I hesitate to write about this because the topic is so negative, but I think there is sufficient new information and info that has impacted the Steelers that we would be remiss to not at least review it. This article appeared in today's Washington Post. The Tribune-Review also has an article as well

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/14/AR2008051403517.html

In terms of a highlight of an interview that will be aired on HBO tomorrow night, Walsh quotes an unidentified Patriot QB as saying that the information gained from the tapings allowed them to successfully anticipate 75% of the defensive plays that were run against them. On NFL Total Access (NFL Network) they had some of the tapes for review. Marshall Faulk and Rod Woodson confirmed that the information contained would have provided a significant competitive advantage. Arlen Specter in explaining why he would push forward with an investigation anticipated why the Rooneys (and Tomlin) would take such a dismissive attitude; the integrity of the League is at stake. This would be more important than any gain that would be made by outing the Patriots.

Based on the information I've seen so far, this is my reaction. I don't want to hear anything else about how great Bill Belicheck is as a coach, or for that matter how great Tom Brady is as a QB. Knowing what the defense is running 75% of the time, hell, Maryrose's daughter could be a Pro Bowl quarterback. This is on the order of steroid abuse or corked bats in baseball. I have said on earlier occasions that Spygate will not go away, and I think this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Bob Smizik of the PG has written an article claiming that the Penguins may be in position to surpass the Steelers as Pittsburgh's favorite team.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08130/880449-61.stm

I'm not sure what to make of this. I haven't lived in the Burgh for years so I don't know if what he says makes any sense. The accompanying poll has most fans disagreeing, but by a much smaller margin than I would have suspected. I have to also say that Smizik isn't one of my favorites. I remember when he was covering my high school football games. And that was a loooonnng time ago. And I wasn't crazy about his ideas back then either.

Now don't get me wrong. I don't have anything against the Pens. In fact, I watched much of their game last night and am pumped about their playoff prospects. Love the team and have been a big Mario fan. I suspect I'll be big on Crosby as well as the years go on. But to suggest that they will surpass the Steelers in the hearts of Pittsburgh fans (especially while the Steelers continue to field highly competitive teams) smells of sacrilege. What do you all think?

Bumped. RickVa, one of Curtain's fine sagacious patriarcal residents, weighs in on the state of the Steelers organization. After my post about Roethlisberger - that frankly I think was misconstrued a bit - this should be a well received offering for all. Well done, sir. - Blitz-

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I admit to being a shameless optimist when it comes to evaluating the progress of the Steelers at this time of the year. But I am certainly not a pollyanna. I understand the attitudes of many in the Nation. Some are perfectionists, others are Chicken Littles who always see the sky ready to fall. Some fall far short of these extremes, but are worriers that trend toward pessimism. I'm fine with all of that. It shows that many of us care very deeply about the team, and like many parents our focus goes to all of things that could go wrong. However, I want to put forward a couple of arguments that might give us a reason to look forward to the '08 with a certain amount of confidence and even a bit of swagger. The lone disclaimer is if this turns out to be a particularly unlucky year on the injury front, or with motorcycle accidents or with the police blotter all bets are off.

