James Harrison to attend off-season workouts

Steelers LB James Harrison is having difficulty getting a new deal with the Steelers. The 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is due to make a measly 1.4 million dollars (base salary) in 2009. He is largely underpaid and nobody disputes that.

The problem: In May, James Harrison will be 31 years old. Many could argue that he is simply a product of Dick LeBeau's 3-4 system and may fail in a different environment. Given that Harrison is on the wrong side of 30, I do not think a blockbuster deal is in the future. The two sides are said to be pretty far apart.

When Harrison's agent was asked if James would be attending the "voluntary" off season workouts, he replied, "Yep, James will be there."

Harrison seems to be handling the situation with class right now, but I wonder if his mindset will change as training camp nears.

I could see Harrison holding out for a new deal if a deal cannot be reached.

On the other side, it may be in Harrison's best interest to not be greedy and accept what the Steelers are offering. If he holds out the 2009 season, he will be a 32 year old free agent LB next year. How many teams are going to break the bank for that?

Pirates curious about Pedro Martinez

Free agent pitcher, Pedro Martinez is still looking for a place to call home. A few teams are said to be "curious" about his services.

The problem seems to be that Martinez is looking for a 1 year, 5-8 million dollar deal.

Advice to the Pirates: Aggressively pursue Pedro. Though Pedro is up in age and significantly less effective than in his hay-day, he will put butts in seats. With the roller-coaster seasons we have experienced from guys like Zach Duke, Tom Gorzelanny, and Ian Snell, Pedro could potentially be a nice change up.

Pedro will sell tickets and hopefully be a good mentor for our young pitching staff. Offer him a low base salary, incentive laden contract that could potentially pay him 5-8 million....and if he achieves his contract ceiling, then he was well worth the signing. Seems simple to me.

Pirates Pitcher, Craig Hansen, gets "mmm Bopped" by the Yankees

Though the Pirates lost to the Yankees 13-10 today in Grapefruit League action, the Pirates are able to take away several positives. First, and foremost, Ross Ohlendorf pitched 4 "perfect" innings against his former power-packed club. Ohlendorf is fighting for one of the 5 rotation spots and today's performance alone may be enought for him to lock up a spot.

A few other takeaways from today's game:

Jose Tabata is continuing to hit the crap out of major league pitching. Tabata went 2 for 3 with a run scored...improving his Grapefruit League batting average to .429.

Pedro Alvarez went 2 for 2 with a run scored and a RBI. Alvrez roped a pair of doubles. His batting average is currently .438....the team leader.

Alverez sis proving that he is already a mature hitter coming out of college. Look for his journey in the minor leagues to be short-lived.

On a sour note, Pirates pitcher, Craig Hansen was "mmm bopped" by the Yankees lineup as he allowed 5 ER in only 1/3 of an inning.

Buccos beat world champion Phillies

The Pirates beat the Phillies 6-5 today in Grapefruit League play. Zach Duke led the way with 3.2 scoreless innings pitched. The Pirates would have won easily if pitcher Daniel McCutchen would not have been roughed up in the tune of 5 runs in only 1.1 innings pitched.

Steve Pearce and Jeff Salazar led the way offensively. Pearce was 3 for 4 with a run scored and Jeff Salazar hit a 3 run homer.

Ryan Howard hit is 5th home run of the spring for Philadelphia.

Monroe powers Pirates past Twins

Pirates outfielder Craig Monroe reminded the Minnesota Twins what they let go in the 6-4 Pirates victory today. Monroe belted 3 home runs, giving him 6 for spring training, to beat the Twins.

Today's win gives the Pirates the second best record in the National League at 9-4. Only 2 teams in all of baseball have more wins than Pittsburgh...The Braves and Angels both have 10 wins.

I know its only spring training...but I got a feeling...The Bucco Stops Here!

Free agent CB Chris Carr visiting Steelers today

The Steelers are meeting with 25 year old CB/KR Chris Carr today to discuss a future in Pittsburgh. Carr was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2005 before joining the Titans last season.

Carr said that he will go where he has the greatest opportunity to play. Given that the Steelers just lost Bryant McFadden via free agency, they have a void to fill at CB. Currently, William Gay is the Steelers only option at #2 CB. Deshea Townsend is still around, but at 35 he cannot realistically be asked to play every down.

