All of my Madden fantasies are coming to fruition!!! Derrick Williams has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers! Here is what you've won!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvakNP6a0pE

As a major PSU fan I have to tell you that D-Will is the man, a competitor, a gamer, punt returner, kick returner, slot extraordinaire!

Was a third round pick by the Lions in '09 and has dealt with some injury problems. This makes so much sense for the Steelers - he's only 25, goes about 6' 200, and is a great team mate. I'm willing to bet that he makes the roster and contributes - really gives us a lot of tasty options (Wallace, Brown, Sanders, Cotchery, D-WILL!!!

Now we just need to sign puz, connor, bowman, and lee we it will all come together - oh yeah - M Rob to back up Ben and play fb!

enjoy!!!

Just wanted to offer up a few thoughts... Haven't posted in a long time (or ever).. Anywho... Haven't gotten over Joe Paterno.. Don't know if I can cheer for my team or if I can reconcile with the school until they apologize... Just want to note that Bobby Petrino is a dirtbag scummer, he has been for a long time, no one should be surprised, and no one needs to write any articles outlining some grimy shit he did with a young girl...

I want to see some goddamn outrage that Arkansas hired a coach who lied a bunch, shit on an nfl team, was banging some broad half his age, and somehow thinks everything is ok... The entire world shit on Joe Paterno because he did nothing wrong... But everyone in Arkansas and all their alumni and all commentors thought it was A ok for this man to lead and develop young men.. Great..

This is a rant, I appreciate that, but shit like this will continue and every single time it does I want everyone to recognize JOE VINCENT FUCKING PATERNO did not ever even entertain this shit... and I want it mentioned.. in every article.. SCUMMERS!!

I love Rick Ankiel and I know that you do to! That's why the Washington Nationals MUST bring him back for the 2012 season. He personifies everything you'd want in a player on your team, in society, and the US of A as a whole - a modern day Rocky Balboa who has never let the man tell him what he can or can't do. A true American Hero in the mold of the founding fathers. Five logical reasons below from someone who does not understand the fancy stats that have developed over the fifteen years and also owns a Rick Ankiel (43) Nationals jersey direct from our friends in the Far East. After the Jump!

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First off - congrats on the World Series title.. I live in DC, enjoy the Nats, and checked out a 2-1 Giants win over the Nats earlier year...  Headed to the bay area on Saturday for several days on some vacation before I head to a wedding next weekend.. Have some tickets for the Sunday game .. RF second row I believe.. Just hoping you guys could help enhance the experience and let me know what I should get into so I can get the true experience.. couple of questions come to mind.. should I get to the park early and check out any bars, gatherings, sights, etc.??  Any famous places to eat or drink around the stadium?? Anything to check out, eat, or drink in the stadium?? I know a lot of parks have some famous food?..  Well.. let me know.. looking forward to the experience..and thanks in advance

Hey hey!  I'm headed to the PSU vs. Bama game on 9/11 and I was hoping some of you could help me out so that I don't miss anything Tuscaloosa has to offer.. I'm rolling with some people from DC, Phila, and Atl.. bringing all the tailgating gear and staying at the only place i could find.. 'the 'americas best value inn' somewhere a bit south of downtown..   what are the things i have to get done while I'm there?  We plan on rolling in early on Friday - the drinking will start and will not stop until sunday night.. win or lose we will booze!  What are the best bars?  Where are the places that we have to eat.. and where is the finest tailgating???  Any direction would be super!  I can return the favor when you guys come visit state college.. thanks!

First off - I've been a reader for some time now - took a break from posting and commenting so much due to time constraints.  Lots of new names on the board and all of the discussion/posts/info has been great.  I just read an article that I'm posting below - I know there's issues sometimes with posting links - long and the short it's an article on SI.com by Don Banks outlining discussions at the Owner's meeting and his point is that most Owner's have accepted 2010 uncapped.  It gets really interesting when he delves into the nitty gritty detail that most of us don't hear about.  

Uncapped Season

I've wondered this offseason how any why we've been so ridiculously quiet.  A few of the key points in the article make some real sense.

- If Season goes uncapped then the rule on free agency reverts to players only gaining free agency after their 6th season - think about the implications for our team (Santonio, Heath,  and the rest of our young core won't be eligible to go anywhere

- This means they'll be less guys that qualify for free agency - teams can also use the transition tag and the franchise tag - again - We could push Deebo's discussion out until next season and just tag him - and tag whoever else we might need.

On to the second point of the article - which is scary to think about.  I'm no expert and this is strictly though - but that's what the offseason is for.  An uncapped 2010 would lead into a strike in 2011 - this means teams will not be bringing in any revenue and if you couple that with where the economy is at - you could think that someone smart.  Like the Rooney's are battenining down the hatches and ensuring that the Steelers balance sheet is as strong as possible heading into this uncertainty.  Think about Jerry Jones in Dallas - with his new billion dollar stadium about to open (That he helped to personally finance) - I bet he just might be worried about that investment.

In any case let the discussion begin - lots of interesting implications for the Steelers!!!

I don't know if I've just been drinking the kool aid for too long or what - but I really feel like Big Ben is one of the top three to five QBs in the league.  I know that the majority of talking heads out there don't seem to watch too many of the games - but it still bothers me when just the other night I hear on some channel that Carson Palmer is the premier QB in the North and one of the tops in the league.  I think last year Ben was overshadowed by Brady's unbelievable year.  I can talk about Big Ben's year with Friends and Co Workers but those that aren't Steeler fans don't really have any idea what I'm talking about.  When you look at last year and look at all the trouble we had on the line it makes Ben's magician act seem that much more amazing.  So what are your thoughts??? Is Ben a legit top three to five?  Will he best the best QB in the league in the next two to four years???  I think so - what about you?

