Still Shuffling the Pieces

The regular season starts in four days, for crying out loud, and the Steelers still continue to shuffle the roster, primarily to improve special teams.

On Tuesday, the Steelers made their fifth roster move since Saturday's "final" roster cuts, promoting linebacker/special teams demon Terence Garvin from the practice squad and designating tight end Matt Spaeth for the injured reserve/to return list.

Garvin is a light (221 lbs.) and mobile linebacker out of WVU. He has the look of a playmaker on defense, but he will be expected initially to make an impact on special teams.

With the additions of Garvin, cornerback/gunner Antwon Blake, new linebackers/wedge busters Kion Wilson and Vince Williams, and punter Zoltan Mesko, Steelers' management appears to be applying a white-hot glare to the special teams, which were lousy throughout the preseason.

As if to make a point, the special teams unit is the only one of the three units (offense, defense and special teams) still not to have a captain named yet.

It's a good thing there's no playbook, to speak of, for special teams. All the changes since Saturday are special teams moves, except for the addition of new backup center Cody Wallace.

By the way, the Raiders have claimed linebacker Marshall McFadden, whom the Steelers let loose last weekend.

Z!!! Zoltan to the Rescue!

Dude, where's our punter?

He's in the house, in the person of 27-year-old Zoltan Mesko, the 6'4" Romanian who was waived by the Patriots on Saturday and picked up by the Steelers on Monday..

Zoltan will replace Drew Butler, whom the Steelers unceremoniously booted into unemployment on Labor Day.

The Steelers clearly believe the left-footed Zoltan provides an immediate upgrade over Butler, who was consistently inconsistent. Butler's hang time was less than so-so, he had a tendency to come up short in key situations, and he had a punt blocked last year in Tennessee (and also in this year's first preseason game).  Butler had lost the confidence of the Steelers, who practically begged veteran Brian Moorman to seize the job this training camp.  Moorman failed and Zoltan came available, so the job is his.

Zoltan did a good job during his three years as a Patriot, kicked well during the pre-season and was a favorite of fans and media in New England. The Patriots actually spent a fifth-round draft choice on Mesko in 2010, when The Wall Street Journal of all publications, ran a feature article calling him "The NFL's Most Interesting Man."

Pittsburgh fans will love Zoltan.  He may be from Romania by way of Cleveland and then the University of Michigan, but on Polish Hill, the ladies are already cooking haluski and, in Hungary, they're ecstatic, as you can read in this blog post: Meskó Zoltán Steeler lett (make sure to check the reader comments; they're wildly enthusiastic).

Why did the Patriots let him go? Reportedly it was money -- the Pats went with an undrafted rookie who will make considerably less than the $1.32 million salary that was due Zoltan this year.

Antwon Blake

A New Cornerback, too
The Steelers also signed 5'8" cornerback Antwon Blake, a 4.2/40  burner with a 39-inch vertical leap who has the look of special teams gunner written all over him (where he's not covered by tatoos).

Blake, who was undrafted out of UTEP, also could get opportunities to return kicks. He made Jacksonville's "final" roster only to be cut a couple days later. He replaces rookie corner Isaiah Green, another undrafted free agent.

The additions of Mesko and Blake make four roster changes since the "final" cuts were announced on Saturday. Additional changes may be in the works.

Now, however, with the addition of Zoltan and Blake, there's every chance the Steelers will win five games instead of three. What?

Labor Day & "Pittsburgh Work Ethic"

"Find a job you love, and you'll never have to go to work."
      -- Mom

"You made their railroads rails and bridges, you ran their driving wheels.

And the towers of the Empire State are lined with Homestead Steel.

The Monongahela valley no longer hears the roar.

There is cottonwood and sumac weeds inside the slab mill door.

And this mill won’t run no more."

-- from the song, "U.S. Steel," by Tom Russell

Labor Day is such a uniquely American holiday. 

For many people, Labor Day isn't even a "holiday" -- they go to work: on farms, in retail stores, convenience stores, in public safety, sports, entertainment, news, construction, mining, etc. These people have to work on Labor Day, whether they want to, or not.

Lots of people without jobs don't have that opportunity. Others choose to work -- self-employed entrepreneurs, artists, writers, musicians, etc.; they can't help themselves.

Granted, work is something you do, not talk about, but Labor Day is a good day to reflect on the nature and meaning of work. Work, any kind of work, represents opportunity. It puts food on the table; a roof over the head; toys for the dog.

Work can be enervating, energizing and inspiring. Or it can be soul-sucking; energy-depleting; drudgery. Work can be something you do because you want to do it -- because it gives you the satisfaction of a job well done, of achievement, of accomplishment, of something to be proud of. By work, we can make a difference; a better place of the world.

Mining: dirty, dark and dangerous

That holds true whether your work is "play" (pro sports), or entrepreneurship, craft, blue collar, white collar, gray collar, pink collar, sweat-stained collar, on the farm, in the factory, in the plant, at the waterworks, in the snakepit of politics, in the cloud of academia, or the gray of Cubicle City, Dilbert's world. Work is work.

One thing for sure: If you've ever been in deep coal mine, you'll appreciate working above ground.

There's such a thing as "Pittsburgh work ethic," and anybody from Pittsburgh knows what that is. You work.

