Eh, It's Only Preseason...

"We have to get our regular season legs under us pretty quickly and become a better tackling team. Nothing is broken schematically. Guys are where they are supposed to be. We don’t have enough guys making sure tackles.”

- Mike Tomlin

Trent Edwards stat line in Preseason Game 1 against the Redskins? 1 for 5, 18 yards, 0 TDs. Trent Edwards stat line in Preseason Game 2 against our Steelers? 9 for 11, 104 yards, 2 TDs. Beyond that, the Bills gained 159 rushing yards, and Bills 1st rounder, Leodis McKelvin ran a kick back 95 yards for a score, culminating in an overall 24-21 Steelers loss.

Though you may have already heard...

And when I say Steelers loss, I really mean it. Anytime you fall to a team that went 7-9 the year before, your first team Defense allows a second year QB to complete 80+% of his passes (not to mention scamper for 22 yards on 3rd down) and your "Special" teams lets up a 95 yard (!) kick return touchdown, you have effectively shit the bed.

Now, I'd get all up in arms about it. But it's August 18, not September 18. Should this trend continue however, it will certainly get less and less acceptable. Not that it's acceptable now. Preseason or not, if you're like me, you don't want to lose to the Bills. But really, there were plenty of POSITIVE things we can take from the game, including (but not limited to)...

1. Dennis Dixon TOUCHDOWN
I didn't get to see it, because apparently the broadcast was blacked out in the greater NYC area. But I did follow the ESPN and Tobiathan gamecasts feverishly, refreshing just about every 30 seconds. And when I saw "Dixon, TD, 47 yards" I damn near pissed myself. Everyone in the bar - already looking at me funny because I was wearing a huge Casey Hampton jersey when there was no game on - probably thought I was crazy when I got all too excited by my cell phone. Sure, this wasn't the Bills top Defensive unit, but that doesn't really matter to me. A 47 yard TD run? That's awesome. And if you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and fast forward the video below to the 3:50 mark.


2. Silverback ATTACK
As usual, manchild (perhaps more appropriately, apechild) James Harrison was a monster. 4 solo tackles and a sack. Plus, I think he was in on another sack. I mean, in only limited action that's pretty darn good. Looks like he's on pace to have an even bigger season than last year. Not that you or I had any doubt this would be the case.

3. Timmons ON FIRE
Again, not having seen the game, I can only comment from an inferential perspective. But when last year's first rounder, who only got limited playing time as a rookie, has eight total tackles - including five solo and a sack - I'd say that's pretty damn encouraging. Which brings me to my next point, Timmons needs a nickname. Let's exercise the brain trust in the comments.

4. Ladies and gentleman, DALLAS BAKER
In my mind, the battle for fifth wideout is no battle at all. The job should belong to second year man, Dallas Baker. 3 catches, 57 yards. I like those odds. Yeah, again, not the Bills starting D or anything. But I don't care. I liked the guy when we drafted him out of Florida, and I like him even more now. Hines Ward protege? Just might be. The only guy who might give him a run is Willie Reid. And I just can't believe that Reid's minimal impact over the last couple of years is worth a spot on the 53 man roster over a guy who clearly wants it and can back it up with his play. Dallas Baker, mark it dudes and dudettes.

5. Mendenhall Wreckingball, Goal Line BEAST
I wasn't enamored with his stats - 11 carries for only 30 yards. But as we all know, we're more counting on Wreckingball for his goal line prowess. And that, was fully evident on Thursday evening when he scored, diving into the end zone from six yards out. It did take him three tries to get there. But the point is - he was able to cash in when it counted. Let's hope this carries over to the regular season (pun intended).

Oh, and Santonio wasn't bad either. That's two straight games with a TD catch, this time for 40 yards. I'm honestly scared by how good he could be this year during the regular season. Any lingering questions as to why we traded up to get him in the '06 draft should pretty much be answered.

Also, anyone who's worried about Ben's pick, don't be. That's what happens sometimes when you throw the ball around. I know this is still kind of a foreign concept to us Steelers fans, but just remember, the man who holds the passing touchdowns record also holds the interceptions record. So long as your TD passes far outweigh your interceptions, you're fine. Let's just hope it pans out that way during the regular season. Think '07 Ben, not '06 Ben.

