Steelers sign McHugh to 3 year deal

Obviously, the Steelers were as impressed with the blocking abilities of FB Sean McHugh as I was last season. McHugh signed a 3 year, 2.57 million dollar deal with a $390,000 signing bonus today to remain a Steeler.

Not a shabby contract for a kid out of Penn State that was cut multiple times by the Detroit Lions. Now, I just wish Carey Davis would steal McHugh's gym bag "Tatum Bell style" and get booted off the team. His role with the Steelers is similar to that of the ball boy, water boy, and towel boy. Oops...actually, those three positions actually contribute to the team.

Kemoeatu chooses Steelers over Jets

Free agent Steelers left guard Chris Kemoeatu chose the Steelers over the Jets today. His 5 year, 20 million dollar deal included a 4 million dollar signing bonus. Supposedly, the Jets were offering 2 million dollars more in guaranteed money, but he wanted to stay with Pittsburgh in hopes of winning a third Super Bowl. Class act.

I just hope he learns to play guard or our 100 million dollar QB is going to end up breaking his jaw...oops already did that...I mean he might end up breaking his sinus cavity, ribs, nose, thumb and two teeth and suffer multiple concussions..oops did that too. Nevermind. You get the picture.

Nate Washington...from best to worst ever?

Reports are surfacing with news that up to 5 teams have serious interest in free agent WR Nate Washington. Washington had the best season of his career last year in Pittsburgh and solidified himself a decent contract this off-season. Supposedly, Washington is seeking 7-8 million dollars guaranteed over the life of a 3 year deal.

The team most interested is reported to be the Detroit Lions and they are flying him in today to meet with the team. He was originally scheduled to meet on Saturday, but the Lions are moving quickly before other interested teams have a chance to meet with him.

Side note: The Lions are also reported to have interest in free agent CB Bryant McFadden.

If I were looking to rebuild the worst team in football, I too would start by signing as many former Pittsburgh Steelers as possible as well.

Jets offer Kemoeatu a contract

After signing over-the-hill (past his prime) left guard Alan Faneca a few years to a blockbuster deal (that is viewed as idiotic on many levels), the idiotic on many levels NY Jets have officially offered the free agent talent-stricken left guard, Chris Kemoeatu, a contract that will supposedly pay him nearly 4 million per year. This is the good news........

The bad news.....Kemoeatu is supposedly mulling over a contract offered by the Steelers and he will choose where to play! Kemo was the Steelers worst lineman on the the NFL's worst lines. I've been on record saying that the Steelers won the Super Bowl in spite of the offensive line, certainly not because of it.

Maybe I'm not giving Kemo the credit he deserves. He did lead the team in several categories last season: Most false starts and most sacks allowed.

Undefeated Buccos?

Don't look now, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are undeafeated in the Grapefruit league (2-0) after beating the Phillies and Red Sox on consecutive days. The Pirates are well on their way to breaking their consecutive losing season streak.

Okay, maybe spring training means absolutely nothing. Maybe I'm making too big of a deal of it....

But the Pirates do not often win consecutive games and they rarely have a winning record. So, the hell with you...I'm going to enjoy the winning record while I can.

Steelers and James Harrison far apart

The Steelers and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, James Harrison, have agreed on only the length of his proposed contract extension, but are reported to be far apart on the dollar amount.

Harrison has been seriously underpaid for a player that provides the level of performance he has. That said, the 30 year old LB may not find the contract he is seeking in Pittsburgh. The Steelers do not typically overpay for free agents, even their own. It's possible that Harrison just played the best season of his career and the Steelers might be wise to let Harrison play out the final year in his contract and then let him walk.

Harrison had one of the greatest seasons ever for a Steeler linebacker, but one could argue that the Steelers "system" has a little bit to do with the numbers he posted.

It should be interesting to watch how this situation plays out.

Free agency begins at 12:01 AM Friday

NFL free agency begins at 12:01 tonight (or....tomorrow morning.) Some players are going to finally be able to feed their families.

Among those players should be Steelers CB Bryant McFadden and WR Nate Washington. Rumor has it that McFadden may really get paid as this year's crop of top tier of free agent CB's is a little thin. McFadden didn't become a "top-tier" corner until the second half of the 2008 season, but it was enough to land him a deal that will likely pay him between 7 and 8 million dollars per season.

