Maybe the Steelers Really Had Two First-Round Picks

Something I was thinking about the other day, probably because somebody mentioned it in the previous thread: it sounds like Juan Timmons will be ready to go this season, which, as a lot of you said a year ago, would be the case after he "redshirted" his rookie season.

So in that sense, the Steelers had the 15th and 23rd picks in the draft, and got two potential franchise players, one for each side of the ball. This presumes, of course, that Richard Menthol can avoid getting mugged between now and training camp.

After the three-day minicamp, everybody seems high on Juan, and hopefully he'll be some amalgamation of Jon Beason and Patrick Willis. Or better.

Behold the Genius That Is ... Me

It's so seldom that I'm right -- about anything -- that I have to take this opportunity to point out my prognosticatory powers. First, to set things up: Adam leaves this comment detailing how the local fans and media are panning the ROBO-PUNTER pick, like it was some big surprise Chris Gardocki had a bad year.

Eddie B. went so far as to write:

A punter?

The Steelers entered the second day of the NFL draft with needs in the offensive line and at running back, yet when they made their first selection yesterday, they made history for the second time in two days.

While the New England Patriots were using a fourth-round draft choice to trade for receiver Randy Moss, the Steelers used theirs on a punter.

First, it's worth noting that the Patriots drafted kicker Stephen Gostkowski with their 2006 fourth-round pick. Second, after addressing arguably the biggest need on the team (yes, the O-line is an issue, but it's certainly not dire ... at least compared to the punter), the Steelers still got an interior lineman. So, there's that.

Now, to the part about me being really smart. Here's what I wrote on January 31 of this year:

Secretly, I'm hoping the team offers Max Starks a third-round tender, some other team signs him, Levi Brown drops to 15, and Pittsburgh uses the extra third-round pick on this year's Devin Hester or Maurice Jones-Drew (I know, I know, these two were second-rounders, but I'm wishfully thinking here). And then, in the fourth-round, take Daniel Sepulveda. And I'm not even kidding. (Don't forget, Pittsburgh's got a crapload more comp picks coming their way. Anybody who doesn't think the punter is important, just take a look at Chris Gardocki, version 2006.)

And here's what I wrote in an SCI column on February 15:

...I will make this suggestion: the Steelers should think about drafting a tight end. And I don't mean a late second-day afterthought. I mean an athletic kid with good hands and who can block a little. I know, easier said than done, but I think we can all agree that Jerame Tuman is adequate, and that's all he'll ever be. Pittsburgh should expect more out of the position. Miller's shown that tight ends can be good pass catchers and good blockers. This doesn't mean the team needs to arrange their draft board around finding the next Antonio Gates, but at some point -- and I think that point is now -- the Steelers will need to add quality depth behind Miller. Plus, it will give Arians one more option and opposing defensive coordinators one more thing to worry about...

Man, I'm on fire. Come back in 75 years for the next installment of: Waterhead Wilson gets something -- anything -- right. Until then, let's take bets on if Gary Russell makes the team.

(By the way, I'm watching NFL Network as I write this. Steve Sabol's running down the all-time undrafted free agent team and not surprisingly, Fast Willie is the starting tailback [maybe that is surprising ... just not to Steelers' fans, I guess]. Anyway, Sabol just rattled off this fun fact: "Over the last two seasons, Parker has more rushing yards than any running back from either the 2004 or 2005 draft.")

That's a Wrap, Nerds

And that's that. The 2007 NFL Draft is in the books -- at least for the Steelers -- and now it's all about guessing who won't make the team. My early favorites are Orien Harris Ryan McBean and Lawrence Timmons. I'm kidding, I'm kidding.

Seriously, I'm pretty happy with Tomlin's first draft, and that has a lot to do with -- wait for it -- SEPULVEDA. (By the way, from now on, he shall only be referred to as SEPULVEDA, ROBO-PUNTER, or the PUNTISHER. Nothing else will be recognized.) My hope is that on the first day of minicamp SEPULVEDA kicks DEKKER's ass. Just because he can.

So, now the excitement turns to the undrafted free aggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Sorry, I fell asleep getting excited about the undrafted free agents. I guess this is as good a time as any to discuss what you did (and didn't) like about the 2007 draft. I'll go out on a limb and guess o-line and running back, but anything else?

Oh, and professional newspaperman Adam Gretz has a nice little recap of the weekend's events right here.

Day 2 Thread: Sepulveda Time

Waterhead Wilson reporting for (Day 2) duty. So, to recap: Timmons, Woodley and Spaeth yesterday and ... who the hell knows today.

Thanks to Easy Like Sunday Morning, here are the best available guys still looking for work:

Running back
1: Antonio Pittman, Ohio State
2: Michael Bush, Louisville
3: Deshawn Wynn, Florida

Wide receiver
1: Aundrae Allison, East Carolina
2: David Clowney, Virginia Tech
3: Courtney Taylor, Auburn

Offensive tackle
1: Doug Free, Northern Illinois
2: Allen Barbre, Missouri Southern State
3: Brandon Frye, Virginia Tech

Guard
1: Josh Beekman, Boston College
2: Mansfield Wrotto, Georgia Tech
3: Manuel Ramirez, Texas Tech

Center
1: Leroy Harris, North Carolina State
2: Doug Datish, Ohio State
3: Dan Mozes, West Virginia

Defensive end
1: Brian Robison, Texas
2: Jay Moore, Nebraska
3: Baraka Atkins, Miami (FL)

Defensive tackle
1: Ryan McBean, Oklahoma State
2: Paul Soliai, Utah
3: Marcus Thomas, Florida

Inside linebacker
1: Brandon Siler, Florida
2: H.B. Blades, Pittsburgh
3: Nate Harris, Louisville

Outside linebacker
1: Stephen Nicholas, South Florida
2: Tim Shaw, Penn State
3: Rory Johnson, Mississippi

Cornerback
1: Tanard Jackson, Syracuse
2: Fred Bennett, South Carolina
3: Kenny Scott, Georgia Tech

Safety
1: Josh Gattis, Wake Forest
2: John Wendling, Wyoming
3: Michael Johnson, Arizona

Specialists
1: Kicker Mason Crosby, Colorado
2: Kicker Justin Medlock, UCLA
3: Punter Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor

Me, I hoping for another tight end -- Ben Patrick's still on the board -- and, of course, Danny S. Seriously, I wouldn't mind Fresno St. running back Dwayne Wright, maybe cornerback/safety Tanard Jackson (or safety John Wendling), and, say, Allen Barbre, from Missouri Southern (apparently, the front-office types like him).

Okay, let's see how this plays out.

Waterhead Wilson, signing out (by the way, like somebody mentioned in the comments, I definitely need a back story to the Waterhead nickname. I welcome all suggestions -- WW)

Fresh Start Thread: Round Two

Okay, I think we need a do-over. Or, at the very least, we need to change our luck. Therefore, new thread (that, and the currenty one has almost 300 comments ... I'm way too lazy to scroll down all day). So, who do we want in Round 2, assuming we don't draft Timmons again? (That's the last derogatory comment about LT; like I said, I'm giving the guy the benefit of the doubt for now.)

I'd be okay with an o-lineman, outside linebacker, and maybe even a running back. We shall see.

Go Time: Draft-Day Edition

Yep, it's the biggest non-sports day of the sporting year: the NFL Draft. As promised, I'll guess at who the Steelers will take on Day 1, and I encourage you all to do the same. But first, a look back...

Here are the players I liked last year. In retrospect, LenDale White and Darnell Bing in Round 1 seem, well, optimistic, although I like the Anthony Smith foresight in the third round.

