Random Thoughts from a Black-and-Gold Mind: Voldemort, Klinger and Blazing Hip-Hop Stars edition

With another crazy Pittsburgh Steeler “Week That Was” in the books, my black-and-gold mind is humming like a dirty diaper in a Cuban safety deposit box. As always, I feel compelled to pass the ravings on to you. But first, I must offer up apologies for any offense that was taken after my last submission. So a clog-closet full of clean slates to be willfully wiped goes out to and for the following...

• Teasing the fans with the possibility of a Styx biopic called “Renegade”.
• Bringing up Erika Alexander’s Cousin Pam from “The Cosby Show”...yet again.
• Labeling the fallen star of said show above as a roofie distributor.
• Fredo
• Fibbing about writing a screenplay about Artie Burns.
• 1912 boat passengers
• Harvey Clayton

Now That I apologized, I urge KFC to do so for that “Dirty Dancing” parody with Colonel Sanders and Mrs. Buttersworth while trying to peddle chicken and waffles. I’m just glad they didn’t recreate the love scene from that movie. That would have been as nauseating as maple syrup and chicken. But then again...hmmmmmmm?

And now for the latest edition of Random Thoughts from a Black-and-Gold Mind.

• I hear a lot of fans, even Ben Roethlisberger, talking about the need to talk about Le’Veon Bell again being never. However, that is far from the case. An upset loss, the New England game, the playoffs, a missed Super Bowl or a James Conner injury and everyone will be like Snoop Dogg. But instead of having “Gin and Juice” on the tongue, It will be comparisons of Jim and Juice.
• The transition tag still lingers, as well. If that is placed by the Steelers on No. 26, this whole fiasco could be resurrected in February of 2019. So just when you and Ben thought you were done with Le’Veon, he could still remain in drama with the Steelers.
• The above scenario reminds me of Roseanne Barr. Just when you thought you’ve seen the end of her tv family last year when “Roseanne” got cancelled, the franchise was ultimately revived in the form of “The Conners”. How ironic is that?

• Speaking of James, his durability concerns me. If the powerful back gets injured, Jaylen Samuels and Stevan Ridley don’t exactly instill fear in defenses. It’s kind of like Coy and Vance Duke driving the General Lee after their cousins (Bo and Luke) disappeared in 1982 on “The Dukes of Hazard”. If I were Kevin Colbert, I’d kick the tires on C.J. Anderson and even call on the football shape of Demarco Murray. The last one is definitely a long shot though.
• No that the Bell saga is over for the season, maybe tv can get back to important stuff like State Farm officially disclosing who really burnt down Cheryl’s she-shed. My guess is her husband Victor did it...or maybe even the ghost of “Left-Eye” Lopes. Andre Rison never saw that mansion arson coming.
• One last thing about Bell. I have heard some disapproval of the raiding of the AWOL RB’s locker. People are so righteous behind a keyboard. This stuff was hardly anything Bell left behind. Shoe and equipment companies send free merchandise to the players. He cleaned that locker out in January. Dimebags, watches and Iphones were long gone. But the display was put on mostly for fun/one last message. The organization has boxed up the belongings and will ship them to Bell.
• It’s taken awhile, but like Jamie Farr’s portrayal of Klinger on M*A*S*H...Jesse James is finally getting noticed for elevating a supporting role into one of respect. No. 81 is very much a valuable part of the cast.

• Speaking of respect, Mike Tomlin is enjoying one of his finest seasons at the helm of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both inside the locker room and on the football field, he has held this team together in a way most couldn’t.
• Ryan Switzer loves being a Steeler and it shows. Colbert really found a great puzzle piece here. This deal makes previous trades for J.J. Wilcox, Josh Scobee and Justin Gilbert look like...well ahhhh...trades for J.J. Wilcox, Josh Scobee and Justin Gilbert.

Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images

• To appease the fan base that unrealistically thinks there should be no mention of Bell at all, from this point forward I pledge to attempt to go the way of J.K. Rowling characters and label Bell as they do Voldemort....“He Who Shall Not Be Named”. Not that I’m bowing to the masses, but more for the fact that the storyline is complete for the year and mostly for the reference to Harry Potter.

And finally...

• I wonder what J.J. Wilcox, Josh Scobee and Justin Gilbert are doing these days.

Untill next time, I urge you to ponder the significance of the poignant lyrics of Lionel Richie and the Commodores’ 1979 smash “Sail On”.

Sail on, down the line

About half a mile or so

And I don’t really wanna know ah

Where you’re going

Maybe once or twice you see

Time after time I tried

Hold on to what we got

But now you’re going

And I don’t mind about the things you’re gonna say Lord

I gave all my money and my time

I know it’s a shame

But I’m giving you back your name

Take that for what it’s worth, Don’t Stop Shalievin’ and Go Steelers.