Nate Washington is also a free agent and may look to sign a deal that will make him a #2 or #3 receiver. Nate was a good receiver for the Steelers and at times was a serious deep threat. However, the presence of Limas Sweed will allow the Steelers to close the door on Washington.

OT Max Starks, who was slated for free agency, was given the franchise tag and the team is currently working on a long-term deal. The other notable free agent is RFA Willie Colon. The Steelers are expected to place a 1st round tender on Colon for the amount of nearly 2.2 million. Another team could sign Colon for that amount, but they would have to give Pittsburgh their first round draft pick.

Ironically, most teams would not give a pair of shoulder pads for Colon.

Could Leftwich sign with the Steelers?

Free agent QB Byron Leftwich has hinted around recently that he is open to signing with the Steelers to be Ben Roethlisberger's backup. The holdup is that 29 year old Byron Leftwich feels that he could still be starting in the NFL. I tend to agree.

Some people tend to forget that Leftwich was drafted 7th overall in the 2003 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was run out of Jacksonville shortly after his backup, David Garrard, started showing signs of being a very similar QB to Leftwich. Garrard, however, had a much smaller contract and it made sense financially for Jacksonville.

A season later, Leftwich battled the injury bug in Atlanta and things never seemed to be a very good fit for him. Another season later, Leftwich was left auditioning for a job and was out of football until he signed with Pittsburgh last season.

Signing with Pittsburgh seemed to be the best case scenario for Leftwich. Not only did he show that he can still play football at a high level, but he had the opportunity to be a part of the Super Bowl winning team. Now, there will undoubtedly be interest by teams seeking their starting QB for the 2009 season. The Jets, Bears, and Vikings are all looking for their bona fide starting QB. The problem is that those teams have a history of having a short fuse with their starting QB's. Leftwich could find himself being a backup somewhere else if he posts a few lackluster performances.

Leftwich needs to decide if he would rather stay in Pittsburgh, with a team that he loves, or roll the dice somewhere else hoping to have a shot at starting again in the NFL. He will willing to test the free agent market as of Friday.

Side note: The Steelers have reached out to 34 year old free agent QB, Charlie Batch, and informed him that they are interested in bringing him back for another season. But, I'm sure that would quickly change if Leftwich decides he would rather stay in Pittsburgh.

Max Starks got tagged...

Remember the skinny, average looking girl that hung around with a few fat, ugly friends? By hanging out with really ugly friends, she made herself look more attractive.

Well, OT Max Starks is the Steelers version of the same concept.

The Steelers applied the franchise tag to Starks today. Starks will be paid the average of the top 5 offensive tackles in the NFL for the 2009 season. Starks alone will count 8.45 million dollars against the 2009 salary cap! Wow!

Starks was the best lineman on a weak offensive line in 2008. The Steelers won the Super Bowl in spite of their offensive line, not because of it. Also, this signing all but assures the Steelers will not have enough cap space to sign Bryant McFadden to a long term deal.

I'm completely puzzled by this move. Starks is certainly not a top 5 OT in the NFL and shouldn't be paid as one.

Rumor had it that Starks was looking for a long term contract in the neighborhood of 5 years and 30 million dollars. So why in the world would the Steelers lock him up at a ridiculous figure for 1 season? Not to mention, Starks received the transition tag last season that paid him nearly 7 million dollars to start the season as a backup.

With only a little over 20 million in available cap space for 2009, I believe they just wasted almost half of the allotted amount. The Steelers still have draft picks and free agents to sign.

I usually back Kevin Colbert's decisions...but I'm not on board with this one.

Who will the Steelers draft in April? The Consensus says...

After conducting and analysis of 10 of the most credible NFL mock draft sites (including mocks done by Sports Illustrated, Mel Kiper, and Todd McShay), I have compiled a list of consensus draft picks for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFL draft is never an exact science and can be difficult to predict at times, but it’s not too difficult to see which direction the Steelers will go this year.

Currently, the Steelers offensive line is filled with free agents and limited or unproven talent, so they will be likely drafting the best offensive lineman available at 32 to become the new anchor of the o-line. Based on the 10 draft sites that I chose, here is the consensus for the Steelers 1st pick at #32:


1. Alex Mack (5 votes) - Center, California


Mack is described as one of the best centers to come out of college in the last decade. Mack’s abilities are often compared to those of Jets Pro Bowl center, Nick Mangold.

