Reasons to be excited about 2008 Steelers   1.  Rashard Mendenhall should make a solid addition and make the o-line look better, as well as make Willie more effective because of a lighened workload. 2.  Marvel Smith being healthy - after back surgery he can return to his 2005 Pro Bowl form. 3.  Willie Colon has another year of experience and the battle between him and Max Starks should bear fruit. 4.  Hartwig should provide a massive improvement at center over the unbelievably shitty Sean Mahan. 5.  Limas Sweed as the #3 reciever adds both depth and a new dimension to the Steelers passing game, this also allows Nate Washington to be a very solid #4 vs. a mediocre #3. 6.  In the Steelers version of a 3-4 rookie linebackers take a year to learn and don't get to play much.  With Lawrence Timmons and Lamar Woodly entering their second year it should not only improve the linebacking corps significantly but be almost like having two draft classes come at once. 7.  Mewelde Moore should be a nice third down option but probably more importantly a huge improvement over the "past his prime" Allen Rossum. 8.  Troy Polamalu's new "old" workout regimen under Marv Marinovich should keep him healthy and return him to his difference maker status.  Troy made the pro bowl last year on reputation alone. 9.  Historically Ben is just entering what is typically the prime of a quarterback's career. 10.  The loss of Alan Faneca won't be felt as much as some people think.  He was a shell of himself last year and made the Pro Bowl on name only. 11.  A healthy Aaron Smith will make all the difference and he has not historically been injury prone.  Also Casey Hampton should have gotten the "kick in the butt" necessary to get in better shape. 12.  Tomlin is in his second year and should be improved not just in game management but strategic planning.  For example the combination of his "tough camp" and playing in the Hall of Fame game contributed to the Steelers running out of gas and losing 4 of their last 5.   Reasons to be concerned 1.  The Steelers may be playing the toughest schedule in NFL history. 2.  The Cleveland Browns are significantly improved and ready to compete for the division title. 3.  The offensive line, their weak spot last year could be even worse if some younger players don't develop. 4.  The thin and aging defensive line did not add any talent or depth, and this group is the key to or 3-4. 5.  Deshea Townsend is another year older and their is a lack of a proven starter type behind him.

sup Steeler nation...i was just curious if anybody else read the Wall Street Journal today.there is an article about the Rooney's shopping the Steelers for 1.2 billion.i was totally taken off guard when my boss showed it to me.

my first thought was to have the city of Pitt buy the team so they could run it like Green Bay does.

i got a nice chunk of savings to throw down  = )

peace,

B

MADDEN 09, SIMULATION OF SEASON.

Well according to the Madden 2009 simulation of the 2008 NFL season the Steelers will win the AFC North, beat the Colts, and lose to the Patriots in the Confrence Finals.   I hate those Patriots, we can't even seem to find a way to beat them in a simulation.

Anyways I thought it was an interesting article.  Any thoughts on how realistic the simulation will be?  Where do you think the Steelers will end up this year?  Which players on the team do you think will have a pro-bowl year?  Who do you think will slip a bit in 2008?

Personally I think Polomalu, Big Ben,  Woodley, and Harrison will have big years and all be in position to make the pro-bowl.  I also think Fast Willie will have an above average year, with Mendenhall picking up some tuff yards and the majority of our rushing touchdowns. 

Anyways, I hoping, wishing, and praying that the Steelers win it all in the 2008-2009 NFL!

...to potential buyers. At least, that's what  a text message and this article tell me:

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise has been "secretly shopped around" to potential buyers.

This comes as there are reported divisions among the five sons of Art Rooney, Sr., the team's founder.

More information on Steelers.com.

While the headline was startling, it doesn't appear that there is reason for panic. For years, our motto as been "In the Rooney's we trust." I think that will apply here, and that even amidst a restructuring of the ownership the best interest of the franchise and fans will be in the forefront of their mind. In fact, transferring controlling ownership to those most fully invested in the organization could have a positive impact - or at the least a negligible one.

What does everyone else think?

(P.S. Whoever sends the mass texts at KDKA has been busy this afternoon. My second message in 5 minutes tells me we signed Denis Dixon.)

Steeler fans did not see much of Lawrence Timmons in 2007 due in part to some injuries.  With that said however, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported earlier this year that Timmons definitely wants to be in the mix for a spot on the starting defensive unit this season.  Assuming that Timmons holds true to his word and earns that starting spot, what do you expect, in terms of productivity, from Timmons in '08?  Furthermore, do you expect Timmons to be a positive investment for years to come?

I confess that I'm a Steelers fan who has never been to football Mecca, Pittsburgh, even though both my favorite team and my wife come from there. I vow to go someday soon! So it was with great interest that I read this recent article in the New York Times entitled, "36 Hours in Pittsburgh." I know it's not direcly Steelers releated, but I figured some of you might dig it. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I just received a mobile Update stating that Brett Farve wants to come back to GB.  Can anyone find that source if its true.  Because that would in my opinion make me think less of Brett acting like a Woman when it comes to decide on things.  But before i make that judgment i was wondering if anyone here heard or can find source that this information i got on my phone is in fact correct.

 

 

 

The Steelers signed NFL Europe's Marvin Allen and cut reserve quarterback Jared Zabransky.  Allen is a 5-10, 180-pound wide receiver and will remain on the team's eight-man Practice Squad throughout the 2008 season.  Allen is from london, England.  By declaring Allen the team's "NFL Europe Practice Playern" the Steelers get to go into camp with 81 players instead of the maximum allowed 80.  Do not know anything else about him

Ok, it's that time again. I'll make it quick, with just a little background as to why this is important now, more than ever.

The site's being exposed to legions of Steelers fans since this past week. Fans just like us who love the team and like a little distraction from life sitting around one giant water cooler talking Steelers football.  Many have never read Curtain and will be forming first impressions during their first visit.

It'd be a shame if we gave new folks the wrong idea about this place with unsubstantive drivel. I myself was dumb last night ripping into somebody who rubbed me in the wrong way completely. Uncalled for by me to go down that road, and more importantly, a waste of time and a inaccurate representation of the people and atmosphere here. It's neither a homerific bastion of rah rah boring blind support, nor a total free for all for people to mouth off however they want to whoever they want.

It's not rocket science, and I personally believe, along with many of you, that we've done a good job in that regard. I do not want to spend a second of my life censoring anybody. I'm too busy as is more than anything, but of course there's more profound reasons that are obvious.

No racism. No sexism. No homophobia. No politics. No religion. And hopefully, facts to backup opinions, at least when those opinions are critical of others and/or their views.

Pretty simple. That's essentially it. I don't even care about profanity. I like to believe there's women readers and readers as young as 12-15 on the site, so I hope that doesn't open up a can of worms that becomes a glaring issue, but it hasn't until now.

I apologize for my part in getting off course, and I hope y'all all continue to help me out with the sound examples that the stalwart commenters have set for the site. There's a reason we're getting more and more new interesting people joining in. Let's continue to give that reason to others in the future.

This last month of the offseason's going to be tough, with few roster maneuverings, no games, no OTAs, etc. to talk about. With a little more patience, we'll all be too absorbed with the games and the fresh cut grass on Heinz Field to be preoccupied with good-intentioned speculation turned shouting-match.

Cheers.

Hines gets a little recognition from Espn who did a poll among the current head coaches on the dirtiest player, smartest offensive and defensive player, and the best owner.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=walker_james&id=3463857

Ward is my favorite player, and I think a definite Hall Of Famer, and I wouldn't trade the Rooneys for any owners in the league, even the Maras.  Its just another reminder of the quality of football that we as Steeler fans have had to enjoy for so long.