Where are the Steelers fans?

[BSmack]

Enough of this AFC West bullshit. Let's hear it from the Black and Gold fans. This preseason has been nuts. Here's some early thoughts.

1. We will find out about Willie Parker sooner rather than later. I saw him get some extended work during the season finale in Buffalo. Dude flat out embarrassed the Bills defenders who were allegedly contending for a playoff berth. With Staley on the shelf for a month and Bettis needing his rest, Parker will have his chance to shine. I think he'll make the most of it.

2. What's up with Antwaan Randle El? I haven't heard a thing about him during camp. Any of you Burgh residents know if he's fitting into the #2 receiver role? The closest thing I've heard to a statement on Randle El is Cowher saying "someone needs to separate from that pack".

3. What the hell happened with the Hines Ward deal? I was sitting back this off season enjoying the holdout dramas in Seattle, Indy, Philly and Green Bay and all of the sudden the only top wideout holding out is Hines Freakin Ward??? How did things get this out of hand? I thought the Steelers were committed to locking Ward up for a long term deal?

React?

[jiminphilly]

Enough of this AFC West bullshit. Let's hear it from the Black and Gold fans. This preseason has been nuts. Here's some early thoughts.

1. We will find out about Willie Parker sooner rather than later. I saw him get some extended work during the season finale in Buffalo. Dude flat out embarrassed the Bills defenders who were allegedly contending for a playoff berth. With Staley on the shelf for a month and Bettis needing his rest, Parker will have his chance to shine. I think he'll make the most of it.

2. What's up with Antwaan Randle El? I haven't heard a thing about him during camp. Any of you Burgh residents know if he's fitting into the #2 receiver role? The closest thing I've heard to a statement on Randle El is Cowher saying "someone needs to separate from that pack".

3. What the hell happened with the Hines Ward deal? I was sitting back this off season enjoying the holdout dramas in Seattle, Indy, Philly and Green Bay and all of the sudden the only top wideout holding out is Hines Freakin Ward??? How did things get this out of hand? I thought the Steelers were committed to locking Ward up for a long term deal?

React?

Your not concerned about Rothlisberger?

[BSmack]

Your not concerned about Rothlisberger?

What's to be concerned about? Now if the O-Line starts going down, then I'm nervous.

Besides, Max Starks is on the job.



Ain't nothing getting by Max.

[Bizzarofelice]

Ain't nothing getting by Max.

Unless a fan offers him some nachos.

DMike is a Steeler fan. I don't think Dennard will be hanging around Heinz anymore.

[Neely8]

Ill be at Heinz on 9/25 to see my World Champs defend their title......

[jiminphilly]

Your not concerned about Rothlisberger?

What's to be concerned about?

I'd be worried about your offense right now.. Duce is out, Bettis is nothing more then a goal line back and your hinging your running game (something the Steelers do almost 75% of the time) on a RB with only 32 career carries.

So that puts more pressure on a Rothlisberger who showed chinks in the armour at the end of the season last year and he's only a 2nd year starter so he's bound to make the sophmore mistakes.. He's not getting the reps with Ward since he's holding out Cower doesn't seem real thrilled with Randal El with a comment stating someone needs to step up..

[KUTTER]

I'll bet the Ravens would take Hines Ward in a freaking second, if only to block on sweeps. I'd love to see ol' #86 in purple and black.

As for the rest of the Steelers, I think you may have some large problems there, BSmack. Namely, no more Plax, no Duce for a while, and Roethlisberger getting exposed last year in the AFC championship game. You should definitely have some concerns.

[BSmack]

I'd be worried about your offense right now.. Duce is out, Bettis is nothing more then a goal line back and your hinging your running game (something the Steelers do almost 75% of the time) on a RB with only 32 career carries.

Where do you take your mail? Fantasyland?

Here's the real deal. Duce got scoped and will miss the rest of preseason and possibly a game or two in the regular season. In the interim, Parker and Haynes will get the team through the preseason. Come the regular season, Bettis will start and Parker and Haynes will spell him as needed until Duce comes back.

