Not sure if it has been discussed at all before but I read this article on Myron Rolle's draft experience and I thought it was worth sharing. I'm not a huge college ball fan but I'm led to believe he was a good prospect, probably better than the 6th round he went in ... I think in the light of all the focus on players' off-field conduct it seems ironic and bordering on shameful that someone should seemingly be penalised by the NFL for being too academically successful ...


Bottom line for Rolle he seems like a guy with a fantastic future ahead of him (with or without football) and I wish him the best of luck but it left me wondering about NFL GM's and their decision making process and that certainly wasn't helped when I read about Jeff Ireland of the Dolphins questionning Dez Bryant about whether his mum was a prostitue !! ..for which he issued an apology yesterday.

Taken from: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/04/27/how-dare-nfl-teams-question-myron-rolles-commitment-to-football/

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ESPN is reporting the Steelers will be tagged with a 6 figure fine for the recent behaviour of their players. I must admit its part of Goodell's conduct policy I hadn't really thought about ..

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5098560

How much were the Pats fined for Spygate ?

Have other teams been fined due to their players' conduct ? The Titans with Pacman Jones, I don't remember anything like this before ...

two 2nd round picks, one this year and one next year, as being reported by ESPN:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft10/news/story?id=5085644

Lets see a young stud WR in his prime, but with off-field issues, one more screw up away from a long-term ban from the league and he's worth two 2nd round picks .. seems a tad better than a low'ish 5th round pick doesn't it ?

Just saying Mr. Colbert .. just saying  ...

I can't believe I just read this:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/colts/2010-02-08-colts-homecoming_N.htm

I mean I know it was snowing and I know they lost, but come on are you telling me only 11 people turned up at the airport to welcome back their beloved Colts ????

That has to be one of the weakest efforts I can think of ...

Totally lame on the part of the Colts "faithful" ..

LeBeau says Carnell Lake should be in Canton

"I'm doing pretty well for an older fellah."

That's how Dick LeBeau responded when I casually asked how he was doing a few hours ago over the phone.

Uh, yeah, I'd say the man is doing OK for himself. He's coming off his second world championship in four years, and even though the Steelers lost on Sunday, they don't appear to have fallen from the ranks of the NFL's elite.

I called LeBeau to talk about a Hall of Fame feature we are working on here (patience, it will go up after this weekend), and most notably about two Steelers I thought belong in the Hall of Fame.

One, Dermontti Dawson, won't get a lot of argument; I suspect he'll get the Randall McDaniel treatment this year and finally get in. The other, Carnell Lake, might take some convincing for some people, especially because he played much of his career in Rod Woodson's shadow, but for LeBeau it's a given that Lake belongs.

Here's some of what LeBeau said on Lake, who was our primary topic of discussion:

"Well I do think being in the shadow of Rod hurt his publicity, but actually, there wasn’t a whole lot of difference between the two guys. Rod was an instant success because of his kick-returning and intercepting abilities. And Carnell had played more like a LB position at UCLA. They were a ‘Bear’ scheme, and he played on the tight end a lot or played up near the line like a linebacker. And he played in that role for us, too.

"They were both remarkably similar in that they were big guys. Tall, over 200 pounds … in a race from zero to 60 or 100 yards, Rod would have beaten just about anybody. But in a race from zero to 20, there wasn’t any difference between the two. Carnell was one of the quickest guys. And he was definitely, pound for pound, one of the biggest hitters I have ever coached. He had great timing and physical strength, but there’s a knack to body position and center of gravity, and he just had it. He was a very powerful player. He could force plays like a linebacker who would weigh 250 pounds, and Carnell probably played at 210.

"He was unique. He could play linebacker. He could play the deepest safety. A couple of years, he had to play cornerback for us. We had some injuries and he did a tremendous job there. The one year he played corner, his peers voted him to the Pro Bowl at safety, even though he had made the switch to corner about four games into the season. And he just was the ultimate team player, but rare in that he was a great blitzer. Tremendous blitzer.

"Part of our identity there was Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene, Rod Woodson and Carnell Lake — and you never knew for sure who was coming where. And we also had Chad Brown in the mix. But a big part of it was the two DBs, Rod and Carnell, and they could blitz just about as well as any of those linebackers. That really gave the offenses problems of trying to figure out who to block when. If you let any one of them get an advantage, they were very fast and they could get the sack pretty quick. And both those guys had a lot of sacks."