And here are my 2006 three first-day picks:

Pick 1, 32: Nick Mangold, C
Pick 2, 64: Demetrius Williams, WR / Greg Jennings, WR
Pick 3, 96: Danieal Manning, CB/S

Yeah, I was right on the money with those bad boys.

Okay, here's what will (almost certainly not) happen tomorrow:

Pick 1, 15: Daniel Sepulveda, P Ben Grubbs, G
Pick 2, 46: Stewart Bradley, OLB
Pick 3, 77: Brian Leonard, RB

For the record, I don't like taking a guard at 1.15, but I have a feeling this Faneca thing will end badly. Bradley fills an obvious need, and I think Brian Leonard will be available in the third round (because I know so much about the draft). Alrighty, you guys are up. (Henigin was last year's winner -- he got Santonio right. So props to Henigin. This year's winner will get a year's free subscription to HSS.)

Oh, and if you want to get pumped for the Main Event, I think this should do it.

Hey, There's a Draft Coming Up

Okay, we're almost there folks, and this year more than any other, I still have no clue what'll happen. The latest rumors have the Broncos trying to move up from 21st to 10th and they have three names in mind: Amobi Okoye, Adam Carriker, and Patrick Willis. My first thought? "Well, they can't draft all three of those guys."

Seriously, 1.15 is turning into a pretty crappy draft position. The guys you'd like probably won't be there, and the guys who are good value after pick No. 20 are all that remain. Suh-weet.

Before getting to the comments, some housekeeping: I'll be around all weekend, and I suspect many of you nerds will be too. So when I'm not making up rumors over on AOL, I'll be following things here. Mark your calendars ... it's sure to be kick-ass.

*******
... This, people, will be the turning point in the Steelers' 2007 season. Honestly, I'd forgotten he was released.

... As amazing as managing to re-sign St. Pierre before he signed a lucrative deal elsewhere, this is even more astonishing. MaG notes that a few hundred die-hard German NFL fans got together for a little mock-draft action. Seriously, somebody should send this to Roger Goodell. The NFL's plot to take over the world through football seems to be working. And by the way, this mock draft is the best I've seen anywhere. The only thing that would make it better would be if the Steelers took Sepulveda in the first round.

By the way, how bad does a team's punter has to be when its fans not only know which draft-eligible punters are available, but they have an opinion on who they prefer, and know exactly what round he should be drafted? Yes, Mr. Gardocki, it's time to start doing all that other stuff you put off because you were playing football.

... Cols714 (a.k.a. Anonymous) left this comment:

"If both Staley and Carriker are there, who would you pick? Or would you choose whatever LB you feel is the best.
Me, I'd go Staley."

Wexell picked Staley at 1.15 in the Scout.com mock draft, but only because Carriker was off the board. I'm still in the Carriker camp, and I'll expand while answer two questions from the comments. First, Easy Like Sunday Morning asks:

Can I ask why folks (including Ryan) put DE in the top 3 needs? Assuming we stick to a base 3-4, seems to me that we have bigger needs at OLB, ILB, HB (we have 2), OG (after 07), OT, maybe even WR and P...

Followed by Randy Steele's question:

Easy,

I agree. Carriker sounds like a solid pick for most teams, but for the Steelers he's a luxury, another player like Smith. Are they having second thoughts about Keisel as the other DE? Or do they really think he can switch to linebacker? Seems like a dubious decision from here.

All in all, I don't see how the front office can pass on a top quality OT if one becomes available to them.

Alrighty, let's see... First off, we'll all agree I'm no draft expert, but instead go on what Mike Mayock tells me. Remembering that, Carriker is Aaron Smith, but bigger. Scouts love this guy, love the fact that he's played in the 3-4, understands the whole two-gap stuff, and isn't so much interested in racking up sacks as he is in winning. More importantly, he's supposedly a top-10 pick. If he's around at 15, the Steelers are making out.

Also, Wexell makes the salient point that just because you have three starters on the d-line, that doesn't mean you (a) don't need depth (Kirshke and Hoke are in the last year of their contracts ... I think, anyway), and (b) don't need guys you can rotate into the lineup during a game. It's unrealistic to expect three guys to play 50 or 60 snaps, and that doesn't happen now.

Yeah, I agree, there are bigger needs at OLB, ILB, RB, OT, OG. I've been on the Steelers-should-take-a-tackle kick for a while too, pimping Levi Brown, Joe Staley ... basically whoever might help. But as was pointed out in the comments, the latest rumors have the Steelers not focusing on offensive tackle in the first round. I think guards, kinda like running backs (but not as much), are fungible and it usually doesn't make much economic sense to take them early. That leaves linebacker, and if the Broncos are moving up to take Willis, and Beason or Timmons are considered stretches at 1.15, well, that brings us back to Carriker.

In a perfect world, yes, the Steelers would trade down. But you know what, this seems to be the year that everybody wants to trade down. It just may not be possible. Right now, I'm still in for Willis, Carriker, Brown, Beason, though I'm guessing it won't be any of these guys ... assuming, of course, everything I've read in the past week is true (stifles giggle).

Looking Back to the Draft

We're just over a week away and I have absolutely no clue what the Steelers plan to do on Draft Day. None. I have an idea, but hell, we all have ideas? Confusing things -- at least for me -- is the little issue of the more I read, the less certain I am about who I think Pittsburgh should take. Shoulda done my homework, I guess. Whatever.

Instead of worrying about the 2007 draft, I thought I'd kill some time by revisiting the 2006 draft. I was searching the SCI archives for something and I came across a column I wrote late last year.

Basically, I set up some rules, and held a 2006 re-draft. The idea, of course, is to put together the best rookie class possible. I won't reveal my picks until later, that way, you guys won't be so discouraged as to not even try to cobble together a list.

Okay, to the rules:

1. You can't take a player drafted by the Steelers;
2. You have to make your pick based on whoever was available after Pittsburgh made their pick in a given round;
3. For the round in question, you have to select players taken between Steelers' draft picks. Case in point, Pittsburgh has to make its first-round selection based on the players available from picks #26 to #82 (the Steelers took Anthony Smith, their second pick, 83rd overall);
4. Finally, if the Steelers have two selections within 15 picks of each other (like the supplemental and end-of-round second-day picks), you can draft two players up to the Steelers' third selection. For instance, Pittsburgh selected Willie Colon with the 131st pick and Orien Harris with the 133rd pick. Instead of being forced to take P. J. Daniels, the 132nd player drafted, you can cycle through all the players until you get to the next Steelers draft choice, which would be Omar Jacobs, taken 164th overall.
   

(Maybe these rules aren't so simple ... but trust me, it's definitely worth it.)

Oh -- you might need this -- the list of 2006 draftees, from Mario Williams to Kevin McMahan.

Alrighty nerds, knock yourselves out.

Rockin' the Boat

Hey, you know what really makes having a newborn exciting? Getting the flu. Yeah, it's awesome. I know what you people with kids are thinking: "Hey, Wilson, grow a pair and quit your bellyaching."

What can I say, I'm soft ... and I get really whiny when I don't feel well. Good news, though. I'm hopped up on benodryl, just got some inspiration and thought I should write it down before I pass out.

Okay, it wasn't the drugs that gave me inspiration, it was Illanin's comment to one of my AOL posts. Here's the post. (If you're too lazy to read it, it's about Romeo Crennel agreeing not to start a rookie quarterback -- assuming the Browns take one -- because of the cautionary tale that was Tim Couch's career. I offered this sentence in support of Crennel's contention: "In 2004, Ben Roethlisberger didn't open his rookie season as the starter -- his first start came in Week 3 -- but what made his situation so much different than the other quarterbacks mentioned above was that he had a strong cast of players around him. Especially along the offensive line.") And here's Illanin's comment:

Ryan, is there something in your contract with AOL that forces you to write one piece of conventional wisdom bullcrap every three articles or something? You wouldn't say something like [the sentence above] on HSS or SCI without checking up on it. Pittsburgh ranked 28th in Adjusted Sack Rate in 2004. Sure, the run blocking was good, opening lanes for Staley and the Bus; but what people think of when you say a QB has a good line is pass protection. Fact is, Roethlisberger's been consistently better than his pass protection - even this year, though not by so much. The Steelers' run-heavy philosophy was as much necessity as intent.

