What went wrong in Baltimore? What DIDN'T go wrong?

Yesterday's game reminded Joey Porter's Pit Bulls of the type of alliterative headline we used to see back in the day ...

"Racing Ray Rice Romps as Rampaging Ravens Rout Steelers"

Are James Harrison, Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden and Troy Polamalu still injured?  They sure played like it.  Inexplicably, the defense looked "complacent."  That's the word Merril Hoge used this morning on ESPN, and it seems right.

The offense may have been even worse: seven turnovers, multiple miscues, three sacks allowed to Terrell Suggs, blah, blah, blah, ad nauseum.  Let's just blame it on the lack of OTAs and pretend yesterday was the final pre-season game.

Yesterday's fiasco debacle disgrace exhibition in Baltimore reminds me of a friend who went to confession for the first time in years and said, "Tell you what Father, if I tell you all my sins, we'll be here all day.  How 'bout I tell you what I didn't do, and we'll get this over with." 

Yup.  If we talked about everything that went wrong in yesterday's game, we'd be here all day.  It would be easier to review what went right ...

-- Silence -- Blank Screen --Silence -- 

That about sums it up.  It could be worse.  We could be fans of the Seattle Seahawks, who not only are licking their wounds after taking a butt-whupping of their own but now must make a cross-country trip this weekend to to face the ... Pittsburgh Steelers.

Yikes! ... I just looked up from the keyboard to glance at the TV to see Serena Williams sitting at the U.S. Open's post-match press conference.  Honest to Art Rooney, for a flash-second, I thought she was Troy Polamulu in a new Head and Shoulders commercial.

By the way, of course Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are glad the Steelers signed Troy to a contract extension on Saturday.  We never doubted it (much). Dan Rooney has always said he regretted that the Steelers allowed Rod Woodson to depart via free agency.  The Steelers weren't going to let that happen with Troy, and it seemed like he never had any desire to play anywhere else.  

Now, let's hope the Steelers can sign Mike Wallace to a new contract before he departs via free agency in the off-season. It would be awful to see him in a Ravens uniform next season, although after watching yesterday's game, it looks like they don't need him.

As for yesterday's NFL games across our beloved nation, Ben Roethlisberger didn't look much better than Kerry Collins did for the Colts, or Tarvaris Jackson for the Seahawks.  The Steelers, Colts, Chiefs, Seahawks, Falcons -- all playoff teams last year -- all looked atrocious.  Dallas found a way to lose to the Jets in a game they led by 14 points in the fourth quarter.  Cleveland found a way lose at home to the Bungles.  Cam Newton passed for 422 yards, the most by an NFL QB in his debut -- and Carolina still lost.  Should be an interesting football season.

Oh, and Maine almost beat Pitt, Alabama trounced Penn State, and Notre Dame is 0-2 after blowing a last-minute lead at Michigan.  And the Pirates got swept by the Marlins on a day they "trumpeted" a new contract for their toy marionette, yes-man GM, Neil Huntington.

At least the weather's nice.

Typical Pirates

As if ashamed of announcing they had extended the contract of general manager Neil Huntington, the Pirates "braintrust" waited until about an hour before kickoff of the Steelers' season opener in Baltimore to reveal the news.  It was as if they (owner Bob Nutting and team president Frank Coonelly) wanted to hide the news and sneak it through on a day they knew most Pittsburghers would be focused on the Steelers and the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Even the Pirates, as tone-deaf as they are, had to realize that speculation like this would arise.  If this had been an announcement they wanted to spotlight, they could have waited until tomorrow or even Tuesday.

It's not even the deal itself that's offensive, although three years (plus a club option for year four) seems excessive in the extreme for what Huntington has "accomplished."  It's the way the club handled it:  Sneaky.  This is so-o-o typical of the Pirates' management team, which has all the PR savvy of BP during the company's oil spill off the coast of Louisiana.

We'd like to know when this deal was struck and whether a conscious decision was made to announce it on Steeler Sunday and the 10th anniversary of 9/11. If so, the timing of this announcement reeks of Coonelly's handiwork: surreptitious, sneaky, slimy and smarmy. 

This stinks almost as much as the Steelers "performance" today in Baltimore -- maybe even more so, because it appears so snide, calculating and manipulative. 

It's pathetic, cartoonish and clownish.

Steelers-Ravens: What a stinker! Pee-yoo.

Interceptions, fumbles, errant passes, penalties, miscues and a 32-7 Baltimore lead by the end of the third quarter.  

This stinks.

In Requiem, We Remember ...

We Honor Those Who Have Gone Before Us, 
Live With Their Memories, 
and Carry Hopes and Prayers for a Better Future.

Ten Years Later, We Remember and Shall Never Forget.
  
"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle." 
-- St. Francis of Assisi

About That Baltimorereless Defense

“This game is all about the defense and how good they are and who doesn’t turn the ball over on offense ... but I think at some point you have to flip that around and try to go score points on offense.  I don’t see us holding anything back.”  -- Ben Roethlisberger

"I don't see us holding anything back."  Sounds like Ben Roethlisberger is salivating at the prospect of opening up the Steelers passing game against the Baltimore Ravens' rebuilt secondary, especially with the Steelers lightning-fast receiving corps.

