Welcome Back!

I checked the ol' blog yesterday and realized that I didn't post anything, not one post, in July. It has, in fact, been six weeks since I posted something. Go me!

At any rate, a couple of things have transpired in those six weeks, so I'll try to break them down as much as possible.

Buccos:

1. Most folks are going to skip right past this, which is cool. Really, they suck. It's okay. Go ahead. I wish I could give them up, but, as I've said, I can't.
2. I'd like to be upset about all the trades. At this point, though, I'm more disappointed. I thought this was the year that we'd try to make a run at the .500 record that has eluded us for... 17 years? A long time. I'm also realistic.
3. We traded mostly bats that were underperforming, got some arms, and only traded Ian Snell, who was the eighth best starter we had and who assigned himself to the minors earlier in the season. I understand that the players and the fans are upset, but on the other side of it, it's not as though the front office broke up the '27 Yankees with all these moves.
4. Point blank, when you're past the All-Star break and your leader in home runs and RBIs has 12 and 48 respectively, but you're not 30 games under .500, then it's time to get some different hitters and keep your pitchers. Which is what we did. I'm actually in favor of everything but trading Grabow and Dirty Sanchez. And, really, I'm only upset about the loss of Dirty Sanchez because of the loss of the nickname.
5. I am still not optimistic about the future. We have the most toxic minor league system in baseball and the worst clubhouse for a player in join in history. All this young talent is only valuable if you can develop it. And I don't think we can.

Ben Roethlisberger:

1. I don't think he did it. I think that it's possible that he had sex with her -- which still counts as exercising poor judgment from the pictures that I've seen -- but I don't think he forced himself on her.
2. It's a civil case that was filed a year after the incident. Why not file a report right after it happened? Why isn't there a criminal investigation? Why wait until waaaaaaaay after anything can be discovered to open up discovery? Here's my feeling: There were ten people listed in the civil suit and Ben was the Kaiser Soze on the list. She's trying to hurt someone else on that list by filing a suit against a famous athlete in the offseason when media outlets are desperate to publish news. She's trying to get someone on that list's name drug through the mud and the Internet.
3. On the subject of media outlets, I think that it was very irresponsible journalism for ESPN to avoid the story completely. The day the news broke, there was nothing on ESPN.com. Nothing in the blogs, nothing in the breaking news, just nothing. I get that they thought it was frivolous and that Ben is an important athlete to them for interview purposes and access, but you have to report the news that's out there. The first item they ran was a video of Ben's statement. Just very, very irresponsible. The only reason to ignore the story would be if they had evidence to the contrary that would clear Roethlisberger beyond a shadow of a doubt. If ESPN were holding the smoking gun, why sit on it? Why not throw that headline up everywhere? "Ben Accuser's former pimp has the real story: 'That bitch be lyin'. Where's my baby powder?' You heard it here first!" It just doesn't make any sense.
4. Still... Ben's statement read like every statement by every famous person that did something wrong -- and ended up being guilty -- Ever. And why has this story vanished? I know it's a civil suit, but why hasn't Ben been called into Kaiser Goodell's office? All those factors, plus the ESPN blackballing of the story make me think that something shady is going on. And that's the shadow of a doubt.

Michael Vick:

1. Not getting signed by the Steelers while Dan Rooney is alive.
2. Even though there are other interests involved in the Steelers now, that's not a signing that Kevin Colbert would make. Vick would create a media circus. Everyone would question the move. They have cap room they could allocate to signing guys who will be free agents in 2010 to extensions. The man is suspended for the first six games of the season. He hasn't played football in over two years. He was kinda crappy before he went to jail. Do you imagine he's improved after two years in prison? Outside of all the badness that would come down on the Steelers, it's a bad football move. Not happening.

Heath Miller:

1. I attended a training camp practice last season. Heath Miller is the best tight end on the roster by a factor of 50. The guy is amazing.
2. So... you just gave him $35 million. That means you're going to throw to him, right?

