Reading the Tea Leaves

Late in the 2007 season, as the Steelers struggled through four losses in their last five games, lack of depth on the defensive line became glaringly apparent. After having gone more than 30 games without allowing a 100-yard rusher, the Steelers run defense was shredded in games against the Jets and Jaguars (twice), and was pressed by several other running attacks, including Cincinnati and Baltimore.

Run defense is a team effort, particularly with the front seven in a 3-4 defense, but with the Steelers, run defense always starts up front, on the defensive line.

Stalwart All-Pros Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith have anchored the D-line for years. and veteran backups Travis Kirschke and Chris Hoke have also served admirably. New starter Brett Keisel stepped in last year and performed well, too.

A closer look at the Steelers defensive line, however, reveals it is aging badly and, worse, lacks depth. When the 2008 season starts, Kirschke will be 34, Smith and Hoke will be 32, and Hampton will be 31.

NFL Players over 30 tend to break down and become more injury-prone as they continue to age, so it is imperative the Steelers infuse the defensive line with new talent this year.

It sucks that the team has only six draft picks this year. If ever there was a year to have supplemental picks, this is it. The Bengals and Ravens have multiple supplemental picks, and the Steelers have none. It seems inequitable, but that's how it is.

While there is no clear consensus as to what makes sense at pick number 23 in the first round, it's clear the Steelers would do well to add two players to the defensive line mix, and that would be a full one-third of this year's draft class.

By our reckoning, three top defensive line prospects may be available when the Steelers pick in the first round: Florida DE Derrick Harvey (6-5, 252), Clemson DE Phillip Merling (6-5, 272), and North Carolina DE Kentwan Balmer (6-5, 308). Harvey and Merling excel at the pass rush. Balmer is more of an all-round, every-down player in the mold of the Steelers' own Aaron Smith.

In a prior post, we dissed Balmer by noting he was pretty much off the radar until he emerged in his senior season under head coach Butch Davis, and we're skeptical of anybody associated with Butch Davis.

To be fair, that's not Balmer's fault; and, to his credit, he did blossom during his senior season after a previously undistinguished career. Whether that development will continue in the NFL is the $23 million question. That, along with the question as to whether he will even be available when the Steelers pick.

If Balmer is there at 1.23, the Steelers would have to seriously consider selecting him, even if the smaller, pass-rushing Harvey and/or Merling are available, both of whom are more suited to playing end in a conventional 4-3 defense, and neither of whom is considered to be particularly stout against the run. Of the two (Harvey & Merling), Harvey has the better pedigree and would be the more intriguing pick, based on his success in the SEC as a sack specialist at Florida. Of the three, Balmer probably fits the Steelers' scheme best. You're always looking to improve the pass rush, of course; but with the Steelers, stopping the run comes first.

Balmer certainly has the right size for defensive end in the Steelers' 4-3 scheme, and he looks athletic enough — again, in the mold of Aaron Smith.

Most importantly, and here's the kicker, the Steelers absolutely need an infusion of youth, muscle and athleticism on their defensive line. Balmer would be a classic "need pick," to be sure, but he would (presumably) add desperately needed youth, depth, athleticism and muscle to the defensive line rotation. Then there's this observation from one of the scouting reports: "He has a strong hand punch to shock and jolt blockers, evident by his solid play in containing the run in 2007."

While veteran journeyman Nick Eason proved last year he can be, eh, okay in the rotation, there's certainly room for improvement. We saw what happened when Eason was pressed into a starting role after Aaron Smith went down. The Steelers suddenly became vulnerable to the run, and the team absolutely cannot allow that vulnerability to continue or fester, under any circumstances.

That's why Joey Porter's Pit Bulls believe the Steelers are beginning to lean toward making Kentwan Balmer the team's first-round selection on Saturday. Disclaimer: Joey Porter's Pit Bulls don't necessarily endorse this pick. We have concerns about Balmer's short track record of success, as well as a dodgy hamstring that limited his workout during North Carolina's Pro Day. We just think this might be what the Steelers are thinking.

Also on the Defensive Line

On Sunday, with a later pick, we'd consider adding NT Red Bryant (6-3, 328), Texas A&M.

And here's why, from NFL.com:

"One of the terms used to describe a defensive lineman is that the player is an efficient "run stuffer." Perhaps no one player has been more important to his team in shutting down the opposition's running game than Joseph "Red" Bryant.

In the eight games that he appeared in for the Aggies in 2006, they allowed just 75.35 yards per game on the ground. In the five contests Bryant sat out due to a knee injury, TAMU was tagged for 229.2 yards per game rushing.

Selected one of the squad captains as a redshirt freshman, Bryant has dominated vs. the run since his first start in College Station. In three seasons in the middle of the Aggies' defense, Bryant has made 83 plays vs. the run, holding the opposition to only 46 yards (0.55 yards per attempt).

As a sophomore, he was a force, making 31 running plays that saw his opponent be held to an incredible minus-27 yards (minus-0.87-yard average). He followed that performance with 19 running plays for 12 yards (0.63-yard average) during his injury-shortened junior year."

With Hampton, Kirschke and Hoke all over 30, it's time to shore up the run defense on the interior line. Bryant looks like he could help.

Together, Balmer and Bryant would count for 33 percent of the Steelers' draft board. We don't like it – in fact, we'd hate to commit two of six picks to one area of need – but stopping the run is just that important. Stopping the run will help the defense get off the field and re-set the crucial time-of-possession ratio that had the Steelers at an unfamiliar disadvantage all too often last season. That, in turn will help the offense.

Which brings us to …

The Offensive Line

On the other side of the ball, protecting the quarterback and improving the running game go hand-in-hand as parallel top priorities on offense. Improvement in each area starts at the point of attack, on the offensive line.

Right now, the O-line looks like a mix 'n match patchwork crazy-quilt, and that is a major concern. In fact, it might be the major concern, notwithstanding what we said above.