If both Bettis and Duce get knocked out at the same time? Well then I'm worried.

So that puts more pressure on a Rothlisberger who showed chinks in the armour at the end of the season last year and he's only a 2nd year starter so he's bound to make the sophmore mistakes.. He's not getting the reps with Ward since he's holding out Cower doesn't seem real thrilled with Randal El with a comment stating someone needs to step up..

I'll agree with you re: Randle El. I'd feel a whole lot better if I heard some positives about the guy who may be the go to guy in the Steelers passing offense. But, it is still early and I will be shocked if Ward's holdout gets past the last week of training camp. He's the best all around player at wideout in the NFL, they need to pay the man and move on.

[Dumbass]

LOL your banking on your sophomore QB only a few years after Steelerfan was ready to put Tommy Maddox in The Hall.

[BSmack]

LOL your banking on your sophomore QB only a few years after Steelerfan was ready to put Tommy Maddox in The Hall.

Who said I'm banking on a sophmore QB? Defense and running the football are the tickets in Steeltown. Get that straight dumbass.

[Dumbass]

[BSmack]

Ain't nothing getting by Max.

Unless a fan offers him some nachos.

DMike is a Steeler fan. I don't think Dennard will be hanging around Heinz anymore.

Yea, this is when I'll really miss Denard. I didn't agree with his take on Cowher, but I loved his way of putting it. That sig av was classic.

Where's PSU? Hell, give me some Browns fans to kick around. Anything but these retarded ass Chowds masquerading as football fans. 10 years from now, when the Pats are again mired in mediocrity, we won't be hearing from a fucking one of these clowns.

[jiminphilly]

Here's the real deal. Duce got scoped and will miss the rest of preseason and possibly a game or two in the regular season. In the interim, Parker and Haynes will get the team through the preseason. Come the regular season, Bettis will start and Parker and Haynes will spell him as needed until Duce comes back.

If both Bettis and Duce get knocked out at the same time? Well then I'm worried.

If you think Duce will bounce back from having his knee scoped then you're the one in fantasy land. He's going to need conditioning when he's back so he won't be the work horse they need in that running game they rely on so much.

Bettis' still has some gas in the tank but not as a 25 carry/ game guy. Parker and Hayned are unproven and for a team that runs the ball as much as Pitt does, so that does not bode well.

Pitt may very well have a good year by the end of the season but I think it'll be slow going for the 1st half. From what I read about Ward's situation both sides are very far apart and I'll disagree with your assesment that Ward is the best overall receiver in the NFL.

He's the best blocking WR and he finds a way to get open but I wouldn't call him the best receiver in the game.

[BSmack]

If you think Duce will bounce back from having his knee scoped then you're the one in fantasy land. He's going to need conditioning when he's back so he won't be the work horse they need in that running game they rely on so much.

Bettis' still has some gas in the tank but not as a 25 carry/ game guy. Parker and Hayned are unproven and for a team that runs the ball as much as Pitt does, so that does not bode well.

Bettis can give you 25 carries a game for 4-5 games. That should be enough for Staley to get back to full strength. Then the Bus can go back to his usual 5 carries 4 yards 2 TD scoring line. Why the hating on Bettis? He was a 25 carry a game guy for the last 6 games of last year and the 2 playoff games.

Pitt may very well have a good year by the end of the season but I think it'll be slow going for the 1st half. From what I read about Ward's situation both sides are very far apart and I'll disagree with your assesment that Ward is the best overall receiver in the NFL.

He's the best blocking WR and he finds a way to get open but I wouldn't call him the best receiver in the game.

Ward's value goes WAY beyond just being able to run routes and catch balls (which he can damn well do as well). He's, as you said, the best blocking wideout in the game, a threat to run the football and understands the system so well that he called the game winning TD pass in last year's Dallas game when Roethlisberger spaced out in the huddle. There is not a single wide reciever in the game of football that I would trade him for.

PS: Remember this?



and this?



:wink:

[jiminphilly]

If you think Duce will bounce back from having his knee scoped then you're the one in fantasy land. He's going to need conditioning when he's back so he won't be the work horse they need in that running game they rely on so much.

