O-line, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls has already posted this entry about this being not a great draft for offensive lineman. Ed Bouchette's column also notes how the Steelers typically pass over offensive tackles in the first couple rounds of the draft.

From everything we've seen, this is not the year for them to deviate from that approach (although if Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi somehow falls to them, we wouldn't squawk much if they took him). Max Starks and Willie Colon are the wild cards at the tackle position. If we had to wager, Starks will return; Colon won't. Of course, then, other free agents-to-be may or may not be available. New England's Matt Light, for example?

Now, more to the point -- not so much what they will do tonight, but what they should do, which is to draft a cornerback with the first pick, if the right one is available.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls seriously disagree with the premise of Ed Bouchette's article in last Sunday's edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, titled, "Williams not the cornerback the Steelers need" about the University of Texas's Aaron Williams and cornerbacks in general.

Having watched (on TV, of course) Texas play a number of times the past three years, we couldn't help but notice Aaron Williams' play. He stood out as a playmaker and a difference-maker in top-flight competition. He was always around the ball, and a good tackler, very physical, with an explosive burst. He always seemed to be a legitimate problem for the opposition, which was always big-time (including bowl games).

We distinctly remember that No. 4, which is an unusual number for a cornerback, and thinking, "Who's that guy?" He jumped off the television screen over and over again. Although the rap against Williams seems to be he lacks top-end straight-line speed, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would bet Williams is at least as fast as a lot of other NFL corners, including Bryant MacFadden and William Gay. And we still have nightmarish visions of MacFadden and Gay getting beat repeatedly in the Super Bowl.

If you get a chance to watch the NFL Network's program called "Game Changers," with Steve Mariucci, watch the segment featuring cornerbacks Prince Amakamura (whom everybody projects as a top-10 pick) and Aaron Williams. Based on what we saw in this program -- and, really, based on their body of work over their respective collegiate careers -- there is very, very little to distinguish the two.

On the show, Mariucci and the NFL Network's Charles Smith put Amakamura and Williams through on-field drills, talked to the two about technique, how and why they make certain moves in coverage, and how they play the ball in the air, etc. All this was covered in the film room, too, as they analyzed various plays in college, and Mariucci made Williams go up to the whiteboard, diagram play-schemes and explain what he would do on certain plays and why. Both Williams and Amakamura showed a deep understanding of what they are doing. They both showed that they are serious students of the game and serious about what they are doing. Both seemed very polite, respectful, complimentary of one another and fairly soft-spoken, but cool, loose and having fun, too.

On the field, both Amakamura and Williams are seriously quick, adroit and good with their feet (in turns, etc), and also with their hands (battling receivers off the line -- these days, it's almost like kung-fu hand-to-hand maneuvering for the first two steps until the receiver gets into his route, and then the corner shadows him, but also tries to force him out of his route with an "arm-bar" and by using the sideline as a friend to take away the angle.

Williams appears to be very good at reading the receiver, moving quickly, and turning smoothly. Speaking with Mariucci and Charles Smith, Williams also talked about the importance of maintaining inside-position, so he could make a play on the ball, and then Mariucci showed video of several highlight plays where Texas left Williams on an island, one-on-one with the other team's best receiver -- and expected him to make a play -- which he did.

On one such play, a red-zone fade route, the camera was shooting from the back corner of the end zone. The play developed right in front of the camera, and sure enough, Williams positioned himself inside the receiver, outmanevered him, leaped, twisted and picked off the ball at its highest point. Watching the interception, Amakamura said, "Incredible body control," and Mariucci said, "Amazing," after which Mariucci made the observation, "That receiver's taller than you, isn't he, that's probably why they figured he'd be a good target for the fade, that he'd outleap you." And Williams answered, "Yeah, he's 6'3"."

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls respect Ed Bouchette, but we don't like that Bouchette summarily dismissed Williams outright because of supposed lack of straight-line 40-yard dash speed and because the corner position supposedly can be filled later in the draft. Judging from his article, Bouchette hasn't talked to Williams' position coach in college, opposing college coaches, or NFL scouts (except one, the great Jack Butler, and who are we to argue with him?). BUT, if you read the article closely, Butler didn't say a word about Williams from an evaluative or observational perspective of technique, history or even his general ability to play corner. Butler talked about the relative comparison of playing safety vs. playing corner. Very general.