THE ONE THING MOST OVERLOOKED ABOUT THIS TEAM

This is only the beginning of the second year of the Mike Tomlin era. Think about this for a moment, because we as a Nation are not accustomed to change. Add the fact that Cowher retired, meaning the team was not in crisis (beyond having an uncharacteristically bad year). The changes made were relatively minimal; no sweeping personnel moves, much of the staff remained intact, the general team philosophy remained the same (run the ball, stop the run, etc.). So we can be forgiven if we believe that we know most or all of how this team will conduct its business from this point forward. I suggest that last year should be viewed strictly in terms of transition; a feeling out process for coach and players like the first round or two of a boxing match. Like a boxing match it would be a mistake to think that the pace and rhythm of the opening rounds is what to expect in the later rounds. I don't consider myself an expert on Tomlin, but I think that what will distinguish his approach will be greater thoroughness and creativity in preparation (Who predicted our moves in the draft?), highly aggressive ("violent") play on all three sides of the ball (offense, defense, ST), and a general unsympathetic ruthlessness in pursuit of team goals. Tomlin probably will not have the exact team that he wants for another year or two, but don't let that lull you into thinking that this is some sort of throwaway year, as some have seemed to imply. This team will compete, schedule be damned, real or perceived personnel deficiencies be damned. The goal will be a Lombardi Trophy, period. Don't assume that the process that we witnessed last year is the process that will unfold this Summer/Fall. I think there are surprises to come. I think we'll be very pleased with many of them.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Division winners, second ranked QB in the league (Pro Bowl), league leading rusher (Pro Bowl). Otherwise the offensive line is absolutely terrible. My take has always been that the line's difficulties have been the consequence of new schemes plus some disruption of the unit (for example, the retirement of Jeff Hartings). Like most I am not a fan of his replacement Mahan. While I like Colon, he seemed to be overwhelmed by the concept of a speed rush. (Heaven help Ben when we play the Giants). Nonetheless, I see the glass as half full. Some players are in contract years (Smith, Essex, Starks) and must play well if they are to realize top dollar and/or quality options when they enter free agency. The addition of Hartwig, the promotion of Kemo, the promise of players like Hills, Stapleton. I think a quality unit can be cobbled together from these pieces, plus a year's experience with the system. Of course, such a thing should be expected with a new system.  Also, call me a sucker, but I buy the bit about having more weapons improving the line performance. Holding the ball for six seconds can make a lot of lines look bad. Defensive coaches know how to effectively attack defenses. And even if one of the better O-Linemen fell down to Pittsburgh in the draft, it's unlikely any one person could help turn around the disaster that the pessimists have laid out in one season.

THE SCHEDULE

Yes, we have the schedule from Hell. But besides Tomlin's admonition that we have to go through most of these folks to get to the goal anyway, take a deep breath and consider this. The most reliable path to the playoffs is to win the division. And the good news is that everyone in the AFC North has the same hellish schedule. Granted we have the more difficult first place schedule (Patriots and Chargers), but on the other hand, we don't have to play the Steelers twice. The Browns have improved, but given the fact that we have won nine straight I would say that to panic or concede superiority to them is way premature. Now, if during the second game of the season they're dragging our guys out to Lake Erie and drowning them, then maybe there could be some cause for alarm. Generally speaking I would say that we have the best defense, best running attack, best QB in the division. The improvements of the other teams have been insufficient to overcome those and other advantages.

TOP COMPETITORS

The one lesson that should be learned from the last Super Bowl is that there are no invincible teams in the NFL. Let's review some of the current crop of juggernauts and some interesting facts.

Patriots. Best team in the Universe dominates the weakest division in the AFC. Has not won a championship in four years. Spygate will not go away.

Chargers. Best team to have not won a championship in over 40 years! No Lombardi Trophies. Zip. Nada. Only trip to Super Bowl was when they upset the chokin' dog Steelers in '94. The Super Bowl was over halfway through the first quarter. But who knows? This may be the year. The Cubs are playing well too.

Colts. Might not win their division this year. Ousted from the playoffs two of the last three years by losing divisional playoff games at home.

Jaguars. Seem to have our number and scare the hell out of us, but get smacked around by other teams.

Titans. The Houston Oilers by any other name.

Packers. Favre's retired.\

Cowboys (this is a joke. For Terry's benefit) Haven't won a playoff game in a decade. Shows the absolutely amazing things you can accomplish with a crackerjack PR staff. Probably won't win their division.

Giants. I'm predicting one of the ugliest Super Bowl hangovers ever.

In summary, I like where we stand right now. I wouldn't want anybody else's hand but our own. Not just for loyalty's sake, but because we've got a shot if we stay reasonably healthy, take care of business within the division and peak late. What do you think?

