They're trying to speed up baseball, the only major sport not regulated by a clock.
The first step is the implementation of the automatic intentional walk. No longer will a batter stand in the box with the bat on his shoulder, watching four pitches deliberately lobbed out of the strike zone.
We won't have that indignant "boooooo" from the crowd as soon as the catcher stands and extends his arm like he's hailing a cab. No more will the fans get to whoop when a soft toss nearly sails past the catcher. The batter and umpire will no longer have the chance to chat as four wide ones are thrown.
Should shave a good two minutes off the season, or roughly the time it takes for Francisco Cervelli to grimace and flex his hand after it's been hit by another foul tip.
The intention may be correct here, but the execution is flawed.
Baseball games don't drag because of the four pitches thrown on an intentional walk. The pace is slowed by needless dead time. Managers stand on the top step of the dugout, looking for a signal to tell them whether to ask for a replay challenge. The most basic replay reviews take too long.
Chatty catchers are forever visiting with pitchers during innings (Hello, Russell Martin). Batters who don't like a call step out of the box and wander away to make their displeasure silently known.
Hitters fuss with batting gloves. Pitchers toss out baseballs that don't feel right, then spend time rubbing up the replacements. Pinch hitters go through a Jane Fonda workout routine before they make their way from the on deck circle to the batters box. Then they stand outside the box, taking more practice swings.
Nobody will really miss the intentional walk, but that isn't the issue.
Baseball could cut some of the dead time by adopting a simple motto: Cut the crap.
Eliminate the chatter, focus on keeping the game moving and nobody will complain about how long it takes to play.
(Side thought: When you're selling $5 soft drinks and $8 beers to a captive audience, should teams really want the customers to move out that quickly?)
Anyway, that's it. Cut The Crap. Design a logo and stencil it on the fields in time for opening day. Official t-shirts, hoodies and caps available at retail outlets and online, of course.
---
--LONG-RANGE VIEW
Wonder how long it took the people in the upper reaches of Heinz Field to realize it wasn't a very good seat for hockey?
It's not like any of the tickets were cheap, either.
Outdoor hockey is an experience. It's not good hockey, and it's not a good value for ticket buyers, either.
The Flyers-Penguins game would have worked better in PNC Park, but the NHL had no interest in forfeiting half the ticket sales they made down the street.
The next time they want to bring an outdoor game to town, remember: They're not doing the fans any favors.
---
--UNEXPECTED COMPANY
Sidney Crosby's talent is undeniable. He'll go into the Hall of Fame the moment he's eligible.
But when Crosby recently reached 1,000 career points, a glance at the list of the players who have accomplished that feat revealed some unexpected names.
The superstars are obvious. But who knew Pat Verbeek (1,063 points) was on the list? Or Doug Weight (1,033)? They were both good solid players, but they're not names that come to mind when pondering the NHL's elite.
---
--ROLLER COASTER
Pitt has had a crazy basketball season under first-year coach Kevin Stallings. There's been no way to predict what the Panthers will do from game to game.
On the other hand, late February arrives and Duquesne is, as usual, seven or eight games under .500.
There's comfort in the familiar.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Altoona Mirror, February 19, 2017
Jim Myers died the other day. George "The Animal" Steele did, too.
Even though they were the same person, Myers was just short of his 80th birthday while Steele had just turned 50.
It was all part of a fascinating and profitable double life that ended for one of pro wrestling's top bad guys.
Jim Myers was working as a teacher and football coach in the Detroit suburbs in the early 1960s. With two kids and another on the way, his teaching salary of just under $5,000 was strained.
A buddy suggested that Myers, a former Michigan State football player, might give wrestling a try. Myers had never paid any attention to wrestling, but soon found himself learning the basics of wrestling's timeless illusion.
In order to conceal his identity from school administrators, he put on a mask and called himself The Student. His wrestling income quickly doubled what he made teaching.
In the fall of 1966, Bruno Sammartino purchased the local wrestling promotion in Pittsburgh. He and two aides headed to Detroit. While Sammartino wrestled on the card, his real purpose was a scouting mission for fresh wrestlers to bring to Pittsburgh. That trip changed Jim Myers' life.
Sammartino saw The Student work, and offered him a shot in Pittsburgh. He didn't want a masked man, though.
Jim Myers still didn't want to use his real name. So he invented the name George Steele for his Pittsburgh debut, his first wrestling without a mask.
"George Steele" made his debut in January of 1967 as a merciless rule breaker, a "heel" in wrestling parlance. Balding and bulky, he looked the part. He did witty interviews that insulted Sammartino in a faux-beatnik argot that included addressing people as "Daddy-0."
Steele and Sammartino were soon clashing in main events. The matches drew good crowds, so Sammartino took Steele to New York to meet wrestling chief Vince McMahon Sr.
McMahon was unimpressed until Steele removed his shirt. When he saw the fur matting Steele's chest and back, he knew he had a heel people would love to hate.
Soon, Sammartino vs. Steele was headling cards through the east, turning into a very lucrative summer job for Jim Myers, who continued teaching and coaching the rest of the year.
Steele's style became more outrageous and his habit of biting opponents earned him The Animal nickname. He was rough, and he was mean. Away from the ring, the accidental wrestler was a party animal who enjoyed the perks that came with fame.
