Pittsburgh Steelers

         Ah, summer's end. The kids are getting ready for school, the Pirates are firmly ensconced in last place, and hurricane season is in full effect. Time for some pre-season football!

Continue reading "Preseason: Vick, Stallworth, and ..."

As OTA's and minicamps progress while training camp begin to roll over the horizon, America's favorite sport nears its regular season.  While nobody knows how well teams will do in a season with the randomness of injuries and several other factors, it's always interesting to look ahead at the schedule and prognosticate.  Unlike most people, I'm not going to give just a win or loss for each game, rather I'm going to predict how many times the Steelers would win if they played a team 10 times.  For instance if the Steelers were playing a very crappy team, I would say 9/10 or 10/10.  At the end i will add up the wins and divide by 10, giving us how many wins they will have this season.

Continue reading "Steelers Game By Game Preview of ..."

During the 2008-2009 season, an encouraging pattern appeared.  The Steelers would start the game well, at some point fall behind, and in the 4th quarter, Big Ben would engineer a game winning drive.  This phenomena reared its head during the regular season, but in the biggest game of the year, Super Bowl XLIII.  Why is the leader of such a sub par offense (22nd in the league during the regular season) the engineer of so many come from behind wins? When examined, two major reasons can be found.

Continue reading "Why Ben Roethlisberger Will be the ..."

Coming off a super bowl victory last season, hopes couldn't be higher for the 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers, as they should be.  While the team is returning 20 out of 22 starters from that super bowl run (only losing Larry Foote and Bryant Mcfadden), things begin to look bleak as we look at the possible roster a year from now.  In 2010, the Steelers will have an alarming number of key players that will be free agents if these players do not re-sign.

Continue reading "Trouble Ahead for the Steelers"

      Well the 2009 Draft has come and gone. Although it didn't go the way many expected I think the Steelers still had a good draft. Mizzou DT Ziggy Hood was the Steelers first pick and he will be a solid force up the middle for many years. He more than likely won't start this year but that'll give him time to develop.

Continue reading "Pittsburgh Steelers 2009 NFL Draft Recap"

As football fans across the globe cast their longing eyes in the direction of the April draft, I decided that now might be a good time to reflect on draft classes of the last 10 years. Too often in this business, we rush ahead to the next big event without taking pause to evaluate the past and learn from it. In a way, this study will still be a celebration of the coming 2009 draft as I believe it will shed some light on certain overlooked trends that no one ever stops to consider. I will begin with a class by class showdown of sorts at the quarterback position over the last 10 drafts.  This is part III in the series:

Continue reading "NFL Quarterback Draft Class Showdown: 2004 vs 2003"

n three-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning and Brett Favre and two-time MVP Kurt Warner. 

When the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this season, I threw my hands up and cursed the day the Steelers made Roethlisberger their franchise quarterback.

Continue reading "BIG BEN'S LEGEND GROWS"

 

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!   

Continue reading "Predictions Super Bowl XLIII"

the fact that I would kind of like to see the Arizona Cardinals pull off an upset victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, I think that the Yellow and Black will prevail in this one.  The way I see it, the Cardinals are good enough to score two TDs, but not more than one field goal.  The Steelers, on the other hand, will also get two TD scores against an Arizona defense that really isn't that great (unless they can force turnovers, which the Steelers don't give up), plus kick a few more field goals to pull out the win.

Continue reading "Super Bowl Prediction: Steelers 23, Cardinals 17"

stage is set: The flashy Arizona Cardinals (yes the Arizona Cardinals!) take on the tough and rigid Pittsburgh Steelers defense (ranked first in the National Football League). They say 'Defense Wins Championships' which has proven correct a lot in the past, but I have a little hunch. The best defense or the best team doesn't always win the big game. Just check last year's Super Bowl. The undefeated New England Patriots were upset by the New York Giants. How? By one VERY lucky catch by Giants' receiver David Tyree. The whole Patriots season without a single loss faded without any gold due to a single catch. You can't script that. You also can't script a 8-7 Arizona Cardinals team looking putrid losing 47-7 in the ice and snow in Foxboro and then winning every week after that (including the post season) to get to the grandest stage in the NFL (maybe in all of sports). I've said it before on this blog and I'll probably say it again next season, you just can't predict what will happen in the NFL nowadays from week to week.

Continue reading "Super Bowl XLIII Prediction"

The Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers both jumped over their last hurdles to go to the big dance. But don't ask either coach if they'll be satisfied with just making it. They want to win it! I'll bring you a in-depth 7 part preview of the big game as I'll give my prediction on the game on the 7th and final post. So let's get to it! This is the 'intro' post to the 7 part series.

Continue reading "Setting the Stage: Arizona Cardinals"

 

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Conference Championships"

not for all the New York mistakes.  Prediction: Cardinals 21, Eagles 14

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers: I'm going with the upset pick (Ravens) in this matchup.  Sure, the

Continue reading "The Birds and the "D's""

 

The crystal ball had a dreadful performance this past week, posting a woeful 1-3 record.  This is playoff time, so that is totally unacceptable!  The crystal ball started off 1-0, but then dropped its last three for the weekend!  Anyway, that puts the crystal ball at 3-5 for the post-season, and 36-31-1 overall.  That’s five games over .500 (.537 to be exact).  Hopefully the crystal ball will perform better this coming week, as the pressure mounts in the Championship games!  Let’s take a look back, and review what happened last week.    