Ravens' All-Pro safety Ed Reed returns and will be joined on the back end by new starter Tom Zibikowski, who replaces Dawan Landry.  The corners will be manned by two new starters, rookie first-rounder Jimmy Smith from Colorado and Cary Williams, a fourth-year player with one career start (in 2009) under his belt.  Veterans Chris Carr and Ladarius Webb also will see playing time, particularly Carr as the nickel back.  Veteran Dominique Foxworth may also figure in the mix, if healthy enough.  Just like the Ravens' retooled offensive line, it may take time for Balti-sore's secondary to jell.  Expect the Steelers to pounce early and often, especially because the Ravens' pass rush has only one established threat, rush linebacker Terrell Suggs, who had 11 sacks in 2010.

Joining Suggs at linebacker is the team leader, Ray Lewis, always a disruptive force,and second-year starter Jameel McClain, who had 91 tackles last season, and veteran Jarrett Johnson, also a very good player.

The formidable Haloti Ngata anchors the defensive line and will be flanked by nine-year veteran Cory Redding and new starter Terrence Cody, a second-year player who replaces veteran stalwart Kelly Gregg, who departed in free agency.  Steelers' broadcasters Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley, both of whom had long careers in the NFL as offensive linemen, consider this a major drop-off.  

Ngata, who is arguably the best nose tackle in the NFL, keys the Ravens defense with steady pressure up the middle against both the run and pass -- he had 5.5 sacks in 2010.  He will require attention.

Overall, the Ravens' defense should still be good, but Joey Porter's Pit Bulls expect the Steelers to test the new secondary early, often and deep. One key, of course, will be protecting Ben Roethlisberger, but until the Ravens can prove they have a legitimate pass rush, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians probably will put the offense on full throttle. 

As to establishing a running game, NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock made an interesting point this week.  In today's NFL, he said, it's not so much about establishing the run early, it's about establishing the lead early.  Then, you establish the run, pound the clock and turn your blitzing pass rush loose on a team that is trying to catch up.  Look out, Joe Flacco. 

One other note: Let's not overlook Baltimore's new defensive coordinator, Chuck Pagano, who has coached in the NFL for 10 years and spent the last four seasons as the Ravens' secondary coach.  It remains to be seen what wrinkles he has up his sleeve, but we would expect he will try to improve the team's pass rush, which had just 27 sacks last season (ranking near the bottom of the NFL).

Update on Baltimore's Special Teams

Although Baltimore media had speculated earlier this week that rookie receiver Torrey Smith would return punts and kickoffs, the Ravens' Web site lists something more sensible and realistic, which is the veteran speedster Ladarius Webb handling all kick returns.  David Reed, who handled kickoffs last season, is suspended by the NFL for this game.

The Beauty of Scars

Here is an interesting blog post (as always) from rookie running back Baron Batch, the fifth-round draft pick from Texas Tech who is on injured reserve (IR) after sustaining a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) on the last day of training camp at St. Vincent College.  

Batch writes about his knee surgery, physical therapy, what it is like to be on IR and "The Beauty of Scars."   Here is an excerpt:

I have a new scar now.  Its permanent address is my left knee. It is a work of art created by the artist simply known as Life.  Life doesn’t discriminate whom she scars physically or emotionally. However, over my 23 years of life I have come to realize the beauty of scars. How crazy would it be if once wounds healed they didn’t leave a mark, what if there were no scars? What if we healed without a reminder or what was? Would you forget the pain that you endured? Would you forget the healing process that took place? Would you even forget the wound altogether?

Scars serve as a permanent reminder of our fragility but more importantly our strength. Scars are proof of what you have overcome. Every time I look at my many scars I remember how weak I was at the time the wound was formed, and what formed it. I remember the healing process. I remember the strength I didn’t know I had to push through, and I remember eventually being healed.

I’m proud of my new scar, because as a new scar forms so does character. And once a new scar turns into an old one, it is tougher than it was before. 

My scars are beautiful, and so are yours. My scars make me stronger, and so do yours. My scars have a story, and yours do too. 

The Ravens: Many, Many Moving Parts & Questions

The Baltimore Ravens enter the 2011 season as a team in fairly serious transition.  

The Ravens have 20 (twenty!) new players, including three rookie wide receivers, a revamped offensive line, a rebuilt secondary, a new fullback, new starters at wide receiver, tight end and defensive tackle, and a raw rookie, Tyrod Taylor, as their No. 2 quarterback.

For all that, the Ravens return stalwarts Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata, Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs on defense.  Their offense will be led by running back Ray Rice, wide receiver Anquan Boldin and quarterback Joe Flacco, who throws perhaps the best deep pass in the NFL but is 0-6 against the Steelers when QB Ben Roethlisberger plays.  

The Ravens will be a tough out, but they may well take a step back this year.  Too many moving parts.

