I've Got Really Awesome Timing...yep...

Whoa, even I can't believe it's been over a week since I've posted anything. If anyone was disappointed, please accept my sincerest apologies. I mean it's not like I was trying to neglect OFTOT (long acronym, I'm aware), but sometimes paying the bills is just kind of important (not to mention feeding oneself). So work called urgently and I answered. Every. Single. Day. From start to finish.

Anyways, hopefully that fire drill is over and I'll be able to focus completely on the task at hand: the upcoming 2007 Steelers regular season.

I've missed a lot over the past week, but now it's prime time. We're just one week away from the "official" (regular season) dawning of a new era in Steeler football. The Mike Tomlin dynasty...or so we all hope. Please check back daily for musings, analysis, random internet crap of interest and anything else I can find that is Steeler-related and noteworthy.

With that, here's a [moderately] brief round up of what I would have written about, had I even had time to breathe over the past 9 or 10 days (how long is it really? I lost count...):

• First and foremost, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed that I wasn't invited to participate in the AOL Fanhouse "Steelers Roundtable" discussion with JJ Cooper (Fanhouse Steeler-expert); Ryan Wilson (Fanhouse and Heels, Sox and Steelers; and Neal Coolong (Die Hard Steel); regarding the Dan Kreider situation. Considering I've been pretty "vocal" on the subject (see here and here...plus you may have noticed the poll), I would think they might oblige to let me weigh in on this timely topic. Oh well, guess I might be considering myself just a bit more credible than I really am. Still, I'll just be over here in the corner crying if you don't mind...


• Brett Keisel needs to shut up and take his fine like a man. I don't really care whether he thought the hit was legal or not. I wasn't exactly proud of what happened to Carson Palmer two years ago, and I certainly wasn't proud of what happened against the 'Skins. Sure that hit wasn't intentional or anything, but still. If you get a fine, deal with it. It was $12,500. If Brett Keisel can't spare $12,500, then there's something wrong with that picture.


• This whole Whisenhunt brain drain thing is getting a little old (or would that be body drain?). This week, Mike Barr (PS - Ken, he's all yours man). Next week, undoubtedly Chukky Okobi and Verron Haynes. Dude, how about scouting some other guys?


• The roster is set, but nowhere to be found are (as mentioned) Chukky Okobi and Verron Haynes, as well as 21 other guys, including 3 of the Steelers 2007 draft picks: Ryan McBean, Cameron Stephenson and Dallas Baker, all of which I was hoping would pan out. Oh well, can't win 'em all. I'll take Timmons, Woodley, Spaeth, Sepulveda and Gay any day of the week. And hey, at least we know who our starting Center will be.


• Since Willie Reid seems to have forgotten the concept of kick returns, the Steelers astutely went out and got [now] ex-Falcons return man, Allen Rossum. Nice to have that insurance for the short term, but let's think longer term - is Allen Rossum the answer to that problem? I don't think so. Someone needs to spend some time with Reid and/or Santonio and make one of those options work. Either that, or we re-address the situation at year's end (again).


• Steelers say they are Super Bowl material. 'Nuff said.


• Looks like we'll be all over Charlie Frye week 1...been there, done that. I'd actually rather him than Derek Anderson...and Cleveland, that's pretty sad.

I could go on and on, but I won't. Point is, of all weeks between February and September to miss, how could I miss the week before the regular season's commencement (technically that's this coming week but you know what I mean)? Let's just hope that was the last extended absence for at least the next five months...and I'm off to the bar to watch the Steelers-Carolina replay. Cheers!