Three months ago, we advocated spending two of the Steelers' first three picks on the offensive line. That might still happen, but if does, it appears those picks would be in the second and third rounds.

Reading the tea leaves in statements by Kevin Colbert, we're beginning to think the Steelers will address the offensive line later in the draft, rather than sooner.

Here's why …

We cannot fathom what the Steelers' braintrust was thinking when they applied the transition tag to Max Starks, but their deal with Starks really hamstrings their flexibility on draft day. But it's done, and unless they somehow persuade Starks to re-work his deal, he will be the team's second-highest player with a one-year, guaranteed salary of $6.9 million. Starks, a player who was relegated to backup duty for much of last season, now almost has to start at the vital right tackle position this season.

With Marvel Smith hopefully returning to health at left tackle, it almost doesn't make sense to draft a tackle with the first pick — which is not to say the team wouldn't improve itself with an infusion of talent at the tackle position. It just appears that Kevin Colbert firmly believes his oft-repeated assertion that this is the strongest and deepest draft at the tackle position in 25 years. With that in mind, it appears he believes he can get a more than serviceable tackle, guard and/or center with lower-round selections deeper in the draft.

Scary thought, but locking Starks up with the transition tag tips their hand: It looks like they're not going to draft a tackle in the first round. Nor will they draft a guard because Branden Albert, the only guard who justifies a first-round grade, will be gone before the Steelers pick.

Gosder Cherilus (6'7, 315), whom most mock drafts predict will be the Steelers' first-round pick, is a tackle. Some "experts" project him as being able to play guard in the NFL, but if this description from the scouting report on NFL.com is any indication, he's a tackle – and a tackle only: "limited change-of-direction agility."

All of that's unfortunate because, with Alan Faneca gone, there's a major question mark at left guard, which may or may not be manned by Chris Keomatu, and we really don't know how effective he will be as a fulltime starter. Sean Mahan will be relegated to backup duty at center and guard (actually we hope Mahan will be relegated to "cut," but that's not realistic, given the ridiculous contract the Steelers gave him as a free agent last offseason). Mahan will be a liability no matter where and when he plays.

There's no assurance Justin Hartwig will be much of an improvement at either center or guard. Kendall Simmons isn't getting any younger, or any healthier, and it's long past time to end the Trai Essex experiment. Willy Colon is a bit of a wild card, who may or may not play tackle, guard or center. At backup center, we have no idea whether Darnell Stapleton, last year's undrafted free agent from Rutgers, can play or even merits taking up a spot on the roster.

It's clear the offensive line has become a liability. It needs starting talent, as well as depth.

Right or wrong, it appears the Steelers plan to address those concerns later in the draft.

Still drafting ...

Now, even uber-agent Tom Condon, who represents three players projected to go in the top 10, says even he has no idea how this year's NFL draft will play out. Now, that may be some not-so-fancy dissembling, but we believe him. Sort of.

As noted previously on this here site, there's no consensus number one overall pick this year. In fact, there's no consensus how the top five will shake out, let alone the top 10. Which makes it hard to predict with much confidence how the draft will shape up when the Steelers pick at number 23.

Add to that uncertaintly other factors, such as the Steelers' many, many needs this year, and still other factors such as the uncertain status of certain "sliders" and "risers" in this year's draft, and it's really tough to predict who the Steelers will select.

Early on this year, we'd identified Oklahoma WR Malcolm Kelly as a potential number one pick for the Steelers. It soon became clear, however, that most people expected Kelly to be picked anywhere from number 11 overall, by the Bills, to number 22, just ahead of the Steelers' pick.

At 6-4, 220, he has great hands. From the video we watched, he plays fast, too, plenty fast, in a way we might describe as "violent" fast -- some guys are "gliders," some have deceptive speed, some are smooth striders. Not Kelly. He's "violent fast" -- which is to say, explosive, as in, when the ball is in the air, he goes and gets it ... and then seems to have a knack for just going past people, exploding past people, on his way to the end zone. Violent fast. Plus, as we said, he has great hands. Great hands.

Now, we hear that he may drop out of the first round altogether because of what's described as a poor Pro Day workout and some mouthy outbursts that characterize him as a "me-first" guy. The result? Kelly's a "slider."

Guard/tackle Branden Albert, on the other hand, is most definitely a "riser." Until the past couple weeks, Albert was the guy whom most people projected as going to the Steelers. Now, most mock drafts project him as being selected somewhere between six and 15. Too bad for the Steelers. He'd be perfect for that gaping hole at left guard.

Jeff Otah, the big tackle from Pitt, is all over the board .... projected (by Mike Mayock) to go as high as number five overall, or as low as 29 ... including, perhaps, to the Steelers at number 23. We expect he'll be gone.

An offensive tackle who intrigues us is Sam Baker, from USC. He should be available at 1.23, but most project him as a second-round pick. Most "experts" would admit Baker (a three-time All-American) is more accomplished than Otah, but they would also say he has less upside. We're not so sure. Oh, by the way, he played through a cracked rib last season. Frankly, he might be a steal at 1.23.

However, the name most mock drafts now project for the Steelers in Boston College guard and tackle Gosder Cherilus. But for a guy who's projected as a sure first-rounder, Cherilus sure seemed to struggle a lot last year, albeit under extenuating circumstances. There are questions about just how ready is to step right in and help. That's not what you want in a first-round pick. Is it?

Speaking of Lawrence Timmons: Quentin Groves. Explosive pass-rushing linebacker from Auburn ... but he had only three sacks last year, a number that happens to match the number of broken toes he also had. Plus he had offseason surgery for a heart condition that's actually considered no big deal, if you can believe that. And we just might.

At 6' 3", 259, Groves ran a 4.57 40 at the Combine. He is a lifelong Steelers fan and wants to be a Steeler. He may be the disruptive pass-rushing force the Steelers need. And he should be available when the Steelers pick. So, at this point, we'd rather have Groves (or Sam Baker) than Cherilus. For that matter, we'd rather have Groves than Timmons.