Aside from CB, Carr is an excellend kick returner. The Steelers do not have a kick returner and need to upgrade their yards per return average. Carr's return average was 4th best in the NFL last season 28.1 yards per return.

The Netherlands???

The Netherlands have shocked the world by beating the Dominican Rebublic for the second time to advance to the second round of the World Baseball Classic.

The Dominican team features MLB star such as Jose Reyes, Willie Taveras, Moises Alou, Hanley Ramirez, David Ortiz, Miguel Tejada, Jose Guillen, Robinson Cano, Miguel Olivo, Willie Aybar, Pedro Martinez, Damaso Marte, Jose Bautista, and Carlos Marmol.

The Netherlands feature guys like former Pirates Randall Simon, Yurendell de Caster, and....well actually I do not recognize any of the other names. I know Sidney Ponson is pitching for them, but I he didn't take the mound in last night's victory of the DR.

Why is this relevant to the black and gold? Well, the Netherlands played the Pirates spring training team before traveling to the WBC...and the Pirates were victorious.

Coincidence? I think not. The Bucco stops here....17 consecutive losing seasons are not in the plans.

Joey Galloway...potential Steeler?

Joey Galloway met with the Pittsburgh Steelers yesterday as the team is searching for a bona fide 3rd receiver. Galloway is a very capable 1 yr stop gap.

The Steelers have a young, talented receiver in Limas Sweed, but many football people claim it takes 3 years to fully develop into a capable receiver in the NFL. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule, but many receivers fall into that category.

Galloway is 37 years old and may have a solid season left in him. Galloway had a down season last year as he missed half of the season due to injury.

That said, he had 3 consecutive 1,000 yard receiving seasons in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

If he is willing to play for the veteran minimum, he would be a fantastic free agent signing for the Steelers.

Pirates lose slug fest with Red Sox

The Pirates were down 8-0 at one point in this spring training game and battled back to lose 15-14 in the 10th inning.

A few interesting notes of the game:

Tom Gorzelanny was rocked. He allowed 5 runs (2 home runs) in 2 innings of work. Gorzo is picking up right where he left off last season.

The Pirates top prospects really shined for the team today.
Jose Tabata was 3 for 3 with a run scored and 4 RBI (2 doubles)
Andrew McCutchen was 1 for 1 with 3 runs scored and a RBI (1 triple)
Neil Walker was 2 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI (1 double)

Combined, the Pirates top prospects were 6 for 7 with 3 doubles, a triple, 5 runs scored, and 6 RBI.

I'm all about a youth movement in Pittsburgh. If we are going to lose in the regular season, I'd prefer we lose with our talented young prospects and let them gain valuable experience. Maybe Tabata is a little young, but I think its time to pull the trigger on McCutchen and Walker. If these guys played for other systems, there is a good chance they could be preparing to make their major league debuts. By the time our guys become big league ball players, we can no longer afford their contracts.

Still no interest in Leftwich???

I am simply shocked that nobody has shown any interest in free agent QB Byron Leftwich. I have been hoping and praying that the Steelers can sign Leftwich to a 2 or 3 year deal to be Ben's permanent backup. Leftwich can win football games in this league and that is a quality you look for in a backup. Leftwich is not a liability when he has to sling the football 30 times in a game either.

I can't believe that other teams swallowed up guys like Dan Orlovsky, JT O'Sullivan, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Chris Simms, etc. Those guys aren't half the QB that Leftwich is and they have zero shot at winning football games for their team. Hopefully the market is diminishing and the Steelers can re-sign him at a fair price. If he has to be a backup somewhere...what better place than Pittsburgh?

Pirates improve to 8-3 in Grapefruit League

The Pirates just keep on rolling. Their 11-4 victory over the Houston Astros improved their spring training record to 8-3 and puts them only a game behind the Atlanta Braves for the National League's best spring training record.

In fact, only 1 team in all of baseball has more wins than the Pirates. The L.A. Angels have 9 wins, one more victory than the Pirates.

Bryant McFadden is a Cardinal...

After only 4 teams (Steelers, Cardinals, Dolphins, and Eagles) showing interest in CB Bryant McFadden, he decided to take the offer from Arizona. McFadden accepted a 2 year, 10 million dollar contract with 5 million guaranteed in the first year.

