This post was originally created by PB @ BON, an occasional contributor here at BTSC,  and author of Burnt Orange Nation, one of SBN's flagship college blogs. PB has granted me permission to post his work in its entireity. I neither watch enough TV, nor write as well, so thanks to him for sharing.  However, I do enjoy many of the shows on his list, so though it is not my work, the list does give a glimpse into my tastes.  By the way, the list is in alphabetical order, not ranked in terms of preference.

Finally, In addition to needing a break from the tedium that is the recap of post-Bradshaw QB play in Pittsburgh, I'm hoping this will provide us all some entertainment on this offseason afternoon. As always, jump in and participate. There's many lurkers out there who have never commented. Not everybody has an opinion on the 3-4 vs. the 4-3, but everybody has a preference for their television viewing. - Blitz-

Originally posted at:  Burnt Orange Nation

1. Arrested Development - Shameful truth be told, I resisted this show at first, and not for any good reason: MMHorns and Jimmer were watching it before I was and having the grandest time reciting entire episodes back and forth to one another. God forbid I feel left out, I defiantly decided the show was overrated. "I choose not to join in on your Afternoon Delight. Hmmph."

Yeah that didn't work out. And how could it? The show has everything on my comedy checklist: truly unique characters, outrageous plot lines, and enough hyperbole to make Bill Walton blush. I honestly don't know how anyone could be silly-minded enough to have scripted that show. Just awesome.

"Seven grand— you better believe I love them. I mean, look... look what you’re wearing. You look like crap. I mean, at least this is... What...? Who did this?"

2. Battlestar Gallactica - This is not a show I sought out on my own, but watched only because a good friend was so thoroughly obsessed. Honestly, it's so good that I'd invite even the most skeptical to sit down and give it a shot. Whether you start on the mini-series or "33" (Season 1, Episode 1), immediate addiction is inevitable.

The show literally has large doses of everything: heavy action, deep conspiracies, romance, humor, philosophy (political, metaphysical, ontological - no joke), and on and on.

Also, Number Six. Oh dear God she's irresistibly hot.

I seriously might sell out the universe if she were whispering in my ear.

3. Cheers - I'm not 100% positive, but I'm pretty sure I've seen every episode now. Some are far better than others, but at its best Cheers has always seemed to me the pinnacle of sitcoms. I could write for pages about what I love about Cheers, but in the interest of space, I'll limit myself to three quick thoughts:

1. The sheer simplicity of the show is remarkable. There's just that one little set - two cameras filming  an endless parade of entertainment at a neighborhood bar - guaranteeing the show's strength would have to come from its characters. Nothing cutesy or clever; just an exceptionally simple premise: good TV shows are about people.
2. The rapport between Ted Danson and Shelley Long was truly exceptional. A lot of people hated Shelley Long during and after Cheers, a reaction I always interpreted as proof that her performance as Diane Chambers was one of a kind. Even more amazing than that, though, was the chemistry she and Ted Danson shared. I've never, ever seen on film a couple fight as well as those two did. Incredibly, despite a six-season roller coaster, their on-again, off-again relationship never got old. Only because Long and Danson were that dynamic together.
3. Dr. Frasier Crane. One of the best characters ever invented for TV, and for whom Kelsey Grammar was born to play.
   

4. Columbo - I'll be shocked if this is in anyone else's Top 10, but I'm a total sucker for any and all shows featuring great (and quirky) detectives. Lt. Columbo more than fit that bill, of course, as one of the most unusual lead characters in a most unusual detective show: each began with the viewer witnessing the murder. The treat was waiting to see how Columbo would piece it all together... one question at a time.

5. Friday Night Lights - I cannot tell you how sure I felt that I would hate this show. And after the first episode, I still had my doubts... They didn't last long. I know I'm preaching to the choir at this site, so I won't prattle on about its merits. I'll just add what a godsend that show was to me in cold, dark South Bend. To say that I miss Texas women is an understatement.

Give the casting director two gold stars.

6. NewsRadio - For all its comedic genius, the show was consistently marred by tragedy - big and small. On the small scale, NBC's executives were grossly out of touch with the show's essence, constantly trying to force it to do gimmicky crap to boost ratings (Lisa's on-air wedding, anyone?). And on a much bigger scale, of course, Phil Hartman - the show's best character (among many greats) - was murdered after the fourth season. The show tried to carry on with Jon Levitz stepping in as a replacement, but the spirit was gone and the show folded after Season 5.

Still, for 97 episodes, there wasn't a better comedy on TV, though few seemed to notice. It aired from 1995-99, during the height of the Seinfeld craze, and though it developed a significant devoted following, it never caught on in the mainstream.

7. Six Feet Under - I'm really not one for dramas, but Six Feet Under had no trouble holding my attention through all five incredible seasons. At first there was a certain appeal to the foundation of the story itself - a moderately dysfunctional family in Los Angeles decide to become undertakers when the father passes away unexpectedly.

