Random Steeler Monday - - Chuck Wagon Edition

I wondered when this day would come.  Never since I started this blog has there even been an opportunity for this to occur.  But here we are...a Monday after another Steelers trouncing of an opponent, and the Random Steeler is none other than Charlie Batch. 

For anyone living under a rock or out of touch with football, the sheer fact that Batch was playing in the first place plays out like a soap opera.  Ben Roethlisberger is still suspended until week 6 (technically week 5 but that is Pittsburgh's bye week) for conduct unbecoming an NFL player.  Did he kill a person/animal?  No, that would only get a couple games.  Did he go on a drinking binge and decide to get behind the wheel instead of calling the league provided car service thus turning his vehicle into a deadly weapon?  No, that only gets you a 1 quarter benching.  Instead he was accused of sexual misconduct, although no charges were ever brought, he wasn't arrested, nor legal action commenced.  In fact, in the latest alleged incident, the police closed the case (in the first, there was no police case).  But that's not what this post is about.  We are all about Charlie today.

So Big Ben is corralled for at least a few more weeks.  Backup Byron Leftwich was injured in the last pre-season game of the year with a pretty brutal leg injury that caused damage to his MCL.  His return was questionable at best until x-rays came back negative on a complete tear and the prognosis was changed to a MCL sprain and his return to action was 2-3 weeks. 

Next on the depth chart is the untested third year quarterback Dennis Dixon.  Dixon had only started one other game prior to week one of 2010 and was obviously raw.  He played well enough to not lose and the Steelers were 1-0.  Week two came along with high-hopes for Double D and his ability to manage the game but that was quickly squashed when Dixon went down with an injury.  A torn lateral meniscus is the diagnosis with a recovery time of 3-5 weeks.  So the call goes to Charlie Batch, who preserved the Steeler's lead in week 2 en rout to a 9 point victory over the Titans.

Week 3 comes along and Charlie is the only healthy quarterback on the roster (aside from Antwan Randle-El, current #3 receiver).  Batch is like that pickup truck that sits in the garage for months at a time.  It isn't broke down or in disrepair, it's just old and rusty.  It has lots of body damage and is not a pretty site.  But in the heat of the summer or the cold of the winter, it always starts right up.  It still drives like a champ and though it may not get the gas mileage you want, it gets you where you need to go whenever you need it to. 

Chuck tossed three TD passes in his first start since 2007, leading the Steelers to a 38-13 victory over the Buccaneers.  For only taking a few snaps with the first team offense in the preseason, he played like a poised veteran, which everyone in Steeler Nation already knew he could.  At 35, Charlie showed he still has it, heaving the ball down field 40+ yards on two of the four offensive touchdowns yesterday (both caught by speedster Mike Wallace).  The third aerial TD came on a 9 yard toss to Hines Ward.  In all, Batch lead 4 scoring drives down the field and changed the minds of all the non-believers in the process.  I'm pretty sure this guy still has it.

Now I'm not getting too excited over this win because after all, it was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Of course, going into yesterday's game, they were also 2-0 but with a suspect running game and a less than stellar defensive backfield, it was only a matter of time before someone exploited it.  The Steeler's defense has been playing lights-out football all season thus far and that is a big reason why the offense isn't having to sputter like everyone was expecting.  The real test for Batch is going to come this week in front of the home crowd against arch-rivals the Baltimore Ravens.  If he can play like he did yesterday against the Ravens, I'm not sure I will be too happy switching back to Ben.  We will see. 

I tried to find some Charlie Batch cards to feature in this weeks's RSM but there aren't too many options in a Steeler uni.  In fact, only the three player 2007 Topps Total above resides in my collection.  Beckett's checklist of Batch cards shows he has 1,029 total cards to date with 24 rookie cards, 49 memorabilia cards, and 42 autos.  Narrowing my search reveals that of the 1,029 cards, only 14 of them have him featured as a Pittsburgh Steeler.  That is shocking considering he has been with the team since 2003.  I once considered collecting Chuck's cards until I realized I couldn't stomach having that many Detroit Lions cards in my house, even if they did feature Batch.  But you have to give it to the Pittsburgh-born quarterback; 13 years in the league, 73 games, over 10,000 yards and 60 TDs, almost all in the backup capacity.  That's pretty impressive when you think about it and most guys would have probably faded away long ago.

