Just a few items from me real quick as I drive back from to Seattle to begin the new year in earnest. First off, too bad we don't have at least one Steelers playoff game to get excited about this year. I absolutely love the week leading up to the Wild Card round, and in those special years when the black and gold has a first round bye, the two weeks leading up to their playoff game. Even in those years when it doesn't look like the team has much of a puncher's chance at winning it all, it's hard to feel anything but sheer excitement and optimism about what could happen. Those days and weeks are why we continue to be supportive, loyal fans. It's fun. We don't get that this year. That's okay. It wouldn't be quite the same experience if we got to enjoy it each and every year.
That doesn't mean things shut down around here though. Far from it in fact. The NFL season is now 12 months long. There is no offseason in the NFL news and information cycle anymore, partly because of the emergence of blogs and the particular platform they provide for producing and consuming unique and conversation starting content. For those of you who stumbled upon the site sometime during the late summer or during the season, and have no idea how the site carries on year round, my intention is that you'll quickly notice that the offseason is when the site truly serves its purpose and fills its niche. The offseason is when we most crave news and opinions about the Steelers.
There should be plenty to talk about and discuss with regards to the Steelers in the forthcoming months leading up to free agency and the 2010 NFL Draft. Will there be coaching change(s) in the immediate future? Will the Steelers be players in free agency? To what degree? Will Casey Hampton or perhaps someone else be slapped with the franchise or transition tag? We could go on.
I feel like I underperformed with my blogging this season, much like the Steelers. There's a number of reasons why that was the case. As I was driving all day though, I realized something - much like the Steelers, I probably lacked the same hunger, sense of urgency and will to overperform this year compared to last. Anyway, stay tuned. I hope to get back on track this offseason starting a bit later this week.
Back home tomorrow night. 'Till then, be well and enjoy what I presume is the first week back at work or school for most of y'all.