The contract he signed ended up being a lot less than he initially expected when he entered free agency. It's a shame he won't be wearing black and gold next year. I believe McFadden has pro bowl potential and Arizona got a real bargain at 5 mil per year for a CB with his talent.

McFadden’s total of $5 million in guaranteed money to be paid out in 2009 includes a base salary of $3.75 million, a $1 million roster bonus and a $250,000 workout bonus. McFadden is scheduled to be paid a $5 million base salary in 2010, but that figure isn’t guaranteed.

Steelers lead NFL with items sold on eBay

A recent study was conducted to see which NFL team had the most items for sale on eBay. The results aren't shocking as the top 5 sellers are some of the NFL's most storied franchies. Here are the results: (current team-related items for sale)

1. Pittsburgh Steelers - 16,657


2. Dallas Cowboys - 10,987


3. New York Giants - 7,633


4. Green Bay Packers - 7,445


5. Chicago Bears - 7,057

Though these are the NFL's most storied franchises, we know who the "best" franchise in all of professional sports is...The Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Pirates are human afterall

the Pittsburgh Pirates have been playing their spring training games with the tenacity of a championship caliber team. (If you follow my blog, you know that I am making a big deal out of the Pirates ability to win their spring training games. I know it has absolutely nothing to do with the regular season, but it sure is a hell of a lot of fun to enjoy the Pirates winning any kind of game. I'd cheer if the Pirates beat the living hell out of a t-ball team.)

Anyways, the Pirates lost their 2nd game of spring training making them 6-2 thus far. The Reds downed the Buccos 10-6. Not much else to talk about....

Except....

Our savior, Pedro Alvarez, was 1 for 1 again today.......improving his spring training batting average to a measley .500.

The 6'3", 235 lb Alvarez is already showing that he can hit major league caliber pitching. People in the organization say the ball just sounds different coming off his bat. He has even been compared to Pirate great Willie Stargell!

I look for Alvarez to shred minor league pitching this year and blow right through the minors on his way to the bigs....

St. Petersburg Times story got the Schuyler story wrong?

Supposedly, the St. Petersburg Times story that surfaced yesterday claiming that two of the guys in the boating accident removed their life jackets to float away to sea and the other (Will Bleakley) removed his jacket to swim to the light are inaccurate.

The story that Schuyler told Bleakley's father is that Schuyler hung on to Bleakley for 36 hours until he lost consciousness and died. He did not remove his jacket to swim to lights that the St. Petersburg Times reported.

If you are going to make a mistake, this isn't the story to do it with. Wow.

James Harrison's agent says, "We're struggling with this."

Bill Parise, the agent for Steelers LB James Harrison, said that there have been 3 proposals on the table and they are still pretty far apart. To me, it sounds like the salary cap strapped Steelers are submitting lowball offers.

"We're just not doing well," Parise said. "This is not going as well as it should or it could. Both sides are being challenged to get this accomplished.

"We clearly want to be here and stay here. James has a home here and family an hour-and-a-half away. I'm here, we love this and this is our goal. And our request is by no means a reach.

"We're not anywhere near Haynesworth numbers. We're nowhere near Ben's numbers. We're not asking for him to be the highest-paid Steelers player."

Doesn't sound real promising..but stay tuned.

The Final Moments: Nick Schuyler's Story...

Reports came out today that were rather shocking regarding the boating accident containing 2 NFL players (Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith) and 2 former college footaball players (Nick Schuyler and Will Bleakley) that I have been following.

The lone surviver that was rescued at sea was Nick Schuyler. Schuyler said that after the boat capsized, his friend, Will Bleakley, swam underneath the boat to retrieve the life jackets. Bleakley was a good swimmer and decided he was the one that could go under and find the jackets. Bleakley only found 3 life jackets and he brought a seat cushion back to the surface with him.

Given that Bleakley was a good swimmer, he gave the life jackets to the other three and kept the cushion for himself. Meanwhile, the 4 men started trying to formulate a plan. Supposedly, this was late afternoon on Saturday.

Approximately 4 hours later, one of the NFL players simply could not stand the situation any longer. Deciding to give up hope, he removed his life jacket and floated away to sea to die.

Only a few hours later, the remaining NFL player decided to follow suit and do the same thing. He too removed his life jacket, said goodbye, and floated away to sea to die.