Engaging though the backstory was, the charm was in the characters. And though the show was very often a sobering drama, it was also rich with dark comedy. Once I'd finished season one, I knew I'd be watching the remaining four.

8. South Park - Do I need to say anything here? I don't, do I?

9. Veronica Mars - This one, on the other hand, may require a little explanation. As I said before, I can't resist a great detective, and Veronica Mars is one of the best ever written for the screen. Before the show was recommended to me, I assumed it was a typical show for teenage girls, but it's far, far more than that. I've never been so surprised to like a show so much. Exceptional dialogue, compelling characters,
and enthralling plot. A++

Hot. Smart. Spunky. Loves mysteries... Marry me?

10. The Wire - If you haven't seen it or don't like it, I don't know what tel tell you... There will be many, many doctoral papers written on this show, no joke.

 

I can't hear you. Your turn.

Onward through the fog that is the so-so QB play Pittsburgh received from their signal-callers after Terry Bradshaw hung up his cleats for the final time. Though many of the names discussed in Part 1, save Mark Malone, and many here in Part 2, were quite obscure, we're eventually making our way towards some of the more infamous and well-recognized QBs in the post-Dynasty Steelers era. Beginning with...

BUBBY BRISTER:

Can you believe that Brister was still in the league as of 2000? Kudos to him for finding a way to earn a paycheck well into his 30s in the National Football League. Anyway, Brister began his career in 1986, having been drafted in the 3rd round . He started two games in place of Malone that year in Weeks 6 and 7, losing both contests to Cincinnati and New England. Perhaps that Patriots game should have been a foretaste of the feast famine to come, as Brister completed just 33% of his passes that day, with 2 picks and 5 sacks to boot.

Brister got his first prolonged opportunity to produce when Malone left town following the 1987 season. In '88, Brister started 13 games. The team went 5-11 that year, and Brister managed to lose a staggering 8 straight starts in the middle part of the season.  He managed to have solid boune-back years in '89 and '90, but nevertheless, it was clear he wasn't a viable long-term solution, and would eventually head east to Philadelphia after losing his starting job to Neil O'Donnell.

Sadly, Brister's legacy lives on on YouTube only through highlights of other teams greatest moments and in fishing videos

Career Statistics in Pittsburgh:

776 of 1477 (52.5%); 10104 yards; 51 TDs; 57 INTs; 69.8 QB Rating

Best Year in Pittsburgh (1990):

Though the Steelers would narrowly miss out on the playoffs in 1990, finishing the year 9-7 and losing their playoff berth via tiebreaker following a Week 17 defeat to the Houston Oilers, who snuck their way in in front of us by merits of that 34-14. Brister's preformance that day symbolized his tenure in Pittsburgh: decent, but not -quite- good enough for this proud franchise.

223 of 387 (57.6%); 2725 yards; 20 TDs; 14 INTs; 81.6 QB Rating

TODD BLACKLEDGE:

Better known for his work on CBS and ESPN's College Football Coverage and for his career at Penn State, Blackledge never really materialized as an NFL QB. When you consider he was taken 7th overall in the 1983 draft, a year that was not too shabby for finding QB talent, he has to be considered in any discussion surrounding the biggest busts in NFL history.

Don't be fooled by the good footwork, posture
and balance in the pocket. Blackledge struggled
as a professional QB after a brilliant collegiate
career at Penn State

Blackledge would play only two years in Pittsburgh ('88 and '89) before calling it a career. He had played the first five years of his career in Kansas City.

Career Statistics in Pittsburgh:

60 of 139 (43.2%); 776 yards; 3 TDs; 6 INTs; 50.5 QB Rating

Best year in Pittsburgh:

1988 and 1989 were equally unimpressive. No need to go there.

STEVE BONO:

Steve Bono played in Pittsburgh? Wow, I always just thought of him as Joe Montana's permanent shadow, be it in San Francisco or Kansas City. Guess not. Turns out Bono played two years in Pittsburgh ('87 and '88). He started Week 3-5 in '87, compiling a 2-1 record, and a respectable 5:2 TD/INT ratio. Again, I hope someone can fill in the gaps here, but for some reason, the coaching staff went back to Mark Malone in Week 6 (returning from injury??), and the team finished the year 5-5 en route to an 8-7 mark. Side question that I don't have time to look up: why were there only 15 games played that year??