Several analysts have said that Mack is the best interior lineman in the draft and he is a smart kid with a ton of football knowledge. He would be an incredible fit for the Steelers and could be the next great center for a team with a rich history of great centers.


2. Max Unger (2 votes) - Center / Tackle, Oregon

Unger is noted for his versatility as he earned all-conference honors in at two different positions in consecutive seasons: center and left tackle.


Scouts describe Unger as a guy that does everything correctly and brings the "right" approach to the game. Coach's love that Unger plays every single play until the whistle is blown and he plays with a lot of heart.

However, there are a few question marks regarding Unger's ability to block power rushers. A few scouts suggested that Unger needs to become stronger.



3. Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma


In "typical" drafts, the only way to land a guard of Robinson's potential is to trade up from the 32nd pick. This year is different. The 2009 draft is so deep in OT's and it might create an opportunity for the Steelers to land a guard of his caliber.

At 6'5", 335 lbs, Robinson has been described as the "quickest" football player on the field in many of his college games. That's not usually something you hear about an offensive guard.

Robinson has the ability to drive defensive linemen off the ball to create running lanes and he has excellent technique when pass blocking. Robinson has Pro Bowl caliber tools and could be the first guard taken. It wouldn't be a bad thing if the Steelers draft the first offensive guard of the 2009 NFL draft.


4. William Beatty, Offensive Tackle, UConn


Beatty is a 6'6" 300 highly athletic offensive tackle. At a position where he must the the "quarterback protector", Beatty does just that. His phenominal pass blocking ability and tremendous footwork have many scouts looking at him as a late 1st round pick or an early 2nd round pick.





Beatty is rated as the 6th best OT in the draft that is deep with OT talent. Beatty has the athleticism to protect the QB's blind side, but it is important that Beatty adds some weight. Because of Beatty being a little underweight for an OT, he is vulnerable to the bull rush.





Beatty has two attributes that make him an appealing pick: Atheticism and work ethic.


5. Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU



The only way the Steelers will draft Tyson Jackson is by moving up 10 or 15 spots in the draft. Jackson is an incredible DE with outstanding size and bulk.

The 6'5", 290 lb DE has long arms, huge hands, and great strength. Jackson is an incredible bull rusher that uses his hands well. He's a team leader type of player with an incredilbe work ethic.

He was twice named to the All-SEC team and is best suited in the 3-4 scheme. Jackson would be an amazing Steeler, but there are two things standing in the way: The Steelers are desperate for a game changing offensive lineman and the Steelers have the uncanny ability to take 7th round picks and make them incredible 3-4 DE's.

Whoa...Are the Pirates spending money???

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been very consistent in a few areas over the last...hmmm....16 years.

• Consistently amongst the league's bottom 5 or 6 in payroll every season


• Consistently lose their best players to free agency because of the inability or unwillingness to sign them to costly, deserving contracts


• Consistently post losing seasons making one of the worst runs in professional sports history

There are several ways to turn this team around and I believe the the current management structure is building the team properly. Within the last few months, the Pirates have locked up arguably their 3 best players. Nate McLouth, Ryan Doumit, and Paul Maholm all signed long term deals accounting for 41-75 million dollars (depending on performance). The intriguing point of interest is that all 3 of these players are in the prime of their careers. Over the last 16 years, this is about the time the Pirates let these kind of players go elsewhere for more money and they signed an overpaid, washed up, stop gap player.

Additionally, for the first time in a long time, the Pirates have serious prospects in the minor leagues. Pedro Alvarez, Andrew McCutchen, Jose Tabata, and Neil Walker could all be all star caliber major leaguers.

The Pirates have a plethora of young talent and if they can find a way to gel together at the right time, I could see the Pirates make a Florida Marlins-esque or a Tampa Rays-esque run.

I've been predicting it for a few months now...I sincerely believe our young talent is going to stop the losing skid this season.

Santonio's son has sickle cell anemia

Santonio Holmes recently donated the proceeds of the online auction for his gloves that he wore in Super Bowl this year. He donated the $70,000+ dollars that the gloves sold for to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.

Holmes feels compelled to do his part in finding a cure for sickle cell anemia, mainly because his 6 year old son has been diagnosed with the lifelong incurable disease.

