Charlie Batch’s Moment in the Sun

When I think about the greatest wins in recent Steeler history, excluding championships of course, almost every one of them is against the Baltimore Ravens.

There is nothing more fulfilling for a sports fan than a critical victory over a hated rival. Check that…a despised rival. With all due respect (or lack thereof) to New England, Dallas, Cincinnati and Cleveland there is simply no Steelers’ opponent that generates the visceral hatred of the Ravens. And I would have said that before my wife and I endured three horrific hours of emotional debauchery at M&T Stadium last September.

Think about those Steeler victories that make you pound your chest with pride at being part of the Steeler Nation. They are ALMOST ALWAYS against the Rat Birds and frequently in Baltimore. Remember the 92 yard drive and last second Santonio touchdown in 2008? How about the Polamalu strip sack of Flacco in 2010? There are also two recent classics at Heinz Field, the 2008 AFC Championship game and the 2010 divisional playoff comeback victory

“Greatest wins” of course is an extremely subjective measurement. So I use extremely unscientific qualifications for such a designation. How stressed am I during the game? How many times do I throw objects (thank you Limas Sweed) or bang my head off solid objects? How much am I dancing around my condo, pumping my fists and screaming (much to the dismay of Chicago’s West Loop) after the victory?

My wife (and Mike Tomlin) likes to say “a win is a win.” Statistically she is 100% right. And yet there are some wins that are just bigger, that just mean more.

Well we can officially add classic victory in Baltimore to the list.

This one will be remembered as “the Charlie Batch” game. The night the Steelers staggered in to Baltimore and pulled out a phenomenal, season saving victory over the Rat Birds. They did so not only without their star quarterback but with their third stringer as recently as two weeks ago. They did it with a QB who much of Steeler national irrationally and over zealously wrote off after last week’s ugly loss.

The only thing better than this highly improbable victory is the redemption story that came with it. Charlie Batch may never end up in Canton but he’s truly one of the classiest professionals to ever wear the black and gold. The man is the ultimate team player and the prototypical “Pittsburgh guy.” He has not played a lot during his Steeler career but with the notable exception of last weekend has almost always played well when called upon. He deserved MUCH better than to have his Steeler career end on that debacle in Cleveland.

I’m a Steeler fan which means I root for the logo more than I do the names on the back of the jersey. And yet I’ll be the first to admit I’m almost as happy for Batch as I am for the black and gold as a whole.

Let me start off by saying that I don’t think Batch should be the team’s number 3 QB. There is zero doubt in my mind that he gives the Steelers a better chance to win then Byron Leftwich. I made this point repeatedly at Heinz Field two weeks ago as Leftwich limped and gimped through a disappointing loss. I endorsed Batch to be the starter during Ben’s suspension two years ago and have never backed off my contention that he should be the number 2 QB. I simply do not get the coaching staff’s infatuation with Lord Byron whose throwing wind-up is an eerie combination of Major Harris and Bugs Bunny.

That said, Batch was the third quarterback. That means for the better part of eleven weeks he did not take a meaningful snap in practice. In today’s NFL the back-up QB rarely gets practice reps let alone the third QB. So after eleven weeks of inactivity Batch has to start in Cleveland. The Steelers employ a conservative game plan and the team’s running backs respond by fumbling an incredible six time. Let me say that again…six times. On top of which Batch had a 30 plus yard completion to Heath Miller early in the second half of that game that was wiped out by a holding penalty.

I’m not saying Batch played great against the Browns, he clearly did not. At the same time, the overreaction from fans and media was staggering. Batch plays one subpar game, with all the obstacles I noted above and suddenly he is washed up and done? I’m sorry but that’s not a fair evaluation. My honest opinion is that if the Steelers simply hold on to the ball against the Browns they win that game easily and Batch is not being bitch slapped by Rodney Harrison on national TV.

Regardless, it is what it is. The team played awful and Batch was part of it. It was a game they needed very much to win and did not. It was a truly ugly loss in every way.

Of course one of the reasons we considered it a must win game was we all assumed that a victory in Baltimore without Big Ben would be impossible. If the last two weeks, and for that matter this entire bizarre Steeler season has taught us anything it’s that nothing is a given in the NFL. I’ve always thought the “any given Sunday” mantra was a little hokey and overplayed. At the same time I will not deny that at this level, crazy things can and do happen.

I doubt even the most optimistic Steeler fan would have predicted this outcome before kick-off, or even at half-time.

The Steelers simply would not have prevailed without Batch’s strong performance. It was pretty obvious that Baltimore was playing 8 in the box all night to shut down the run. Cleveland did the same thing last week. The Steelers right now do not have elite running backs. Neither Dwyer nor Redman is good enough to succeed consistently driving head on in to eight man fronts.

This game changed when the coaches took the handcuffs of Batch and let him throw the ball. And to their credit they continued to show confidence even when he made a few obviously bad throws. Yes the overthrow of Wallace in the end zone was awful. So were about ten of Drew Brees’ throws on Thursday night in Atlanta. If Ryan Lindley is your third string QB maybe you bail on throwing; with Charlie Batch you let him make plays.

And that’s exactly what he did.

Batch was far from the only reason the Steelers won this game. I could easily devote an entire blog to the brilliant work of the coaching staff and the strong performances of James Harrison, Heath Miller, the offensive line and the defensive backs. Shaun Suisham deserves a major tip of the cap for yet another clutch kicking performance. I could also lament the latest implosion by Emmanuel Sanders and the continued disappointing efforts from Mike Wallace and Drew Butler.

Alas, those are stories for another day or another blog. To me the story of this game first and foremost was Charlie Batch.

This was his defining performance in a Steeler uniform, one we should never forget. It could not have come at a bigger time, could not have happened to a better guy. The victory provided some desperately needed confidence and momentum to a struggling team. And while their playoff hopes likely rest on the Cincinnati rematch, the game provided some critical breathing room.

With father time advancing and Big Ben hopefully returning this very well might be Charlie Batch’s final appearance as a Steeler. If so it was one heck of a curtain call; a deserving swan song for a true class act.

Blogging Team Seto and the 2012 Chicago Marathon

After nearly 9 months of hard core training, my wife Emily lined up for her first ever marathon this morning.

After virtually no relevant training, I lined up for my first roving spectator role at a marathon. My somewhat ambitious goal, to cheer my wife at six different spots over 26.2 miles. The plan was carefully orchestrated and logistically sound though ripe with uncertainty. A heartfelt thanks to Shawn Johnson for some excellent viewing suggestions.

Anyway, it turned out to be quite an experience, well worthy of my first, Bill Simmons’ style time line recap blog in several years . Before I start let me say what absolutely MUST be said. My sincerest congratulations to all of the runners and ESPECIALLY my wife. What all of these folks did today is simply incredible. I’m beat down and physically exhausted from my day and I did not do 1% of what these amazing athletes did. My wife and all 37,000+ finishers should be VERY, VERY PROUD of this mammoth accomplishment!

With that my recap.  All times central standard and slightly estimated:

6:00 am (sharp) – Alarm goes off…snooze.

6:05 am – Alarm goes off…awake, for real.

6:15 am – I drop off Emily at the Green Line and the day is underway. Morning temperature is a balmy 38 degrees.

6:17 am – I return to the Green Line stop to return some lost equipment that fell out of Emily’s bag in the car. First and only potential crisis of the day successfully averted.

7:30 am – I post the following video on Facebook to motivate my hockey fanatic wife (yes, we did watch Miracle for motivation on Friday night). The post is accompanied by these famous words from U.S. Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks (as voiced by Kurt Russell); “This cannot be a team of common (wo)men; because common (wo)men go nowhere. You have to be UNCOMMON. Should any of you choose to view this inspirational video, rest assured I am ABSOLUTELY NOT calling my wife a Candy Ass!

8:00 am – The first leg of my personal journey, a 1 mile walk to the red line at State and Lake. This is accompanied by my first attempt to cross a street that is part of the course. For comparison, this is sort of like playing the old Frogger arcade game except here you only get one guy.

8:25 am - There is a train waiting when I arrive at State and Lake although I’m not sure if it’s going the right direction. Given my natural danger seeker instincts I jump on anyway, risking life, limb, and going 500 feet the wrong direction. Turns out I’m on the right train and a shockingly unexpected trend for the day has emerged; spectacular CTA timing.

8:35 am – Off the red line at Chicago Avenue, waiting for Emily at LaSalle and Chestnut.

8:45 am – As an aside, I should mention that I’m wearing my black and gold Steeler sweatshirt ONLY to make me more visible to Emily (at least that’s what I tell people). I’m also using the Terrible Towel ONLY so that Emily can easily spot me as she runs by (at least that’s what I tell people). While I’m waiting for Emily 11 runners, again 11 MARATHON runners, allocate a portion of their scarce energy reserves to scream “LET’S GO STEELERS” or something to that effect. That’s why they call it the Steeler NATION folks. We’re like a cult!

8:55 am – Emily runs by and hands over her gloves and hat as the temperatures are souring to over 45 degrees. We’re 3.5 miles in and she’s looking strong.

9:00 am – Back to the red line. I hate to be cruel but there is a foul smelling gentleman at the underground stop who is screaming epitaphs at himself and apparently swatting at imaginary bugs. Ahhh…the city.

9:15 am – Off the red line at Clark and Fullerton. As I hit the street I encounter three people wearing Philadelphia Phillies outfits. Perhaps because the Steelers and Eagles play today or maybe just because Philly and Pittsburgh fans hate each other, they all scowl at me. I’d survive either way but I’ll have my revenge by day’s end thanks to Shaun Suisham.

9:35 am – Waiting for Emily at Clark and Deming (just north of Fullerton), about 50 feet from the apartment building I lived in my first seven years in Chicago. Amazingly during that time I never once viewed the marathon. Like any of you were out of bed at 9:00 am in your 20s…

9:45 am – The Superfriends run by…Batman, Robin, Superman, the Hulk and I believe Wonder Woman. I find myself actually contemplating the question of why Superman is not closer to the lead. You know…because he’s SUPERMAN and all. I also see a gentleman who proudly proclaims himself as “Gay Eagle Scout.” Make of that whatever you want.