Keep in mind that Otah may be available at 1.23. Of course, so was Tom Ricketts, another lineman from Pitt. But that was years ago, and another story. And, despite what the experts say, we're more impressed with Sam Baker than Jeff Otah.

The Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac made a case for Cal wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who should be available. He's a playmaker, a "weapon," as Dulac describes him. But, at (maybe) 5'10", and (maybe) 167 pounds, he's small. Can he block?

A hell of a punt returner, though, and the Steelers sure could use one of those. There are other, more serious, questions about Jackson. Plus, don't the Steelers already have a player with roughly equivalent size/speed/playmaking pedigree in Santonio Holmes? On the other hand-- wait, that's three hands! -- what would be wrong with adding another of those, as long as Jackson keeps his head on straight? Jackson surely would be an upgrade over Cedric Wilson. Wouldn't he? Then, too, presumably, so would Malcolm Kelly. Or Donald Duck.

Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart is yet another guy with medical question marks who may or may not fall to the Steelers at pick number 23. But the Steelers do have other needs. Besides, they already have Gary Russell, Carey Davis, Mewelde Moore, Najeh Davenport and Willie Parker. If they want to add a running back to replace, say, Najeh Davenport, they should be able to do so in a later round.

The bottom line for the first rund is, the Steelers need to select a player who will provide immediate impact. No great revelation there, but still.

If it's an offensive lineman, he'd better be able to step in and start immediately. No questions asked. Unless he can do that, pick a player at another position. Defensive line? Derrick Harvey? Philip Merling? Or, how about Kentwan Balmer? Maybe, although we're skeptical of anyone associated with Butch Davis.

We like Groves. We could see a case for DeSean Jackson, the wide receiver/kick returner or, for that matter, Malcolm Kelly (who, by the way, Mel Kiper now projects as going to the Steelers. Could Mel have been reading Joey Porter's Pit Bulls? Nah.) .

But, really, we shouldn't have many doubts or question marks about the player we pick at number 23. With that in mind, who would be a safe pick?

Stupid question, maybe, but what about Penn State ILB Dan Connor?

Safe pick, as in, "What you see is what you get."

If the criteria, however, is to select a player who makes an immediate impact, Connor wouldn't be it. Or ... would he? Not with Farrior and Foote, starting (and, presumably, Timmons having moved to ILB). On the other hand, again, if you're looking for a player who will make an impact in 2009 and beyond, hmmm, maybe. Seriously, why not? Just asking ... especially since James Farrior becomes an unrestricted free agent after next season.

Or, how about Arizona CB Antoine Cason? We like Cason. Indiana CB Tracy Porter?

A little later ...

Or ... how about just trading down and picking two or three (or four) of the guys listed below? Not one will go in round one, but each and every one has "Steeler" written all over him:

• Florida WR Andre Caldwell


• WVU FB Owen Schmitt


• Purdue DE Cliff Avril


• Tennessee T Eric Young


• LSU Safety Craig Steltz


• Wake Forest C Steve Justice


• Iowa State DT Ahtyba Rubin


• Ohio State OT Kirk Barton
• Texas A&M DT Red Bryant

And how about, just for fun ...
Kansas State WR Jordy Nelson: The consensus All-American shattered school and Big 12 Conference season records in 2007, hauling in 122 passes for 1,606 yards (13.2 avg.) and 11 touchdowns. He scored twice on five punt returns for 264 yards (52.8 avg.) and registered a school record 140 points. He hit on 2-of-4 passes for 45 yards and a pair of touchdowns, finishing with 1,863 all-purpose yards, an average of 155.25 per game.

In 36 games at Kansas State, Nelson started 32 contests. He ranks second in school history with 206 receptions for 2,822 yards (13.7 avg.) and is third in KSU annals with 20 touchdown grabs. He returned six punts for 267 yards (44.5 avg.) and three scores, as he also completed 3-of-6 passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns, adding seven tackles (6 solos) on special teams.

Speaking of numbers ...

Now, check out these numbers from a guy we've never heard of:
Chaz Schilens, WR, San Diego State. Pro day numbers: At 6-4, 208, Schills ran the 40 in 4.38 and 4.39, had a 43-inch vertical jump, 10-foot, 3-inch long jump, 4.25 short shuttle, 6.84 cone drill, and ran position drills.

Unreal numbers. A 43-inch vertical jump? At 6' 4"? And runs a 4.38 40? Makes you wonder.

Yeah, again, we spend too much time on this, but not enough.

We're drafting (still) ...

So, we're not alone.

Nobody else seems to have a clue about this year's draft either.

That doesn't make us feel any better.

Jim Wexell and others predict Gosder Cherilus. Please, not. Gerry Dulac predicts Cal wide receiver DeSean Jackson, a Santonio Holmes clone, which is not a bad thing to be …but probably not what the Steelers need most. Ditto Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart.

We've seen Branden Albert predicted to go in the top 10 … or fall to the Steelers at 23. If he's there, take him. He won't, by the way, but who will? Unfortunately, not Chris Williams (T, Vanderbilt). Jeff Otah? He hasn't done enough. Pure upside speculation. The Steelers need to select a player who will provide immediate impact.

Justin King? Nah. Fast, but not a good cover corner, nor is he physical enough. Malcolm Kelly? He probably won't be available. Quentin Groves? He had only three sacks last year. Plus, they wasted last year's first-round pick on exactly that type of player, at exactly that position – except Groves is better than Timmons. So, Groves is out, even if we'd like to see him in a Steelers uniform. Uh, maybe.

A corner? Maybe.

You know what? We keep saying this every year, but maybe – with only six picks – just maybe, this is the year to trade down. Maybe?

Footnote: Another guy we'd like to see in a Steelers uniform, with a later pick, if possible: LSU safety Craig Steltz.