Well, actually I would write that sentence on HSS or SCI without checking up on it, but that's because I didn't think it was such a controversial topic.

I agree that Pittsburgh's pass protection has been bad in recent years -- I know I've written that on HSS and SCI -- and I don't disagree that Big Ben has (mostly) been better than his pass protection, but I think it's hard to argue that Roethlisberger wasn't the beneficiary of having "a strong cast of players around him ... especially the o-line." Roethlisberger averaged some ridiculously low number of pass attempts per game his rookie season and relied primarily on the running game to make his job infinitely easier. Put Couch, Harrington and Carr in similar situations their rookie seasons and I bet they win more games than they did with their actual teams.

I'd also point out that for all of Roethlisberger's scrambling ability, he is also responsible for a fair share of sacks that still get blamed on the o-line. I'm not saying it evens out -- I have no idea, I haven't looked at it -- but it's worth pointing out.

I also take issue with this part of Illanin's comment: "Ryan, is there something in your contract with AOL that forces you to write one piece of conventional wisdom bullcrap every three articles or something?" One of three articles? Huh, I was shooting for one out of two, so I've dropped the ball on that one too. Seriously, I do love that you people aren't afraid to call me out. It keeps me from just completely making stuff up.

*******In other semi-draft-related news, I posted two Steelers-related things on the ol' AOL site. One about the Steelers drafting OSU's Anthony Gonzalez in the second round; and another about the importance of special teams.

The special teams talk isn't news around these parts, but it's the first time I've mentioned Gonzalez. And the only reason I got on that kick is because of -- you guessed it -- Mike Mayock. He's been running down his first-day favorites the past week or so and he absolutely loves Gonzalez and Steve Smith as second-round slot receivers. Both guys ran sub 4.5-forties, but more importantly, excel and getting open and catching passes.

Now, I'm not convinced Pittsburgh should take a wideout in the second round with about 20 other more important needs, but it doesn't hurt anything to talk about it. I know I was pimping TE Zach Miller earlier this off-season in this spot -- and now, it looks like he might be available -- but if Bruce Arians is going to go to more four-wide sets and disregards my advice on Miller, the Steelers are still two wide receivers short. I still have high hopes for Nate Washington but like the Chicago Bears, Cedrick Wilson is who we thought he was.

Honestly, my Steelers Day-1 draft board is still pretty muddled, though I did take a stab at who I liked in the first round in my latest SCI column: Willis, Carriker, Beason, Brown. Let's just say the SCI message board was less than excited about my choices, but what can I say, I'm no Mike Mayock.

(Oh, which reminds me: Mayock ranks his top 64 players and Rich Gosselin has a similar list. These guys might be two of the best and unlike me, people generally respect them for their draft knowledge.)

Finally, one last thing. Wexell runs a nice column every once in a while where he peppers an anonymous source on the Steelers payroll with questions about what's going on on the South Side. Anyway, in his latest, his source makes a good point: basically, scheme is overrated. Whether it's the 3-4, 4-3 or whatever, it's about -- and I know, this sounds like a cliche -- putting guys in position to make plays. You know, kinda like Bill Belichick and the Patriots. The point, I guess, is that whomever the Steelers draft, it doesn't necessarily mean they are going in one direction over another in the coming years, or that guys like Casey Hampton or Troy Polamalu become expendable.

Back From the Dead

Jeebus. I was all set to catch up on the two weeks of Steelers' news I missed while raising my son (who's now talking, walking, and in a few days we'll be sending him off to boarding school -- parenting is pretty easy once you get the hang of it) and then Sammy Freakin' Sosa hit a dinger against the Red Sox.

The good news, I guess, is that the a-holes at MLB decided to let the a-holes at Comcast charge me $150 for the baseball package. I fully understand that this was an argument between two filthy rich outfits arguing over who was going to make more dough ... at my expense, of course. I'm just glad the two sides could put away their greedy needs long enough to screw me. Thank you. Thank you very much. Anyway...

Sosa, who's back with the Rangers, hit a bomb of JC Romero in the bottom of the sixth. This is the same dude who pretended he couldn't speak English during the Congressional Hearings in the spring of 2004, and subsequently lost 50 pounds of muscle before suddenly becoming an opposite field singles hitter in 2005. I think he's back on the juice.

So, Steelers-wise, what's going on? Well, not much, really. It's amazing how far behind you can get in two weeks of not paying attention to all the internets chatter, but in that time, the only real news to come out of Pittsburgh was the confusion surrounding the Tyrone Carter re-signing. I'm happy he's back, and as SteelerBill points out, I'm even happier about Mike Tomlin and Ike Taylor becoming best buds.

I'm sure Tim will be absolutely shocked to hear this, but I think Ike will be better in 2007. He'll never rack up picks like Champ Bailey or Asante Samuel, but that's obviously because he can't catch, not because he's necessarily horrible in coverage. Whatever, I think Tomlin's taking the exact right approach. He knows Taylor's a big part to this defense, and anything the new head coach can do to make it easier for him to play well, it sounds like he'll do.

Still -- and I've said this before -- I'd be okay with the Steelers taking a cornerback in the first round. I know JJ Cooper disagrees -- and that's cool -- but the more competent defensive backs you have, the better.

In news that I haven't repeated at least 30 or 40 times on this site, Cols714 asked this interesting question way back on March 31:

[SCI] is claiming that the Steelers may take Jon Beason at 1.15. Anyone know anything about this guy?

Well, Mike Mayock loves him. He's from the U, and I think Mayock has him at the top of his draft board for OLBs, ahead of Lawrence Timmons. After hearing Timmons looked winded and out of shape during his Pro Day, I'd be fine if the Steelers passed on him. Also -- and this should make Eric happy -- Mayock likes Poslusnzy ... but as a weakside linebacker in the 4-3. I don't know if Pittsburgh feels similarly, but if they do, he won't be in Pittsburgh ... unless the team is transitioning to the 4-3 next season (just kidding). As I'm scrolling through the comments, I see Eric already posted Mayock breaking down film on most of the guys we've been talking about (told you I was behind -- well, more than usual).

Alright, I have been in and out, perusing the comments over the last week, but I missed this and it's great stuff, courtesy of Easy Like Sunday Morning:

Was on vacation in the Caribbean last week and ran into Monte Kiffin, the very well-regarded defensive coordinator of the Bucs. He was an extremely nice guy and was diagramming plays over breakfast while he was also on vacation (in case you wonder if these guys are serious about their jobs).

I thanked him for bringing Tomlin into the league and mentoring him. He said that the head coach of the University of Cincinnati was chagrined when Kiffin called, saying “Shoot, you found him” and “after you talk to him, you’re definitely going to want to hire him” (it must be nice when someone calls your boss and he says such things). He also said what you’ve heard in the press about what happened in Pittsburgh and Tampa before that, that Tomlin blew everyone away as soon as they spoke to him as a potential replacement for Herm Edwards as DB coach.

In terms of the Bucs, he said that they need to get better on defense and need to draft a bunch of defensive players. I thought this was interesting, since it is different than what some others have written about Tampa going mainly with offense in the draft. Maybe that’s just what a defensive coordinator would want and say, and he certainly might not volunteer inside information to a random stranger on vacation, but he seemed like a sincere guy. I doubt they’d pass on Calvin Johnson, though.