Keep in mind that Williams can play safety as well as corner, and keep in mind that the safety position in the NFL is changing -- has been for the past four or five years. Nowadays, coverage skills are more of a premium than they were in the days when you had a "free safety" and a "strong safety" -- a really big guy who hits big.

Safeties these days are more or less interchangeable AND they absolutely must have range, closing speed and coverage skills. If Williams transitions to safety (he's about 15-20 pounds heavier than Ryan Clark, by the way), we don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. And if he becomes a fixture at corner, all the better. He's solid as hell -- from the looks of him, he should play tough against the run -- and he sure doesn't shy away from contact.

After reading Bouchette's article -- and so much of the other constantly changing draft coverage, mock drafts, etc. -- we have no idea what the Steelers really might be thinking. There's so much disinformation any more. No team wants to tip their hand. All we know is the following:

• The Steelers need a corner maybe even more than they need an offensive tackle.
  
• After Patrick Peterson (LSU) and Prince Amakamura, Williams may well be the third-best corner available, and the NFL Network's Mike Mayock currently rates him the top safety.
  
• After Williams, there's supposed to be a steep dropoff at corner (except, perhaps for Colorado's Jimmy Smith, who is reputed to have "significant" off-field issues, and we'd like to think the Steelers have had enough of those).
  
• As for the relative merits of Amakamura and Williams, we're not at all convinced there's a whole lot of difference between the two, except that Williams is a bit taller, maybe a little more solidly built and played in a college championship game..
• Bottom line: Joey Porter's Pit Bulls disagree with Bouchette's premise that "Willliams is not the corner the Steelers need". We think he'd be perfect for the Steelers.
• The Steelers would be lucky to get him. We wouldn't be at all surprised if the Ravens pick him at No. 26, or just about any other team between picks 18 and 30. Corners are always at a premium, and you can never have too many good corners -- or safeties, for that matter.

So much depends on what other teams might do ahead of the Steelers. People would like to see the Steelers draft Mike Pouncey (but he'll be gone), and we like what we've read about FSU's guard/center Rodney Hudson, but the Steelers may feel like they're okay on the interior of the offensive line with Maurkice Pouncey, Chris Keomatu, Ramon Foster, Doug Legursky and Trai Essex.

A defensive lineman could be a strong consideration, but the D-Line is supposed to be the deepest position in this year's draft, which means maybe you could get a very good player in the second or third round. Still, pass rushers are always at a premium, especially with so many teams converting to the three-four defense, and there's been a ton of speculation that as many as 13 defensive linemen/rushers could go in the first round.

We suspect the Steelers will target three positions in the first three rounds -- cornerback, defensive line and offensive line -- but, of course, it all depends how the chips fall. There are any number of guys we'd love to see in a Steelers uniform next year: Williams, Carimi, Pouncey, Hudson, J.J. Watt, Ryan Kerrigan, Brooks Reed -- even Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones (think Fast Willie) and Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick.

In fact, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would LOVE for the Steelers to somehow grab Kaepernick, but we don't see it happening. He is likely to be drafted early to mid-second round. Just a feeling the guy not only has a ton of legitimate NFL-quality talent, but he also seems to have his head screwed on straight, since he says things like ...

"I feel like I’m a good person. I'm not going to put myself in a bad position or the team in a bad position with things I do off the field. That's what you look for when you're looking for a leader. Is this person responsible and mature enough to realize no matter what as a quarterback you are face of that franchise and you need to carry yourself a certain way? Certain things you can’t get away with."

Sounds like Kaepernick gets it.

Should be interesting. Stay tuned.

Steelers Draft Preview

Not exactly a man-bites-dog story, but ...
The Steelers need an offensive tackle. For sure, but that's old news.

Today, the Steelers' depth chart lists Flozell Adams and Jonathan Scott as starters, with Tony Hills (?!) and Chris Scott as backups. Yikes. Somehow they made it to the Super Bowl with this crew, but still ...

The Steelers are long overdue for drafting an OT in the first round, although keep in mind this wild card: The possible return of Willie Colon, which is no sure thing (and may not be a good thing, in any case) ... and Max Starks. Given the lack of a Collective Bargaining Agreement, we don't know their status or whether the Steelers truly expect these guys to play. All we know is this: Both Colon and Starks are still on the official roster, as of today, as it is listed on the Steelers' Web site.