We've already chronicled others: Florida WR Andre Caldwell, WVU FB Owen Schmitt, Purdue DE Cliff Avril, Tennessee T Eric Young, Wake Forest C Steve Justice, Iowa State DT. Ahtyba Rubin, Ohio State OT Kirk Barton. All these guys will probably go in the second-third rounds, by the way.

Yeah, we spend too much time on this, but not enough.

All in all, just another brick in the wall ...

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."

We can't help but wonder what the Reagan conservatives' icon himself, The Gipper, Ronald Reagan, would have to say about the individuals who build walls.

That's our solution? Build more walls? Break up and divide people. Isolate individuals. Alienate. Don't talk to people.

The knee-jerk reaction of self-proclaimed Reagan conservatives always seems to be to build a wall. Berlin. Belfast. Jerusalem. Arizona. Baghdad. Texas. California.

Build a wall.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls can't help but wonder what the original Reagan conservative, Ronald Reagan himself, would think.

This disastrous war has to end. The sooner, the better.

R.I.P., Buzz Nutter

Buzz Nutter ... and what a great name THAT is ... played center for the Steelers from 1961-65 and represented the Steelers in the Pro Bowl in 1962, back when it meant something.

Ol' Buzz was the last of the Steelers' starting centers who played before the run of legendary centers that included Ray Mansfield, Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings -- All-Pros, all, as was Buzz, for one year.

No other NFL team has had such a run -- so few players who were so excellent for so many years (decades) at any one position.

Rest in peace, Buzz Nutter. A tough guy, like the rest of us have had to be, for various reasons and in various ways, over the years. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls respect guys like that.

You could say Buzz ushered in that run of legendary centers, and has his own spot in the group photo. Pretty damn close to the center of that photo, too. As would be appropriate, and as would be appreciated by the likes of Mansfield, Webster, Dawson and Hartings.

Rest in peace, Buzz. Rest in peace.

We're Drafting ...

The NFL Draft is two weeks away. Time to get serious.

As noted at many worthy Steelers sites across the blogosphere, this year's draft options are so totally up in air, our collective Joey Porter's Pit Bulls heads are spinning.

As just one example, our friends at Heels Sox Steelers apparently feel the same way, as the esteemed author, Ryan, wrote, "Concerning the draft, I got nothin'. "

This year's draft SCREAMS offensive line, but the best ones will be gone by the time time the Steelers pick at 1.23, and this team has many, many other needs to cover with just six draft choices. It just may be the year for that hoary aphorism, "best player available."

And who may that be?

The constant drumbeat of announcements that the Steelers are bringing in this player or that player is numbing. Jonathan Stewart? Not gonna happen. Not in the first round, and he ain't gonna be there for them in the second round.

I don't care what the Steelers brass says about picking the best player available, they will pick the best player available (in the first round) at a position of need. And they have a LOT of positions of need ... encompassing everything BUT QB, TE and RB, which would eliminate Jonathan Stewart.

Let's talk about RB for just a second: They signed Mewelde Moore, and Najeh Davenport's been cleared of criminal charges, so that's that. They're not going to spend one of their precious six picks on a RB, unless Owen Schmitt's available in the third round, and he's a fullback. If he is available, grab him. He won't be available, by the way, so it's moot.

The first round? Up in the air. Totally. Everybody we really like is likely to be gone. Which leaves us to take a closer look, a much closer look, at some of the others. Gosder Cherilus? Nah.

Branden Albert or Malcolm Kelly? Definitely, either/or. But they'll both be gone.

Antoine Cason? Maybe. Yeah, just maybe worth a much closer look. Agib Talib? Nah, not so much.

Quentin Groves? Maybe, and definitely worth a much closer look. Although, again, the salary cap implications (because of L. Timmons and L. Woodley in the first two round last year) screw up this position. But, then again, best player available?

Kenny Phillips? Hell, no.

Sam Baker? We'd ruled him out previously, but now? Maybe? Ditto Limas Sweed. Actually, maybe, yeah, why not either Sam Baker or Limas Sweed?? Either/or, depending on who else is available, or any of maybe a dozen other possibilities.

Again, we have to look at the salary cap repercussions per position. Given their top picks the past two years, that IS A FACTOR. Which bring us back to ... the offensive line, and who will be available.

Which make us take a closer look at ... Sam Baker. Unless, by some miracle, Chris Andrews or Branden Albert is available. But neither will be available at 1.23, nor will WR Malcolm Kelly.

And, oh crap, what if Jeff Otah is still available? Not likely, from what we're hearing, but Joey Porter's Pit Bulls watches Pitt football, and Jeff Otah never struck us as a dominant offensive lineman worthy of a first-round pick (let alone at number five overall, which is where Mike Mayock, whose opinion we generally respect, had him rated recently).

And our collective Joey Porter's Pit Bulls heads continue to spin.

Pointillist Pittsburgh

Our fair city has long had a reputation, deserved or not, for being a Backwater Bastion of Provincialism and for being slow to embrace emerging trends and the avant-garde.

As Mark Twain once said, "When I die, I want it to happen in Pittsburgh because it will take another 20 years for it to catch up to me."

One may argue how richly this reputation is deserved, for the city also has a rich pedigree of innovation in research, medicine, technology, manufacturing and knowledge leadership.

Still … every once in a while … some of our denizens say or do something so monumentally pointillist that it only reinforces and perpetuates the widely held perception of provincialism, defensiveness and laughable small-mindedness.

Case in point: "Pittsburgh couple sues Google over Street View"

It was 40 years ago today …

Unless you lived through it, you cannot even begin to comprehend …

The sheer ugliness. Hatred. Polarization. Turmoil. Strife. Divisiveness. Rancor. Anarchy. Chaos. Uncertainty. Trauma.

It was 40 years ago today: The murder of Martin Luther King Jr.

It was the tipping point for an already chaotic time amid the backdrop of: The Vietnam war. The draft. Student riots. The SDS. The Black Panthers. Nascent feminism. Radical activism. Flag-burning. An expanding counterculture. Growing drug use. Backlash. Tension. Fighting in the streets. Riots.