Career Statistics in Pittsburgh:

44 of 109 (40.4%); 548 yards; 6 TDs; 4 INTs; 59.7 QB Rating

Best Year in Pittsburgh:

34 of 74 (45.9%); 438 yards; 5 TDs; 2 INTs; 76.3 QB Rating

RICK STROM:

Who the hell is Rick Strom? Well, not a prolific QB, that's for sure. Remember when I wrote about Art Rooney last week and mentioned that he had a propensity to draft local players? Perhaps that's why Strom found his way on to the Steelers squad (he was born in the Steel City) beginning in 1989 following his collegiate career at Georgia Tech. Strom would never start a game in any of his five years in Pittsburgh, throwing just 22 total passes, with 0 TDs and 1 INT.

A fine citizen whose achievements off the field
dwarf his contributions in football

Career Statistics in Pittsburgh:

14 of 21 (63.6%); 162 yards; 0 TDs; 1 INT; 66.9 QB Rating

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Next up - The 1990s of the Bill Cowher Era: Neil O'Donnell, Jim Miller, Mike Tomczakl, Kordell Stewart,  Mike Quinn

Prompted by a comment made yesterday by Black Steel in the comments section of WolfPack's fantastic study: the QBs of Steelers lore since Terry Bradshaw's retirement. I'm going to be relying on the slightly older fans here to help me out with some of the QBs of the '80s. Let's get to it:

CLIFF STOUDT:

Drafted in the 5th round of the 1977 Draft, Stoudt served the first part of his career on the bench behind Bradshaw and Mike Kruczek. He would make his first appearance in 1980, play sparingly in 1981 and 1982, then start 15 of 16 games in 1983. Stoudt guided the Steelers to a 10-6 record in '83, good enough for a playoff berth.  Their season, and Stoudt's career as a QB for the Steelers would end in the 1st round courtesy of the Los Angeles Raiders. The following year, Stoudt played in the USFL for the Birmingham Stallions.

I'm guessing Pittsburgh fans didn't treat Clifford too well in his return to Three Rivers Stadium the following year as a player in the USFL.

Career Statistics in Pittsburgh:

244 of 479 (50.9%); 3217 yards; 14 TDs, 28 INTs; 57.9 QB Rating

Best Season in Pittsburgh:

197 of 381 (51.7%) 2553 yards; 12 TDs, 21 INTs; 60.6 QB Rating

MARK MALONE:

Malone, drafted with the 20th overall pick of the 1st round in the 1980 draft, would play sparingly in his first three years before getting his first significant opportunity to succeed in the 1984 season. He would start 43 games betwen '84-'87, before winding down his very mediocre career in New York and San Diego.

Malone is exactly the type of player that I'd love to hear some of y'all speak up about. I was too young to remember much, if any, of his career, and I imagine following in Bradshaw's footsteps made it difficult for him to please the elevated expectations of Steelers fans not yet a decade removed from the dynastic years of the '70s. Of course, Malone was not singularly responsible for some of the lean years in the mid 1980s, but the reality is the glory and blame for team success typically begins and ends with the play of the QB. In Malone's case, it simply wasn't very good.

Malone's play was never quite as awesome as his mustache

Career Statistics in Pittsburgh:

690 of 1374 (50.2%); 8582 yards;  54 TDs; 68 INTs; 62.4 QB Rating

Best Season in Pittsburgh (1984):

Feel free to offer your opinion, but it appears '84 was Malone's best season as a Steeler based on statistics and on overall team success. The Steelers made the AFC Championship game that year, losing to the Miami Dolphins 45-28.

147 of 272 (54%); 2137 yards; 16 TDs; 17 INTs; 73.4 QB Rating

DAVID WOODLEY:

Woodley, Miami's 8th round selection in 1980, would appear in 16 games, starting 13 of them, for Pittsburgh in 1984 and 1985, the final two years he would see the field in the NFL.

Career Statistics:

179 of 339 (52.8%); 2630 yards; 14 TDs; 21 INTs; 66.4 QB Rating

Best Season in Pittsburgh (1984):

Wooldey teamed with Malone to help lead the Steelers to the playoffs this year, starting in all 7 games in which he appeared. He compiled a 3-4 record that year before Malone took over for the remainder of the season.

85 of 156 (54.5%); 1273 yards; 8 TDs; 7 INTs; 79.9 QB Rating

SCOTT CAMPBELL:

I'm not going to waste any valuable time on Campbell. This 7th round draft pick out of Purdue in the 1984 draft only stuck around Pittsburgh for two years. He must have been a place holder or something, because he appeared in all 16 games in 1985, despite having only 96 pass attempts.

**********************

Up Next: Bubby Brister, Todd Blackledge, Steve Bono, Rick Strom

WolfPackSteelersFan continues to impress with his exhaustively thorough research and ideas for interpreting the statistical greatness of players by position in different eras. I think one would be hard pressed to find all this nifty and informative data consolidated in one place on the internet. BehindtheSteelCurtain is blessed to have him in its community. Click through for some oustanding data compiling, objective interpretation, and accessible writing. Enjoy. -Blitz-

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So far I've analyzed the top RBs in NFL History here (Part 1) and here (Part 2), and I've looked at the top WRs in NFL History. So, I have decided to turn my attention to the top QBs in NFL history. 