9:55 am – Emily runs by mile 9.2 looking powerful and in control. She would call this coincidental but I cannot help noting that my wife is clad in red (jacket) and black (pants), the exact colors of her beloved Chicago Blackhawks. By the way five more “Go Steelers!” screams including one from a guy dressed…in a Steeler outfit. He even admonishes me for not waving the towel. HERE WE GO !!!

10:10 am – After a quick check of the CTA’s first and only proactive modern invention, the internet bus tracker reveals no stops for the Halsted bus. I assume I will be taking a cab to Greektown. Astoundingly as I arrive at Halsted and Fullerton there is a Halsted bus waiting at the stop. Yet another logistical touchdown. Here’s something to ponder, is the bus tracker really such a great invention if it provides completely inaccurate information? Ladies and gentlemen, your Chicago Transit Authority.

10:30 am – Arrive at my building and then a quick walk to Halsted and Adams in Greektown.

10:45 am – The most disturbing site of the day, a tall shirtless gentleman with man boobs that are hopping around like they’re in a food processor. Amazingly women are not permitted to be topless in public but this abomination is perfectly legal behavior in our society.

10:50 am – The women standing next to me complains about an awful, sewage smell emanating from the ground. In a shaky attempt at humor I apologize for not showering this morning (almost as if I’m assuming my brother’s role in this dialogue). Her response, “go figure you’re from Pittsburgh.” BAM…POW. That hurt.

10:55 am – A runner detours course to inquire if he’s seen me earlier on the course. Its official, the crazy guy in the Steeler sweatshirt (at the CHICAGO Marathon) has been recognized.

10:56 am – Emily comes by with the Sears Tower (or Big Willie or whatever) appearing majestically behind her in the background. We’re half way home and she looks fantastic. Oh and five more Steeler yells.

11:00 am – Sandwich break at Halsted and Jackson. There is a part of me that thinks eating a sandwich while watching people endure a marathon is kind of ignorant; but that part grudgingly defers to my growling stomach.

11:25 am (ish) – Here comes Emily again, this time from the west and she still looks like a running machine. She plants a big sloppy wet kiss on me as she runs by. Too much information for the tender sensibilities of my dear readers? DEAL WITH IT. The woman ran 26.2 miles today. I also assume there are 50 or more Steeler yells but they are obscured by loud (and in one case shockingly inappropriate) music.

11:45 am – I head to the Eisenhower to jump on the blue line for a two train connection to Chinatown. As I’m rushing down the extended ramp to the stop (which is in the center of the aforementioned expressway), I see a train has arrived. I start running. Then my jeans start falling down. So I grab my pants to hold them up and nearly trip in the process; all while one of Chicago’s finest admonishes me to be careful. Thankfully nobody saw this potentially humiliating moment. Of course MILLIONS will likely read about it in this blog.

12:00 noon – PERFECT red line transfer at Jackson. Why can’t I have this kind of train luck on work days?

12:30 pm – Arrival in Chinatown.

12:35 pm – Here comes Emily. She’s 22 miles in and still firing on all cylinders. Amazingly this is the first time all day I start to mentally acknowledge how incredible all these runners are…and how they are all certifiably nuts!

12:45 pm – ANOTHER perfect red line transfer. Train is waiting at the top of the steps. If it were not Sunday and I was not scampering all over Chicago I would buy a few lottery tickets.

1:00 pm – My first and only mistake of the day. I hop off the red at Roosevelt and ATTEMPT to fly south on Michigan avenue. The folks in front of me compared our efforts to salmon swimming up-stream. I would say it was more like salmon swimming, up-rapids.

1:20 pm – I complete the two block walk…up rapids mostly no worse for wear.

1:25 pm – Here comes Emily with the finish line in site. She looks so strong you would think this was just a short stroll in the park for her. After yet another kiss, I run ahead of her and take the picture below. Who knew the marathon would give me so many chances to make out with my wife???

1:35 pm – An official marathon text alert informs me my wife has completed the Chicago marathon. WAY TO GO EM !!!

2:00 pm – I walk over a mile to meet Emily at “runner reunite.” I know you all have great sympathy for my hardship; what with 37,000+ other runners around me who ran 26.2 miles AND THEN had to walk that extra mile.

2:05 pm – Reunited with far and away the best athlete in my household!

2:15 pm – One last time, we grab a bus perfectly on time. Given that my wife is a trifle sore from her endeavors, this is a tremendous bit of final fortune.

5;30 pm – Through the magic of the digital video recorder I watch Suisham’s game winning field goal sink Philly and save the Steelers’ season. Totally irrelevant to the marathon but…I gotta be me.

The final tally

Emily – 26.2 Miles, 5 hours 27 minutes and one completed marathon. I could not be more proud of my wife who worked harder than you will ever know to accomplish this life-long goal. Not just the 9 months of training but many, many nights of stretching and rehab as well. I’ll keep the specifics private but will disclose that my wife ran today’s marathon with injuries that would have kept me from walking to the kitchen. No question who is the toughest person in our household.

Adam – 3.5 miles walked (or speed walked) 4 trips on the red line, 1 blue line, and 2 bus trips to reach 6 viewing destinations and the finish line on the course. Unofficially 16 kisses from my wife.

Fans yelling – “GO STEELERS” or something of comparable nature – At least 25.

The Steep Price of Excellence for the Steelers’ Defense

I started watching football in 1980.

That qualifies as pretty bad timing if you are a Pittsburgh Steeler fan. I have the vaguest recollections of the Black and Gold’s fourth Super Bowl victory over the then Los Angeles Rams in 1979 but little else. My first true memories of Steeler football are of a 9 and 7 football team in 1980 that kicked off a decade of mediocre football in the Burgh. It was truly the only down period of Pittsburgh Steeler football in my lifetime.

I do not have memories of Joe Green and Jack Lambert eviscerating offenses with ferocity and skill. I do not have memories of Mel Blount blanketing and shutting down the top receivers in the game. I know of that only from books and the grainy highlight videos of that era. My memories are of those proud warriors on the back ends of their career when they were no longer elite players. There were occasions when they could still be great but never again was there the consistency of dominance that existed in the 1970s.

I cannot help but wonder if we are living that again in 2012.

The Steelers of the 70s got old together and the team simply could not replace those great players. That aforementioned decade of mediocrity in the '80s was the price of dominance.  For 4 Super Bowl championships in 6 years that price was a bargain.

The Steeler defense of the 2000s also got old together, again with championship results. You do not break up a dominant group that was the driving force behind an 8 year run of excellence including three Super Bowl appearances and two championships.

Eventually, the run has to end; especially given the NFL’s infinite array of methods to promote parity amongst its members. The question is, are the Steelers about to pay the same price they did in the '80s? Will it take a decade to replace the deep and talented group of stars that drove this recent success?

For what it’s worth, I thought the defense was showing its age in 2009 when the Steelers started regularly blowing 4th quarter leads; often to mediocre (or worse) opponents. To their credit, these proud warriors fought back with another brilliant season in 2010. The defense was the driving force behind an 8th Super Bowl run. That the Steelers ultimately lost that game does not change my view that keeping the unit together was the right move.

And statistically the Steelers had another strong defense last year. They ranked number 1 in the NFL in points allowed; a fairly difficult statistic to argue with. And yet I’m guessing most Steelers fans would say there was something different about last year’s unit. Somehow the defense never seemed as good as the numbers it produced, even before the unspeakable day they were Tebowed in Denver.

The 2011 defense was solid but certainly not the elite, game changing unit we’ve grown accustomed to. There was a shocking paucity of impact, game changing plays; a hallmark of the black and gold for the last 20 years. Worse than that, you got the sense that any truly elite QB was going to pick them apart. It was, adjusting for the philosophical differences of the era; very similar to the 1979 defense; a solid group but one that did not perform to the level of its immediate predecessors.

This results in part from the NFL’s incessant drive to become outdoor arena football. It’s hardly a coincidence that we are seeing record passing and scoring numbers in the league the last few years. It started with liberalized illegal contact rules that made it harder to cover. Then came the reflexive penalty flag pretty much any time a defender dropped a hard hit on a quarterback or receiver. A big component of the Steel Curtain for years was intimidation. Any receiver who went over the middle risked a trip to the hospital; and teams were well aware of that danger. Now those same receivers can run through the middle with impunity.

In short, the NFL has legislated intimidation out of the defensive game plan; a change that damaged the Steelers as much or more than any other team.

Even with the reality of these changes it’s impossible not to notice the aging of this defense. We’ve already seen age and injury take out Aaron Smith and James Farrior. Casey Hampton and James Harrison seem to be on the same path. And it’s slowly but surely taking its toll on the unit’s most indispensable player, Troy Polamalu. It seems only a matter of time before Troy loses that half-step of speed that makes him so dominant, and/or he takes one to many cracks to the cranium (if he has not already).

This transition was inevitable and quite frankly I expected it sooner than now. I’ll be the first to admit I was not overly surprised watching Peyton Manning pick the defense apart last Sunday night; most notably as a result of a complete lack of pass rush from the second quarter on. Certainly the absence of Harrison and Ryan Clark played a factor and hopefully their returns this week (or later) will be impactful. That does not change the fact that both players are aging; and Harrison is now doing so on an injured knee.

I am not suggesting things are hopeless. The Steelers used two first round picks in the last four years on defensive linemen in Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward. If either or both become impact players it would make a huge difference. The jury is still very much out but to this point neither has been a true difference maker. Heyward is still very young; the clock is ticking on Hood.

That means that in 2012, the Steelers two most dominant defensive players are the same as they were in 2008; Polamalu and Harrison. Given their age plus accumulated wear and tear, that’s not a sustainable formula for success at their age.

I also wonder if the zone blitz, 3-4 defense can still be effective in today’s NFL. That defense has always been predicated on obliterating the running game and then blitzing from all angles against QBs in long yardage situations. I’m not sure that approach can work in a league where teams play Madden, video game football, willingly abandoning the run and throwing 50 plus quick passes a game. New England and Green Bay have shown definitively how to beat the Dick Lebeau defense. Those same two teams were stymied twice in five years by the NY Giants; a defense built around a dominant from four. The Giants can pressure the elite passing QBs of today while still dropping 7 defenders in to coverage.

