Steelers Notes: Anthony Smith Showboats, Stapleton Impresses, and Some Kid You've Never Heard of from Wake Forest Makes the Most of His Chance

by Blitzburgh on May 28, 2008 3:50 PM EDT

Once again, a few notes from Dale Lolley's fantastic blog.

* I wish Marvel Smith the very best with the birth of his child. He's been absent from OTAs, spending time with his wife as they prepare for the birth of their child. With him out, Starks has played at LT, with Willie Colon at RT. It's quite possible that Smith could miss time in '08 (even though he's been quite durable for most of his career), so I suppose it never hurts to see this particular combination. But really, I'd like to see Smith back at LT, Starks at RT, which would force the coaching staff to make the correct assesment of who fits best where with the remaining three spots in between.

* Chris Kemoeatu was back doing work at LG, with Sean Mahan getting reps at C. Kendall Simmons, who was present but not participating, watched Darnell Stapelton fill his role at RG. Simmons might want to hustle back and be ready to go when he does, because Lolley is reporting that the coaching staff is quite high on Stapleton:

The coaching staff seems to really like Stapleton and the fact they feel comfortable enough to line the youngster up at guard as well as his regular center position speaks volumes about that.

* Add rookie WR Kevin Marion from Wake Forest to the mix of those battling it out for one of the final WR spots? Perhaps a bit premature to say so, but Lolley says he was fantastic:

Wide receiver Kevin Marion was only signed by the Steelers after Dorian Bryant failed his physical with the team, but the little man from Wake Forest doesn’t look bad out there.

The 5-10, 168-pound speedster catches everything thrown his way and hasn’t looked like a guy who is technically the last player on the roster.

Just goes to show you that all some guys need is a chance.

* And finally, Mr. Smith. Here's the series of events: Charlie Batch throws a sideline pass during a 2-minute drill. Smith jumps the route, and picks it off. Not content with merely handing the ball back to the offense though, Smith was proud of himself:

Smith, of course, couldn’t just pick the pass off, he ran about 10 yards with the ball and then fired it at the fence surrounding the field.

Just when you though the kid might be learning a little something, he goes and does something totally stupid like that.

Lolley's explanation for why he thought it was stupid?

Much like Joey Porter doing a foot-stomp in training camp and injuring his knee after beating a fourth-string tackle for a sack, Smith firing a ball as hard as he can after picking off a pass in practice is totally meaningless.

The only thing that can happen is an injury.

The coaching staff knows you picked off the pass Anthony. You don’t need any of the extracurricular stuff.

I can guarantee that Dick LeBeau never did anything like that after any of his more than 60 career meaningful interceptions.

Hmm. Not sure what to say. On the one hand, I guess I agree, especially about the injury part. Remember when Gus Frerotte got hurt slamming his head in celebration? Just don't risk it Mr. Smith.

On the other hand, I wrote just last week that I was interested in seeing some fire and passion this summer. Lolley said as much that the team was listless following the long weekend and that Smith's display was the lone display of emotion. I can't be too upset by that.

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Torn

I don’t know quite what to think. On one hand, I completely agree with Blitz in that the intensity and emotion has to come from somewhere. If Smith senses a lack of both and decides to try and fire everyone up, then so be it. On the other hand, a guy who’s had immature tattooed on his forehead for the past year isn’t exactly the first guy I’d want to jump across that line and try and lead the defense. In the end I guess it’s probably making a mountain out of a mole hill even talking about it but what else do we have.

Does anyone know if Kevin Marion can return kicks? At 5-10, 168-pound he’s got a way to go to be a legit reciever but if he’s a speedster maybe he can make some noise on the return units.

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on May 28, 2008 4:19 PM EDT 0 recs

Kevin Marion

has quite a few KR highlights on You Tube.
IMO the 5th WR spot on the Steelers is like “85” on every play (just ask him)...wide open.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpWSxg0X6OY

When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen

by 5020 on May 28, 2008 4:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

wow that kid looks explosive

I’d love to see him or someone like him back there returning kicks and moore returning punts. Talk about an instant upgrade to the return game.

