Bleacher Report - Articles by Marky Billson

Ben Roethlisberger Speculation, Charges Threaten To Destroy Steelers' Image

Marky Billson — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 19:02:53 -0400

Two things are for sure regarding the sexual assault allegations placed upon Ben Roethlisberger.

I don’t know what happened in that Reno hotel room. And you don’t know, either.

Pittsburgh Steelers fans are worried their star quarterback will be distracted or miss time in 2009, almost assuredly eliminating the chances of a repeat Super Bowl championship. Some have responded with insults to the accuser, a regrettably predictable response.

Women’s groups have not, as of yet, attempted to demonize Roethlisberger to a great extent. Roethlisberger’s Friday press conference was not met with protesters outside the UPMC Training Facility the way Clarence Thomas’ detractors rallied in support of Anita Hill, for instance.

Good. Perhaps there are some of us left who believe “innocent until proven guilty.”

Still, what is most distressing about Roethlisberger’s public statement regarding the charges he faces is how he said he “would never force himself on a woman.”

If this is the case, then Roethlisberger must explain the photograph accompanying this article, taken from www.deadspin.com from Jan. 31, 2006.

True, pouring whiskey down a supposedly willing woman’s throat at a party does not make Roethlisberger a rapist, and this photographed action does not in itself make him guilty of the current charges he faces.

But it does speak of irresponsibility. It speaks of, if not “forcing” himself, taking advantage of a woman.

It gives Roethlisberger a track record the Rooney family cannot be happy with.

Historically, the Steelers pride themselves on their character. True, Ernie Holmes once fired shots at helicopters and steroid allegations have haunted the franchise, but during the franchise’s 1970s heydays the Steelers seemed to have a signature that stood apart from the Oakland Raiders, who prided themselves on being bad guys, or the Dallas Cowboys, who wrapped themselves in Texas arrogance.

And was Holmes not suffering from a nervous breakdown during his incident? Does anyone believe the Steelers were the only team with players using steroids? Did Pittsburgh not rid themselves of integral stars such as Eric Green and Bam Morris due to drugs, perhaps preventing their mid-‘90s teams of their full potential, while Dallas players rented out the infamous “White House?”

What makes Roethlisberger such an effective quarterback is not so much his physical abilities but his leadership ability.

Tommy Maddox, for instance, may have been a better passer, and Kordell Stewart may have been a better all-around athlete, but neither former Pittsburgh quarterback possessed the personality to arrogantly tell his teammates, “Do this!”

This is the ability that helped turn a team filled with many complacent veterans that finished 6-10 in 2003 to 15-1 in 2004 and a Super Bowl championship in 2005.

This is the carefree, risk-taking demeanor that enabled Roethlisberger to engineer a 78-yard touchdown drive with 2:37 remaining in the Super Bowl on the field that had him openly defy Andrea Kramer’s questioning following Pittsburgh’s 10-6 victory against Cleveland after a game last season, and to nearly die off the field by not wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle three years ago.

And this arrogance also threatens to ruin his football career.

If Roethlisberger is found guilty, or even if he settles out of court, and he continues to be employed as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, what message does this send about a franchise that prides itself on sending out positive off-the-field images?

The Most Overrated Pittsburgh Sports Figures of the Past 30 Years

Marky Billson — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:50:07 -0400

The last 30 years bridged one era of Pittsburgh's "City of Champions" status (1979) into another (2009). During this time, who were the sports figures that we were told were better than they really were? This article follows my earlier piece on the 10 most "underappriciated" figures. Here's my opinion- and I'd love to hear yours!

Begin Slideshow

The 10 Most Underrated Pittsburgh Sports Figures of the Past 30 Years

Marky Billson — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:39:22 -0400

Pittsburgh fans and media can be tough on their teams. Let's take a look at some of the "tahn's" sports figures that were underappriciated from the end of the city's last glory era (1979) to the one we're currently enjoying during the following slides. Your comments await, and the most OVERRATED will soon follow! Enjoy!

Begin Slideshow

Handicapping the NFC: Brett Favre Is Still the Key

Marky Billson — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:52:21 -0400

In my previous article for Bleacher Report, I came across an interesting streak concerning teams that have won the Super Bowl.

Almost every team that won the Super Bowl since the American-National Football League merger had made the playoffs the season before.

The exceptions to this rule could be broken into two categories-

A- Teams that employed a new starting quarterback from the previous season for the majority of the campaign (the 1980 Oakland Raiders, the 1999 St. Louis Rams, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, and the 2001 New England Patriots).

B- Teams that finished strong in the prior season (the 2003 Patriots, the 1982 Washington Redskins, the 1981 San Francisco 49ers, and the 1969 Baltimore Colts).

Therefore, while handicapping the American Football Conference, it was easy to toss out Buffalo and Jacksonville as true contenders for the 2009 season.

But who will the suitors be for the National Football Conference in 2009?

Let’s toss out the Detroit Lions, who may be getting a promising new quarterback in Matthew Stafford, but have a long way to go otherwise.

Also throw out the Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, and Washington Redskins. Aside from the Redskins’ highly rated defense in 2008, there’s little to believe any of these teams are truly Super Bowl contenders; their hopes are mainly for improvement from 2008.

And also, let’s throw out the Dallas Cowboys.

This would not likely be a shocking statement if not for Dallas’ reputation as the NFL’s most popular team.

But the questions regarding the Cowboys still stand, even without clubhouse lawyer Terrell Owens. Their rushing attack is still suspect. They made defensive coordinator Brian Stewart the scapegoat for not making the playoffs in 2008 despite finishing third in the conference in pass defense and sixth in rushing defense.

He’s been replaced by head coach Wade Phillips, proving downsizing is everywhere.

Meanwhile, Tony Romo is still a small college, undrafted quarterback who spent three years on the bench before being placed in the limelight in 2006 out of desperation.

That 4,000 yard season he had in 2007? Scott Mitchell had one once, too.

Playoffs in Dallas? Perhaps. Nobody rushes the passer like DeMarcus Ware, and the pickup of inside linebacker Keith Brooking from Atlanta will help.

Super Bowl? Out of the question.

This leaves five non-playoff teams from 2008 to analyze; Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle and Tampa Bay.

The Buccaneers are in rebuilding mode after losing their last four games of 2008 and drafting quarterback Josh Freeman in the first round. But in looking at their free agent signings and departures; are replacing Jeff Garcia with Byron Leftwich, Warrick Dunn with Derrick Ward, and wide receiver Joey Galloway with tight end Kellen Winslow really good short-term moves?

And for that matter, will Raheem Morris have the career Jon Gruden has had?

Youth may be served in Tampa Bay, but is talent?

Seattle returns several players from injury, most notably quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and the entire offensive line, and signed wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

But the Seahawks won as many games without Hasselbeck as they did with him. The depleted offensive line allowed only 36 sacks, and Seahawks rushers still gained 4.2 yards per carry during the season, but the team still went 4-12.

New head coach Jim Mora Jr. underwhelmed in Atlanta, where he once had to use a cell phone during overtime to figure out playoff possibilities and then played for a tie in a game the Falcons would eventually lose. There’s little reason to believe this team will be a championship contender.

The Chicago Bears, not to mention head coach Lovie Smith, are predicating their entire success on the acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler.

It’s not a poor strategy. They’ve given him a running back, Matt Forte, who rushed for 1,238 yards as a rookie in 2007. They drafted a wide receiver, Juaquin Iglesias, to throw to. They even signed three offensive linemen, including left tackle Orlando Pace, so Cutler will have the time to throw and find pass catchers among his less-than-impressive receiving corps.

The problem is the defense had only 28 sacks last season and the Bears didn’t address this deficiency during the off-season.

Defense was also the problem in New Orleans last season. The Saints brought back memories of the San Diego Chargers of the early ‘80s with a top-ranked offense but a porous defense.

Quarterback Drew Brees probably won’t throw for more than 5,000 yards this season, only because head coach Sean Payton naturally will want to shift some of the offensive load to running back Reggie Bush, who replaces the released Deuce McAllister for good.

But the Saints will assuredly continue to score, and the defense will improve with a new defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, four free agent signings, and even the top three picks in the draft devoted to stopping the opponents.

The question is how much? The above formula for picking Super Bowl champs only fits the 2009 Saints if their 4-3 finish in an 8-8 2008 season qualifies as “finishing strong.”

It probably doesn’t. The Saints are an improving team, but the defense needs a year to come together before truly becoming an elite team.

San Francisco is showing certain signs of breaking out of their six year losing streak. They won five of their last seven games in a 7-9 2008 season. Shaun Hill had a respectable first season as a starting quarterback, and if Alex Smith can't come back from a shoulder injury, could mix well with running back Frank Gore, who ran for more than 1,000 yards last season. The 49ers signed right tackle Marvel Smith after their offensive line allowed 55 sacks, and drafted potential star Michael Crabtree to catch passes.