Bettis' still has some gas in the tank but not as a 25 carry/ game guy. Parker and Hayned are unproven and for a team that runs the ball as much as Pitt does, so that does not bode well.

Bettis can give you 25 carries a game for 4-5 games. That should be enough for Staley to get back to full strength. Then the Bus can go back to his usual 5 carries 4 yards 2 TD scoring line. Why the hating on Bettis? He was a 25 carry a game guy for the last 6 games of last year and the 2 playoff games.

Pitt may very well have a good year by the end of the season but I think it'll be slow going for the 1st half. From what I read about Ward's situation both sides are very far apart and I'll disagree with your assesment that Ward is the best overall receiver in the NFL.

He's the best blocking WR and he finds a way to get open but I wouldn't call him the best receiver in the game.

Ward's value goes WAY beyond just being able to run routes and catch balls (which he can damn well do as well). He's, as you said, the best blocking wideout in the game, a threat to run the football and understands the system so well that he called the game winning TD pass in last year's Dallas game when Roethlisberger spaced out in the huddle. There is not a single wide reciever in the game of football that I would trade him for.

PS: Remember this?



and this?



:wink:

I'm sorry but did Pitt get to the Super Bowl? Regular season games doesn't mean shit if you can't get into the Super Bowl.

On the field I'll take TO over Ward any day of the week. Like Ward, TO gets open, is one of the hardest players to bring down in the open field, runs very crips routes and is capable of running the end around extremely well. I remember one particular end-around he did in San Fran in which he ran for something like 40 yards (more then that with all the criss-crossing etc...).

As for Ward calling the winning TD-- Freddie Mitchell was calling plays in the huddle during the last TD drive the Eagles had b/c McNabb was gased himself. So it doesn't take a genius to call a play, especially since they come from the sideline.

I take nothing away from Ward. He's in the top 5 WR in the NFL but not the best.

As for Bettis, I am a big fan of his.. he is nothing but a class act and should be in Canton when he hangs it up. He also had a remarkable 2004 season but I don't think you can expect that same production from him this year. I give him credit. He put up some rushing stats against good defenses, including the Eagles (before they put Trotter in at MLB..) but he's a bruiser not a finasse back and if Rothlisberger shows signs of a sophmore slump, Bettis will be running against a 7 and 8 man front.

Not good.

[Joe in PB]

Jim is correct.

To me the big red flag is Staley is already hurt........after missing most of the 2nd half of last season.

All indications are he's likely to miss more games beyound this injury this year.

Meanwhile the buses wheels still go round and round but appear a little low on air after a few games.

And it's just bad Karma to have Ward, a team leader....holding out......

[BSmack]

I'm sorry but did Pitt get to the Super Bowl? Regular season games doesn't mean shit if you can't get into the Super Bowl.

If the Steelers were in the NFC they would have been playing the Pats in the Super Bowl.

On the field I'll take TO over Ward any day of the week. Like Ward, TO gets open, is one of the hardest players to bring down in the open field, runs very crips routes and is capable of running the end around extremely well. I remember one particular end-around he did in San Fran in which he ran for something like 40 yards (more then that with all the criss-crossing etc...).

TO is one of the most gifted cancers in the NFL. But he isn't a better all around player than Ward. Ward can do everything you just said AND block and play emergency QB AND run the ball on direct snaps and sell beer in the stands during halftime.

As for Ward calling the winning TD-- Freddie Mitchell was calling plays in the huddle during the last TD drive the Eagles had b/c McNabb was gased himself. So it doesn't take a genius to call a play, especially since they come from the sideline.

How did that drive work for y'all?



At least when Ward called the play it went for the game winning TD.

I take nothing away from Ward. He's in the top 5 WR in the NFL but not the best.

As for Bettis, I am a big fan of his.. he is nothing but a class act and should be in Canton when he hangs it up. He also had a remarkable 2004 season but I don't think you can expect that same production from him this year. I give him credit. He put up some rushing stats against good defenses, including the Eagles (before they put Trotter in at MLB..) but he's a bruiser not a finasse back and if Rothlisberger shows signs of a sophmore slump, Bettis will be running against a 7 and 8 man front.