The Offensive Line: Question Marks Abound

The biggest question for the Ravens has to be their starting offensive line, which did not take a single snap together in the preseason.  Tackle Michael Oher shifts to the right side (over his objections), as the team plugs at left tackle a reportedly fat (370-400 pounds) and out-of-shape Bryant McKinnie, whom the Minnesota Vikings jettisoned this summer after nine years punctuated by controversy.  The soon-to-be 32-year-old McKinnie signed with Ravens only on August 24, and reportedly has struggled with his conditioning.  If it's hot in Baltimore on Sunday, McKinnie may struggle as the game goes into the fourth quarter.

Another former Viking, 35-year-old Matt Birk, a six-time Pro Bowler, had knee surgery at the beginning of training camp and did not appear in any of the preseason games.  Birk expects to play on Sunday, but just this past week, Baltimore signed another aging former Pro Bowl center, the 33-year-old Andre Gurod, as insurance to back up Birk.  It's hard to imagine Birk and Gurod not having their hands full with nose tackle Casey Hampton and the Steelers inside pass rush.  They will get help from guards Ben Grubbs and Marshal Yanda, who just signed a big contract ($32 million over five years) but missed the last three preseason games with back spasms.  For what it's worth, in the past eight games with the Steelers, the Ravens offensive line surrendered 28 sacks.  And that was with a presumably more stable line.

Four New Wide Receivers(!?)

One of the Ravens’ glaring weaknesses last season was lack of speed at wide receiver.  In the off-season, Baltimore said goodbye to veterans Derrick Mason, T.J. Hoshmandzadeh and Donte Stallworth.  Baltimore signed free agent Lee Evans, formerly of the Buffalo Bills, who always had top-flight straight-end speed –- but not now.  Until Monday at least, Evans was nursing an injured ankle and in a walking boot.

As reported in the Carroll County Times, the Ravens will be without wide receiver David Reed, who was suspended for violating the NFL substance-abuse policy.  Three rookie receivers are on the roster: Tandon Doss, LaQuan Williams, and rookie speedster Torrey Smith, the second-rounder from the University of Maryland, who will return kickoffs and punt.  The loss of Reed is not to be discounted, as he led the NFL with an average of 29.3 yards per kickoff return, including a 103-yarder vs. Houston.  Plus, as Carroll County Times reporter Aaron Wilson reported, Torrey Smith “struggled with his hands during the preseason and finished with only four receptions for 20 yards.” Ugh.  Might we see some dropped passes or, for that matter, a fumbled kick or punt return?

This much transition at wide receiver is not a good sign for the Ravens, who may use third-year tight end Dennis Pitta (from BYU) as a slot wide receiver -– not necessarily a bad thing for Baltimore, but not necessarily a sign of confidence in their young receivers.  It’s the first time Pitta’s done it in an NFL game, and it may limit what the Ravens can do with their tight-end alignments. The new starting tight end will be Ed Dickson, who replaces longtime Steeler nemesis Todd Heap, whom we will not miss.  Goodbye and good riddance to Mr. Heap, a onetime great player.

"Run, Ray, Run"

With so many question marks on the offensive line and at receiver, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls expect the Ravens to run, run, run Ray Rice a lot on Sunday.  Newly signed fullback Vonta Leach, a Pro Bowler with the Houston Texans last year, will be Rice's lead blocker.  Leach replaces big man LeRon McClean, who fancied himself more a running back than blocking back.  Leach has no such delusions. He's a cement-head, and a good one.  In fact, after signing a three-year, $11 million contract with Baltimore, Leach is the NFL's highest-paid fullback.

We'll take a look at Baltimore's defense in the next couple days.  

And we plan to offer our own worthless preview of the NFL season (hint: the San Diego Chargers and Houston Texans will make big noise this year in the AFC -- along with our very own Pittsburgh Steelers, of course).

Oh, and by the way, the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints -- the past two Super Bowl champions -- should put on a terrific show tonight at Lambeau Field.  Should be fun, and we're even looking forward to the pre-game show featuring Lady Antebellum, Kid Rock and Maroon Five.  Well, two of three (Lady Antebellum and Maroon Five) should be good, anyway, and who knows what kind of antics we'll see from Kid Rock.  

So much for that.  Joey Porters Pit Bulls are psyched for football -- and we're really psyched for the Steelers-Ravens game on Sunday when the Steelers will expose the many flaws of the 2011 Baltimore Ravens.

Steelers vs. Ravens: Two Trains on a Track

Mike Tomlin summed it up well in yesterday’s news conference:

“Who's angry, who's not, we all know that's irrelevant by game time.  The root of the matter is that you have two very good teams with the same intentions -- to dominate the AFC North and to put themselves in position to win the Lombardi  It's two trains on a track.  See you Sunday."

All righty, then.  Why wait?  

Let’s jump right into the deep end of the regular season already:  First game, Sept. 11 no less, Steelers vs. Ravens, a playoff atmosphere right off the bat, and a swing game to open the season.  What more could you want?

It’s going to be an intense, knock-down, drag-out fight, as always.

The closeness of this rivalry spanning the past several years nearly defies belief and merits scrutiny, if only for fun.  

