Change Isn't Always Good

Change isn't always good, but it can be healthy. My wife always tells me I'm afraid of change. I started to make changes this season and Steelers are 0-3, first time in 10+ years this happened, Pirates finally have a winning record and are in the playoffs, first time since 1992. Do I keep pushing through this and stick with my changes or do I go back to basics? Both teams have made changes, the Pirates have been making changes for 21 years and it seems it's finally paying off. The Steelers made changes over the last two yrs and doesn't appear to be paying off. I haven't been a big Todd Haley fan his first two seasons, especially this yr. They want to run the ball more, use the zone blocking, well it's not working. At first I was calling for Todd's head and he should be fired or not retained after this yr. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I wasn't looking at the big picture. The personnel we have on the field isn't doing their job and maybe aren't the best players for it. Our O-Line are 1st and 2nd rd picks, yet they are playing like D-3 players... Our strength is in the air, Ben has a great arm, we have excellent WR and TE talent, let's use it. Like me and 65,000 other fans, if we had the answers, we'd be coaches. We don't know what goes on behind the scenes in preparation and practice. This past week, we've looked better and this week, Le'Veon Bell is supposed to be back. I have been excited about this kid since he was in college. His real test is going to be, can he pick up the blockers and protect Ben in passing situations?? We'll soon find out. For those of you who know me, I am really superstitious when it comes to the Steelers and my gameday and week up to gameday preparations. With all the changes this yr, I thought, maybe it's time for me to change up some things. I am wearing a new "Steelers Gameday Hat" and I also don't have black and yellow gameday shoes this season. I also haven't been wearing my ususal gameday jeans. My tshirt I wear under my jersey is also new this season, my last one I've been wearing for at least 7 yrs, the collar was falling apart, holes in it, but it was comfortable. In the past I have also worn a specific Tshirt on Steeler Saturday, as long as we kept winning, I'd keep wearing it, no wash involved. If we lost it would be changed. I have to step back and ask myself, was this change good for me, do I continue it? The answer is no, I have to get back to basics, just like the Steelers. I know there isn't a correlation between my gameday preparations and the Steelers but I like to think there is. I remind myself a lot like Jimmy Fallon in the Movie Fever Pitch. Well this yr with Pitt joining the ACC, I have been wearing my Pitt Tshirt on Saturdays, Pitt keeps winning, the Steelers keep losing. Do I need to turn back to my Saturday Steelers Tshirts? These are the decisions I stress out about, not normal. The hard decisions come easy to me on what should be done. One way or another, we'll figure it out! Until next time...

Thoughts of Reflection

As superbowl week is just about over and the big game approaches, it makes me sad that the Steelers aren't playing. Over the last 7 years when we have played, I remember being glued to the NFL Network watching media day, the team arriving to the city, and everything else I could watch or read about it. It's a great feeling when your team makes it, that's a lot of hard work that's paid off throughout the course of the season. I still haven't watched espn to any degree since wildcard weekend, except when Pitt Basketball was on. Sunday's game is really a lose lose for Steeler fans. I want nothing to do with it, we won't be watching the game sunday, just not interested. People, ask me, knowing how die hard of a fan I am, "who do you want to win", well my first choice is Bayne from Batman, blows up the field so nobody wins, my second choice is the 49ers. Yeah, they'll tie us for most trophies but it's better than the purple rat birds winning, I just don't want them to have this satisfaction of winning. Being a die hard fan, you guys no what I'm talking about. I was pretty disappointed too by our 8-8 season, we left a lot of wins on the table. Team wasn't as bad as they say but wasn't that great looking. There are going to be some cap casalties this offseason, I have a feeling a few Steeler favorites will go. As much as I hate to admin it, and maybe it's the mood I'm in now, but I think we'll be another 8-8 team next year and the following year we'll be strong again. I hope I'm wrong... Until next time....

Playoff Thoughts

I'm still sick that the season is over, even more disgusted the raven ratbirds are playing in the afc championship again.. I finally shaved my manbeard, pics to come on that. For those of you still watching football, here is your championship weekend guide. Root for baltimore to beat the pats because if NE wins, Belicheck/Brady will tie Knoll/Bradshaw for most afc championships by a QB and Coach, that's a record we want to continue to hold on to and not sure, especially with those two. My advice is bet the over and walk away. As far as the NFC, cheer for Atl, we don' want SF heading to the SB because it could give them a chance to win and tie Pittsburgh for 6 SB's. SB Day, root for Atl, don't want to give the harbough clown, the murderer, or unibrow flacco the satisfaction of being the best.. Oh yeah.. bet the under and walk away. If you're interested in the commercials, I'm sure the Today show or something like that will have a recap of the best and worst. Changing lanes, hockey is back, Pens open up Saturday in Philly... ughhh we'll take it though.. Olivia is doing great, will be 5 months this week. Until next time....

