2008 Draft Class; A Bunch of Busts or Late Bloomers?

Coming out of Mike Tomlin’s first draft as the Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008 everyone including the “experts” were raving about the Steelers draft class.

Within one season of that very draft chat rooms, blogs and even the so-called “experts” were anointing the 2008 class the worst in recent memory.

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Steelers Sign Stepanovich In Attempt To Shore Up Injury Depleted O-Line

We have finally entered the dog days of camp.

The excitement is starting to wane as the days get hotter, the coaches get tougher and the players start to get those aches and pains.

More and more guys make their way to the trainer to ice down before and after practice and this can be no truer than along the Offensive Line for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers went out and signed free agent Center Alex Stepanovich yesterday in order to sure up their situation and give added depth to an Offensive Line that is starting to be depleted by injuries once again.

With Center Justin Hartwig out with a broken toe and Guard Darnell Stapleton on the rack for at least two weeks for arthroscopic surgery on his knee, the already questionable Steelers O-Line had a few questions that required immediate answers.

Stapleton had been practicing at Center in place of Hartwig, who arrived at camp with his toe injury. The undrafted free agent out of Rutgers started the final 12 regular season games and all three playoff games at Right Guard after Kendall Simmons went down last year.

With Stapleton already moving from Guard to Center, Trai Essex had to step into the open Guard position. With Stapleton out the Steelers were facing the possibility of having an undrafted practice squad player (Doug Legursky/Marshall) or this year’s seventh round pick A.Q. Shipley step into the starting Center position.

The addition of Stepanovich allows the Steelers a bit of breathing room as they get into the preseason schedule.

Originally the fourth round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2004, the Ohio State product has more recently spent time in Cincinnati and Atlanta.

Stepanovich was an immediate starter for the Cardinals, and continued to do so until he ended up on the IR during the 2006 season. The Cardinals decided not to renew his contract after the season, making him a free agent.

He signed a one-year deal with the Bengals to play the 2007 season.

The 6’4”, 296 lb Center played the 2008 season in Atlanta before being cut this June to make cap space.  

He will practice with the Steelers for the first time this afternoon wearing the number 67.

While injuries are never good and the thought of multiple injuries is even worse, the situation is far from out of control at this point. Hartwig should be ready for opening day according to team doctors.

While there is no guarantee as to when Stapleton will return, the chance to see both Urbik and Shipley rotate in with the first team in the absence of the two starters may work to the advantage of both the coaching staff and the two rookie linemen.

The only real concern going forward is the lack of opportunity for the starting five to form the cohesion as a unit that typically lasts for the entire season.

Injuries decimated the O-Line last season and the Steelers gave up 49 sacks (4^th most in the NFL) and rushed for only 1,690 yards (23^rd) as they spent most of the regular season trying to come together as a unit.

No one can argue with the end result the Steelers were able to achieve last season, but I am sure Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers Running Backs would appreciate a quicker gelling time in 2009.

With that said, the Offensive Line battles have not only jumped to the top of the list of things to watch, it has also become the most critical position at which someone needs to step up and make an impact for the Pittsburgh Steelers this summer.

 

 

Are Big Ben’s Legal Troubles Creating a QB Controversy In the ‘Burgh?

Logic would suggest that there is a better chance of the Pirates making the World Series than having a Quarterback controversy in Pittsburgh. But hold that thought my friend. There is more to the situation than meets the eye.

That’s right, one of Pittsburgh’s favorite sons has a chance of losing his position this summer, and don’t be surprised if it happens at the hand of a young man that has never started a game in the NFL.

Ben Roethlisberger has been entrenched as the starting quarterback in Pittsburgh ever since he took over for Tommy Maddox in 2004. Since Roethlisberger splashed onto the scene, the Steelers have won two Super Bowls in his first five seasons. Something they had failed to do since Terry Bradshaw was under center in the ’70s.

Early success prompted the Steelers to make a significant financial investment in Roethlisberger. Guaranteeing that he would be the Quarterback that continues to lead them into whatever future success they may have.  