Now, the first team Defense allowing Trent Edwards, Marshawn Lynch (25 yards on 5 carries), and the rest of the Bills apparently high powered Offense march it down the field twice, that's another story. Lax or not, I would have preferred these guys to take this a little more seriously.

Now it's your turn(s) - What were your positives and negatives? What did you take away from this game? And, dude, what's up with the lack of broadcast?

PS - HUGE thanks to Tobiathan for basically live blogging the game in the comments section of Thursday's post. As I said, I was switching between the ESPN gamecast and the comments, and Steelbiathan's commentary explained just about everything I couldn't get from ESPN. Any of you interested in gameday discussion during the regular season, you should have something to look forward to...

GAME RECAPS:
Steelers lose to Buffalo [SteelCityInsider]
Edwards shines in Bills’ debut in Toronto [Associated Press]
First-team 'D' borderline vs. Bills [Post-Gazette]
Steelers take step back in Toronto [Trib]
Play-by-play [ESPN]
Video Highlights [NFL.com]

Oh, Canada...

Toronto, Canada. Home to universal health care, legalized marijuana, some of the world's finest strip clubs, and of course, tonight's second preseason game between our Steelers and the Buffalo Bills. Given that intro, I think you can guess what my biggest fear is...that's right, Jeff Reed missing the game. That's just way too much temptation.

I kid. I kid.

But let's talk about tonight a little bit. Normally on gameday during the regular season, I'd give you a full rundown of the "Llaves a Victoria" (or "Keys to Victory" for you non-Japanese speakers). But I'm not going to do that today. Why would I? The starters may take more snaps than they did last week, but I don't expect them to take significantly more.

So really the spotlight is only shining brightly on three men...well, one man, two "battles"...

1. Byron Leftwich
2. Justin Hartwig vs. Sean Mahan
3. Mitch Berger vs. Paul Ernster

Leftwich is the most obvious of the three. Having just signed a former 1st round pick and three year starter in Jacksonville, it'd be pretty hard for us fans to pretend like we weren't looking for a good first audition. Maybe I'm wrong, but tonight I'd like to see that Leftwich has gained at least a serviceable understanding of the offense, that he can hit his throws accurately, with just enough touch so that Nate Washington can catch them, and that he's in good shape (important given his history). Beyond that, he could be sitting on the sidelines drinking a Diet Coke or drawing up some schematics for his treehouse out in the North Hills. I don't even care.

The Hartwig/Mahan battle has always been, and will continue to be, the most important training camp battle. While Mahan had been taking the bulk of the snaps thus far in camp, and started last Friday night against the Eagles, Hartwig has taken over this week - both practicing with the first team and starting in this evening's exhibition. I personally hate to follow the angry mob, but Sean Mahan definitely blew goats last year. And not mini goats, either. Like, full sized, adult male goats. So I'm really hoping Hartwig can show some promise. Maybe even hint at the possibility of being the next long term Pittsburgh Center. Yes, it's probably just a tad early to start talking about him following in the footsteps of Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings (though not exactly "long" term, long enough for me). But traditionally, this position has been the least of our concerns. And I'd really like to get back to that. Show me something besides that sick mohawk, Justin. Pancake someone. I recommend Steely McBeam.

Then of course, there's the ever-exciting and oh-so-important battle for starting Punter. Apparently, even though we signed Paul Ernster and let him punt/kick off in last week's preseason game, the front office/coaching staff felt it was necessary to give him a little friendly competition. Enter Mitch Berger. What's the difference between the two? Damned if I know. Well, ok, it may be a yard or two in punt average. Excuse me if I haven't extensively researched the kicking prowess of our two potential consolation prizes. But I've been doing important stuff...like researching current 4th string QB, Mikey Potts. Anyways, I tend to like Ernster here. As I read somewhere this week, the difference in punting averages for most punters around the league really is only a yard or two. So having the added bonus of being able to kick off (and kick off well...9 yards deep in the end zone well, ahem ahem) is a roster-worthy asset. Not like we've got a whole lot better lined up.

And that just about does it, folks. What else to watch for tonight? I'll probably be watching to make sure Steely McBeam isn't exposing himself to unaccompanied minors. There's also probably some injury concerns I should be talking about. But frankly, I'm not even going to go there right now. It's still only August 14.