Continue reading "Divisional Round Review"

ng defense, pass defense and total defense during the regular season will be all for nothing if the Pittsburgh Steelers do not win the Super Bowl. To a man, the Steelers know that in order for them to be considered the best defense in NFL history, they need to win the Super Bowl.

Continue reading "WINNING SUPER BOWL SHOULD BE ONLY ..."

 

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Divisional Round"

  

           Each week I will answer questions submitted by my loyal readers.  I personally read every single email I receive.  I will pick out the best five or so to use for the weekly post, as I won’t be able to answer all of them.  I will also answer one or two questions on my daily posts as well.  Now it’s time to open the mail!  

Continue reading "Reality Mail Bag - 01/08/09"

Prediction: Ravens 24, Titans 19

San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers: As much as I want to root for the underdog Chargers in this game, I think the Steelers will take care of business quite handily.  The Bolts are hurting (Tomlinson, Gates) on offense against a defense that can shut down teams at their peak.  Prediction: Steelers 31, Chargers 17

Continue reading "Quick Picks For The NFL Divisional Playoffs"

in the last game played at Texas Stadium.

Winners - Dallas Cowboys

3) Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tennessee Titans

With a win in this game, the Pittsburgh Steelers

Continue reading "NFL Week 16 Predictions"

I have to give where credit is due. I have made no secret about my unyielding criticism of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. I have pointed out time and time again, Roethlisberger is not playing "up to snuff" this season and has not earned his $100 million paycheck. I've called him out more than a few occasions and even labeled him "Big Bend" for his propensity to hold onto the ball too long and expose himself to countless sacks.

Continue reading "BIG BEN LEADS NOTORIOUS STEELERS COMEBACK"

 

The crystal ball was brought back down to Earth this past week by going 2-2.  That puts the crystal ball at 25-22-1 for the season.  That’s three games over .500 (.531 to be exact).  The Cowboys and the Jets let the crystal ball down this past week.  The crystal ball assures me it will rebound this coming weekend.  Let’s review and see what happened last week.    

Continue reading "Week 14 Review"

;       This past Sunday, the Cowboys had a 10-point lead against the Pittsburgh Steelers, late in the 4th quarter.  Then disaster struck, as the Cowboys were not able to finish off the Steelers.  All the Cowboys needed were a couple of first downs and the game would be over.  Nope…didn’t happen!  The Cowboys let the Steelers tie the game with about 2 minutes left in regulation.  Then, Romo gave the entire Steeler Nation an early Christmas present by throwing a pick-6…game over! 

Continue reading "Chokers"

Another week is in the books in the National Football League as we head to Week 15. But first let's take a look back at the week that was...Week 14! (my tongue is getting twisted) Several surprising outcomes this past Sunday including a few of the games I picked. I went a disappointing 1-3 in my picks. Very poor performance on my part. I'm finally realizing I'll never have a grip on the NFL. It's the most inconsistent professional sport out there. Any team can lose on any given week. But enough sulking, let's get on to this week's Fallout Report!

Continue reading "NFL Week 14 Fallout"

Ring it up.

Winners - New York Jets

3) Dallas Cowboys @ Pittsburgh Steelers

One of the marquee games on the slate this week. The Dallas Cowboys need to win this game to stay alive in the NFC Playoff picture. It won't be easy though as they'll play the Steelers in cold Pittsburgh without lead RB Marion Barber due to injury. On paper, the Steelers have the advantage in this game, but I'm going to go with the Cowboys in this one. This game is a must for Tony Romo and company. Every game is huge for the Cowboys from here on out and I think they'll have something to say when the season ends.

Continue reading "NFL Week 14 Predictions"

     What I am about to say here may sounds strange, or maybe not, but think about this solution to our BCS predicament.  This could clarify and validate the BCS selections, the National Title Game, provide some great excitement, set a precedent for that kind of excitement, and get the ball rolling toward a college football playoff.    

Continue reading "BCS- The Perfect Way To Fix it and ..."

 

           Each week I will answer questions submitted by my loyal readers.  I personally read every single email I receive.  I will pick out the best five or so to use for the weekly post, as I wont be able to answer all of them.  I will also answer one or two questions on my daily posts as well.  Now it’s time to open the mail!  

Continue reading "Reality Mail Bag - 12/04/08"

ny times.  Well, it’s a week past Turkey Day, and the ‘Boys will face a formidable Pittsburgh Steelers team on the road.  Come Sunday, we will all know…what they are!  

Continue reading "What They Are"

     So here we are. One week before the end of the NCAA Football regular season the BCS has already claimed a victim. As Oklahoma leapfrogged the University of Texas to claim the number 2 spot in the BCS, Longhorn fans have gone looking for a nice padded room.

