The Stanley Cup Finals are complete and Pittsburgh fans are left with the Pirates. Oy Vey!!! Thank the sports heavens for OTAs to help fill that void. As always, my black and gold mind is a minfield of meandering. As always, you get to engage in the madness.
But first, the statute of limitations hasn't expired on the last time we met. I must offer up remnants of remorse for who and why I offended last time around. So I beg pardon to and for the following transgressions.
- The McDLT
- BTSC readers who have purchased a mail order bride.
- Use of the term "blunt hole"
- After M*A*S*H*
- Horny dudes in 1985 that were duped into buying Playboy or Penthouse to see disturbing, black and white images of a naked and poorly landscaped Madonna.
and
- Telling bad Fat Albert jokes.
Now let's proceed with the random thoughts...
- Business is Booming for Antonio Brown, but his personal life and cell phone are really blowing up. Apparently ending a relationship with an Instragram model, Jena Frumes, didn't go as planned for AB. Frumes was left in fumes, so she tweeted out No. 84's nombre de telefono. The number is now out of service. Hell hath no fury like an Instagram model scorned. I would have loved to see a Facebook Live of him reading all of his texts.
- I love that Ben Roethlisberger was ranked a low #22 on NFL Network's list of the Top 100. Ben will shrug it off publicly, because that's what Ben does when the microphone is in his pie hole. However, he'll use it as motivation and bring it up should postseason glory occur.
- Alejandro Villanueva has not signed his ERFA tender as of yet. But he is still showing up to mini-camp and has signed an injury waiver to be there. His team-first mentality is a breath of fresh air. I only wish it was infectious and spreads.
- I worry about my perceived-immaturity of Le'Veon Bell. He has never really displayed himself as a team-first player. I understand he doesn't have to report until a deal is done or by the 15th of July, but the rap lyrics and tweets about getting paid, even during the playoffs, are disconcerting. I think a holdout is inevitable. But his holding out wouldn't be so bad if it mirrors the 2005 Hines Ward contract drama that was rectified and concluded with a Lombardi and a Super Bowl MVP.
- In the December 20, 1984 episode of "the Cosby Show", Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable voiced his displeasure with ties. In that particular episode, he did not like receiving them as gifts. With the NFL recently voting to shorten overtime, we're going to see an increase in ties. I just don't see that as being anything other than counter-productive for the NFL. But if the NFL wants drama, more ties will make for crazier division races.
- Speaking of rule changes, I'm glad to see the rule change loosening up on player celebration. Although I'm not a fan of some of the more "ridiculous" displays and don't think they're absolutely necessary, I realize how hard it is to get in the end zone and players have the right to express themselves. I just don't want to see the team be penalized for an over-the-top dance. So the change will help the Steelers. However, showoffs gotta show and Antonio Brown will test the limits. Don't think that this rule change will keep AB from drawing a flag. Vegas has The over/under at 1.5. Take the over.
- I love the love that Pittsburgh players show each other. Gerrit Cole last year with cheering for the Pens was awesome and Marc Andre Fleury with the Terrible Towel waving and on his mask in the past was really cool. This year...Ben was on the ice, the linemen were painted up and even Chris Boswell was rowdy enough to get kicked out. Whatch gonna do brotha, when Burghamania runs wild on you?
- It's merely OTAs, but this crop of rookies has me pretty excited. The promise of Watt gone wild, good Juju and Sutton on the corner could even get a middle schooler looking forward to September.
- I'm really hoping the third time around will be good for Senquez Golson. The word out of camp is that No. 27 is looking solid. Let's hope that word will be the equivalent to healthy. If it is, the secondary could really be like a car in Philly with the windows rolled down...it's gonna be boosted.
- As soon as Jeremy Maclin came available, I just knew he would end up in Baltimore. And as sure as you can get crabs in Charm City, the Ravens got the veteran receiver. Is he going to be the gamebreaker he once was? Probably not. But Mac adds to the passing attack and could add anxiety attacks to the Steelers secondary.
- After the Pens won the Stanley Cup on Sunday, I realized three things. That championships cost fans a lot of money in memorabilia, I'm glad to spend it on championship swag and that it has been a long time since I had a City of Champions t-shirt. Steelers...do your part.
And Finally...
I wonder what Harry Newsome is doing these days.
Until next time, listen close to the thoughts of the great Bob Seger (currently on his farewell tour) from "Against the Wind"...
Guess I lost my way
There were oh-so-many roads
I was living to run and running to live
Never worried about paying or even how much I owed
Moving eight miles a minute for months at a time
Breaking all of the rules that would bend
I began to find myself searching
Searching for shelter again and again
Against the wind
A little something against the wind
I found myself seeking shelter against the wind
Take that for what it's worth and Go Steelers!