If you haven't already, check out the article on Charlie Batch in today's Post Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08096/870760-66.stm

When I'm not thinking straight, if you were to ask me who my favorite Steeler is I would probably robotically respond with name of one of the star contributors to team; FWP, Silverback, Troy. But I was reminded today, that, in fact, my favorite Steeler is Batch.

As a Quarterback. We can argue back and forth as to where Ben ranks as a quarterback in this league. But answer this; is there a better #2 in this league than Batch? Not only will I say no, but I believe the arguement can be made that Batch is equal to or better than up to half of the starters out there. He would certainly be a dramatic improvement in venues such as Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, Buffalo, Kansas City, Atlanta. I can keep going. Anybody here really worried if we had to live without Ben for a game or two? If Peyton Manning went down for a couple of games Colts fans would be praying that those games were against Purdue and Northwestern. If Brady went down it would be the end of civilization as they know it in New England. Probably the worst case scenario for us would be the start of a qb controversy.

Teammate and community member. Has there been a peep about his professionalism, his relationship to his teammates (especially Ben) and his behavior on or off the field? A hometown hero, a community service asset to the franchise, one hell of an insurance policy.

I figured that a tribute would be appropriate at this time. He's likely to be overlooked while he's with us. He'll be missed terribly once he's gone.

I don't know if any of you saw the article in the PG, but the head of offciating for the NFL admitted that there was holding on Garrard's run and that the officials blew the call. Tomlin refused to comment on the issue (class).

It seems that other teams fans are constantly castigating the Steelers because they believe we benefit from bad calls from the refs. Yet in none of those circumstances has the NFL seen fit to acknowledge any error. This is the second time that the league has admitted that Pittsburgh has been victimized by bad officiating. One almost cost us a playoff victory (Troy in Indianapolis), the other definitely was directly responsible for us losing a game.

I'm not too bitter about all this. But if I hear one more fan of another team come on this site to complain about how the refs jobbed them and that's why they lost to Pittsburgh last week, last year, last century I will get bitter, and I'll let them know about it.

Being relatively new to the group I was sorta thinking that besides a bit of a blip around the beginning of free agency and another around the draft that things would slow down considerably on the site. I know this isn't something that the participants of BTSC don't already acknowledge on a regular basis, but I just want to say how impressed I am by quantity and quality of the information and conversation that has been shared, particularly in the last few weeks.

If I don't check in several times a day I feel like I'm probably going to miss something vital. Props to Blitz and cgolden of course for all the effort you two put into the site. But just as important to the regulars; Lifer, DaTruth, SteelerArk, Chicago, Wolfpack, 5020, Maryrose, Dc, themostviolent, Hinesfield, and several others whose screen names slip my mind at the moment (no disrespect intended). Also a lot of new names have shown up recently. And even Wiggins/Scrabble (for the comic relief). I respect and appreciate the level of thought, analysis, and humor that shows through all of your posts. And, it probably goes without saying for many, but I'll say it anyway; when you reside in enemy territory (anywhere but Pittsburgh) it is so nice to find a haven where people with likeminded passions can gather and struggle with the various issues involved with getting back to the Promised Land.

Thanks guys.

Just got the news that Myron Cope passed away this morning.

Sad. He was irreplacable as a broadcaster and personality. And I, for one, will deeply miss him. Steeler Nation will never be the same. For some of us slightly older fans, Cope will be remembered as a better writer than he was a broadcaster or personality. In that sense on a national level he was considered to be the equal of people such as Howard Cosell or George Plimpton. Not that any of that mattered to folks in the Burgh. It stated that the Terrible Towel was and is the best known fan symbol in all of sports. I guess it will stand as an ongoing tribute to Cope and his unique genius.

Datruth mentioned in another thread that we are much closer to getting back on top than, perhaps, many of us realize. Reminds me of one of Chuck Noll's sayings that said, in essence, when things are going well they may not be as good as they seem, and when things go badly it's not that bad. As I thought about it I found I was in violent agreement with Datruth. Whether it's for the same reasons remains to be seen. All I know is that few changes have occurred with personnel in the off season so far (players or coaches), nobody's heard a peep from Tomlin for weeks (he's not vacationing folks), Colbert's blowing smoke from headquarters. Under the radar.