Offensive Line:

1. I have been one of the biggest critics of this unit for the past 18 months or so. I have either drank the Koolaid, lost my mind, or I'm tired of seeing crappy run blocking and pass blocking and have convinced myself that it cannot possibly get worse, so it needs to get better.
2. Last season, we broke in three new starters. This season, unless Trai Essex beats out DFS, we're breaking in zero new starters. Continuity is key when it comes to the offensive line.
3. Remember 2003? Remember how bad the offensive line was? Remember 2004, after the new starters got comfortable with each other, everyone got healthy, and everyone gained some continuity? Well, in 2003, we went 6-10. I'm not sure you're aware, but we won Super Bowl XLIII following the 2008 season. If the offensive line gets better than they were following a season in which we won the Super Bowl, then I think that's an improvement I can get behind. I'm not looking for a 2003 to 2004 quantum leap. Baby steps is fine.
4. The 2007 Falcons had an offensive line that was worse than the 2008 Steelers offensive line. In 2008, the Falcons had one of the best offensive lines in football, particularly in the running game. In 2007, they were breaking in a bunch of new starters. In 2008, all those guys were together for a second season. Continuity.
5. As of this writing, Kendall Simmons was still a free agent. The 49ers signed Marvel Smith and he may not make the team. It's not like we broke up the '66 Packers.
6. Willie Parker returns in 2009 and returns healthy. It has been proven that a healthy Willie Parker makes the offensive line look better.
7. Rashard Mendenhall returns in 2009 and returns healthy. I'm anxious to see what he can do, if given a chance to carry the ball more than 19 times. He only had 19 carries in 2008. Jesus.
8. All due respect to Mewelde Moore, but he's a third down back. If Parker and Mendenhall stay healthy, that's where he stays.
9. I don't care that everyone is calling Frank Summers "Frank the Tank." I'm sticking with "Shortbus."
10. I'm talking about the running backs and not the offensive line, aren't I? It's time to move on.

The Upcoming Season:

1. The specter of 2006 hangs over us. After we won Super Bowl XL (I mentioned that we won that, right?), the team sputtered out of the gate to a 2-6 record and ended up salvaging things at 8-8.
2. In 2008, the Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII. Really, we won. You can look it up.
   
3. In 2006, Ben had a lot of distractions to deal with. In 2009, Ben has a distraction to deal with.
4. In 2006, the Steelers were considered to have a better-than-average chance of repeating. In 2009, the Steelers are considered to have a better-than-average chance of repeating.
5. In 2006, the Steelers played the AFC West. In 2009, the Steelers play the AFC West.
6. In 2006, Bill Cowher retired in March and forgot to tell anyone. In 2009, Mike Tomlin is going to continue to evaluate ways he can put his foot up a player's ass that doesn't want to give 100 percent effort.
7. Mike Tomlin is focused on 2009, not his future TV career or trying to commit his Shannon Sharpe to English Dictionary to memory.
8. Mike Tomlin will not allow this team to open up 2-6.
9. As a matter fact...

Mike Tomlin:

1. I have said previously that I am ridiculously huge Mike Tomlin fan. That having been said...
2. I recently got into an extensive, drunken conversation with someone about Tomlin vs. Cowher. The guy (who happened to be black) asserted that Tomlin inherited a talented a veteran team and that the 2008 championship belonged to Cowher.
3. Well, Cowher inherited a talented young team that was crappy in 1991, but that realized their potential as he lead them to a division title and an 11-5 record in 1992. But, look at the guys he already had: Dermonti Dawson, Thomas Everett, Rod Woodson, Greg Lloyd, Joel Steed, Yancey Thigpen, Neil O'Donnell, Barry Foster, and Carnell Lake. Not what Tomlin had, but still very impressive.
4. It took Cowher four years to get to a Super Bowl and 15 years to win one. It took Tomlin two and two.
5. Two years, postseason records: Cowher, 0-2, no titles, Tomlin 3-1, one title.
6. Okay, Tomlin inherited a more loaded roster, I'll admit. But, he also came into the full brunt of free agency, losing Alan Faneca. Once a team gets to the postseason, talent and experience by the players doesn't hurt, but it takes solid coaching and the ability overcome adversity to win it all. With everything the Steelers were up against last season, the 2008 Super Bowl season (we won Super Bowl XLIII, in case I hadn't mentioned) was the top coaching performance since Cowher unshackled himself and put everything on the line in 2005. And, for that title, you have to give some credit to a talented, veteran roster, right?
7. Therefore, I am prepared to make another Flacco Jersey-level bet. If the Steelers open up 2-6 under Tomlin in 2009, I will wear a Flacco jersey the rest of the season.

Fantasy Football:

1. I. Cannot. Wait.
2. My sleepers are: Willie Parker, Matt Schaub, Braylon Edwards, Chargers D/ST.
3. I don't trust Knowshon Moreno, but I do trust Beanie Wells.
4. I think Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco will have big years, but hopefully not against the Steelers.
5. Don't trust any Jets. I just have a feeling.

At this point, I got nothing. Hopefully that makes up for six weeks of no posting, but I doubt it. Leave ideas, questions, complaints in the comments section. It's lonely. It only has Keith to keep it company.