When James Earl Ray slayed Martin Luther King, Jr., it culminated a period of sheer ugliness, and triggered even more ugliness over the ensuing weeks, months, years. If you were just entering high school in certain neighborhoods in Pittsburgh at that time, well, good luck. Formative years? How about just trying to survive? Keep your head down. Avoid the fights. Because there were fights. Lots of them. Every day.

To say the environment was polarized is an understatement. Kids from different neighborhoods, socio-economic levels, racial divides and ethnic lines … everybody was fragmented and polarized. Everybody hated one another. The tension in the air, the hatred, the constant rancor ... that's when security guards and police started showing up in schools on a regular basis. Because that's when guns started showing up in schools.

After Martin Luther King, riots broke out in Pittsburgh. I distinctly remember the National Guard on my street. Low-flying helicopters overhead. A curfew. Riots nearby. All too close to home, man, way too close to home.

So, if you were young and impressionable, believe me, it all made an impression. Big time.

It was an intense period. It's a wonder we lived through it. Some didn't.

And just when things were beginning to look hopeful again, bam, Bobby Kennedy was shot down. And you couldn't help but think, "All right, so that's how it's going to be. Every time somebody comes along who looks like a leader, they get shot down."

It took years for the country to heal from the turmoil of those times, from Vietnam, and from the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy. You would think we, as a society, would have learned some lessons. That's why it was so disappointing to some of us that the Bush administration would so carelessly start another disastrous war in a distant foreign land. That's why it's been so depressing to see the harsh divides of red-blue ideology in recent years.

The country is at another tipping point. We cannot go back to the way things were on April 4, 1968.

Recommended reading: Post-Gazette columnist Tony Norman's "The last sermon, Memphis, April 3, 1968"

Remarks by Sen. Barack Obama on Martin Luther King Jr.

Remarks by Sen. John McCain on Martin Luther King Jr.

(we haven't come across remarks from Hillary)

It's Getting Drafty In Here

No clue. During our long winter somnambulance, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like others across Steeler Nation have given plenty of thought to the NFL Draft, April 26-27. And we still don't have a clue.

The top of the draft appears muddled, with no clear choice for a consensus No. 1 overall pick. This uncertainty produces a ripple effect, of course, on how the next 22 picks will shake out, and the Steelers go on the clock at pick number 23. We usually have a clearer sense of this, by the way, even allowing for the wildly varying quality of most mock drafts and prognostications.*

Most of this year's mock drafts predict the Steelers will pick an offensive lineman in the first round. Sounds eminently reasonable, and a couple of months ago, we would have said two of the first three picks should be offensive linemen.

Maybe. But, uh, maybe not.

A closer look at the offensive linemen likely to be available at 1.23 raises more questions than answers. The very best tackles (Jake Long, Michigan; Ryan Clady, Boise State; Chris Williams, Vanderbilt; Jeff Otah (?), Pitt) will be gone, and questions remain about the others (Sam Baker, USC; Gosder Cherilus, Boston College; Eric Young, Tennessee).

Best Available?

If you take the Steelers at their word, they will pick the best player available regardless of position (except for quarterback and tight end).

But still … the offensive line was putrid last year and should have been addressed either in last year's draft or during the off-season in free agency. We can't say with any confidence that Justin Hartwig or Darnell Stapleton (or Kendall Simmons or Woody Allen for that matter) will be an upgrade at center over the overmatched Sean Mahan, who got thrown around, consistently, like a rag doll last year.

At guard, longtime stalwart Alan Faneca is gone, so the left guard position is certain to be a downgrade, no matter who mans the position. Left tackle Marvel Smith has shown signs of wear and tear, and at right tackle, well, that's a question mark at best (Max Starks, we mean you).

With Faneca's departure, most mock drafts predict the Steelers will select University of Virginia guard Branden Albert. Sounds good, if he's there, but Albert's stock appears to be rising, and he may very well be gone. I f he's there, take 'im.

If not, however, who else might be available? Besides offensive line, what other positions do the Steelers need to fill, and who might be available? This is so hard to read, this year, partly because the Steelers have problems, they are many, and they are great (to paraphrase Chuck Noll's famous statement about running back Sidney "The Bull" Thornton).

Again, if you take the Steelers at their word, they need to shore up all positions except quarterback and tight end. Presumably running back would be a lower priority, although you would like to see a solid fullback added to the roster. West Virginia's Owen Schmitt would look good in black and gold, assuming you could get him, say, when the Steelers pick in the third round (not likely, from what we're reading).

On defense, the defensive line is showing age, and inside linebackers James Farrior and Larry Foote aren't getting younger, either.

Nor can you ever have too many corners (good ones, that is). Might cornerback Antoine Cason from the University of Arizona be a possibility in the first round? There are other corners being discussed as first-round material include … but we like what we've read about Cason.

On the other hand ...

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would love to see Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly fall to the Steelers in the first round. It ain't gonna happen. Two months ago, according to most draft projections, it seemed possible. Today, not at all. He'll be a top 15 pick.

So, having said all that, we have no clue. Especially, if Albert's gone or, for that matter, Chris Williams (OT) or Malcolm Kelly (WR).

If those three are gone, we wouldn't mind Antoine Cason, frankly, but we're leery of Cherilus and Baker at that point in the first round. A defensive lineman? Ehh, maybe, but probably not this year, not in the first round.

Later in the Draft

Players who might be available (rounds 2-4), and who might be a good fit for the Steelers, are:

• Owen Schmitt, FB, West Virginia– Can you say, "Short-yardage specialist?" This guy was never tackled behind the line of scrimmage and, supposedly, was a tough blocker for WVU's rampant running game.
  

• Cliff Avril, LB/DE (3-4), Purdue – Avril continues the tradition of highly accomplished pass rushers coming out of Purdue. Too small to play defensive end in the NFL, he would convert to OLB in the Steelers' scheme.

• Eric Young, OT, Tennessee – Sounds like a tough guy, and you can always use one of those.