Continue reading "I told you it was nonsense-the BCS"

Hey there and a Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from me and mine. Just a little list I threw together to celebrate the holiday...I had more time on my hands today than Kerry Collins did against Detroit. And that's saying something. 

Continue reading "Top Ten Reasons Every Steeler Fan ..."

     As we do each week, we are providing fantasy football players with the best information in the most interesting format possible. So, enjoy your viewing of this video that is sure to bring you what you need and remind you of things that you want.

Continue reading "Videos of the Week-Fantasy Sportsgirl ..."

Week 11 was one of the more interesting weeks in the NFL this season. A game ended in a 11-10 score for the first time in NFL history, a game ended in a tie and we also saw 'America's Team' get back on track with their star quarterback at the helm. I'll get to that and more as this week's Fallout report kicks off.......riiiiight now!

Continue reading "NFL Week 11 Fallout"

         As the NFL reaches week 12, fantasy owners are positioning themselves for the playoffs. With only a few weeks before the fantasy playoffs begin, mid-season trades and quality free agent pick-ups could be the boost that your team needs to climb to the top of the mountain. So, as we do each week, we are providing fantasy football players with the best information in the most interesting format possible. So, enjoy your viewing of this video that is sure to bring you what you need and remind you of things that you want.

Continue reading "Watch Fantasy Sportsgirl Video for ..."

It’s been a weird year, especially for sports. The Boston Celtics finally picked themselves up from the bootstraps to win a championship. Neither the Red Sox nor the Yankees amounted to anything more than a bunch of overpaid whiners. They are even tearing down Yankee Stadium.  

Continue reading "All Good Soldiers"

nts Tennessee.

Winners - Jacksonville Jaguars

3) San Diego Chargers @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Did you know the San Diego Chargers are 0-12 all time in the regular season against the Steelers in Pittsburgh? They have defeated the Steel Crew in the post-season, but never the regular season. That was an interesting tidbit I heard on talk radio this past week. Regarding this game, I just don't have a good feeling for picking the Chargers. Their 25th in 2008 in rushing this year and their going against a good Steelers defense. West coast teams tend to have trouble when they travel across country. I know Big Ben is banged up, etc...but I'll go with my gut here and pick the

Continue reading "NFL Week 11 Predictions"

There are two reasons why the Pittsburgh Steelers will suffer yet another disappointing and underachieving season: Ben Roethlisberger and Bruce Arians. Big Ben's stature as one of the NFL's so-called star quarterbacks is diminishing by the week and his once bigger-than-life persona in Pittsbugh and around the league is getting smaller and smaller with each errant pass. Arians' reputation is also taking a major hit with his subpar play-calling and his inability to cure the offense of its ills, factors that should weigh heavily into his future with the team.

Continue reading "BIG BEN IS PLAYING SMALL"

 

           Each week, on Friday, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend games.  I will always prognosticate on the Eagles and Cowboys games and then pick two more games of interest (to me, that is, not necessarily to you).  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Week 10"

All in all an ugly-dominating performance by the Pittsburgh Steelers. On a side note: Redskins QB Jason Campbell threw his first 2 interceptions of the season.


That will

Continue reading "NFL Week 9 Fallout"

 

Heading into Sunday’s game against the Giants the Cowboys find themselves in a must-win game that they have no chance of winning.  The Cowboys are struggling, no doubt because of their many injuries…but that’s too easy of a cop-out.  Let’s take a look at why the ‘Boys are struggling even before the injuries started piling up:  

Continue reading "Why The Cowboys Are Struggling"

We fly on our broomsticks to Week 9 in the NFL. Happy Halloween everyone as another week of predictions are here and I for one am feeling a little...confident this week. Why? Because the crystal ball is no longer with us and debuting this week is none other then the infamous Crypt Keeper. He'll pick one game each week as I take care of the rest. Last week I went 2-2, but rest assure my Crypt Keeper and I plan to do better than 2-2 this week. So get out your candy, put your costume on, howl in the wind and maestro hit ze music!

Continue reading "NFL Week 9 Predictions"

MID-SEASON NFL AWARDS & RECOGNITION

MOST OVER-PUBLICIZED
5. Jeremy Shockey (NO)—When he was acquired in the off-season from the Giants, many lauded the move. On paper, it truly seemed like a “win-win” scenario for both teams. One expert even went so far as to say that the outspoken tight end would have the same type of impact on the Saints as Randy Moss had on the Patriots in 2007 (sorry, Mr. Jaworski). Thus far, having played in 5 of 8 games, Shockey has 200 receiving yards, zero touchdowns, and two lost fumbles. Recently, he lashed out at his new organization for rushing him back on the playing field after he suffered a sports hernia earlier in the season. Even with crucial injuries at skill positions, the 4-4 Saints have had little trouble moving the ball on offense. If Shockey doesn’t score a touchdown shut up soon, he might find out the hard way just how expendable he actually is.

Continue reading "THE ULTIMATE MID-SEASON NFL BREAKDOWN ..."