Continue reading this post »

So, fortunately for the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fanbase, the team is not making the headlines this offseason.  There was the Cedric Wilson incident, the James Harrison lapse in judgment, but there have been no contract clashes between players and the front office, no major arrests like the one Marshawn Lynch might be dealing with soon enough, and no talk of our franchise QB talking about how he was close to retiring after his rookie year.

Thank God for that.

That said, here's what's been going on around the league recently worthy perhaps of some discussion on those slow offseason afternoon

* This happened awhile back, but Terrell Owens received a 4-year, $37 million dollar extension that will keep him in Dallas through the 2011 season. When the contract expires, TO will be an astounding 38 years old. Say what you will about the guy, but the fact of the matter remains that he leads the NFL with 28 TD receptions the past two years.

* Former legendary Raiders QB Ken Stabler was arrested on his third DUI charge this past weekend. The list of folks with DUIs is growing increasingly long, and that's ok in my book (provided they're not so intoxicated that they're endangering others), as the reality is many people will drive after having knocked back a few until they get caught for the first time. But three DUIs! That's problematic stuff, any way you look at it.

 
Somebody help this once proud icon

* On a similar note, Cedric Benson gets busted again. The marraige between Benson and the Windy City should be winding down any day now I'd imagine. Of course, this won't be the last we hear of Benson in the NFL most likely, but it is important to remember that he's coming off a serious offseason rehabiliation stint involving legs and screws. That's not a good combo.

Update: That didn't take long. Benson gets cut by the Bears.

* This may be a reach by me, but these are the types of things that I can see potentially derailing a promising Browns season. Of course, there's nothing wrong with a veteran missing OTAs. Polamalu is doing so. Marvel Smith had to miss time to be with his wife as she delivered their first child. It happens. But, in the wake of Willie McGinest's absence, Jamaal Lewis, Braylan Edwards, and Corey Williams also skipped out, citing 'personal reasons'. We'll just have to wait and see, and for the sake of the Browns' fanbase and the rivalry, I hope the team is competitive and not distracted by egotistical maneuverings, but as I've thought for quite some time, all the ingredients are in place for a total meltdown if the Browns don't get off to the kind of start they are expecting this year.

* This is definitely not hot off the press, but Chad Johnson will be suiting up for the Bengals this coming year.

"Am I coming back? Of course I am," Johnson writes.  "I told my coaches I’m going to California to act, but the truth is I may come back to the Bengals as early as June . . . I may be crazy but I’m not stupid."

Johnson's bluff might have worked in a game of
Indian Poker. Not in the high-stakes game that is the NFL

It's funny how this power-play between owners and players tends to work itself out unequivocally. It's time the media stops paying attention to athletes who make ludicrus demands until an actual precedent is set of somebody walking the walk.

* Michael Strahan decides to hang it up with a Super Bowl ring in his back pocket. There were million$ of rea$on$ to come back for one more go-round, but the move makes plenty of sense.

* Matt Ryan has signed. Now Darren McFadden has inked his rookie deal as well. The sensational RB/KR from Arkansas signed a 6-year deal worth up to $60 million dollars, $26 million of which are guaranteed. Ay caramba. The deal is a 40% increase from the deal signed by last year's #4 pick, Gaines Adams. Who says rookie pay isn't a contentious issue that has to be resolved if the league hopes to remain in tact in the long-term.

If a casual NFL fan read that question, he would probably say, 'Seymour. By a mile. And by the way, who is Aaron Smith?'

Though debatable, I'd say that Seymour is considered the league's top 3-4 defensive end. If not the best, certainly he's on the short list. Aaron Smith would have to be on that short list as well, yet we hear far more from the national media about Seymour than we do about Smith. Seymour, who came into the league in 2001 out of the University of Georgia, has been to 5 Pro Bowls, including five straight from 2002-2006. His streak was snapped in 2007 due to the fact that he appeared in just 9 games. Smith on the other hand, has been to just one Pro Bowl, in 2004, since coming into the league out of Northern Colorado in 1999.

Let's take a look at the two players respective statistics to see if there is as large a disparity in their production as their fame and Pro Bowl apperances might suggest:

Richard Seymour:

Aaron Smith:

Hmm. Survey says? Not much of a difference.  If Seymour has any leg up on Smith, perhaps it's that he's been a tiny bit more consistent accumulating sacks than Smith. While Smith has had three seasons with fewer than three sacks recorded, Seymour has had only one, and that was in 2007 when he missed significant time due to injury.