Football Makes Me Happy, Plus...Random Steeler Monday

The first pre-season game was played on Saturday between the Pittsburgh Football Steelers and the Detroit Football Lions.  I got a chance to watch the game live "streamed" online.  Obviously, this was an un-televised game but was carried in replay through the weekend on the NFL Network because of their committment to show every pre-season game 17 times over.  In fact, this would most likely have been an un-televised game if it was a regular season matchup because, let's face it, it was a team that missed the playoffs last year playing a team that has missed the playoffs for 11 years.  Say what you want about them but the Lions are still well below the threshold of a contender.  They are, however, in a position to make some noise.  Pittsburgh, on the other hand, is now stuck in the middle of one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, with stacked Ravens and Bengals teams that have been designed to do one thing...beat the Steelers.  Even Cleveland could make a splash, especially with all their pent up agression over "the Decision" spilling over onto the football field.

Nonetheless, football is back!!  I can't wait for the season to start because the tiresome and mind-numbingly vapid baseball season has sucked the life out of my daily sports viewing.  When the hockey season ended, including the draft and free agency period, I thought baseball would satisfy my sports fix.  I'm sorry baseball.  I gave you an opportunity this year to Wow! me and bring me back into the fold.  I tried to get excited over spring training, the All Star game, the great pitching so far, the Stephen Stras"mania", etc.  I really tried.  I went crazy buying Upper Deck, Topps, and Bowman releases that looked great and got my attention for a short while.  I even went as far as stocking up on some of the last 5 years that I have missed.  But, I'm just not feeling it. 

With the exception of two, probably three plays a game or less, there just doesn't seem to be a very marketable product on the field.  Maybe I'm not watching the right games.  Maybe I have just abandoned my once favorite sport for so long that there is no turning back.  Come playoff time, I will tune back in and see if that level of excitement can help me find a pulse.  But until then baseball, you have been demoted back to the minors alongside Indy car racing, sport fishing, and Major League Soccer.

All anyone has talked about thus far in the preseason is how the Steelers are going to handle the quarterback "situation".  With Ben serving his minimum, four game suspension during the regular season, it is going to be one of two guys, either veteran Byron Leftwich or third year quarterback Dennis Dixon.  As much as I'd like to throw Charlie Batch into that mix, his role has become much more of the mentor/tutor/coach.  I'm not saying his days are numbered, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him take on a role as an advisor or coach.

Whichever way it turns out, I think the issue being overlooked is that there were bigger problems at running back.  Parker is gone to the Redskins (and has been relegated to 4th on their depth chart) while Mewelde Moore is great on special teams and the occasional situation but is far from a feature or anchor back.  Mendenhall is a more than capable workhorse but can't be expected to be an every down back for an entire season.  Frank Summers could be a number two back on at least 9 other teams in the league but has yet to break into a starting role and is still lower on the depth chart.  Jonathan Dwyer, the highly touted 2010 draft pick has had a horrible camp and has fallen victim to injuries already.  I was excited about him as a pick but if preseason is any indication of what's to come, he may be a bust.  Enter, the "Red Zone". 

Isaac Redman is my choice for filling in that position.  The second year back proved, once again, that he is a more than deserving of a shot after Saturday's performance.  If the Steeler's are ever going to get back to what the franchise was built on, I think the Mendenhall/Redman combination (with an occasional sprinkling of Summers or Moore mixed in for good measure) is what is going to get them there.  He has already shown he can be part of that tandem, leading the Steelers in preseason rushing last year and showing promise this year.  The faster paced game of today has caused the two back system to become an almost necessity in the NFL of today.  The workload has to be spread out to keep the backs from burning out. 

Isaac had a pretty decent game against mostly a second team defense of the Lions, gaining 60 yards on 15 carries and one TD.  He broke a 31 yard draw play, spinning like a whirling durbish, and running over another defender which set up a field goal.  He then scored after a 51 yard pass from Double D to Arnaz Battle set him up at the 1.  He did have a fumble that was overturned by a challenge but the conditions were less than desireable with a soaked field due to torential downpours all evening in Pittsburgh (I know, excuses, excuses).