MID-SEASON NFL ALL-PRO TEAMS

2nd TEAM

QB = Drew Brees (NO): 2563 YDS 15 TD 7 INT 69% CMP 101.6 RTG

RB = Michael Turner (ATL): 655 YDS 6 TD 4.5 YPC, 3 CTH 11 YDS
         Marion Barber (DAL): 611 YDS 5 TD 4.0 YPC, 32 CTH 276 YDS 2 TD

Continue reading "MID-SEASON NFL ALL-PRO TEAMS"

Well, in retrospect, maybe Rashard Mendenhall wasn't the best choice for the Steelers number one pick. After the horrible performance put on by the offensive line against the New York Giants, do you think that head coach Mike Tomlin is second guessing himself? Should they have spent a portion of their picks on shoring up the only glaring weakness on a Super Bowl caliber teeam?

Continue reading "Steelers troubles begin with offensive ..."

And there you have it, folks, the final from Heinz Field: New York 21, Pittsburgh 14.

I've only got a few things to say here.  First off, the Steelers' offense should be ashamed of themselves.  Second, the Steelers' defense are heroes and the offense should buy them all dinner.  Third, Mike Tomlin has a lot of butts to kick, chief among them Ben Roethlisberger's.  The Steelers should have had that game, and they lost because only half the team showed up.

Continue reading "Steelers' Offense Hands Win To Giants"

Pittsburgh Steelers LB, LaMarr Woodley had two sacks and four tackles in last week's 38-10 victory over the Cincinatti Bengals.

Those stats earned him the honor of GMC Sierra NFL Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.  Woodley was garnished with the honor in Week 1 of the regular season, in a game against the Houston Texans.

Continue reading "Woodley named NFL Defensive Player ..."

  

           The Cowboys are sitting at 4-3, having lost three out of their last four games after a 3-0 start.  This is not how Jerry Jones had envisioned this season unfolding.  The Cowboys had 13 Pro-Bowlers last year.  They had 22 of 24 starters returning (Marion Barber replaced Julius Jones and Zach Thomas replaced Akin Ayodele).  Jerry had good reason for optimism.  The Cowboys had a decent draft by selecting Felix Jones and bolstering their cornerback depth. They also acquired Adam Jones on a draft day trade.  The Cowboys were 13-3 last year; a Super Bowl would surely be in their grasp this year? 

Continue reading "Super Bowl Or Bust"

It's halfway through the season and I am finally starting my predictions. I am open to some challenges if anyone is interested.

Oakland @ Baltimore - Baltimore  (Joe Flacco throws for 2 TD's and rushes for 1 more.)

Continue reading "Week 8 Predictions"

w.  The New York Giants (5-1, 1-0)) will invade Heinz field on Sunday looking to hand the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1, 3-0), not only its second loss of the season, but its second loss to an NFC East team.

Continue reading "Super Bowl Preview! NYG @ PIT Sunday 4:15 pm ET"

Sun, Oct 26StadiumTime (ET)TicketsNetworkDIRECTV (HD)SIRIUSWestwood OneOAK @ BAL M&T Bank Stadium1:00 PM TicketsCBS705 (705) 144 (OAK)   119 (BAL)  ARI @ CAR Bank of America Stadium1:00 PM TicketsFOX708 (708) 155 (ARI)   91 (CAR)  ATL @ PHI Lincoln Financial Field1:00 PM TicketsFOX712 (712) 154 (ATL)   127 (PHI)  KC @ NYJ Giants Stadium1:00 PM TicketsCBS707 (707) 107 (KC)   123 (NYJ)  SD @ NO Wembley Stadium1:00 PM TicketsCBS704 (704) 110 (SD)   126 (NO)  STL @ NE Gillette Stadium1:00 PM TicketsFOX711 (711) 90 (STL)   121 (NE)  TB @ DAL Texas Stadium1:00 PM TicketsFOX709 (709) 118 (TB)   122 (DAL)  WAS @ DET Ford Field1:00 PM TicketsFOX710 (710) 152 (WAS)   129 (DET)  BUF @ MIA Dolphin Stadium1:00 PM TicketsCBS706 (706) 130 (BUF)   125 (MIA)  CLE @ JAC Jacksonville Municipal Stadium4:05 PM TicketsCBS714 (714) 125 (CLE)   122 (JAC)  CIN @ HOU Reliant Stadium4:05 PM TicketsCBS713 (713) 119 (CIN)   126 (HOU)  NYG @ PIT Heinz Field4:15 PM TicketsFOX716 (716) 91 (NYG)   127 (PIT)  SEA @ SF Candlestick Park4:15 PM TicketsFOX715 (715) 123 (SEA)   121 (SF)  Mon, Oct 27StadiumTime (ET)TicketsNetworkDIRECTV (HD)SIRIUSWestwood OneIND @ TEN LP Field8:30 PM TicketsESPN206 (73) 126 (IND)   Radio Byes: Bears, Broncos, Packers, Vikings

Continue reading "Fantasy Sportsgirl-New Today and ..."

As reported by KDKA, Santonio Holmes will be facing misdemeanor possession charges after police allegedly found marijuana "blunts" in his car.  Holmes has been deactivated and will not play Sunday against the Giants.

Continue reading "Holmes facing charges; no word on ..."