So IF Gore, injury prone throughout his career, stays healthy, and IF Crabtree allows Smith to reach the potential he had when he was the first overall pick in the 2005 Draft, and IF the offensive line allows fewer than 40 sacks, and IF former first round pick Manny Lawson becomes the pass rusher the 49ers thought he’d be when they drafted him in the first round in 2006, San Francisco will win their weak division.

But face it—that’s a lot of ifs.

It’s more likely Arizona will repeat as the division champion. But this is still a 9-7 team in 2008 and they appear vulnerable in 2009.

True, Kurt Warner-to-Larry Fitzgerald is the hottest passing attack in the NFL and almost single-handedly overthrew the top defense in the league in the Super Bowl, but the rest of the team ranked from mediocre to lousy statistically.

The Cardinals were only 19th in the NFL in total defense last season. They finished dead last in the NFL in rushing.

To rectify this, the Cardinals drafted running back Beanie Wells in the first round and signed cornerback Bryant McFadden away from the Steelers.

But can a glorified high second round draft choice be a 1,000-yard rusher in his rookie season? How will a defensive back that played in only 10 games last season improve a pedestrian pass rush that sacked only 31 quarterbacks last season?

Arizona likely wouldn’t have made the playoffs had they not played in the weakest division in the NFL. Thankfully, they have Matt Leinart in reserve, because by the time the rest of the team catches up to Warner-to-Fitzgerald, Warner may be 40.

So don’t expect a repeat appearance in the Super Bowl from Arizona.

One of the reasons Arizona went to the Super Bowl in the first place was because Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme threw five interceptions in the playoffs against them.

What makes the Panthers a less-than-appealing pick to win the NFC is their defense. Carolina allowed 30 or more points in six of their final eight games and more than 21 in all of them.

Moreover, to sign big-name free agents like Delhomme and defensive end Julius Peppers, the Panthers lost many of their role players, such as fullback Nick Goings and kick returner Mark Jones.

Carolina is still a good team, but is not an improved one.

Neither are the New York Giants, who collapsed down the stretch in 2008 without Plaxico Burress. They drafted wide receiver Hakeem Nicks in the first round, but to ask him to fill the shoes of Burress or fellow departed receiver Amani Toomer is asking a bit much.

Add in the loss of 1,000-yard rusher Derrick Ward to the Bucs, and the Giants don’t figure to win as many as 12 games again.

It would therefore appear the NFC Championship Game could be a rematch of 2004 with the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles had the top-ranked defense in the NFC last year and finished in the top 10 in the league in total offense. Donovan McNabb has shed his initial desires to be a running quarterback, and is now a winning quarterback who thinks pass first. The past five seasons have had McNabb post the top four passer ratings of his career.

The Eagles even gave McNabb new weapons to work with in the draft with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and running back Shady McCoy.

McCoy figures to spell Michael Westbrook, who is recovering from a knee injury in 2008.

The defense did lose free agent safety Brian Dawkins to Denver, but he is now 35.

What the Eagles lose in leadership they hope to gain with the continued maturity of run-stuffing middle linebacker Stewart Bradley and a promising cornerback duo of Asante Samuel and ex-Patriot Ellis Hobbs.

Atlanta didn’t have the defense of Philadelphia, and lost Brooking and strong safety Lawyer Milloy to free agency.

But after allowing nearly five yards per rush in 2008, the idea is to allow second round pick William Moore to replace Milloy, first round draft choice Peria Jerry to plug the middle on the defensive line, and to hope veteran free agent Mike Peterson exceeds the results Brooking put up at middle linebacker.

Seven of the Falcons’ eight draft picks went to defense, and tight end Tony Gonzalez was added to give second-year quarterback Matt Ryan yet another weapon to go along with 1,699-yard rusher Michael Turner and Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White.

Atlanta’s defense is a cinch to improve, thus making them one of the two best teams in the conference.

Unless...

Unless the Minnesota Vikings sign Brett Favre to be their quarterback.

Current projected starter Sage Rosenfels is not the quarterback one employs to sell tickets or win championships. He’s a career backup and has thrown 22 interceptions during the last two seasons despite making only 10 starts. That's hardly the sort of efficiency one wants out of a quarterback whose main offensive focus is giving the ball to running back Adrian Peterson.

Favre threw as many interceptions, 22, as he did touchdowns for the New York Jets last season, but also took them from 4-12 in 2007 to the cusp of a division title at 10-6. His stature was such that long-time underachiever Thomas Jones became the AFC’s leading rusher in 2008 as defenses had to prepare for gunslinging first and ground control second.

If Brett Favre can turn Jones into a 1,300-yard rusher, what will his presence, even at 40, do for Peterson?

Now give Favre Bernard Berrian, who averaged more than 20 yards on 48 catches in 2008. Draft another wide receiver, Percy Harvin, in the first round to complement him, and a 6'8", 332-pound right tackle, the appropriately named Phil Loadholt, to protect the veteran gunslinger after Minnesota allowed 43 sacks in 2008.

Throw in a defense with three Pro Bowl-caliber players on the defensive line: Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, and Jared Allen. The Vikings had the best defense against the run in the NFL in 2009, and though they were a middle-of-the pack team against the pass, veteran cornerback Antoine Winfield seemed to be everywhere last season. The other projected starters are either in, or coming in to, their prime, while Allen led a pass rush that collected 45 sacks.

Minnesota allowed an NFL-record seven touchdowns on kick returns in 2008, a number that certainly will go down and add another victory to the Vikings’ record.

And the schedule is rather easy, with a 5-0 start a realistic possibility.

With Favre, the Vikings could easily get home field advantage in the playoffs.

It has been said Favre wants to play for the Vikings in order to show Green Bay, personally, that they should have welcomed him back after 16 years of loyal service in 2008.

What he may wind up doing is exacting revenge on McNabb for 4th and 26.

The picks-

WITH FAVRE IN MINNESOTA

Minnesota (12-4) Vikes first Big Dance in 33 years if Favre avoids turnovers
Philadelphia (11-5) Perhaps the best team overall
Atlanta (10-6) Dark horse contender
Arizona (10-6) Should get five victories, minimum, out of their own division
Dallas (10-6) The best pass rush in the NFC, but QB-RB combo isn’t there.
New Orleans (9-7) Brees + Bush = Big Future

WITHOUT FAVRE IN MINNESOTA

Philadelphia (11-5) The top seed
Atlanta (10-6) But something tells me the Falcons would win a title game
Chicago (10-6) Cutler vs. Rosenfels goes in favor of the Bears
Arizona (10-6) Only because 49ers schedule is much tougher
Minnesota (10-6) Favre completes them, but doesn’t make them.
Dallas (10-6) If they do win the Super Bowl, 4-3 in their last seven games of 2008 qualifies as a “strong finish.”

The 40-year-old Favre is a question mark, but surely more of an exclamation point than Rosenfels. If he signs with Minnesota, the pick is the Vikings.

If he doesn’t, go with Atlanta.

Handicapping the AFC from a Steelers' Perspective

Marky Billson — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:02:08 -0400

In analyzing the 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers for Bleacher Report, I am inclined to believe they will be an improved team for the following reasons:

A.) They suffered no key losses and will benefit from the gains received in the draft and by having running backs Rashard Mendehall and Willie Parker return from injury.

B.) The schedule will be easier.

C.) The offensive line simply cannot be any worse than it was last year.

Assuredly, the Steelers won’t be the only improved team in the American Football Conference.

Tom Brady returns from injury, San Diego figures to be better than .500, and there is always a surprise team, such as the Miami Dolphins last season.

So, who will be the contenders for the Steelers’ crown? And who will be the surprise teams of 2009?

In researching former Super Bowl winners, there is a pattern dating back to 1983 (the season of Super Bowl XVIII, when the Los Angeles Raiders beat Washington in 38-9):

A.) Almost every Super Bowl winner made the playoffs the season before.

B.) The exceptions to this rule, the 2001 Patriots, 2000 Ravens, 1999 Rams, and 2003 Patriots, can be broken down into two categories:

1. Teams employing a new starting quarterback for the majority of their Super Bowl winning season (Tom Brady, Trent Dilfer, Kurt Warner).

2. Teams showing improvement during the previous season. In the case of the 2003 Patriots, New England’s strong, 6-3 finish in 2002 after a 3-4 start spoke of better times ahead. This also was the pattern of the 1982 Washington Redskins, who retained Joe Theismann as their quarterback from 1981 but also finished that season 8-3 after an 0-5 start, and the 1981 San Francisco 49ers, who retained Joe Montana from 1980 and finished 3-2 in a 6-10 season after a woeful 2-14 1979 season.

This formula doesn’t eliminate a whole lot of AFC teams from contending in 2009, but it does throw out the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Perhaps Terrell Owens will be the addition needed for Buffalo to make the playoffs in 2009, and maybe David Garrard can regain his 2007 form, but it’s safe to say both of these teams are more than a season away from joining the elite of the National Football League and overthrowing the Steelers.

Realistically, let’s throw out the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos as well. The Chiefs have added quarterback Matt Cassel, but one gets the feeling it’s going to take more than him for the Chiefs to go from 2-14 to their first conference/league championship in 40 years, and few would argue Kyle Orton or Chris Simms are improvements from Jay Cutler at quarterback for the Broncos, losers of their final three games in 2008.