On Lake's low interception total (16) possibly hurting his candidacy:

"In the role that he took in the defense, he played very near or at the line of scrimmage as a blitzer and linebacker-type role. And those kind of people are less likely to get interceptions. He was very unselfish; he never complained about that. He would take role that you asked him to do and play it as hard as he could play. Sometimes interceptions are as much good fortune as much as anything. I would say that the role that we asked him to play would be a factor there. He was an excellent pass defender."

On Lake playing cornerback when Woodson was hurt during the 1995 season:

"He played corner for us; he had never played there before, but because of his speed and size, he adapted his strengths to the position. Within two games, I would say, he had it down. We never would have [reached the Super Bowl] that year if he hadn’t made that transition. The versatility itself makes him one of the best defensive backs ever. He could do it all. Free or strong safety or a LB-type role, blitzing, or he played corner.

"In my opinion, Carnell and Dermontti are definitely Hall of Fame type of players. I'll talk to you forever about Carnell because I was lucky enough to get to coach him. Those guys make you good coaches. You have him and Woodson in the same backfield, and you'd be lucky to have one of them in your whole career. I had them both in the same backfield. Think about that for a minute!"

When Dick LeBeau talks to me about anything, I'll think about it. And consider me convinced that Carnell Lake should get his due one day.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/blogs/2009/09/24/lebeau-says-carnell-lake-should-be-in-canton

Hey I know strictly speaking it isn't anything to do with us, but it might be a while before we can talk about our own signings .. and it probably doesn't hurt that he's out of the AFC come play-off time ... he got $41m guaranteed .. 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3939011

"..Albert Haynesworth hit the free agent jackpot Friday morning by reaching agreement on a seven-year, $100 million deal with the Washington Redskins that could end up maxing out at $115 million based on his performance, according to sources.

The deal, which was reached early Friday morning, includes $41 million in guarantees. During the first 13 months of the contract, Haynesworth will earn approximately $32 million.."

..have been talking about home town discounts and players wanting to stay in Pittsburgh because we're winners, etc, etc, etc ..

It's a nice idea, but so were most fairy stories when they were first written ..

-> Early rumours have BMAC likely to sign on in Detroit and Nate W in Tampa.."

Here's a good take from Ross Tucker, ex NFL lineman:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ross_tucker/02/25/fa/index.html

The NFL free-agent signing period begins Friday at 12:01 a.m. and that means it is just about time for a number of young men to have their wildest dreams come true.

Making an NFL roster is a fantastic accomplishment and childhood aspiration. Winning a Super Bowl is a once in a lifetime experience. But most players will tell you that nothing quite compares to the tremendous feeling of excitement and relief that comes from signing a contract that will ensure a measure of financial security for them and their loved ones. As players begin to make their decisions and the pundits talk about factors like scheme, location, and the opportunity to win a championship, remember one important thing: more often than not, all of those other ancillary factors are just that and it comes down to which team is willing to offer the most cold, hard cash.

"At the end of the day, no matter how hard we try to sell a guy on the opportunity and the other benefits of the franchise, it always comes down to money," said one longtime NFL assistant coach. "I can't remember the last time a guy didn't take the best financial offer."

For whatever reason, fans often don't want to believe that. They use terms like loyalty and hometown discount while discussing why certain franchise fixtures should stay in the fold. Please. There is no loyalty in the NFL. It is straight business.

Next time you think to utter that a player should return to his team rather then leave for literally greener pastures, think about Deuce McAllister and Fred Taylor. Those two running backs are arguably the most recognized players in their franchise's history, yet they were both shown the door once they had outlived their usefulness. There was no public outcry when these teams cut their former superstars with years left on their contracts. Nor should there have been. But please, don't try to talk to me about an obligation on the part of some players to the fans or the community.

I once felt the same way. I was a die-hard Eagles fan growing up near Philadelphia and I was emotionally devastated when Reggie White left for the Green Bay Packers. How could Reggie leave Philly and do that to us? How could he do that to me?

What I didn't realize as a youngster, but do now, is NFL players are paid professionals and they treat it as such. Most professions allow their employees to leave for a better job often times with two weeks notice or less. It happens all the time. If you think about it, NFL players are some of the most restricted employees in our country, rarely having the prerogative to determine where they choose to live and work.

"You don't really understand how it works until you go through the process," said Saints corner Jason David, who left the Colts a couple of years ago via free agency after receiving a significant offer from New Orleans. "Your first couple of years you think you will be with that team forever. Like college. But then you realize it is a business. You want to be wanted and you are looking for longevity. You need to get your money when you can."