So who are you guys watching tonight? Any thoughts on the individuals/battles I mentioned above? What do you think about the ultimate score? Tomlin - 47, Jauron - 6? Sound fair?

The Legend of Mikey Potts...

[Original photo credit - Mike Potts' roomate]

Hey guys, guess what? The Steelers signed "former" washout Jaguars and Falcons QB, Byron Leftwich on Sunday. Of course, you may have heard this from Tobiathan already. Him or the Post-Gazette, that is.

With Charlie Batch possibly gone the way of Matt Leinart, the front office obviously felt less than comfortable with our only backup options being rookies, Dennis Dixon and Mike Potts. And while I can't say I blame them for wanting to bring in a guy who's already cut his teeth in the league, I have to think there were better options than Byron Leftwich...and I don't mean Daunte Culpepper.

Nonetheless, the good news is (as I mentioned in the comments yesterday) - he'll still be a back up. And he's been a starter for two different teams (albeit a mediocre one). So should we need him to step in, hopefully he would be capable enough not to fumble a snap at the end of regulation, sending the game into OT, where he would throw a game-ending interception to Rashean Mathis. PS - If you didn't get that joke, you should leave this blog immediately.

But who wants to talk about Byron Leftwich for an entire post? Come on, I wouldn't waste your precious time like that. You should know better.

What I really wanna discuss today is - undrafted and unknown rookie QB, Mike Potts. Sure, could be cut by the time I hit publish. But that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve a little love from this here Steelers blog.

Not much is known [by me] about Potts, except that he's a 23-year old William and Mary product [from Middletown, Delaware] who Tecmo and Bob decided should be referred to as "Mikey" Potts. So I did a little investigating. Because what else do I have to do, I write a sports blog. What I discovered was a list of Mike Potts' on these here interwebs that may or may not be the same Mikey Potts, the Steelers QB.

Here they are in no particular order...

1. Mike Potts, President and CEO of AirDefense
It'd be pretty tough for a 21-year old to have become President and CEO of any company, what with that four year party they call college going on. But hey, it worked for Mark Zuckerberg. So why not Mikey Potts?

2. Mike Potts, former Milwaukee Brewer.
A 7.15 ERA in 45 career innings?!?! This can NOT be Mikey Potts. Mikey Potts would definitely have been 3.00 or lower. Next!

3. Mike Potts, Arkansas-Based Gynecologist extraordinaire.
Now, I'm not trying to take anything away from the Mercy Women's Clinic. I'm sure they do great work and they seem like a nice, helpful organization. But Mikey Potts, the Gynecologist, is a hell of a thought. I mean, if you can stare at well, you know what, all day, surely you can avoid the Browns pass rush (or lack thereof). That, or stare at Ben's ass all day (see picture above).

4. Mike Potts, Head of Jonesville Community Schools.
Your guess is as good as mine? I can't even think of a way to tie this one to Mikey Potts. Oops.

5. Mike Potts, accomplice to making Coke overflow with Mentos.
I'm pretty sure Mikey ain't British. So this scenario is highly unlikely. But as a recent college grad, it's certainly possible that he played around with one of history's most notorious at-home science experiments. How does this qualify him to be a Steelers QB? Because only smart people know how to make soda shoot out of a bottle with mentos. Actually, I think that's one of the requirements for entry into MENSA.

So there you have it. A bunch of random crap that you probably didn't need to, nor care to read about. As usual, my apologies for this gigantic waste of time.

And someone, please help out the REAL Mike Potts with his Wikidpedia page. That shit is hurtin'.

Questions for you this morning...
1. You guys have any thoughts on Leftwich?
2. Anyone think he'll be a positive asset? Negative asset?
3. Most importantly, which of the Mike Potts' above could be OUR Mike Potts?

OFTOT and PSAMP Go To Camp...

True to our word, Tecmo and I took Latrobe by storm this past weekend. We got in around 11PM on Friday night, and of course, our first move was towards the nearest bar. Over the next 60 hours or so, we spent a cumulative 45 sitting on Tec's friend Bob's couch, driving around the back roads of Latrobe, and drinking $1.20 20 oz. drafts whilst perfecting our respective shuffle board games. The other 15 was spent sleeping and attending Sunday afternoon's training camp practice.