That said, Smith's best season (2004) rivals Seymour's best season (2003).  Furthermore, Seymour's best tackle season (36), only matches Smith's 3rd best season. Bottom line is Aaron Smith flat out gets it done clogging the 'B' and 'C' gaps in the 3-4 defensive scheme. Does Casey Hampton deserve some of the credit for incentivizing opposing offenses from running away from the 'A' gap? Sure. But Vincent Wilfork, who plays the role of Hampton at nose tackle in New England's defense since 2004, is no slouch.

One final thing. Look at that durability from Smith. 112 straight games from 2002 to 2006, and that streak likely would have continued through 2007 if not for the somewhat freak injury to his bicep against New England this past year. I, like the rest of Steelers Nation, is concerned about our defense if Aaron Smith is not healthy and contributing, but really, there's not all that much reason to believe that he won't be back to form in 2008.

For whatever reason, the Steelers' Aaron Smith toils in relative anonymity despite being one of the league's premiere defensive ends for the 3-4. This was written not to knock on Seymour; he's a great player and probably worth the roughly $7.5 million per year that the Patriots pay him. But for the price (~$3.5 million/year), Smith is probably the best value in the league at his position - certainly for any player not playing on his rookie contract. 

Most would scoff at the suggestion that Aaron Smith is not that far off from being on the fringe of a Hall of Fame career. But for those who do, I invite you to take a look at the career statistics of Dan Hampton, Fred Dean, and other DEs in the Hall. Smith's sack totals will never have him garner serious consideration I'd guess, but for the system he plays in, he's about as good as they come.  And for those who are still laughing, remember that I said that Smith should be considered close to on the fringe, meaning he's not yet even close to being worthy of a serious look from the HOF voters.  Regardless, 1 Pro Bowl for a player of his caliber is laughable. He'll never receive the heaps of praise he deserves from the larger football loving audience. But from me, he will. Now, for the remainder of his career in Pittsburgh, and long after he's hung up his cleats for the last time.

From 1969 through 1974 the Pittsburgh Steelers had the greatest run of drafting success in the history of the National Football League.  Certainly the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers can lay claim to some pretty impressive drafting, and the Chicago Bears take delight in getting Dick Butkus and Gayle Sayers with picks three and four in the first round of the 1965 draft (alas the Butkus pick came via Steelers' coach Trader Buddy Parker).  But in those six years from 1969 through 1974, the Steelers drafted an entire dynasty that included nine Hall of Fame players who today collectively own 36 Super Bowl rings.  That mark is the heavyweight champion of the world.

Steelers' fans young and old remember the names Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Ron Shanklin, Mel Bount, Frank Lewis, Dwight White, Ernie Holmes, Mike Wagner, Steve Furness, Joe Gilliam, Donnie Shell and John Stallworth.  What most people don't know is where any of those players came from.  There are 119 college football programs that make up today's highest level of NCAA play, including a dip down into the ranks of conferences such as the Mid-American Conference and Western Athletic Conference.  This "highest level" even includes schools such as Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette.

Still, despite how watered down the NCAA's top football grouping is, none of those 12 players listed above came from any of those colleges.  This phenomenon, added to all the other great Steelers drafted in those six years, begs the question, how was this remarkable dynasty put together?

Prior to the early 1960s, scouting and drafting were crude practices that were often counterproductive and cost-ineffective.  Scouts from several teams would often find themselves in the same little off-the-beaten-path town learning the same information.  Sure enough, it was the Pittsburgh Steelers who spearheaded the NFL's very first scouting combine.  It was in the early 60s and it was called LESTO, standing for Lions Eagles Steelers Talent Organization.  The Bears jumped on board soon thereafter and the name became BLESTO.  Today's world of televised combines and sophistiacted pro days began in Downtown Pittsburgh under the leadership of Ken Stilley, a former Steelers assistant coach.

Jack Butler, a recently-retired Steelers' cornerback and now a member of the Steelers' Legends Team and 75th Anniversary Team, took over operations in 1963 and held the leadership post for 44 years, until his retirement in 2007.  BLESTO still operates today for at least seven clubs, but it is certainly no longer the only talent evaluation organization of its kind.

Jack Butler, Former Steelers Cornerback, Ran BLESTO for 44 Years

Just as BLESTO was maturing into a viable mechanism, the Steelers broke a watershed color barrier by hiring the first African-American executive to work in any NFL front office.  His name was Bill Nunn and at the time, 1967, he was the editor of the Pittsburgh Courier, a very popular and influential Black newspaper at a time when such media was in its heyday.

Nunn covered and wrote about Black college football all stars and was hot-wired into most of the coaches at historically Black colleges in the South.  Nunn was the perfect tonic at the perfect time for a starving franchise that had never won a championship.  He knew the ins and outs of the Black South better than anyone, and his relationships with all the coaches would soon pay ripe dividends.