Cleveland doesn’t have the look of a champion, either. They lost their last six games in 2008, all by scoring 10 points or less. Running back Jamal Lewis enters his 10th year in the NFL; he failed to rush for 100 yards in any game last season.

Their defense ranked just 13th in the conference, and to repair this, new head coach Eric Mangini brought five players from the Jets with him. The Jets finished ninth in the conference in defense.

Even if quarterback Brady Quinn beats out Derek Anderson and becomes an All-Pro, how much can Cleveland realistically expect to improve from 4-12?

The New York Jets will have a new quarterback. First-round draft choice Mark Sanchez may be a future star, but no rookie quarterback has ever taken his team to the Super Bowl, and the other signal caller, Kellen Clemens, doesn’t seem to be a likely candidate to go there, either.

The Jets drafted well, have a solid offensive line, feature two Pro Bowlers on defense in cornerback Darrelle Revis and nose tackle Kris Jenkins, and they would seem to be a dark horse contender, if they just didn’t have to go against history and a brutal schedule to win the AFC title. Wait until 2010.

The three most likely candidates to “rise from the ashes” of the AFC are the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, and Oakland Raiders, who finished their 2008 seasons with 3-0, 5-1, and 2-0 records, respectively. Ironically, the Texans’ sole loss during this time was to the Raiders.

For all the talk of Al Davis going against the grain, Oakland has a promising quarterback-running back duo with JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden. They have quality reserves with newcomer Jeff Garcia and Justin Fargas.

The Raiders even signed three new offensive linemen to protect their quarterback, as the Raiders were 1-7 when allowing more than one sack last season.

While Oakland is a budding power on offense, Houston IS a power, finishing third in the NFL in total yards. Quarterback Matt Schaub threw for more than 3,000 yards despite playing in just 11 games, and though the knee injury he suffered mid-season spoke of the Texans’ historical failures to protect the passer, Houston allowed only 32 sacks in 2008.

Schaub has weapons. Andre Johnson was the leading receiver in the NFL. Kevin Walter and Owen Daniels both finished with just less than 900 receiving yards. Steve Slaton finished 30 yards short of the conference rushing lead in his rookie season.

The problem is both of these teams struggled defensively. The Raiders have passable talent, with cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha leading a pass defense that allowed fewer yards through the air than any other non-playoff team in the AFC.

However, Oakland was 31st in the NFL against the rush in 2008 and didn’t make any significant upgrades on defense. An improvement from 5-11 is likely, especially without the coaching chaos that ruined the Raiders’ 2008 season.

If second-round pick Michael Mitchell and oft-injured Tyvon Branch have monster seasons at safety, the Raiders could contend for a division championship, but a conference title seems out of reach.

Houston is different. First-round draft choice Brian Cushing promises to be a star at middle linebacker. Dunta Robinson is a shutdown corner who has received criticism for missing some offseason workouts, butPlaxico Burress once did that and the Steelers went 15-1.

The Raiders hope to improve defensively; the Texans, 8-8 last season, most assuredly will.

And while the Bengals seemed to fall back to their laughingstock ways last season, they were with Carson Palmer for only four games. Seventeen players finished on injured reserve.

Despite a 4-11-1 record, the Bengals had the sixth best defense in the AFC in 2008—tops among teams with losing records. The signings of strong safety Roy Williams and defensive tackle Tank Johnson, along with the arrival of linebacker Rey Maualuga, will only make it better.

Less than three years ago, Sports Illustrated called the Steelers-Bengals rivalry the nastiest in the NFL. The Bengals lack the running game to make the playoffs, but they might restore the “nasty” in the rivalry.

Moving to the playoff teams of a year ago, while the Steelers did not suffer any key losses, the Tennessee Titans lost Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to free agency and the Indianapolis Colts let Marvin Harrison go. It’s hard to fathom either of these teams improving in 2009 as a result.

In trying to match these teams up against the Steelers for AFC supremacy, while both teams have better offensive lines than Pittsburgh, they have few other advantages.

For instance, even if one was to say Peyton Manning was a better quarterback than Ben Roethlisberger, the Colts lack the receiving talent the Steelers have with Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, and Heath Miller, and it seems to be a stretch to say running back Donald Brown will become a more productive player in his rookie season than Willie Parker will.

And will new head coach Jim Caldwell be a George Seifert or a Ray Handley?

The Titans’ passing attack is unspectacular, to the point that Nate Washington, the Steelers’ third receiver in 2008, may start for the Titans this year. One wonders if running back Chris Johnson will be able to carry the load for a second straight season.

Defensively, the Steelers had the top defense in the NFL last season and suffered no key losses. Unless Pittsburgh’s defensive players get old in a hurry or suffer mass injuries, it would seem this would be a huge advantage for the Steelers over the Titans and Colts.

Bottom line, look for the Colts and Titans to be looking over their shoulder at the improving Texans more than winning one of the two byes in the AFC playoffs.

San Diego will improve. If, for instance, the Chargers beat every team that didn’t make the playoffs in 2008 on their schedule and lose to every one that did, they’ll still finish 10-6.

That still won’t be enough to compete with the elite of the AFC. Though Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman returns, San Diego finished dead last in the AFC in pass defense, yet they did not draft anyone for the secondary until the fifth round and signed no impact free agents.

This leaves four teams to challenge the Steelers; the aforementioned upstart Texans, a long-shot pick, and Baltimore, Miami, and New England.

What the Ravens figure to do better than the Steelers in 2009 is protect the passer, as Baltimore allowed 16 fewer sacks in 2008 than Pittsburgh and drafted tackle Michael Oher in the first round.

They'll also rush for more yards. Pittsburgh has a talented trio of running backs in Parker, Mendenhall, and rookie Frank Summers, but so does Baltimore with Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain, and Ray Rice.

There’s just something about Ray Rice not being able to crack the Ravens' starting lineup that makes the trio stand out a bit more than the Steelers'.

But Pittsburgh will likely have a superior passing attack. Joe Flacco is good, but he doesn’t have the receivers Roethlisberger does.

It is hard to decipher any really big advantage either defense has when compared to the other. Pittsburgh was ranked at the top of the NFL last season and has a superior pass rush, but Baltimore hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in more than two seasons.

Both teams will be trying out new cornerbacks. Baltimore does lose inside linebacker Bart Scott, who went with former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to the Jets, but it appears the primary question in assessing these two teams is if the Steelers can improve their pass protection and if the Ravens can develop a receiver to compliment Derrick Mason.

There’s a lot to like about Miami—a great ground game, led by Ronnie Brown.

Former West Virginia quarterback Pat White should add new dimensions to the Wildcat formation with a run/pass option Brown does not posess, linebacker Joey Porter, who accumulated 17 ½ sacks last season, is still in his prime at 32, and Chad Pennington is the Dolphins’ best quarterback since Dan Marino.

What makes the Dolphins so intriguing is they addressed so many of their needs through free agency and the draft. Miami had the worst pass defense of any team in the AFC with a winning record, so they brought in free safety Gibril Wilson from Oakland and cornerback Eric Green from Arizona while drafting cornerbacks Vontae Davis in the first round and 6’3” Sean Smith in the third.

Those who say the Dolphins’ 11-6 record was buoyed by a last-place schedule should acknowledge Miami did not lose a single game to a team with a losing record in 2008.

That leaves the New England Patriots, and, despite not making the playoffs, they finished 4-0 and will be replacing Cassel with Brady. They fit the formula.

There is the school of thought that the 32-year-old Brady might not be the same quarterback he was before his injury. Remember Terry Bradshaw's elbow?

Then again, 33-year-old Dan Marino returned from a season-ending ankle injury in 1993 to throw for more than 4,400 yards in 1994.

If you had to bet on Brady slumping or excelling upon his return, which way would you bet?

The Patriots made some nice veteran additions, including running back Fred Taylor, wide receiver Joey Galloway, and cornerback Shawn Springs.

New England doesn’t seem to have a real weakness, but they did have a mediocre run defense in 2008. Only one AFC team with a winning record, Indianapolis, had a worse defense against the run than the Patriots did. New England drafted nose tackle Ron Brace in the second round to address this need.

In comparing the Patriots with the Steelers, it could be said that while the Steelers struggled with offensive rankings in 2008, the Patriots struggled with defensive rankings.

What the Steelers may have on the Patriots is the presence of legitimate defensive stars. No Patriot defenders were named to the Pro Bowl last season for the first time since 2000.

Miami’s old “No Name” defense of the ‘70s was a misnomer, because the Dolphins DID have stars; Nick Buoniconti, Jake Scott, Manny Fernandez.

But Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” had more, which helped them overtake the Dolphins in that era.

If the Steelers and Patriots meet in the playoffs, Pittsburgh would have to utilize this advantage with an influential turnover or other big defensive stand to win.

That said, here are my predictions for the AFC Playoffs, with five of the teams capable of ending their season in Miami.