David scoffed at the notion that NFL players should be any different than any other professionals.

"Doctors move to different states in order to give their family a better situation financially. We are no different," he said.

Whether fans realize it or not, they would likely act the same way given the opportunity. And though going to a winning franchise may be a small factor for a player deciding between multiple mega-million dollar offers, that becomes less and less important for the middle-of-the-road free agents.

Case in point. As an arbitrary example, if I were a free agent this year and were deciding between the Lions and Colts on a one-year deal, and the Lions offered $100K more, I would be on the next flight to Detroit. In a heartbeat.

Yeah, I know the Lions were 0-16 last year and the Colts are a perennial playoff participant, but what does that really mean to me at the end of the day? I'm not a Colts fan. I'm not from Indianapolis. Likely playing in a playoff game and having some semblance of an opportunity to win a title would be nice, but certainly not worth it. What does that playoff berth do for me and my family when I am 40 years old? Nothing. That $100k, or whatever number you want to substitute in there, could be put in my child's 529 plan for college or be part of a down payment on a house.

You see, at the end of the day, the only team that really matters to a player, or at least should, is their own team: their family. Even the most fortunate players are usually finished playing by the time they are 35. All the more reason for them to maximize their revenue potential while they can. Hopefully, they are going to live upwards of 50 years after their playing days are over. That means a lot of bills to pay and a lot of meals to eat. It also means NFL players have the obligation to get as much as they can while the getting is good."

From EPSN page2, a write up of whether the Steelers are the #1 sports franchise:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=fleming/090121&sportCat=nfl

Of course we all know what the the answer is: HELL YES !!

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"..I asked Dan's son, Steelers President Art Rooney II, what the team's secret was.

"Our secret?" he said, almost embarrassed by the question. "We try to put a team on the field every year that can win a championship … "

Then he stopped for a split second.

"And," Rooney said, "we never take a year off..."

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GO STEELERS :-)

Some guys burned a bunch of "Go Cardinals" posters on Donovan McNabb's lawn (he lives in Arizona in the off season) and as if that isn't bad enough .. one of them left the box he ordered the signs in with his mailing address on it .. stupid son of a b*tch .. ahahah .. where do these ppl come from man ..

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McNabb's Ariz. home vandalized before NFC title game

Vandals burned "Go Cards" into the Chandler, Ariz., home of Eagles QB Donovan McNabb last weekend before the NFC Championship Game, police say.

McNabb makes his offseason home with his wife, Roxie, his 4-year-old daughter, Alexis, and his two-month-old twins in Arizona.

Yahoo Sports reports that McNabb took photos of the vandalized lawn and used them as motivation before the Eagles' 32-25 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday.

Police have arrested one suspect. Yahoo reports that authorities tracked one of the suspects by a box left behind with a mailing label attached.

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From the Post Gazette: "The Steelers already stole one from the Ravens. Rod Woodson, who started out and starred with them from 1987-96, but earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens, will serve as one of the Steelers' honorary co-captains Sunday. He will be joined by former teammate Dermontti Dawson. The two former Steelers greats are among the 15 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists.

While at work as an NFL Network analyst Wednesday, Woodson joked on the air that the Steelers personally invited him, but he could yet hear from Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti.2

Nice to Rod there helping out his true team and Big Up to Dermontti, our next 2 Hall of Fame Steelers !

Although I Don Banks (..Sports Illustarted) isn't normally the most reliable NFL reporter I noticed he had Alan Faneca in his "All Bust" team of the year:

"Dishonorable mention: Alan Faneca, Jets -- Contrary to popular opinion among the media and fans, some within the league believe Faneca didn't come close to earning his big money in New York this season."

I've no axe to grind with Faneca and I'm pleased for him that he got paid, but I was 100% on board with not giving him $20m last year because the O-line was shaky with him last year and its shaky without him this year so it wasn't worth paying him $20m ..

It's just another example of why the Steelers are consistently able to compete when our F.O. can make smart & tough decisions like this ... while teams like the Jets shell out $140m in contracts this year so that they can sit in arm chairs watching the Steelers going for ring #6 !!!

GO STEELERS !

Bumped. Thanks for posting. - Blitz-

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I see Dermontti Dawson & Rod Woodson (..+ honorary mention for Russ Grimm) made it to the final 15 for this years Hall of Fame induction. What do you think the chances are of both of them getting in this year and joining the Steeler wing in Canton ?

From the list below I'd have Woodson as a LOCK this year, lets hope Dermontti gets his props too :

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