Later that night, Will Bleakley thought that he could see lights off in the distance. Because of his good swimming abilities, he decided he was going remove his life jacket to try to swim to the lights. Schuyler said he believes that Bleakley was delusional to think he could swim that far.

Bleakley didn't make it.

Schuyler stayed with the boat for 46 hours before he was rescued. Had the other 3 men just stayed with the boat, they would have been rescued as well. They would still be alive today.

Say it ain't so...

Well, the battling buccos have done it again. Andy LaRoche's 2 run homer in the 5th inning gave the Pirates the only runs they would need. The Pirates beat the Twins 2-1 this afternoon to improve their spring training record to 6-1.

Their 6 wins are the most in all of baseball.

The Pirates will be consistent pitching away from being a competitive team. If all of their talented pitchers pitch well in the same season, the bucco could stop here.

Pirates having a hard time losing!

The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Netherlands World Baseball Classic team today 5-4. The Pirates are on the kind of roll that could begin bringing fans back...okay, maybe not quite yet, but wishful thinking nonetheless.

The Netherlands team has a few bucco ties. Bert Blyleven, former Pirate pitcher, is the manager of the Netherlands team. Former Pirate, Randall Simon, is also on the roster.

Sidney Ponson was the starting pitcher for the Netherlands.

Remember where you heard it first. The "bucco" stops here.

R.I.P Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith, & Will Bleakley

At 6:30 PM today, the U.S. Coast Guard called off the search for the missing men resulting from their boating accident. The Coast Guard feels certain that if any of the men were still floating above the water, they would have found them as they exhausted their search in the radius that the men could have been floating.

This is a sad story in general and a tragic story for the NFL. My condolences to the families and friends of these individuals.

Coast Guard not hopeful of finding NFL players

The three remaining men lost at sea after their fishing boat was capsized Saturday afternoon still have not been found. Though the families of the individuals still have not given up hope, the same doesn't seem to be true with the Coast Guard.

Bruce Cooper, the father of Raiders LB Marquis Cooper, said that the Coast Guard talked to the families privately and said that they weren't optimistic because of the timeframe and possibility of hypothermia.

It seems apparent that we are nearing a very tragic ending to this unfortunate event.

Nobody interested in Leftwich?

Most people, Byron Leftwich included, expected him to attract some attention on the first weekend of free agency from teams in need of a starting QB. It seemed obvious that teams like the Lions, Bucs, and Jets would be interested in talking to him.

That said, not one team has shown any interest in the former 1st round pick. Leftwich played extremely well when he had to last season in Pittsburgh.

Selfishly speaking, I hope that Leftwich's bad fortune becomes the Steelers gain and they can lock him up with a long-term contract to be Ben Roethlisberger's backup.

We know that Ben takes a lot of hits with is style of play. Couple his style of play with a completely re-signed offensive line that has difficulty blocking and we have an immediate need for a capable backup QB. Leftwich is that guy and I would love to see a 3 yr, 4-5 million dollar deal to keep him in Pittsburgh.

Steelers 2009 Opponents

Based on the results from last season, the Steelers 2009 schedule does not look terribly difficult. However, teams can change so much from year to year (except in Cincinnati and Cleveland) and it can be difficult to gauge the level of difficulty the schedule will present.

Home: Ravens, Browns, Bengals, Raiders, Chargers, Packers, Vikings, and Titans

Away: Ravens, Browns, Bengals, Broncos, Chiefs, Bears, Lions, and Dolphins

It's comforting to look at the 09' schedule and not see teams like the Colts, Patriots, Eagles, and Cowboys. (I much prefer Bears, Lions, and Raiders)

Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith, and Will Bleakley still missing...

It was a bittersweet day for Nick Schuyler and his family as he was rescued this afternoon after spending several days stranded in the ocean. The picture to the left is footage of the Coast Guard rescuing Schuyler, who is sitting on the bottom of the capsized boat.

At this time, it would be an absolute miracle if any of the other guys are found alive. Schuyler said the accident happened some time Saturday afternoon. Based on that thought, they would have been floating around for 50 or more hours as of now (11:30 Est.) I'm sure everybody's thoughts and prayers are with these men and their friends, families, and teammates.

Hmmm... I wonder who's in first place in the National League???

If you guessed the Pittsburgh Pirates, you are correct! The Pirates beat the Reds today and improved their record to 5-1 and are currently sporting the best spring training record in the National League.