I also wished him well this year and also wished his son well, too. I think Lane will need it more than his dad, who has already been successful…

That was awesome -- thanks.

In other news you probably already knew about, Brian Bassett has starting Rookiepedia for people (like me) who don't know a lot about some of the college guys who are looking to get drafted every April.

So, let's see, the draft is three weeks off, and I still don't know who the Steelers should draft. Mostly because I think the team doesn't have one glaring need (you can read the details of why I think this here). I know, I know, there are a bunch of needs, but most of what went wrong with last season isn't easily blamed on a player or position (unless you think the club should draft a quarterback at 1.15 ... and the coach quit, so we can't blame him either). Whatever, with only days to go, let's hear the one player you'd like to see Pittsburgh take at 1.15. (And please don't say Joe Thomas or Calvin Johnson; ideally guys who might be available.)

I'll get things started. And because I'm so indecisive, I'll go with a list:

1. Adam Carriker. I like the idea of Keisel getting some reps at linebacker, even if only for a handful of plays a game.

2a. Patrick Willis. I don't expect him to be here, but he might fall Big Ben style. If he's available, I'd love for Pittsburgh to take him.

2. Levi Jones Brown. I don't expect him to be around either, but if he is, good. (Though rumors have the Steelers hearting Joe Staley, just not at 1.15.)

3. Jon Beason. Wexell and Mayock have convinced me he could be really a really good outside linebacker, though Mayock says he's still a little raw (but who isn't).

4. Darrelle Revis. Like I said above, you can never have too many good cornerbacks.

5. Daniel Sepulveda. I actually shocked myself by not putting him at No. 1

Also, anybody who lists wide receivers or running backs will be charged the HSS subscription rate.

Why the Steelers Should Sign LaVar and Draft a TE in the 2nd Round

... First off, congrats to the Pens. I can't say I've watched more than 10 minutes of hockey since leaving Boston in 1998 (and I saw two games then because some guy in my office gave me free tickets), but apparently, this makes some people very happy. The downside? Mark Madden doesn't move to Kansas City and become the white Jason Whitlock.

(Incidentally, since leaving The Page 2, I don't mind Whitlock so much. He's made more sense in the past few months than he did in the previous 10 years. Hmmm. I wonder if there is a correlation. Anyway, I should disparage him with the Madden crack. I apologize.)

... Also, Adam Gretz, when he's not covering California University sports, runs down the Sean Mahan signing.

... And since I'm contractually obligated to say at least one thing about the NCAA Tournament, I"ll say two:

1) All the pissing and moaning about UNC getting jobbed in the East bracket is a bit much. What, are we Duke fans? Come on people, suck it up.

2) Even though my buddy Andy's a Georgetown fan, and he's been waiting what, 20 years, for the Hoyas to be legit again, I'm not the on the G-town bandwagon. Don't get me wrong, I love John Thompson's II and III, and if UNC loses, I'll be pulling for the Hoyas, but I don't see them making it out of the East. But that's my opinion ... as a Tar Heels fans. (By the way, I've finally put my finger on what annoys the hell out of me about the interactivity of the internets: when people -- either writers or lowly commenters -- speak in absolutes. It drives me freakin' insane. How big of an arrogant a-hole do you have to be to declare something true by virtue of the fact that you've typed it? I think reading the AOL comments is getting to me.)

P.S. I hate Duke's guts.

... Speaking of lowly commenters ... to the ... uh ... commenters!

Laser Loop wonders if we basically cut Porter to sign Mahan. I agree with others that Joey would've probably held out without a new deal and while the team doesn't have to pay him if he sits out the year (and hell, they might even get him for next year too ... I think; that's right, isn't it?), it sure would be a big pain in the ass for Tomlin to have to deal with all the distractions that go along with a supposed team leader mucking up team chemistry for the first-year coach. I don't know jack about Mahan, but Bucs blogger ski seems pretty upbeat about him. And he's relatively cheap.

... Finnegans Wake lays out some offensive-line possibilities here and it seems pretty plausible to me. I think this almost certainly means the end of the road for Okobi, which kinda sucks because I always liked him. But I liked Porter too. Shit happens, unfortunately.

I'm still in the Levi-Jones-at-1.15 if he's available, but that's looking less and less likely. There has also been some discussion of the Steelers possibly taking a guard, but I'd be kinda disappointed with the pick midway through the first round. Maybe if the team traded down, and only if they had no intentions of re-signing Faneca. No need to waste a pick on a guy who ain't playing for three or four years... Unless Simmons' is out the door after next season. Ideally, Simmons would have the same success at center that Jeff Hartings had, Kemoeatu/Mahan would be the answer and guard and the Steelers would consider somebody like Ben Grubbs in the first round. At least not at 1.15, anyway.

(After going through this for a few years now, I realize I'm basically against Pittsburgh drafting anybody but offensive and defensive tackles, defensive ends, cornerbacks, quarterbacks and occasionally safeties in the first round. I can make logical arguments for running backs and maybe wide receivers, but that's it. What can I say, I'm weird ... and stubborn.)

... J_bd leaves this comment:

2nd round tight end??? I'm all about value drafting, but he must be a god. (forgive me, I don't watch college football much...figure I waste enough of my life watching on Sundays)

followed by Eric:

2nd round TE? dear lord i hope not. i'd like proof that the steelers plan on using the TE they already have before they spend another high pick on a 2nd one...

Okay, let me just say this: INSOLENCE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!!!

Just kidding ... this time. Seriously, the TE-in-the-2nd-round thing is something I wrote about for SCI last week ... what, you didn't read it? Basically, if the Steelers are serious about Bruce Arians' changes -- what with the four-wide sets and all -- I think having another Heath MIller-type threat at TE is a good idea. The Pats and Cowboys both use a lot of two-TE sets for running and passing plays. It just seems that two Heath Millers (or a Heath Miller and somebody better than Jerame Tuman), Hines and Santonio is much more appealing than Hines, Santonio, Ced, Nate and no Heath.

(For the record, I like Tuman as a blocker. I know some fans are down on him because some fans are down on everything Steelers-related. I've never had a problem with him. I just think it's not impossible to find a guy who can both block and get open.)

I mentioned Zach MIller because heading into the Combine he was the top-rated TE, but then busted out a 4.8-something 40. Greg Olsen, the other likely first-rounder, ran a 4.4 or something (maybe faster) and will likely be the first tight end off the board. Miller is a much better blocker than Olsen, and even though he's not a burner -- neither is Heath -- he's supposedly pretty damn good.

Now, all of this presupposes a bunch of stuff happens before the Steelers pick in the second round -- maybe Pittsburgh gets Levi Brown or something ... I haven't really thought through all the details -- but it's not something we should dismiss out of hand just because I suggested it. Well, at least not before thinking about it for a few seconds, anyway.

... DJ reminds us of ROBO-Punter. I have seen ROBO-Punter and he is Daniel Sepulveda. I'm still president of the Draft Sepulveda in the 4th Round Fan Club. And in case I haven't reminded you recently: it's worth it; just look at some of the Steelers' recent fourth-round picks. Plus, the team should have a couple of fourth-rounders thanks to the comp picks. I read that Mike Barr will probably be back in camp, but if he was any good, he'd be signed by now. I mean, it's been four years already.

... Rob D asks about Willie Reid? You know, I don't think anybody knows (though I've heard Ricardo Colclough should be ready go to by training camp ... and yes, Tim, I'm a Colclough fan too). But it's an important question.