In other words, it was epic.

Unfortunately, we didn't see too many of you out at camp. But that was OK, because by that time we probably wouldn't have been much for conversation anyway. Intelligent conversation, at least.

It is honestly tough to concisely describe exactly how awesome this trip was. I don't think more than 10 minutes went by when I wasn't laughing so hard I nearly pee'd myself. So while I could go on and on about all of the good times we had, I've decided to put together a recap of just the most interesting/entertaining highlights for you all.

I sincerely hope you enjoy.

WHAT WE LEARNED...

1. Six hours is a LONG time to be in a car.
Hoboken to Latrobe didn't look that bad on paper. My general rule of thumb is - take Google's time estimate, subtract about 30 minutes, and that's how long it should take me to reach my destination. Apparently that is not God's rule of thumb, because it definitely took us a good six hours. Needless to say, our bodies were not excited by this.

2. Some backup QBs shouldn't try to be heroes in PRESEASON.
Charlie Batch really needed those extra five or six yards? This wasn't exactly the AFC Championship Game. The first game of the preseason is not the time for a veteran QB - whose job is in no way in jeopardy - to be trying to make something out of a broken play. Thanks for the effort Chuck, but I'd have settled for no gain and a healthy Charlie Batch over a few yards and no Charlie Batch for six weeks. And, Byron Leftwich? Seriously? Vinny Testaverde wasn't available? (Credit for using Testaverde in this "joke" = Tec)

3. Apparently, the Dude lives in Latrobe.
See, here's his car outside Giant Eagle...


4. Hines Ward hates attention.
I mean when people were screaming for the players to come sign autographs after practice, he pretty much ran the other way. Uh, yeah, no. Hines was the center of mass hysteria and seemed to be loving every last minute of it. So was some crazy family right in front of us, which precipitated the comment, "Remember kids, crack kills." Don't ask.

5. If you order from Fox's, beware...
...they're not kidding about a LARGE Stromboli. Instead of us eating this thing, I was worried this thing was gonna eat US. The good news is, it was the best pile of dough, cheese and sauce that I've ever tasted. Five stars, Fox's. Witness...


6. It was awesome to see Casey Hampton practicing again.
It was hard to tell from our spot on the hill in the far end zone, but it definitely looked like Big Snack was trying to shed some extra pounds and get ready for the next 20 weeks. He went through the full two hours or so, and after practice wrapped, we saw him stay to run laps on the third field with LaMarr Woodley. Unless Tomlin has mandated that he do this before he can feed himself, I can only assume this means he's making a legitimate effort to get in shape. Well played, Snack.

7. The guitar solo from "Do You Feel Like We Do" is unbelievable.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, go listen ASAP and tell me I'm wrong.

8. Santonio and Jeff Reed are going to the Pro Bowl.
While listening to the game on DVE Friday night, Tec and I collectively decided that this year is San Antonio and Party Boy's time to shine. I think it had something to do with the TD catch Santonio had and the 50-yard field goal Jeff Reed kicked. Also, let the record show that Tec firmly believes Jeff Reed will be flawless. Like no missed field goals at all. And I find it hard to disagree. Mark it, dudes and dudettes.

9. Giving three idiots walkie-talkies is a recipe for entertainment.
I'd had these walkie-talkies in my apartment for like two years and I'd never used them once. That most certainly changed this weekend. Tec, Tec's friend Bob, and I had way too much fun talking to each other across the room with these things. By the way, just so you know, you have to say "over" after every message. Tecmo...

10. The Latrobe/Greensburg area has great street names.
Urania Ave, Firearms Ln, Rifle Rd. For some reason most of them had to do with guns. But the rest were pretty funny too. It certainly made our three hours of aimless driving on Saturday a little bit more interesting. I can now safely say I've seen all that Latrobe and the surrounding area has to offer.

Bonus Lesson
Not hitting Eat 'n Park at 3AM on Saturday morning was a big mistake. Not getting the Eat 'n Park salad bar at 1:30PM on Saturday afternoon was an even bigger mistake. But the biggest mistake of the weekend was definitely shotgunning beers at 2:30AM Monday morning [when we had to get up before noon and drive the six hours back to NJ].