As for cards featuring the stable of Steeler running backs, thus far Redman has no cards that I know of so there aren't any that I can post here.  I'm sure that will change this year with some football releases, hopefully in Topps.  In comparison, Frank "the Tank" Summers has 38 cards listed on Beckett's checklist.  Moore has well over 500 total cards but only about 10 that feature him as a Steeler and four of those are printing plates from 2009 Topps.  Dwyer already has 142 cards despite being drafted less than 6 months ago.  This is a prime example of the perception of scarcity the card companies manufacture.  I will expound on that more in another post.  Mendenhall?...he has over 1,500 cards, over 600 of them are memorabilia cards and almost another 600 are autographs. 

Regardless of what the end results are come Week 1, I think it's safe to say that Pittsburgh's running game will be back.

Random Steeler Monday

For this week's installment of RSM, I wanted to go backwards a bit to showcase a player of yesteryear. With this past weekend seeing the 2010 Hall Of Fame Class inducted, I guess I was feeling nostalgic. Plus, I started reading the book about the Steelers called From Black To Gold written by Tim Gleason, life-long fan and season ticket holder. When I finish it, I plan to put up a review, although I have never done a book review before. Book reports...yes, but not since college and that was many, many beers ago.


I decided this weeks focus was going to be on Ray Mansfield.

The old Ranger, as he was known because of his love for the outdoors, was drafted from Washington in the second round of the 1963 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. The following year, Buddy Parker, then Steelers coach, was able to purchase his contract for $100. The rest, as they say, is history.

Ray would spend the next 13 seasons with the Steelers, never once missing a game, and earning two Super Bowl rings in his final two seasons. Ray played in 182 consecutive games as a Steeler, which was a team record.  He achieved All-Pro status twice, once in 1972 and again in 1975. 

The Ranger was one of the last of the "Old Guard", along with Andy Russell, when it comes to Steelers history.  Some call the era prior to the Super Bowl teams the SOS era, or Same Old Steelers.  After forty years of living in futility, however, the Steelers finally tasted some post season success by winning a Central Division Championship in 1972.  Some people may remember the photo of Chuck Noll being hoisted up and carried out of the Murph on the shoulders of  Mansfield and Jim Clack. 

It is not too often that an offensive lineman gets to score in a game but Ray did just that.  In his last season as a Steeler, he kicked the extra point on the Steelers' only touchdown in the 1976 playoff game against Oakland.  The Steelers' kicker Roy Gerela had pulled a groin muscle and Mansfield was listed as the backup kicker.

In 1996, Ray, his son, and a friend were on a hiking trip in the Grand Canyon. Ray had been having some ankle problems that were causing him to lag behind. After telling the others he would catch up with them at their basecamp later in the day, the others hiked off. He never returned to the camp.

The next morning, his body was found sitting against a boulder that would have been facing in the direction of the sunset the night before, water bottle in one hand, disposable camera in the other. Ray had passed due to congestive heart failure, no doubt enjoying the nature that he loved. He was 55.

Ray is not currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, nor is it likely he will be.  He really doesn't have the career stats that could put him in there with the likes of Clyde Turner, George Musso, Jim Otto, or Dwight Stephensen at his position.  But there is no denying that his solid play for the Steelers over his 13 years laid the groundwork for 44 years of solid play at center.  44 years with only 4 players at that position!!!  His successors..."Iron" Mike Webster (HOF, 1997) who was under Ray's wing for his first two years in Pittsburgh played from 1976-1988, Dermonti Dawson played from 1989-2000 and was on the HOF ballot for 2008, Jeff Hartings played from 2001-2006.  We won't discuss what happened after that.

 

Mansfield was inducted into the University of Washington Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 and posthumously enshrined in the Washington State Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.

 

As for cards of Ray, Beckett's checklist only lists 21 cards.  Upon further review, two of them were a different Mansfield and one was the main list.  So in all, he has 18 officially released cards.  Since most of them are oddball cards ranging from local radio/tv station sets to soda pop tops, you can imagine they are pretty scarce.  These are the only ones that I have found over the years at various dealers, shows, and through trades.

