Random Thoughts From a Black-and-Gold Mind: Training Camp Edition

Yay, Latrobe Days are here! Now that 90-some Steelers are battling it out at Saint Vincent, life is good. Of course, my black-and-gold brain is swirling with two-a-days. So with that, I pass the ravings on to you. But before that happens, I feel I should apologize in pads. So a sideline of sorries goes out to the following for these transgressions.

• The woman that I two-timed at a Meatloaf concert at the Civic Arena in 1994.
• Posting a picture of Meatloaf that looked like Chris Farley without realizing that I referenced Farley twice in the same piece.
• Comparing Chris Hemsworth to Chris Farley.
• The phrase “Ben acting ten”.
• Referencing the show “Roseanne”.
• Not including enough Tom Petty lyrics

And now, here's the most recent edition of Random Thoughts From a Black-and-Gold Mind.

• The Steelers have a dented can of Ragu (they come in cans and not just jars...I checked). Thankfully Ramon Foster’s knee injury should not interfere with the start of the season for the big lineman. That’s a good thing. Kevin Colbert doesn’t want to go shopping for another brand. Nobody wants a “Big Prego” or “Big Bertoli”.

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

• Foster’s injury means more of B.J. Finney, which works. But it still overemphasizes the gravity of the offseason departure of Chris Hubbard and the lack of depth for Mike Munchak’s group.
• Steelers Nation is split over Antonio Brown's talk about courting Dez Bryant, but I think it'll be a non-issue. If you can get him on the cheap, though, I’d give it a shot. But I just don’t think it’s possible. If he does come in, please let him wear No. 10. It could help dumb shoppers like me who own a Martavis jersey.
• A Big Ben with a chip on his shoulder is a good thing. Unless it's a corn chip -- then nothing productive would really come of that. We’ve seen this before when he came back from suspension in 2010 -- last year after the first Jacksonville loss -- and in several other instances. When Roethlisberger wants to silence doubters, he'll do it emphatically. With the Steelers drafting Mason Rudolph and David Carr snubbing Ben from his personal Top-10 QB list, No. 7 has plenty of fire (and fine cuisine) in his belly. Look for Ben to issue rebuttals on gamedays this Autumn. I’m especially anxious for that visit to Oakland in November.
• I don’t believe in curses (with the exception of my first marriage), so I don’t sweat the Madden Cover Jinx. But the media does. One bad game early on for AB and morons with microphones will be inundating No. 84 with questions regarding it.

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY

• With Terrell Edmunds signing his rookie deal at the last minute, it makes me wonder about the process. I thought the rookie salary cap and wage structure was supposed to get new NFLers to camp on time. Just another thing like AfterM*A*S*H*and the McDLT that looks like a great idea but can’t cut the mustard. But I don’t think the McDLT contained any of the yellow goodness.

• Edmunds' first foray with the starting-11 in camp showed equal parts promise and a case of "the rookies." But playing with the first-string early on can only help his progress.
• I was surprised to see that Mike Tomlin only threw the red challenge flag four times last season. He won zero of them. Ironically, I challenged my wife’s rulings ten-times more and, like Coach T, won zero of them.
• If Le’Veon Bell was a tree in 1955 Hill Valley, would he “make like a tree and get out of here” after next season?
• The Steelers have a recent history of signing a player a day before the regular season starts. That could be Chris Boswell this season. I wonder if Kevin Colbert got yelled at by his parents as a kid for waiting until the last minute to do his homework.

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

• Kennywood Park is doing a Steeler Experience featuring the Steel Curtain Roller Coaster. In that spirit, I was thinking of some other Steelers-themed features that the park could feature, like Artie Burns’ Bumper Cars, a Le’Veon Bell Escape Room, Guess Big Ben’s Real Weight, Myron’s Duckie Water Floom, Mr. JuJu’s Wild Bike Ride, 98’s Big Snack Shack and the Jamain Stephens Sideline Pizzatorium.
• The Chargers just lost a rookie TE named Austin Roberts to a torn ACL. Hunter Henry tore his a few months back. With Virgil Green and not much else, here’s an idea -- how about sending them Jesse James or the X-Man (Xavier Grimble) for a pick?
• Ryan Shazier on the field watching over drills is special to see. I’m cool with “Coach Shalieve”.

And finally,

• I wonder what Mitch Lyons is doing these days.

Until next time, since the Steelers are sweating in the hot Pennsylvania sun, remember the lyrics of The Lovin’ Spoonfull’s “Summer in the City”.

Hot town, summer in the city

Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty

Been down, isn’t it a pity

Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead

Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head

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