That said, any scheme can be effective with the right players. It’s possible the Lebeau scheme is outdated. It’s every bit if not more possible that the Steelers no longer have the depth of elite personnel to be a truly dominant defense. I’m pretty sure the 1974 and 2008 Steeler defenses could have dominated with virtually any scheme.  The players were simply that good.

So am I predicting doom and gloom? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I have tremendous faith in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ organization. No team in sports has been consistently better at rebuilding and retooling on the fly. Few teams in sports do a better job of maximizing the talent they have. The last eight years have been without question the second best era of Steeler football ever behind the 70s; but keep in mind this team has been a consistent championship contender for two decades. I always believe in this franchise and I still believe a playoff berth in 2012 is fully possible.

That said, sustained excellence in the NFL almost always comes at a price. Eventually teams are forced to rebuild or at least retool. I can’t help but think that the Steelers might be on that path, at least on one side of the ball.

One Day – Two Seasons End

With all due respect to David Volek and Alfred Pupunu, Sunday January 8th, 2012 may very well go down as one of the worst days in Pittsburgh sports history. In one day, two championship dreams came crashing down.

The painfully obvious, in your face case was the Steelers who lost on a stunning 80 yard touchdown pass in overtime to the woefully mediocre Denver Broncos. The more subtle case was the Pittsburgh Penguins who accumulated two more critical long-term injury losses to their already decimated line-up.

The common denominator in both cases is injuries; to an almost unfathomable degree.

In the case of the Penguins, we are now in season two of the most crushing rash of injuries I’ve ever seen in sports. As I write, the Pens are without the best player in the world, one of the best offensive defensemen in the game, their leading goal scorer, the best third line center in the game and several key depth players. The truly frightening part is that I cannot say definitively whether this is worse than the injuries that cost them Crosby and Malkin last spring.

The Steelers injuries were nearly as significant by the time they reached halftime in Denver. They played without their leading rusher, their all pro center, two starting defensive linemen and their starting free safety. Add to that an obviously hobbled Ben Roethlisberger behind center and Lamar Woodley on defense. The losses on the defensive line were particularly daunting and resulted in little or no pass rush against the living legend that is Tim Tebow.

Truth be told if the Steelers played any other team in football we might be lauding them for a heroic effort, especially in their 4th quarter comeback. Alas, since they played potentially the worst NFL team to ever make the post season (or a close second to Seattle last year) there will be quite a bit of offseason angst in the Burgh.

The Steelers are officially done. There will be no return trip to the Super Bowl; no chance to avenge either Baltimore or Green Bay this post season. We will not see them play a meaningful game again until September and the team will likely look a fair bit different. Several veterans including the venerable Hines Ward are likely to be gone due to age, salary cap or both.

The Penguins maintain some hope but are very much in survival mode. They need to revert to last spring’s agonizing philosophy of grinding out low scoring wins (or pathetic as it is overtime losses) in any way possible. The lone positive consideration on that front is a healthy Geno Malkin (although it’s hard to take health as a given at the New Energy Barn these days). The bad news is the Pens grinders are a step down from last year and the team is missing at least one critical defensive piece in Kris Letang.

Right now it is perfectly reasonable to suggest that the Penguins will be spectators when the NHL playoffs start in April. Their current line-up is simply not good enough to compete with the better teams in the eastern conference. And if today’s injury update is to be believed, there is no real help coming for at least a month, if not longer.

The reversal of fortune for Pittsburgh’s two signature sports teams is absolutely stunning, especially when you consider where we were at this time a year ago.

The Steelers had just wrapped up another 12 win season with division title and first round bye. They were on their way to a third Super Bowl in six years and were absolutely capable of winning. The Penguins were coming off a 12 game win streak, a record setting performance by Sidney Crosby, and an awe inspiring 8-1 rout of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Our only hockey concern, and it was minor, was a “mild concussion” Crosby suffered that was expected to keep him out a week or two.

By the end of the day February 5th the Steelers had handed Green Bay the Super Bowl and the Pens were a rudderless ship without their two signature superstars. And it’s been all downhill since.

I make no bones that Pittsburgh sports fans have been spoiled rotten, at least if you ignore the abomination that plays all summer at PNC Park. Since 2004 the Steelers have arguably been the best team in football. Similar arguments could be made for the Penguins since about 2007. Both teams have delivered championships in stirring fashion.

We’ve benefitted from great organizations, superstar players, and an abundance of leadership and heart. The Penguins and Steelers earned their success and made their own breaks. But let’s be honest, there is always an element of luck when you win a championship. Whether it’s a missed field goal by normally reliable kicker or a lucky ping pong ball in a draft lottery, the black and gold in both sports have definitely gotten a break or two.

And right now I cannot help but wonder if that luck is finally changing. How can I not when Penguins and Steelers are being dragged off their respective playing fields in record numbers?

In the case of the Steelers it is at least somewhat explainable.

The quarterback acts weekly as a human target. I have unwavering respect for Ben’s ability and his toughness but it seems only a matter of time before he breaks down from the pounding he takes. The fact is the Steelers’ championship window lasts only as long as Big Ben’s prime and his prime gets shortened every time he gets creamed.

The defense is clearly showing its age. I give these guys immense credit for being warriors and true professionals. I’ve been bemoaning their aging for three years and they’ve done a phenomenal job of holding off father time. Alas it was bound to catch up to them eventually. It was hard not to notice both the inability to create turnovers this year and the increasing number of injuries to key defensive players; culminating with Hampton and Keisel suffering non-contact injuries today.

Losing today, in combination with significant oncoming salary cap issues may finally force changes on the defensive side of the ball. That may even include Dick Lebeau’s retirement. Of course cutting ties with the older guys is the easy part. Finding adequate replacements for players of this caliber is a whole different story.

On the Penguins’ side the injury bug is simply dumbfounding. There is no logical or reasonable explanation for it. And the ramifications are impossible to overlook.

The Sidney Crosby situation is untenable and cannot continue in perpetuity. The team cannot continue to operate having no idea when or if its best player will return; especially at $8.7 Million per year (and soon to increase). The Pens showed remarkable character and resiliency without Sid and Geno last year but I really believe the uncertainty of Crosby’s situation is starting to drag them down. The players just seemed to lose their edge when Sid bowed out for a second time. And Ray Shero has no cap room or free cash flow to address the resulting deficiencies.

I stated this over the summer and I know its absolute blasphemy but the Penguins need to determine whether Sidney Crosby can continue to be part of their future. The idea of trading Crosby may seem inconceivable on every level; but that ideal is based on Sid the healthy superstar. We are getting a free preview right now of how bad it could get if Sid struggles with concussion issues the remainder of his career.

That’s what is so disturbing about this. A year ago the Penguins’ future was as sure a bet as anything in professional sports. Now it is a perfectly logical consideration that the greatest player of this generation may be on the Eric Lindros road to career annihilation. The Pens have built every aspect of their organization around the idea of having a perfect one-two combination of superstars for the next decade. Right now that once certain ideal is very much in doubt.

I did not expect the Steelers’ season would end in Denver but I did not dismiss the possibility. There has been since opening day a troubling uncertainty around this club, even after a 12 win season. I freely admit I had doubts they were truly championship caliber.

Still, I figured even in the worst case scenario I could at least transfer my hopes to the Penguins. Now I’m not even sure of that. The calendar says January but it’s quite possible their season also ended today.

Steelers Lose Focus on Big Ben’s Injury

Whatever you might think of Ben Roethlisberger as a quarterback, or a human being, you cannot question or deny his toughness.

I don’t have statistics to back this but I'm fairly sure Ben takes more hits than any quarterback in the NFL today (and maybe ever). He plays through injuries that would keep many players off the field and most human beings in the hospital for months. Broken bones, sprained ankles, concussions, even appendectomies cannot sideline Big Ben for long.

It’s a trait that rightfully earns him admiration and respect from me and throughout the Steeler Nation. Steeler fans like their players tough and nasty. There is a certain perverse pride we take in watching Ben beat down Baltimore, the same night his nose was massacred by Haloti Ngata. That is leadership in its purest form; leaving it all on the field when by all accounts he should be sitting in an ice bath.

Leadership is also knowing when to step aside. And it’s just as clear to me that Ben does not.

I have no issue with Ben’s blind spot; I just assume my star quarterback is a warrior and wants to play whenever it’s remotely possible. That makes it incumbent on those above him to take that decision out of his hands when necessary. For whatever reason, Mike Tomlin elected not to do so in two of the last three games. And the Steelers may ultimately pay for that decision this post season.

I understood, with some degree of reluctance, Tomlin’s decision to play Roethlisberger in San Francisco a few weeks back. The Steelers had a chance to move ahead of Baltimore and put themselves in position for a critical first round bye. Tomlin presumed the best way to accomplish that; against one of the best defenses in football, was with Big Ben behind center. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on this even though hall of fame quarterback Steve Young clearly did not.

That said, once the Steelers fell behind 20-3 in the 4th quarter, keeping Ben in the game as an immobile human target was simply asinine. I’m a huge Tomlin fan and I can say it was bar none his worst decision as head coach of the Steelers. There was absolutely no conceivable reason for keeping Ben in that game at that point. The decision was a product of typical NFL bravado between coach and quarterback.

Big Ben survived the Monday night beat down, no worse but certainly no better for ware. After that, I genuinely hoped he would not see the field again until the playoffs and maybe not even the second round (presuming they Steelers could overcome the force of will and hope that apparently is Tim Tebow). No games, no practice, no nothing except healing his injury as much as possible. To me this is not even debatable. Not after watching Ben’s inability to walk down steps in week 16 or push off his foot in week 17, when he deemed himself 60% healthy.

This was not about conceding the division title to Baltimore and accepting life as a wild card. The Steelers are and were absolutely capable of beating both St ’Louis and Cleveland with Charlie Batch behind center. Batch is hardly a superstar but he’s an experienced quarterback and solid game manager with a reliable track record. He’s more than good enough to beat two of the worst teams in football. In fact, I think at 100% healthy he is a better option than Roethlisberger at 60%.