Lastly, I would like to point out that I'm significantly more manly than I was two hours ago. See, when I got back to Hoboken and was parking my car, a pedestrian kindly alerted me that my back tire was flat on the passenger's side. Which was awesome. Even more awesome though, was changing it. I'm sure you all can imagine my amusement.

So, what did YOU GUYS do this weekend?

PS - This is OFTOT's 500th post. Where's my party?

Kemo-EAT-u, The Road Grader...

"It's a unit thing, and I think, no doubt, that Chris' presence was a difference for us today. We pulled him. It is what he does, he's a road-grader, he's a violent run-blocker and we ran behind him.”

- Mike Tomlin

We've talked about this before, unofficially in the comments. But with perennial all pro Alan Faneca gone to the Jets, it's now going to be the Chris Kemoeatu show at left guard.

So let's get down to what all us fans really want to know - what do we get from Kemoeatu that we didn't get from Faneca?

Now, let me just start by saying I don't know shit about playing left guard. I'm a 6'2", 175(?) pound waste of space whose hockey playing days were the closest he ever got to being an offensive lineman. But what I lack in knowledge, I make up for in logical thinking and/or uninformed speculation.

With that said, let's compare the vitals...

Faneca
Height ~ 6'5"
Weight ~ 307
Age ~ 31

Kemoeatu
Height ~ 6'3"
Weight ~ 344
Age ~ 25

The most glaring difference is the 37 pounds Faneca gives up to Kemoeatu. As a more "robust," but shorter offensive lineman, Kemoeatu has a lower center of gravity with more weight behind him to leverage against defenders. While it wouldn't seem like being shorter would be an advantage, at least from what I can tell, it actually makes him harder to move. Plus, with all that power (assuming weight = power) coming at a defender, it'd definitely be more difficult than overpowering a taller, "thinner" blocker like Faneca.

So it would seem that Kemoeatu has the potential to be an even better run blocker than Faneca, whose run blocking abilities were/are certainly top notch. Couple this with the addition of Wreckingball Mendenhall and the (logical) corresponding re-emphasis on the running game and you've got a hell of a concept.

Of course, in terms of pass blocking, I'm clueless. Not having read any kind of scouting report on Kemoeatu, I can't be sure how savvy he is when it comes to standing up oncoming rushers. But I'm sure some of the same principles apply.

Anyone have any insight on this? Could Kemoeatu be ample replacement for Faneca? Is he potentially BETTER than Faneca?

PS - little known fact ~ Kemoeatu's real first name is "Uikelotu," Christopher is his middle name. Any guesses on how to pronounce that one? You-kehl-ah-too? Uh-ee-kah-lah-too? Ukulele?

[Nickname credit #1 - Domski, #2 - Tomlin]

REFERENCE MATERIAL:
Video: Kemoeatu Stars on Goal Line [Trib]
Steelers Notebook: Kemoeatu Makes Hit [Post-Gazette]

It's Gotta Be The Visor...

"Yes, our defense is hard for any quarterback, but Dixon's doing a helluva job. He's still making mistakes, but when he's on point, he's on point."

- Hines Ward

We've been talking about Wreckingball Rashard Mendenhall and Limas Speed Sweed for months now. But here's one name we haven't called in a while - Dennis Dixon.

According to the ever-sagacious, Jim Wexell, Dixon had the best practice of his three month career on Monday. Not only that, but his knee looks like it's as good as new and he's expected to see some decent action in Friday's game.

Surprisngly (or maybe not), I really like Dixon. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of the QB/RB/WR/Kordell Stewart. BUT, I think what makes Dixon different to me is his work ethic. After he got injured back in November, he set out to be ready for April. And indeed, he made a good enough recovery to get himself drafted by the Steelers (who don't mince draft picks) in the 5th round (5th, right?). Oh, and did I mention all the while he chronicled his progress for scouts on his website?

So this means a few things to me...

1. He's got a will of steel
2. He's a good physical specimen
3. He's confident in his ability

Of course, these will all serve him well while holding Chalie Batch's clipboard. But will they help him on the field? Well, only time will tell. Even if Dixon does catch on as 3rd QB, it's not likely he'd even see any real action unless Charlie Batch got run over on the way to Heinz Field. That OR Batch retires. Either way.