I guess Troy Polamalu has a pretty good cell phone plan.

Why else would the Pittsburgh Steelers safety be chatting it up with, presumably, his BFF on the sideline during the Steelers’ rout of the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday?

Continue reading "Are you in Troy Polamalu's circle?"

I guess we got the answer to the No. 1 question asked this week.

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers, namely wide receiver Hines Ward and safety Troy Polamalu, change their style of play because of the fines handed down by the NFL?

Continue reading "Hines Ward likes orange and black jawbreakers"

Mewelde Moore hit the end zone twice and Byron Leftwich even got into the act as the Steelers turn the Bengals into creamed kitty, 38-10.  Speaking of hitting, Ryan Fitzpatrick hit the turf seven times thanks to the efforts of LaMarr Woodley, James Harrison, Lawrence Timmons and James Farrior, while for the first time this season Ben Rothlisberger was not sacked at all.

Continue reading "Willie Who?"

Just in time to disappoint Steelers fans worldwide for the Bengals game, Willie Parker stepped in a hole and aggravated his sprained MCL.  Some details at http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/74034 for the curious.

Continue reading "Quick Shot: Hole 1, Willie Parker 0"

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu believes football players wear those helmets and shoulder pads for a reason.

It’s to hit people. To hit people hard. To hit people like they did in the olden days when dudes like Dick Butkus, Jack Lambert and Joe Greene smashed the opposition with sadistic glee.

Continue reading "Polamalu delivers forearm shiver to NFL"

I apologize again to anyone who may have been following along.  Things have been difficult for my family, and even though I've still been following the NFL and especially the Steelers, I haven't been in the mood for blogging.  I took some time to go over posts from the last few weeks, and you've all had some insightful comments.  Hello again, and I hope you have all been well.

Continue reading ""

Week six is nearly in the books, and the Black and Gold look more black and blue. The scheduling gods finally got one right, and Pittsburgh gets its bye week at the best possible time. After going through a meat grinder against Jacksonville and Baltimore, the Steelers needed this week to heal up, with the running back and D-line positions being hardest hit. Willie Parker looks set to return, which will take some of the load off of Big Ben. He’s partnered up with Najeh Davenport, who made his return last week after first round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall was lost for the season.

Continue reading "The State of the (Steeler) Nation: Week 6"

NFC East

Week 6

Hello East Fans,

Well after a week of Hiatus to curse the football gods for my team’s embarrassing losses. I felt a preview of the Best division in Football was the only way to quench the thirst. Every team in the division except for Washington is on the road, let’s start with the leaders of the pack.

Continue reading "The East!"

Steelers 26 Jaguars 21

The Steelers dominated this game more than the score would indicate. It started off with a pick-6 by Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis, who seems to have the Steelers number, having picked 4 against the Steelers in their past few meetings. There was some lack of discipline by the Steelers with 10 Penalties for 129 yards, including a Pass Interference by CB Ike Taylor and several taunting penalties. Great 48 yard catch from Nate Washington, but he was also flagged for taunting the Jaguars' bench. The Defense played great, allowing 213 yards total, with 2 sacks from Lamarr Woodley (photo below) and 1 from James Harrison.

Continue reading "Week 5 - Steelers 26 Jaguars 21"

THE YEAR OF THE RUNNING BACK

    In every NFL draft there is at least one position that is laden with talent. More often than not, this fresh crop of virtuosos wastes very little time in announcing its presence to the rest of the NFL. The hype swells over the course of training camp and preseason, but it all counts for nothing until the promise actually manifests itself on the playing field during the regular season. We’ve seen years (like the class of 2006) that were so diverse they defied designation. We’ve also had years (like the class of 2005) that were a little more singular in positional depth. This year, I believe, we can officially label as “The Year of the Running Back.”

Continue reading "The Year of the Running Back"

       Sean Salisbury offers his fantasy football preview for week 6 of the NFL. Check this out every week at my blog.

Continue reading "Sean Salisbury's Fantasy Preview for Week 6"

          The crystal ball was two up and two down for the week.  Even though that is an improvement, it still doesn’t cut it!  Good thing this is for entertainment purposes only…or I would be in the poor house!  Let’s take a look back and see what happened: 

Continue reading "Week 5 Review"

It was an interesting week in the National Football League. A few surprises, a big meltdown by one team and one bruised and battered team found a way to win a big prime-time game. Let's get right to it--game by game.

Continue reading "NFL Week 5 Fallout"

Chalk it up.

Winners - Dallas Cowboys


3) Pittsburgh Steelers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

A battle of two teams that met twice last season (one in the regular season/one in the post season) with Jaguars taking both in Pittsburgh. I still remember the regular season game last season between these two with the snow falling, what a game. Fast forward to now and you have a Steelers team banged up. Willie Parker is still out and back-up Rashard Mendenhall is done for the season with a fractured shoulder received against the Ravens. Gary Russell and Najeh Davenport were re-signed by the Steel men to pick up the scraps in the running game with Mewelde Moore starting this Sunday against the Jags. These two teams know each other, that's no secret. I have a gut feeling however that the Steelers will come out on top in this one. I have four reasons. (Yes four!) 1) Just like the Ravens, I think the adrenaline will carry over from Monday Night. 2) Good teams find ways to win with injuries. Steelers are a Super Bowl caliber team by many, this will be a good test. 3) The Houston Texans horrible defense were able to stop Taylor/Jones pretty nicely last week. I think the Steelers review what the Texans did and try to copy it. 4) Three out of the last 4 Sunday Night Games the upset has won. That's right. Every Sunday Night game besides the Packers/Cowboys, the upset team has won. And I have a little superstition in me. I'm picking the Steelers in this one.