Bill Nunn Photo from Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Art Rooney Jr., Dan's brother, deserves the lion's share of credit for stepping up the Steelers' scouting department by teaching and coordinating the talents of Bill Nunn and Rooney's other top scout, former player Dick Haley.  Today Art Rooney Jr. is the forgotten Rooney, but his skillful work in pulling together all the Steeler scouting efforts cannot be overstated.  By 1969, Nunn was on board full time and looked at his newspaper business in the rear-view mirror.

Art Rooney Jr. Visits the Hall of Fame

So at the beginning of 1969, while three rivers were converging upon Point Park in Downtown Steeltown, another convergence of sorts was taking place in the front offices of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The maturation of BLESTO, Bill Nunn, Art Rooney Jr. and a freshly-hired coach by the name of Charles Henry Noll all came together to form the team behind the team.  This new group couldn't care less about the color of a player's skin nor the size of his college and ended up profiting against those who did.

It started with Joe Greene, Jon Kolb and L.C. Greenwood in 1969 and a year later Terry Bradshaw, Ron Shanklin and Mel Blount were drafted.  Of those first six, perhaps only Kolb played at a college that you've ever seen on television (Oklahoma State).  In 1971 the Steelers really armed themselves for the future by drafting Frank Lewis, Jack Ham, Gerry Mullins, Dwight White, Larry Brown, Ernie Holmes and Mike Wagner.  My goodness.  The next two years welcomed the likes of Franco Harris, Steve Furness, J.T Thomas and Loren Toews.

And finally in 1974, the end of that six-year rainbow, the greatest single-year draft in the history of the NFL took place.  The Steelers landed four Hall of Famers in the first five rounds - pretty good considering they traded their third-round pick.  First Lynn Swann, then Jack Lambert, then John Stallworth and finally Mike Webster.  For good measure, they signed Donnie Shell from free agency and he should be in the Hall.  In case you're wondering, the next best NFL draft, by many teams, landed just two Hall of Famers, half of the Steelers four.

Stallworth hailed from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in the back yard of one of the nation's finest college football programs.  Fortunately for the Steelers, Stallworth's skin was the wrong color for Paul Bear Bryant so, like many other Steelers of the day, he played in relative obscurity at Alabama A&M.  Just one year after Stallworth enrolled at A&M, Bear Bryant recruited and signed Alabama's first Black football player.  As fate would have it, that player was John Mitchell, who in 2008 will begin his 15th season as Steelers defensive line coach.

Stallworth may have been hidden from the masses, but not from Bill Nunn.  I say "fortunately for the Steelers," because Bill Nunn ended up knowing what everybody else would have known had Stallworth played at Alabama.  Alabama A&M hosted a pro day for Stallworth and invited scouts to check out the goods.  Nunn, of course, was present.  Stallworth was timed on a rain-soaked field and as a result the stopwatch did him no favors.  Nunn was not convinced, so while the other scouts departed Alabama, he faked an illness so he could stay another day without suspicion.  He timed Stallworth again, this time on dry land, and the results were markedly improved. 

Using his relationship with the college, Nunn immediately secured all the highlight tapes of Stallworth from Alabama A&M.  In those days producing a highlight tape was a dubious task that required cutting and splicing.  It wasn't unusual for a small college to have only one original with the idea of passing it around to all interested parties.

The Steelers ended up returning all of Stallworth's highlight tapes, as promised, but took their good old time.  The tapes that showed a decent Stallworth were returned immediately, while the tapes that showed a Hall of Fame Stallworth were conveniently viewed only in Pittsburgh until after the draft.  Nobody was screaming for the footage anyway, since nobody else bothered to scout him properly in the first place.  Because of all this and the fact that the Senior Bowl coaches actually had Stallworth playing defensive back, the Steelers took a calculated risk by waiting for the fourth round to select him.  Everything fell into place.

The Greatest Receiver to Ever Play in Tuscaloosa, But Not at Alabama

They say that good luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.  The Pittsburgh Steelers leading up to their dynasty were on the cutting edge of two NFL milestones.  They "prepared" the NFL's first scouting combine and then provided "opportunity" for the first Black executive to work in the league.  No matter how you do the math, innovation plus color equals Lombardi times four.

The agent for Anthony 'Booger' McFarland said the private workout for his client on Tuesday went well. Though many teams had sent reps to view it, the Steelers were not one of them. When asked if the Steelers were still interested in McFarland's services in 2008, agent Karl Bernard could only say 'I don't know'.

Allow me to use that tidbit to segway into a few questions for the group about the defensive line. But before I do so, let me first say that I have been bombarded by Seahawks fans here in Seattle about my affinity for the Steelers. Last night, at an event for digital media folks here in Seattle, I was introduced to a number of big-wigs who asked me what I did. Of course, in addition to the other endeavors I'm involved in, I was eager to mention my website devoted to the Pittsburgh Steelers.  I was forthright and candid about my history with the site and my love for the team, not shying away one iota from it, but it was interesting in several instances, engaging in that conversation with a few local bigshots who clearly cared about the 'Hawks.  I suppose we'll see if their resentment from the Super Bowl carries over into their decision to employ me. I'll keep y'all posted :)

On to the questions...