If you're fortunate enough to have gainful employment, to have work that enables you to support yourself and the ones who rely on you, you're blessed, lucky, fortunate. Anybody who's been poor can relate. Work is good. It's good to have the opportunity to apply your talents and skills, your blood, muscle, corpuscles, neurons, hands, brainpower, energy. It's good to work up a sweat.

Even if you're unemployed, you have an opportunity: Your job is to get a job, or to make a job -- which more and more people are forced to do in this economy of self-employment.

Work is an opportunity. What you do with it is your business.

Labor Day: Time to get to work.

Two former Steelers Catch On Elsewhere

Linebacker Adrian Robinson has landed on his feet, having been claimed on waivers by the Broncos after being cut by the Eagles following his trade from the Steelers just two weeks ago.

The Arizona Cardinals have picked up Alameda Ta'amu, who played not a single regular-season down for the Steelers after they traded up to get him in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. The bum.

No Major Surprises Among Final Cuts

The big names on the list of Steelers' cuts today are running back Jonathan Dwyer and nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu.  Neither will be missed.  Dwyer fumbled away his last chance in the final exhibition game, and Ta'amu was on the team for longer than was merited.

Veteran punter Brian Moorman failed to seize the opportunity to out-kick Drew Butler, so it's no surprise Moorman is gone.

Some of this year's draft picks, namely Terry Hawthorne and Justin Brown, simply didn't pass the eye test. Hawthorne couldn't get healthy and Brown looked average, at best.

We're a bit disappointed some of the undrafted free agents didn't make the final roster, which, it should be pointed out, is subject to change between now and the season opener on Sept. 8th.  We were pulling for defensive lineman Brian Arnfelt, linebacker Alan Baxter, safety Ross Ventrone and some of the young offensive linemen.  There's a chance some of these guys go to the practice squad.

The other notable name to get cut was corner Josh Victorian, whose tackling was suspect.  His departure saves the job, for the time being, of Curtis Brown, who needs to step up his game at corner and continue to make his mark on special teams, if he is to stick around for long.

Survivors 
Also spared the axe today were offensive linemen Guy Whimper and John Malecki,  tight ends Matt Spaeth and Michael Palmer, receiver Derrick Moye, linebackers Chris Carter and Kion Wilson, safety DaMon Cromartie-Smith, corner Isiah Green and nose tackle Hebron Fangupo.

A few of those names will provoke heated discussion among Steelers fans. No surprise there, either.

Justin Morneau: From the Twin Cities to the Three Rivers

The Clemente Wall beckons.

First-baseman Justin Morneau has the perfect swing for launching pitches over PNC Park's 21-foot-high Clemente Wall and into the Allegheny River.

With today's trade, Morneau immediately becomes the Pirates' regular first baseman against right-handed pitching. Moreneu, a longtime fixture and fan favorite in the Minnesota, will be a welcome addition to the Pirates' lineup.

Morneau will take at-bats away from Garrett Jones, whose opportunity for a shot at the majors, ironically, was blocked by Morneau while both were in the Minnesota organization.  Until Friday night, Jones had been in a prolonged, serious slump.  Jones broke out of that slump last night, but his home-run, four RBIs and 3-for-4 performance came too late.  The Pirates had to bolster the lineup.

General Manager Neil Huntington went for it aggressively, not only with Morneau, but also with the acquisition of veterans Marlon Byrd and John Buck earlier in the week. Give Huntington credit.

Jones is a fan favorite in Pittsburgh, and his slump has been distressing to watch. Today's edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Byrd offered Jones some sage batting advice, which may have helped last night and, hopefully, will continue to help. After being benched for three straight games, Michael Sanserino reports, "Jones spent his time down watching video, taking swings in the cage and talking to coaches and teammates about all topics baseball and otherwise."

"Marlon Byrd, when he first got up here, he came up to me and said, 'You could be a guy that could hit 30, 40 home runs,' " Jones said. "We started talking about hitting, and just a few things he said to me made a lot of sense."

"Specifically, Jones said Byrd gave him a couple pointers about getting extension on his swing."

Any Pirates' fan would be all for that, and Jones may see playing time in right field against right-handers. Byrd could get some time in left field until Starling Marte returns from the disabled list.

Going to the Twins in exchange for Morneau is outfielder Alex Presley and either cash or a player to be named later -- not likely to be a top-tier prospect. Let's hope that "player to be named later" is not first baseman Nick Kingham or pitcher Tyler Glasnow. 

That's a topic for another day. For now, it's exciting the Pirates have made moves designed to improve the team.

On this, the last day of August, the Pittsburgh Pirates are legitimate contenders in a pennant race. And we haven't been to say that for a very long time.

Ready or Not ...

"Ready or not," Mike Tomlin said after last night's final pre-season game in Charlotte. "That's the reality this time of year."

Center Ray Mansfield, "The Ol' Ranger"

Like it or not, the start of the regular season looms.  Not that the glorified scrimmages known as pre-season games are a reliable indicator of how any NFL team will perform in the regular season, but the Steelers have looked mostly sloppy and not very good in all four pre-season games.

Running back Jonathan Dwyer fumbled yet again last night, and, although it was recovered by the Steelers, he showed once again that he is not entirely reliable.  Remember last year, the fumbles at Oakland and Cleveland?  The "tapping out" following three consecutive carries? Do we really want more of the same?