Continue reading "NFL Week 5 Predictions"

Steelers 23 Ravens 20 (OT)

The Steelers wore their throwback uniforms and extended their 14 game home winning streak on Monday night with a brutal game against the hated Ravens (aka - the Old Browns). The Steelers defense carried the day with 5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery for a TD by LB Lamar Woodley. LB James "Silverback" Harrison had another monster game with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

Continue reading "Week 4 - Steelers 23 Ravens 20 (OT)"

          

           Bill Belichick, Head Coach of the New England Patriots, was accused by Al Davis of “tampering” with Randy Moss prior to their trade a year ago.  The Raiders received a 4th round pick as compensation in the deal.  Davis alleges that the Patriots had a secret workout with Moss prior to the negotiations, which would violate NFL rules.  Bill (here’s a surprise) denies the accusation. 

Continue reading "...Then It's Probably A Duck!"

           This week two head coaches were relieved of their duties…fired!  First, Scott Linehan of the St. Louis Rams, and now, Lane Kiffin of the Oakland Raiders, why?  Jim Haslet replaced Linehan.  What’s the difference, the Rams are horrific!  Kiffin is being replaced with O-line coach, Tom Cable…who?  Yeah, that’s right, I never heard of him either! 

Continue reading "Instant Gratification"

The Crying Game

The Terrell Owens story

Hello NFL fans,

Well here we are, week four of the third year with his last team. This will be his last team, I truly believe that. If I were an owner I would rather get a letter full of anthrax and then imprisoned IN Cuba to spend the rest of my days. The continuous onslaught of reporters and fans condemning my name and wanting my head on a stick would be too much for me to bare.

Continue reading ""

           Once again, my crystal ball failed me.  I don’t understand what happened…I shined it up last week.  I even purchased a stand for it…so now it sits on top of the mantel.  I’ve treated it with the utmost respect.  For who?  For what?  (Yes…that was a shot at Ricky Watters!)  Once again, I was one up and three down last week…not good…awful…embarrassing even!  I have to do something different for next week…maybe I will punish it…have it stand in the corner…or give it a time-out!  Something has to give…and I’m not backing down!  Let’s take a closer look and see what went wrong: 

Continue reading "Week 4 Review"

bsp;        The other day, Rashard Mendenhall (Rookie RB for the Pittsburgh Steelers) sent his buddy, Ray Rice (Rookie RB for the Baltimore Ravens) a text message.  So why is that football news?  Because LB Bart Scott of the Ravens made it so!  Mendenhall’s text was only intended for his buddy Ray.  It claimed how great of a day Rashard was going to have against the vaunted Raven’s Defense.  Ray Rice took it upon himself to let his defense know about the text message…Bart Scoot took offense.

Continue reading "Bulletin Board Material"

              The economic “crisis" is not that complicated. The stock market always wants positive press to continue its trading

Continue reading "Economic Crisis"

Steelers 6 Eagles 15

This was a tough game to watch. In summary, the Eagles defense dominated the Steelers offense, recording 9 sacks and beating the crap out of Ben Roethlisberger. It appeared that the blitzes were not picked up and the running game. The graphic from PD Steel below shows the record sack pace that the Steelers are on. Suffice to say, something needs to be done to protect Big Ben.

Continue reading "Week 3 - Steelers 6 Eagles 15"

This is an ongoing record of the funniest sports' quotes from the major and local sports talk shows like ATH, PTI, Jim Rome, etc.  I missed a few during Hurricane Ike and could use your help. Feel free to contribute some of you own from TV and radio or comment on the ones you see here. Your new quotes will be integrated daily as part of the ongoing record.  To post a quote or make a comment just follow the comment link at the bottom.

Continue reading "Funny Sports Quotes"

Your favorite method of getting your football returns this week . The popular video series can be found at my blog.

Continue reading "Fantasy girl returns"

By now I'm sure we've all heard the unfortunate news: Willie Parker will sit out Monday Night's game against the Ravens.

I'll admit, the first word that came to mind upon hearing this was “disaster.” Aside from falling into the team-wide offensive cataclysm against Philadelphia, Parker's had an amazing year. It goes without saying that he'll be missed against Baltimore's aggressive defense.

Continue reading "The Rise of Rashard Mendenhall?"

Hello, I just want to welcome everyone to my site.  Once I get everything up and running I'll begin posting lots of stuff so check back.  Thanks!

Continue reading "Hello!"