In contrast, the Steelers have little or no chance of winning at Baltimore or New England, let alone in the Super Bowl without a reasonably healthy Big Ben.

Given that reality, the entire focus of the organization should have been getting Roethlisberger as healthy as possible for the playoffs. There was no upside to playing Ben last weekend and as we now know, plenty of downside risk.

For whatever reason the Steelers have their own blind spot when it comes to Big Ben. They seem willing to let him play in almost all circumstances. Or perhaps Ben yields too much power over the organization and he ultimately dictates whether or not to play. There is enough historical evidence to make this a reasonable inference.

I was harshly critical of Bill Cowher for starting Roethlisberger twice in 2006 when he had no business being on the field. One could argue that he should have sat out half the season to recuperate from his motorcycle accident. Accepting that he did not, he certainly was nowhere near ready to play in week two against Jacksonville after an emergency appendectomy ten days earlier (on top of everything else). The Steelers were shut out in that game and Ben looked terrible.

A few weeks later Cowher trotted Roethlisberger out against Oakland seven days after his second concussion in five months (and other severe injuries from the crash). Roethlisberger was flat out awful in that game throwing five interceptions. He was the primary reason the Steelers lost to a terrible Raiders team.

Is it a coincidence that two extremely successful, secure, and hard nose coaches have both given in to Ben’s desire to play even when he clearly should not? Or was it ultimately not their decision.

Such considerations are hardly unprecedented in Pittsburgh sports. In 1993 the Penguins skated the best team in their history and quite possibly one of the best of the post expansion era. They were making a mockery of the National Hockey League right up to the day Mario Lemieux was shockingly diagnosed with cancer.

Le Magnifique spent six weeks enduring radiation treatments and heroically returned to the line-up the day of his last session. He and the Pens then went full throttle over the remainder of the season both to set regular season win records and get Lemieux an incomprehensible scoring title. That decision yielded some of the greatest and most exciting hockey any of us have or ever will see. Lemieux blew past Pat Lafontaine to win the scoring title and MVP; one of the most remarkable achievements in NHL history.

Remarkable, misguided, and short sighted.

Lemieux was coming back from CANCER TREATMENTS. His primary focus as an athlete should have been getting healthy for the playoffs. He could not or did not want to accept his limitations in that moment; hardly a shocking revelation given an athlete who often appeared superhuman on the ice. It was up to the Penguins to have a broader perspective.

I believe to this day that Lemieux ran out of gas in those playoffs; a consideration supported by Lemieux barely playing the next two years. The net result was a horrific defeat to a vastly inferior New York Islander squad. It cost the Pens a third straight cup and rightful recognition as a dynasty.

The entire organization, including legendary head coach Scotty Bowman took its eye off the ball. They caved in to Lemieux’s short-term desire to play much as Tomlin and Cowher did with Ben. And let’s not kid ourselves; they did so because Mario Lemieux called the shots at the Igloo long before he became a shareholder of the Pittsburgh Penguins. In that case, it was to the ultimate detriment of his team.

I fear we are reliving that scenario with Ben Roethlisberger. This Steeler team is not, relatively speaking, as good as the ’93 Pens but they are absolutely a Super Bowl contender. A Super Bowl championship should be the unquestioned goal and that is highly unlikely in Roethlisberger’s current state of health.

Look, Ben’s health issues may be inevitable this post season. He suffered a severe ankle sprain which will likely take weeks or longer to heal. There is a better than average chance even under the full rest scenario that he is hampered throughout the playoffs. I get that. And I understand the rust from inactivity argument as well.

And I don’t care.

It was a bad decision plain and simple, by an organization that gets it right far more often than not. It was a loss of focus on the ultimate goal; a loss of focus might very well cost the black and gold a shot at a 7th Lombardi Trophy.

Why I hate the Ravens...

Hate is a strong word, one I use with much trepidation in any situation. With that preface I say this without any doubt, I hate the Baltimore Ravens.

In other news, the sun came up in this morning.

Which is to say that my hatred for the Ravens ranks fairly high on the obvious meter. It correlates somewhere along the lines of The Tea Party and Barrack Obama’s domestic policies.

And without getting too much in to mathematic proofs here (unless Weet requires it), there is a somewhat geometric concept in play here; i.e. as long as the sun continues to come up, I will continue to hate the Baltimore Ravens. I would wager a fair some of money that most of the Steeler Nation feels pretty much the same way.

My disdain for the Ravens has grown consistently since the Rat Birds somehow won the Super Bowl in 2000 and reached its apex on Sunday September 11, 2011. I thought I hated the Ravens before my wife and I endured three hours of grotesque personal abuse at M&T Bank Stadium. Now I can say (for both of us), I truly despise them.

On the field the Ravens pounded and embarrassed the Steelers that day. It was in every way shape and form one of the ugliest Steeler losses I can remember, the magnitude increased given the opponent.

One could argue we should not care. After all, what is one regular season loss compared to the litany of crucial victories the Steelers have pulled off in this series? What is one regular season loss compared to three times knocking Baltimore from the playoffs; twice on the way to the Super Bowl? What’s one regular season loss compared to watching Ray Lewis go from screaming and strutting in the pregame to slumping off the field in defeat?

Logically, it’s nothing.

Alas recency bias is an exceptionally powerful force in sports, even more so when you endure three hours of emotional debauchery in the stands. For the record, I’ve attended Steeler and Penguin road games in eight different cities; always clad in black and gold, and NEVER, I repeat NEVER, encountered fan behavior half as vile a what Emily and I endured in Baltimore.

Did I expect it to be a tough environment? Of course. Did I expect a purported adult human being to repeatedly scream the f word right in my face because I was wearing black and gold? Honestly no. And that was the high point of the Raven’s crowd.

I’m a bit ashamed to admit that both Emily and I changed out of our Steeler gear before boarding public transportation outside the stadium. Honestly, and I’m not exaggerating this, we did it out of fear for our safety. Some would call this an intelligent decision and no big deal. To me, it’s akin to Charlton Heston’s famous proclamation that “Bill Clinton can have my gun when he rips it from my cold dead hand.”

It was that ugly boys and girls. And yes I’m angry.

It takes zero additional incentive for me to get amped for the Ravens mind you; but I’ll have plenty in reserve. I’ve always felt it enough for the Black and Gold to beat Baltimore. On Sunday I’m hoping for a “scrape Joe Flacco of the turf” style humiliation.

I’m expecting that the Steelers feel the same way.

Under ordinary circumstances I would fear a letdown this weekend. It’s perfectly understandable coming off the Steelers first victory over Tom Brady in seven years. If this week’s opponent were Kansas City, San Francisco or even the surprising Bungles, I would be genuinely concerned.

Given the Steelers rivalry with Baltimore; combined with what happened eight weeks ago, I see little reason to fear. I’m especially comforted when Mike Tomlin starts his press conference with “Its Ravens week.”

It’s a fascinating comparison, the Steelers’ rivalries with Baltimore versus New England. There is a visceral hatred that exists between the Steelers and the Rat Birds. In contrast, with New England it’s more about knocking those arrogant SOBs down a peg or two. The irony is that New England is the only team in the NFL that forces the Steelers to abandon their identity to beat them. In contrast, the Ravens amplify it.

Go figure the Black and Gold seem to own Baltimore while struggling to beat New England. The Ravens, by virtue of their Steeler like approach to football, are the perfect opponent for Pittsburgh. Simply put, you can’t out Steeler the Steelers. The Ravens like it tough and ugly. The Steelers have always been tougher and uglier…in a beautiful way of course.

With the notable exception of eight weeks ago. I’m still perplexed as to what happened that day. To be that flat against their hated rival; in the most hatred fill rivalry in all of professional sports was simply inexcusable.

I’m confident that the players and their coaches are well aware of that; and have not forgotten.

Which is to say that the Steelers; a team that rarely lacks in motivation, heart, or determination, should have a surplus of all on Sunday night. This is not just about one critical win in the standings, it’s about organization pride. This is about saying that nobody slaps around the Pittsburgh Steelers and gets away with it. NOBODY! Least of all the Baltimore Ravens.

The Steelers were as focused and motivated as I’ve ever seen them against the Brady bunch last Sunday. They should be even more so this week.

Notwithstanding the emotional element (which I ‘m clearly struggling to avoid) this is bar none biggest game of the season. As much as I hate the Ravens, they have to be considered a dangerous opponent. It’s hard to conceive of them losing more than two games other than the Steeler game. A Steeler win opens up a legitimate path to another division title. A Ravens all but assures the arduous wild card route for the Black and Gold.

That’s not an impossible mission mind you. We’ve seen both for better and for worse since 2005 that a wild card team can win the Super Bowl. All things being equal however, I’ll take my chances with home field advantage and a first round bye. There is an excellent chance of a Steelers/Ravens playoff battle in January and we’ve seen home field advantage be a crucial factor in both match-ups.

To that end, the circumstances are frighteningly similar to last year. The Steelers put themselves in a must win position by losing to Baltimore at home in week 4. That set-up a must win rematch; one the Steelers ultimately pulled out in brilliantly ugly fashion. The Ravens controlled most of the game only to follow the age old script of a critical Flacco turnover, converted to a score by Raven killer Troy Polamalu.

It was classic Steelers/Ravens in every detail, right down to the final result.

One could argue that Baltimore is the perfect rival for the Steelers; a team that brings out the best in the Black and Gold yet always falls short when it matters most. And on some level, buried deep within my subconscious, I have a begrudging respect for the Rat Birds on field success. Such thoughts however are blinded by the raw emotion inspired by this rivalry; especially given what transpired eight weeks ago. In short, my brain may respect the Ravens success; my heart hates them too much to listen or care.

Logically I know that victory, by any means and any score is what matters here. Emotionally I want more, something along the lines of ground Raven paste. When the Ravens confront you they are the enemy…and the enemy deserves no mercy. Or something like that from what I recall.

Victory is all that matters, but for once victory alone is not enough.

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO !!!

Steelers’ Offense Sticks it to New England, Just as Planned

There truly are not many feelings in sports better than sticking it to the New England Patriots.