Presumably, Trai Essex, who is listed on the roster as a guard, could play at tackle, if needed, as could Ramon Foster, possibly. The only other tackle on the current roster is somebody named Kyle Jolly (6'6", 300, North Carolina), who was on the practice squad last year.

How well the Steelers address this problem at tackle remains an open question. It has to be a priority, though. We're just not sure they'll be able to do it in the draft. Here's why ...

It's supposed to be a fairly weak year for offensive tackles. The NFL Network's Charley Casserly, a former GM, says the best offensive tackle in this year's draft would have been the sixth-rated tackle in last year's draft. Nobody really knows. The Steelers pick 31st, so there's a good chance four, five or even six tackles will be selected by the time they make their selection. Which would mean, if you go by the opinion of Casserly and other draft gurus (namely Brian Baldinger and Mike Mayock) on the NFL Network, they'd be picking a guy the equivalent of, say, the 10th-best tackle to come available in the combined drafts of 2010 and 2011.

In any case, the tackle position is a question the Steelers have to tackle, sooner rather than later.

More generally, it's hard to predict who might be there for the Steelers at No. 31 in the first round. Everybody seems to be bandying about names like nose tackle Phil Taylor (6'3", 334) and offensive tackle/guard/center Danny Watkins, both out of Baylor, and cornerback Aaron Williams from Texas. All three are projected to go late in the first round or early in the second. Taylor and Watkins (who will turn 27! during the upcoming season) both are considered fast risers, while Williams has been projected all along as the third-best corner available (which means he might not even last until No. 31). All three could be gone, easily. Familiar names like Mike Pouncey (G/C, Florida), J.J. Watt (DE, Wisconsin, a guy in the mold of Aaron Smith, but maybe even more mobile), and Gabe Carimi (OT, Wisconsin) all will be drafted ahead of the Steelers' pick at No. 31.

Certainly, everybody would love to see the Steelers draft Mike Pouncey, but he'll be gone. Here's an option -- a poor man's Maurkice/Mike Pouncey, if you will: Florida State's Rodney Hudson, who's name hasn't been mentioned as prominently as some of the other top O-line prospects. Still, here's his profile overview on NFL.com, and it is intriguing:

"Hudson has a well-rounded, polished skill set. Should be an immediate starter at guard or center and could make a few Pro Bowls down the line. He can handle power or speed pass rushers with his outstanding balance, flexibility and wide base. In the running game, he uses great quickness to get himself into position, keeps his legs churning and finishes with authority. Only true negative is his lack of size, but he more than compensates with impressive power, toughness and in-game stamina. Hudson is arguably the finest interior offensive line prospect in this class and could hear his name in the first round."

According to Bob Labriola, writing on the Steelers Web site, Hudson was penalized only once in 832 snaps his senior season. Sounds pretty good. If the Steelers can't get Mike Pouncey, this guy sounds all right, too, for sure.

We've also read Mississippi State tackle Derek Sherrod's name associated with the Steelers, but he we've also read mixed reviews about him -- and that's what you get at No. 31. It bears repeating: It's a weak year for offensive tackles. An early run on OTs may mean only that teams are trying to salvage what they can to fill immediate needs on the O-line.

What About a Cornerback?
As much as the Steelers need help on the offensive line, they might be better served by going with the best player available, especially if it's at another position of need (like cornerback).

Speaking of corners, after Patrick Peterson (LSU), Prince Amakamura (Nebraska), Jimmy Smith (Colorado) and Aaron Williams (Texas), there's supposed to be a marked drop-off. Some draftniks (like Mike Mayock of the NFL Network) project Williams to move to safety in the NFL, which is not an indictment, given the need nowadays for safeties with strong coverage skills.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like Williams and would be happy if the Steelers are able to land him. It may be time for the Steelers to abandon the Keenan Lewis experiment, Ike Taylor and Bryant MacFadden aren't getting any younger, and William Gay has the look of a career nickel back, albeit a solid one. Oh, and by the way, Taylor and Gay may be unrestricted free agents (?), depending on what happens with the CBA, and MacFadden, who played well for the most part, still looks like a stopgap fill-in they picked up on the cheap last off-season.

Other cornerbacks on the roster remain question marks (Crezdon Butler) or have the look of interchangeable special team guys or expendable nickel-dime situational players (Anthony Madison, Donovan Warren, Tuff Harris).