I was actually trying to convince myself a few weeks ago that Ted Ginn might be worth a first-round pick (maybe if Pittsburgh traded down) because of his return abilities. I think he's way overrated as a pass catcher; yeah, he runs a 1.8-forty, but Chad Jackson ran a 4.32 last year and I'm pretty sure he still sucks. Anyway, I thought the Bears were crazy for taking only a returner in Devin Hester with a second-round pick, but dammit if he wasn't worth it. That said, Ginn's not a first-rounder as a wideout/returner or both. I just couldn't talk myself into it.

... As the official draft guru of HSS, DJ has to agree with me at least once a quarter. I guess this is it. When I saw that LaVar Arrington would be back for 2007, I thought along the same lines. Namely, he could be a cheap fill in while the team grooms an eventual Joey replacement.

(Let me say, like my first-round draft issues, I'm similarly peculiar about free agency. Whenever I hear a big-name free agent is available, my first thought is: No, the Steelers shouldn't spend a crapload of money to sign [insert so-to-be overpaid underperforming player])

That said, the thought of LaVar coming (back) to Pittsburgh did cross my mind. And then I saw this, courtesy of FTID:

My wife went to North Hills high school and graduated with Lavar, and let me just repeat what she has said to me a thousand times about this guy, "He is an ASSHOLE!!!!!" (Yes, when she speaks it ends with exclamation points; it's weird, but I'm used to it). Apparently he used to push special ed kids down the stairs, intimidate teachers and belittle teammates. Several articles that I've read about this guy indicate that this is probably still true.

His work ethic is questionable and, based on every account that my wife has told me about this guy, he's dumber than a sack of rocks. She only ever had one class with him, but apparently he slept almost everyday and when he did say something it was illiterate in every way.

The Steelers run a system that is very, very complicated and I don't think this guy is willing to do the work to be successful in it. One of the reasons the Skins cut him loose is that he just flew to the ball and ignored the scheme. He basically tried to be LT without a scheme designed to let him do that, and often it was a disaster. He'd make a great play here and there, but then be totally out of position to give up a big 1st down or TD.

Finally, he'll want a big contract. I wouldn't even want the guy at league minimum.

That is a great story (well, except the part about pushing the handicap kids down the steps). So yeah, I'll pass.

Okay, later this week, we'll get around to our feelings ... or movies. We'll see.

The Draft Starts Now ... and More Sci-Fi Nerd Stuff

Okay, before we get going here, I'll just add one more thought to the hardcore sci-fi nerd-off: I kind of agree with naguszed's comments on BSG -- in fact, I read them to my wife and she got a good laugh ... or maybe she was just laughing at me -- but other than the "Very Special..." episode, I can't really complain too much. Yeah, Baltar should be long dead -- and I have no idea why Six is now seeing him (is Baltar a Cylon?) -- but I liken his character to that of Dr. Smith in the old school "Lost in Space" series: the guy you can hate ... and blame for everything. Oh, it's only a matter of before Adam and Roslin move in together and speaking of people who should be dead, how about Starbuck? I mean, she's slept with everybody in the fleet and she's about to break up Lee's marriage. (I actually turned to my wife a few weeks ago and said, "you know, it's too bad Billy died. He was really good for Dualla.)

All that said, it's still better than almost everything else on television. [/end hardcore sci-fi nerd-off]

*******
FTID leaves this link to John Harris' look at the available free agents, but this is basically a thought experiment since the Steelers are currently $2 million under the salary cap. We'll find out very shortly if Joey Porter will help mitigate that problem, though I really can't imagine the team would release him (but what do I know).

Anyway, here are some of the guys who could possibly help the Steelers (and I say "possibly'" in the most liberal sense; I'm not interested in any of the guys, but just for the sake of discussion I'll list them here):

Running Backs
He'll want too much money and since the Steelers are interested in Dookie Davenport, this makes zero sense. Chris Brown will be more affordable but the guy runs too upright and that's why he's always hurt.

Wide Receivers
Drew Bennett: No; Kevin Curtis: No; Bobby Engram: No; Dennan McCardell: Hell No (he's what, 50?); Donte' Stallworth: No (only because he'll be too expensive).

Harris suggests Cincy's Kelley Washington because he's tall and a playmaker. Just in case I haven't made this clear in the past: TALL WIDEOUTS ARE OVERRATED. And if Washington was such a playmaker, why has he been on the bench during his Bengals career? I'll pass.

Tight Ends
You know, I'd be fine with the Steelers drafting a tight end on the first day or signing one during free agent. And I don't mean a Jerame Tuman-type guy. Despite what Harris writes, the team isn't strong at tight end. And if anybody suggests the team could sign Jon Dekker off the practice squad, please take a minute to punch yourself in the face ... hard.

Don't get me wrong, Tuman's good at his job, but isn't it realistic to think a tight end can both block and catch passes? I mean, more than just Heath Miller? I know Bruce Arians wants more four-wide sets, but he also wants to run the ball. Both the Patriots and Cowboys have had success with two good pass-catching tight ends, and in New England's case, both Daniel Graham and Ben Watson are good blockers (although Graham will probably be a free agent later this week).

Therefore, I'd love for the Steelers to sign Jerramy Stevens, and then let Joey Porter beat the crap out of him. Otherwise, unless Pittsburgh can lure Graham to town for the veteran minimum with no signing bonus, I'd see who was around in the third round or so (like this guy, for example).

Offensive Linemen
Bleh. Nothing here worth wasting money on. Plus, if Levi Brown's in a first-round free fall, the Steelers could find him available at 1.15.

By the way, PFT posted this on Saturday:

Though the workouts at the scouting combine won't be aired on the NFL Network until 11:00 a.m. EST on Saturday, a source in Indy tells us that the running of the offensive linemen has begun, and that one of the presumed first-round prospects put up a sssssslow time.

Penn State tackle Levi Brown posted a 5.39 in the 40.

For a lineman, that's bad. Real bad.

Another potential first-rounder who put up a slow time was Texas guard Justin Blalock, who posted a 5.31.

Um, yeah, I'm gonna call bullshit on that one. If any NFL GM, coach or scout downgrades Brown or Blalock because of their 40 times they should lose their jobs. Effective immediately. Mike Mayock and Dick Vermeil were discussing why the hell fat guys run the 40 anyway and Vermeil pointed out that coaches are most interested in the first 10 yards or so. There is never, ever an occasion for an offensive linemen to run 40 yards, in a straight line, no less, during a game. The first ten yards gives a sense of how explosive a player is, but the other 30 yards is just a waste of everybody's time.

Oh, and one more thing: Robert Gallery ran a 4.9-something in 2004. I'm just sayin'...

Harris does mention the Steelers might be interested in a player like Redskins guard Derrick Dockery, and I only point this out because I picked up Dockery on my Steelers' Madden team just the other day. Spooky, I know.

Defensive Line
Again, more bleh. Hollis Thomas is the most intriguing guy available but Pittsburgh can't afford him. And given their current cap situation, they can't afford any of them ... even the crappy ones.

Linebackers
Obviously, Adalius Thomas would be great but that ain't happening. Cato June is decent in the 4-3, but he's too small, and misses too many tackles, to do much in the 3-4.

Cornerbacks
Phillip Buchanon is what happens when Hank Poteat, Chad Scott and DeWayne Washington make a baby. Harris suggests the Steelers should sign a veteran CB for little or nothing. I'm not sure how you sign a player for nothing, but I'd prefer the team stay away from the free talent.

Safety
This is no-brainer. Sign Tyrone Carter and nobody dies. Harris thinks Carter is out because the team is solid at safety, but unless I missed something, it's Troy, Anthony Smith and Ryan Clark. Mike Logan might be under contract (he is, isn't he?) but I'm not convinced he's better than Carter. And he's certainly injured more often.