With recent Super Bowl success and over $100 million invested in Big Ben, could it be possible that there is a Quarterback controversy brewing as the Steelers enter training camp?

There certainly is.

Now take a deep breath and cool off for a second. Before you call me anymore names let me just say that Roethlisberger’s job is about as sure as making a bet that the Steelers will be wearing black and gold this fall. 

The question is, who is going to back him up?

In light of recent events concerning Ben Roethlisberger the subject bares more relevance than it did just one week ago. While the civil case is being built one can only wonder what is going through the mind of one Roger Goodell. The NFL Commissioner has been less than lenient concerning off the field issues, and it bares mention that should Roethlisberger be found guilty or try to settle out of court there would likely be a suspension to follow.

 

Here’s where we stand as of today

Charlie Batch will enter camp as the number two guy. He is experienced, well respected by his teammates and dependable when on the field, but that’s where dependable ends concerning Charlie Batch.

Being the hometown kid that grew up in nearby Homestead, Batch has always found favor with the fans in Pittsburgh. Since signing in 2002 however, he has never been accused of being dependable physically. After being drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions in 1998 Batch has had his fair share of long-term injuries, and he may be losing favor with the team.

After missing all of last season with a broken collarbone Batch signed a one-year, $895,000 contract that includes a $50,000 signing bonus. The move was pretty much expected after Byron Leftwich went on to sign a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Bucs over the off-season.

Why layout a new contract with Batch (a short term one at that) if there are reservations about his durability?

The Steelers had an agenda, and if everything this off-season went according to plan, it wouldn’t have taken the duration of training camp to materialize.

What’s this agenda?

Look no further than the guy wearing the number two on his jersey. Call it irony, coincidence, or whatever else you can think of, but whatever you do don’t sleep on Dennis Dixon this summer.

The former Hiesman Trophy front-runner has had a full season to heal from the torn ACL he suffered during his senior year at Oregon. Add to the fact that Dixon continued to show great arm strength and blazing speed in workouts this Spring, and you can feel the quiet anticipation rising from within the organization. Having been able to learn and digest the more complex NFL playbook during his rookie season it may be safe to say Dixon is a step closer to taking on a more substantial role in 2009.

That role may entail the use of his athletic ability in trick plays and in running situations, much the same way the departed Antwaan Randel El was used during his time in Pittsburgh. Yet, I would have expected to see Dixon in this role last season at some point if this were going to be the case. It seems the Steelers have the idea of making a real Quarterback out of Dixon.

Regardless of how you look at it, the Steelers are by all accounts the team to beat in the NFL right now. Dixon is going to have show some remarkable improvement to go with his God given ability for the coaching staff to make the switch from a veteran, game-tested backup like Batch under the current situation.

It may even be safe to say that the no one will benefit more from the Roethlisberger civil case than Charlie Batch. If nothing else, Batch will get an extra look and the benefit of the doubt during camp with an uncertain situation at hand. 

Regardless of the outcome the competition will push both Batch and Dixon to be at their best, and Steeler fans are going to get a great show as the two battle it out this pre-season in Latrobe.

Steeler Stunner: Ben Roethlisberger Accused of Sexual Assault

The superstar athlete goes to a resort, the hotel attendant comes to his room, and then the hotel attendant accuses him of sexual assault.

No I’m not talking about Kobe Bryant.

In a fashion eerily similar to what happened to the Lakers superstar in 2003, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was served with a civil suit over the weekend accusing him of sexual assault.

The civil suit filed by Harrah’s Resort employee Andrea McNulty accuses Roethlisberger of one civil count of assault, one civil count of sexual assault and battery, one civil count of false imprisonment, one civil count of false pretenses, one civil count of fraud, and one civil count of intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The situation in question supposedly occurred in July 2008, when Roethlisberger allegedly called McNulty to his hotel room in order to fix a television. McNulty now insists that Roethlisberger forced her to have sex with him while in the room.  

