Steelers Depot Blog

Strange day indeed for the Steelers as WR Limas Sweed returned to practice a day after being carted off with heat cramps only to find out he needs contacts. Sweed was caught squinting during film sessions and was checked out and fitted for contacts and glasses. S Anthony Smith tried to practice but had to shut it down after position drills. LB Mike Humpal suffered what appears to be a heat related hamstring injury and hopes to return on Friday. Returning to practice on Thursday were OL linemen Marvel Smith (groin), OL Jeremy Parquet (cramps), RB Mewelde Moore (illness), CB Bryant McFadden (groin) and LB James Farrior (groin). DL Travis Kirschke was given a day off due to a sore back. S Troy Polamalu (hamstring), G Chris Kemoeatu (triceps) and NT Casey Hampton (overweight) have yet to practice with the team.

Former Pitt player, T Jason Capizzi, is done for the year. He re-injured his left foot and will require surgery. The Steelers reached an injury settlement with him. The Steelers replaced Capizzi on the roster by signing veteran KR Eddie Drummond and Drummond was suited up working on returns on Thursday.

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There’s been a big ruckus the last few days over two things: 1) the NFL owners opted out of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement early, and 2) rookie Matt Ryan is now guaranteed more money per season than Tom Brady. And finally – finally! — the Players’ Association is realizing how bad this is hurting their cause. Well, everyone except the guy running the show, one Gene Upshaw. (more…)

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Mike Florio of the Sporting News may raise the ire of a number of Steeler fans. Not because he says the Steelers will fail to make the playoffs — everyone is entitled to their opinions, and playoff fortunes ebb and flow as the years pass anyway — but because he claims the “Steelers of the free-agency era have developed a trend of exceeding low expectations and failing to meet high ones.” Yes, I railed recently about the fact that I’m disappointed each year when we fail to win the Super Bowl. But that comes from a long history of success, even in the free-agency era. While it took Bill Cowher a long time to win his first (and possibly only) NFL championship, there were a number of trips to the AFC Championship and even more playoff appearances. But to say that a team that won the Super Bowl just two and a half years ago has made a habit of letting fans down is just ludicrous.

Can they miss the playoffs this year? Yes, but it’s unlikely. For all their offensive line problems, including the loss of its leader, this is a team that has show resilience through the years and has, at the very least, managed to get younger on the offensive front with the departure of Faneca. There are too many unknowns (can Kemoeatu step up? is Hartwig really an improvement over Mahan? Will Max Starks finally live up to all the hype and potential?) to call the season a wash before we even get to training camp. Add to that the fact that Cleveland’s biggest move on defense (the addition of Shaun Rogers on the defensive line) cost them Leigh Bodden, their top cornerback, weakening an already horrendous secondary, and it’s hard to see where the Steelers’ biggest division rival actually improved this offseason. A rival the Steelers have defeated nine consecutive times, no less.

And let’s not forget one other important detail: despite late-season struggles following key injuries, the Steelers still wound up with the number-one defense in the NFL. Keep in mind the old addage: offense wins games, defense wins championships.

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There is generally no love lost between Pete Prisco and the city of Pittsburgh.  Not after he ranked Ben Roethlisberger as the 17th-best QB in the league prior to the 2007 season and included just two Steelers in his list of the top 100 players in the league.  And he was one of the first to jump on the Cleveland bandwagon last year, too.

So it floored me today to see him giving the Steelers some props in his mid-offseason power rankings, placing the Steelers seventh overall in the league, first in the AFC North and fifth among all AFC teams.  He points out the uncertainty about the O-line, a sentiment shared by a majority of the known universe, and calls out his fellow journalists who are, as he said, “counting this team out.”  Pete, you’re off my crap-list for a day.

In other news, a pot-bellied pig was seen flying low over Heinz Field, the Pirates broke .500 in the middle of May and Dennis Dixon was named the 2008 starting QB for the Steelers.  Okay, okay, I made the last two up; they could never happen.