So, the question is; is the glass more than half full and the level rising? Are we treading water? Are we sinking?  Here's what I think.

Our quarterback finished with the second highest rating in the League and was picked for the Pro Bowl. He has a better upside (room for improvement. He's younger than other top qb's for one)than any of the other top qbs out there. Who will be surprised if he isn't significantly better next year?

Our top running back was leading the League in rushing, and was selected for the Pro Bowl before he broke his leg. I should pause to mention that Ben and FWP accomplished this behind an O-line that -according to the sages that inhabit this site- SUCKS!! Under the direction of an offensive coordinator who SUCKS!! On a cesspool of a home field that SUCKS!! Go figure.

Our receiving corps is quite good, probably underrated. Hines is the best receiver, statistically speaking, in the history of the franchise. Better than Swann, Stallworth, Lipps, Thigpen, etc. He's a Super Bowl MVP. He knocked at least two defensive backs out of games (concussions) with his blocking. Santonio I believe led the League in yards per catch. Does anyone doubt if he can stay healthy he'll be Pro Bowl caliber? With a little patience Nate and even Andre could be very, very good. Room for improvement? Absolutely. But if Cedric is the worse we got (remember that catch on Champ Bailey) than we're in pretty good shape. Some teams don't have receivers as good as Cedric. And some height wouldn't hurt either. (Come home Plax. All is forgiven.)

The situation at tight end may be better than that at wide out. We will probably have to part with a perfectly good blocking tight end because of numbers. These guys are young and should get better.

And (don't let those league rankings fool you) the defense SUCKS!! The coordinator SUCKS (his players love him. Again, Go figure.) Might it be that the loss of three starters, two of Pro Bowl/All Pro caliber (Troy and Aaron) might have contributed? Lost a Pro Bowl linebacker and replaced him with...a Pro Bowl linebacker. Overall the linebackers are getting old. We picked linebackers in the first and second round of last year's draft. The linebackers will be bigger, faster and younger this year if we don't add a thing. Ike returned to form, Deshea played well, though I like him better in a back up role. McFadden and Gay show promise. When healthy we have three excellent safeties (particularly if Smith understands his mistakes and matures). Yes, we need depth at D-line. We miss Kimo more than we let on in run defense.

Our kickers are solid.

Areas of improvement. Just where Tomlin expressed his concern all those months ago; special teams play. We gave up too many big plays and made too few ourselves. We need second tier players who can shore this area up. Or make the first line players do the dirty work. Depth at inside linebacker, running back, defensive line, offensive line. But if that's all we need... I mean, we won our division in spite of the fact that our offensive and defensive lines suck, our offensive and defensive coordinators suck, and our roster is infested with deadbeats, has beens and never weres.

Wonder how we won that Super Bowl. Must have been Chidi.

It has been reported that the Steelers will not change the playing surface on Heinz Field to artificial turf, but will continue to use natural grass, though the type has yet to be determined.

I, for one, am happy that the Rooneys kept faith with the will of their players. Its these relatively small gestures that help solidify team loyalty and swagger. There are problems that remain to be resolved. (Although as an old City League player who didn't know there was such a thing as "grass" I may be a tad unsympathetic to many of the complaints associated with the field)

The Steelers and the Panthers should make every effort to avoid scheduling home games during the high school championship period. And a little coordination to avoid back to back games involving the professional and collegiate team wouldn't hurt either. There is plenty of precidence for this with teams that play at multiple sport venues, for example the Chargers, Raiders and Dolphins that share their facilities with Padres, Athletics and Marlins (and are all natural surfaces). They have to schedule around the baseball teams and the possibilities of baseball playoffs.

What would be ideal would be a off week (teams playing away) following high school playoffs. If repair or replacement of some or all of the turf is necessary then do it then.