Over their past 17 meetings preceding last January’s AFC Championship game — which the Steelers won, 31-24 only after being down 21-7 at halftime, and which the Ravens may well have gone on to win if only T.J.Houshmandzadeh had caught Joe Flacco’s late 4^th-and-23 pass that merely hit him squarely in the numbers ...

• The Steelers had nine wins; the Ravens eight
• Each team had scored 303 points.
• Each team had about 265 yards per game on offense.
• The Ravens had committed 33 turnovers; the Steelers, 34.

This is almost certainly going to be a close game, as games between the Steelers and Ravens always are.  The Post-Gazette's Gene Collier today cites how similar the stats for both teams were during last season’s regular season: 

“The similarities between the 2010 Steelers and Ravens were so plentiful as to be almost eerie:

• The Steelers averaged 23 points per game, the Ravens 22.
• The Steelers averaged 18 first downs per game, the Ravens 19.
• The Steelers averaged 32 minutes of possession time per game, the Ravens 31.
• The Steelers scored 41 touchdowns, four of them on returns, the Ravens 40 touchdowns, four of them on returns.
• The Steelers averaged 44 yards per punt, the Ravens 44.
• The Steelers averaged 6 yards per punt return, the Ravens 7.
• The Steelers averaged 24 yards per kickoff return, the Ravens 25. 
• The Steelers wore black and gold, the Ravens black and gold and purple. 
• Two of their three meetings last year were decided by a field goal as were five of the past eight."

And, as Collier reiterates, last January's playoff game could well have been won by the Ravens:  “On Jan. 15, the Steelers committed two turnovers, allowed six sacks, drew nine penalties totaling 93 yards and still beat these guys.”

For all that, Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls like the Steelers’ chances on Sunday.  The Ravens made a lot of changes during the off-season, have a lot of moving parts right now, and they are vulnerable.  

We’ll take a closer look at this matchup over the next few days. There is much more to discuss.

"I've Got Dreams to Remember"

Shindig at Kelly's Lounge in East Liberty tonight in anticipation of the late, great Otis Redding's 70th birthday, which is this Friday, Sept. 9.  You might "Try a Little Tenderness," even as you're relaxing with "Cigarettes and Coffee" or just "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay."

Happy 75th Birthday, Bill Mazeroski!

Billy Maz approaching home plate with the winning run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, after slamming the Series-deciding home run to break a 9-9 tie in the bottom of the ninth inning vs. the heavily favored New York Yankees.  Mazeroski's dramatic home run -- as abrupt, definitive and decisive as it was -- remains arguably the single most most dramatic moment in World Series history.  For some people unfamiliar with his play throughout the years, the home run perhaps overshadowed a long and distinguished Hall of Fame career for Mazeroski, who was one of the best, if not the best, defensive second-baseman in baseball history..

Labor Day

The following is from an editorial in today's edition of The New York Times ...

"... change the emphasis from labor to jobs and you come upon a subject that is very much on the minds of Americans, and not merely among the 14 million officially unemployed people in this country, a number equivalent to the population of Illinois, Wyoming and Vermont.

"Perhaps Labor Day should be a day to consider the struggles of so many Americans eager to work but unable to find jobs.  Perhaps it should be a day for parades of the unemployed, to remind us of the dignity of work and the indignity of being out of it."

Getting Ready

Keeping in mind, as the late coach Fritz Shurmur once said, "There is nothing 'final' in final roster cuts," the Steelers' "final" roster cuts yesterday contained only mild surprises.  

• UPDATE: The eight practice squad signings announced today include:  Tyler Grisham (WR) and Da'mon Cromartie-Smith (DB), who were on the practice squad last year; and newcomers Morty Ivy (LB), Trevis Turner (OT), Corbin Bryant (DL), John Malecki (G), John Clay (RB) and Jamie McCoy (TE/FB).

Additional roster shuffling may occur today -- but more likely the week after the first game (when signings can be made without guaranteeing contracts for the year).

As for yesterday's cuts:

The coaching staff clearly wanted to make a decision once and for all on Tony Hills, entering his fourth training camp after being drafted in the fourth-round in 2008 out of the University of Texas.  Drafted as a tackle, Hills never saw much playing time --often inactive on game days, in fact -- but was given a chance this camp to show what he could do at guard, a move we found curious since his footwork always seemed to be the big question mark concerning his play at tackle; and also his height (6'6") would seem to work against him at guard, where mobility and leverage are prime assets. Well, the coaches started Hills against first-team units (not that those guys were necessarily taking the pre-season all that seriously) of the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons.  Clearly, the coaches wanted to give him a reasonably legitimate shot and see what could do.  That he was replaced abruptly following the Eagles game, with Doug Legursky suddenly anointed the starting right guard, had to be an ominous sign for Hills.  His time was up.  He may land elsewhere or even return here at some point.  He made it to the final cut, after all, so he must have something going for him.