There is a smug arrogance about that Pats that defies description.  It permeats virtually every player and coach in the organization.  The trail of arrogance and ego starts with their condescending, know it all head coach and filters down through their condescending pretty boy quarterback. I respect Bill Belichick’s success as a coach. I respect Tom Brady’s brilliance on the field. And I truly cannot stand either one of them.

They don’t inspire quite the visceral hatred of say the Baltimore Ravens, but they’re definitely a close second.

Even as I know that next week’s game with Baltimore is the most important of the season, I’m downright giddy about yesterday’s result. They don’t hand out the Lombardi trophy in late October mind you but understand this; there are moments in sports truly worth savoring that do not involving winning a championship.

Yes it’s childish, yes it’s petty, yes it’s vindictive. So be it. Watching Brady and Belicheat slump off the field in defeat is worth a little premature celebration. Especially knowing how this victory was accomplished.

For the first time in a decade, the Steelers clearly and unequivocally out schemed, out coached, and out played the Patriots with Brady behind center.

The Steelers’ performance was eerily reminiscent of their playoff victory in Indianapolis in January 2006. That was the last time the Black and Gold went so out of character in a victory. It was also the last time they so thoroughly out played and out coached an elite opponent.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are built first and foremost with defense. They hire defensive minded head coaches and focus the greater percentage of their cap space and draft choices on the defensive side of the ball. The defense dictates games and the offense plays an important but often complimentary role. That’s Pittsburgh Steeler football and it has been for four decades.

Well, four decades with a few notable exceptions, such as yesterday.

Yesterday the Pittsburgh Steelers changed their identity, by necessity. It was the offense that dictated and controlled the game. Not only that, they did it almost entirely by throwing the football. The Steelers controlled the entire game with a high percentage passing attack that ground up yards and clock with equal proficiency.

In so doing, they exposed the obvious weakness of the New England defense, its inability to stop the pass. And they took out New England’s greatest strength, Brady’s pinpoint passing. I don’t care how good a QB Giselle’s husband may be, he can’t win football games standing on the sideline.

This is my 32nd year of watching Pittsburgh Steeler football and I cannot ever remember a game plan like this for a full game. Even that famous game in Indy where the Steelers went airborne for 30 minutes and then settled back in to running in the second half. More than that, the Steeler defense that day dictated the game to Peyton Manning. Yesterday’s defensive performance was solid, but very much complimentary.

To be clear, I’m not dismissing the defense in any way. This was bar none the best game plan Dick Lebeau has ever engineered against Brady. The Steelers got in the face of his wide receivers and did not allow Mr. Bundchen the easy completions of prior years. That’s a tribute to Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu and a secondary that is considerably improved in 2011.

It’s also a credit to the substantially improved defensive line play, a wake up from Lamar Woodley, and a much needed shuffling out of aging players in the last four weeks.

On merit alone, the Steelers finally stopped Brady; finally stopped him from exploiting the obvious mismatch he presents to the typical Lebeau scheme. In so doing they validated a group that has been shockingly steady this season while rarely imposing its will on opponents.

At the same time, I cannot fathom this much success if Brady had the ball for 30 minutes instead of 20, especially given Woodley’s 4th quarter injury. We saw this on New England’s last touchdown drive where Brady went right back to slicing the Steeler D. Ask yourself this question. If Brady gets the ball back with two minutes left and at least one time out, are you confident in a Steeler win?

Simply put, the most effective scheme the Steelers used to stop Brady was to keep him on the sidelines gnashing his teeth. There is nothing wrong with that. As noted above, its brilliant total football strategy and solid execution, lead part and parcel by Ben Roethlisberger.

I continue to fight the dreaded and ignorant “game manager” characterization of Big Ben. I’ve come to resent even more those who say, “It’s not pretty but he finds a way to win.” Both labels unfairly demean the accomplishments of one of the truly great and truly under-appreciated quarterbacks of this generation.

On Sunday, Ben was brilliant and effective, and everything else his critics claim he cannot be. Excepting one truly awful interception, he played a tremendous football game. The Steelers ran a New England offensive game plan against New England. It worked because Big Ben out played Brady and made it work. Somehow I don’t see this game plan with Neil O’Donnell, Kordell Stewart or Phillip Rivers behind center.

He did not do it alone of course. He was helped by and offensive line that has improved ten-fold in the last four games. It’s amazing what a difference Max Starks has made since his return. He was helped by a young core of receivers that has matured brilliantly before our eyes. And let’s not forget Heath Miller whose great start today was reminiscent of that playoff game in Indy. Miller’s best effort of the year, hands down.

At the same time, kudos to Mike Tomlin for clearly out coaching Belicheat. Credit to the far too often maligned Bruce Arians for putting in place a great game plan. It’s not easy for a leopard to change its spots but the Steelers did it with shocking ease on Sunday.

Sadly we get less than a week to savor this victory. As great as this game was, Sunday night’s battle with the Ravens is the game of the season, a true must win. As is so often the case, this game will dictate the Steelers ultimate post season path. A victory makes home field advantage and a first round bye a realistic course. A loss almost certainly requires the arduous wild card route in January.

It seems almost unfair for the Steelers to run this schedule gauntlet; to face their two most hated rivals in back to back games. Not to mention the surprisingly improved Bungles before the bye.

Such is life. If there is one team in sports that can overcome this it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers. The standard is the standard as coach Tomlin says, regardless of the opponent(s). Beyond that, the Steelers should be pretty frosted about their horrific performance on opening day against Baltimore. Avenging that embarrassment should bring added levels of motivation, focus, and determination to a team that does not lack these traits to begin with.

For now, let’s savor a tremendous victory; one that showcased the talent, heart, and brilliance of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Let’s enjoy truly sticking it to Brady and Belicheat for once. The Ravens can wait…at least a few days.

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO !!!

Crosby’s Concussion Overshadows Steelers off Week

I am not ignoring the Steelers brilliant but troublingly close victory over the Jets on Sunday. I am not ignoring a third trip to the Super Bowl in six years. Trust me I’m thrilled, even if it took me 12 long hours to de-stress on Sunday night. Just once for posterity…I’VE GOTTA FEELIN…PITTSBURGH’S GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL !!!

Alas, we have 13 days to endure debating the endless minutia of the Super Bowl on continuous loop. At this point, I simply do not have anything of substance to add to the discussion. Sometime before they kick off in Dallas, I most assuredly will.

Instead I want to focus on a major issue on the Pittsburgh sports scene that is being shockingly undersold for its significance and severity. That would be Sidney Crosby’s concussion(s). The concussion(s) that he suffered somewhere between January 1st and January 5th (or both) and has managed to keep him off the ice and even out of the gym for three weeks.

Does anybody besides me think this is a MAJOR concern?

I give the Pens tremendous credit for how well they have played without Crosby and for the last three games without Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. That said, it’s fair to say their absence from the line-up has had a profound affect. Getting beyond the fact that I never thought I would see Craig Adams score the winning (and only) goal in a hockey game, the reality is the Pens have scored 4 goals in three games without 87 and 71. They are winning on grit, determination and Fleury right now.

I covered my belief that the Pens desperately need to add another scoring winger in a previous blog, not to mention every third conversation I’ve had with Christopher since March 2008. That however is not the issue here. The Pens could reincarnate Maurice Richard and it will not matter if Sid is not in the line-up. And right now, there is no sign of either of those things happening any time soon.

Let’s examine this issue for what it really is. The general belief is that Crosby suffered a “mild” concussion at the winter classic when he was hit by David Steckel and then suffered a second one five days later. That seems fairly reasonable to me based on the visual evidence. If that’s the case, Sid had two concussions in five days. That’s bad enough at face value but even worse when you consider that the first one did not heal before he suffered the second.

And I believe that’s exactly what happened.

We all know concussions are cumulative. We all know the once you get one, it’s a lot easier to get another. And that assumes the first one is given time to properly heal.

I’ve watched enough football over the years to get an idea of how the concussion thing works. When a player gets his first concussion ever and its of the “mild” variety (i.e., NOT cold cocking Heath Miller helmet to helmet 200 MPH), more often then not he is on the field the following Sunday. At worst, he sits out two weeks.

When they get a second concussion, the wait is usually longer. Consider Aaron Rodgers who earlier this year left a game with a concussion but played the following Sunday. Later in the year he suffered a second concussion and missed two weeks. The same thing happened to Big Ben last year as all of us along with Hines Ward and Dennis Dixon well remember.

For more context consider what happened to Miller. He took that absolutely brutal, helmet to helmet shot against the Ravens. I believe he was out for 18 days. I don’t know if that was Miller’s first ever concussion but it’s certainly the first I remember with the Steelers. If that had been his second or third, it might well have ended his season, or worse.

It’s usually when players start suffering multiple concussions that we seem them sitting out for long periods of time. Think Steve Young and Troy Aikman near the end of their careers. Or when they absorb a brutal and pointed hit to the head like the one Marc Savard took from Matt Cooke last year. Or like the one that Sid took from Steckel.

I appreciate that the Penguins are being ultra careful with Sid, as they should. He should not skate until he’s 100% symptom free and frankly I would not play him until he’s been symptom free for AT LEAST one week. That likely will happen because Sid will need time to get back in game shape when he ultimately does recover. Given that the All Star break is a free week off, it made sense for him not to try a comeback in the interim.

That said, we are now at three weeks and he is still having symptoms.

A few weeks back I wrote about the “de-evolution” of the Penguins. The premise was that with each passing year, the Pens are becoming more dependent on Crosby as the salary cap strips away their other offensive weapons. I contrasted that to the late 80s and early 90s when the Pens gradually became less dependent on Mario Lemieux. It got to the point where they were good enough to knock out the Rangers in 1992 with Mario sidelined thanks to Adam Graves' borderline criminal slash (yes I’m still bitter).

Well now you have a better idea of why I’m so concerned about this. When you depend so much on one player, no matter how great he is, you are vulnerable. I know the Pens are winning without Sid right now. There is a big difference between one goal victories over the Islanders and Carolina in January and beating the Goon Squad, Craps, or Dead Wings in May.