Random Steeler Monday (On Tuesday)/Social Commentary - - LaMarr Woodley

In these desperate times we live in, it is sometimes hard to find a hero.  With countless stories in the news about primadonna players demanding more pay for less effort and endless bouts with Johnny Law, it would appear that Superman is dead, so to speak.  Of course, you all know I am being facetious but the point is there.  What ever happened to the "role-model" type player?  Or I guess a better question is, was there ever really such a thing in the first place?

I ran across this article today that would have made for a great segue into my random Steeler of the week posts that I have been doing but I failed to remember that today was Tuesday.  Nonetheless, this is a Steeler that I have great respect for and have admired since he came to the organization a few years ago.  The guy's work ethic is almost unmatched and his committment to give back to his community is legendary.  Today, that player is LaMarr Woodley. 

I decided to "borrow" the article and repost it here because it is poinient and timely, especially in light of some of the latest shenanigans caused by some notable perpetrators (including one of his own teammates).  The article comes from the July 2010 issue of Pittsburgh Magazine.  It is a very good read.

It was midnight, and LaMarr Woodley was preparing for the graveyard shift. Just hours after the Pittsburgh Steelers had suffered a demoralizing, late-November overtime loss to the lowly Kansas City Chiefs, the team plane touched down at Pittsburgh International Airport.


All the players were stunned, shoe-gazing and more than ready to go home and sleep off the gut-punching loss. Everyone except for Woodley, the team’s 25-year-old star linebacker.


Wasting no time, Woodley tossed his suitcase into his SUV and tore up I-80 heading north. He drove for hours, winding around the cusp of Lake Erie until the black horizon turned purple. Finally, at the break of dawn, he reached the blighted manufacturing city of Saginaw, Mich., his hometown.


People were already lining up on the windswept front lawn of the Civitan Rec Center—the free gym where Woodley spent most of his childhood. Their faces lit up when they saw their hero, who was carrying bags of household items for the approaching Thanksgiving holiday. For three hours, Woodley and other volunteers gave out napkins, plates, forks, dish detergent and other essential items to more than 500 families.


"Win or lose, it’s important to put the game aside,” Woodley explains. “I made a commitment to the community that I would be there, so I had to fulfill that promise.”


Twenty-four hours later, he was back in Pittsburgh handing out frozen turkeys at a recreation center in Hazelwood.


On the field, Woodley’s strongest asset is what pundits like to call his “motor.” Or, in non-gridiron speak, his heart. A first-time Pro Bowler in 2009, Woodley racked up 25 sacks in the past two seasons. Only four NFL players have more in that span. Yet the second-round draft pick from the University of Michigan makes less money than the backup goaltender of the Pittsburgh Penguins.


Currently in the final year of his rookie contract, worth $550K this season, Woodley had every right to join in on the NFL’s hottest summer trend—holding out of training camp for a raise. The Tennessee Titans’ stud running back Chris Johnson did it. Even $100 million man Albert Haynesworth was a no-show at the Washington Redskins’ mini-camp because of hurt feelings over trade rumors.


But when the Steelers opened the doors of their South Side training facility for optional team workouts in May, there was Woodley, crushing tackling dummies in the pouring rain when he could have been at home relaxing on a “Dora the Explorer” marathon with his 2-year-old daughter, Gabrielle.


“If I miss workouts and training camp, I not only hurt myself, but I hurt the team,” he says. “I don’t want to fall behind because I’m worried about dollar signs.”


At times, Woodley’s immense strength and anticipation on the field make him look like a man among boys. The same could be said about his humility and class in a league that has been sullied by tawdry Tweets, lavatorial lasciviousness and camera-phone preening. But at the Boys & Girls Club in Wilkinsburg, where Woodley also volunteers, he’s just one of the kids.


“I was there when LaMarr first showed up at the club, and it was like magic,” says Mike Hepler, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania. “He spent at least four hours playing ping-pong, basketball and pool with the kids. Later that day, I went downstairs where everyone was having snacks, and there was LaMarr eating a big bowl of tuna fish like all the other kids.”