Pittsburgh (13-3)—Have more stars than any other team in the conference.
New England (12-4)—Perhaps the most complete team in the AFC. They’ll visit Heinz Field for the Super Bowl again.
Houston (11-5)—This will be their breakout season. But can they win a divisional playoff game on the road?
Oakland (10-6)—Another surprise, but one-and-done in the postseason.
Baltimore (12-4)—Consistent, but Flacco needs better receivers.
Miami (11-5)—Don’t dismiss.

Pittsburgh Steelers Preview: Nitpicking the Champs

Marky Billson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:35:49 -0400

Nitpicking.

An activity where being perfect means only breaking even.

A process where the slightest error is overrated.

Nobody likes a nitpicker. He’s the guy who thinks he did you a favor by not setting you up with Cindy Crawford because of the mole on her face.

Yet when a team wins the Super Bowl and looks to repeat, nitpicking can be a healthy process to figure out how to stay on top, or the process that identifies how a team won’t.

As such, in the case of the Pittsburgh Steelers, while their lines and secondary may have been good enough to win the Super Bowl last season, any one of these units might be the Achilles' heel of the team in 2009.

For instance, the entire starting defensive line will be 31 years old or more on Sept. 19, the birthday of 30-year-old Brett Keisel.

Concern for injury and age? Perhaps, but even with Aaron Smith (33) and Casey Hampton (32), calling any member of the unit past their prime would seem to be premature.

Besides, there’s enough depth with Travis Kirschke, Chris Hoke, and first-round draft choice Ziggy Hood that the defensive line doesn’t figure to be a weakness in 2009.

Three years from now? Maybe.

But not now.

Secondary? The main concern seems to be if William Gay can replace Bryant McFadden as the Steelers’ starting corner.

Why wouldn’t he be? Gay had as many tackles as a reserve (41) as McFadden did as a starter, a role he filled only eight times in 2008. If he can’t, Deshea Townsend, whose game-winning interception against Dallas propelled the Steelers to their championship run, is in reserve.

Throw in draft choices Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett, and an answer at right cornerback figures to be found.

No, the primary weakness of the 2009 Steelers figures to be what it was in 2008: the offensive line.

A strong argument can be made that despite winning the Super Bowl, or quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s praise of the line’s play in lieu of answering Andrea Kremer’s questions following Pittsburgh’s 10-6 victory at Cleveland Sept. 14, the Steelers had their worst offensive line since the mid-'60s, when the Steelers allowed more than 60 sacks in both the 1965 and 1966 seasons.

Last season the Steelers allowed 49 sacks, the highest since the 1989 Steelers allowed 51.

But the '89 Steelers had future Hall-of-Famer Dermontti Dawson at center and Pro Bowl selection Tunch Ilkin at right tackle.

That team allowed the rather pedestrian Tim Worley to average 3.9 yards per carry, while this team could only get burner Willie Parker to average 3.8.

And that team didn’t see their running backs consistently suffer injuries throughout the season.

In an interview I conducted with Ilkin for Bleacher Report on June 2, he spoke of how the Steelers reduced their sacks allowed total from 51 in 1989 to 33 in 1990.

“The thing about it is if everyone got a little better, the cumulative effect of everyone getting just a little bit better will have a profound effect on how much time the quarterback has,” Ilkin said.

A clichéd answer, perhaps, but not without truth. The hope with Pittsburgh’s offensive line is that none of the unit’s members have started at their position for the Steelers for as many as three years, so with experience they will jell.

In 1990, the reduction of sacks came with experience. Left tackle John Jackson, a 10th-round draft choice in 1988 from a Division I-AA college, became a full-time starter for the first time in 1989.

Wobbly at first (he started his first game as a rookie in the 1988 preseason against New Orleans and allowed five sacks lining up against Pat Swilling), by 1990 Jackson was hailed as one of the Steelers’ top linemen, as Pittsburgh went from allowing nearly three to fewer than two sacks a game.

So perhaps signing Max Starks to his four-year, $26.3 million contract on June 23 made sense; not only because the contract comes with a $10 million signing bonus that will free salary cap room, but because Starks figures to improve in his second year at left tackle after switching from the right side last season.

After starting 34 straight games, Willie Colon enters his prime at right tackle. Veteran Justin Hartwig will likely make better calls in his second year as the starting center, and Chris Kemoeatu and former Rimington Award finalist Darnell Stapleton will be in their second year as starters at left and right guard, respectively—unless second-round pick Kraig Urbik starts in place of Stapleton.

Then again, Colon and Starks have been oft-criticized by Steelers fans, Hartwig nearly cost the Steelers the Super Bowl with his holding penalty that turned a first down reception by Santonio Holmes into an Arizona safety, and, with the exception of tight end Heath Miller, the line will have no starters who were drafted in the first two rounds of an NFL draft.

Also, just like New England last year, the Steelers are likely doomed if Roethlisberger goes down, while projected third receiver Limas Sweed still hasn’t shown he has hands.

But that’s nitpicking.

How Kevin McClatchy Made Pittsburgh "The City of Champions" Again

Marky Billson — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 02:29:26 -0400

In this second generation of Pittsburgh’s “City of Champions” title, it’s time to thank the man who made it all happen.

Kevin McClatchy.

What? The former owner of the Pirates who never produced so much as a winning record? The man who went from being a vibrant, popular young owner to a grey-haired miser in the public’s eyes in just a decade?

How is he responsible for the Steelers winning the Super Bowl and the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup?

By laying the groundwork for the construction of not just PNC Park, but Heinz Field and ultimately the Consul Energy Center as well.

The story begins in 1996, when McClatchy bought the Pirates from Pittsburgh Associates.

At the time, McClatchy was looked upon as a white knight. After Pittsburghmayor Tom Murphy badly mismanaged the Pirates’ sale, McClatchy came in with a large group of investors to rescue the Bucs from any potential move.

Upon the purchase, McClatchy insisted the Pirates needed a new ballpark to replace Three Rivers Stadium.

It was a tough sell. Remember, in 1996 the new stadium boom in professional sports was just starting, and Three Rivers was still only 26 years old.

Five years earlier Mayor Sophie Masloff had announced her desire for a new baseball-only park alongside Three Rivers and was looked upon as delusional by Pittsburghers. Yes, a view of the city’s skyline while watching a baseball game would be nice, but the $219 million price tag would not. Masloff did not run for re-election in 1993.

But McClatchy’s demand spearheaded construction of all the new sports facilities in Pittsburgh. Soon the Pirates didn’t just need a new yard, but the Steelers, stating a new stadium would cost just as much as refurbishing Three Rivers, decided it was the proper time to get into the act.

Since it’s a tough sell to get the government to allot more than $200 million for a new stadium with only 10 scheduled events a year, the University of Pittsburgh was lured to the new football stadium as well, abandoning 74-year old Pitt Stadium and building a new basketball arena in its place.

Yes, Western Pennsylvaniavoters rejected a sales tax increase to fund the new yards in 1997. But McClatchy had too many local investors in his ownership group to consider selling the team to interests that would have moved it elsewhere and the groundwork had to build the new stadiums had already been done.

McClatchy had made enough civic, political, and financial ties to keep the team in town, and had convinced them a new ballpark was needed for the Pirates.

With this, a domino effect occurred where every sports franchise wanted to, and eventually did, get into the act, and enough momentum was established for the public money to be allotted to build the stadiums without a sales tax increase.

Is it coincidence the Steelers went from 22-26 during their final years at Three Rivers to six division titles and two Super Bowl Championships in their first eight years at Heinz Field?

Is it coincidence the Pitt men’s basketball team went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nine seasons in their first year at the Peterson Events Center and became a national power?

Is it coincidence Pitt’s women’s basketball team became a nationally ranked program for the first time in their history upon moving into “The Pete” as well?

Is it coincidence Pitt’s football team went to five straight bowls for the first time in a generation upon moving? Or that the Penguins’ success coincides with the promise of future earnings to be made in the Consul Energy Center?

No more so than it was coincidence the Pirates won the World Series in the first year at Forbes Field and second at Three Rivers, or that the Panthers won five football and two men’s basketball national championships within a 12-year period upon moving into multipurpose Pitt Stadium (Pitt’s cagers played in a pavilion inside Pitt Stadium during this era).

No more so than the fact that the Steelers’ dynasty occurred within three years of moving to Three Rivers, or that once the Civic Arena was built the AHL Hornets returned after a five-year hiatus, leading to the creation of the Penguins six years later.

Ironically, if any team failed to benefit from the modern local stadium boom, it was the Pirates.

Luxury box revenue aside, it could be argued it would be easier to build a championship team in a small market with speed and defense rather than high priced power hitters, and with its artificial surface and symmetric dimensions Three Rivers Stadium was more suited for the former style of play.

Indeed, the Bucs have never contended for so much as a winning record since moving to PNC Park, whereas the team led by stolen base champ Tony Womack just missed .500 records with 79 victories in 1997 and 78 in 1999.

McClatchy will be remembered in many ways by Pittsburgh sports fans. He’ll be remembered as the owner who may have saved the Pirates from relocation and for getting the franchise back in touch with their history.

But ultimately, he’ll be remembered as a loser.