A fifth-round choice in the 2010 draft, cornerback Crezdon Butler had what appeared to the layman's eye (whadda we know?) to have a reasonably good pre-season, although it didn't help that he got scorched on a 41-yard pass in the final pre-season game.  The coaches may have decided they saw a little too much of that last season, when he appeared lost in space a bit too often -- yes, we do watch this stuff pretty closely -- and it must have made Butler feel uneasy when the Steelers drafted cornerbacks Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen in the third and fourth rounds this year.  Both those guys look like keepers and simply bypassed Butler on the depth chart.  Lots of teams need help in the secondary right now, so Butler should land a roster spot somewhere today -- maybe with the Giants, the Redskins, the Falcons, the Eagles, the Cowboys, the Broncos, the Browns or the Bengals. They all need help at cornerback.  *Update:  Crezdon Butler signed on Sunday with the Arizona Cardinals, where Ray Horton, his former secondary coach with the Steelers, now serves as defensive coordinator.

Punter Jeremy Kapinos will land a job, too. Let's hope Daniel Sepulveda stays healthy. 

The Steelers must like the upside of rookie tight end Weslye Saunders, the only undrafted rookie to make the team (out of the University of South Carolina), and what's not to like?  At 6'5", 270, he's a beast, he can run, and apparently has good hands. He's got to be a big improvement over the disappointing Matt Spaeth.  Ten-year veteran John Gilmore, apparently signed in the off-season as a safety net, would have been a reasonable choice to make the team, but the coaches clearly see potential in Saunders, who reportedly had been considered a potential first-day draft pick:  

"At one point in time, Saunders was recognized as one of the best tight ends in the country and was projected as a 1st or 2nd round pick. But then Saunders was suspended and removed from the South Carolina football team for violating team rules, receiving improper benefits including heavily discounted rates at a South Carolina hotel, and making improper contact with an agent."

Heretofore unknown defensive end Jarrett Crittenton, an undraft free agent from Middle Tennessee State, merits kudos for lasting to the final cut.  With Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel, Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward ahead of him on the depth chart, it's a minor miracle he made it this far. If he doesn't get picked by another team, he will probably get signed to the practice squad.

That's it, Fort Pitt.

Doing the Roster Shuffle

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls were disappointed in at least three of the Steelers' roster cuts announced yesterday:  Donovon Warren, CB; Tyler Grisham, WR; and Morty Ivy, LB.

All three were longshots to make the team anyway, and all three may yet have a future in the NFL -- maybe even with the Steelers.  Still, we'd taken a liking to these guys and the way they play, and it is disappointing to see them go.

It happens every year:  Unheralded, undrafted free agents arrive in camp, make an impression, stick to the final cut and -- poof! -- are gone.  Keeping in mind this is a team that went to the Super Bowl last year ... any number of less-stacked teams (the Bengals and Browns, for example) no doubt are watching the waiver wire and may just snatch one or more of these guys from the netherland of unemployment.

Five more roster cuts are due today, and the Steelers themselves may do some late shuffling and make a pick-up or two off the waiver wire.  Even for players who are cut, of course, there is the bittersweet prospect of moving into the Purgatory that is the Practice Squad, which is where Warren and Grisham spent last season (Warren with the Jets; Grisham with the Steelers), and that would be better than NFL oblivion.

We were all set to do a thorough, in-depth evaluation of the remaining cuts that might be made today, but the Post-Gazette's astute and perspicacious Ed Bouchette beat us to it, here, and he does a much better job than we could. 

Here is the roster as it stands currently as of this writing on Saturday morning, EDT.  As fans, we find it interesting to speculate who will stay and who will go, but at least five players will lose their jobs today, and that is serious life stuff no matter who we are.  So, let's remember these guys are human beings, too.  Having said that, it's pretty clear which positions will be targeted, as Ed Bouchette notes: Defensive line, offensive line, tight end, cornerback and punter.  

Intriguing questions loom over each of these positions.  Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have an especial interest in what is going to happen at cornerback.  The salary cap (and encroaching age) may play into decisions affecting cornerback Bryant McFadden and nose tackle Chris Hoke.  As for the offensive line, tackle Chris Scott has to be on the bubble, one would think.  

We also wonder if the new kickoff rules may affect one of two players (Arnaz Battle or Will Allen) whose roles are primarily on special teams.  At tight end, it appears to be vet John Gilmore vs. rookie Weslye Saunders.  Ed Bouchette ably covers the decision at punter (Daniel Sepulveda vs. Jeremy Kapinos).

And, finally, one player whom we know next-to-nothing about is still on the roster, stubbornly and against long odds:  Defensive end Jarrett Crittenden, 6'6", 290 pounds, from Middle Tennesse State.  Who is this guy?  Might he actually make the final roster, even with recent first-round choices Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward ahead of him as backups to longtime veterans Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel at defensive end?
 
Today's Musical Selection

It's 91 degrees Fahrenheit in the Burgh today.  

On such a sultry summer day, we've gotta have some music.  So, since we're talking "shuffle," our musical selection today is the original "Harlem Shuffle" by Bob & Earl.  Good stuff.

Other LinksWorth Checking

• Baron Batch, who is on IR but would have made this team, lest we forget.
• Behind the Steel Curtain, with the full list of yesterday's cuts and an entry on emerging star Antonio Brown of the Young Money crew.
• Nice Pick, Cowher, always erstwhile and worth reading.
• Pittsburgh Sports and Mini-Ponies, always entertaining, even if Adobe Flash Player always crashes.