1) With McFarland seemingly out of the mix for now, who do you see as the most likely candidate to contribute behind the 'Big 3' of Keisel, Hampton and Smith? Eason, Kirschke, Hoke, or one of the UDFA rookie acquisitions?

My take: I won't laugh at you if you make the case for Kirschke, Eason or Hoke, but at this point in all three of their careers, it's pretty clear what you're going to get. From Hoke, solid play, but little pass rush. From Kirschke, meh, nothing special, particularly along the line (he was once extremely valuable as a special teams ace, but not so much anymore); and from Eason - well, he's one heckuva OTA brawler. For the record, I'm less down on Eason as most, but I'm more than willing to realize that he's not good enough to be a viable replacement on a defense as solid as the Steelers'. I'll leave it at that for now and let you guys make a case for the remaining options out there, or for one of those three.

2) We all saw what a difference the New York Giants outstanding defensive line did against the Patriots and throughout the entire 2007 playoffs. Can the Steelers realistically expect to make some noise in the 2008 regular season and (hopefully) playoffs with such a thin defensive line?

My take: I'm personally not at all worried about Big Snack Hampton staying healthy and dominating this coming year. Sure, he may be over 30 years of age, but he's still a force in the middle and next to impossible to run against up the shoot. Keisel has proven himself to be extremely durable. Aaron Smith, of course, is the X factor. If he's healthy and at top-form, we're awfully tough up front. Without him, it's a crapshoot. Regardless of whether or not they're healthy, I don't see any Justin Tuck's on our squad. Translation: I don't see any versatile guys who can both stop the run and find different ways to attack the QB - be it with a bull-rush or sheer speed. This could be a problem. What do you think?

3) Can LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison make up for some of the deficiencies along the line?

My take: I'm not sure. I'd like to hear from you guys how and why some dominant play by our outside backers in the 3-4 can compensate for less than spectacular play by the front 3. Of course, it's perfectly reasonable to think that our front 3 will be great if there's no injuries to them, but in the event that there is, how much of a difference can two outstanding OLBs make in this scheme? We saw what Harrison could do as a disrupter last year, but when opposing offenses realized that Clark Haggans didn't really need to be accounted for, Harrison's production dropped off significantly. With Woodley (presumably) ready to start and produce, might the two of them be enough to offset any deficiencies we have in the trenches?

4) The Pittsburgh Steelers finished 2007 ranked #13 in sacks with 36. Will we have more or fewer in 2008? By how many either way, and who will lead the team in that department? For the record, the top two defenses in terms of sacks were the New York Giants and New England Patriots. Rounding out the top 5 were Dallas, Seattle, and San Diego. Any theme there?

My take: I think we will surpass 2007's total, but perhaps not by much. Let me say real quick that I think LaMarr Woodley is being burdened with ENORMOUS expectations, both here on this site, and by the national media. Woodley is all of a sudden everybody's trendy pick to have 10+ sacks and make the Pro-Bowl. Is he capable? Absolutely. Would it be a disappointment if he had 7 sacks, 75 tackles and played 14-16 games? Not in my mind. Just saying. Don't allow all this hype to skew what we expect of this young man. Anyway, I'd be pleased if we surpassed our 2007 total, but more importantly, I hope the distribution of our sack totals is more evenly spread out than it was last year. I'll have to dig up the numbers again, but if I recall correctly, a disproportionate number of our sacks came early on in the season, while we failed to get after the opposing QB come November and December. That's got to change in 2008. If I had to pick a leader for this coming year I'll go with Harrison. I think Woodley will do his thing, but based on all the hype surrounding Woodley, it wouldn't surprise me if he got more attention from defensive coordinators than Silverback, which could in turn lead to him being lined up in abundant 1-on-1 situations while LaMarr garnered double teams. We'll see. What do you think?

This always tends to happen and as Coach Tomlin says it's probably a 'necessary evil.' As tough as competition is in the NFL, tempers are going to flare up and fights will break out and that was the case yesterday as two separate bouts broke out while the Steelers were at their indoor practice facility. The participants were Willie Colon and Lawrence Timmons in the first showdown and Trai Essex and Arnold Harrison in the second. Neither scuffle amount to much and were over nearly as soon as they started. After practice Coach T talked about the scuffles:

"Practice broke out into a fight," said head coach Mike Tomlin afterwards. "You know, the competition is good, but the level of intensity has to be there if we want to get better.

"You have to understand professional etiquette; that's what we talked about after practice. These kinds of things have to happen as we develop our football team because it gives us a venue to address them, and why we do what it is that we do and how we approach what it is that we do.

