DOG: Santonio Trade Analysis

In this the age of television, one nation controlled by the media, you are undoubtedly hearing and seeing the Steeler front office getting blasted broadside for trading Santonio Holmes to the Jets for a 5th round draft pick and a roll of Lifesavers. In the famous words of Lee Corso, "Not so fast, my friend." This is not anywhere near the worst trade the Steelers ever made.

Here’s a trade that really went bad. In 1964 the Steelers traded their best receiver Buddy Dial to the Dallas Cowboys for the Cowboys #1 pick, a DT out of Texas named Scott Appleton. The Cowboys had their eye on a WR from Ohio State but drafted Appleton at the request of the Steelers in exchange for Dial.

As the trade turned out, Scott Appleton signed with the Houston Oilers of the AFL and never played a single down for the Steelers or in the NFL for that matter! The Steelers got exactly nothing, not even a 5th round pick for Dial.

The Cowboys fared only slightly better. Dial was injured early in his Cowboy career and never was as effective for Dallas as he had been in Pittsburgh. He retired at age 30 after 3 years in Dallas. And the player from Ohio State Tom Landry had initially targeted as his #1 pick in 1964? Hall of Fame WR, Paul Warfield.

Maybe that's why we don't make more trades, we suck at it.

OK, it was still a lopsided trade, no doubt. But here's the deal. What do you think the going rate is for a dope-smoker who is a 12 game rental because his contract is up at the end of the year? On top of that he's facing a 4 game suspension, a possible lawsuit, and 2010 playing time is in serious question. You try selling that.

Sometimes less is more. We don't know what's gone on inside the organization. What conversations have been had between Mike Tomlin and Santonio Holmes. What promises were made. But I'll bet Mike sat Tone down and explained to him how irresponsible he was being. And when Tone tweeted that he was going to "wake and bake" in Orlando. Mike said, "We don't need that shit. See what we can get for him. The train is leaving the station and he's obviously not on board. "

This also sends a very clear message to Mr. Ben Roethlisberger that the organization has put up with about as much of this crap as they intend to and he needs to settle his whore-mongering ass down too. And it sends a message to the rest of the team that you can catch a last minute Super Bowl pass to win the game. But if you fuck up too bad, you are gone. If you want to be Snoop Dogg then be a rapper not an NFL wideout. And with Roethlisberger I imagine Roger Goddell will say, "Ben, your choice. Do you want to be an amateur porn star or a professional football player? You can't have it both ways."

The possibility exists that we have not heard the last of this trade either. There may be an under the table, handshake deal between us and the Jets on draft day too. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a little additional compensation that's not being made public yet due to the secrecy of draft day intentions for all concerned parties.

And lastly, maybe the organization sees that Mike Wallace is ready for that move to the #1 slot. And we can only pray that the light comes on for Limas Sweed who now has one last great opportunity to prove he has what it takes. Still, a deal for another veteran WR is a possibility. As is drafting an WR in rounds 1-3 as Fan suggested.

Tone, thanks for the Super Bowl win. Starting with that catch on the goal line in Baltimore continuing with the punt return for a TD vs. the Chargers, and on through the last minute TD vs. the Cardinals in the Super Bowl, you were the single most important Steeler in that Super Bowl run. That's how you "be great." Wake and bake, brother... in New Jersey.