That said I have a bigger long-term concern. Concussions are cumulative. And Sid is not Vincent Lecavalier. He does not play out on the perimeter and shy away from contact. Sid is a gritty superstar. He scores most of his goals from 15 feet and in. He takes hits to makes plays and battles for loose pucks on the wall. Guys who do that sometimes get hit…hard. Pre concussion he can slough those hits off. Post concussion, one of them might end his season. Do you think just maybe Daniel Carcillo is aware of that?

And who knows if Crosby will be as willing to play his style of game after this. He admits this is his first major concussion. Nobody knows how he will react. A 10% reduction in his game might be the difference between the singularly dominant Sid we’ve seen the last 12 months and say a Jeff Carter. Can the Pens win the Cup as currently constructed if Sid plays even at that level?

I’m well aware that Sid is a smart player who plays with his head up. That’s in sharp contrast to the NHL’s poster children for concussions, Savard and Eric Lindros. I commented last year that while Cooke’s hit on Savard was careless and should have drawn a suspension, Savard did duck his head as he went to shoot which made him vulnerable. Well Savard suffered another concussion this week, one that may end his career, and I noted the same thing. He ducked his head and actually hit his head board level. That’s a player who puts himself in vulnerable situations.

As for Lindros, he refused to learn that no matter how big and strong you are you can not steamroll guys on every shift. And he paid for it. Of course once he stopped playing that way, he was never the same.

Sid is smart enough to skate with his head up and not seek out unnecessary contact. He’s done that his entire career. And that did not protect him on two separate occasions during the first week of January. A smart player can minimize the risk of head shots. He cannot eliminate it.

I’ve often wondered how many Cups the Pens of the 90s would have won if Mario could have stayed healthy. I’m convinced that the horrible, awful loss to the Islanders in 1993 was in no small part related to Lemieux’s recovery from cancer. He simply ran out of gas in that series. We know he missed the entire 95 lockout season and we will never truly know just how much his continuous back problems limited him in other seasons. I don’t want Sid’s head to become Mario’s back of the 2010s.

Some of this could be mitigated by Geno returning to full Geno status, which frankly we have not seen since June 2009. For the record, I fully support the Pens decision to sit him and let him get healthy as well. That said, with $17.4 Million of cap space invested in two centers, the Pens model for success is pretty clear. Crosby and Malkin have to be healthy and they have to be dominant. This team is not built to win the Stanley Cup any other way.

That reality and two Crosby concussions in short order is a potentially scary combination.

The Ghosts of AFC Championship Games Past

I remember with shocking clarity the Steelers’ loss to San Diego in the 1994 AFC Championship game.

The final play is burned in my memory, a desperation Neil O’Donnell pass towards Barry Foster that was batted down in the end zone. Just as clearly I remember what lead to that. A slowly building feeling of doom as the Steelers dominated the first three quarters but failed to score. The moment of shock and terror when Alfred Pupunu torched Tim Mckyer for a long touchdown reception. The flicker of hope as O’Donnell led the Steelers down the field towards a potential winning touchdown. And the ultimate moment of dread when the drive failed.

One of the worst losses in Pittsburgh sports history for my money. At a time when there was an abundant supply to choose from.

Here is the other thing I remember. I remember going in to that game feeling with absolute certainty that the Steelers were going to win. There was not a doubt in my mind. The Chargers were a mediocre, warm weather team. The Steelers had nearly beaten them in San Diego on Jim Sorgi Sunday with a slew of back-ups in the game. I felt the game was little more than a coronation for Bill Cowher’s AFC Super Bowl representative.

I could barely sleep the night before. My 15 year wait to finally see the Steelers in the Super Bowl was finally going to end. All I had to do was sit through was a three hour demolition of Stan Humphries and friends. I did not know if the Steelers could beat San Francisco or Dallas in the Super Bowl but San Diego…please. That was a gimme.

That’s why I sat motionless on my couch in State College for a good 90 minutes after that game ended. I just could not comprehend that the Steelers lost to that joke of a team. I still can’t believe it and it’s been 16 years. I put that right up there with the Penguins losing to a beer league expansion team in the 1996 conference finals, excluding 20,000 plastic rats of course.

I can honestly say I’ve never been that confident going in to a championship game since.

That my friends, is what we call emotional scars. And when it comes to the AFC Championship game…I have many.

Rest assured it’s not just that one horrifying loss that caused this. It was three subsequent losses over the next decade, all at home, all against teams I perceived at the time (correctly or not) to be inferior. Five times in 11 seasons I prepared for a potential Steeler Super Bowl appearance. Four times I went home bitterly disappointed.

Even the one victory came with a healthy dose of pure angst. We all remember that the Steelers were a dropped hail mary pass from losing to a 9-7, Jim Harbaugh lead Indianapolis team in 1996. What you may not remember is that just like the San Diego game, the Steelers dominated play and yet fell behind late in the 4th quarter. This time, O’Donnell was able to pull off the late comeback, though not without help. Two weeks before he killed us in the Super Bowl, our buddy Neil threw a perfect pass in to the gut of a Colts defender. Amazingly, he dropped it and a few plays later the Steelers scored. Otherwise we would be talking about a 5th home loss.

Then of course came a loss to Denver following the 1997 season and losses to New England after 2001 and 2004. At the time those games were played, we thought the Steelers were superior to all three of those clubs. Denver was a wild card team with a history of playoff chokes. New England in 2001 was thought to be a fluke with some dopey second year QB from Michigan. And the 2004 Steelers were 15-1 and had battered New England in the regular season.

Of course given 15 years of perspective, and more importantly two Super Bowl championships to ease the pain, I have a far different view point on things. That Denver team went on to win back to back Super Bowls. That 2001 Patriots were the first of three champions in four years. And in all three cases, there was a tremendous disparity at quarterback. I’m sorry but all things being equal, Kordell Stewart is not going to beat John Elway in a championship game (not to mention Bill Belicheat). The true miracle is that the Steelers got to five championship games and a Super Bowl with a significant deficiency at quarterback.

(Note, I consider Ben Roethlisberger without question one of the top five QBs in football. That does not change the fact that as a rookie, he was not ready to win playoff football games, especially against a mini-dynasty and a future first ballot hall of fame QB).

You might think that armed with this perspective, I would be able to cope with those previous losses better, or at least not let them effect my view of this Sunday’s game with the Jets. And you would be wrong. I simply can’t shake the haunting memories of those bitter home defeats.

I came to this realization two years ago when the Steelers played Baltimore in the AFC Championship game. Notwithstanding that we had won the Super Bowl three years earlier, I was an emotional wreck. I knew the Steelers were the better team and I knew that the Flacco factor would likely doom the Ravens. And yet my head could not convince my heart of this.

When Baltimore got the ball, down 16-14 midway through the 4th quarter, I could foresee history repeating itself. The Steelers were clearly outplaying their hated rivals and yet I just sensed somehow Matt Stover was going to bank a 52 yard field goal off the cross bar and we were going to be left with yet another crippling home loss in a championship game.

A rational mind does not think that way but when it comes to the final game before the Super Bowl, I become devoid of such clarity. I just keep having flashbacks to those other losses. I see blocked field goals returned for touchdowns, kickoffs returned for touchdowns, and interceptions…returned for touchdowns.

That’s why I spent three plus hours that day alternately pacing, screaming, swearing, and throwing a roll of paper towels (the latter reaction I blame entirely on the late, great Limas Sweed). That I did all this in direct view of my future wife makes it all the more frightening. That’s how deep the scars run.

Thankfully, the incomparable Troy Polamalu picked off Flacco and the Steelers went on to one of the greatest victories in Super Bowl history. It’s telling of my scars that I was far more calm when Ben took over after the Larry Fitzgerald touchdown than I was while leading against Baltimore. It’s almost as though I have more faith in the Steelers to win on Super Bowl Sunday than I do if they are at home two weeks earlier.

So here we are again, another AFC Championship game at home against what appears to be a lesser opponent. We got exactly the scenario we wanted. The Jets knocked off Giselle’s husband and his arrogant, cheating head coach giving us a home game against a wild card team with a shaky second year quarterback. We could not get a better situation, unless Stan Humphries was behind center for the Jets (oops). And guess which fan and part time blogger is nervous beyond belief?

What’s amazing was I was totally relaxed and confident going in to last Saturday’s game. I never lost my faith in the Steelers, even down 14 to a hated rival with a bruising defense. Conversely, I started worrying about the Jets about ten minutes after they left the field in New England. I assure you it’s not because I think the Jets are better than Baltimore, New England or the Steelers.

I find some inner peace in my new found belief that champions find a way to win, regardless of obstacle or path. The Steelers showed their championship metal last Saturday. How many teams could overcome a 14 point deficit against Baltimore? How many quarterbacks could play like Big Ben did in the second half and especially on the winning drive?

That’s why I believe deep down the Steelers will win. It’s not about being better than the Jets, because the better team does not always win. It’s about having that championship metal, an exceedingly rare quality in sports.

These Steelers have great players; but more importantly players who know how to be great when it matters most. They have a quarterback who excels in the highest pressure moments, and a defense that dominates with shocking consistency. They accept no excuses, the standard is the standard. They never quit on a game, even when circumstances look dire.

My head thinks the Steelers will win 23-17. So does my heart. Sadly those title game scars will not let me believe that…until it happens.

Bring on the Ravens…Again

I think it’s fair and pretty obvious to state that the Baltimore Ravens have become far and away the Steelers biggest rival. Which means that Saturday’s match-up is more than just your typical divisional playoff game.

The Steelers and Ravens have a one of a kind rivalry in today’s NFL; a brutally physical match-up where the teams beat each other up as much as beat each other. Truth be told, it’s the only current rivalry that would make the Steelers and Raiders of the 70s proud. The games are ultimately about survival as much as victory.

Both teams are built on the same philosophy; brutally physical and dominant defense. They play at least twice each year; each game a classic battle of attrition decided on or near the last possession. It’s the perfect storm for a rivalry as good as any in sports; and that’s before you consider that the Steelers swept Baltimore on the way to their 2008 Super Bowl championship. As if there was not enough fuel in the fire already.