"You don't like to see it happen, but it's a necessary evil. I'm glad that it happened, we addressed it and move on."

• In some actual football related news, Larry Foote sat out yesterday with a sore neck and that of course means that Timmons took all the reps the first group. I've always been a Foote fan but I really hope that Timmons can beat him out this preseason.
  
• Jim Wexell has been giving some pretty detailed OTA reports and some of the news encouraging and some it 'head-scratching' to say the least. I keep trying to move past the OL, but I just couldn't help myself when he mentioned that with the return of Marvel Smith yesterday, the starting lineup was Smith, Chris K, Mahan, Stapleton and Colon (Simmons isn't practicing yet). For what it's worth it looks like the starting five is different almost every day, but for what it's worth, when Mahan is there he runs with the first group. I did find one practice that had Essex running at guard though so it looks like they're trying to throw as much as they can against the wall and we'll see what sticks.
  
• There's also random notes of various players who have looked good at one time or another. Dallas Baker is a name that is in every report for either making a great catch or beating William Gay deep. Travis Williams (undrafted corner from East Carolina) is a youngster that Wexell thinks is worth keeping an eye on. He's also excited about Moore's versatility (compares to Kevin Faulk) and says the 10 pounds that Russell put on seem to help him quite a bit. Don't worry though Wexell also mentions how 'studly' Mendenhall looks at everything he's done so far. In addition to Simmons and Foote sitting out Ryan McBean, Deshea Townsend, Traivs Kirschke, Najeh Davenport, Willie Parker and Santonio Holmes were all sidelined with various bumps and bruises. It too early for someone to seriously worry about their job but if I was Davenport I don't think I'd let some minor bump/bruise keep me from the field considering all the praise we're hearing on the younger backs.
• In an earlier practice from last week, Timmons talks about LeBeau's new wrinkle for the dime defense that includes Timmons and Farrior as the inside backers. During that same practice they worked on punt returns with the returners going in this order: Reid, Moore, Holmes, Marion, Bloom, and Travis Williams. Wexell also mentions Tony Hills getting beaten badly by Silverback, although that's a heck of an assignment for the rookie. Anthony Smith is working at strong safety behind Tyrone Carter while Grant Mason is taking the second string reps at free safety behind Clark.

Thoughts about OTA's so far? Anyone run across any other news?

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I ran across a video (that you can watch here) that left me pretty perplexed. The Las Vegas PD was simulating crashes involving multiple vehicles and also accidents involving a pedestrian earlier this week, but for some reason they but a Ben Roethlisberger jersey on the pedestrian. I don't know what was more off setting, the idea that putting a jersey on a crash test dummy or the reporters skating around the mention of it.

So I was bored this morning and was taking a look at the contract status the current roster and one thing kept jumping out at me: there are an awful lot of players who will be free agents. This past off season was a relatively easy one for the front office considering there weren't many free agents and outside of the Max Starks fiasco, there weren't many difficult decisions. February 2009 would be a completely different story though, here's a quick list of the free agents to be:

Wow, in case anyone is counting that list of players has combined to start 295 games and play in over 500 games for the Steelers. Now to be honest some of these guys will be restricted free agents and several of these names are possible cut victims during camp. Willie Colon, Willie Reid, Anthony Smith, Anthony Madison, Grant Mason, Arnold Harrison and Ryan McBean will all be restricted free agents and Carey Davis might be as well but I'm not sure because he's actually been in the league since 2004.

Obviously the biggest losses will come on the offensive line. While one or two of these guys may get new deals in Pittsburgh, they simply can't all be retained. If I'm taking guesses, the most likely would seem to be Chris Kemoeatu, who might get a new deal before the season even starts. After Chris K, I'd have to think either Starks or Marvel, but that'll likely depend on who the front office/coaching staff sees as the future at left tackle. Essex is just a guy so I'd imagine with Hills being added to the mix, this is probably his final season in the Burgh.

Washington, Reid, Davenport, and Batch are probably playing their final season here, if they make it through the season. Reid and Davenport seem to be on the chopping block already. Washington's future took a shot with the drafting of Limas Sweed. Carey Davis will probably get a new deal even if he isn't a RFA, if for no other reason than he'll likely be very cheap.

For the defensive guys, the two big questions are obvious: what to do with McFadden and Farrior? Is Farrior worth a new deal at 33 years old and will he be willing to give a 'hometown discount?' Can McFadden stay healthy long enough to finally prove he's the playmaker that some of us think he is? I honestly don't know the answers to these questions and even though I'd really like to see both of these guys back in 2009 and beyond, it'll likely depend on whether they want to be here or not.

So who do you see as they guys we absolutely have to keep? Is this something we should be concerned about or does this look like a purge of mostly marginal players?