It is still unclear whether or not McNulty ever tried to file criminal charges against Roethlisberger after the night in question. However she did file the lawsuit while he was in Washoe County, Nevada this past weekend for the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament (benefiting Livestrong and the Lance Armstrong Foundation). 

David Cornwell, Roethlisberger’s attorney, refuted the lawsuit in a statement tonight. 

“The timing of the lawsuit and the absence of a criminal complaint and a criminal investigation are the most compelling evidence of the absence of any criminal conduct,” Cornwell said. “If an investigation is commenced, Ben will cooperate fully and Ben will be fully exonerated,” Cornwell said.

Cornwell, who recently represented both Reggie Bush and Donte Stallworth in criminal cases, is a finalist to become the NFLPA’s Executive Director. Cornwell has never been accused of being passive when defending his clients has already gone on the offensive. He left little doubt that McNulty is in for a fight should she decides to proceed with the lawsuit.

“Ben will not be baited into a public discussion about his personal life, but we will defend him vigorously. The limited value that Ms. McNulty derived from public disclosure of these viciously false allegations is the only value she will ever receive from Ben in this case,” Cornwell said in his statement.

Should things proceed as foreseen a criminal probe would take place concerning the situation, and it has the potential to last long into the NFL season. Providing the defending Super Bowl Champs with the big distraction they were attempting to avoid as they defend their title.

How will the story unfold? No one is certain, but one can only hope that the truth is made known.

Dan Rooney: Football’s Greatest Ambassador Represents More Than Football

Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney has made many trips to the land of his family heritage, but this trip to Ireland was different.

This time it was official. Just 24 hours after being sworn in by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rooney made his first official visit as the U.S. ambassador to Ireland.

By presenting his credentials in a meeting with Irish President Mary McAleese on Friday, Rooney is now officially recognized as the ambassador to Ireland.

He later attended a luncheon at the American Chamber of Commerce in Dublin as his first official act.

President Obama recently named Rooney ambassador to Ireland after the owner of the NFL’s most successful franchise campaigned for him in Pennsylvania during the Presidential elections. 

Known as the NFL’s greatest ambassador, Rooney has shaped the league on a number of fronts since taking over the Steelers after his father’s death. His namesake rule (the Rooney rule) requires teams to interview at least one minority for open head coaching and now senior football operations positions. His advocacy has changed the face of professional football, and his team has lead the way on the field as well, winning more championships than any other franchise.

Rooney has been known for his philanthropic work in Ireland for years.

He is the co-founder of The Ireland Funds, an Ireland-related fund-raising organization dedicated to raising funds for the support of education, community development, Irish arts, culture, peace, and reconciliation within the country of Ireland.

Now the NFL’s greatest ambassador represents much more than the city of Pittsburgh or the NFL. He represents the United States of America in his continued mission to better the nation of his heritage and the world around him. 

 

 

Could the Pittsburgh Steelers Be Interested in Second Coming of Mike Alstott?

Every great team has something that defines them as a franchise. Not just a play for the ages, but something that is as repetitive as the heartbeat inside your chest.

Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump.

Can you hear it?

If you are in the City of Pittsburgh, you can feel the pulse with every sound.

Put your ear against the Steel building and you will hear it. Stand on top of Mount Washington and you will hear the same sound that echoes through the empty steel mills that line the three rivers.

For the last 77 years, the very life’s blood of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been the tough, physical nature with which they play the game. Perhaps the signature of that physical nature is a running game that has been the blunt instrument by which the Steelers have imposed their will for decades.

It is that element of the game that brings the Steelers and their crowd to life and crushes the vitality of their opponents.

Over the course of the last year, Pittsburgh has strayed away from some of the more signature formations and plays that made them infamous to NFL defenses.

Admittedly, some of the shift occurred due to the decimation of the Steelers backfield early on in the 2008 season.

