Monthly Archives: May 2014

Polamalu, Taylor, And Zumwalt Absent From Steelers OTAs

As the first day of Steelers OTA’s began today, only 3 players were reportedly absent from the voluntary practice. Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu, and Jordan Zumwalt.

It’s not uncommon for Taylor to miss OTA’s, though he has been know to show up after they’ve gotten underway. Troy is usually absent from the practices, though he did attend most of them in 2012 and 2013. Zumwalt is not allowed to attend due to league rules.

UCLA runs on quarterly sessions as opposed to semesters. Players from such schools may not participate in team activities outside of rookie minicamp, until after their final day of exams if they haven’t graduated. UCLA’s finals are June 9th-13th.

Zumwalt will almost certainly be in attendance when the Steelers meet for minicamp on June 17th.

Steelers Begin Final Phase Of Offseason Workouts Today

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The Steelers begin phase three of their offseason workouts today. This final phase will consist of ten organized team practice activities (OTA’s), and will run for four weeks. The ten practice sessions will run over the course of three weeks, followed by a mandatory three day mini-camp on the fourth week. The weekly breakdown of the practices looks like this:

May 27th, May 28th, May 29th

June 3rd, June 4th, June 5th

June 9th, June 10th, June 11th, and June 12th

Mini-camp: June 17th, June 18th, June 19th.

The structure of the OTA’s is mandated by the collective bargaining agreement. Teams are only allowed a maximum of six hours for each of the ten practices. Only three six hour practices may be held each week for the first two weeks. Like the first two phases of the program, helmets are permitted, but pads are not, except for protective knee and elbow pads.

While no “live” contact is permitted, this is the first chance the team has to run offense vs. defense drills such as 7 on 7’s, 9 on 7’s, and 11 on 11’s during the offseason.

Ray Rice And Ravens Attempts To Clean PR Mess Makes Internet Angry

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The Ravens held a press conference for Ray Rice and his wife Friday at the Ravens practice facility in Owens Mills, MD. It is the first time the Ravens running back has spoken publicly since being arrested for knocking his then fiancée out cold in February. Before I get into the debacle that was the Ravens press conference today, I should give a little refresher on the matter.

Rice was videotaped dragging his future wife’s unconscious body out of an Atlantic City casino elevator. Police also reportedly had video evidence of Rice punching her in the casino.

Ray Rice — Dragging Unconscious Fiancee … After Alleged Mutual Attack

The Ravens organization publicly stood behind their troubled running back leading up to the trial. While many people said they should just outright cut him, they expressed their support, and said they were going to let the legal process run its course. And why wouldn’t they? Sure, that sounds reasonable, but cutting ties with him would have left them on the hook for $14 Mil. That probably had something to do with their decision making process.

Rice was indicted for felony aggravated assault, a more serious charge than he was originally charged with. In the end though, he avoided jail time by entering a pre-trial intervention program. Being a first time offender, he was eligible for that arrangement, and after successful completion, the assault charge will be dropped after one year.

Now that we’re all caught up, let’s examine Friday’s events. The Ravens hosted a televised press conference for Ray Rice and his wife Friday afternoon. During which time, the Ravens were live tweeting the event on Twitter. Rice apologized to the Ravens GM and coaching staff, as well as the fanbase, but never to his wife. Throughout the press conference, Rice read from notes on his phone, which may have made him seem somewhat disingenuous. At one point, he made a rather bad analogy that didn’t sit well with much of the internet using world.

“I won’t call myself a failure. Failure is not getting knocked down. It’s not getting up.”

The Ravens Twitter account echoed the statement. (The tweet was deleted by the Ravens twitter manager overnight, but I grabbed a screenshot).

Probably not the best choice of words after getting indicted for knocking your wife out in public. The tweet drew an outpouring of angry responses.