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on May 28, 2008 4:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

Ah, it's always to sweet to see Tarheels made to look silly :)

This guy may just end up setting us up at KR for years. He’s too small to really make it as a WR, but he could be a great return specialist, if he can bring that to the next level.

I’m surprised I’ve never heard of him, but, I can’t recall hearing his name mentioned against the Wolfpack.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on May 28, 2008 6:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

They need more players like Anthony Smith..

..not less. They are playing football for ** sake, not studying for the priesthood or producing deep philosophical insights to change the world. Smith gets psychoanalyzed for the simplest, most honest, and straightforward things. First for saying his team would win their next game, then for showing a little enthusiasm outside the bland insipid pall that Mike Tomlin’s non personality has cast over the team.

by robert ethan on May 28, 2008 4:38 PM EDT 0 recs

We need more safeties who get burned routinely in coverage?

Interesing defensive philosophy. Give me a guy who plays consistently well but is reserved over a passionate guy who watches deep balls sail over his head.

by Desroko on May 28, 2008 4:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

Well...

...the city has found a place in their hearts for another safety who was a passionate guy (on the field) and watched deep balls sail over his head. I recall that happening to Troy Polamalu a few times. Before that misconstrued and overblown comment by Smith concerning the Pats game, everyone seemed pretty enthusiastic about his future. His prospects haven’t changed because a bunch of bored media skanks grabbed onto some easy filler for their columns 6 months ago.

by robert ethan on May 28, 2008 4:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

yeh

good call, I didn’t mind his talking about believing that his team could and should win. That’s confidence not arrogance. But I want him to get the instinct to worry about pass first run second. That play where he bit hard on a play-fake giving up the long pass made me want to vomit.

by Chicago Steeler on May 28, 2008 4:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

Exactly.

Why do we need two similar safeties on the field? They’re both liabilities in coverage, but everything that Smith does, Polamalu can do better. Except, perhaps, running his mouth, but it’s his performance and not his personality that bothers me.

As a strong safety, I’m very excited by Smith. As a free-safety, especially in the Steelers’ defens, he’s a liability, which is why i’m praying that Lorello or Mundy have sutable coverage skills to slide into that spot behind Clark.

by Desroko on May 28, 2008 5:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

Smith was what he was when the Steelers drafted him in 2006

He has shown up exactly as advertised. A hard hitting playmaker type who sacrifices something in coverage. As a late third round pick he has outperformed expectations to this point, I would say. Smith has started about half the games over the past two seasons, about the same as first round pick Santonio Holmes. If he isn’t the ideal candidate to complement Polamalu in the deep secondary, you can’t really blame him for that.

by robert ethan on May 28, 2008 5:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

...also..

..Smith had more tackles and interceptions last season than Polamalu with one less start.

by robert ethan on May 28, 2008 5:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

I agree with you, RE, sort of, they do need a vocal, emotional leader. They need a guy who will jump in team mates faces when they screw up and get in the opponents head after a big play. But above everything, that player has to be able to back up all of his trash-talking. That’s why I never had a problem with Joey Porter.

I have no problem with Smith thumping his own chest but he has to back up that play on the field.

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on May 28, 2008 4:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

Jury Is Out

on Smith. Whether he will be a starting caliber player or he was a bargain as a 3rd round pick is still debatable. I like Gold don’t have a problem with talking the talk. But you got to walk the walk. Peazy called out Indy and sacked Manning repeatedly. Bottom line; Anthony Smith didn’t. He talked. He got burned by Brady. No sin, lots of DB get burned by Brady. But he didn’t recover. He got burned again. And again. He got benched for Ty Carter.

You’re right though RE. We all liked A Smith before he ran his mouth and didn’t back it up. I have no problem that he showed some emotion in an OTA. I’ll take Blitz’s word about Lolley but I never heard of him so I don’t put much stock in the fact that he had a problem with Smith. I am more impressed with Smith making plays than running his mouth. Like Porter, if he needs to run his mouth to get worked up so he can perform no problem. Just perform.