Willie Parker’s nagging injuries and the season-ending shoulder injury to first round draft choice Rashard Mendenhall quickly put the Steelers behind the eight ball. Forced to start third-down back Mewelde Moore, the Steelers rushed for a little more than 1,600 yards (23rd in NFL).

Despite the injuries, much of the changeover has occurred because of a shift in offensive philosophy brought about by coordinator Bruce Arians. 

Take one look at the red zone play-calling and you will pick up on the trend that every defense on the Steelers’ schedule did last year.

Why is it that the Steelers seemed to be the most predictable offense in the league once they got inside the 20-yard line?

The Steelers forsook the power running game for the spread passing attack.

The philosophy that goes along with the new playbook focuses on using three-receiver sets and a wide-open passing game in order to set up the run. So when a team passes the ball the majority of the time down the field, it is absurd for them to think they can take the air out of the ball once they cross the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Not only does it kill the rhythm that has been established during the current drive, it also negates the momentum that has been built up as well.

Few teams had a harder time running the ball between the tackles than the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. Call it lack of experience on the line, being forced to use the third down back as a starter or whatever else you can come up with, but it doesn’t change the fact that it was an ongoing problem for the offense.

Moore performed admirably in the role thrust upon him, but once you examine the formations in which a smallish back like Moore was being utilized, the questions start pouring in.

Going from the “I” formation, featuring a blocking fullback and a bruising tailback to a single-back set in order to employ a more open offense has not worked all that well for the Steelers’ running game.

Most of the Steelers’ rushing production occurred outside the tackles, and what couldn’t be mustered in the running game was substituted by quick screen plays and swing passes to the sure-handed Moore.

Once the team got in the red zone, the Steelers started to run the ball using stretch blocking schemes, draw plays, and the use of a third offensive tackle. These plays are predictable because of the limitations to the formation. When a third tackle is employed, it eliminates one of the skill position players on the field—virtually eliminating a high percentage of offensive options.

This works if you are able to execute, but if you are going to be predictable, you are going to have to be dominant.

There is no other way around it.

Sure, many successful Steelers teams of the past were very predictable, but they were also among the most dominant offenses in the league.

Since the retirement of Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh has not had a back that can manage the goal line. Parker finished the 2006 season with 13 touchdowns. Since then, he has had seven total scores, and most of them have come on long runs of 20 yards or more.

In the absence of Parker and Mendenhall, Moore and practice squad promotion Gary Russell were able to score only eight rushing touchdowns all season.

So what is the common denominator in the decreased production of the running game since Parker’s double-digit touchdown year?

It’s really quite simple. Looking at the stats from 2006 until now, there is a direct correlation between the departure of fullback Dan Kreider and the decline in rushing touchdowns. The lack of fullback presence in the team’s playbook took an imperfect running game and put them at an even bigger disadvantage.

Jerome Bettis was a great back, a sure-fire Hall of Famer, but one thing even “The Bus” never did without was a great fullback. Whether it was Tim Lester or Kreider, Bettis always had himself a bus driver.

Not only has the departure of Kreider and the elimination of the fullback hurt Parker and his supporting cast in terms of production, it has also hurt them in terms of health. Parker has not played a full season since the offensive shift and obviously the rest of the team has felt the pain as well. 

It’s clear the Steelers need that dominant force in the backfield,, and they may have found one in the fifth round of the draft.

Frank Summers was nicknamed “The Tank” at UNLV because of his dominant running style. At 5’9″ and 240 pounds, Summers is small only in terms of height, and is less than shy about seeking contact out of the backfield.

It’s easy to see the resemblance between Summers and Bettis, but the comparison at this point has to stop at physical characteristics. Summers ran a 4.55 at his pro day (faster than Bettis’ 4.7).

He also managed to bench press 30 reps at 225 pounds and registered a vertical of 34.” All of which are above average, especially for a guy that wasn’t even invited to the combine.

With the return of fast Willie and Mendenhall, the backfield seems crowded, and the Steelers want Summers to become the fullback they so badly need.

Everything seems to be falling into place in order to reintroduce a new dimension of power running into the Steelers’ arsenal—but hold on just a minute.