Sickle cell anemia is a serious disease in which the body makes sickle-shaped red blood cells. “Sickle-shaped” means that the red blood cells are shaped like a "C."

Sickle cell anemia varies from person to person. Some people who have the disease have chronic (long-term) pain or fatigue (tiredness). However, with proper care and treatment, many people who have the disease can have improved quality of life and reasonable health much of the time.
Due to improved treatment and care, people who have sickle cell anemia are now living into their forties or fifties, or longer.

McLouth financial terms released

The Pittsburgh Pirates ponied up some money to keep last year's most productive player in a Pirate uniform for the next 3 years, with a club option for a 4th.

The Pirates and McLouth agreed to a contract that will pay the 27 year old center fielder a 1.5 million dollar signing bonus and 2 million this season, 4.5 million next season, and 6.5 million in 2011. The club option for the 4th year would be worth 10.65 million with a 1.25 million buyout.

The total guaranteed dollar amount of McLouth's contract will be 15.75 million.

In my opinion, that is a fantastic deal for the Pirates. There are several players on the Yankees roster that will make more than that this season, let alone the next 3 seasons.

McLouth is a gritty player that shows up ready to play every day.

Pirates sign McLouth to long term deal

On the eleventh hour, so to speak, the Pirates have signed CF Nate McLouth to a 3 year deal with a club option for a 4th year. The Pirates and McLouth were scheduled to have an arbitration hearing today in Arizona to settle the salary debacle between McLouth and the team.

McLouth was asking for 3.8 million this season and the Pirates were offering 2.75 million. Avoiding arbitration is a positive for both parties as it eliminates the potential for harsh feelings that can be created by those hearings.

McLouth had a breakout season last year by hitting 26 home runs and driving in 94. McLouth was a member of the 2008 All Star team and was named a Gold Glove award winner.

The Pirates usually don't lock up their best players that still have their prime ahead of them. A step in the right direction?

Santonio's Super Bowl gloves sell for $70,200!

The gloves that Santonio Holmes was wearing when he caught the game winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLIII sold for $70, 200 at an online auction that ended February 15, 2009 at 9:59 PM. After 163 bids, the anonymous bidder won Santonio's Reebok Gryptonite receiver gloves.

Rumor has it that Limas Sweed was the anonymous bidder that purchased the gloves with hopes of learning how to catch a football in the offseason. Our Black and Gold Review research team is still trying to confirm the validity of the rumor.

If you can't laugh at it....

To shed some light on the Jeff Reed arrest, our guys out PFT decided to chime in...

Jeff Reed fought a paper towel dispenser...and kicked its ass!

Last evening was a normal evening for Steelers Kicker Jeff Reed and his pal, Punter Daniel Sepulveda. They were partying at the Castle Pub in Ebensburg, PA.

Reed and Sepulveda were feeling no pain as they pounded trays of Rumple Minze amongst friends. At one point, Reed toasted the crowd and shouted, "This is for the fuc&ing 6 time world champions!"

The shots that Reed, Sepulveda, and their posse could not finish were shared with the crowd that was partying at the Ebensburg establishment. (What better way to give back to the community!)

The night soon took a turn for the worst around 2:45 AM. Reed decided to challenge a Sheetz convenience store restroom paper towel dispenser in New Alexandria, PA to a fist fight for lacking the paper towels it was to be providing to his freshly washed wet hands.

The angry Reed beat the living...well pee out of of the dispenser before leaving the restroom and yelling profanities at the Sheetz employees.

Soon after, Reed was arrested for disorderly conduct and criminal mischief. Reed will likely be punished by the Steelers and will be penalized under the NFL's personal conduct rules.

The following pictures of Jeff Reed and Daniel Sepulveda are exclusive pictures, taken only hours before Reed's arrest, by world reknown photographer, Sheena Dunio. (maybe not world reknown....and actually she's not even a photographer...She is, however, the provider of exclusive photographs of Reed and Sepulveda. Thanks Sheena!)

Santonio fined $10,000 for Super Bowl touchdown celebration

Santonio Holmes has been dealt a $10,000 pay cut for his Lebron James impersonation after scoring the Super Bowl winning touchdown.

Thankfully, the official had his back turned to Holmes when he used the football as a prop. Otherwise, along with the $10,000 fine, Holmes would have cost the Steelers a 15 yard penalty as well.