As for Polamalu, how can anyone compare him and what he has accomplished to Anthony Smith? I don’t care how many tackles 43 had or didn’t have last year. I will take him at S 7 Sundays out of 7 over Anthony Smith. It’s not even close and to compare the two is laughable. I will also say no matter how many games Tone has started he has meant more to the teams success than Anthony Smith. That is also a lame comparison. If you come in here and manipulate numbers to make lame assertions like A Smith is of equal value to Troy or Tone that’s your perogative but 50’s gonna call you on it.

When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen

by 5020 on May 28, 2008 6:29 PM EDT 0 recs

not to mention

teams and QBs facing us specifically game plan for Polamalu. Scouts Inc. on ESPN.com during the season did a rating of players that other teams plan around, and Polamalu was the highest rated safety, because he can do everything on defense. teams stay away from him. i don’t know why you call him a liability in coverage, he isn’t. maybe his rookie season he made some mistakes, but he is very solid now. above average in pass D, amazing at run D. he didn’t play his best this past year for sure, but he was still very good in terms of his impact on the game.

by TheMostViolentTeam on May 28, 2008 6:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

Mountain out of a molehill

Its OTA’s for goodness sake. I understand. It’s late May. We’re in the middle of football wasteland with virtually no end in sight. Late July can’t come quickly enough. Anthony Smith intercepting a pass and throwing it into a fence means…nothing! I’m surprised someone hasn’t piped up and suggested that Batch ought to be cut for throwing the damn thing.

But in the spirit of the current conversation; Smith is fine as long as he’s playing in the right position. Tempermentally and in terms of playing style he’s the wrong complement for Troy. Somebody has to think in terms of last line of defense so that Troy can gamble. Smith may eventually be able to fine tune his game so he can play that role as well, but the jury is still out.

by RickVa on May 28, 2008 6:51 PM EDT 0 recs

And

In terms of thinking that Smith is in the same league talentwise as Troy. Sorry RE, aint drinkin’ that Kool Aid.

by RickVa on May 28, 2008 6:54 PM EDT 0 recs

Obviously Polamalu has more natural talent..

..but Smith made more plays on the field than he did last season. Over his first two years in the league, Smith has started about the same number of games as Polo did, and probably made a similar number of plays.

Everyone seems to be dumping on Smith because he got burned a couple of times by Brady and Moss last season, but those two both set all time TD records for their position. A lot of more experienced, highly drafted, highly paid, deep backs around the league didn’t fare much better against those two, apparently.

by robert ethan on May 28, 2008 7:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

Granted

No arguement on the basic point of his ability, nor with the fact that a lot of folks overreacted to his performance in the NE game last year and want to throw him under the bus. Just saying that at present, he and Troy on the field at the same time is a bad fit, which consigns him to something other than a full time starter until such time that he disciplines his game to complement Troy’s.

by RickVa on May 28, 2008 9:28 PM EDT 0 recs

Nothing to A. Smith, Palomula talk

Guys, A. Smith is a good young football player who needs to take a major step this year. Palomula is one of the best defensive players in the league, period, when he is healthy. He wasn’t healthy at all last year. Palomula is like a fine sports car. When it is running at 100 percent, it is an awesome thing to see. However, it’s not that effective at less than peak performance.

I don’t think the Steelers should try to put a square peg in a round hole by sticking A. Smith at free safety. In fact, I don’t think LeBeau will do that.

Smith wants to come up, attack and play downhill, which he can do from the strong safety position in this defense. He can’t do that as the free safety in this defense, though. I think A. Smith will be the third safety this year and fill in either spot when Clark or Palomula can’t go. However, I expect to see Mundy and Grant Mason getting a lot of time at free safety behind Ryan Clark in training camp as well.

Tyrone Carter will be on the same bus as Dookie and Willie Reid before the end of training camp.

by datruth4life on May 28, 2008 11:01 PM EDT 0 recs

Anthony Smith needs to shut up!

Mr. Smith,
It’s one thing to get excited about a play and show some emotion on the field. It’s great to bring enthusiasm and energy to practice. Unfortunately, the way he does it is in a showboating, offensive, and distracting manner. It doesn’t add to the team, it truthfully alienates him and takes away from the team cohesiveness. Mr. Smith is a self promoter, not a team player. He won’t win a starting job with the Steelers this year, and when his rookie contract is up, we’ll let him walk, and he’ll sign with some team that appreciates his mouth… Bengals, Raiders, etc.
Have fun sitting the bench Mr. Smith. I really hope Ryan Clark is able to stay healthy this year.