Nevertheless, it sounds like Dixon just might end the Steelers tradition of drafting wastes of perfectly good QB roster space.

Cool.

So guys, is Dennis Dixon just another failed QB experiment waiting to happen? Or is he the potential heir apparent to Chuck Batch?

In other news, I am still sans-internets, and Cablevision just might be the most useless profit-making venture since the financial services industry. I would definitely vote them off the island. I am getting pretty good at this blackberry typing, though.

Also, Tecmo and I will be invading Latrobe/Da 'burgh this weekend. Training camp Sunday, anyone? I'll bring the beers. I'll bring the beers...

Unreasonable Expectations?

“They better be rookie mistakes. He has to run harder. Hopefully, next time out, he’ll be better.”

- Mike Tomlin

So I may be the last one to read/hear that Rashard Mendenhall was "stuffed" three times by the first team defense during Sunday's practice. Nevertheless, I'm sure this caused at least a few jaded souls to start doubting his goal line prowess.

Which transitions nicely to today's topic - Are our expectations as fans too aggressive?

For discussion purposes, I've laid out a couple of points below. Let's review, shall we?

#1 ~ "Learning Curve?" What's that?
With all first round picks increasingly finding themselves under their collective fans base's microscopes, draft pick expectations have changed. First round picks are expected to be able to jump right in and contribute significantly from day one. Notice the word, "significantly." Sure, there were first rounders in the past who did this. But by and large, and this is just drawing from what I remember growing up watching football, even first rounders were allowed SOME learning curve. This isn't to say they're not afforded time to learn now. But it seems the longer a pick takes to "develop" into the player the team/media/overzealous fans have created, the more likely he will be viewed as a "bust." And hey, listen, this is 2008. There are hundreds of thousands of players that would love to step right in and take any job in the NFL. Still, these players need at least a few chances. Ish.

#2 ~ This is the NFL.
Ok, first of all, it was ONE practice, on ONE day, during ONE drill. That aside, I think Mendenhall himself summed things up best when he said...

"Just look at James Harrison, I don’t think you find too many college guys looking like that.”

The transition from College to the NFL, as we all know, isn't exactly elementary. It takes work. There's a new playbook, you're up against much better athletes, and yeah, there's more pressure. For a kid who JUST turned 21 in June, I'm pretty sure it might be a little challenging at first. So with this in mind, I say we give him until at least the third week of training camp to figure it out. In otherwords, if you were thinking of purchasing www.RashardMendenhallIsAnEpicBust.com, you should probably chill on that for a little.

Your turn dudes and dudettes -- Any thoughts on this?

PS - Just so you guys know, I had a way better Photoshop planned where I was going to make Mendenhall look like an ancient Greek dude (ala Caesar) being worshiped by Steeler fans. But honestly, I stayed late at work yesterday to write this post, and by like 7:30, I had to just lower MY OWN expectations. Hence, Mendenhall on a pedestal. Hope that didn't spoil it for you...

Oh yeah, and check out who's been recently anointed King of Pittsburgh Sports via Ballhype. Congrats, Tecmo!

Now, if only OFTOT could get some love...[hint hint, nudge nudge]...

REFERENCE MATERIAL:
Short-yardage plans stuffed [SteelCityInsider]
Mendenhall stuffed in goal-line drill [Beaver County Times]
Goal-line drill is big hit for Steelers [Observer-Reporter]

Are You SERIOUS???

"All I remember is that the first play was a disaster."

- Paul Ernster (new Steelers Punter)

So, let me be the first to say - I have the utmost confidence in Paul Ernster. I mean, it seems like he's pretty much the next Steelers Pro Bowler. And certainly the quote above just confirmed that for me, as it should have for you.

What? Not convinced?

Not surprising. Because in case you couldn't tell, sarcasm was pretty thick...

So let me get this straight, first Troy Polamalu and Chris Kemoeatu. Then, Daniel Sepulveda. Now Limas Speed Sweed?

Come ON.

Just to update you all - it's day three of training camp. All of the aforementioned parties are not practicing (though Sweed may be today, we shall see). And right now I'm sharpening the knives to slit my wrists...but at least there must be some Doctor in Latrobe getting quite rich right now...