It's a little scary to think that newcomer Felix Jones might be the best alternative to Dwyer, but both Dwyer and Isaac Redman offer essentially the same between-the-tackles style, while Jones offers not only a different type of game (burst, speed, shiftiness), he can return kickoffs.   Then again, Jones and Larod Stephens-Howling are essentially the same player, but if Redman is healthy enough to start the season, and considering that Le'Veon Bell should be ready to return to action soon ... Dwyer could and should be the odd man out.

Most of the other cuts to the 53-man roster will be easy.  Dave Bryan over at Steelers Depot offers a list of players who distinguished themselves as Winners and Losers" in last night's Steelers-Panthers game -- click here to read it.  And Marc Uhlmann over at Steel City Blitz chimes in with some interesting observations, which you can read here.

Not all of the following players will make the 53-man squad, but current personal favorites among the bubble players are Brian Arnfelt, Hebron Fangupo, Alan Baxter, Isiaih Green and Mike Golic, Jr. 

We suspect the Steelers will carry just four wide receivers (Brown, Sanders, Wheaton and Cotchery), and that they may pick up somebody from the waiver wire to help the secondary. It needs help.

About the final preseason game ... will Byron Leftwich even make it through without getting hurt?

Man, preseason NFL football is just about unwatchable any more ... but we'll watch some of tonight's Steelers-Panthers game to see how rookie QB Landry Jones looks, and final roster battles, and to see whether Byron Leftwich* gets hurt again, and to see, what?  How our guys who will be looking for jobs next week do against their guys who will be looking for jobs?

It's not so long ago that NFL fans watching the third and fourth pre-season games were able to get a better feel for how their teams were shaping up for the regular season. Steelers' broadcaster and former right tackle Tunch Ilkin, who played for Chuck Noll in the 1980s, noted as much in a conversation he had this week with the Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette.

"In his time," Bouchette wrote of Ilkin, "the final preseason game tonight would have been the most important, when coaches played their first teams into the fourth quarter to have them ready to open the season. The starters would play about one quarter in the first game, close to a half in the second and third and most of the fourth.

"I liked that," Ilkin said. "I felt I was more game-ready for that first regular-season game. Usually, that first game, if it's 1 o'clock outside, it's going to be hot. I wanted to know in my mind that I could play 60 minutes in the heat."

"I loved the old way. I understand why they do it this way, because of the injuries. If you get hurt in the last preseason game, you don't have a lot of time to heal up. If you get hurt in that third preseason game, now you have two weeks to get ready."

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls see it this way: In recent years, the Steelers haven't always looked ready for the regular season when it kicks off. Remember the 2011 debacle in Baltimore? Typically, in recent years, even with early wins, the team hasn't rounded into form until the third, fourth of fifth game.

It would be nice if they got off to a fast start this year. Based on what we've seen thus far in the pre-season, though, for what that's worth, it would be a stretch to say they look ready for prime time.

That's it, Fort Pitt.

*What? Whaddya mean, Byron Leftwich's not even on the team?

Whither Jeff Locke?

Just six weeks ago, Jeff Locke was on the National League All-Star team.  Now, he appears to be this year's James MacDonald -- a sterling first half of the season, and a collapse (for no apparent reason) in the second half.

Locke's been stuck at nine wins since July 21st, his only victory since the All-Star game, which was July 16th. In his last six starts, Locke has an 8.10 ERA, and hitters are batting a whopping .388 against him.

It will be interesting to see whether Locke somehow becomes eligible for the post-season roster.

In a clever bit of roster engineering (a "paper" roster move), Pirates general manager Neil Huntington optioned Locke to their Class AA minor league team, the Altoona Curve, along with catcher Tony Sanchez, to clear space on the 25-man roster for the two newly acquired players, right fielder Marlon Byrd and catcher John Buck, who were picked up from the Mets in a trade for a (very) young shortstop prospect and a player to be named later.

To digress for a moment, but that player to be named later? It could be somebody currently injured (Travis Snyder?).  Let's hope it's not 19-year-old pitching prospect Tyler Glasnow,.whom Baseball America recently described as "the most unhittable pitcher in the minors, and it's not even close.".

By sending Locke to Altoona, he will not be eligible to rejoin the major league club until Monday, Sept. 2. Major League Baseball rules stipulate playoff rosters must be set by Sept. 1. The rules are arcane, fuzzy and open to some interpretation, but it appears the only way Locke would be able to pitch in the playoffs would be as a replacement for an injured player.

For all we know, Locke himself has been injured. He didn't even get to pitch in the All-Star game because of what was reported as a minor back injury (lower back strain, spasm or discomfort). Although he's had one good outing since then, he hasn't been the same pitcher he was in the first half of the season, when he was 9-2 with a 2.11 ERA.

At his best, a young Tom Glavine?

If Locke is not hurt, our suggestion for him is to study video of Atlanta Braves great Tom Glavine. At his best, that's who Jeff Locke reminds us of, Tom Glavine.

At this point, it makes sense for Jeanmar Gomez to replace Locke in the rotation, and the Pirates may also call on current minor leaguers Chris Johnson and Brandon Cumpton. both of whom have pitched well in spot situations for the big-league club this year. Gomez has been excellent all season, no matter the situation. He deserves a spot in the rotation, and has for some time.