• Andre Caldwell, WR, Florida – This guy is often compared to Hines Ward, only faster, so that immediately gets your attention. Traditionally, we've been leery of receivers coming out of the University of Florida, but Caldwell doesn't fit the typical profile.

• Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest – Justice is billed as a skilled technician, but undersized, which might not be good considering the defensive match-ups in the AFC North. Still, the Steelers have a long history of success at center, and it certainly needs upgrading.
  

• Ahtyba Rubin, DT, Iowa State. Just nasty.
  

• Also, Kirk Barton, offensive tackle, Ohio State, whose performance at The Combine prompted this report from CBS Sportsline :

“Senior offensive tackle Kirk Barton also had a strong day. Characterized as a tough guy with marginal athleticism throughout his career, Barton raised eyebrows with a 4.95 40. The sub-five-second 40 was the first scouts have seen from Barton, as the four-year starter was limited at the combine due to a knee sprain suffered at the Senior Bowl.

“The fastest time recorded by any offensive lineman in Indianapolis was the 4.99 by Rutgers' Jeremy Zuttah. Barton, while not running the 40 at the combine, showed impressive strength there, ranking among this year's strongest men with 34 repetitions of 225 pounds.”

*Footnote: Last year, pre-draft, planning ahead for the departure of Clark Haggans (and given the paucity of first-round-quality offensive linemen), we suggested the Steelers take a pass-rushing outside linebacker in the first round.

They did, just not the player we would have taken. The Steelers selected Lawrence Timmons; we preferred Purdue's Anthony Spencer, who went to Dallas at pick number 26.

The jury is still out on both Timmons and Spencer, but we are delighted the Steelers actually did take Lamarr Woodley, whom we had urged them to grab in the unlikely event he were still available in the second round. He was, and they did.

As for last year's first round – sorry, we just can't let it go – the vigorous case we made for drafting Florida safety Reggie Nelson looks better and better today (considering how little Timmons contributed).

Last April, of course, nobody could have foreseen Ryan Clark's health issues or Anthony Smith's late-season meltdown, so admittedly this is all 20/20 hindsight. But, still, who contributed more to their respective teams last year, and who would you rather have: Timmons or Nelson? Nelson is starting at safety, by the way, for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who (as we all know) defeated the Steelers twice last year, including in the playoffs.

For all we know, Clark will return, and Smith will continue his development, but still … we thought Timmons was a reach at number 15, and we still believe that.

Five Songs About War

Five on the Fifth

On this, the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, here are five songs about war -- any war, not just this war:

“War.” The classic by Edwin Starr is the definitive version, but Joan Osborne's version from "How Sweet It Is" is slowed down, funky and soulful -- and definitely worth a listen. Springsteen also covered this song, righteously.

”Masters of War,” by Bob Dylan. No explanation needed, although it's worth noting that Pearl Jam did a nice in-concert cover of this song. Read the lyrics.

“Bomb the World,” by Michael Franti and Spearhead, with the lyrics, "We can bomb the world to pieces, but we can't bomb it into peace ... Power to the Peaceful."

“The Dogs of War” by Pink Floyd – This eerie video of the dogs run amok with green gleaming eyes – well, just check it out, and listen to the words/read the lyrics.

"War Pigs" by Black Sabbath. Great song. Ominous and powerful, with the sirens wailing. I remember listening to this song, quite by accident, the weekend before the invasion launched, and although I’d heard it before, it was the first time I’d really listened and paid attention. Highly recommended.

Selected Links:

"Lebanon's Dogs of War" (MSNBC article about dogs ... who happen to be caught in a war zone):

http://dailynightly.msnbc.com/2006/08/lebanons_dogs_o.html

Wikipedia entry about the song, "War":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_%28Edwin_Starr_song%29

"Masters of War" lyrics by Bob Dylan:

http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/masters.html

Bomb the World (Michael Franti) video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICL-4Onk0PA

The Dogs of War concert video from Pink Floyd's The Delicate Sound of Thunder:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFdC74179Wk

War Pigs (Black Sabbath) video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GRR_n_yQGA

Rest in Peace, Myron Cope

Myron Cope. What a character.

Seriously accomplished author, newspaperman and prolific, brilliant writer for Sports Illustrated and other magazines long before he entered broadcasting. The highest-paid writer, in fact, for Sports Illustrated, for quite a few years.

A great writer, first and foremost, but so much more: Broadcasting legend, of course. Originator of the Terrible Towel, of course. Colorful raconteur and man about town, of course. Highly entertaining story-teller and radio talk-show host. Devoted husband and father, of course. Quietly benevolent. Generous. Kindly. Irreverent. Witty. Fun. And very, very funny.

Blessed with the ability to make total strangers feel comfortable, he was genuinely interested in everyday people ... just as much, if not more so, as he was in "big-shot punjab celebrities," as he might call them, whom he would gleefully skewer with happy enthusiasm. Myron: Unabashedly colorful in garb, banter and demeanor.

A Pittsburgh guy. Truly.

He made Steelers broadcasts unique, to say the least. And to say they were highly entertaining would be an understatement. Billy, Tunch and Wolf would be the first to say that Steelers game-day broadcasts haven't been the same since Myron left the booth. It was largely because of Myron that legions of Steelers fans began the uniquely Pittsburgh tradition of turning down the TV sound and listening to the local radio broadcast ... listening to Myron and Jack Fleming, and later, Billy, Tunch and Wolf.

• "Yoi and double yoi!"
• "A little birdie told me ..."
• "Deck those Broncos, they're just yonkos!"
• "Hmm-hah!"
• "The little Cleve Brownies ..."
• "The Dallas Cryboys ..."
• "The Cincy Bungles ..."
  
• "Cope-ascetic!"
• "Okel-dokel, that makes you a Cope-a-Nut!"
  
• "How do, ya got Cope here, what's on your cranium?"
  
• "Welcome to the Cope-a-cabana!"