Fun rumor for Friday .. A sales guy I work with was a former PSU lineman back in the early 70s was in today and we chatted up this season.. He told me word on the street is that it's Joe's last year for sure.. and that Joe wants Jay to take over.. but the word on the street is that it will be Ron Vanderlinden - not Tom Bradley... Purely rumor and speculation from a former letterman who's connected to the program - but .. fun to think about.

For some reason the Steelers are still being mentioned in the hunt for Kevin Jones.  This article reports that his agent has said it is down to us or the Bears.

I do believe it makes sense for him to sign with the Bears.  They've cut Cedric Benson and it looks like right now Rookie Matt Forte would be the starter there.  Seriously, theres been a lot of smoke to this point - could there be fire?  Why are we continuously brought up?  We are loaded to the gills at the Running Back position - Parker, Mendenhall, Moore, Russell.  Thoughts?

With all the chatter in the news over the past several years regarding the staff once Joe moves on.  Let's have some fun with this and see what everyone thinks.  For my money I think Tom Bradley will slide in the HC position.  I wonder then if LJSR might take over for him on the DC side - he sure has developed some beasts on the DLine and he is also a recruiting beast.  I would then think that Hall will most likely leave too - I think he's near 70 if he isn't there yet (total speculation).  I then wonder if someone from the staff would slide into that role - NOT Jay.  Maybe McQuery?  Who knows - I also wonder what Jay's role will be once Joe hangs it up.  Thoughts? Guesses?

Just taking a stab - anyone out there live in Oklahoma???  I'm a PSU alum who's trying to put together a crew to watch the games and throw down this season.  Let me know if your close.. kansas or somewhere.. we'll find a bar and work some volume based discounts  It will be a great time - let your friends know too.. I've also started a facebook group - Penn State Oklahoma Ho Down Club..

Take a gander at this..

Patriots guard arrested, aids sting

Starting Patriots offensive lineman Nicholas Kaczur was arrested in April on a charge of illegal possession of prescription painkillers and then secretly cooperated with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration in a sting operation that resulted in the indictment of his alleged drug supplier, according to a lawyer and two people briefed on the investigation. Kaczur - a 28-year-old, 315-pound offensive tackle - wore a hidden recording device during three different drug transactions in May at gas stations in Foxborough and North Attleborough and a supermarket parking lot. Kaczur, approached yesterday afternoon by a Globe reporter as he stood on the front porch of his Attleboro home, denied participating in a DEA investigation or buying drugs.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2008/06/04/patriot_arrested_then_aids_drug_sting/

I really hope that Goodell comes down hard on Kaczur - he should at least be suspended for four to eight games - this is substance abuse.  I wonder what other Patriots have been involved - we had the Rodney Harrison episode last year. 

I've been reading this blog for a good while but I've never posted.  Here's my question - does anyone want to make some money over Homecoming weekend???  I graduated a few years ago and It's finally got to that point where I have no buds left at school that I can crash with.  I got tickets to the Michigan game but all the hotels in State College are sold out.  The question I have is - is there anyone that is still a student or has a house or something in State College they want to rent out over that weekend???  I'm willing to throw a real nice slab of loot down - three, four, five hundred bucks for a place...  Let me know if you have anything or any thoughts

I think the pick from our draft that might have some real overall value is Ryan Mundy.  I think this is a guy that can truely play - he started as a true freshman at Michigan in 2003.  He started the following season as well and during his Junior year he ended up getting hurt and having to Redshirt.  After his Redshirt Junior season he transferred to WVU.  The year before his arrival the D wasn't very good - last year with Mundy at Safety they ended up being one of the top five.  In his final game when WVU blew out OU Mundy ended up with 11 tackles.  We've had some issues in the defensive backfield the past few years.  I really think Mundy might be able to help out and turn into a valuable backup who sees the field in some nickel/dime situations.

In keeping with the theme I'd like to bring up the biggest Draft Day trades of all time.  For my money and I'm sure many of you we'd all agree on that magical day in '96 when we traded for Jerome Bettis.  I believe we gave up our '96 second round and our '97 fourth round for Jerome Bettis and the Rams third choice in '96.  In my mind we gave up virtually nothing and just might have made the greatest Draft Day Value trade of all time.  I know some people might point at some different trades like the 49ers trading up for Rice.  This for me was the best - Bettis fit the mold in PGH.  Destroying defenses and taking names.  What do you think the best Draft Day trade was???

Here's a thought.  Who should the Steelers take in this year's draft if they could take anyone - but only have him for one year.  Basically, who could we plug in and potentially win a SB with in 2008..  Darren McFadden.. Jake Long.. Ryan Clady???  Do you think we could possibly be one player away?? What about two guys?

It looks like a few guys have been released that might be of interest to the Steelers.. The Chiefs just cut Kendrell Bell - He could add some depth to the Inside.  The Eagles cut Jevon Kearse.  Both guys have been injury prone - but if they were on the cheap maybe they could find some success much like Farrior did when he came over from the Jets.. Thoughts??  

I just saw this note on the internet:

Police were called to the home of Steelers receiver Cedrick Wilson in Pine yesterday after receiving an emergency call about a woman threatening to commit suicide. Police responded to the scene early yesterday afternoon and after a short while, several residents were forced to leave their homes and others were prevented from entering the neighborhood. Police would not discuss the nature of the dispute at the house, but residents said the house was owned by Wilson. It was not immediately clear whether Wilson was inside, but neighbors said they believed he had been out of town.

Here's the link to the article in the Pgh Post Gazette: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08020/850780-66.stm