If the Pirates go with a four-man rotation for the playoffs, it shapes up as Francisco Liriano, A.J. Burnett, Charlie Morton and Jeanmar Gomez. As unlikely as it seemed six months ago, that could be a very competitive rotation.

Also, if the Pirates are serious about limiting rookie Gerrit Cole's innings, now might be the perfect time to transition him to the bullpen (although he's never pitched in relief).  It would be interesting to have a 100-mph fireballer available to pitch the fifth, sixth or seventh innings in advance of Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli, who is on track to return soon. Now that could be a shutdown bullpen.

If the bats start coming around, and they could ...

Outfield Shuffle
With left-fielder Starling Marte on the disabled list for almost two weeks, it will be interesting to see whether manager Clint Hurdle splits playing time in left field between Jose Tabata and Felix Pie.  Tabata's defense is questionable, at best. Frankly, so his overall talent.

Pie has not been bad at the plate or in the field in the small amount of playing time he's had, and he gives the team a little base-stealing and hit-and-run flexibility on the basepaths.

With Marlon Byrd playing right field every day, it's fair to speculate whether Andrew Lambo (32 minor league home runs this season) may start to take playing time away from Garrett Jones at first base.

Beat 'em, Bucs!

Prepping for Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw is the name that comes immediately to mind upon reading the following, by Bob Smizik:

"In terms of OPS against left-handed pitching, the Pirates now have four of the top 11 in the National League. Andrew McCutchen is first (1.120), Starling Marte second (1.078), Marlon Byrd tenth (.980)and Gaby Sanchez eleventh (.958). 

"Marlon Byrd is hitting .285 with an .848 OPS. He has 21 home runs and 71 RBIs. John Buck, 33, has 15 homers and 60 RBIs Byrd has been feasting on left-handed pitching and doing well enough -- much better than any Pirate -- against right-handers. His batting line against left-handers is .345/.383/.597 -- .980. Against right handers: .255/.304/.479 -- .783. Fourteen of his home runs have come against right-handed pitching."

Troy

"It's tough watching any game, but it's a great spiritual learning process for me. It's very humbling. But it also gives me a sense of appreciation for what I do have when I am healthy. 

-- Troy Polamalu

Troy Polamalu is the wild-card of the 2013 Steelers' defense. 

At 32 years of age, will he once again be the whirling- dervish-disruptive-force-of-nature that he was in 2010, when he was NFL Defensive Player of the Year?  Or will he once again be the diminished shadow of his former self? ... the player of 2011-2012, bedeviled by chronic injuries (calf, Achilles tendon, concussions, etc.) that forced him to miss 22 games over the past four seasons and rendered him noticeably off his game even when he played.

When healthy, Polamalu is a great player. The Steelers need him to be great, and at full-speed, all season. They don't have enough talent, and not enough depth, to overcome any prolonged absence by him or diminished play. It's worth remembering that the 2012 defense had just 10 interceptions.

Troy Polamalu is 32 years old and, arguably, an old 32.

In an interesting piece that appeared recently on the NFL Network's website, Judy Batista wrote, "He found a new physical therapist, and they spent hours each day during the offseason -- he is still working twice a day during training camp -- attempting to break up the knots of scar tissue that have formed in his calves. In what might be best described as an extremely intensive and not-at-all-relaxing massage, the therapist kneads the clumps of hardened tissue that have formed around the small tears in Polamalu's muscle. The hope is that, as Polamalu endures the strain of the season, his calves will not tighten up again."

However ...

"I felt pretty good last preseason, too," Polamalu said. "I am feeling healthy as we stand here today."

It's pointless to worry about injuries that may not happen. As the late, great Elmore Leonard said, "Don’t worry about anything—unless you absolutely know what the outcome will be. People worry about things that never happen to them. You waste your life like that."

Nobody is potentially more valuable to any NFL team's defense than the Steelers' own Troy Polamalu.  He is the wild card. 

No surprises

Good luck and fare thee well, Baron Batch and the rest of the players cut by the Steelers on Sunday. Much can happen between now and final cutdown.

Guys we're pulling for include Reggie Dunn, Hebron Fangupo, Al Woods, Brian Arnfelt, Isiaih Green and Mike Golic, Jr.

Ironic, isn't it?

Having jettisoned the disappointing Rashard Mendenhall this past off-season, the Steelers have traded for the underwhelming Felix Jones, the running back selected immediately before Mendenhall in the first round of the 2008 draft (21st and 22nd overall). Neither player has lived up to his respective hype.

What do the Steelers want with Jones?  The reports out of Philadelphia say that his skills have eroded and he was about to be cut, even after being signed as a free-agent during the off-season.

Here's what blogger Jimmy Kempski wrote on Bleeding Green Nation after the trade was announced on Friday  ...

Felix Jones is done.

A week ago, I listed my 5 best and 5 worst performances at Eagles training camp. The first name I listed under "worst" was Felix Jones:

Felix Jones: He can't run, catch, pass protect or play special teams anymore. But otherwise, he was great.

Jones had virtually no chance of making the team, so the Eagles did well just to get a body in return for him at a position where they are very thin.