Really though, I AM slightly serious about this injury thing. I mean, I know the only real concern right now is Sepulveda's leg (really, it's more like Sepulveda's replacement's leg, but who's counting). And after only three days of training camp, I guess it could be worse. We could be the Redskins. But still, let's just keep ourselves conscious of the reality. Certainly doesn't bode well for a team that wasn't exactly the picture of health last season.

Does it really worry me though? Well, no. Not particularly. For as much as I make light of things here at OFTOT, I don't actually think any of the injuries are going to prevent us from achieving success this season. But then again, when you play teams like Indy, San Diego, and of course, New England, good field position is key. Not to beat a dead horse, but you get the idea.

In other news...
1. Can you believe it's Ben's FIFTH season??? Our boy is growing up...I think I'm gonna cry...talk amongst yourselves. Here, I'll give you a topic - Brett Favre wants to come out of retirement...OK, discuss.

2. Willie Colon "set" at RT? Then what the hell was that transition tag for? Jesus. I just don't get it. Oh, also, LeCharles Bentley? What?

3. Ryan Clark appears to be "back." While Clark definitely doesn't seem like a permanent complement to Troy, I have to think it's going to help us to have a consistently serviceable yin to Troy's yang.

4. The Browns still think Shaun Rodgers is the answer. No further comment necessary.

5. Keisel may see some action on "Special" Teams this season. I might actually advocate this if our alternatives, should he get injured, didn't include 33-year-old Travis Kirschke, 28 year-old Nick Eason, and 24 year-old Ryan McBean.

Anything you guys particularly want to discuss? Any of this strike you as alarming? Interesting? Anything you're not hearing about that you're wondering about? And are any of you going to be in Latrobe next Saturday?

Two words - Beer. Bong.

Seriously, WHAT Just Happened Here?

"Sepulveda averaged 42.4 yards and placed 28 of 68 punts inside the 20 as a rookie last season, so the Steelers didn't bother bringing a second punter to camp."

- Associated Press

Uh...I...uh...I just...uh...I mean...how?...I mean...what?

HOW THE HELL DOES A PUNTER TEAR HIS ACL ON THE 2ND DAY OF TRAINING CAMP?

"Oops, sorry guys. I slipped."

Daniel Sepulveda TORE HIS ACL?!?! Tore. His. ACL? On the second day of camp? Somewhere in the 60 minutes allotted for "Special" Teams practice?

Honestly, I've got two observations right off the bat. One - Why was "Special" Teams practice only one hour long? If they look anything like they did last year, that ragged bunch needs at least a solid 12 hours a day. And Two - How many times could Sepulveda have possibly punted in 60 minutes? 20? 30? What are the odds?

Either way, don't worry. Never you fear friends, the Steelers went out and got the completely known and capable, Paul Ernster. I mean I know being a punter in the NFL is like being Milton from Office Space, but they couldn't get a guy who had punted MORE than three times as a professional? For Christ's sake, Tomlin couldn't even get his last name right at the press conference...

Anyways, yes this is unfortunate. But I'm pretty sure it's not going to keep us from winning the Super Bowl.

What do you guys think? Does this matter? Are you at all worried about winning the position battle now? Was Sepulveda a victim of Jeff Reed's Tonya Harding syndrome?

PS - I just want to point out that if you saw this story, don't worry, we did not trade Bob Ligashesky back to the Rams. It's just an old picture. But maybe SteelCityInsider is trying to tell us something?

He Just Doesn't Want to Mess Up His Hair...

"When there's an injury like this, it's always best to take the safe route because it's a very long season. If you continue to re-injure it this early, there's no telling how bad it could really get. So, if there's any down time that's good, it's right now."

- Troy Polamalu

Alright, you guys wanna talk about Troy's injury? Let's talk about Troy's injury. I mean, farbeit from me to try and write about something more humorous, yet less relevant to Steelers football (like I might normally do)...

First of all, it's completely unrelated to his injury last season. That was some sort of a sternum thing (ribs?) if I remember correctly. This is just a pulled hammy. Hell, I pulled a hammy humping Kristin Bell playing Rock Band the other night. In fact, one time, I pulled a hammy just by being awesome. So let's call it what it is - nothing. At least in the context of a finely tuned, professional athletic machine.