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His wife, who sat stoically next to him at the press conference, apologized for her involvement.

https://twitter.com/Ravens/statuses/469918292061061120

A tweet which also created a firestorm on Twitter, as well as ire from some journalists.

https://twitter.com/TheTomasRios/status/470194699827826688

https://twitter.com/MarkEnnis/status/469929072777506816

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https://twitter.com/HotelFoxtrot/status/469921555674181632

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You get the idea. There are several hundred, if not, thousands of similar comments. Many of which are not safe for work, so I avoided including them. Here is the press conference if you are interested in watching it for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJBkG_kyqxI

Ravens team president Dick Cass said that he expects Rice to meet with Roger Goodell sometime in the very near future. On NFL Insiders yesterday, Chris Mortensen said that the team is preparing for their running back to be suspended for at least 3 games. Personally, I believe the league- the PR machine that it is- is easily swayed by public opinion. Yesterday’s overwhelming negative response would surely make their ruling harsher if that is indeed the case.

Adam Schein Thinks David DeCastro Played Poorly in 2013

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In an article cleverly titled “The Schein Nine” on NFL.com, Adam Schein lists 9 guys who he thinks need to “put up or shut up” this year. The list goes as follows: 1) Robert Griffin III, 2) Mike Wallace, 3) Trent Richardson, 4) Sam Bradford, 5) Matthew Stafford, 6) Jay Cutler, 7) Morris Claiborne, 8) Dom Capers, and 9) David DeCastro.

Here’s what Schein had to say about DeCastro:

“Everyone once called DeCastro — a steady, sturdy offensive guard from Stanford — one of the safest picks of the 2012 NFL Draft. Well, a knee injury claimed his first season and poor play marred 2013.

Pittsburgh hired O-line guru Mike Munchak this offseason. DeCastro must live up to the billing.”

Poor play marred 2013? Subtract a poorly placed cut block that arguably shouldn’t have been in the playbook on week 1, and DeCastro played like an All Pro for much of the season.

Of the guards who played all their games at right guard last season, ProFootballFocus had David DeCastro ranked 5th. Not that PFF is the end all be all, but it’s not without merit. Aside from that, I don’t know how anyone who was paying close attention last year could suggest that DeCastro “underachieved”. The second year right guard lived up to his reputation of being a technician. Putting DeCastro on the same list as Mike Wallace just adds insult to injury. Mike Wallace- the former Steelers wide receiver who the Dolphins signed to a $60 Mil contract last year, who was hardly a factor for them.

I have to be honest, I struggled with the title of this article. Alternate headlines I considered were “Adam Schein Doesn’t Watch Football- Proof Inside” and “Adam Schein Knows That Schein Rhymes With Nine”. In the end, I figured it best to keep it professional.

Dan Rooney Receives SBJ Lifetime Achievement Award

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Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney Sr. was honored with the Sports Business Journal Lifetime Achievement Award last night at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square.

NFL commisioner Roger Goodell presented the award to Mr. Rooney, while the audience of over 800 gave a standing ovation.
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“I salute the Sports Business Journal for their wisdom in selecting Dan Rooney. He is one of the greatest men I know,” Goodell told those in attendance.
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Rooney is the 5th person to receive the award. The previous winners were Peter Ueberroth, Billie Jean King, Paul Tagliabue, and Jerry Reinsdorf. “This is really something special,” Rooney said while accepting the award. His son John read some of his father’s statement saying, “The greatest team ever was the 1970’s Steelers.” The Chief appointed Dan Rooney team president in 1975, a position he would maintain for nearly three decades.

Aside from his many years of operating the greatest team in sports, he was deeply involved in core NFL decision making such as expansion, realignment, commissioner hires, rules, new stadiums and other important league matters. Dan Rooney co-chaired the committee that selected Roger Goodell in 2006.

Ben Roethlisberger Blows Off Steam In Georgia With His Line

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Ben Roethlisberger is working on some male bonding with his starting offensive linemen in Georgia this week. Ben, Maurkice Pouncey, Marcus Gilbert, Kelvin Beachum, Mike Adams, Ramon Foster, and David DeCastro flew down in a private jet yesterday. While the exact location wasn’t disclosed, I can only presume that they are visiting Lake Oconee, GA, where the quarterback owns a lake home.

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Thanks to Ramon Foster via Twitter, we get to have a personal look at their excursion.