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Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin seems to have an affinity for his former players. This year’s hot choice was Anthony “Booger” McFarland, who eventually was not signed because of a failed physical (however, he is still under consideration if he can prove he’s healthy later this month at a private workout). Last year, it was the player who turned out to be the team’s biggest bust of the year, center Sean Mahan. (more…)

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There’s been a ton of talk about a Penguins and Steelers rivalry over the past week in the major Pittsburgh media. In some of that media, there’s been the suggestion that the Penguins have overtaken the Steelers as Pittsburgh’s favorite sons. I’m not here to talk about how utterly ridiculous that is. The fact that it’s even being discussed shows you the major disconnect between some writers and the fans that they write for. You can’t just listen to radio heads, and you all know who I’m talking about, and take it for fact. If I remember correctly, the Penguins changed their colors from blue and white to yellow and black, in honor of the Pirates, and most especially, the Steelers. No, it wasn’t a battle in a fire pit for the right to the colors. Since then, the Penguins became champions, like their Pittsburgh cohorts. Since then, the Penguins became a real part of the Pittsburgh culture. Since then, Penguins fans, WERE Steelers fans. They still are.

Today, the Pittsburgh Penguins shut out the Philadelphia Flyers, and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since King Mario’s heyday, in 1990-1991, and 1991 and 1992. Congratulations on the Penguins from all the Steelers’ writers here at MVN’s Steel Tradition. It’s not about competing against the teams in your market, it’s all about supporting them.

LET’S GO PENS!

For the real Penguins talk here at MVN, check out The Confluence of the Three Rivers, where former Steel Tradition scribe, Tony Ferrante is holding court with all the Penguins discussion.

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Here’s a look at some of the e-mail I’ve received about the Steelers since the 2008 NFL draft. One focuses on Ben Roethlisberger, and how this particular fan can’t believe that Steelers’ fans believe all the hype. Another focuses on why there isn’t as much hype on Willie Parker, and how the Steelers were idiots for drafting Rashard Mendenhall. A third focuses on the Steelers’ difficult schedule, and the last focuses on a piece that was written here a few days ago. I hope you enjoy them twice as much as I did.

Read More from wail, MAIL!

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The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Texas wide receiver Limas Sweed in the second round of last month’s 2008 NFL draft. The Sweed selection is believe to be based on Ben Roethlisberger’s request that the Steelers add a tall receiver that can be effective in the red zone, as well as go up and grab passes above opposing corners. Inevitably, the talk has turned towards the two current Steelers’ starting receivers, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes.

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A special thanks to the 1,400 Steel Tradition readers that voted in our last poll, ‘Who is the Steelers’ biggest rival?’ I don’t think it was any surprise that the Ravens and Browns finished in the top two, although I did figure that the Browns would be in first. Of course, the “Real Browns” did, with the Ravens, scoring 31% of the vote. The ‘New Coke’ version of the Brownies showed up in second (go figure) with 28%. Once again, close only counts if you are dealing with hand grenades, or are a Browns’ fan.

Today, we are going to focus on the end of the season a bit. After a conversation here with a few of our readers, I’m curious about what the bulk of fans that root for the Steelers not only expect from the Steelers, but are content with.

As a lifelong Steelers’ fan, I’ve always had the motto, “I’m happy with the playoffs, but only really content with a Super Bowl victory.” Maybe growing up in the dynasty era spoiled my line of thinking, but I’ve started every season since being a fan thinking Super Bowl or bust. Every year, I put on my very unbiased hat, and figure out a sensible way to show everyone who asks that the Steelers are the best team in the league, and will surely waltz to another title. It’s worked once in the nearly 30 years since the dynasty years, but it doesn’t stop me from believing it can happen.

What are you content with each season?

Are you content with winning, making it to the playoffs, and losing before the Super Bowl?

Let Steel Tradition know what your expectations are as a Steelers’ fan!

I would like to speak for all the writers here at MVN’s Steel Tradition in saying thank you to the thousands of fans that visit here every day. For the first time in the history of this site, we were ranked in the top five of MVN’s monthly rankings. It just goes to show you that Steelers’ fans are the best in the league, whether we agree or not. Thanks for all the visits, and we look forward to another successful year, that hopefully ends in another Super Bowl.

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