The Steelers are asking Summers to make a move that he refused to make in college. In fact, Summers turned down an opportunity to play for Pete Carroll at USC because he didn’t want to play fullback.

If Summers makes the move to fullback, fans could see the second coming of a rare talent—not that of Jerome Bettis, but of former fullback hybrid Mike Alstott.

The ability to bring a power running dimension to an offense while taking on the duties of clearing the way for small, speedy backs like Parker could make him serviceable almost immediately at the NFL level.

It is going to take work to improve his blocking. However, the potential for Summers to come in and play a significant role in his rookie season is a definite possibility, and with that possibility comes the potential for Pittsburgh to solve it’s problems between the tackles and in goal-line situations.

The days of Kreider firmly decleating Ray Lewis on an “Iso play” are gone, but they are not forgotten. With the addition of Frank Summers the Steelers coaching staff may very well be seeing visions of the “I” formation and the fullback dive lighting up the score board at Heinz Field.

The Making Of a Steelers Fan

The making of a fan is like the making of a musician, an artist or an athlete. There isn’t really one thing that produces the passion, devotion or aptitude that makes you a fan. But much the same way Beethoven learned to play, Picasso learned to paint and Babe Ruth learned to swing a baseball bat, we learn to become sports fans.

Without a doubt, the first time Mozart heard a music note something inside of him came alive. It struck something in depths of who he was, and compelled him to surround himself with what it is that made him feel alive. Much like Mozart, I had this experience with football at a very young age.

My father took me to my first football game when I was just four years old. On a cool Friday night in September, I sat under the lights of that high-school football stadium and fell in love with the game.

The excitement, the pageantry, the sound a pair of shoulder pads made when they collided with those shining helmets, it was surreal. So when my dad sat me down in front of the TV on Sunday and introduced me to the Pittsburgh Steelers, you could say my love for the game became an unbridled passion that has yet to burn out.

It isn’t really one thing that made me love the Steelers. It’s everything they are as a team and everything they mean to the city they represent. Being a “Stiller” fan in Pittsburgh ranks second only to the gospel, and even then, some would question which one would rank higher on the “south-side”.

The team’s smash mouth mentality truly reflects the tradition and blue collar mentality of the city I grew up in. Since Art Rooney Sr. founded the franchise almost 77 years ago, the Steelers have been the rallying point of the “Steel City”.

Becoming a Steelers fan in Pittsburgh is inherited from the generations that came before you. That’s also how you become a season ticket holder (Lord knows you have to inherit them). Sure every team claims to have the best fans, but there is only one Steelers Nation.

From Dublin, Ireland to San Diego, California, no matter what major city you go to on earth you will find a Steelers bar full of crazy, terrible towel waving Steelers fans. Steelers Nation is a fraternity that prides itself on traveling so well that away games look like home games.

Set aside the Primanti Brothers sandwich and all the tradition, and the best part of being a Steelers fan is the absolute privilege that it is to watch a franchise that rewards its fans with a great team every season.

We have been blessed enough to have witnessed some of the most historic moments in Pro football history as Steelers fans. Lynn Swann’s flair for making the most impossible catches on the games biggest stage, the Steel Curtain Defense of the 70’s, Santonio Holmes somehow finding a way to get his toes down in Super Bowl XLIII and who could forget the “immaculate reception”?

Like I said it’s not one thing that has made me a Steelers fan, it’s who I am that makes me a Steelers fan. It’s the sight of a tough old guy shedding a tear in his “Iron City” beer when we fall short. It’s the thought of three generations worth of Cyprowski men sitting in front of the TV on a Sunday afternoon living and dying with every play. It’s the smell of Kielbasa sizzling on the grill outside Heinz field in sub-zero weather. It’s the feeling that whether I am waving a terrible towel from seats on the 50 yard line or 1,000 miles away, I am having the same impact on the game. These are the music notes that brought football to life for me, and that’s what makes me a Steelers fan.

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