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The team will reconvene on Tuesday, May 27th for OTA’s, so this week is the last hurrah to get some R&R and bonding in before workouts get more serious.

[Video] Ryan Clark Says Emotional Goodbye To Steeler Nation

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Former Steelers safety Ryan Clark gave a heartfelt farewell to Steelers fans last night on Pittsburgh’s KDKA, calling Pittsburgh “one of the best organizations in sports.”

Clark was with the Steelers for the last eight years before signing with the Washington Redskins in March. During the interview with Bob Pompeani, Clark fought back tears while talking about the friends he misses in Pittsburgh. “I think the most important things are just my friends. Ike, Troy, and Will Gay, they’re my brothers man, and I think that’s the hard part about this game, because I don’t want people here to think that I’m not excited about it, because I really am,” Clark said about his new opportunity in Washington. He continued, “But, when I was sick, they came to the hospital, Troy cried with me. But, that’s the things I’ll miss, that’s the things I’ll remember. I’m just grateful to God that he let me be there”

Clark, who was always known as a fierce hitter, said that the hit he remembers most took place in New England in 2008. “My favorite [hit will] be Wes Welker until I’m gone from this Earth. The Patriots had this mystique about them, they still do, honestly. Wes Welker had this mystique about him, about being a scrappy, tough and whatever adjectives people always like to add to him. We just didn’t like those guys, we just didn’t, and it just felt so good, to hit him and it set a tone for us,” Clark said.

Here’s the obligatory youtube clip of that in case you forgot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E5c0uQEafs

Clark had nothing but nice things to say about the Steelers fanbase.

“Was the greatest years of my life as far as sports go, to be around such good people. People that embraced me and treated me the way they did. Man, it was just beautiful. I just thank them, I thank them all. The Rooney family, I’m just so appreciative they took a guy that nobody really wanted and they gave me a shot. To the fans, just amazing to go to places and like, take over stadiums. To be in San Diego where Terrible Towels overwhelmed anything they had. The Steelers are spoiled by the fans they have, it’s just awesome.

“I leave with knowing you guys are amazing fans in an amazing city and one of the best organizations in sports and I’m just grateful. A little kid from Louisiana, that no one wanted to draft, got to come in and be a part of something so great.”

You can watch the majority of the interview below.

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Number Changes: Danny Coale And Dri Archer

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Steelers RB/WR Dri Archer and WR Danny Coale have changed numbers according to Mark Kaboly of the Tribune. Archer, the Steelers 3rd round compensatory pick, will be switching from #34 to #13. You’ll probably notice that 34 is a running back’s number, and 13 is not. Make of that what you will.

Archer confirmed the change via his instagram account.

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Coale, who was signed to a future’s contract back in January, is switching from 13 to 88.

The Joey Porter Effect (Or Is It Affect)

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The word rebuild has been associated with the Steelers for a couple years. The Steelers have been “re-tooling” the offensive line for years and they may have found a solution in new Offensive Line Coach Mike Munchak. With the apparent upswing of the offensive line, the biggest subject matter for the word rebuild has been connected to the defense. The word reboot may be better to describe the current trend of the defense, especially with the line-backing core.

Former Steeler linebacker Joey Porter signed on as a defensive assistant after a coaching stint (Coach Peezy?) at Colorado State University, his alma mater, to help coach the young group of linebackers. The linebackers, that includes two first round picks and a second, look very similar to the offensive line. Mike Munchak brings with him experience, knowledge, and technique and Joey Porter brings something else.

With football being the ultimate team sport, how each player is affected can have an enormous effect. With the addition of Coach Porter (how awkward is that to say?) a needed intensity to the defense will be identified and received. Being a third round pick by the Steelers in ’99, his mid round selection may have assisted Joey’s fire to be better, but it’s his demeanor that will affect the team.

Over his career with the Steelers, the team had a higher sack average per year. The higher average sack numbers demonstrate how Joey can affect everyone around him. The largest part of his game, on and off the field, was his words. While some guys will lead by example and stay silent, Peezy never stopped talking. The vocal effect of Porter could rally a defense and even the entire team. The many sound bites through the Superbowl run helped create a wave of emotion for the team to ride.

