Uninformed Writers

Who in the Hell writes for the Associated Press these days? Do they just search the internet and cut & paste snippets together that they find without doing any research? I just read this drivel off of a link on NFL.com. It's an article about this potentially being Faneca's last game as a Steeler.

I didn't make it past the first two parts before screaming "BULLSHIT" at the top of my lungs. First, and I quote:

[Few players in Pittsburgh Steelers history have performed as well in a career as Alan Faneca.]

Low-IQ-writer-say-what? Few? Meaning slightly more than a couple? Few? Twenty-Five without question and who knows how many more? I like this one even better:

[Faneca is a team-first player in a sport that has increasingly become me-first]

I think this article was turned in as an assignment for a 1st grade writing class. Are you kidding me? Wouldn't a team first player realize he's over 30, that Troy and Ben and the future of the team need to be signed before him, and if he really enjoyed it here he could stay for less money like Jerome Bettis did....twice. Players all over the league do this now. Manning and Brady have done it. If you want to win Championships, you can make the sacrifice. How much money is enough? If you love being here, put up or shut up. It's not like he didn't get his big contract. He is already on his 2nd, which at the time paid him premier player money. How many star players see a third contract with the same team? I guess if he was in charge, he'd give someone on the down side of their career $20 million dollars guaranteed. Puh-lease!

Thoughts From The Game

Holy Cow! We had 'em all the way......er, maybe. This was a good test for us. We stood up to the trap game and looked it in the eyes. Actually we looked up from the floor at it's chin because we were losing pretty badly. You have to be able to come from behind and you have to have faith as a team that your QB can lead you from behind. Those questions were answered pretty loudly today. Roethlisberger is a man on a mission right now. Would that be something if we could go into New England and give them their first loss in a few weeks? Anyway, not too many comments this week, but a few:

I still can't believe that our Special Teams keep having problems. You would think as deep as the team is - our ST players would be way above average. This needs to fixed if we're going to make a serious run at the Super Bowl.

Did you see Jeff Reed just get mauled during the return TD? I mean he got killed. You know what though.....kudos to him for taking a shot like that. I've watched the replay about a zillion times, and I still for the life of me can't figure out what Bryant McFadden was trying to do on that particular play. He looked like he was leading the convoy instead of trying to make a tackle. If he just throws his body in there, who knows what could happen? Maybe the blocker falls and the dude gets tripped up. He was actually ahead of him for a short time....I have no idea what he was thinking. He ran beside him for 50 yards. Do Something! Anything! Jesus, just make an effort.

Ben looks totally different to me this year and defensive coordinators will never again stack the box and dare him to beat them - because he will. The offense is very well balanced and as long as they watch their tendencies, I don't think anyone knows what to expect on first or second downs. It's exciting to watch them on offense, it really is. He looks very, very determined.

Glad the wind was in our favor, Phil hit that kick pretty good.

Ben and Hines looked like they were really enjoying themselves. It's nice to see.

Alan Faneca continues to be one of the first people to celebrate touchdowns with Ben after scores. It's good to see him as part of the team still. A lot of times, people in his situation will distance themselves and become a cancer. It looks like he's taking a different approach. The anti - T.O. you might say.

Signing Rossum was a superb decision. Is Willie Freakin' Reid still on the team? My God, my boy is taking up some space. I never see him in on Special Teams. I never see him in for something special like a reverse or anything. WTF?

Kendall Simmons Signs

Simmons signed an extension today which gives him this year plus 4 more years for as much as $24 million with incentives figured in. Bonus money was close to $8 million. I can't say I'm not shocked by this, but since it's Alan Whaaa-neca's last year, I guess it makes sense. He is also now the backup center as well. I'm guessing next year Kemoeatu will replace Alan and we will continue to roll along. I'm also betting that Max Starks will get the rest of this year and next camp to practice at the other end position and then he and Trai Essex will battle to see who will start there next year. If his contract isn't already up after the season, I'm not sure Marvel Smith can hold off two youngsters. None of my pet projects were signed to the practice squad. Hrumph!

Why Didn't We Trade Faneca?

Alan Faneca said yesterday that he has been asking to be traded since February. Now sure isn't the time to do it. We'd be negotiating from a point of weakness since other teams know he wants out. I'm wondering why they didn't trade him on draft day - the nest day in the NFL to make trades? Personally, if he doesn't want to be here....screw him. He's already played 9 years. It's too bad some of these idiots can't follow Bettis' lead and play for less money to stay somewhere where they are loved. The best quote from yesterday has Faneca saying it's unfair to make him play the last year of his contract because there is no security. Ummm, maybe someone should explain to him exactly what a contract is. Yes, a lot of people get new deals when they are in the last year of their contract, but I guess Faneca fits the mold of Porter - are we really going to hand a $40 million dollar contract to someone who has played 9 or 10 years already? If we do, he'll be cut after 2 anyway. This is now Mile Tomlin's team and he wants to build it in his image. He doesn't need a 9 year vet chewing up that much of his cap. He's going to give it to Troy and Ben and deservedly so.