That's nice. It also represents the consensus opinion from Philadelphia.  On top of all that, Jones injured his ribs in his last appearance in an Eagles' uniform. He's passed his physical, though, so now he's a Steeler.

For Steelers' fans, it's another puzzling move.  Frankly, we're still mystified why they tendered/signed Jonathan "Tap Out" Dwyer in the off-season.

Dwyer's focus and motivation seem to go off and on, and off again, his weight fluctuates wildly, he fumbles, and last year, he "tapped out" of games after getting "tired" following a handful of consecutive carries. He's simply not reliable.

If the Steelers think Jones is more reliable than Dwyer, they're in trouble. Maybe the Steelers have no intention of keeping Jones. If that's the case, however, why did they trade for him?

Who will be cut?
The acquisition of Jones signals somebody currently on the roster is gone. Just before last Monday's game vs. the Redskins, we heard Mike Tomlin's pre-game radio interview, during which he called running back Baron Batch by the wrong name, "Byron Batch."  Oh-oh.  Not a good sign.

Even if the Steelers cut Baron Batch, some other running back will also be cut. Maybe it will be off-season free-agent acquisition LaRod Stephens-Howling, whose size and game is similar to that of Jones. Could it be that Howling is hurt more seriously than any of us outsiders know?

Might Isaac Redman be cut?  We'd rather have him than Dwyer.

About That 2008 Draft ...
In any case, adding Felix Jones feels like grasping at a straw in the wind.  It's also a bitter reminder of that 2008 draft. Not one player from that draft is on the Steelers roster today.

Most galling, not to beat a dead horse, to draft Mendenhall, the Steelers passed on Rutgers' Ray Rice, who was no secret to anybody and especially not to Pittsburgh fans who watched Rice trample Pitt and the rest of the Big East during his collegiate career. Now, Rice is arguably the best running back in the NFL and a linchpin for the hated Baltimore Ravens, no less.

Also in that 2008 draft, as Rebecca Rollett points out over at the always-worth-reading Behind the Steel Curtain, the Steelers passed on running backs Chris Johnson, Matt Forte and Jamaal Charles -- all of whom have been much better than Rashard Mendenhall and, yes, better even than Felix Strinkin' Jones, the 21st overall pick in that draft.

Friday's trade for Felix Jones is probably a non-event. Honestly, though, sometimes we do wonder what the front office is doing, and what the hell they're thinking.

The shelf life for running backs in the NFL is about four years, give or take.  By all accounts, Felix Jones's "Best if Used By" date has expired.  There must be somebody out there who has more upside than Felix Jones.

A change at tackle? It's starting to look that way ...

The Post-Gazette's Ray Fittpialdo reports today that head coach Mike Tomlin has had offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum working exclusively at tackle this week. Let's hope so.

During Monday's slovenly loss at Washington, starting offensive tackles Gilbert and Adams played like Gilbert & Sullivan, or a vaudeville act. Right tackle Marcus Gilbert looked slow, lost and ineffectual, again,  and left tackle Mike Adams appeared as if were stumbling around looking for the parking valet at 3 a.m. on the South Side. Again.

That dubious quality of play got Tomlin's attention, evidently, as he told Fittipaldi that Beachum, at practice, "played tackle last week and he's playing tackle again this week. He'll be given an opportunity to make a case for himself in that regard."

That certainly sounds like Tomlin is considering a switch, and, as if that last statement isn't clear enough, Tomlin added, "We're going to give him an opportunity to ascend."

This, despite the Steelers having invested high draft choices in Gilbert and Adams, both second-rounders. It may be too soon to say they've squandered their chances, but time is running out.

Beachum: Not backing down vs. the Ravens, 2012

Beachum, just 14 months removed from being the fourth of the Steelers' four seventh-round picks in the April 2012 NFL Draft, may be a better option at this point than either Gilbert or Adams.

Make of that what you will, but last season, Beachum showed enough, surprisingly, that even without the "pedigree" of the higher-dtafted Gilbert and Adams, he now merits consideration as a starter at tackle.

He may be the only option.

As columnist Gene Collier noted following Monday's game vs. the Redskins, "Beachum represents perhaps the lone viable alternative for any kind of offensive line shakeup as the regular-season opener moves within two weeks of Sunday. He's built more like a guard or center than a tackle, but it was at tackle where Beachum got his first pro start last December in Baltimore, and the Ravens quickly found he was no day at the Beachum."

And this: "Beachum might not be a better choice at any of those spots, but as a former All-Academic choice who got a master's degree at SMU and gave the commencement speech to the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, I imagine he can keep track of the assignments," Collier wrote.

Let's hope so.  After all, it won't be long before somebody will be lined up at tackle facing one James Harrison of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Rest in Peace, Elmore Leonard

"Leo narrowed his eyes and stared, trying hard to fake who he was. He raised his preshaped plaid hat and recocked it, see if that would help. No, there was nothing dumber than a dumb guy who thought he was a hotshot. You did have to feel a little sorry for him ..."

-- excerpt from Get Shorty, by Elmore Leonard

Elmore Leonard at home

Elmore Leonard died on Tuesday, August 20, 2013. He was 87. He's been a favorite of Joey Porter's Pit Bulls for many years.

