When the Dust Settles

Sorry for the delay in postings. For those of you who don't already know, Erin is pregnant and we are expecting a child later this summer. We'll find out the sex of BFD (Baby Fetus Dinger) later this month. Exciting news!!!

Now onto sports, I'm not even really sure where and how to begin this post... As a life long Steelers fan, it's tough to see your favorite players, especially ones that you have grown up with leave the team. Being released and deciding to retire are totally different but yet the same. I think about the 70's and early 80's when we had all big names: Webster, Stallworth, Swann, Bradshaw, Harris, etc..., those were names you grew up as a kid watching every Sunday and you loved it, then some retiring and others being released and playing on different teams, it hurts to see them not wearing the black and gold on Sundays. Well our generation is experiencing this and it hurts, not a pain but a sadness that Sundays won't be the same, especially being at home games and announcing the starting lineup, whether it be offense or defense.

When we go to the games, one of my favorite parts about that Sunday are getting to the seats a little early, watching the last of the warmups, the national anthem, and the player introductions. Brings a tear to my eye every time, watching those players running out onto Heinz Field with 65,000 fans cheering and waving their towels. You really need to experience it if you haven't.

This past week in an effort to get under the salary cap, we made tough decisions, those that were released, Hines Ward, James Farrior, Aaron Smith, Chris Kemo. These guys are household names, fan favorites. In the Steelers defense, it's a business and they were business decisions. Smith hasn't had a healthy season 4 out of 5 years, Farrior plays on 1st and 2nd downs, and Hines got bumped down the depth chart due to younger receivers. They have all mentored the younger guys and let's face it, are old. Can't get around that! Hines and Smith both have come out and thanked the fans, the Rooney's, coaches, and players (I'm sure everyone did) for being a Steeler and said they will always bleed black and gold. That says and means a lot, not only to me but I know everyone else!! Just in reading other posts and blogs, there are a lot of angry upset Steeler fans, but I understand why it was done, I'm not mad, just sad that it's starting to come to a close. I'm willing to take wagers that Ward will be resigned at some point. My goal now is to get my Ward jersey signed!! I also plan to be in the stands that day in early August when Hines is inducted to the HOF.

Going into the offseason, we were 25-30 million above the projected 120 million salary cap, in a way you kind of saw some of this "dead weight" that was going to be released but didn't want to beleive it. There have also been a handful of players that offered and/or were approached to restructure their contracts to help get under the cap, to me that's one quality of a team player and not a greedy athlete.

I'm excited to see what happens this offseason, it's going to be interesting, that's for sure.

Until next time...