This Week In Steeler Football: March 20

We are now just a few weeks away from the 2009 NFL Draft. 

As I mentioned about a week ago, I did not believe that Pittsburgh was going to draft an offensive lineman in the first round.

Pittsburgh brought in Penn State center A.Q. Shipley for an interview.

Shipley is believed to be on the radar of the Steelers due to his "Mike Webster" like qualities.

Shipley, a Gateway High School graduate, is close to the prototypical center.  He stands at 6'1, which is about an inch or two shorter than most centers, and weighs in at 306 lbs.

At the scouting combine Shipley benched 33 reps of 225 lbs, and scored a 40 out of a possible 50 on the Wonderlic test.

Look for the Steelers to bypass Max Unger of Oregon and Alex Mack of Cal in the first round and take Shipley in the second.

(information from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

Out with the old, in with the new.

Not talking about players this time, it is in the ownership.  There will be as many as six new investors in the ownership group.  Three have already been approved, and three more could be approved as early as next month at the owners meeting in California.

Team president Art Rooney II said that one of the proposed investors has a "very recognizable" name.

Rumor has it (profootballtalk.com) that the investor may be Steeler fan Rush Limbaugh. 

The Rooney family will still control 50 percent of the team, so there is no real fear of the team being re-located, like the Browns were under Art Modell.

James Harrison update

There is nothing new to report on the James Harrison contract status.  The longer this takes, the more likely it wont 'get done.

I am not as optimistic about this as most Steeler fans.  I am sure the Steelers are being fair in negotiations, but if Harrison is expecting an Albert Haynesworth type of deal, it just isn't going to happen.

Harrison is going to be 32 next season, and Pittsburgh does not give big money to players on the wrong side of 30.

Free agents coming to Pittsburgh?

I know that free agency started forever ago, and Pittsburgh, as usual, has only had two players visit the South Side office.

But in a Pittsburgh Post Gazette article, Art Rooney II says that it isn't over just yet.

Rooney says that he "imagines we will" eventually sign someone.

My guess is that we will sign a back up offensive line man, or maybe defensive lineman. 

Chris Carr and Joey Galloway were in for visits, with no real urgency to sign either of them.  Carr eventually signed with the Ravens, and Galloway with the Patriots. 

Big Ben gambling

I spoke with a friend of mine, Andy,  that lives in Arizona.  Andy likes to make the trip to Las Vegas when ever possible.

He was at a casino and ran into Big Ben at one of the black jack tables.

He approached Big Ben, who was with three or four offensive linemen, including Darnell Stapleton.

According to Andy, Ben was extremely friendly, and they had a very good conversation.

Andy also said that Ben was betting with $40 dollars a hand.

I find it funny that is the same amount I bet with, and Ben makes a LOT more than I do!