As you know, I could care less if its spring training or not. The Pirates and 1st place are never in the same sentence together and I just want to take this time to sponge as much of a winning feeling out of it as possible.

It's Official: Nate Washington is a Titan...

Nate Washington signed with the Tennessee Titans this evening. Terms of the deal have not yet been released. It's a bittersweet moment for Steeler fans.

On one hand, it's really difficult to lose a highly productive 3rd receiver. However, the Steelers drafted Limas Sweed in the 2nd round a year ago and are expecting him to take over Washington's role and hopefully mold into a #1 or #2 receiver. You cannot help but to be happy for Washington as he has been a class act and a hard worker during his time in Pittsburgh.

The Titans are in need of a young, fast playmaking WR...and Nate Washington may be just that.

Cooper not found???

A Tampa news station has withdrawn their report that Marquis Cooper has been found. There are not any details yet, but the U.S. Coast Guard is currently debriefing Nick Schulyer at the Tampa Bay General Hospital.

1 boater found alive...and possibly Cooper?

Nick Schulyer, 1 of the 4 boaters aboard the 21 foot fishing vessel that went missing off the coast of Clearwater, FL. has been found alive by the coast guard. The boat was anchored when strong winds capsized the vessel. Schulyer was fishing with another man and two NFL football players: Former Steeler Marquis Cooper and Detroit Lions DE Corey Smith.

Recent reports are stating that a family member of Marquis Cooper said that he was found alive as well. Those reports are yet to be confirmed, but it would certainly be a miracle.

There is no word on the other two men. Schulyer said that they were all wearing life preservers, but he last say his friends at 2:00 AM the evening of the accident.

Schulyer is in serious condition at the Tampa Bay General Hospital, but is expected to be okay.

Hopefully there will be more good news to follow.

Pirates continue spring success

The Pittsburgh Pirates are continuing their spring success by beating the Detroit Tigers yesterday. Nate McLouth aided the victory with a towering 3 run home run.

Pedro Alvarez is continuing to prove that he can hit major league quality pitching as he went 1 for 1 as a pinch hitter. He's hitting .429 after 6 spring games.

Just building momentum as the Pirates prepare to make their run towards greatness...and by greatness, I mean a record over .500.

Pirates played long ball with the Astros

Don't look now, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are currently in a two-way tie for second place in the Grapefruit League. (It's Ok...Go ahead and laugh)

After so many years of losing seasons, I'll take a 3-2 record after 5 games of spring training. In their most recent win over the Astros, four Pirates hit home runs to seal the victory. (Moss, Monroe, Diaz, and Salazar)

Former Steeler Marquis Cooper missing!

The U.S. Coast Guard reported that a 21-foot fishing boat was missing in the Gulf Coast near Clearwater Pass, Florida. The boat was reportedly carrying 4 passengers, including Cooper, Detroit Lion Corey Smith and 2 others. The four men left Clearwater Pass on February 28 at 6:30 a.m. and were expected to return later that night. The Coast Guard began searching for the missing boat shortly after midnight on March 1, 2009. As of 12:42 p.m. local time on March 1, 2009 the boat had not been located. Cooper is allegedly on the boat with Detroit Lions player Corey Smith a man named "Nick Skyler" and a fellow Raiders teammate.

The 27 year old Cooper was drafted in the 3rd round (79th overall) by Tampa Bay. He went on to have 3 stints with th Pittsburgh Steelers and is currently a member of the Oakland Raiders.

Nate Washington visiting the Titans today

As much as I hate to see Nate Washington leave Pittsburgh, I would like to see him have the opportunity to be successful. At times last season, Nate Washington was the Steelers best deep threat. However, at other times, Washington displayed similar catching abilities as CB Ike Taylor. (See Picture Left)

It took a few years for the speedy, yet raw WR out of Tiffin to develop into a quality NFL receiver, but Washington did just that. Unfortunately for Washington, the Steelers drafted Limas Sweed in the 2nd round last year and Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes are still ahead on the depth chart. Couple those factors with the fact that Nate is looking to get paid and you have a free ticket out of Pittsburgh.

Washington is reportedly looking for 7-8 million in guaranteed money and a minimum of a 3 year deal. There are 5 or 6 teams that are seriously interested in his services and the Titans may be looking for a weapon for Kerry Collins....especially after losing WR Brandon Jones to the 49ers.

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.