The irony is he indirectly helped everybody else in town win.

Marky Billson Interviews Tunch Ilkin...for Real

Marky Billson — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:28:38 -0400

Bleacher Report has many fantasy interviews: "The 20 Questions I'd Like to Ask Hines Ward" and whatnot.

Here's a real interview, with former Steelers All-Pro offensive lineman and current radio color commentator Tunch Ilkin.

Here he discusses the demise, but not dismissal, of the charity event fellow broadcaster and ex-Steeler Craig Wolfley held each year for the homeless of Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, how much an offensive line can improve from one year to the next, and how he actually is paid to help the Baltimore Ravens!

Marky: I was going to ask if there was going to be a “Tunch and Wolf Walk for the Homeless” this year, but I now understand there won’t be. Why?

Tunch: There won’t be a Walk because our director of development at the Light of Life Mission, Tom Lazar, had a massive heart attack and died Super Bowl week. That put our fundraising in a jam and we decided to focus on mailers. The executive director decided to hold it off a year.

We’re looking at doing it again next year in May.

Marky: How did you get involved with the Light of Life Mission?

Tunch: In 1987 I was downtown at a play and I remember seeing all these homeless. My heart broke through to them and I thought “What could I do?”

Through [former Steelers executive] Joe Gordon I was put in touch with Light of Life.

My involvement started in 1987 and I was blown away. People were giving their lives to the poor. I started volunteering and getting to know the staff and the disadvantaged...They made me a board member, but I’m a much better volunteer than a board member.

Marky:You mentioned to me in your reply to this interview request you’d be a part of Steelers fantasy camp this weekend in Latrobe. Explain what goes on in a Steelers fantasy camp.

Tunch: Guys come in. A bunch of Steelers come in. Craig Wolfley and I have been co-hosting for five or six years. The players include Dermotti Dawson, Mike Tomczak, Mike Logan, and Jason Gildon and a couple of coaches come in for chalk talk seasons.

Friday night is a picture night and guys tell stories. On Saturday it’s a banquet. It’s just a time go through two practices and go through the same drills the Steelers do only minus the equipment.

On Sunday morning we have a punt, pass and kick competition.

The participants stay in the dorms and get a jersey. Try to get as close to training camp as possible.

There’s no game [at the end of camp], but you work on pass rushing and blocking, pass coverage; every aspect. I think there are six or eight stations. You learn how to do everything, throw, catch, punt, cover, run routes. You get a bird’s eye view of playing the game.

Marky: Now to the serious football talk. How do you think it was possible for a team to win the Super Bowl while allowing 49 sacks, the second-worst total in the AFC and the third-worst in franchise history?

Tunch: When you look at sacks given up it’s easy to assume all of them belong to the offensive line. But if we believed that our true assessment of the line is incorrect. Tight ends and running backs are also responsible, hot reads are sometimes missed, and the Steelers have a quarterback who likes to hold on to the ball. That will produce sacks.

The offensive line early on was shuffled and teams were blitzing. As the year went on it got better. The key is not how many sacks, but when the offensive line absolutely had to make plays, [in the post season] they kept Ben [Roethlisberger] upright.

Marky: You were known for not allowing sacks. Every year it seemed we’d hear “Tunch Ilkin only allowed one sack last season!” What’s the key to protecting the quarterback?

Tunch: You have to be good with your hands. They’re everything . . . We used to punch block, so the key to being a good pass blocker is to jam your hands into the defensive lineman, stop his pass rush move, and make him start all over. Then you have to shuffle your feet and be aggressive with your hands but under control so you don’t whiff.

Marky: You also were on those two teams that allowed more sacks than the 2008 squad, the 1983 team that allowed 52 sacks, and the 1989 Steelers that allowed 51. Can you tell us what adjustments were made the next season to reduce that number (in ’84 the Steelers allowed 35 sacks, in ’90 they allowed 33)?

Tunch: We were just better. We played better. In 1983 we rotated guys around and had a lot of guys hurt.

The thing about it is, if everyone got a little better, the cumulative effect of everyone getting just a little bit better will have a profound effect on how much time the quarterback has.

Marky: Are you still tutoring the Chicago Bears offensive linemen?

Tunch: Yes. I was just in Chicago last weekend. Last year I worked with the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings. We’ll see what happens. Sometimes they’ll call that weekend and ask “Can you help us out?”

Marky: Would you like to tutor the Steelers?

Tunch: With the exception of being offered a job by Bill Cowher, I’ve never been offered. I have worked with 12 teams.

In 2000, he offered me the opportunity to be the assistant to offensive line coach Kent Stephenson and take over because his health was not going to allow him to continue. But it would have taken too much time from my family. I was coaching my two sons in football and my daughter was playing soccer. I was tempted and honored, but the cost was too high.

The Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions have also offered me coaching jobs, and Mike Holmgren was interested [following my final season in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers]. But the only one I was serious about was the Steelers job.

Marky: The best reason the Steelers will repeat is-

Tunch- Because of their consistency. And because I think Mike Tomlin is great at knowing when to push and when to back off.

Marky: The best reason they won’t is-

Tunch: I think because everyone will be gunning for them and it is a short offseason when you win the Super Bowl. Sometimes you can be tired. But that’s why I think they have a good shot— Mike will have them where they need to be.

Marky: You majored in broadcasting at Indiana State. Do you feel this legitimizes you from what Howard Cosell described as “The Jockocracy?”

Tunch: Oh, I don’t know. I love what I do. I’m thankful I do what I do. I enjoy the business because I love football. I think it’s a fabulous game. I have the greatest job in the world; for 14 years I get to talk about it.

Marky: What was the better preparation to become the Steelers’ color commentator: your degree or playing career?

Tunch: I think really my playing career. You don’t do a game as a broadcast student. You can produce a TV show or do a show—work everything from floor manager to director to sound, but experience is the key.

The thing that helped me learn was when I first got into the business before I started doing Steelers games I worked for a year for NBC. The guys who really helped me were Matt Millen, a good friend of mine, and Bob Trumpy.

When Matt heard they hired me the Steelers pregame on WPXI, he invited me to watch him work and show you how to prepare for games. He told me to prepare just like a player—watch film.

Bob Trumpy also gave me a great bit of advice—take people where they can’t go— in the huddle, on the field.

Marky: How has your role on the Steelers’ broadcasts changed without the late, great Myron Cope?

Tunch: Myron was fantastic. He was just a blast. You know that, Marky. His sense of humor and timing, his “Myronisms,” his passion for the game. It was great to work with a true legend.

When Myron was in the booth, my role was really to respond to what he would say as opposed to what [longtime Steelers play-by-play announcer Bill Hillgrove] would say. Without Myron there, the game is the focal point. In that way it has changed.

I miss him, the fun we’d have. He’d have me in stitches. He was always busting on me and I’d bust back. We had a lot of fun.

Marky: When you came to Pittsburgh in 1980 the town was alive as “The City of Champions” as both the Steelers and Pirates had won World Championships the season before. What’s different about the vibe you get with the Steelers winning the Super Bowl and the Penguins in the Stanley Cup finals?

Tunch: You know, I don’t know if I do have a different vibe. What’s great about this city is the way Pittsburghers embrace their athletes. If you play for this city you become part of the fabric of the city. It’s just very cool. Pittsburghers are great about embracing you as their own.

The Ballad of Jason Capizzi

Marky Billson — Sun, 31 May 2009 18:29:49 -0400

My hero, Myron Cope, often admitted he had a weakness for poetry.

Once, after calling the Steelers post-game show in 1989, he gave me “10 merits and 27 gold stars” for a poem I read on the air (from a pay phone), celebrating the Steelers’ 27-14 victory against Minnesota that turned the season around.

Of course, who could forget how the Terrible Towel’s presence was cemented by a listener’s poem, or Cope’s famous ode to a couple of Pittsburgh Maulers’ wide receivers— “Butts and Potts!”

But the presence on the Steelers’ roster of Gibsonia native Jason Capizzi, not to mention an offensive line in need of restructuring, has, yes, inspired me to verse!

So, in the hopes of a new local star being produced, I give you “The Ballad of Jason Capizzi.”

Who to replace Smith and Simmons on the Steelers offensive line?

Will it be Starks? Stapleton? Someone new this time?

How ‘bout someone to appease those with dirty minds?

Jason Capizzi—he’s 6 foot 9!

Ahead of him on the roster are Essex and Hills

They have the rings; they make opponents write wills

But there’s gotta be a place for the transfer from Pitt

Cause I think 6 foot 9 can pick up the blitz!

Oh, at IUP he was all honey and milkin!

He only gave up one sack—a stat worthy of Tunch Ilkin!

Is there any way to have three tackles on the line?

We want Capizzi at 6"9'!

They laughed when Gene Upshaw moved from tackle to guard

Blocking and trapping—can it really be that hard?

I just want Big Ben to have plenty of time

AND HE’LL GET IT—FROM CAPIZZI—AT 6 FOOT 9!