But that’s not Hepler’s favorite Woodley story. When Woodley first arrived at the club, he was submerged in a sea of excited kids who were far from awe-struck, Hepler recalls. A little girl came running up to the 265-pound linebacker with her hand raised to the sky. “Mister LaMarr,” she said, “do you have a girlfriend?” Woodley disarmed her with his warm smile, but then it was the boys’ turn to grill him. “Mister LaMarr,” one kid piped up, “how much money do you make?”


Woodley thought about it for a few seconds, then said, “Enough.”


What a refreshing answer.


If there is one man who deserves mega-money from the Steelers, it’s Woodley. After all, he has a knack for paying it back in spades.

Random Steeler Monday - - Willie Colon

Geez!! It was almost Tuesday before I posted this.  In this installment of RSM I wanted to feature someone that has been a mainstay on the Steelers line for so long.  That player is Willie Colon (not the trombone player).  Willie has had 50 consecutive starts for the Steelers at right tackle.  He has been a fixture here for quite a few years.  Now, his future is uncertain as an apparent Achilles injury during a morning work out could sideline him for the season. 

Achilles injuries are nothing to scoff at.  Back in January, the Foot & Ankle Specialist research publication found that more than a third (36%) of NFL players who sustain an Achilles injury were never able to return.  For those that were able to recover, most players averaged a 50% reduction in their overall power rankings. 

Of course at this point, it is mostly speculation as to what the extent of the damage may be for Willie's Achilles.  As of this afternoon, MRI results were not available.  I think it is safe to say, either way, there is no such thing as a minor Achilles injury. 

In checking with the master lists of cards available for Big Willie, I noticed that he had less than 10 cards total.  Most lists I found for him only show between 3-5.  For the life of me, I can't find a single one in my collection.  Therefore I am going to have to punt here and go without one.  Very strange.  Anyway...anybody know any good right tackles that need a job?

UPDATE:  Well it's official.  We have a Colon blow.  Willie is out for the entire 2010 season with a torn achilles tendon.  What is next for the Steelers?  First Ben is suspended for being accused of but not charged with anything, then they trade Smoke, then they lose Sweed (not really a loss), now Colon.  It seems the season is being flushed down the crapper.  I hope one of these young guys steps it up.

Random Steeler Monday - Draft Update

For today's installment of RSM, I am not going to feature a particular card(s) of any player.  Why?  Well for the most part, the players I wanted to talk about don't have cards that feature them as a Steeler yet (that I know of).  They will...at least, most of them will. 

One hurdle for many NFL teams has always been the signing of draft pics after the draft.  With all the lucrative marketing/advertising deals and the prevalence of the Jerry Maguire mentality of agents, teams are having to pay premiums for unproven, and sometimes inferior talent.  While I have never been the type of fan that watches the draft coverage from beginning to end in hopes of finding the next big thing, I do always follow my Steelers and how well they address their pressing needs.  This year was no exception.

So far,  three draft picks have been signed out of the seven that were drafted.  That's not bad considering it is only June.  I am predicting there will be at least one hold out here but I hope it isn't going to be 1st rounder Maurkice Pouncey.  The offensive line is always in need of an upgrade and I think Pouncey's size and understanding of the game will be extrememly beneficial to the Steelers offense, regardless of whether they put him at guard or center (which I think he is going to be used as right guard for now).

But that's not who I wanted to talk about.  It's the three draft signings.  The photos are all picks that I would love to see of them on cards when they don the Steelers uniform.

First, we had the 4th Round pick, Offensive Linebacker, Thaddeus Gibson out of Ohio State.  Gibson's deal was for 3 years but I can't speak to the terms since that info is usually kept quite.  A rough estimate is going to say no more than $2 million.  So far we have yet to see Gibson because some class requirements at OSU prevented him from participating in the Steelers OTA's.  I am not too sure on this pick.  I haven't read a whole lot about him and also haven't heard any "rave" reviews of his performance while at OSU.  Even Keith Butler could only say that the thing that impressed him the most was his ability to improve during the season.  I just hope that missing OTA's doesn't cause him to take the whole 2010 season to "improve".  If he does make the team, he will more than likely spend the majority of his time on the special teams squad.