I'm grateful that Santonio played the way he did, but he also displayed his immaturity in the Super Bowl. Twice on the game winning drive, Santonio was busy celebrating after big catches instead of hustling back to the huddle with the rest of his teammates. Then, he made the stupid mistake of using the football as a prop after making one of the greatest catches in NFL history.

Any time you are playing a team that has Kurt Warner playing QB and Larry Fitzgerald playing WR, you do not give them an extra 15 yards for any reason....especially when it could put them in scoring range. Thankfully, Santonio is only paying a fine and didn't give the Cards an extra 15 yards at the end of the Super Bowl.

Pitchers and Catchers Report Today!

Today marks the official first day for spring. It's only February 13th...and it's 30 degrees outside with no warmth in sight.

But it's very different in Bradenton, FL., home of the Pittsburgh Pirates spring training facility. Pitchers and catchers will report today and take part in their first workout tomorrow.

Will this be the year the team breaks .500? I believe it is. Call me crazy, but I will have no problem digging this post out in September to deliver a nice dose of "I told you so".

I the event the team continues the losing streak, I likely will not have the time to partake in such a useless activity as looking for an old meaningless post.

2010 Uncapped NFL season...What does it mean for Pittsburgh?

The front office of the Pittsburgh Steelers will have to consider more than cap casualties, contract re-structuring, and free agent signings this off-season.

The front office has to be considering a potential uncapped season after next year. I can't imagine there will be any re-structuring of contracts this season because of uncapped potential next season will make contract re-structuring useless. Because of this, the salary cap for the 2009 season will be more difficult to manage than other seasons.

Couple the lack of contract re-structuring with the poor economy, don't look for the big money free agent signings we've been accustomed to seeing in the NFL in recent years.

Ultimately, as teams are trying to free cap space, they will have to consider life in the NFL going forward unless something changes soon. The Steelers will have somewhere between 21 and 23 million dollars in available cap space and a whole lot of positions to fill. With Bryant McFadden, Nate Washington, and most of the offensive line being free agents, the front office will have to find a way to fill positions without spending a lot of money.

What would Big Ben have done in the Pro Bowl?

Though I may have been the only person watching the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl yesterday, I have to say that I actually enjoyed it. Larry Fitzgerald made a few circus catches, Peyton Manning made a few great passes, and Adrian Peterson handled the rock pretty well.

For most of the game, the score was pretty close and both the AFC and NFC were battling. In fact, the game came down to the final drive. The AFC was trailing by 3 points and had over 3 minutes to get in field goal range.....at least. The fate of the AFC rested in the hands of Broncos QB Jay Cutler.

Cutler did what most people not named Ben Roethlisberger do...He went 4 and out and the game was over with the NFC being victorious.

I can't stop wondering what the outcome of the game would have been if Ben Roethlisberger was leading the final 4th quarter drive.

You have to think that Roethlisberger deserved to be there as much as the 37 year old Kerry Collins did. Neither had crazy good statistical seasons, but I feel Roethlisberger meant more to his team. His 6 4th quarter comebacks alone are the reason the Steelers accomplished what they did this season.

Oh well...thankfully we took the 3rd QB of the 2004 NFL draft!

Rough Draft - Early 3 Round NFL Mock Draft

Thankfully, the 2009 NFL draft will be very deep with talented offensive linemen. The Steelers will hopefully upgrade/replace some of their offensive linemen that contributed to the nearly 150 sacks of Roethlisberger over the last 3 seasons.

1. Alex Mack, C, Cal

Mack is regarded as many as one of the best Centers to enter the NFL draft in the last decade. He is often compared to Jets center Nick Mangold (which is a very good thing). The 6-4, 316 pound Mack is also regarded as the best interior lineman in the entire 2009 NFL draft and he is exactly what the doctor ordered in Pittsburgh. (Actually, Roethlisberger's ribs asked Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin to scout Mack)

Mack has a ton of athleticism and has a reported unofficial 40 time around 5 seconds or slightly lower.

2. Herman Johnson, OG, LSU

Herman Johnson is an absolute beast of a man. In fact, if drafted by the Steelers, Johnson would be the largest man on the team. Johnson is 6-8, 386 lbs. and is extremely athletic. In fact, this imposing mammoth reportedly ran the 40 yard dash in 5.20 seconds.