How Tomlin Wins- On The Field and Off

Marky Billson — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:52:33 -0400

Entering his third season as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Tomlin has become more popular than his predecessor, Bill Cowher.

This isn’t just because Cowher has upset Pittsburgh sports fans recently by adopting the Carolina Hurricanes as his favorite hockey team.

It is primarily because Tomlin’s Steelers won the Super Bowl in his second season at the helm whereas Cowher’s didn’t win it until his 14th, and since the last edition of Cowher’s Steelers went 8-8 it prevented any “Tomlin has only won with Cowher’s players” tags from taking hold.

But this popularity also stems from the way Tomlin has presented himself. He’s shown he can be in control without having to lose his demeanor. His fit is firm, but comfortable.

Remember Bill DiFabio’s appearance as Santa Claus last December at a press conference? That used to be an annual event with DiFabio and Cowher in the early 90s, but as time went on and the relationship between Cowher and the local media soured the event was cancelled.

Maybe this year’s visit from Santa bombed, but it still spoke volumes on how the media had developed a better relationship with Tomlin than Cowher had experienced during his final years.

But Tomlin was hardly replacing a poor coach. The very opposite was true, and Tomlin was wise enough to keep much of the assistant coaching staff he inherited from Cowher; defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, then- defensive line coach John Mitchell, then-wide receivers coach Bruce Arians, linebackers coach Keith Butler, tight ends coach James Daniel, and quality control coach, defense Lou Spanos.

Considering the resumes they possessed- why would he seek to rid themselves of this staff?

A lesser coach might have greased the skids for LeBeau, a 70-something proponent of the 3-4. Tomlin’s teams in Minnesota played a 4-3.

Instead, LeBeau was allowed to have hands-on control of the defense. The result wasn’t just a Super Bowl title and No. 1 defensive ranking last season. Fans lined along the Boulevard of the Allies during the Super Bowl victory parade on Feb. 3 gave LeBeau, neither an ex-Steelers player nor a Pittsburgh native, the loudest cheers of the event.

Furthermore, one gets the feeling that Tomlin coming from outside of the Steelers mix allowed the team to be open to more new ideas.

Ken Anderson as quarterbacks coach? Years ago it would have seemed as unlikely as Pete Franklin becoming the Steelers’ play-by-play announcer.

But upon further review, why not? Anderson’s play that beat the Steelers a generation ago featured high percentage passing and lots of scrambling, which goes hand-in-hand with modern offenses. Who better to teach today’s quarterbacks how to do it than one of the architects?

Linebackers coach Keith Butler is another interesting aside. Back in 1996 both Butler and Tomlin were assistants at the University of Memphis under Rip Scherer Jr., a Pittsburgh native as well as a cousin of Steelers Vice President of Football Operations Kevin Colbert.

During this season, the Tigers upset No. 6 Tennessee, 21-17; Memphis’ only victory in history against the Volunteers. Memphis did it by intercepting Peyton Manning twice and enjoying a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Kevin Cobb.

Tomlin was the defensive backs coach on that team. Butler coached the special teams.

Special teams is where another of Tomlin’s best hires was made in McKees Rocks native Bob Ligashesky.

Ligashesky is personable; the rah-rah personality George Allen envisioned when he created the position of special teams coordinator.

I came to respect Ligashesky when he was the special teams and tight ends coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Not only did his tenure produce some great players, such as San Francisco punter Andy Lee and current San Diego tight end/full back Kris Wilson, but he always praised his players and kept himself in the background when giving quotes.

His critics point out Ligashesky has an assistant, Amos Jones, an able coach who once played running back for Bear Bryant. But the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants, among other teams, also have assistants for their special teams coordinators. This is not valid criticism.

For all the knocks the special teams units took last season, Mitch Berger’s 41.3 yard punting average wasn’t that far off from Daniel Sepulveda’s 42.4 in 2007. When long snapper Greg Warren was lost in midseason to a knee injury, Jared Retkofsky was found.

The fans’ whipping boy among the coaches is, unquestionably, Arians, as the website www.firebrucearians.com indicates.

Even Bleacher Report’s Eddie Rossell bashed Arians last year- http://bleacherreport.com/articles/94171-boot-bruce-arians-and-the-pittsburgh-steelers-will-be-unstoppable.

The thing is, the Steelers WERE unstoppable last year with Arians. Calling for more trick plays is sooooooo Sam Wyche.

Such websites go with the job of a football coach, as http://firebelichick.blogspot.comand http://fireandyreidnow.blogspot.comprove. Even “Fire Joe Paterno” shirts and shorts can be purchased online.

While the Steelers’ lack of success on fourth down last season, let alone their 22nd ranking among NFL offenses, doesn’t help Arians’ cause, I am intrigued by the fact he was the head coach at Temple during the mid-80s.

During Arians’ tenure the Owls were competitive, something they have not been since. They beat Pitt three times during his six years there (including a Panthers squad ranked No. 16 in 1987) and even produced a viable Heisman Trophy contender, running back Paul Palmer.

Frankly, I’m entitled to believe if Arians can coach Temple to a winning season back when he has something going for him.

Yet somehow the criticism placed upon Arians did not transfer back to Tomlin, who ultimately approves Arians’ play calls.

Meanwhile, in light of the recent spat of local criticism on Cowher for “Sirengate,” nobody in Pittsburgh seems to remember Cowher’s passion in criticizing LenDale White and Keith Bulluck for stomping on the Terrible Towel last December. Screaming at Myron Cope for his line of questioning on the Steelers’ radio pre-game show will tend to attract critics, not sympathizers.

To date, the only real criticism Tomlin has faced stems from often giving national media scoops instead of the local scribes. While that could come back to harm him in the future, it seems unlikely for a guy who has seemingly always said and done the right thing during his two year tenure in Pittsburgh.

Why I Love Neil O'Donnell: The Story of the 1995 Pittsburgh Steelers

Marky Billson — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:22:14 -0400

Sometimes the team that doesn’t win it all captures your heart.

Why else would, say, the 1969 Cubs be so revered by their fans? Or why the 1950s Brooklyn Dodgers were remembered by Roger Kahn as “The Boys of Summer?”

Maybe that’s why my favorite Steelers team of all time is the 1995 squad- the only Steelers team ever to lose a Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh has never been a city that embraced a “lovable loser.” At the time of my 1971 birth, for instance, it could very well be argued the two most popular teams in town were the Pittsburgh Pirates and Duquesne Dukes basketball squad.

Today, it seems as if these two entities don’t even count after years of losing.

But the ’95 Steelers weren’t losers. They were the AFC CHAMPIONS, dammit!

They were the only Steelers team of a generation to go to the Super Bowl, sandwiched between five teams that made the AFC Championship Game but somehow could not win it.

They overcame a 3-4 start to make the Super Bowl. They won six games in the fourth quarter—including one of the three greatest AFC Championship games ever played—and would have won a seventh in Green Bay had Yancey Thigpen not dropped a game-ending pass at the goal line.

Owner Dan Rooney said the ’95 Steelers’ quartet of wide receivers were better than when the franchise was blessed with Hall of Famers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann.

Pittsburgh’s Hall of Fame cornerback, Rod Woodson, was lost for the season on opening day with torn ligaments in his knee, then made a historic recovery by playing in the Super Bowl.

In his absence, Carnell Lake, a linebacker in college, moved from his starting safety position to play cornerback and the Steelers went 10-2.

They beat the Bears for the first time in franchise history in Chicago. They introduced a magical player, Kordell Stewart, who seemingly could play every position.

They swept Cleveland in the Browns’ final season before moving to Baltimore, but Steelers fans put down their Terrible Towels for a day and wore orange armbands for a Monday Night Game at Three Rivers Stadium against the Browns to show solidarity to their regional neighbors in a display of sportsmanship rarely seen in the NFL.

Two players, Willie Williams, who led the AFC in interceptions and made a huge tackle to force a punt late in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game, and rowdy special teams ace Lethon Flowers, also were teammates at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, S.C.

The ’95 Steelers even beat the Raiders in Oakland, played Dallas in the Super Bowl, and lost to the Don Shula-led Dolphins in Miami; just like the old days.

They did everything but win the actual Super Bowl.

The scapegoat of the defeat is quarterback Neil O’Donnell, whose fourth-quarter interception prevented what appeared to be the course for a record 13-point comeback in the Big Dance. The two interceptions he threw to Larry Brown have turned him into football’s Bill Buckner.

But it says here O’Donnell has received a bad rap. Consider:

A- On O’Donnell’s fatal fourth-quarter interception that changed the momentum of Super Bowl XXX, he threw the pass in the right place, only to have slot receiver Andre Hastings turn inside instead of outside on his route. Receiver Ernie Mills tore up his knee on the wet turf of Sun Devil Stadium on the Steelers’ previous possession. Had either of these instances not occurred, this pass is likely completed for a first down and O’Donnell likely leads the Steelers to the biggest come-from-behind victory in Super Bowl history- establishing himself as Game MVP and a superstar.

B- O’Donnell retired in 2003 as the least likely quarterback in NFL history to throw an interception. It simply does not add up he would be the sole reason for Brown’s picks.