The masochist in me wants to see the Steelers slug it out in another of those epic, bruising, physical games that they always play against Baltimore. Even in today’s kindler, gentler NFL, these teams still bring out that primordial brutality that we love in football. We may hate Haloti Ngata punching Ben in the face, and yet there is something about Ben playing…and WINNING…with his nose in three pieces that screams Steeler football.

Every playoff win is a huge deal. That said, there is something even more satisfying when it comes at the expense of a hated rival. I lived it twice during the Penguins remarkable Stanley Cup run two years ago. I can only imagine that’s how Steelers fans felt in the 70s when they would knock off Oakland and Dallas. Watching the Raven’s once again stagger off the field in bitter defeat would be nearly as enjoyable as watching the Steelers celebrate victory.

And that’s before we consider what is likely to be yet another 200 minute CBS love fest for Joe Flacco; the man who I’m told has reinvented the QB position in three short years.

Allow me a minute to bask in the glow of hope.

Now back to reality.

I would like to believe that the Steelers are better than the Ravens but let’s be honest, these teams are about as evenly matched as they get. It is merely by a fluke of the tiebreaker world that the Steelers have home field advantage and an extra week to rest. Crush the Ravens if you want for their early season loss to Cincy but remember that it apparently required divine intervention for the Steelers to beat Buffalo in November (for the record, this blog is not necessarily in agreement with Stevie Johnson’s interpretation of why he dropped that ball).

The two teams played twice this season and the games were classic Steelers/Ravens. Both came down to the final possession, both could easily have gone either way. In all honesty, I thought the Charlie Batch version of the Steelers played a better game in week 4, than Ben and the boys played in early December, but in the end, both games were decided by the narrowest of margins.

And let’s be honest, were it not for the incomparable Troy Polamalu, the Steelers would have been the team tearing the guts out of Indianapolis last weekend rather than getting a critically needed week to rest and heal.

Regardless that’s all irrelevant now. The situation is what it is. I’ve spent the week trying to convince myself that home field advantage and the first round bye is a huge advantage for the Steelers but deep down I don’t really believe it. Not after watching Baltimore brutalize an overmatched Kansas City team in Sunday’s glorified scrimmage. Not after seeing the Steelers lose countless home playoff games before finally winning the Super Bowl the year they had to play three straight road games.

No, I’m pretty set on the reality that this will be another classic Steelers/Raven’s slugfest.

There is not much point in analyzing this game from a strategic standpoint. These two teams have met 15 times in the Roethlisberger era and the blue prints are pretty well drawn. They will play a low scoring game where rushing yards come at a serious premium. Field position will be critical which will put the emphasis on special teams and of course not turning the ball over. Little mistakes that are often overlooked in other match-ups will be game changers here (see Sweed, Limas).

The Raven’s actually play the field position game better. They have a better kicker and punter and better coverage teams. That means that all things being equal, the Steelers will be fighting uphill on the field position battle all day. Historically the Steeler defense has overcome this with 60 minutes of brilliant play and one spectacular game changing moment. In short, if the Steelers win, I fully expect we will be recounting another moment where Polamalu wrecks Flacco. Dare to dream.

And there is also the Roethlisberger factor.

Personally, I’ve had enough stories of Ben’s personal redemption (though I doubt the networks have). This is now about high pressure, playoff football which is where he excels. I continue to say that Ben is one of the truly elite players in sports in regards to his ability to raise his game when it matters. Well this is yet another chance for him to prove it.

Steeler fans understandably gripe about Ben not getting enough respect from the fickle national media. Rest assured, that will change if he wins a 3rd Super Bowl, especially considering the brutal path the Steelers will likely have to travel. This is absolutely his opportunity to stuff it to the myopic football think tank that somehow pushes Phillip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers and for the love off all that’s good and holy, Flacco above him.

Ben’s history suggests he can and will step up in this moment; especially now that his offense line finally seems committed to prolonging his football life. Flacco’s history suggests he might just drop an extra possession or two in our laps. Keep in mind that while Phil Simms was basking in Flacco’s radiant glow last Sunday, the man who could not start for Dave Wannstedt at Pitt did manage to fumble twice. I’m not sure the Steelers will be as forgiving of such transgressions as Kansas City was.

All that said, the reality remains that these are two very evenly matched teams. There is little doubt in my mind that the 2008 Steelers were at least a half step better than Baltimore. We can not say that this time. If the Steelers bring anything less than their ‘A’ game on Saturday, my next Steeler blog will be a post mortem and a look ahead to next year’s draft.

It is pointless and in fact inappropriate to look beyond Baltimore but hard not to given the prospect of the next opponent. Giselle’s husband and the NFL’s most arrogant head coach will likely be waiting for whoever survives Sunday’s match-up. It will take a nearly perfect performance to knock of Belicheat’s boys and I don’t see that coming from the big talk, little action New York, Jets.

The concern of course is the physical toll a playoff win against Baltimore might take on the Steelers. Remember how beat up they were for the Bungles following the Sunday night blood bath in December? It’s hard to play a “perfect game” if half your players are hobbling in and out of the huddle. That issue is compounded by the reality that even at their best, the Steelers do not match-up well with New England.

So be it. True champions find a way to win, regardless of the path. They are undaunted; not by the schedule, by the officials, or by seemingly insurmountable obstacles. They do not rely on fortuitous match-ups; they beat the best to be the best. Just the same, teams that lack championship metal tend to come up short regardless of circumstances.

How could the same Penguin team that won 7th games in Washington and Detroit lose one at home to 8th seeded Montreal the next season? How could the Steelers’ team that pulled off that epic drive against Arizona lose a critical Thursday night game in Cleveland the same calendar year? How can New Orleans win the Super Bowl and mail in a loss to 7 and 9 Seattle inside of 12 months? It’s the difference between being championship caliber…and everything else.

The Steelers have played like Champions all year. They have maintained “the standard is the standard” and no excuses. They did not back down from the loss of their franchise quarterback, injuries or questionable officiating.

The Steelers will not win a championship because they beat Baltimore and New England. They will beat Baltimore and New England because they are a championship team. That’s what champions do. Champions also take it one game at a time; which means right now its all about the Ravens.

Steelers 16 – Ravens 13

Steelers Display the Heart of a Champion

There are moments when champions define and separate themselves from their competitors. Sunday night in Baltimore was such a moment for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On a night when the Steelers had every conceivable excuse to quit, they battled to the very end. With injuries, officials, and their toughest rivals stacked against them, the Steelers refused to succumb to defeat. In the most critical of moments, under the most intense pressure, the Steelers prevailed, against all odds.

I can not possibly overstate the importance of this victory. Physically, emotionally, and in the standings, it was the game of the year. We’ve known that since the hard fought last second loss in Pittsburgh in early October. This was an absolute must win game.

I will never give up the Steelers; I learned that lesson in 2005. At the same time, let’s be honest. Going the wild card route to a Super Bowl is tenuous under the best of circumstances. For a team as beat up as the Steelers, in a year with so much parity in the AFC, a first round bye would be an enormous advantage.

If the Steelers lost tonight, they were stuck going the wild card route. Now the division and a first round bye is a very real expectation.

That’s certainly a critical part of it. The other part was that the Steelers needed to step up with a signature victory in a significant game. To do so with a dramatic late game victory, spurred on by their defense was a potential season changing moment. To do it on the road, against their biggest and most physical rival…well that’s how championship teams come together.

Yes, this was a sloppy, ugly victory. I could write a 5,000 word blog on all the errors, physical and mental, that were made in this game. The Steelers made some ugly mistakes including three different brainless special teams’ gaffes. The offense struggled for 60 minutes to string together successful drives.

In other words, it was just another Steelers/Ravens battle, especially in Baltimore.

Prior to kickoff tonight I reminded Emily of what she already knows; what all Steeler fans know. Steelers/Ravens games are low scoring, incredibly physical affairs that come down to the last moments. It happens every game between these brutally physical rivals. There has not been a more violent and physical rivalry in the NFL since the Steelers and Oakland in the 70s.

And as is so often the case, when it really mattered, the Steelers showed more heart and character than their loud mouthed division rivals to the south.

There are certain things in sports that can not adequately be measured. Heart and character are at the top of that list. The Steelers consistently display championship heart. I will take that in a second over Peyton Manning’s arm or Adrian Peterson’s legs. No team in sports has consistently displayed more heart and character than the black and gold over the last 20 years.

I’m sure the critics will be all over Bruce Arians tomorrow for the offensive struggles. So be it. I’m sure Steeler fans will be up in arms about another 60 minute miscarriage of officiating justice. It is what it is.

Once again the Steelers proved what I always say about great teams in sports. Champions simply find a way to win. I’ve said it in many forms but the quote, “winners win, losers blame the ref” seems especially apropos these days.

The Steelers offensive line, a weak unit to begin with is continually devastated by injuries. They lost their punter. Their quarterback has a broken foot and suffered a broken nose. The officials flat out whiffed on two horrific personal foul calls, one of which cost the Steelers a critical player in Heath Miller. The opponent is the most devastatingly physical and impressive defensive team’s in football, except for the Steelers of course.

And the Steelers won. Champions find a way.

Honestly, this is the most impressed I’ve been with a Pittsburgh team since the Penguins beat Detroit in games 6 and 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. Those were ugly games as well. Like those games, tonight was not about making pretty or stylish plays. It was about the willingness to battle non stop until the final whistle. A willingness to endure pain and injustice for 60 brutal minutes and persevere to victory. A willingness to go beyond the limits of human endurance, simply to win a football game.

It may seem trite to non football fans. To the Steeler Nation, it’s a thing of beauty.

This game was the ultimate embodiment of Pittsburgh Steeler football. A victory only true members of the Steeler nation can understand and enjoy. Let the critics bash the coaches and the refs if they want. Let Trent Dilfer mock the game as a comedy of errors on TMZSPN. Let New England and New Orleans call it ugly football.

I call it Pittsburgh Steeler football, at its best. I call it the heart of a champion. Criticize Mike Tomlin if you want but I continue to believe he is a leader of men. He sets the tone for his team. No excuses, find a way to win. It’s what separates the Steelers from so many other franchises. The goal of every game is to win at all costs, under any circumstances.