Why? The ability to draw in the reader and tell a no-frills yet rich story with an uncanny ear for dialogue and an unfailing eye for detail.  The humor. The knack for letting a story unfold from the inner dialogue of his characters, all of whom have defects of character, but whom Elmore coaxes to share their view of the world straight from their mind's eye and the internal voices in their cockeyed heads.

The passage quoted at the top of this post just happens to be from a page in the middle of Get Shorty, which Joey Porter's Pit Bulls just happens to be re-reading, again.  Elmore Leonard apparently had a fondness for the dumb guys, even the ones who thought they were hotshots. In that passage, for all we know, he could have been talking about an earlier, spiritually truncated version of himself -- "Leo" / "Leonard" -- Elmore Leonard was self-deprecating and self-effacing, but his writing displayed a sly, wry humor with a wickedly sharp edge.  By all accounts, he was mostly non-judgmental -- generally amused, but mostly non-judgmental.  He wrote it like he saw it.

We could go on and on -- but, honestly, your time would be better spent reading Elmore Leonard.

Elmore Leonard and Timothy Olyphant, Justified

Or watch Justified, the FX television series based on Leonard's story, Fire in the Hole. As noted by The Los Angeles Times, "Before tackling the adaptation, the show's creator Graham Yost gave each member of his "Justified" writing staff various novels that the prolific Leonard had written so they could understand the rhythm and tone of his work. Yost also gave them each a bracelet inscribed with the letters WWED (What Would Elmore Do), an accessory Yost still wears."

Elmore Leonard had the knack of writing lines that seemed to seek him as a channel for expression because, well, somebody just had to say them, they were too good:  One of his characters, a lawman on a stakeout watching a hapless criminal, said, ""He's over there casing the joint about as subtle as a marching band."

Elmore Leonard was never subtle as a marching band. He was cool. He was subtle as the "b" in subtle, to borrow a line from Dorothy Parker.

Leonard's own advice? “Don’t worry about anything. Don’t worry about anything—unless you absolutely know what the outcome will be. People worry about things that never happen to them. You waste your life like that."

And then there's this line Leonard wrote for U.S. Marshall Art Mullen, a character in his 2012 novel Raylan and on Justified: "You don't think of your manners and let the woman go first," Art Mullen said, "not when she's pointing a gun at you."

Words to live by.

Various links, tributes, quotes, obit, and excerpts will appear when you click the "Read More" jump break, below:

Not Ready for Prime Time, or even pre-prime time

Tick-tock ...

The NFL's third preseason game, next week, is the one where teams usually give their starters extended playing time, try to demonstrate some measure of cohesiveness and generally pull their collective game together for the regular season.

If last night's game vs. the Redskins was any indication, the Steelers aren't nearly ready even for that third pre-season game, let alone the regular season.

The offensive line has to be the major concern. The first unit (Adams, DeCastro, Pouncey, Foster, Gilbert) played most of the first half but clearly has work to do. They look terrible.

Just as he did in the off-season ("Free Hernandez"?), center Maurkice Pouncey last night drew attention to himself for the wrong reasons. With $102-million quarterback Ben Roethlisberger behind him, Pouncey was flailing in space and waving at air most of the first half.

With play like that (and how he played for much of the last two seasons), Pouncey is opening room for discussion over whether he is indeed over-rated (Pro Football Focus, for what it's worth, lists him as the 25th-best center in the NFL).

Also last night, tackle Mike Adams appeared as if were looking for the parking valet at 3 a.m. on the South Side. Marcus Gilbert looked slow, lost and ineffectual.  David DeCastro got pushed around. The line has much room for improvement and little time to do it.

If the line continues to play like this, Roethlisberger won't last six games.

Back to Work -- Training Camp

Enough of the summer hiatus. Time to get back to work.

Before we talk about the Steelers, how about Baltimore tight end Dennis Pitta's season-ending knee injury on the second day of camp? Pitta was probably Joe Flacco's go-to receiver as much as anybody, along with Anquan Boldin, and now both are gone -- along with a whole lot of other players from last year's Super Bowl winning team.

Before Pitta's injury, we were convinced Baltimore would be every bit as formidable as they were during last year's late-season run.  Now, we're not so sure, although they will be helped by the addition of defensive end Elvis Dumervil, safety Michael Huff and cornerback Lardarius Webb, who returns from injured reserve. Still, the loss of Pitta could really hurt them.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have always liked Pitta. He's fast, smooth in his routes and has excellent hands. When he came out of Brigham Young, we thought he'd look good in a Steeler uniform and were disappointed that Baltimore drafted him, and not the Steelers.  Last off-season, we made the argument the Steelers should sign Pitta as a restricted free agent -- as much to hurt Baltimore as to help the Black 'n Gold at tight end, a position with quantity but some question of quality in the wake of Heath Miller's devastating knee injuries (ACL, MCL, PCL).

Now, with Pitta's season-ending hip injury suffered during drills on Saturday, the Ravens will be without their No. 1 tight end. They have another good one in Ed Dickson, but Pitta was better all-around, more reliable and more clutch.

As for the Steelers at tight end, well, questions remain.  Which brings us to the draft.