C- O’Donnell’s 1995 season mirrors Ben Roethlisberger’s 2005 season. In both seasons the Steelers were 11-5. In both seasons these quarterbacks missed four games due to injury and the team went 2-2 in their absence, only to be resurrected by their return. O’Donnell’s touchdown-to-interception ratio in 1995 was 17-7. Roethlisberger’s? 17-9. And both quarterbacks, for whatever reason, struggled in the Super Bowl.

Like Roethlisberger in 2005, the Steelers in 1995 wouldn’t have made it as far as they did without O’Donnell.

He was the team MVP, threw for 300 yards a Steelers record four times and 200 in 11 of his 14 complete games, and tied his own team record for completion percentage.

He engineered a 67-yard touchdown drive with 3:03 remaining in the AFC Championship Game complete with a fourth down completion to Hastings and 39-yard strike to Mills that set up Bam Morris’ game-winning one-yard touchdown run, became the first player in team history to throw 50 passes in a game twice in the same season and his 87.7 quarterback rating was second only in Steelers history to Terry Bradshaw’s 87.8 in 1975.

It doesn’t bode well for Steeler Nation’s reputation to have this animosity towards a player that led them to the Super Bowl. Brian Sipe is also best remembered for throwing a fatal interception in the postseason, yet Cleveland fans revere him and he never led the Browns as far as the AFC Championship Game, something O’Donnell did for the Steelers twice.

The very next season, 1996, Jacksonville’s Mark Brunell would throw an interception to New England’s Willie Clay in the end zone, not at midfield, with four minutes remaining in the AFC Championship Game and the Jaguars trailing 13-6. On the next possession James Stewart fumbled away any chance for Jacksonville victory at midfield.

Yet neither Brunell or Stewart are despised in North Florida. If anything, they, like Sipe, are revered.

And none of them ever played in a Super Bowl, either.

It’s one thing to have high standards. It’s another that every primary starting quarterback the Pittsburgh Steelers have had between Bradshaw and Roethlisberger—Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone, Bubby Brister, O’Donnell, Mike Tomczak, Stewart, and Tommy Maddox—led the Steelers to the playoffs yet all of them, with the possible exception of Tomczak, are generally thought of negatively by Steeler Nation- and even Bradshaw and Roethlisberger have had their critics.

Keith Olbermann has Fred Merkle. I have Neil O’Donnell.

So explains my allegiance to the ’95 Steelers. In my heart, Mills doesn’t tear up his knee. He is the intended receiver who makes the right cut on the pass route that begins a game-winning touchdown drive. O’Donnell becomes the architect of the biggest Super Bowl comeback ever.

He returns to the Steelers that offseason instead of defecting to the New York Jets, leads Pittsburgh to the Super Bowl in ’96 (a season in which the Steelers fell from fifth to 27th in the NFL in passing) and ’97 and becomes a Hall of Famer, not a journeyman.

On a personal note, I was just 24 in 1995. It was probably the last year of my life where the vast majority of players on the roster were older than I was; where I could watch professional sports with the innocence of a child.

I moved to Pittsburgh that year in large part because I knew, just knew, the Steelers were going to go to the Super Bowl that year and I simply couldn’t live through such a season out of town.

And regardless of the final score of the Super Bowl, I honestly don’t think the 1995 Steelers ever let me down.

Return of Rashard Mendenhall, Arrival of Frank Summers to Revive Fullback Dive

Marky Billson — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:39:23 -0400

The greatest things a fan can see in football are safeties, punts with two minutes remaining in the game from teams trailing by 28 points, and the fullback dive.

While weaknesses on a Super Bowl champion are not easy to find, it could be said that the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers were less than effective in short yardage situations. Willie Parker isn’t exactly the sort of back one wants to plow up the middle with the defense overloading the box.

Which makes the return of Rashard Mendenhall (5'10", 225 pounds, 16 heavier than Parker) and the arrival of fifth-round draft choice Frank Summers (5'9", 241 pounds) so important.

The fullback dive will be back!

Technically there aren’t that many fullbacks anymore. The I formation has long been considered blasé and obsolete by the NFL.

But as long as we have 4th-and-1 in football, there will be a need to have the running back dive into the line.

And the Steelers weren’t very good at that last season. They were an NFL-worst 3-of-12 on fourth-down conversions and 3-for-14 including the postseason.

By comparison, the second-worst team in the NFL converting fourth downs in 2008 was the Carolina Panthers, who converted 38 percent of their regular season attempts compared to the Steelers’ 25.

Yes, a fourth-down conversion would seem to be an irrelevancy if the offense did their job on the first three downs. The success of both the Steelers and Panthers in 2008 proves this.

But the Steelers' inability to pick up 4th-and-1 did hurt them in 2008.

Against Indianapolis on Nov. 9, the Steelers and Colts were tied 17-17 when Pittsburgh faced second and goal at the one-yard line midway through the fourth quarter. Two runs by Mewelde Moore failed, and the Steelers resorted to a Jeff Reed chip shot to take the lead.

Which would have been fine, except that two possessions later Peyton Manning took advantage of a short field by hitting Dominic Rhodes with a 17-yard touchdown pass.

For want of a yard, a game was lost, 24-20.

The next week in the second quarter against the Chargers, Moore again couldn’t pound it in from the one, and this time on fourth down. Thankfully, James Harrison responded by sacking Phil Rivers two plays later for a safety, eventually resulting in the winning points in an 11-10 victory.

Without Harrison’s heroics, the game is likely lost.

Let’s not forget Gary Russell’s inability to get into the end zone on fourth and goal from the one against Dallas on Dec. 7.

By the time the Super Bowl rolled around, head coach Mike Tomlin wasn’t taking any chances.

Ben Roethlisberger didn’t break the plane on the opening drive? It’s fourth and goal from the one?

Hello, Skippy. Instead of Pittsburgh instilling their dominance and making a statement on their opening drive, the Cardinals salvaged a positive out of an otherwise poor initial defense performance and were able to stay in the game throughout.

Blame the offensive line all you want—it's worthy criticism, and the Steelers did draft right guard Kraig Urbik in the second round for this reason.

But the running backs can't be ignored, either.

That’s why drafting Summers and Mendenhall’s return are so important. In his lone start before breaking his shoulder, Mendenhall had nine carries in a 23-20 victory against Baltimore on Sept. 29.

Eight of the rushing attempts were between the tackles, excusing an otherwise pedestrian 3.1 yards per carry average in the game.

And when Mendenhall did get hurt in the third quarter, the Steelers again faced a third and goal at the one a quarter later.

Again they gave the ball to Moore, and again he was stopped. Instead of clinching the victory, the Steelers' lead was just seven points. The game would go into overtime before Reed kicked a 46-yard field goal for the victory.

Traditionally, “short yardage specialists” have gone on to greater things on the Steelers. Jerome Bettis was supposed to close out his career in this role in 2004; he wound up leading a 15-1 team in rushing and then closed out his career with a starring role on a Super Bowl-champion team the next season.

Frank Pollard (5'10", 218 pounds) was often described as a “short yardage specialist” in the 1980s, a title he backed up by scoring a two-yard touchdown on second effort late in Pittsburgh’s 24-17 victory at Denver in the 1984 playoffs.

And while in hindsight I’m not quite sure what Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala’s role was, I sure was happy when he completed a 17-point comeback against Cleveland in the 2002 playoffs on a three-yard touchdown run with a minute remaining to win 36-33.

Whether or not this fate befalls Mendenhall or Summers remains to be seen.

This, however, is known: Fullback dives, even when they aren’t successful, often wind up as safeties with the opponent gaining possession at the one-yard line—witness the Chargers game.

And when successful, they result in touchdowns and in defeated opponents punting with two minutes left, trailing 35-7.

Yes, in this modern era of zone blitzes and timing patterns, it still all comes back to the fullback dive.

2009 Steelers - Super Bowl Or Bust

Marky Billson — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:54:58 -0400

“Supper Bowl. Write it down.”

The above malapropism was supposedly written on a blackboard at Steelers training camp approximately 20 years ago by quarterback Bubby Brister. Brister was never known for his intellect, but in hindsight if we can understand his writing we can see he was predicting the beginning of an era of Steelers football that has suffered through only four losing records in the last 20 seasons.

But this year is different. This isn’t 1989, where Steelers fans were just elated to be in the playoffs after a five-year hiatus, or 1992, when Pittsburgh won their first division title in eight years, or even 2001 and 2004, when despite playing poorly in the AFC Championship game the Steelers’ respective 13 and 15 victory seasons out of nowhere could hardly be called disappointments.

This is a season where the Pittsburgh Steelers should be improved from last year’s World Championship season. Where the key returning players are all in their prime, the schedule is easier, and with Rashard Mendenhall coming back from injury it could be argued Pittsburgh will reap the benefits of having two new first-round draft choices contribute this season.

Super Bowl. Write it down.

True, the New England Patriots have been installed as the Vegas favorite to win Super Bowl XLIV.