Natch, we must also remember our brave canine friends awaiting adoption at the Animal Rescue League and Animal Friends.  Visit your local animal shelter today, just for fun, or to volunteer to walk dogs, or even to adopt a dog (or cat, or bunny) into your home and their forever home.  You won't regret it.

And, as if you didn't know it already, Pit Bulls are cool.

Now It Gets Interesting: Roster Cuts Loom

The Turk Cometh ... and, no, we don't mean Steelers radio announcer Tunch Ilkin, who is of Turkish descent.  We speak of THE TURK, as in the ominous guy who darkens your locker stall and says, "Coach wants to see you. Bring your playbook."

So, the Steelers beat the Carolina Panthers last night in the fourth pre-season game.  Big whoop. At least there were no serious injuries. 

As Mike Tomlin held 11 starters out of last night's game, it's hard to say what we learned.  Some players showed flashes; some, eh, not so much.  

The bottom line: The Steelers must cut 27 players by 4 p.m. Saturday to reach the 53-man roster.  Twenty-seven!  Some of those cut will make it to the Purgatory that is the Practice Squad, which will be bittersweet for them. 

As for those who will make the regular roster, well, this is a team coming off an appearance in the Super Bowl, so how many new faces can there be?  Indeed.  That is the question.  

Keep in mind, this is an aging team due for an infusion of new blood, at least in backup/developmental roles.  Remember, too, that the roster entering last night's game contained about 15 names that we've barely or never heard of (e.g., Trevis Turner, OT?  Baraka Atkins, LB?  Armand Robinson, WR??  Jamie McCoy, TE???).

Additionally, the salary cap may play a role in some roster cuts, and a player or two may be added from the waiver wire, as other teams make their cuts.

If Byron Leftwich hadn't gotten hurt during his needless appearance last week, the QB situation would be easy:  Dennis Dixon would be gone.  Now in his fourth year, Dixon has yet to show he can throw with accuracy or consistency, nor has he shown a strong pocket presence or the ability to find open receivers.  Last night, during one sequence in the second quarter, he misfired wide and/or high on three straight passes (one to a wide-open Antonio Brown, and two others, including a painful-looking wide-and-high miss toArnaz Battle).  That sequence alone was enough to make yours truly cringe and say, "Even Joey Porter's Pit Bulls could have completed those passes, especially the one to Antonio Brown."  

Heaven help Steeler Nation, if Dennis Dixon has to play any meaningful snaps this season.  He will make the team, however, although Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would rather keep an extra defensive back or maybe even that guy Swayze Watters just to kick the ball out of the end zone on kickoffs (hey, it's worth discussing, for about two minutes, anyway, although it won't happen).

The running backs appear to be set:  Mendenhall, Redman and Dwyer (who somehow got his fat ass in shape and seems to have grasped the urgency of his situation, which was that his place on the roster was tenuous and precarious at best), plus Mewelde Moore, probably (although not necessarily).

Punter:  Surprisingly, Daniel Sepulveda may not make this team.  The Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette, writing on his blog this morning, notes astutely that the coaches had Jeremy Kapinos holding for Shaun Suisham last night, while Sepulveda held for back-up (soon-to-be-cut) Swayze Watters: 

"It's not just that Kapinos booted both of his punts 63 yards, one without a return, and had a net average of 59 yards compared to Sepulveda's two that averaged 40.5 gross, 31.5 net.  The other bad sign for Sepulveda was the fact Kapinos held the ball for No. 1 kicker Shaun Suisham while Sepulveda held for backup kicker Swayze Watters.

"Why would Mike Tomlin not have Sepulveda holding for Suisham unless his job were in serious jeopardy? Sepulveda and Suisham were together for just two games last season and they need all the real-time practice they can get. Last night was the perfect opportunity and they did not do it once. It looked more as though Tomlin were getting Kapinos ready to hold for the regular season as his punter."

Hmmm.  One thing we noticed about Kapinos last season:  He does seem to have consistently better hang time than Sepulveda. 

Other cut-down question marks abound, particularly on defense, and the Dreaded Salary Cap may play a role in some of these cuts.  Will Skip McClendon displace reliable longtime veteran Chris Hoke at backup nose tackle?  Will linebacker Morty Ivy make it solely for his work on special teams, as well as potential as a backup linebacker (possibly displacing veteran Larry Foote)?  Rookie Weslye Saunders or veteran John Gilmore at third tight end?  Saunders is the better receiver, but Gilmore's the better blocker.

The biggest decisions seem to be on the offensive line and in the secondary.

Offensive Line:  This continues to be a muddle, just as it has been all pre-season and, really, for the past three or four years.  Doug Legursky is the starter at right guard all of a sudden, and Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are cool with that.  Trai Essex has position flexibility, so he will probably make the team because he can play just about any position on the line.  One of two Super Bowl starters, Ramon Foster and Jonathan Scott may be on the bubble, and our guess is it might be Scott, who plays tackle only and may be forced out by second-round draft choice Marucs Gilbert, who has gotten a long look at left tackle this pre-season (and, for what it's worth, Scott still is listed as No. 1 on the depth chart currently listed on the Steelers' Web site, which probably means nothing).  Whither Tony Hills?  Good question, as he does remain a BIG Question Mark.  They coaches may have made their decision on Hills already, and it cannot be a good sign for him that Legursky has been named the starter at right guard.