Tony - Stillers Fan in Raleigh

by Tshaff on May 29, 2008 8:56 AM EDT 0 recs

Speaking of OTA's

I was looking through the OTA pictures on steelers.com and Kyle Clement, one of the DL’s we were hoping could make the team, looks like a big fat oaf with no chance. He put up good workout numbers, and he may be exceedingly strong, but unless he plays great and loses 30 pounds, he’s not going to make it.

by BadMaafala on May 29, 2008 10:25 AM EDT 0 recs

look for #67 in day 4, pictures 41 & 42

by BadMaafala on May 29, 2008 10:37 AM EDT up 0 recs

He does look massive

Most of the DL can’t seem to pull their practice jersey’s over their bellies though. Maybe the team couldn’t afford jersey’s any bigger than a large.

Anyone notice that FWP was wearing a dark visor? I wonder if he’s gonna stick with that look this season.

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on May 29, 2008 10:51 AM EDT up 0 recs

That's what's known as "a good bubble" in scout speak, Bad...;).

No one who is 6-4 can carry 320 pounds without looking a bit fat. At least in terms of other pro athletes. Most of the Steelers receiving corps is probably taller than Clement and they all weigh at least 100 pounds less. If he can move with that weight, I don’t think anyone will be concerned with the aesthetics. Look at Casey Hampton. Also the weight room freaks with 5% body fat are the ones that break down the quickest. It’s unnatural.

by robert ethan on May 29, 2008 7:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

Let's measure the right thing

I know it irritates some people when a player shoots his mouth off, particularly when they do it as a self promotional tool (Chad Johnson), but I tend to think a guy who plays with the passion of A. Smith is exactly the type of fire that you should have in a violent sport like football. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about playing out of control and missing your assignments but I do think pro-athlete’s sometimes lose the passion that makes them “hate” the guy on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

Joey Porter and Greg Llyod are prime examples. They played with fire and passion and we loved them for it. It wasn’t an act with them and I think they truly loved the gladiator aspect of football. Every once in a while they crossed the line and let their emotions get the better of them, but every great team in Steelers history had guys like them.

I realize that Smith hasn’t earned the Pro-Bowl reputation that Porter and Lloyd did, but if he developes the discipline that it takes to play his position, then I think most fans will embrace his passionate, fiery personality. Having said that, right now it’s all bluster and no production. If he turns it around I guarantee you he will be a fan favorite.

by Steev1705 on May 29, 2008 11:17 AM EDT 0 recs

I think that is a big reason why they drafted Bruce Davis this year

In terms of rankings, Davis was a borderline reach in the fhird round, but I think they realized they missed Joey Porter off the field, if not on the field. The other players they drafted were generally rated higher than where they were picked, but most of them were low key personalities.

Every team needs a media lightning rod type of player to keep that slavering wolf pack away from the more reserved players who are not comfortable in the spotlight.

by robert ethan on May 29, 2008 6:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

i get the impression

That you just LOVE the media RE :)

Thats a good point about teams needing somebody to absorb the spotlight.

by Blitzburgh on May 29, 2008 8:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

The problem with media..

Is that it has grown so big. For every athlete earning a living in sports, there must be 10,000 media people earning their living analyzing them. As a consequence, everything they do or say gets blown out of proportion and twisted out of context, as all those people making their living analyzing the sport compete for attention.

by robert ethan on May 29, 2008 10:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

Of Course

If he was a good player, no one would mind him attitude at all. In fact, it’d be considered a plus. That’s true for everyone I think.

by Cols714 on May 29, 2008 12:50 PM EDT 0 recs

You and Steev are exactly right

If Smith could back up the talk, we’d all love his attitude. He could stand at midfield and yell at the opposing team during warmups and he could spit in someones face as long as he backs up his talk on the field.

I don’t have any problem with a player talking the talk as long as he ca walk the walk, but if he’s all bark and no bite, I have no use for him (sorry to use so many lame puns in one sentence, but I think it got the point across).

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on May 29, 2008 2:23 PM EDT up 0 recs