But the demands of Pittsburgh Steelers fans will not allow them to call another division title with home field advantage a successful season should the Patriots beat them in the playoffs for the third time this decade and fourth time in five postseason meetings dating to 1996. That would allow the Patriots to officially clinch the title of “Team of the Decade,” if they haven’t already.

More importantly, should New England go on to win their fourth Super Bowl this season, it would allow this era’s Patriots to be favorably compared head-to-head with the Steelers of the Seventies. And with five conference titles in a decade compared to the four Pittsburgh won from 1974-79, one can argue the Steelers’ championships were more concentrated, but . . .

Fear not, fellow Yinzers! The Steelers will again win the Super Bowl because -

There are no key roster losses. Offensive tackle Marvell Smith? He only played in five games last season and the team won the Super Bowl. Bryan McFadden? He only played in 10. Nate Washington and Byron Leftwich? They didn’t even start. And while inside linebacker Larry Foote has left for Detroit, do you honestly think when Foote recorded 63 tackles as a starter and heir apparent Lawrence Timmons collected 65 as a backup it is a regression?
There are plenty of roster gains. Maybe the draft did underwhelm, but didn’t the selection of a defensive lineman and right guard seem wise on a team where all the starting defensive linemen are more than 30 years old and the team allowed 49 regular season sacks? What can’t be denied is the return of Rashard Mendenhall to run between the tackles, Daniel Sepulveda to punt instead of Mitch Berger or Paul Ernster, or the fact defensive backs Keiwan Ratliff, Keenan Lewis, and Joe Burnett figure to combat the loss of McFadden, who was hardly the sole reason the defense finished at the top of the league’s statistical rankings last year.
The schedule has to be easier. While it’s true what was billed as “the league’s toughest schedule” referred to the opponents’ 2007 records and not 2008, the strength of the Steelers schedule still was the second toughest ever for a Super Bowl champion and seventh overall in the league. Pittsburgh played seven games against playoff teams in the regular season, posting a less-than-impressive 3-4 mark, though it should be mentioned Baltimore was 2-5 against foes that made the playoffs and Arizona 1-4 during the 2008 regular season. What’s more impressive is that outside the division Pittsburgh played only one team with a losing record (Jacksonville) and indirectly kept Dallas and New England out of the playoffs, while preventing both Houston and Washington from having winning seasons. This year’s slate features eight games against opponents with losing records in 2008. Finish 7-1 against them and the Steelers need only play .500 against the big boys to finish 11-5.
The best players are all in their prime. Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller, and Troy Polamalu are all veterans and are all younger than 30. Tell me these aren’t five of the Steelers’ six best players.
The offensive line can’t be any worse than it was last year. Can it?

If you’re dead set on playing the pessimism game, yes, James Farrior will be 35 by the time the playoffs roll around. Hines Ward and Aaron Smith are 33. Deshea Townsend will be 34.

But have any of their performances shown significant signs of a future rapid decline? One might argue Ward, who caught only two passes in the Super Bowl, but he caught nine passes during the postseason, second only to Holmes’ 13 on the team, and averaged 18.7 yards on them despite a knee injury.

And, yes, if the offensive line continues to allow more than three sacks a game and Roethlisberger is lost for the season, it will be difficult for the Steelers to repeat, just as it would be difficult for any team to overcome the loss of their starting quarterback.

But all things considered, the 2009 Steelers figure to be better than the 2008 squad.

Of course, so do the 2009 Patriots with Tom Brady. That’s why a Super Bowl championship is the only way the 2009 Steelers can be called successful by their demanding fans.

The franchise’s legacy depends on it.

What Makes a Steelers Fan Makes a Good Steelers Reporter

Marky Billson — Sun, 17 May 2009 22:59:37 -0400

“When you get into this business, kid, ya gotta stop being a fan!”

So said former KDKA Radio sports director Goose Goslin to me when I was a 22-year-old intern, writing sports copy for him and generally not doing much of anything else other than taking his abuse three times a week, four hours a day, for four months.

While Goslin’s remark was more a statement of his cynicism than professional advice, I would later hear his statement repeated by many other members of the sports media with much happier personalities.

What did that mean?

My passion for Pittsburgh sports teams knew no boundaries. I had chosen to attend Point Park College because, yes, they had a good journalism program, but more importantly it was the college that was located closest to Three Rivers Stadium.

Three years later during a leave of my studies, I found myself living in Johnson City, Tenn., where there were no sports bars showing Steelers games.

Unable to watch the Steelers every week on local TV, I collected my weekly tip money from a job delivering pizza and drove my 1981 Chevy Citation to the nearest Steelers bar every week they were not shown locally.

It should be mentioned the nearest Steelers bar was in Winston-Salem, N. C. some 141 miles away from Johnson City.

On mostly two-lane, U.S. Highways; not interstates.

Is it any wonder I went back to school in Western Pennsylvania the following year for my internship?

Still, what did this mean?

I knew enough not to refer to the team I was covering as “we” or “us” and certainly wasn’t going to wear my Myron Cope T-shirt to the press box, but was I supposed to renounce the revered moments of my youth rooting passionately for the Steelers so that I could live in the city I loved covering the teams I had loved?

My passion for Pittsburgh sports teams began as an 8-year-old boy when my mother and I moved to Pittsburgh in the magical year of 1979. Willie Stargell lived down the street, as did L.C. Greenwood and Joe Grushecky, a local rocker and close friend of Bruce Springsteen, whose career was peaking at the time.

The Pirates won the World Series.

The Steelers won their fourth Super Bowl.

I knew nothing about sports upon moving to “The City of Champions,” but upon leaving after my mother’s doctorate fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh ended, I had been indoctrinated as a Pittsburgher for life through the sports teams.

I would move multiple times throughout my childhood up and down the east coast. Never again did I see an area so passionate about their sports teams.

Citizens decorated not just the inside of their homes with Pittsburgh sports memorabilia, but the outside as well. Between watching cartoons on Channel 53, I read ID liners stating “Super Steelers Go for Four.”

And I swear the P.A. system at Linden Elementary School dismissed us to the Steeler Polka!

But since I moved around so much in my childhood I needed to establish some sort of identity, and the joy I had of bonding and being accepted by my peers in Pittsburgh by talking and playing sports stayed with me.

My mother’s first two teaching jobs were at Pennsylvania colleges, so I could often follow them.

And even when I WASN’T living in Pennsylvania, a choice that certainly was not my own, I would continue to follow Pittsburgh sports teams through the 50,000 watt AM signal of KDKA or even the 5,000 watt signal of flagship station WTAE, which on a clear night could be picked up 400 miles away if one was patient enough to weed through a broadcast that would fade in and out with regularity.

Whenever the Steelers, let alone the Penguins, Pirates, or Panthers, were on television—I refused to miss the telecast. I’d even beg to visit family in Florida when the Steelers were playing there with surprising success.

Free moments were spent perfecting my Myron Cope impersonation. Unhappier moments were spent trying to sneak the family car from Tennessee and drive to Pittsburgh to watch the Pittsburgh Gladiators in the first-ever Arena Bowl, a story that is best left untold.

And now I had to give all this passion up just to make a living in my chosen career?

I’d have to “quit being a fan” and become as bitter as Goslin, who often said he wanted to goad Bill Cowher into striking him during a press conference so Goslin could sue.

No way!

The concern is, of course, objectivity.

Though Goslin's ill fated retirement plan did nothing for the sake of journalism and everything for the sake of causing tension during Steelers' press conferences, my steadfast belief that Mark Malone was going to be better than John Elway because, after all, Malone’s Steelers BEAT Elway’s Broncos in the 1984 playoffs might have been tainted just a bit by the black and gold lenses in my glasses and therefore less than objective as well.

But it says here that fans are often the most objective people surrounding a team.

Fans want Cliff Stout benched when he throws 21 interceptions against 12 touchdowns in 1983. Fans don’t fall in love with Bubby Brister or continue to lobby for him to be the starting quarterback because he gives good quotes. And fans realize it’s time for the rookie to replace the struggling veteran before coaches and teammates who stick with the vet out of personal loyalty do.

A journalist should have a fan’s enthusiasm for the next game.

A journalist should realize presenting scenarios on how the team can win along with how they can lose is the very definition of objectivity.

So that’s why a journalist should be a fan. That’s why being a lifelong fan of the team one covers can uncover historical references that will bond him or her with the reader, viewer, or listener.

And that’s why I wanted to turn my passion for the Pittsburgh Steelers, which by now includes countless friendships with media, players, and fans; recognition by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in their “Visa Hall of Fans” in 2000, a one-time position covering the team, a talk show on then-WTAE-AM as a fill-in, former linebacker Ed Bradley volunteering to let me try on his Super Bowl ring, a letter to Dan Rooney that resulted in the 1947 team being honored in at halftime of the Steelers’ game against Jacksonville on 2001 (complete with my article on the team in the game program), and, more recently, being linked to by noted blogger “Mondesi’s House” for my piece on how Carlton Haselrig is turning his life around ( http://mondesishouse.blogspot.com/2009/05/carlton-haselrig-won.html), into a full-time career.

It starts with Bleacher Report in 2009!