News Updates

Well Rashard Mendenhall could have played his last game as a Steeler a few weeks ago. He's been inactive the last few weeks due to poor ball skills and las week failed to show up to the game when being notified he was de activated again... What a shame and good for Tomlin finally stepping up and disciplining players. Our offensive line coach, Sean Kugler will be leaving us after the season. He has accepted a head coaching position with UTEP, where he went to school. He was also an assistant coach there for sometime. He has done an awesome job developing young players or the Steelers as well as shuffling players in and out during on the injuries. We wish him the best of luck!! I'd like to see us win the SB for him, that would be a fitting way to leave. Tip of the day, when purchasing a Steelers jersey or any jersey for that matter, get a player that will be on the team long term or just signed a long contracts. For example, Steeler jerseys would be: Pouncey (he'll be a Steeler or the long term), DeCastro, same as Pouncey, and Antonia Brown. Until next time....

Missed Chances

What a tough loss to swallow especially since baltimor and cinci lost... We had a chance to take one step closer to winning the AFC Noth Division but really blew it! You have to start asking yourself now, will the losses to Oakland and Tennessee really come back to haunt us? Those were two 4th quarter leads given up and last second field goals. I do firmly beleive we'll sneak into the playoffs with the 6th seed. That scares me because if the season ended today, we'd travel to Denver and Ryan Clark can't play due to the high altitude and the sickle cell trait he carries.. I'd rather go anyware else and play just so he could take the field. The offense looked really flat all day Sunday, couldn't get good field position, running game couldn't get rolling. We really need to win our last three games but really two out of the next three to get in and one of those wins needs to come against cinci. We always seem to play down to the crappy teams but we show up against teams with winning records and this should play into our favor down the stretch. We'll see what happens. Until next time....

Opening Weekend

Football is finally here!! Not a big fan of opening on Sunday night, just makes for such a long day. Usually I'd be pretty pissed the next day about a Steeler loss but I feel as if the loss is justified. We have a completely new offense in place we're trying to learn and figure out and a revamped offensive line. That didn't help when two of the starters went down again with injuries not counting the guys who were already out such as Harrison and Clark. I feel strong that if Denver comes to Heinz Field it would be a different outcome. I think it's going to take a game or two for the offense to get things figured out but we have talent on both sides of the ball to do some special things this year and that's what I'm excited about. All in all I was pretty pleased with some of the things I saw of the new offense. I can tell Ben has matured a bit or at least made smarter decisions on some plays, checking down to 4/5 receivers and thew the ball away a few times instead of taking the sack. All we can do now is get ready for the jets this sunday at home...

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

Draft weekend.... I've been watching the NFl draft for years now, whether it's going to a draft party, hosting one myself, or watching it alone, it's a pretty exciting time for me as well as other Steeler fans and NFL fans around the world. It's what your team is made of. The Steelers have had a lot of success drafting, especially in the first round and after last night's selection it looks like this trend is going to continue. We selected David DeCastro (6-5 315lbs), guard from Stanford. He was projected a top 15 pick and rated the best offensive lineman in the draft. This guy was #1 on my own personal draft board and I'm sure theirs too. There is no way I expected this guy to be around and I don't the think the Steelers did also. But how things played out he fell to us. I couldn't have been more excited! Each team gets 10 minutes in the first round, I think it took them about 30 seconds to submit their pick. It was reported that about 30 minutes after the selection Ben called David to welcome him to the team and city, as he does with all the draft picks but I think this one is a little more special because he will be responsible for helping to protect Ben. Shoot I would have called him too! In case you didn't know, our offensive line hasn't been the greatest. Ben has been sacked an average 43 times since 2007. There are two guys I'm excited about here in the 2nd round, not sure if either will make, but both could be impact players if not this year, next for sure. Vinny Curry, DE from Marshall and Kendall Reyes, DT from UCONN. There's another guy too, NT from Clemson, Brandon Thompson. Either way, should be an awesome day two! Other news and notes, schedule is out and it looks good, I'll try and get it posted here soon!! Sadder side, Pens are out of the playoffs and to be honest, that's yesterday's news since the draft is here. I was pretty jacked off about it Sunday and into Monday, but oh well. I am a little disappointed we pooped the bed, especially with all the talent we have on the team. Even if we would have beaten Philthadelphia, I was ok with losing in the 2nd round or so. At this point, I'm hoping a Western Conference team wins the Stanley Cup. Erin is doing well, August is fast upon us, due date is about 15 weeks away... Enjoy the weekend and until next time....