The second pick signed was 7th Round selection, Doug Worthington, Defensive Lineman out of...yep...you guessed it, Ohio State.  The talk I hear on this one is that it's a three year $1.25 million contract with a $33,000 signing bonus.  What you say?  $33,000 is nothing?  I agree.  That doesn't even pay for the gold infused pen and ink they use to sign on the ancient Egyptian papyrus scrolls, which is customary for NFL contracts these days, does it?  Either way, this is a great if not for one thing...line stuffing.  Worthington has the size and speed to quickly fill in the gaps on the line and prevent the opposing running game from getting off the ground.  I see Doug being used in this capacity, possibly on third down and short situations and possibly goal line scenarios. 

Finally, today, it was reported that 3rd Round pick Emmanuel Sanders inked his own deal to become the third draft pick signed.  That is, if you believe his Twitter from earlier in the day (Or is it Tweet?  Is the past-tense called Twatted?  I haven't jumped on that bandwagon yet.).  Sanders is a Wide Receiver out of SMU (Southern Methodist).  With the departure of Sansmokio for "greener" pastures, the vacancy is looking to be filled by anyone with the capability to step up.  Sanders has those skills.
He is being compared to Mike Wallace, who as we saw last year, has both tremendous speed and pass catching ability.  The thing that impressed the Steelers most about Sanders, though, was his leadership abilities both on and off the field.  This is one thing you can be sure they need right now in Pittsburgh.  I am all but positive he will earn himself a roster spot, possibly a 4th or 5th WR but most definitely as a return specialist.  As you can see by his Twitter post in the link above, he looks to be quite excited about the idea of playing in Pittsburgh.  I hope that translates onto the field.

Random Steeler Monday - Or Not

I have been trying to publish my obligatory Monday post of my random Steeler cards all day but Blogger seems to be trying to thwart my success.  They even went as far as deleting my post twice without the normal "draft saved" comments.  I guess they don't want the world to read about Larry "The Stomp" Foote.

For some reason, they took this post though.  Oh well, tomorrow is another day.  In fact it's a holiday.  It's

National Over-hyped Potential Rookie Bust Day!!

Random Steeler Monday - Happy Memorial Day

If there is any hope of pulling out a decent year, most of it rests in the hands of this guy.  Rashard Mendenhall is coming into his third season as a Steeler but his first as the full-time starter.  He has big shoes to fill with the departure of Willie Parker and the tradition the Steelers have had in the running game.

After losing out on his rookie season due to a devastating hit by Ray Lewis in his first game as a Steeler, Rashard was on a mission to prove he wasn't as soft as people were labeling him.  Last year, Mendy was able to pull of 1,100 yards and 7 touchdowns and half those yards were after contact.  Mendenhall averaged 4.6 yards per carry last year and 3 yards per carry after contact.  That was better than Ray Rice.  Kirby Wilson, the Steelers running backs coach said of Mendy,  

"He's got tremendous lower-body strength. There's a lot of times when people don't recognize his ability to run through arm tackles and first contact. Very seldom does the first tackler or first hitter ever get him down.  Those are the hidden runs that add up over the course of the year."

On the plus side for Mendenhall, he is not only fast, he is quick.  I know it seems there is no difference but there is.  You can be fast in the flat running along the sideline to the endzone, but quickness is something that gets you to those holes and springs you for those big runs.  He can run inside, outside, off-tackle, and runs some of the best misdirections I have ever seen (well maybe not the caliber of Emmitt or Barry but he is getting there). 

All of these things combined are going to have to carry a lot of the burden in this offense this year, especially in the first four games.  I think (hope) he is up for the task.

Random Steeler Monday

This week I realized that as I go through more and more cards of present and former players of my favorite teams, I tend to focus on the negative side of things.  I always have the memories of when a guy dropped a pass, or missed a check, or let in a goal from the blue line, or struck out, or missed a throw at home, or fumbled, or...well you get the idea.  Despite all the great memories I have had being a Pittsburgh sports fan, the negativity always trickles in to put a damper on things.  That's why I have decided that starting today, I am going to keep doing things the same way I always have.