First on a personal note:
I would like to thank all of you for your kind words and concern during the last ten days. Hurricane Ike has certainly had a devastating impact on the region (and the country for that matter), but it is so encouraging to see how much compassion can be found here in America. From me and my family -Thank you.

Continue reading "Fourth Down"

 One game doesn't make a whole season but this one loss has a different feel to it.The Pittsburgh Steelers not only lost a football game Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, but they also lost their identity and their spirit. The physical play that has defined the history of the Steelers under coaches Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher and the one constant Steeler teams usually can hang their hat on was nonexistent.Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio said last year that "you better bring you big boy pads whenever you play the Steelers." Well, these days you don't need too much padding when you play the 2008

Continue reading "STEELERS LOSE MORE THAN A GAME"

I swear, I thought I was watching the Malone-era Steelers today.  Looks like the talking heads were on to something.

I don't blame Roethlisberger.  Far from; everyone else around him was falling apart.  So much for our improved offensive line!  And what is it about mid-range passes that our secondary just can't stop?  Ugh!

Continue reading "If you want respect, that isn't how to get it."

crown to the Browns.  Whether blatant or subtle, there is an ingrained lack of respect for the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout the sports media.  The slightest wobble, and the talking heads pounce, quick to condemn.  But week after week of solid football, and are they as quick to praise?  No.  Teams like the Patriots and Cowboys can do no wrong.  The Eagles come out and look solid in two games and suddenly jump ahead of a team with a better record.  The best Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z can manage for the Steelers in his "power rankings"?  Fourth, because he's making excuses for the Eagles.  Fourth is a damn good place to be, but when you've got receivers who throw the ball away before scoring, and you put up 37 and still lose... no, you're not better at 1-1 than the Steelers are at 2-0.  I can't lie about that twice in one post.  Ordinarily I like Dr. Z a lot, but I think he's got his pants around his ankles here.  Peter King, another guy I usually like, seems to think McNabb has suddenly become Superman.  What the hell, guys?

Continue reading "Harumph."

The remains of Hurricane Ike blew through Ohio on Sunday afternoon, conspiring to knock out the power in most of my county and prevent me from keeping up with the game on NFL.com (whose play-by-play page I find very useful, if a bit boring).  I finally found out what happened on Monday evening, and I'm glad I wasn't watching -- I would have had a heart attack!

Continue reading "The Quadrennial Cross-State... Rivalry? ..."

Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was. The Pittsburgh Steelers own the Browns. No two ways about it, they're simply better. Better coaching, better skill positions, better depth, and even better colors. Yet every year we're fed the media kool-aid about the Cleveland Browns, and how they're going to challenge for the division title, and every year some-one's willing to drink it. "Look at the off-season moves", or "They drafted really well this year" are some of the most common statements made seemingly every year. Yet every year when they face the Steelers, and most importantly, themselves, they fold under the pressure. It's one thing for Cleveland to face Pittsburgh, but it's another thing for Cleveland to face themselves when they face Pittsburgh. Get it?

Continue reading "Little Brother Beat-Down Proves Cleveland ..."

I hate John Madden and Al Michaels.

There, I said it. Had to get that off my chest.  Sometimes TV analysts, whether it is done intentionally or not, tend to favor one team over the other but this is getting ridiculous. I do understand where Madden is coming from since he was on the receiving end of some serious smackdowns from the Steelers over his coaching career, but Al Michaels should be an objective observer. A play-by-play guy should just do his job, which is simply call the game as it unfolds. But Michaels, who has parlayed one memorable line from the 1980 Winter Olympics into an entire career, always has to throw his 4 cents in every borderline play. Seems Madden's distaste for the Black and Gold has filtered through Michaels' veins through osmosis.

Continue reading "MIC CHECK FOR MICHAELS AND MADDEN"

Steelers 10 Browns 6

This Sunday Night game wasn't very exciting, but the Steelers won their 10th straight game against the Browns. This is the longest such streak in the league. The gusty winds and rain from Hurricane Ike made for a low scoring game. (Ike also postponed the Houston/Baltimore game as Houston got slammed hard).

Continue reading "Week 2 - Steelers 10 Browns 6"

I apologize to those few of you who may have been regularly reading my ramblings.  This has been something of a hectic week, and a few days ago, I lost my best friend.  My dear cat Haplo, companion of fourteen years, shuffled off this mortal furball and is now preparing to watch the Steelers stomp the Browns for the tenth time in a row from a much better vantage point.  Miss ya, buddy.  Anyway, that kind of put me off wanting to do much of anything for a couple days, but here I am, back for the attack.

Continue reading "Growing Up Rivals"

   I just wanted to let you know that I may be unable to post for a few days. I live south of Houston, near Galveston, Texas. As hurricane Ike approaches there may be power outages and loss of internet access. If that is the case, I will be unable to write my column. Remember though, there are things much more important than sports. If you need Ike information, you can go to:

Continue reading "Hurricane information"

Houston Texans injury update:

Megan Manfull of the Houston Chronicle has reported these injuries -

               Running back Ahman Green - It wasn't a cramp that limited his play Sunday. He has a sprained ankle.