Heath Miller's knee injuries raise the question of when and whether he will return to full effectiveness. In the first round, the Steelers passed on Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eiffert and instead selected pass-rushing linebacker Jarvis Jones out of Georgia, despite medical questions (spinal stenosis) and a 4.92 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.  That 4.92 40 time, by the way, is the same run by fourth-round QB Landry Jones, a pocket statue who had all of 15 yards rushing last year at Oklahoma.

Having said that, our feeling is that Jones and most of the other Steelers' 2013 draft picks bring a tough edge to the team that was sorely missing toughness and leadership last year.  Jarvis Jones, Le'Veon Bell, Marcus Wheaton, Shamarko Thomas, Vince Williams -- all have reputations for toughness, and at this point, the Steelers need all the toughness they can get.  Maybe some of those guys will turn into team leaders, too.

Zach Ertz

At the very least, let's hope Jarvis Jones can cover Tyler Eiffert, who was snapped up by division rival Cincinnati in the first round.  In our book, Jones and Eiffert will be linked for years to come. Who will be the better player?

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls will also be following with interest the NFL career of Stanford tight end Zach Ertz, whom we suspect may be every bit as good as Eiffert, if not better.  As stated before the draft, we could have seen the Steelers trading down in the first round and selecting Ertz, who went to Philadelphia with the third pick of the second round (No. 35 overall).

Such a move, of course, would have left the Steelers without Jones and with a major lack of depth at the critical outside-linebacker position formerly manned by James Harrison, also now with the Bengals. Another option we thought might make sense for the Steelers in the first round was Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes, who went to the Vikings with the 25th overall pick. Rhodes has reportedly been a standout so far in Vikings camp.

Naturally, we hope Jarvis Jones succeeds in a major way. We hope he will be every bit as successful as he was at Georgia during his final season, when he led the college nation in sacks, forced fumbles and tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The Steelers need him to succeed in a big way.

We love, absolutely love, running back Le'Veon Bell -- loved him before the draft and hoped the Steelers would take him. When they announced his name in the second round, we did a big Yeah!, and then immediately wondered if they might have been able to get him later -- he'd been projected as a third or fourth rounder. Maybe, just maybe, he was overdrafted?  Possibly. Still, we're glad they landed him.

One of the many very good things about this guy: Le'Veon Bell doesn't fumble.  Bell had zero fumbles in three years at Michigan State. Not one. Nyet. Nada. None. Ze-Ro.

He starts Game One and solidifies a running game that was awful last year. We have no idea why the Steelers retained Jonathan Dwyer in the off-season.  Dwyer recently said he's lost 25-30 pounds in the past month or so -- which would have put him at 260-265 lbs. at about the time of OTAs.  Really.

To draft Bell, however, the Steelers passed on two other players we would have loved to see in Black 'n Gold -- SMU's 6'8" defensive end Margus Hunt (went to the Bengals, Round 2, pick number 53 overall) and Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown (to the Ravens, number 54 overall, at 6'0", 241).

Margus Hunt's the guy we really hated to see get away -- he would have been perfect for the Steelers -- and Brown looks like he'll be a perfect fit in Baltimore. It is a bit worrisome that both Hunt and Brown went to our top two rivals in the division.  Hunt, especially, seems like he could be a special force for years to come, and if he blocks field goals or extra points that keep the Steelers out of the playoffs ... we won't be happy. We're keeping our fingers crossed Hunt and/or Brown won't be Steelers nemeses for years to come.

On the other hand, we have high hopes for the Steelers' sixth-round pick, linebacker Vince Williams (Florida St., No. 206 overall, 6'0", 247). Maybe Williams will have every bit as good a career as Arthur Brown. Or not. We shall see. Our feeling is that Williams is going to be a good one, and possibly very good.

As for the Steelers' third-round pick -- wide receiver Marcus Wheaton -- absolutely loved him before the draft and were elated the Steelers got him. He's a perfect fit here, and they got him in the perfect spot. He'll be terrific.

Speaking of wide receivers, our feeling before the draft was the Steelers made a mistake in April by retaining wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders instead of letting him go to New England in return for a third-round draft choice (91st overall).

We were hoping WVU wide receiver Stedman Bailey would be available and sure enough, he was. Bailey went to St. Louis with the 92nd pick overall (the very next pick after the pick the Steelers would have gotten from New England, which, interestingly passed on Bailey).  Intuition says Bailey would have made a perfect Steeler. We would have had both Wheaton and Bailey, and both would be under contract for four years. As it stands now, Sanders can become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

As for the fourth-round picks, we love the toughness safety Shamarko Thomas brings, but we're concerned about his height (5'9"?).  Might he have trouble covering the likes of Eiffert, Dickson, A.J. Green, Torrey Smith, etc.?

The other fourth-round pick, QB Landry Jones out of Oklahoma, eh, we have concerns about him.  The Steelers are long past due drafting a good young quarterback. But we're not sure Jones is the guy. Certainly we hope Jones leads the Steelers to the Super Bowl many times and cements his place in the Hall of Fame. We have doubts, however, and we also have concerns that Big Ben will last a full season -- ever.

Before the draft, we made the case for drafting Duke QB Sean Renfree, who went to Atlanta in Round 7, 249th overall.  Too bad.

Another college player we had our eye on as a potential draft pick was Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor, who went in the fifth round to Bruce Arians's Arizona Cardinals.  Taylor had a lousy Combine but compiled 4,300 yards and 40 touchdowns during his career at Stanford.