Negativity breeds productivity; productivity breeds victory.  I don't know if I just made that up or not but it makes perfect sense.  The doom and gloom attitude has always been a source of motivation and success for me since it always seem to make me want more.  The more I want, the harder I work.  The harder I work, the better I get.  The better I get, the more I succeed.  You see the logic here?  Some would argue that all negativity leads to depression and defeat and that may be true for some.  But in sports, isn't it the team that lost always the one with that chip that motivates and pushes them to try harder so they can get over that hurdle?

Okay so now I am rambling.  Getting to the Random Steeler card for this week, we feature probably one of the biggest draft busts (so far) in the last 8 years for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  If not the worst ever, at least in my mind (and he will have to do circus-like feats of an inhuman proportions to prove me otherwise) he joins the ranks of Huey Richardson, Tim Worley, Troy Edwards and a host of other unmentionables. 

Of course I am talking about none other than Wide Receiver extrordinaire,

Limas Sweed.

The University of Texas star wide receiver was picked with the 22nd overall selection in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft.  After two full seasons in the NFL, Limas has caught a grand total of 7 passes for 69 yards.  Notice I said CAUGHT a total of...instead of "had thrown to him".  That list would be much larger but unfortunately most of those ended up on the turf or in the hands of the opposing team.  .

Sweed's career with the Steelers became an even bigger mystery when at one point last year, Sweed was placed on the IR with an undisclosed injury, and not heard from again.  Rumors spread about his focus and committment to football but the Steelers and for the most part, the fans, stuck by him.  Then Sweed tore his left Achilles' tendon during the team's minicamp earlier this month.  Not good for a player already skating that thin line.  He immediately had surgery to repair the tear and the team placed him on the reserved/injured list, subsequently ending his 2010 season even before training camp.

The killer part is the cash impact.  With an already strained salary cap, the Steelers now seemingly wasted $1.5 million in the rookie signing bonus and another $680,000 over the past two years in salary.  With his current pay for 2010 at $470,000, the Black & Gold will be on the hook for $2.66 million by the end of the season.  That's a ton of moolah for a guy with 7 catches. 

So as I sit here with baited anticipation for the 2010 season to begin, it looks like Sweed will be lost for the year and have no chance to prove he can live up to expectations.  I haven't given up on him completely yet but unfortunately for him, if he doesn't make an effort to train hard and rehab that injury, his days with the Steelers could be over.  His only chance of making a roster spot as a spectator is going to depend on his desire and drive to still play football.  If it were me, I would be everywhere the team is, studying the playbook, observing all the practices, and basically taking every possible opportunity I had to stay visible.

Random Steeler Monday

I have decided to change the name of this feature to Random Steeler Monday from Random Steeler CARD Monday.  It was a bit of a misnomer considering I featured multiple cards of a player for the last three weeks.  So instead, I am picking a player, either living or dead, past or present, and featuring them in a post with a few of thier cards.  Why?  Because I can.

So this week I am kind of straying down a different path with this one.  Can anyone guess who this guy is?

While that clearly isn't a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey he is wearing, it doesn't change the fact that this man has had a pivotal impact on the Steelers organization and is a key to some of the hardware that graces the confines of Hines field. 

This man is an innovator and defensive genius when it comes to coaching, and is arguably the best defensive coach professional football has ever seen.  He is credited with creating the zone blitz while coaching the Cincinnati Bengals (I certainly don't hold that against him, or do I?).  After becoming a coach with the Steelers back in 1992, his influence led to a multitude of players being named to the Pro Bowl that hadn't been there before, including Rod Woodson (HOF), Carnell Lake, Greg Lloyd, and Kevin Greene.  I haven't even touched on his successes with the Bengals.

Give up yet?

Here's a hint (giveaway)...

It's none other than the newest Pittsburgh Steeler member to be elected to the Hall of Fame....

Random Steeler Card Monday

 2001 Bowman (Rookie)

With OTAs underway in the NFL, it is not a surprise to see many of the big name Steeler players actively participating.  On of those players is "Big Snack" Casey Hampton.  He has been hitting the weight rooms early and often according to Steelers.com. 