Unlike last year, Max Starks is the team's only free agent, and he's restricted. I suspect this will be a boring free agency for the Steelers, but I'm fine with that. More time to think about all the compensatory picks the team will get for Antwaan Randle El and Chris Hope.

*******
You know, I'm not really surprised by this, but at least Whisenhunt had the common decency to say Ben looked great during training camp and it wasn't until after the season that he realized maybe rushing him back wasn't such a good idea. I don't like to dwell stuff I can't do anything about (like I have a say in future Steelers' moves), but yeah, if Charlie Batch starts three or four more games, Pittsburgh's in the playoffs. But trust me, when the team takes Levi Brown, you'll forget all about last season.

And one more thing, Whisenhunt-related: this is interesting.

Draft Stuff and the Red Stapler

Okay, you guys are killing me with the Milton Waddams references. And I was just getting ready to write about how much I like Stephen Root ... then I read Randy's comment.

Honestly, Root is a freakin' genius. In addition to Waddams and Jimmy James, Root's also William Fontaine De La Tour D'auterive and Buck Strickland on "King of the Hill." Yeah, he's that talented.

Anyway, I still haven't watched the Senior Bowl -- it's staring at me right now from the DVR -- but Finnegans Wake makes a nice point about the draft in general and Ike Taylor specifically:

Ike's a one-trick pony, IMO, but could regain his starter spot for a year or two, and should do so. He's solid against Chad Johnson and guys who run deep out patterns, but you put him on a guy running a shorter route, a dig, a sideliner, and Ike gets beaten up. He's not shifty-nimble. And he appears mentally maxed. I like Ike, but not as much as I used to. He's too up and down, and might be best as a placeholder for a true lockdown corner. Now, maybe if Tomlin uses more a 3-4 front with a Cover 2 backcourt, Ike will improve by getting some bump at the line, not part of our current Cover 3 scheme. But then you lose having Troy roving up with the boys in the front 7, doing what Troy does best. Maybe we hybridize things and run Cover 2/Tampa 2 more on passing downs and punch 'em in the face, I dunno.

You know, this is a very good observation. Part of the problem is the scheme. When the Steelers run Cover-3, the cornerbacks can't be too aggressive. That's why you're yelling at your teevee everytime T.J. Houshmazilly (put it on the board!) catches a 8-yard slant and goes for 25.

I love Ike, and I hate having to agree with Finnegan's assessment, but it reflects Ike's struggles last year. Of course, it doesn't explain why he played so well in 2005 ... and (I think DJ wrote this some time back) there's no correlation between passing DVOA from one year to the next, so it's not fair to just say Ike all of a sudden sucks.

Either way, if the Steelers take a CB with the 15th pick, fine by me. I'd also be okay with LT Levi Brown (who apparently played well enough last weekend to move up into the top-10 conversation, or a defensive end. I'd even say middle linebacker here, but it sounds like Patrick Willis didn't have a great game and, who knows, he might slip to the middle of the second round. (Remember, D'Qwell Jackson, arguably the best MLB in last year's draft, wasn't taken until early in the second. Other than Ray-Ray -- who probably threatened to kill somebody if he didn't go early -- not very many MLBs are first-round picks.)

I like cornerbacks early because you can never have enough good ones. I'm not as down on Ricardo Colclough as some people -- and he played pretty well defensively before Cowher killed his confidence ... maybe forever in the Cincy game -- but if the Steelers landed another Bryant McFadden to go along with the original B-Mac, Ike, Dime back Deshea, and (maybe a healthy) Colclough ... well, that's a good thing.

And overall, I agree with Eric -- this team was a few breaks and some really shitty/untimely quarterback play from winning nine or ten games. But they didn't. They only won eight. And some of that has to do with inconsistencies along the offensive line, the secondary, sporadic pass rush and Mr. Roethlisberger. A lot of it had to do with atrocious special teams. Return and coverage.

By the way, there's speculation that Willie Reid's injury was close to being a Lisfranc. Since I'm not a doctor, I don't know how you can be "close to being a Lisfranc," or even if there is such a thing, but here's my point: the team might need to find a punt returner. Either in the short term or, if Reid's injury doesn't heal like the team hopes, in the long term.

Secretly, I'm hoping the team offers Max Starks a third-round tender, some other team signs him, Levi Brown drops to 15, and Pittsburgh uses the extra third-round pick on this year's Devin Hester or Maurice Jones-Drew (I know, I know, these two were second-rounders, but I'm wishfully thinking here). And then, in the fourth-round, take Daniel Sepulveda. And I'm not even kidding. (Don't forget, Pittsburgh's got a crapload more comp picks coming their way. Anybody who doesn't think the punter is important, just take a look at Chris Gardocki, version 2006.)

Free Daniel Sepulveda ... free him now!

Senior Bowl Game Thread

I'm kinda joking with the headline ... but I'm kinda serious too. In case you don't have a life -- and let's be honest, if you're reading this, you probably don't -- the Senior Bowl is today at 3 PM EST on the NFL Network.

Consider this your first chance to see (insert name of whomever you want the Steelers to draft ... and is a senior ... and is on the Senior Bowl roster). Personally, I'll be watching for Patrick Willis and Levi Brown ... and maybe JaMarcus Nelson. (Yeah, I don't know who that is either.)

Also, the Steelers hired the new Kevin Spencer. He goes by Bob Ligashesky, and he was the Rams special teams coach the past two seasons. That's the same Rams team that finished worse than Pittsburgh in special teams DVOA. In case you forgot, the Steelers were 30th. Good news, though: the Rams finished 31st in 2005 too. Sweet.

Meet the Next Coach of Your Pittsburgh Steelers! Part II

Okay, since I've seemingly turned into an insomniac the past week or so, and have nothing better to do at 1:45 in the morning than to read the ol' comments (while watching "Reindeer Games", no less ... but it's in HD!), I figure I might as well write some stuff down. So let's get to it:

• SteelerBill leaves this link, which frankly, is a little disconcerting:
  

  Chan Gailey might not be the final candidate for the Steelers' head-coaching job when he talks to team officials today at their UPMC offices on the South Side.
  
  The Steelers have made recent inquiries about former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman, and they were trying to reach him the past two days. Sherman, the assistant head coach/offense for the Houston Texans, was en route from a second interview he had in Arizona Thursday for the Cardinals' head-coaching job.

  Not good. Especially after hearing some Packers fans talk about the Sherminator.
  
  Bouchette mentions that the Steelers just might be trying to hedge their bets by widening the candidate pool, and even if the Cardinals offer Whisenhunt the job this weekend, Pittsburgh doesn't need to rush their decision. So while the Steelers have talked to Gailey and might bring in Sherman, I feel confident in speculating that neither of these guys will get the job. And I say this not just because I don't think they're best qualified, but also because (a) Gailey's 55 and I can't imagine he has designs on coaching for another 10 years. Or, more specifically, I can't imagine him coaching the same NFL team successfully for another 10 years. And (b) word on the street (PFT, I think) is that Sherman wanted $4 million to coach the Cardinals.
  
  I remember reading somewhere that Cowher made $2.5 million last season, and this Dulac article speculates he would've earned $4.5 million in 2007. Maybe the Rooney's would be willing to pay their new head coach -- especially if it was an in-house guy -- that kind of dough, but I somehow doubt it.
  
  Frankly, I think both Gailey and Sherman are just window dressing because of age and ridiculous salary demands, respectively. (Also, do you think Sherman would want some GM-type duties too? And how in the hell would that work with Kevin Colbert? Yeah, I don't see this happening.)