Myron was famous for personally writing handwritten letters to the many individuals who wrote to him. I was one of them. Fourteen years ago, a one-year-old black Labrador Retriever came into my life. The previous owners had named this puppy, "Damian." One look at this sweet, cheerful, tail-wagging dog, and I knew he needed a new name. Only one name would do: "Myron." Yup, I named my dog after Myron Cope.

The following holiday season, I sent Myron a Christmas card with a picture of my dog and a note explaining how Myron now had a canine namesake. A few weeks later, Myron sent me a gracious note saying how "honored" he was that Myron was named for him.

"And a good-looking pooch he is, too," Myron wote.

Myron the pooch is still with us, just as Myron Cope the legend remains with us in spirit.

Myron Cope. The quintessential Pittsburgh guy.

Rest in peace, Myron. It's quiet, too quiet, without you.

Links ...

• Allegheny Valley School
• Autism Society of Pittsburgh
• Post-Gazette Obituary (Highly recommended; great writing by Gene Collier)
• The Pittsburgh Channel.com (WTAE-TV: nice video, text, slideshow and reader tributes to Myron)
• CBS Sportsline
• CNN (Associated Press obit)

More Links ...

• Arlin's Myron Cope Sounds
• http://www.networksandwebapplications.com/myron/misc.html
  
  
• The Game That Was
  
• http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Cope__Myron.html
  

• Pitt Magazine Article
  
• http://www.pittmag.pitt.edu/sep96/copeh.html
  

• Myron on YouTube
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4xi7eA68og

• Tribute From Mondesi's House on Deadspin
• http://deadspin.com/361509/rip-myron-cope

• Myron Cope: A Pittsburgh Legend
• http://news.steelers.com/article/87361/

• Tribute(s) From "Just Sayin'"
• http://justsayin2000.blogspot.com/

• A nice roundup of links, including audio/video, from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
• http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_554487.html
  

Still More Links ...

• The Christmas Ape's take, on Kissing Suzy Kolber, including this gem of a reader comment ...

"I'm sure that right now, somewhere in the afterlife, Myron Cope and William F. Buckley are trading bon mots. Assuming, of course, they could ever understand each other."

• The Starter Wife's take, on "Black and Gold Tchochkes" ...
• "Yoi and Double Yoi - RIP Myron Cope"

• A nice tribute to Myron's career in this USA Today article, published upon Myron's Retirement in 2005

• Cotter's take, on "One for the Other Thumb"

• Doubt About It: "The Passing of a Legend"
  

• Sean's Ramblings: "Myron Cope, 1929-2008"
  

• Sportsocracy: "Hmm-hah! Myron Cope, Gone at 79"

• The Post-Gazette's Blog 'n Gold runs a nice collection of Myron articles, video, audio and tributes from across the blogosphere

• Also in the Post-Gazette, Pirates beat writer Dejan Kovacevic wrote the following to lead off his post in Thursday's edition of Pirates Q&A ...

"My very deepest condolences to the family of Myron Cope.

"I had the chance to meet the man formally only once, back in 1992 while covering a Steelers training camp, but I was extremely fortunate to have formed a more meaningful connection with him this past summer when he wrote me two personal, handwritten letters last summer. I will keep the contents to myself, but suffice it to say that one is framed and hanging above my desk back home. I have had no higher honor in this business.

"Our city has lost a giant, not just in broadcasting but also in writing. That aspect of his career was immensely underappreciated, I always have thought, but it should not be. Anyone wanting a taste of that brilliance should look up his poignant piece about Roberto Clemente for Sports Illustrated from the 1960s. It can be found in many compilation books, not the least of which is one appropriately entitled, "The Best American Sports Writing of the Century.""

*** *** ***

"This is Myron Cope ... o-o-on sports. Bye now!"

Blame it on Steely McBeam

Let's see ... much of what went wrong Saturday night sure looked familiar, starting with the 98-YARD KICKOFF RETURN!

Special teams (specifically kick coverage) have burned the Steelers all year. On Saturday night, just as we were starting to feel good ... pha-phew, the air went out of the stadium. Jackson-vile's Maurice Jones-Drew scooted his way almost all the way, and his return undid all the good accomplished in the Steelers' confidence-building opening drive. Then, Ben started throwing picks. No need to re-cap what happened the rest of the way. It was a valiant effort and a mostly good, if unfulfilling season.

We can (and will) ruminate on what improvements can be made during the offseason. We will probably start (and finish) with special teams. It will be interesting to see whether special teams coach Bob Ligashesky will be retained. He would be an easy target for the Finger of Blame.

Or we could just as easily point to Steely McBeam.

FEAR NOT THE JAGUARS

Let’s send these foul beasts
back into the abyss
from which they came.

About Last Night

Not sure what happened, exactly, but we heard some good speeches last night.

Edwards: A well-delivered speech. Delivered with confidence and power, yet heartfelt and genuine. Stayed on message (“America Rising”); consistently on point. Didn’t miss a beat. Very impressive. Inspired confidence.

Huckabee: Kind of an aw-shucks style, almost avuncular. First impression was that he seemed almost surprised to be there. Chuck Norris and the hot blonde bombshell standing behind him with their dazzlingly white choppers, were distracting. Huckabee seems to do better in Q&A format. Deceptively deft, however, and extremely clever. This guy is not to be underestimated or sold short. We were wondering when the “I♥Huckabee” buttons are going to show up, but his target constituency probably wouldn’t go for that shit.

Romney: What a stiff. His sons look like Stepford kids. A little creepy. It’s funny how he dodges the topic of religion – runs away from it – while Huckabee turns that shit around on Romney, to Huckabee’s great advantage, by putting it front and center in his defining tagline: “Faith. Family. Freedom.” So, at least he’s upfront about what he believes. Huckabee says, “My faith is my life – it defines me. My faith doesn't influence my decisions, it drives them.” Romney, eh, not so much, you don’t know what he believes. You don't get the feeling that Romney is genuine. People see through that shit.