As for the complaints of the other teams? Screw them! The Steelers aren't in business to provide for their comfort. What's next? Tell the Browns to drain Lake Erie so there won't be so much snow and wind in December? Put a dome on Giants Stadium to confound the wind? If I were Coach Whiz I would NEVER close that dome in Arizona. And I would schedule every home game for high noon in August. And every opponent would have to wear black, long sleeves, no mesh. It's not about the opponents, the networks or the fans. It's about the players. Now, if Ben said he'd prefer a fast surface to maximize the offense, I'd be all for paving the field in black asphalt with gold lines and numbers. Take that Boise State.

Bumped. Nicely written thoughts on the Patriots situation moving forward by RickVa. Contributions like this should remain a fun part of BTSC this offseason. Keep 'em coming! While I'm at it, I agree with his assesment. It's hard to imagine the Patriots going anywhere but down from here. Though I still don't advise betting against Tom Brady at age 30.

-Blitz-

As the dust settles from SB XLII we may be witnessing the beginning of one of the most rapid and radical turnarounds of the fortunes of a franchise. The Patriots may well be going from being on the brink of the greatest accomplishments in professional football, maybe team sports, to significant decline in the relative blink of an eye.

By establishing an outlandish expectation of perfection and dominance over the rest of the league, the Patriots have not only created the conditions where this season will likely be viewed by friend and foe allke as a complete, unqualified failure, but next season will probably be viewed that way as well. Unless...they can repeat the performance of this year, and then finish by winning the championship. But the liklihood of doing so has been dramatically altered by the circumstances of their fall this year.

First of all, regardless of how it is resolved, the specter of cheating will dog this franchise as long as Belichek remains the coach. Losing the Super Bowl may have been the best thing to happen to the Pats in this regard. But a certain amount of pressure to get to the bottom of this issue will continue for two reasons. In spite of his obvious level of competence between the lines, the head coach remains at best an unsympathetic figure who doesn't fail to arouse the animosity of even casual fans of the  game. Second, Commissioner Goodell is being exposed as one who operates on a double standard. Treating the field hands (players) harshly, while letting the higher ups slide. Example; as more information is known about the Michael Vick case, it is becoming clear that Vick's role in the dog fighting ring may have been much less central than initially believed. Yet Commissioner Goodell chose to pile on, presumably for the good of the game and allow Vick to crucified as a PETA poster boy for animal abuse. Yet his behavior in Spygate was more, how shall we say, forgiving. Establishing yourself as a tough guy by kicking the Pac Man Jones in the teeth while giving the Belicheks a relative slap on the wrist will not fly, particularly if Congress gets involved. However you view it the Pats may find themselves under a similar cloud that afflicked the Falcons this past year.

While they have a more than competent front office and plenty of tools that they can utilize to make some improvements, there are some issues that may be harder to solve with a high draft choice and a handful of free agent signings. For one their defense is not simply aging, its old, and getting older as we speak. They can remain reasonably effective, but they are beginning to remind me of George Allen's Redskins of the 70s, a team that succeeds with guile and treachery as opposed to skill. But even more importantly, the Giants have essentially stripped the Pats of their mystique. The formula for beating New England? Hit them in the mouth, keep hitting them in the mouth, and then hit them in the mouth some more. They can expect that from every team they play from here on out. And while most teams may lack the talent or consistency to generate wins, they will help soften them up for teams that do.

Finally, there is the whole problem of having raised expectations impossibly high. Every game will be the Super Bowl for the Pats because as soon as they lose one, their season will be a relative failure again. They may win the world championship, and be viewed as a dynasty on par with the 60s Packers, 70s Steelers, 80s 49ers and 90s Cowboys, but the best ever talk is over if they lose so much as one game. That's pressure.

So what can we expect? They'll most likely win their division, though not as handily as the pundits think. Expect the Dolphins to get better quick, and the Jets and Bills to not be as bad as they were last year. Win or lose expect the Steelers, Colts and Chargers to punch them in the mouth, and either they or the Jags or Browns to take them out in the playoffs. Expect next year to be the last year that they compete effectively for a championship without major restructuring of the team.