Coach Porter (still doesn’t sound right) played for the Steelers, then went to Miami and eventually “Steelers West.” After his playing days were over, he quickly began coaching at Colorado State University. Head coach at CSU Jim McElwain spoke on the effect of Joey, “I can’t say enough about the job he did with our team last season, and the way he poured his knowledge, experience and passion into our players.” He returned to his alma mater to finish a degree and helped coach. What a feel good story. What you may not remember though, is that he was also returning to the area where he was shot. To return to the scene takes two of something that could affect the youth on defense.

With the assistance of Coach Porter (I think I’m ok with this now) the CSU Rams had a sack increase by 12 in one year. How coaches affect their players is different for each individual. The difficulty of coaching is being able to connect and respond with the correct form to motivate someone you, as a coach, wish to succeed. While Porter was coaching, senior Shaquil Barrett’s sack total doubled in one year, and was named Mountain West defensive player of the year. Now one can see the Porter effect.

Whether it is how Joey Porter affects, or the effects of Joey Porter, I think it’s the affection for the game he will bring.

Impactful Draft: True Need, Defensive Line

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Heading into the draft there was high speculation, from the draft-nicks to the fanfare, the Steelers would be going in two directions; Wide Receivers or Cornerback. While both were addressed through the NFL Draft, the rounds in which the “need” positions were drafted ending up being considerably off. The apparent need for the 2014 edition of the Pittsburgh Steelers was defensive line. With all the speculation of how the picks are made, did the Steelers really go best player available (BPA) or did they address the most glaring need. In the 2014 draft certain things fell correctly, as they must, for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 2014 NFL Draft brought the Steelers two defensive linemen for the first time since Casey Hampton and Rodney Bailey in 2001. The linemen selections of Stephon Tuitt and Daniel McCullersare huge, and I am not speaking of McCullers’ stature, for a team in need of defensive line help. Both of these draft picks can be contributors, albeit possibly minimal, because of their experience using the technique employed by their previous schemes.

At Tennessee in 2012, McCullers played nose tackle in their 3-4 scheme. Coaches shifted, philosophies changed and in 2013, under Jon Jancek, the Vols played a 4-3. The change in base defense was not to McCullers benefit. While a 4-3 scheme allows defensive Tackles to shoot gaps more often; McCullers numbers took a hit. Starting two seasons and playing in two schemes, he registered more tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss in the 3-4 scheme as a junior then in the 4-3 scheme as a senior. The scheme was Jon Jancek’s little coat and this fat guy didn’t fit. There is a reason why a YouTube search shows 2012 highlights at a higher volume.

Tuitt’s accomplishments have been well documented. Looking at the good, you see a defensive end that can pursue, tackle, rush, and work at his craft. The knock on Stephon is his final year at Notre Dame. When comparing the last two seasons one can see increases in assisted tackles and total tackles. The slip to the second round may have been contributed to the drop in sack production from 12 to 7.5. The most glaring difference for the Fighting Irish between 2012 and 2013 is the final record of 12-1 and 9-4, respectively. Not the singular reason but looking to compare, 6 out the 10 top sack leaders in the NFL where on teams with 10 or more wins. When your team is winning, the opposition looks to get yards in chunks via the air. The sack drop off for Tuitt, maybe loosely, can be compared to his NFL counterparts.

Tuitt has the possibility of being the largest addition to the defensive line as of late. It is not common for the Steelers to draft a player that has already been playing the defensive end position in a 3-4 scheme for his entire college career. Tuitt’s learning curve will be far less than any other defensive end drafted by the Steelers in recent history. In grandpa Lebeau’s complex scheme, Tuitt’s confusion should be as minimal as a muddled jury at the Aaron Hernandez trail and allow stiff competition at camp.

Thomas, Tuitt, McCullers, have all played in a system similar to the one currently used in Pittsburgh. Williams, Arnfelt, and Fangupo have seen the defense. With only two returning starters on the roster, there will be many new names Steelers fans will watch. With nine current defensive lineman on the roster there will surely be the odd men out but who is the new guy in?