The Secondary:  Here is where it gets really interesting, and Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would advocate keeping 10 defensive backs from the following 14 candidates:

• Corners – Decisions, decisions (yikes!)  -- Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, Keenan Lewis, Curtis Brown, William Gay, Donovan Warren, Cortez Allen, Crezdon Butler, Macho Harris

• Safeties:  Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Ryan Mundy, Will Allen, Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith

Take your pick.  McFadden hasn't played all pre-season and may not be ready for the opener; plus, he carries a big-salary hit against The Cap.  Keenan Lewis apparently has improved his game (which he absolutely needed to do).  Curtis Brown looks like a keeper, and a potential starter (even for the opener, dare we say?).  William Gay is a lightning rod for fan criticism but, really, is usually solid in the nickel-slot role (although he and McFadden were scorched repeatedly in the Super Bowl).  Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have become a big fan of Donovan Warren and Cortez Allen -- keep 'em both! -- and we'd like to feel a bit more confident in Crezdon Butler (now in his second year), who got beat on a long pass last night in Charlotte, although it appeared he got no help from the safeties. Macho Harris has an all-time great football name but was brought in off the waiver wire mid-camp, and it may that he was always considered mere training camp fodder.

Speaking of which ... Ryan Mundy reportedly has had a "workmalike" camp, but last season he often appeared lost and slow as he seemed to be chasing a lot of plays.  Longtime veteran Will Allen is more a special teams player than a safety, and he is small.  Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith was on the practice squad last season and may have a chance (but probably not).  Depth at safety clearly is a concern.  Perhaps one of the young corners can move to safety?  Probably not.

There you have it.  Questions, decisions and intrigue.  An anxious Steeler Nation awaits.

Dissa 'n Datta

Is Michael Vick more a giver than a taker? Time will tell.

NFL -- All the talking heads are debating the new contract the Philadelphia Eagles awarded quarterback Michael Vick ($130 million, with $40 million guaranteed). We're not going to argue the merits of Vick as a QB (still questionable in our opinion, despite his dynamic success last season -- but is he a one-year flash?) or whether the 31-year-old ex-convict deserves the contract (he doesn't at this point, in our opinion, based solely on past/still-to-be-seen performance on the field).

• In the opinion of Joey Porter's Pit Bulls, Vick still needs to prove he is a great quarterback -- which means he has to win consistently over an extended period of time (more than one season), and lead his team to a Super Bowl victory. Was Vick a one-year wonder for the Eagles? If so, that's a mighty big contract and a huge roll of the dice for the Eagles to have made.

• Like most Americans, we believe in second chances and stories of redemption. After all, Vick served his time in prison, and he deserves a second chance (which he's received). Granted, he was spectacular last season (although his team didn't make it to the Super Bowl). Now, he's been rewarded with this enormous contract -- $40 million guaranteed.
  

• All we hope he does something good with the money. A Suggestion, Then: If Vick is serious about showing that he is truly remorseful about torturing and killing dogs (pit bulls) as the leader of a multi-state dog-fighting ring, he might commit, oh, say, $10 million to establish a foundation dedicated to supporting worthy dog-shelters across the nation ... shelters such as the Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania and Animal Friends. Shelters like this have very few resources and depend almost wholly on the efforts of selfless volunteers and generous donors. Vick could be one of those donors; he could redouble his visits to schools to speak to kids about dog-fighting, and he could make himself more visible in other efforts, such as ...
  

• Vick could underwrite and appear in nationally televised Public Service Announcements speaking out against dog-fighting and promoting the adoption of dogs in general, as well as fostering a better understanding of pit bulls as a breed.

• The Point here is ... This is an opportunity for Vick to prove he is more a giver than a taker. He's got his money. Let's hope he makes the most of it.
  

Steelers -- Shortly before last Saturday's game vs. the Atlanta Falcons, former Steeler punter Josh Miller, now a radio sports-talk show host on KDKA-FM, opined that Byron Leftwich had no business playing that night and that the Steelers should start Dennis Dixon in the second half -- and keep him in there for the rest of the game. Miller's supporting arguments were that (a) We already know what Leftwich can do; (b) Leftwich clearly is the No. 2 quarterback, so why risk injuring him in a meaningless pre-season game; and (c) This is the perfect opportunity to showcase Dixon in hopes that somebody may make a trade offer for him; otherwise, he would likely get cut anyway, given his status as the fourth QB on the depth chart.

• So, what happens? The Steelers played Leftwich, he broke his arm and now the team is likely to be without him for the rest of the season; or, the team has to hold a roster spot for him, just in case he recovers at some point (much) later in the season.

• This sucks. Josh Miller was spot-on.
  