I can not overstate my pride in this performance, ugly as it was. When Joe Flacco’s final pass hit the turf, I round myself stomping around my condo, screaming with pride. I have not been this fired up about the Steelers since Santonio’s catch in the end zone in Tampa. All I could think, just as it appears on this paper was, HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO !!!

Kudos to Big Ben. For those who continue to worship one dimensional fantasy football QBs that put up stats when they don’t matter, Ben once again showed what QB play is all about. I don’t care what people think about Ben as a person; on the field he is a leader of men. If a 300 pound man punched me in the face and broke my nose, I would leave work for a week. And of course I would not be there to start with given a broken foot. That we tend to take this for granted shows how spoiled we’ve become by our QB.

Keep in mind that when plays had to be made, Ben made them. And as is so often the case in this rivalry, the overrated Flacco did not. Give me Peyton Manning in the first quarter in October; give me Big Ben in the 4th quarter in December.

Kudos to Issac Redman for not being denied. There are times when the only acceptable result is the end zone. Redman absolutely should have been tacked on the five yard line. He simply wanted it more than the Ravens.

Kudos to the defense. This was the signature performance that was so often missing last season. It was without question their best game since Tennessee. It was a statement performance by a group of men tired of being pushed around by the hypocritical NFL stance on physical football. Kudos to James Harrison for ignoring the six figure hit to his pocketbook and playing dominant physical football. Kudos to Troy Polamalu for once again showing that he is the best game changing defender in the NFL.

Kudos to Shaun Suisham. Instead of a fat tub of goo kicker that whines about his contract and the grass, we now have a man who makes kicks without excuses. Suisham’s job punting tonight should be remembered as one of the critical performances of this season. If not for the two aforementioned brainless plays on special teams, he would have twice pinned the Ravens inside the five. Welcome to the Steeler Nation Shaun.

Most important, kudos to a team that has been persecuted by the league and the officials for weeks, overcoming two horrific officiating mistakes. There is not a sane football fan on earth who can explain the personal foul calls against Harrison the last two weeks and explain missing the helmet to helmet shot on Heath Miller. And if Tom Brady were punched in the face by a 300 pound linemen, the NFL would call in a SWAT team and the Navy Seals.

I’m angry, you’re angry, the entire Steeler Nation is angry. The players and coaches are angry. And behind the leader of men that is Mike Tomlin, they overcome and win. I spent most of the game lamenting key mistakes that should have cost the Steelers the game. In the end, all I can remember is this phenomenal display of the heart of a champion.

I don’t know if the Steelers will win the Super Bowl, but they are champions at heart. Tonight was yet another reminder of why I’m so proud to be a lifelong, card carrying member of the Steeler Nation. There is simply nothing on earth like the black and gold.

Every game against Baltimore is the ultimate battle of attrition. They are games that most players and most teams simply could not handle. Somehow, someway the Steelers find a way, time after time to be the better team. I can’t explain it or quantify it, but I can define it. Simply put, it’s the heart of a champion.

A Much Deserved Tribute to Hines Ward

It’s understandable that most of the Steeler Nation woke up this morning paying homage to Troy Polamalu and the defense. Yesterday was the kind of dominant, game changing performance we’ve grown accustomed to from that unit; sadly the kind that was missing for most of last season.

As for the offense, well that’s a different story.

Yes, he Steelers did exactly what we thought they had to do with Dennis Dixon at QB. They simplified the game plan and focused on the run. They did not let Dixon beat them with his arm, nor help them with his legs. If Dixon had chucked a few more balls in to the stands, we might have thought him a sleeker, modern version of Neil O’Donnell.

Amazingly, even with all those limitation, the best wide receiver in the NFL over the last decade had another huge day. And no, Randy Moss did not sign with the Steelers before Sunday’s game.

In all seriousness, has there ever been a more underrated superstar in Pittsburgh sports history than Hines Ward? With all due respect to Max Talbot of course.

I can already hear the laughter and dismissal from football fans everywhere. If I asked 1,000 non Steeler fans who was the best WR in the NFL the last decade, I doubt #86 would get a single vote. Well read carefully before you laugh my friends.

Hines Ward is a player who can not be adequately measured with statistics; at least not until they have stats for downfield blocking, decleating hits and locker room leadership. So I’m somewhat reluctant to show them here; lest we lose site of the bigger picture. That being said, looking at his stats gives some necessary historical perspective on his greatness.

One game in to his 13th NFL season, Ward eclipsed 900 catches and 11,000 yards. To put that in context consider what that translates to for an average season:

· Full career – 75 Catches, 912 Yards, 12.2 Avg, 7 TDs
· Last 9+ years (his prime) – 86 receptions, 1,043 yards, 12.2 Avg, 7 TDs

For a bit more perspective, Ward’s 901 receptions rank 12th best in NFL history. If he plays four more years and averages 52 catches per season, he will finish with the second most receptions in NFL history, at least as we stand today. That’s pretty amazing but here is another dish of shocking perspective.

John Stallworth and Lynn Swan, the two HALL OF FAME Steeler wide receivers combined…COMBINED…to catch 873 balls in their NFL careers, for 14,185 yards. Ward has already caught more balls then the two of them and could conceivably retire with more yardage as well.

I’m well aware that the NFL game has changed exponentially from 1974 to 1998. Comparing Ward to those guys is hardly apples to apples. Still, it gives you some idea of how productive Ward has been. And let’s not forget, that for most of his career in Pittsburgh, the Steelers were the NFL’s predominant running team. Yesterday’s game was a stark reminder that Ward get’s it done whether his QB is a future hall of famer or a struggling former 5th round draft pick.

Seriously, what do you think Ward could have done if he, Ben, and Bruce Arians came in to the league together?

Here are a few other numbers that are even more telling when considering a player who truly should not be measured by stats (again over 12+ years):

· Games missed – 6
· Fumbles – 10 (or about 1 season for Adrian Peterson)
· Steelers record – 117-75-1 (regular season); 10-4 (playoffs)
· Super Bowl XL MVP

Oh and did I mention that he played in Super Bowl XLIII, two weeks after sustaining a knee injury that should have ended his season.

Getting the point?

What’s truly amazing about Ward is his consistency. He’s tallied 94 or more receptions 4 times, plus two other seasons over 80 and two more over 70. He’s accumulated over 1,000 yards receiving six times and has been at 975 or higher in eight of the last nine seasons. I doubt you’ll find that kind of consistency from Chad OchoStinko or Terrell Owens. During that time he’s never once tried to run his QB out of town or publically questioned their sexuality.

And again, this is a player whose best attributes are truly difficult to quantify. Ward quite literally leaves everything on the field every week. There are so many paycheck players in sports today. Hines Ward will never be one of them. I doubt the Steelers have ever gotten less than a full effort from him. Moreover, you get the feeling that he genuinely loves playing in the NFL and especially being a Pittsburgh Steeler. We’ve grown accustomed to Ward hopping off the turf grinning from ear to ear after making a great catch, often after taking a bone jarring hit.

Ward’s biggest problem is he refuses to self promote. If he ran his mouth incessantly like T.O. or Keyshawn Johnson or was self absorbed and pouty like Randy Moss, maybe he would get more attention. Did you notice how much coverage ESPN focused on Moss, T.O., and OchoDufus yesterday? All Ward did was catch 6 balls for over 100 yards including one spectacular catch in the third quarter; all while playing with a third string QB.

Ward spent the day helping and mentoring Dixon. Moss spent the day crying about his contract. How many lousy games can Carson Palmer player before his loud mouthed WR duo turns on him?

Do you think the Steelers would have traded Ward in his prime for Moss and a first round pick? I’m guessing no way.

Remember how Plexico Burress was supposed to be the star receiver and Ward the side kick? How did that work out? Throw out the fact that Burress is an imbecile and Ward is one of the classiest players in the league off the field. Just remember that when the Steelers needed a big catch from Burress in the 2005 AFC Championship game, he dropped an easy touchdown.

Ward sometimes takes grief for opening his mouth too much, such as when he publically criticized Ben last year for not playing against Baltimore. I did not agree with his stance on the issue; but I never doubted his passion or desire. I wonder though if we have a bit of a different perspective on Ward’s comments given the ‘pay no attention to the man behind the curtain’ revealing of Ben in the last 12 months. And let’s not forget who walked on to the field with Ben on the first day of training camp this year.

Ward sometimes takes criticism for his open field hits on linebackers. I’ve heard him called a blind side, cheap shot artist. I wonder how many of those same people would kill to have Ward on his team. I wonder how many yards Bettis and Willie Parker owe to Ward’s tenacious down field blocking.

Some players talk a great game; Ward plays one. Ever wonder why the “Steeler way” has worked so well for the last decade plus? It has a lot to do with the example set by the team leaders. Ward is without question one of those guys.

Ward is not the guy who catches 80 yard touchdowns in September. He’s the guy who catches 7 balls in traffic that move the chains in December and January. That’s how he manages to have 80 receptions and 1,000 yards every year for a run oriented franchise and never get his due nationally. So be it.

What’s amazing is Ward does not always get his full due in the Steel City. Would he be on your list of the five greatest Steelers of all time? How about ten? I’m sure many people would still have him 3rd beyond Swann and Stallworth as the team’s best wide receiver. Quite honestly, I’m not sure that’s fair, especially since Ward is a guy who could play in any era. Do you have any doubt he would have succeeded in the 70’s with DBs draped all over him? I don’t. I think he would have loved it.

I’m not trying to deify Ward. He’s not perfect on or off the field. I am trying to point out a great player and a solid human being; exactly the type that is too often ignored in today’s NFL. It’s amazing how often Ward is ignored; unless a pansy Bengal or loud mouthed Raven is griping about him. The guy is the definition of a football player, especially a Pittsburgh Steeler. He’s the one wide receiver any football players would want to go to battle with.

The Steeler Nation devoted the entire 2005 season to celebrating Bettis. I wonder what they will do when #86 has his last hurrah? The day he leaves there will be a cavernous hole to fill for the black and gold.

There is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the black and gold this season, especially until #7 is back behind center. Thankfully, Hines Ward is one player they don’t have to worry about.