His athleticism and quickness allow him to get to the second level when blocking and he would immediately have a positive impact on the Steelers running game. Teams that played against LSU this season complained that they couldn't find the running back behind Johnson. He, along with Alex Mack, could immediately improve the Steelers pass protection and running game.

3. Derek Pegues, S, Mississippi State

Pegues is a 5'10" 193 lb Safety that is a playmaker on defense and he is an electric kick returner. He's a two-time All-SEC performer and his two interceptions in the 2007 Autozone Liberty Bowl landed him the MVP award for the game.

Pegues has great coverage skills and a nose for the ball. He runs a 4.4 40 and bench presses 350 lbs. His versatility will be intriguing to a Steelers team that needs to find the future replacement for Ryan Clark. Clark is 30 years old and is a free agent after next season. With the Steelers history of not giving contracts to guys on the wrong side of 30, they will need to have his replacement in the system...especially since Anthony Smith ended up being a bust.

Just how good is Ben Roethlisberger in the 4th quarter?

I analyzed Roethlisberger's 19 4th quarter comebacks and found some very interesting stats.

In his 19 4th quarter comebacks, Big Ben's stat line looks like this:

101/136 for 1,369 yards and 9 TD's.

So, in Ben's 19 4th quarter comebacks, his completion percentage is slighly over 74% and his average yards per completion is 13.5.

That's off the charts!

Santonio...I'm sorry...

I have been Santonio's biggest critic recently...especially after he referred to Vince Lombardi as 'Dicky' Lombardi.

Well, in an interview with Mike Florio last night, Holmes explained what he said. He said that he did, in fact, say 'sticky' Lombardi. He claimed that Coach Tomlin has been calling it the sticky Lombardi since he arrived in Pittsburgh.

Holmes had this to say about the 'sticky' comment, “When you touch that trophy, you get the fingerprints put all over it. That’s what Tomlin wanted us to do.”
It still doesn't make a lot of rational sense, but it doesn't have to. The fact is, he did not say 'Dicky' Lombardi and I apologize for killing him over it...

Thanks for your efforts in Super Bowl XLIII Santonio and I'm sorry for thinking you said dicky instead of sticky...

Santonio: STOP TALKING!!!

Okay...Santonio sounded downright idiotic when he was talking after being named the Super Bowl MVP last night. He said a few stupid things like, 'I just credit the defense for getting the ball back.' Well, the defense gave up the go ahead TD before driving to score the game winning TD.

He lacked humility, intelligence, etc. when he was talking...but I wrote all of that off due to the level of excitement. Not only did his team just win the Super Bowl, but he was named the MVP. I'm sure he was overcome with joy...Okay...I can cut him some slack...

But, then Santonio struck again this morning.....

DICKY LOMBARDI?

Pittsburgh Steelers speedy wide receiver Santonio Holmes, the newly-minted Super Bowl XLIII MVP, might want to brush up on his knowledge of NFL history during the offseason, especially learning about the late, legendary former Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi.

According to the New York Daily News, Holmes twice referred to the man for whom the Super Bowl trophy is named after as “Dicky Lombardi,” during a ceremony this morning.
The NFL changed Holmes’ words in the official transcript, according to Daily News beat writer Rich Cimini, to the “sticky Lombardi” Trophy.

Cimini raises the point that the league might not be so thrilled that the MVP award was claimed by “a guy who admitted last week that he sold drugs as a teenager, a guy who was arrested for marijuana possession in October and a guy with two previous arrests.”

In fairness, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell looked appropriately enthusiastic and welcoming toward Holmes this morning to me.

Pirates - Could the perfect storm break the losing streak?

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been just plain bad. Expectations aren't much better for the coming season either. However, it seems to me that the current roster has a ton of potential. My question is this: If the stars aligned and the Pirates players play to their potential, could the team be competitive this season? Take a look at my positional analysis:

C - Ryan Doumit - Had a breakout season last year and proved he's a great clutch hitter. If Doumit continues playing like he did last season, a .300 average and 20 HR's isn't out of the question.

1B - Adam LaRoche - If LaRoche can find a way to hit in May the way he does in August, he will easily put together an All-Star season. I do not think it's unreasonable to think that LaRoche could hit .290 with 30+ HR's.