Well, you can't get everybody you want, and we'll trust the Steelers know more about what they're doing than we do..  

That's it, Fort Pitt.

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, thanks and happiness
on Mother's Day.

Jarvis Jones: Glass half-full? Or half-empty?

Jarvis Jones is a glass half-full, half-empty kind of player.

If you think Jones can translate his eye-popping stats at Georgia in the SEC to the NFL, then you can feel confident the Steelers got a top 10 prospect with the 17th overall pick. In that case, we hope to see more of the playmaking ability that enabled Jones to lead the college nation in sacks, tackles for losses and forced fumbles.  

If, on the other hand, you are leery of Jones's 4.92 40-yard dash and spinal stenosis, then you are probably skeptical that he will carry over much of his collegiate success to the NFL. You probably suspect that Jones may have some spotty success with occasional flash plays, but be mostly overwhelmed, out of position and late to tackles in a relatively brief, disappointing career shortened by injury.

One other question remains to be played out: Can Jarvis Jones cover Tyler Eiffert?

That thought occurred to us immediately after we saw the Bengals pick Notre Dame tight end Eiffert (6'5", 250) at No. 21 overall. Those two, Jones and Eiffert, will face off twice a year and will be compared for years to come if only because the Steelers chose Jones over Eiffert, much the same way they selected David DeCastro last year over Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeittler, who went to the Bengals.  

Over the next three years, who will be the more impactful player? Jones or Eiffert?
 

Next Up
We'd like to see the Steelers draft at least one of the following players in the coming rounds: 

• Stanford TE Zach Ertz
• WVU WR Stedman Bailey 
• Oregon State WR Markus Wheaton
• Michigan State RB Le'Veon Bell 
• Duke QB Sean Renfree 
• SMU defensive end Margus Hunt 
• Kansas LB Arthur Brown 
• Tennessee WR Zach Rogers 
• Texas A&M WR Ryan Sproles 
• Alabama OL Barrett Jones 

Most of those guys will go in rounds two or three, so we'll be lucky if we get one, let alone two or three. Still, any of them would look good in Black 'n Gold.

Mocking Bouchette's Mock Draft
Oh, and one other observation: Although the Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette got the Steelers' selection of Jones right -- and he should have gotten it right, considering that he's the Steelers' beat writer -- Bouchette's mock draft was pathetic; terrible; embarrassing.  

Bouchette totally missed on what was becoming clear in the days before the draft, which was that the top five offensive linemen would go in the top 10 picks. Then he had Geno Smith going at No. 13 (Smith slipped all the way out of the first round). Bouchette also had guard Jonathan Cooper falling all the way to No. 18 (Cooper went to the Cardinals at No. 7 overall). 

Bouchette projected Manti Te'o at No. 23 to Minnesota -- really?  The Vikings were happy to select Sharrif Floyd, and Te'o slid all the way out of the first round. 

The taciturn, lugubrious Bouchette's dismissive lack of interest and corresponding lack of insight in the draft shows once again, as he went through the motions yet another year. Once again, he mailed it in.

No Clue

How can we possibly predict who the Steelers will draft on Thursday? How can anybody?

This year's draft has no consensus No. 1 pick, no clear-cut top quarterback guaranteed to go in the top 15, and as many as five offensive linemen who may be among the top 10 picks.  Those five would be Luke Joechel, Eric Fisher, Lane Johnson, Jonathan Cooper and Chance Warmack. 

Quarterback Geno Smith may not be the first QB taken, and he may not get picked until late in the first round -- or maybe even later. There may not be a quarterback taken before the Steelers' turn comes at No. 17 -- which we mention only because it means players at other positions of interest will go off the board.

"Risers" and "fallers" mark the cornerback crop, and Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are getting the feeling that Alabama CB Dee Milliner may fall to the Steelers at No. 17.  If so, should he be the pick?  What about CB Xavier Rhodes?  He'll probably be gone by No. 17. Ditto Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro.  

Milliner, Rhodes and Vaccaro are all prime candidates to possibly go to the Jets or Panthers at No. 13 or 14 overall, or to the Rams at No. 16, and we doubt any of them will be available to the Steelers at No. 17. If so, other players will get pushed down.

How about Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones? Well, if you're sold on his college productivity and can overlook his 4.92 40 and spinal stenosis, he will probably be available at No. 17.

Is he the best choice for the Steelers?  No clue. How about tight end Tyler Eiffert? Maybe. On the other hand, the Steelers currently have four tight ends on the roster, and Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are not convinced Eiffert will even have a better pro career than Stanford's Zach Ertz, who may be available to them in the second round and provide better value than Eiffert in the first round.

Lots of talent this year seems to be earmarked for rounds two through four, and it would be great to acquire at least one or two more picks in those rounds, hopefully to grab a player like Stedman Bailey (WR), Markus  Wheaton (WR), Le'Veon Bell (RB), Arthur Brown (LB), Margus Hunt (DE/ILB) or other intriguing prospects.

Our feeling is that the Steelers should trade down, and that Atlanta is a potential trade partner.  Really, though, lots of teams ahead of the Steelers also want to trade down, and it's possible the Steelers will not find a suitable trade partner.

It will be fun, and interesting.