Look At That Thing, It's Beautiful...

Honestly, have you ever seen a better mustache? The answer is NO. Well, except maybe Rollie Fingers. But I'm not counting him.

Faneca's 'Stache > Everyone else's facial hair

Yep, that's the whole post.

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]

Slim Pickins...

Boy, no one said finding things to write about on a bye week would be easy. Yikes.

Nonetheless, there are SOME things happening around the league that we can read into and/or laugh about. And hey, if things get really bad I can always spend some time shitting on the Bengals.

But for now, I proudly bring you yesterday and [some of] this morning's most interesting news items:

• Sir Fast William Parker graces the cover of the latest ESPN the magazine. Gee, ESPN is jumping on the bandwagon while he's on top...completely out of character for them...


• Hey Marvin Lewis...Need linebackers? I hear Chad Brown's available...


• "Offensive Guard Alan Faneca plans to do "nothing." -- KDKA.com reporting on what the Steelers will do with their bye weeks...The irony is palpable....er...kind of...


• This might be the worst picture of Mike Tomlin ever taken. He looks like he's about to pinch one off. Am I wrong? (now, aren't you glad you read this?)


• Carolina Panthers? Vinny Testaverde? Seriously? What, Jeff George wasn't available?


• Even when TO isn't saying anything, he's still saying something...what a dick. (why am I even writing about this...?)


• Yesterday's Mike Tomlin words of wisdom: "We fall short of perfection and we're not a finished product. We are trying to get better. We are going to take good use of this time." Get those pads on Anthony Smith, we're hitting today!

That about wraps it up for now. But never you fear, I'm sure I'll have plenty to say later on. Check back. Until then, VOTE on the poll to your left and feel free to leave me comments telling me what an idiot I am. Cotter, out!

Give Me Faneca or Give Me Death...

Yeah, I don't really care about this whole Alan Faneca circus. I mean, look, I feel bad that after 9 years we're not willing to cordially sidestep the issue or something like that, but the fact is - he's a 30 year old Guard. Granted, multiple Pro Bowl Guard. But still, as it is he already gets $3.3 million at that position, which is decent (I won't say good, because I've seen the numbers guys like Steve Hutchinson can get), and if he really only cares about getting more money, then chances are he'd be well suited to look outside of Pittsburgh (consequently, I smell Arizona in his future...no comment).

I do think that if Cowher were still Head Coach we could have avoided all this public nastiness, but he's not. So whatever, I'm pretty much uninterested. I appreciate the immense contribution Alan Faneca has made to the Steeler organization, not withstanding, his part in the Super Bowl run. Nonetheless, we have guys waiting in the wings to take his spot and this frankly is just the Steeler way. We saw it with Joey Porter, we'll see it with Alan Faneca.

Gotta save money to sign Troy Polamalu et al. when the time comes (in the near future)...

Just so you know...

I'm not dead...just had to take a few days off from writing. I was on vacation down in Gator country last week and since I've been back, actual work has amassed that I have to tackle before I can wax philosophical about all the latest Steeler news (which ironically there has been a decent amount of).

But the good news is, I will be at the draft on Saturday and plan on trying to keep things up to date as the news unfolds. Of course, you could probably just watch it on TV, but what would be the fun in that?

Here's some links in case you crave light reading -

• Big Ben and Cowher's Star Crossed Relationship...
• Post-Gazette Guru Ed Bouchette's Steeler Draft Assessment ie- how we can win more than 8 games next year and who will help us win them...
• Tomlin Will Reach Out to (and hopefully touch) Alan Faneca regarding his absence from team activities...
• John Clayton's Take on Alan "Just Call me Diva" Faneca's "Message"...
• Coincidentally, Matt Williamson's Column from the 17th, discussing how the Cardinals need O-line help...like the subtle hint there? Thought you would...
Post-Gazette Columnist Bob Smizik's Best Grinch Impression...
• Ravens Re-Sign Rex Ryan for two more years...in other news, he's still no Dick LeBeau!

That's all for now...hopefully my head will surface once or twice more this week and I can spend some quality time with my thoughts on these stories and all the latest Steeler news.

Cheers and enjoy the links (for now)!

PS - no more chili for Max Starks...maybe we should use Campbell's Chunky as a motivator...?

Tomlin All Business, Wilson a Locker Room Voice, Ward and Faneca Still Skeptical...

Those are the best descriptors I can offer after reading reports on Mike Tomlin's team meetings yesterday.

So apparently Tomlin laid down the law, or so we hear through Cedric Wilson(?)

Astutely recognizing the drop off in play last year from the prior Super Bowl year, Tomlin called for players to train in Pittsburgh this year. That is, with the team, rather than in Florida or Arizona, or anywhere else that isn't with the majority of their teammates. And supposedly about 85% of the team has already heeded this call, surfacing in Pittsburgh. Among the most notable - Big Ben. Also important to note was that Tomlin said every man at every position will be competing for a starting job. The rest was just more of the same.

From my perspective, I really don't know that Tomlin has to be so authoritative. While I appreciate the sentiment of Steeler-bonding, the Steelers were/are already founded on hard work - blood, sweat and tears. So I don't see too many of the players being lackadaisical about their off season training or their potential starting jobs next season. Then again, you can never be too careful -- too many off seasons spent doing their own thing and the Steelers could become the next Bengals...

Anyways, the other rather significant happenings were - Alan Faneca still bitter over the so-called Russ Grimm "snub", and Hines Wards still bitter over the recent jettisoning of emotional leader Joey Porter. A lot more bitterness than I expected actually...

So alright, Faneca's not quite gotten to Pittsburgh yet. To me that doesn't really say anything. And as for his saltiness about Grimm, eh, what are you gonna do. Get over it Alan. I don't think this is a huge deal though. In time, Tomlin will earn Faneca's respect/trust, or Faneca will follow Grimm and former Offensive Coordinator Ken Whisenhunt to the desert. It would be unfortunate if it came down to the latter, but sometimes things are better for the team.

Moving on, Hines Ward came right out and said he didn't understand the release of Joey Porter. Come on Hines, you know exactly what's going on. New coach, new regime, new leaders. It's about time Big Ben stepped up and said "this is my team." The Bus was great, and Peezy though at times brash and unncessary, provided great leadership for the Steelers. But this is now Ben's time to shine. All those voices are gone. He needs to be the guy. Plus, Joey's a 9th year Linebacker who's play declined significantly last year, the year before a potential contract extension/new contract. Again though, I think this is a case where you just let him cry about it for a few days and by the time the week is over, Tomlin will have earned Hines' respect...of that I have little doubt.

Man that was a long post...I'm exhausted...