• Rob leaves this comment:
  

  ...I think we should just go for the best athletes we can find regardless of position. I hate that drafting for need thing because your perceived needs can vanish in the course of a few games in the NFL. I thought ... that our CBs were set for a few years ... Taylor and McFadden and Colclough...errrr...not exactly! Now if the next Ogden or Lambert is there when we draft, fine and dandy. But we don't have to go very far back to remember some of the regrettable reaches and mistakes that drafting for perceived needs has wrought ... Scott Shields, Jamain Stephens.
  
  I don't think this team is close to another championship ... which is my main point I guess ... O-line disintegrating (a little too pessimistic? Start with Hartings retiring, Simmons [is] a liability, Faneca aging, Starks a RFA ... something has to give folks) the LBers settling into mediocrity and the aforementioned shaky CBs ... to go along with awful special teams and the many changes at coaching other than HC? I think we are looking for the best athletes available.

  Alright, I don't disagree with the 'best athletes available' argument but I also think it's important to have a plan.
  
  Rob's right -- the secondary was a lot less reliable this season than I expected but (and somebody can correct me if when I'm wrong) I'm pretty sure secondary play doesn't correlate very well from one year to the next. And I have no idea why. The fact that it happens is reason enough not get to worked up about an off year. (And don't forget, Clark, Polamalu and Colclough were all injured during the season.)
  
  That said -- and I know DJ and Eric feel otherwise based on their comments in a previous thread -- if a cornerback the Steelers like is available at 15, I'm fine with them taking them, assuming there are no offensive linemen worth that pick. I have a few philosophies in life. One is to avoid eating paint if at all possible. The other is that you can never have enough good cornerbacks on the roster.
  
  And Pittsburgh needs to address the linebacker position too, but we were saying this a year ago. I'm not suggesting it's a non-issue, but here's the thing: teams don't very often you find a quality middle linebacker in the first round (I'm too lazy to look, but I think Vilma was the last MLB taken in round one ... right after Ben maybe?). And while I've written that finding a 3-4 OLB in the first round is just a waste of time because there are so few college guys who can quickly make that adjustment, Shawne Merriman has changed my thinking on that. Pittsburgh should drug-test all potential first-day potential OLB prospects. Whoever fails the drug test gets drafted. I think that's the obvious takeaway.
  
  I'm still not convinced the offensive line needs a complete overhaul; Chukky Okobi played well in Hartings' absence and there are rumors that Kendell Simmons might actually be a better center than guard. I'll admit he had another inconsistent season, but so did the whole unit. Ideally, the Steelers would draft a dominant offensive tackle who could step right into the starting lineup; find a athletic linebacker (Kendrell Bell and Odell Thurman were both second-rounders -- and say what you want about Odell the human being, but Odell the football player was pretty good ... and yes, I realize I sound like Marvin Lewis); and get a defensive back to wrap up Day 1. Discounting all the supplemental picks we're sure to get, Pittsburgh should draft a punter in the fourth round. And I'm not even kidding. Get some 22-year-old who routinely snaps off 60-yarders. Given the Steelers' hit-or-miss fourth-round record, what do they have to lose? How often aren't (college) punters who we thought they were (as professials). And then, after all those needs are addressed, Pittsburgh can throw a bone to all those fans clamoring for a big running back to replace compliment Willie Parker.
  
  I know Duce Staley was a big fat bust this year, but while people were Chicken Little-ing the running game woes early in the season, Duce's inability to stop eating long enough to get on the field didn't cost the Steelers one game. Najeh was more than adequate; in fact, I'd liken his contributions to the running game and special teams in 2006 to that of Quincy Morgan's to the passing game/special teams a year earlier.
  
  That's enough bitching for now. Plus, I'll most certainly change my mind on who the Steelers should draft at least a half-dozen times before the end of April

Oh, yeah, consider this the Saturday game thread too.

Let's gooooooooo Colts. Let's gooooooooo Saints.

Postseason Rooting Guide and Other Crap

Watch white people do the Ray Lewis dance. (And yes, they're making fun of him.)

pr9000 asks a very important question:

...for whom are we rooting in the playoffs, as Steelers fans?

Here are some responses via yesterday's comments and I might as well ad my own:

In the AFC, under no circumstance can you pull for the Ravens. In fact, if the choices are wrestling with a naked Tony Siragusa or pulling for the Ravens, well, bring on the Goose. Same goes for the Pats. I was indifferent about the Chargers, but Philip Rivers has the Opie/Leave it Beaver thing going and for some reason it bugs the crap out of me. Couple that with Shawne Merriman cheating, and I'm inclined to pull against them under certain circumstances. The Chiefs all seem like good guys, but if they somehow managed to win the Super Bowl, Herm Edwards would be under the mistaken impression that he's actually a good coach. He's not.

It's hard not to like the Jets and Man-boobs Mangini and if they manage to beat the Pats, I hope they win it all. And just so we can all turn the page on the "Peyton Manning/Tony Dungy is the best QB/Coach to never win the Super Bowl!" talk, I'd wholeheartedly support them.

In the NFC, I hope Seattle loses 81-0. You know, before the Super Bowl, I didn't mind the Seahawks. I think Hasselbeck is a really good QB and they were overlooked by the media in 2005, probably because they played in the NFC and because they were based just east of Alaska. After all the bitching and moaning in the months following the Super Bowl, they're easily my new favorite team to hate. But hey, at least their head coach isn't a big fat baby.

For some reason, I find the whole T.O. debacle hilarious. In fact, I passively want them to do well ... but without T.O. just so he can scream, "WHY THE F- AM I HERE?" after every game.

Also, as was mentioned in the comments, how can you not like the Eagles? I've always liked McNabb, I love the way Brian Dawkins plays and Jeff Garcia ... well, that's one sexy short, bald, red-headed backup quarterback. Okay, maybe I've said too much.

The Giants? Meh. Tom Coughlin is a douchebag, second only to Jeremy Shockey. I still like Plax, but not enough to overcome the fact that Huckleberry Hound is the quarterback.

And obviously, the Saints are the team to pull for in 2006/2007. I've always liked Drew Brees, New Orleans' Deuce reminds me of what Pittsburgh's Duce used to be like, and how can you not enjoy Reggie Bush and Marques Colston? That said, their defense has a lot of issues and it'll be tough sledding to win the conference ... even if it is the NFC.

***
I'll file this under "Hello Apocalypse!" I agree with DJ about the Steelers' first-round needs given that I haven't really paid attention to the 2007 draft prospects. At this early stage of the proceedings, I say offensive tackle. I also agree with Countertorque that addressing the OLB position is kinda important, especially since there's not a lot of depth and Porter/Haggans/Harrison are a year older. I still don't know when they should fill that need (as in, what round), but it's certainly an issue.

In the spirit of wasting time, NFLDraftCountdown.com has the Steelers drafting Texas guard Justin Blalock with the 13th overall pick (the site was last updated 12/6), and the Sporting News ($ subscription) has Pittsburgh selecting Michigan CB Leon Hall with the 15th pick (last updated on 12/28).

I think somebody mentioned that Pittsburgh's CB situation isn't an immediate need, but I don't think you can ever have enough good cornerbacks. Of course, I didn't watch much of Michigan this year so I don't know how good Hall really is. I know the draft websites love him, but I remember reading the same crap about Marlin Jackson, who I've referred to as the second biggest first-round CB bust of the 2005 draft after Carlos Rogers (pithy, I know).

Blalock? I have no idea? I think taking a guard with the 15th (or 13th, or whatever) pick is silly, but I haven't given it a whole hell of a lot of thought. I'm sure I could be convinced otherwise.

In the meantime, let's all hope the Steelers hire Whisenhunt because I just bought www.firekenwhisenhuntnow.com and I want to be able to put it use.