Pirates -- The wheels have fallen off completely. Consecutive losses of 8-2 and 8-1 in Houston (the worst team in baseball) say it all at this point. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls just want the Buccos to have a strong September and finish ahead of the Cubs.

• It's a shame, really, that they lost so many close games they shoulda, coulda, woulda won had it not been for untimely bullpen blow-ups and various other ways to lose, including bad calls from umps (vs. Cincy at PNC Park recently and, most notoriously, the Jerry Meals call in Atlanta that gifted the Braves the "win" in that 19-inning game on July 26).

An Ill Wind Blows

With Hurricane Irene bearing down on the East Coast, all we can do is hope for the best.

Nobody, apparently, expects Irene to have much effect on Pittsburgh, but our thoughts and prayers are with our neighbors in the path of the hurricane.

Trivial as it may seem against the backdrop of the natural disaster developing to the East, tomorrow night's exhibition game (glorified scrimmage) against the Atlanta Falcons at Heinz Field should be interesting. Most of the projected starters are expected to play the first half, or the bulk of it.

The coaches have some leeway to experiment, though, especially because of injuries on the offensive line and in the secondary. Fourth-year veteran (perennial hanger-on) Tony Hills gets a chance to show what he can do at a new position (for him), right guard, where he will start. The big guy from the University of Texas was drafted to play tackle but has done little so far in his NFL career, and this may be a make-or-break opportunity. Luckily for Hills, the Steelers currently have little depth on the offensive line, so he will get a good long look. Let's hope he does better at guard than he's done so far at tackle.

Rookie Marcus Gilbert, the second-round draft pick from the University of Florida, will start at the critical left tackle spot, which is the blind-side of our right-handed QB. Let's hope Big Ben survives. Gilbert supposedly reported to camp out of shape and then sustained a hamstring injury, primarily because he was out of shape. Not a good first impression.

And, the Post-Gazette reports today that he will be lined up opposite the Falcons' John Abraham, one of the better pass-rushing veteran defensive ends in the NFL:

"Should he start, Gilbert will line up against Abraham, who ranked fifth in the NFL with 13 sacks and was named All-Pro for the third time in 2010."

In the secondary, veteran cornerback Ike Taylor will miss this game with a broken thumb, so we should see plenty of Keenan Lewis and, perhaps, rookie free agent Donovan Warren, who has played well so far this pre-season (he led the team in tackles last week vs. the Eagles).

Warren has a bit of a pedigree. He came out of the University of Michigan (early) a year ago and spent time on the Jets' practice squad before being released after last season. A poor man's Jonathan Joseph (also from Michigan)? That wouldn't be bad. This is the kind of out-of-nowhere player that gives us cause to watch pre-season games.

Anyway, Warren appears to have a legitimate chance to make this squad -- possibly at the expense of Bryant McFadden, who is due a reported $2.5 million in salary. Hampered by a hamstring pull, McFadden's barely practiced this camp, and, as they say, "You can't make the club in the tub."

Of course, that begs the question of who would start in place of McFadden, who has been a solid pro during his time here. Keenan Lewis? Possibly. William Gay looks like a career nickel back. Crezdon Butler and Cortez Allen simply aren't ready to get much playing time -- by all accounts, they're too raw. Not much depth, but this Donovan Waren character has looked good so far. There's certainly room for improvement at the cornerback position.

Food for thought, as reported by The Sporting News:

"(Steeler) Cornerbacks accounted for only five of the team’s 21 interceptions last season and have just 13 picks over the past three years. The Steelers pass defense struggled last season against elite quarterbacks as Drew Brees (305 yards), Tom Brady (350) and Aaron Rodgers (304) combined to complete 88 of 126 passes (70 percent) for 959 yards and eight touchdowns. The opposing quarterbacks’ passer rating in those three games was 137.6, 64 points above Pittsburgh’s regular-season average."

Granted, the salary cap dictates that the team can do only so much. But still ... there's room for improvement on both the offensive line and at the cornerback position.

*** *** ***

And then, as if we didn't have enough to worry about, there's this story to contemplate, for no particular reason ...

Toilet break at ex-wife's house leads to charges

Friday, August 26, 2011 -The Associated Press

GIRARD, Pa. -- A northwestern Pennsylvania man is jailed on charges he took an unwelcome toilet break in his ex-wife's home.

Police in Girard say 24-year-old Nathan Wingerter broke into his ex-wife's home on Aug. 1, threw her photo identification cards into the toilet and then defecated on them. Police say the woman walked in to find Mr. Wingerter on the toilet.

The Erie Times-News reports that police issued a warrant for Wingerter and arrested him days later in Painesville, Ohio. He was returned to Erie County to face charges of burglary and criminal mischief on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Shakin' 'n Quakin'

Greetings from earthquake-ravaged Pittsburgh. As you can see from the photo, the devastation was incalculable. Cleanup continues. It may take days, or weeks, to set things right.

Meanwhile, the plucky Pirates plundered the Milwaukee Brew Crew this afternoon. How's that for cheesy sportscaster-speak, eh? Rookie Aaron Thompson looked sharp. Like he belongs. Hey! Signs of hope are welcome always.

Even as we quake and shake.