Continue reading "Injury Update"

Here is the great Jack Buck's poem that was given on September 17, 2001."Since this nation was founded ... under God
More than 200 years ago
We have been the bastion of freedom
The light that keeps the free world aglow

Continue reading "Jack Buck's Poem remembering 9-11"

Throw into that category the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Chicago Bears, and even the Atlanta Falcons - the Falcons?  Meanwhile, the Oakland Raiders, the Detroit Lions, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Houston Texans looked like they forgot that the preseason was over -the Colts - our beloved Texans? Maybe, they just didn’t get the memo.

Continue reading "Believe!"

NFL Week 1 Results
NY Giants 16 Wahington 7
Pittsburgh 38 Houston 17
Atlanta 34 Detroit 21
Tennessee 17 Jacksonville 10
Baltimore 17 Cincinnati 10
Philadelphia 38 St. Louis 3

Continue reading "NFL SCOREBOARD"

  1. Every fantasy football manager in the world is looking really dumb right now for drafting a quarterback in the first round. My number one rule has always been a quarterback is never worth a

Continue reading "10 Reasons My World Is A Better Place ..."

You can get your fantasy football updates here as well as columns, funny sports quotes, injury updates and anything else sports related. If your not already seeing this video just hit the sportspoet link and you will get everything that you need to keep up with your favorite sports teams. Thank you for visiting this site.

Continue reading "Fantasy Football Video by Sportsgirl"

This is an ongoing record of the funniest sports' quotes from the major and local sports talk shows like ATH, PTI, Jim Rome, etc.  Feel free to contribute some of you own from TV and radio or comment on the ones you see here. Your new quotes will be integrated daily as part of the ongoing record.  To post a quote or make a comment just follow the comment link at the bottom.

Continue reading "Funny Sports Quotes-September 10"

Week 1 - Steelers 38 Texans 17 

This was a dominate game by the Steelers in all phases (including halftime shows with country legend Charlie Daniels).

The Steelers got off to a very good start and with the injury to Tom Brady, the loss by the Colts and Chargers, it looks like the Steelers have an opportunity to seize control of the AFC conference.  I saw Peter King on NBC make some positive comments regarding the Steelers dominant defense.   Fast Willie Parker scored 3 TDs and ran for 138 yards. He only had 2 TDs all of last season. 2nd year linebacker from Michigan, Lamar Woodley had a sack and his first INT. James "Silverback" Harrison added 3 sacks and a forced fumble and an INT from Troy Polamalu.  Here's a funny photo of Troy and Hines Ward joking while Big Ben talks to the announcers:

Continue reading "Week 1 - Steelers 38 Texans 17"

 Houston Texans vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers on opening Sunday. Matt Schaub. Andre Johnson. This was going to be good.

      The feelings of excitement that I felt at 11:59am this morning quickly vanished. I don’t know about you, but within an hour, a string of events ruined this Sunday. Most of this was due to the Texans performance against the

Continue reading "Willie bleepin Parker"

In a victory so emphatic that Ben Roethlisberger made way for Byron Leftwich, the Steelers opened their season with a 38-17 trouncing of the Houston Texans.  The Steelers let off the gas in the fourth quarter, moving to backup QB Leftwich and allowing the Texans into the end zone, but it didn't matter.  Nobody could stop the ground game, and the black and gold defense shut down Matt Schaub.

Continue reading "Week One Wrapup: Steelers Romp Over Texans, 38-17"

So here we are.  We've finally made it: game day!  The Steelers take the field against the Houston Texans.  (Anybody else remember the days when Houston was a division rival in the AFC Central?)

Continue reading "Opening Day: Keys to the Game"

Good news for the Steelers' defense: 2007 team MVP James Farrior isn't going anywhere.  Farrior, who had one year left on his contract, had a five-year, $18.25 million contract dropped in his lap in August.  As the defensive captain he'll also be wearing the new on-field helmet radio this season.  With Farrior masterminding Larry Foote, LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison, all I have to say is, "Joey who?"  I hope Mr. Porter is content down there in Miami, because we're doing great without him.

Continue reading "Tuesday Quick-Looks: Farrior, Kemoeatu and Hartwig"

ESPN has ranked the fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers as #1 in the nation, just ahead of the fans in Green Bay.

To me, this is no surprise.  Many times over the years, I've heard fans of other football teams talk about the black-and-gold invasion of their stadiums when the Steelers came to town.  Through the best and worst of times both, Steelers fans have always displayed fanatical loyalty to their team, no matter where the boys were playing.  It's a Steelers tradition, something the unfortunate Pirates can't likewise claim.

Continue reading "ESPN: Steelers fans #1 in league"

Ok.. everybody knows that the Steelers may be at the end or an era if the majority of the team were to be sold to someone other than a Rooney.  Now there is word that the other owners may not let that happen and will try to pressure the Rooneys who are selling to sell to their brother Art II with his son Dan Rooney and not Billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller.

Continue reading "I'm torn..."

I have noticed a disturbing trend on the message boards lately and I do not like it.  Steeler fans acting like Bengal and Browns fans.  It is very sad and to be honest, it is embarrassing. 

Continue reading "The State of the SteelerNation as of August 2008"