Supposedly a Weak Year for Safeties, RBs and QBs
It's supposed to be a very weak year for safeties, and supposedly only one or two tight ends (Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame, and a TE from Wisconsin) grade as late first-round or early second-round talent.

Ditto running backs, with Mark Ingram, Alabama, and Mikel LeShoure, Illinois, projected to go somewhere between picks No. 20-35. If we heard correctly, LeShoure never fumbled during his college career. Interestingly, as reported on CBS Sportsline, Leshoure was born in prison:

"It wasn't anything near certain that Leshoure would become 'the guy' for the Illini until fall camp last year. He's worked hard to, in his own words, 'keep growing' since he was born in prison and spent all but four years of his life without his father, who also spent time in prison."

Quarterback Question Marks
It's also a weak year for quarterbacks (after Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert), but because so many teams need to shore up the QB position, there may be a run on QBs late in the first and early- to mid-second-round. You'd be talking about guys like Ryan Mallett, Arkansas; Andy Dalton, TCU; Christian Ponder, FSU; and then guys who are widely considered to be slightly lesser-tier options like Jake Locker, Washington; Ricky Stanzi, Iowa; and Colin Kaepernick, Nevada, who Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would love to see in a Steelers' uniform, but it ain't gonna happen). We'd be a lot more excited about Kaepernick in Black 'n Gold than we are about Dennis Dixon. We're not suggesting the Steelers will draft a QB in the first three rounds, but it's a position they should reinforce, even with Byron Leftwich returning. Will Charlie Batch even be back?

Which leaves the Steelers, where? Defensive line?
The defensive line in this year's draft is supposed to be very deep this year, and that may be where they're looking. They brought in Baylor nose tackle Phil Taylor for a visit. Corey Liuget, a NT from Illinois, also is projected as a mid- to late-first-rounder. North Carolina nose tackle Marvin Austin is another possibility.

Here's a darkhorse name (third round?) at nose tackle: Kenrick Ellis (6'5", 346) from Hampton, Va., Mike Tomlin's old school. He's been getting a bit of attention on the NFL Network as one of those under-the-radar guys who deserves a close look.

Here's a guy to keep an eye on: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue. At 6'4, 267, he's a bit of a tweener, but so was Lamarr Woodley. For what it's worth, Purdue has a long tradition of sending outstanding pass-rushing defensive ends to the NFL. By all accounts, Kerrigan has the proverbial non-stop motor, and his relentless style of play has been likened to Green Bay All-Pro linebacker Clay Matthews. Kerrigan may or may not get picked in the first round, but he won't last until the Steelers' second-round pick.

How Other Teams Might Affect the Steelers' Draft
With the lockout (no free agents are being signed), it's a tricky draft to project what other teams might do. Many of them are in flux.

The Bengals, for instance, stand to lose Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. The Browns have an entirely new coaching staff. It's no secret the Cowboys (picking at No. 9 overall) need to upgrade their offensive tackle position, but they are also thought to be looking at Prince Amakamura, the cornerback from Nebraska. The Ravens (at pick No. 26) need speed at wide receiver, but they also need help at cornerback -- which would have them looking squarely at Texas's Aaron Williams, especially if they think the Steelers want him.

For what it's worth Mel Kiper's latest mock draft has Colorado CB Jimmy Smith going to the Ravens at No. 26, although Smith is reputed to have had some off-field issues. The Jets pick just ahead of the Steelers, and the Jets are known to be looking to upgrade their pass rush with either a rush linebacker, a mobile defensive end or a stout nose tackle to succeed Kris Jenkins -- which means either Phil Taylor or Corey Liuget could be plucked right before the Steelers' pick.

Then there are the Patriots, picking ahead of the Steelers with picks No. 17 and 28, and right behind them with pick No. 33. There's a good chance the Patriots will trade one or two of those picks -- but we suspect they will keep the No. 17 pick.

All of which will influence what's available for the Steelers at No. 31. Your guess is as good as anybody's.

That's all we have for today, except that ...

With the NFL Draft is just over a week away, we still can't get over the following fact, as galling as it is:

The New England Patriots, who went 14-2 last year, hold three of the first 33 picks -- two first-rounders (No. 17 and 28), and the first pick in the second round (No. 33 overall). The Patriots hold six (six!) of the first 92 picks in the draft.

A pox on the New England Patriots.