Second of all, to be honest, Troy looked pretty shitty last season (using a relative comparison, that is). After firmly emerging as the defensive backfield's stud in years 2004 - 2006 ('03 doesn't count), dude spent the better part of 2007 either writhing on the sidelines or underachieving on the field. Now, I'm no Doctor. I'm not even a nurse (though I do know how to properly administer mouth-to-mouth on a beautiful woman). But that sounds to me like a guy who needs some rest and rehabilitation.

So Troy's on the PUP list for the beginning of training camp. Good. I'd rather him sit through ALL of camp if it means he'll be 100% Polamalu come September.

Of course, the ideal sitch, at least in my mind, is for Troy to observe the first week, then try and at least do some drills on his own thereafter. And once he's comfortable, put on the pads and engage in a little light "how you doin' Willie Reid"'s.

No sense in pushing the man. Am I wrong?

Besides, he's probably just trying to sneak off to see Dark Knight anyhow.

Oh, and I particularly enjoyed when he described his trainer-of-choice, Marv Marinovich's routine as "very awesome." That comment was "very sophisticated." USC, what a very quality edumacation. Nahmeen?

So, what do you guys think? Worried? Disappointed? Satisfied? Hungry? Do you now think differently about Marv Marinovich's "very awesome" workout regimen? Will Polamalu return to form this year?

Let's discuss in the comments. Yes, that means you.

PS - Someone please send this post to Deadspin. I'm drowning here.

Enter Camp Tomlin....

So much football. Football everywhere. It's in the trees like the Vietcong. Look, there it is, over there...

Bullshitting with you guys about the Many Faces of Willie Parker, the press conference stylings of Mike Tomlin, and the wonders of Photoshop has been fun. Real fun. But alas, what we've all been craving for the last six and a half months or so has finally arrived - training camp, and the return of Pittsburgh football.

Of course, in the last two days, I've seen way more Steelers news than I can even keep up with. If you can, then please teach me. But let's be honest, the two most important/encouraging/puzzling/troubling and of course, sexy "stories" are...

Big Snack Apparently Did His Nickname Proud
So I guess all that talk about Casey Hampton not being at OTAs might have actually meant something. It seems the already delightfully plump Nose Tackle ate just a few too many twinkies this offseason, because ah...well, he showed up looking "overweight" and failed to complete a conditioning run.

Now, all I'm saying is - the guy's already listed at 325 pounds. How much weight would he have to gain to look "overweight?" Ok, you're right. Not important. Anyways, I'm sure I don't have to tell any of you that the current Defensive Line is thinner than Calista Flockhart circa 1998. And well, Hampton is the anchor of that line. Not that I don't trust Chris Hoke. Any guy that looks that much like Vader has gotta be worth something. But he's no Hampton. Few are. Bottom Line - send treadmills to St. Vincent College, care of Casey Hampton. Also, if you happen to have Richard Simmons and/or Jenny Craig's phone numbers, you should probably go ahead and send those too.

Oh yeah, Troy and Kemoeatu are joining Hampton on the PUP list.

Moving right along...

The Gang's All Here
All picks signed with time to spare. Mendenhall and Sweed are in Latrobe, ready to mix it up. Let's just hope Jeff Reed doesn't get his hooks into them until at least next week.

Not that we really thought there was going to be a holdout. But you never know. So we can all rest a little easier knowing we've got Wreckingball Mendenhall for five years, and Speed Sweed for four. Sounds like four to five years of Offensive fireworks to me.

It's like a wise man once told me - "No guac, let's rock."

Other than that, we'll see how this beast unfolds. I don't imagine there'll be many surprises. But there sure shouldn't be a shortage of things to talk about. So, who's psyched for training camp? Anyone else making the pilgrimage to Latrobe? And most importantly, when are we drinking?

Oh, and as usual, here's a recap of what you missed this weekend while you were busy enjoying the fruits of truly American innovation...

• Just a hunch, but guessing this one isn't about Casey Hampton.
• So does this mean Cleveland has superseded Steely McBeam?
• Jeff Reed - subtlety is not strong with this one.
• Issues? We don't need no stinking issues.
• Seriously, what's with all the negativity? This is day one.

God it feels good to get through one of these without highlighting some chick we'd all like to see naked, or Brady Quinn. Wait, no I'm not. Except for that last one...

That's One For The Other Thumb. Tell all your friends.