Not good.

Bettis has put up numbers against 7 and 8 man fronts his whole career. I'm not saying that Bettis is going to be a workhorse back for the whole year. But he can hold up well enough for the first 2 or 3 games until Staley gets his wheels under him. Also, Haynes and Parker are more than capable of stepping in and playing. Again, not as feature backs getting 30 carries a a game, but as competent role players and as change of pace backs. I knew going in the Steelers running game was going to be be a running back by committee deal for the whole year. Which is why I feel this injury to Staley is but a minor setback.

[Neely8]

I'm sorry but did Pitt get to the Super Bowl? Regular season games doesn't mean shit if you can't get into the Super Bowl.

If the Steelers were in the NFC they would have been playing the Pats in the Super Bowl.

On the field I'll take TO over Ward any day of the week. Like Ward, TO gets open, is one of the hardest players to bring down in the open field, runs very crips routes and is capable of running the end around extremely well. I remember one particular end-around he did in San Fran in which he ran for something like 40 yards (more then that with all the criss-crossing etc...).

TO is one of the most gifted cancers in the NFL. But he isn't a better all around player than Ward. Ward can do everything you just said AND block and play emergency QB AND run the ball on direct snaps and sell beer in the stands during halftime.

As for Ward calling the winning TD-- Freddie Mitchell was calling plays in the huddle during the last TD drive the Eagles had b/c McNabb was gased himself. So it doesn't take a genius to call a play, especially since they come from the sideline.

How did that drive work for y'all?



At least when Ward called the play it went for the game winning TD.

I take nothing away from Ward. He's in the top 5 WR in the NFL but not the best.

As for Bettis, I am a big fan of his.. he is nothing but a class act and should be in Canton when he hangs it up. He also had a remarkable 2004 season but I don't think you can expect that same production from him this year. I give him credit. He put up some rushing stats against good defenses, including the Eagles (before they put Trotter in at MLB..) but he's a bruiser not a finasse back and if Rothlisberger shows signs of a sophmore slump, Bettis will be running against a 7 and 8 man front.

Not good.

Bettis has put up numbers against 7 and 8 man fronts his whole career. I'm not saying that Bettis is going to be a workhorse back for the whole year. But he can hold up well enough for the first 2 or 3 games until Staley gets his wheels under him. Also, Haynes and Parker are more than capable of stepping in and playing. Again, not as feature backs getting 30 carries a a game, but as competent role players and as change of pace backs. I knew going in the Steelers running game was going to be be a running back by committee deal for the whole year. Which is why I feel this injury to Staley is but a minor setback.

If I picked the right numbers last night I would have won Powerball......


A franchise that has been in operation from the beginning of the AFL does not constitute bandwagon fans. I guess when you win 3 out of 4 Superbowls people get tired of hearing about your team. I tell ya what.........beat us when it counts this year and then I might listen to ya.....

[BSmack]

If I picked the right numbers last night I would have won Powerball......

A franchise that has been in operation from the beginning of the AFL does not constitute bandwagon fans. I guess when you win 3 out of 4 Superbowls people get tired of hearing about your team. I tell ya what.........beat us when it counts this year and then I might listen to ya.....

Neeley,

You're the exception to the rule. You're the only Chowd in these parts who was backing the Pats BEFORE they started winning titles. Anybody else remember when Cue was a Bolts fan?

Yea, the franchise has been around. But where were the fans for the first 30 years? Nowdays you can't swing a dead Yankee fan without hitting a wannbee Chowd. But give it 5 years and America's facination with all things Chowderific will have passed. And then you'll be back all by your lonesome posting your love for the Pats while Cue and his bandwagon brethren stitch "Humphries" back on their old gear.

[Hapday]

You're the only Chowd in these parts who was backing the Pats BEFORE they started winning titles.

:roll: :roll:

I went through the Hugh 'the million dollar man' Millen years and lived to tell the tale.