“It’s just that time. I am getting older,” said Hampton, who is entering his 10^th season. “I have to take better care of my body and be ready for the season. It’s that hunger of wanting to get back to the playoffs and get back to where we need to be. I need to lead by example and show young guys how it needs to be done.”

2006 Upper Deck Super Bowl XL 

“I have been in better shape,” said Hampton. “I think they are just not used to seeing me around and that is the thing. I am usually not here this time of year.”

Hampton has been one of my favorites since he joined the Steelers organization.  I was quite happy they gave him a contract extension back in February since any number of teams would have most certainly snatched him up.  Since he plays on the defensive line, you can imagine there aren't many cards of him out there.  After checking lists online, I think I was only able to find 94 that weren't 1 of 1's (I don't consider those to be cards, at least ones that are attainable).  I think I only have about 6 in my collection.

Hampton is also ready to get the team back on track.  When you are accustomed to the success level that Pittsburgh has had every year, missing the playoffs "doesn't sit well".

Unlicensed Steelers Team Playing Card

“You definitely come back with a chip,” said Hampton. “That’s not us not making the playoffs. That’s not acceptable. The veterans on this team and the young guys as well, we see it like that. When we don’t make it to the playoffs and the Super Bowl it’s always a disappointment. That’s something we can’t accept.”

Random Steeler Card Monday

I can't believe it has been an entire week since I last posted.  My free time is getting few and far between lately.

2003 Bowman Ike Taylor (Rookie)

This week, on May 5th, it is current Steeler corner-back Ike Taylor's birthday.  So to celebrate, I thought I would make Ike the focus of the random weekly Steeler card.  Look at Ivan up there in all his rookie practice jersey glory.  Ain't he sweet?  So full of concentration.

2006 Topps Heritage Ike Taylor

In looking through my collection, there aren't many Ike's to choose from.  I checked the lists online and found that he has less than 40 cards from all the sets since coming into the league in 2003.  Maybe I can find all of his cards...or maybe I won't.

That's the joy of collecting defensive players.  Unless they are the superstars of the league, they rarely get featured except in the "monster" sets that come out each year.  Now the Upper Deck is out of the game, there might not be anymore sets bigger than a couple hundred cards.  Unless, of course, Panini resurrects Score with a larger release.  They should do Pinnacle instead...wait I'm getting off track here.

2006 Upper Deck Super Bowl XL Ike Taylor

Random Steeler Monday

For my first random Steeler card post I thought I would take a moment and bid farewell to a player that I have just become accustomed to tolerating.  You see, I am a defensive guy.  When it comes to a high powered, high octane offense, I have much respect for its ability to change a game and make it more exciting.  However, for me, I'd rather see those players get the snot knocked out of them from a punishing hit from a linebacker or free safety anyday. 

That being said, I have a chip on my shoulder for most guys on the offensive side of the ball for Pittsburgh because they generally don't stick around very long after they become "larger than life".  The last example was Plaxico Burress, although in hindsight, that was a great move on our part.  The latest victim of his own demise was Santonio Holmes.  If there is one thing I have learned through the years of being a Steelers fan is that you don't upset the apple cart.  That "cart" in this case is the Rooney family.  With his legal troubles just beginning to come to the surface and his highly publicized romance with M.J. (not from Spider-man), it was time for him to go.

The next on the chopping block is Big Ben.  Despite the lack of conviction or charges being brought against him, there is no doubt that his actions show a pattern of poor judgement.  I just hope for his sake (and ours) that he fixes himself right quick.  Or at least, gets a better group of bodyguards.  But enough about him.  This post is to bid a final farewell to SanSmokio Holmes.

We will always remember your tap dance in the endzone that won number 6.  I will always remember all your TD catches against the Ravens, especially the one that got us there.  I could have gone my whole life without a shower scene memory other than from 'Psycho'.  The camera man mugging in the game against the Chargers was priceless.  The diving catch against the Titans into the endzone was one of the best.  My cardboard favorites...

A Shiny

A Thug-ery

An Artifact-y

Holmes has now been moved to the back of the book in my Steeler album and had the obligatory Kordell Stewart card added to each page. 

R.I.P. Santonio.  You are dead to me now.