2B - Freddy Sanchez - Sanchez was never really healthy last season. If Sanchez returns to his 2007 form when he won the NL batting title, he will hit over .300 with 8-10 HR.

3B - Andy LaRoche - LaRoche has a plethora of upside and potential. It's not inconceivable to thnk that LaRoche can hit .275 with 15 HR in his first full season in the big leagues.

SS - Jack Wilson - Wilson will be playing for a contract, and possibly another team this season. Wilson's defense is always solid, but his bat has been sporatic. We saw Wilson battle for the National League's leader in hits a few years ago. If Wilson can get the stick together, he could have a .280 - .300 season and play solid defense.

LF - Brandon Moss & Craig Monroe - Moss has some pop in his bat and a lot of upside. Monroe is a proven veteran that his 28 HR's a couple of seasons ago. If the stars aligned, I think that Monroe can Moss could hit 25 HR combined in a LF platoon.

CF - Nate McLouth - McLouth put together an all-star season last year and he won the National League Gold Glove award for CF. If Nate can just keep playing somewhere near last year's level, then he may end up in the all-star game again.

RF - Eric Hinske & Steve Pearce - Pearce blew through the minor leagues a few seasons ago and hit the wall at the major league level last season. He showed flashes of promise, but did not play at nearly the level he was accustomed to. The Pirates are still intrigued with Pearce's ability and he will likely be platooning with Eric Hinske. Hinske hit 20 HR last season without being an every day player. With Pearce's power potential, I think the Pearce/Hinske platoon could hit 25-30 HR.

Possible Bench Players: Nyjer Morgan, Ramon Vazquez, Luis Cruz, Robinson Diaz, Brian Bixler, and the OF platoon guys. Obviously, they can't all be there....but I suspect these guys will be in the mix.

Offensively, the Pirates could potentially put of power numbers that they have been lacking for some time. It's been a long time since the Pirates have had this kind of power potential offensively throughout the lineup.

Starting Pitching:

Paul Maholm: Maholm emerged as the staff Ace last season...Just keep building

Ian Snell: If Snell can find a way to be consistent, he could put a 15 win season together and be among the league leaders in strike outs. He seems to lack the "want to" at times, but new pitching coach Joe Kerrigan will hold him more accountable...

Ross Ohelndorf - Tons of ability. Too early to tell right now, but has the tools to be a real solid #3 pitcher.

Tom Gorzelanny - If Gorzo can return to 07' form, then he may compete for the "staff ace" title. Gorzo saw how conditioning positively affected Paul Maholm last season, he focused on his own conditioning. Gorzelanny showed up at mini camp this year 15 lbs. lighter. Look for Gorzelanny to have an impressive season.

Zach Duke - Duke was 18-17 after his first two seasons in the major leagues. He followed up those seasons with a 3-8 lackluster season last year. If Duke returns to form, he could have a very good season again.

Jeff Karstens and Phil Dumatrait will be battling for one of those 5 spots as well. Dumatrait, a former first round pick, started impressively last season before succumbing to injury. Karstens flashed episodes of greatness in his short period of time in a Bucco uniform last season...but he showed flashes of "un-greatness" as well.

Closer: Matt Capps tallied up 39 saves in his first season and a half of being a big league closer. He has been completely dominating at times and could be a huge factor if the Pirates are going to put a winning season together.

Relief Pitchers: Likely two of the pitchers that do not win starting jobs, John Grabow (Arguably one of the best left-handed pitchers in the league), Tyler Yates, Denny Bautista, Sean Burnett, T.J. Beam, Chris Hansen, and Romulo Sanchez.

Overall, the Pirates roster is beginning to evolve and I don't think it's out of the question for the Pirates to put an above .500 season together. Additionally, Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker might be ready to visit Pittsburgh this season...and Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata might not be too far behind. (within a few seasons)

The Pirates are building a solid core and I'm beginning to drink the Neal Huntington Kool-Aid.

You know you're Steeler fans when...

Pittsburgh schools decided to operate on a 2 hour delay on Monday, February 2nd. And no, they are not calling for inclement weather...

They Pittsburgh schools are on a 2 hour delay because the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing in the Super Bowl at 6:30 Sunday evening!

Now that's what makes Steeler football so special.

Stay Classy Pittsburgh.