And That Is That

Well, the 2006 season ends a little differently than the 2005 season ended. I know some of us reflect on the fact that if the Steelers hadn't crapped the bed any number of times this year they probably would've made the playoffs, but I like to focus on the fact they didn't quit after a 2-6 start.

Sure, losing to the Raiders sucked balls but I'm guessing the Bengals knows what that feels like … and worse. I mean, can't we now call Cincinnati the league's softest team? Heading into Week 15, they were 8-5 and in perfect position to make a postseason run. So, what do they do? Proceed to lose three straight, the last two in heartbreakingly embarrassing fashion. If it's a 2006 special teams screw ups, I'd just assume you're talking about the Steelers, but against the Broncos two weeks ago and the Steelers last Sunday, it was the domain of the Bengals. What a freakin' joke.

My buddy Desmond, who's a Redskins fan, asked me what was the most demoralizing loss of the season for the Steelers. I immediately piped up with, "Oakland," well, because it's Oakland. And let's be honest, if you can't win that game you really don't deserve to go to the playoffs. My buddy Andy thought the first Cincy game was much worse and after some thought I had to agree. Cowher lost that one all by himself. Pittsburgh dominated for most of the afternoon and one silly muffed punt changed everything. But like I said, I'm over it. Onward and upward. Or something like that.

Randy Steele asked a good question in the game thread: "Isn't the O-line in disarray? Or is it? " I really have no idea what the hell's going on with the offensive line. Early in the season they looked lost, gained momentum for a few games, played scared against the Ravens, and then dominated in the season finale. I will say that the o-line didn't once dominate a good defensive front seven this season and I think that says something.

I know much of the talk this season has been about getting a back to replace complement Willie Parker, but I hope nobody here thinks that need should be addressed in the first round. (By the way, as I was thinking about the Steelers' draft needs, I remember DJ city early – and often – that Pittsburgh should go after a wideout in the first round a year ago. I, for one, was against the idea, and frankly, thought it idiotic. Shows what I know. Just out of curiosity, I wonder what DJ thinks about this year's first-round prospects. Just so I can hold it against him if it doesn't work out.)

Right now, with a month to go in the season, I like Pittsburgh taking an offensive linemen early. I think Eric suggested a few months ago that the team could take a left tackle and move Marvel back to his original position. I like this idea, too.

And after watching Willie Colon handle himself pretty well, I wonder what the future holds for Max Starks, who's a restricted free agent.

***
Currently, the Steelers have the 15th overall pick, which, all things considered, ain't too bad. Here are previous first rounders taken 15th:

• Tye Hill, 2006
  
• Derrick Johnson, 2005
  
• Michael Clayton, 2004
  
• Jerome McDougle, 2003
  
• Albert Haynesworth, 2002
  
• Rod Gardner, 2001
  
• Deltha O'Neal, 2000
  

Okay, maybe the 15th pick is bad. Really, really bad. Honestly, I stopped after 2000 because I got more and more depressed the further back I went. So, I'm now advocating Pittsburgh trade down out of this pick ... for the sake of the franchise. Or maybe they should've just lost against the Bengals. Alright, changing subjects...

Israel has some news on next season's schedule:

Because of the way the tiebreakers worked out, the third place Steelers get the third place Broncos and Jaguars next year - rather than the expected Chiefs and Titans.

Of course the AFC North plays the AFC East and the NFC West.

So this means IIRC Miami, Buffalo, San Francisco and Seattle at home, with New England, the Jets, Arizona, the Rams on the road. I think it's Jax at home and Den on the road. Not too bad travel-wise.

What's funny (or maybe not so funny, depending on your perspective) is that the Bengals, as the second-place team, will play the Chiefs and Titans. I'm not so sure the Broncos and Jaguars aren't the tougher matchup. That said, Jack Del Rio will cost his team at least 10 points, so it's important to factor that in.

***
Countertorque brings us even more douchebaggery out of Cincy:

AP has a hilarious Carson Palmer quote this morning. "That's just another game we shouldn't have lost to another team we feel were better than."

Hmm, this sounds familiar. You know, Palmer used to not bother me -- in fact, I actually liked him. I felt awful about the whole Kimo-to-the-knee incident from a year ago, blah blah blah. But now, after watching him flail all over the field, he just personifies the wussified culture that has become Bengals football. It's kinda ironic that the team most likely to lay down and let the opponent run right over them is also populated by felons.

***
Randy Steele asks another good question:

If the Rooneys want Whisenhunt for the top spot, will they get into a bidding war for him with the Falcons? (For that matter, is he worth a bidding war?)

Also, I wonder how Russ Grimm will feel if or when he is passed over for Whisenhunt, should the Steelers elect to made him HC.

In a perfect world, the Steelers will hire Whisenhunt in a timely fashion, but with the Rooney Rule, doing a thorough job finding the next head coach and all the other stuff that's pretty important in such situations, the process probably won't be that straightforward. Still, I wouldn't expect the Rooneys to break the bank for Whisenhunt (or anybody for that matter) when speculation has it that that's part of the reason Cowher's splitting.

Concerning Grimm, you'd have to expect him to a)not be psyched by the move, and b)to start looking for another job. I think Mike Florio floated Grimm's (and Whisenhunt's) name on the Arizona Cardinals' early interview list, so maybe it won't be an issue.

But like I said Sunday, this all presupposes Cowher retires. While we wait for the verdict, I'll agree with Trevin Shirley:

I've really become frustrated with everybody who wants Bill to leave. It's almost like the PGH media is encouraging it at this point. This coaching situation is a perfect example of Steeler Nation having expectations that are way too high. Steeler fans expect the Steelers to go to the Super Bowl EVERY YEAR. Anything less and it's somebody's head on the line. I've grown up watching the media and fans hang loyal players and coaches out to dry over one bad game or down year. Bill Cowher has completely revitalized this franchise during his tenure, won a Super Bowl, and produced a playoff team nearly every year. A year ago, Cowher was the king of Pittsburgh. Then, after a bad year where lots of things went wrong (most not his fault), Steeler fans are hoping for his resignation. Cowher has shown loyalty to the fans during his whole tenure, but the fans desert him right away. And like I said, this happens after every down year with this franchise.

I'll be sad to see Bill Cowher leave if that's what happens.

(Nodding my head approvingly ... while Israel shakes his head in disappointment)

I should say that almost all the people that post here like Cowher and want him to stay. Unfortunately, I want to rule the world and to do that, I need to convince every Steelers fan to agree with my every word.

***
Rob gets the Day 2 draft conversation started early:

The real weakness in the Colbert era is the weakness of his 2nd day picks..and that is where you often find the role players/ST's/diamonds in the rough that keep a team competitive.

True that. And if I'm the Steelers, my first special teams priority is finding a good, young punter. And I don't mean in free agency, either. I'm talking about the fourth round, or so, maybe with one of the compensatory picks. And before anybody gets all huffy, take a look at previous Pittsburgh fourth-round picks over the years.

And finally, one last word from Mr. Steele:

Uhhh…by the way, have we lost Ryan for good?

Nope. Not even close. Actually -- and stop me if you've heard this one before -- but I hope to be a little more consistent in posting. My schedule's pretty hectic and has been for about eight months now, but I think I've got this thing figured out. We'll see. And if I slack off, I'm sure somebody will let me know.

And now, one last word from me: If you want to take your mind of the 2006 season, or don't want to think about the Ravens winning even one freakin' playoff game, feel free to time machine it up to 12 months ago:

• Steelers @ Bengals, Wild Card game
• Steelers @ Colts, Divisional game
• Steelers @ Broncos, Championship game
• Steelers vs. Seahawks, Super Bowl
  

Feel better?