Hillary: Arrogant. Another phony. All spin. Madeleine Albright and Bubba in the background were distracting. Hillary might as well have staggered off the stage. She looked done. Toast. She and her campaign are powerful enough, however, that they’ll be back. With a vengeance. She’s just not very likeable. And she and her henchmen likely will get very nasty, very soon.

Obama: Soaring, inspirational oratory. The best speech of the night, by far. Delivered his speech with JFKish rhythmic cadence. Very impressive. “This is not about red states and blue states. It’s about the United States.” Made you sit right up and just about jump out of your chair. Seriously – downright inspirational.

We Have Stupid Questions But No Answers

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls occasionally ponder matters less important than the Steelers. Such as? Well, for instance, presidential elections and world events.

Today's topic: The Iowa caucuses.

We don't really have opinions about the Iowa caucuses, just … stupid questions.

• Like, what the hell are the Iowa caucuses?

• And, if they're so important, why doesn't every state hold caucuses instead of conventional primary elections?

• Also, if Iowa is such a bellwether state in January, why is it inconsequential in November? On election night, nobody has ever said or is going to say, "It comes down to Iowa. It's too close to call in Iowa." No. You never hear that. It's always Florida. Or Ohio. Illinois. Pennsylvania. Michigan. Even, in 1960, West Virgina. Never Iowa.

• One more question: How are the Republican candidates going to spin the immigration issue when they get to a state that actually has, you know, immigrants? It's one thing to talk big in Iowa, but let's hear what they have to say in, say, New York.

Just asking.

New Year's Resolutions

This could be a one-game playoff for the Steelers if they fail to make good on the following two New Year's Resolutions: (1) STOP THE RUN; and (2) RUN THE BALL.

On Saturday night, neither will be easy. The Jax Jags ran all over the Steelers defense just three weeks ago, and the Jags boast the AFC’s top running game this season. The Steelers obviously miss injured defensive and Aaron Smith, badly, and tackling has been generally sloppy for the past month or so.

On offense, the Steelers’ running game was non-existent in Baltimore, so there is scant evidence that the team can overcome the loss of Willie Parker, the NFL’s leading rusher at the time he went down with a broken leg in St. Louis.

Now, too, the offensive line is seriously depleted with the loss of both starting left tackle Marvel Smith and backup Max Starks. The prospect of doughboy Trai Essex, a healthy scratch most of the season, now playing left tackle doesn’t shore up confidence in the running game.

Worse, the prospect of Trai Essex protecting Ben Roethlisberger’s blind side is scary, to say the least. Very scary. That, and the idea of center Sean Mahan once again getting manhandled by the Jaguars’ John Henderson bodes ill for the passing game.

So, once again, it is imperative the Steelers run the ball effectively. And stop the run.

Still, there’s hope. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau has already seen what the Jags’ running game can do, so adjustments surely will be made to counter what worked so well for Jacksonville the last time the two teams met. Although Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard has played well all season, this will be his first appearance in a playoff game. If LeBeau has some tricks up his sleeve to befuddle Garrard, maybe the Steelers can win the turnover battle and put some quick points up on the board.

Yeah, it’s a lot of “ifs,” but what the hell.

“If ‘ifs and buts’ were beer and nuts, we’d have a hell of a party.”

Speaking of parties, nobody’s going to throw a pity party for the Cleveland Browns, who blew their chance to make the playoffs when they lost to the stinkin’ Bengals in the next-to-last game of the season. With a win vs. the Bengals, the Browns could have won the division. Instead, they didn’t even make the playoffs.

It’s so typically Brownies. It’s funny, actually.

As coach Mike Tomlin said about the Steelers after Willie Parker was sidelined with his injury, “Nobody’s going to throw us a pity party. Nobody’s going to care that we have problems. In fact, they’re probably glad we’ve got ‘em.”

Addendum: Speaking of pity parties, nothing of the sort is needed for Brian Billick, fired from his position as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. The smug, arrogant and egotistical Billick has three years remaining on a contract that will pay him $5 million annually. Even if he takes a job in television -- something he might actually be good at -- he will still collect that $15 million. Good riddance and good luck, asshole.

Send Out the Clowns

As a Steelers fan who is glad the little Brownies are competitive again (finally resuscitating the storied Pittsburgh-Cleveland rivalry), JPPBs also relish the squirming discomfort, anxiety and angst the Cleveland Browns and their fans must be experiencing this week.

Because the Browns laid a colossal egg on Sunday in Cincinnati, they need help just to make the playoffs. As explained on the Brownies' Web site, here’s how it shakes out for them:

** The Browns and Tennessee Titans are both 9-6 heading into the season's final week.

** The Titans play at Indianapolis in a game that means nothing to the Colts, who have clinched a first-round bye. If the Colts win, the Browns are in. If the Titans win, the Browns are out.

** If the Browns do get in, they'll be the sixth seed and play at Pittsburgh or San Diego.

The Browns = The Clowns.

As for the Steelers, all the speculation about playoff seeding is pointless. They will be the No. 4 seed. The only way the Steelers can finish as the No. 3 seed is if they end the regular season with a better record than the San Diego Chargers, who currently have the same record, 10-5, as the Steelers. If the two teams are tied, either at 10-6 or at 11-5, the Chargers will be the No. 3 seed.

The Chargers play at Oakland (4-11) on Sunday at 4:15 p.m (EST), while the Steelers play at Baltimore (4-11), also at 4:15 p.m.

The Chargers will defeat the Raiders, so the Steelers will enter the playoffs as the No. 4 seed, no matter what they do at Baltimore.

As the No. 4 seed, the Steelers will host the Jacksonville Jaguars. Oh-oh.

Santa's Work Is Done.

Christmas time's a comin' ...

"Christmas comes but once a year
And to me it brings good cheer
And to everyone
Who likes wine and beer."
-- Bessie Smith

Hangin' out n' 'at ...

Now he's in India ...

But Santa's busy ...