He shredded turnbuckle pads to add to the mayhem. His famous green tongue developed by accident -- he was trying to cover boozy breath with Clorets after a bad night. When the fans noticed the green tongue, it became part of his persona.
Steele loved to scare people. Most heel wrestlers would try to get back to the locker room as quickly as possible, Steele would stop to challenge people. Once in Philadelphia, he chased a guy all the way onto the street outside the arena.
At the Civic Arena one night, a fan bopped Steele on the head with a paper cup filled with ice. The security guards -- off-duty Pittsburgh police officers -- grabbed the offender and dragged him away.
Instead of hauling him outside, they took him backstage. The two cops held the man against a wall. A minute later, an angry George Steele was inches away from the man, cursing and threatening him while the trembling fan was being sprayed with Steele's spit and sweat. If the man ever attended another wrestling show, it's a safe bet that he never threw a loaded cup at a wrestler again.
In later years, Myers had a religious epiphany after being stricken with Crohn's Disease. He attended fan fests and posed for selfies with his hands playfully wrapped around the fan's neck.
The high school where taught, Madison Heights, named its football stadium after him in 2012. The baddest, meanest guy to stomp around a wrestling ring turned into a kindly old grandfather type who lived out his days doing the things retirees do in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Unlike some old-timers, he had no problem admitting wrestling was staged, and he loved to tell inside stories.
At the end, George Steele went back to being Jim Myers. It was an interesting life. A couple of them, actually.
Even though they were the same person, Myers was just short of his 80th birthday while Steele had just turned 50.
It was all part of a fascinating and profitable double life that ended for one of pro wrestling's top bad guys.
Jim Myers was working as a teacher and football coach in the Detroit suburbs in the early 1960s. With two kids and another on the way, his teaching salary of just under $5,000 was strained.
A buddy suggested that Myers, a former Michigan State football player, might give wrestling a try. Myers had never paid any attention to wrestling, but soon found himself learning the basics of wrestling's timeless illusion.
In order to conceal his identity from school administrators, he put on a mask and called himself The Student. His wrestling income quickly doubled what he made teaching.
In the fall of 1966, Bruno Sammartino purchased the local wrestling promotion in Pittsburgh. He and two aides headed to Detroit. While Sammartino wrestled on the card, his real purpose was a scouting mission for fresh wrestlers to bring to Pittsburgh. That trip changed Jim Myers' life.
Sammartino saw The Student work, and offered him a shot in Pittsburgh. He didn't want a masked man, though.
Jim Myers still didn't want to use his real name. So he invented the name George Steele for his Pittsburgh debut, his first wrestling without a mask.
"George Steele" made his debut in January of 1967 as a merciless rule breaker, a "heel" in wrestling parlance. Balding and bulky, he looked the part. He did witty interviews that insulted Sammartino in a faux-beatnik argot that included addressing people as "Daddy-0."
Steele and Sammartino were soon clashing in main events. The matches drew good crowds, so Sammartino took Steele to New York to meet wrestling chief Vince McMahon Sr.
McMahon was unimpressed until Steele removed his shirt. When he saw the fur matting Steele's chest and back, he knew he had a heel people would love to hate.
Soon, Sammartino vs. Steele was headling cards through the east, turning into a very lucrative summer job for Jim Myers, who continued teaching and coaching the rest of the year.
Steele's style became more outrageous and his habit of biting opponents earned him The Animal nickname. He was rough, and he was mean. Away from the ring, the accidental wrestler was a party animal who enjoyed the perks that came with fame.
He shredded turnbuckle pads to add to the mayhem. His famous green tongue developed by accident -- he was trying to cover boozy breath with Clorets after a bad night. When the fans noticed the green tongue, it became part of his persona.
Steele loved to scare people. Most heel wrestlers would try to get back to the locker room as quickly as possible, Steele would stop to challenge people. Once in Philadelphia, he chased a guy all the way onto the street outside the arena.
At the Civic Arena one night, a fan bopped Steele on the head with a paper cup filled with ice. The security guards -- off-duty Pittsburgh police officers -- grabbed the offender and dragged him away.
Instead of hauling him outside, they took him backstage. The two cops held the man against a wall. A minute later, an angry George Steele was inches away from the man, cursing and threatening him while the trembling fan was being sprayed with Steele's spit and sweat. If the man ever attended another wrestling show, it's a safe bet that he never threw a loaded cup at a wrestler again.
In later years, Myers had a religious epiphany after being stricken with Crohn's Disease. He attended fan fests and posed for selfies with his hands playfully wrapped around the fan's neck.
The high school where taught, Madison Heights, named its football stadium after him in 2012. The baddest, meanest guy to stomp around a wrestling ring turned into a kindly old grandfather type who lived out his days doing the things retirees do in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Unlike some old-timers, he had no problem admitting wrestling was staged, and he loved to tell inside stories.
At the end, George Steele went back to being Jim Myers. It was an interesting life. A couple of them, actually.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Altoona Mirror, February 15, 2017
There are some members of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots who will treat their invitation to the White House as junk mail.
That's their right.
There is some mild outrage that at least a handful of Patriots players have announced they have no interest in making the trip to Washington in a few months.
Some don't want to be perceived as supporting the current President. Some can't see the value in forfeiting a couple of precious off-season days to put on a size 60 suit and endure a Secret Service pat down.
That's their right.
We're told that it's an honor to be summoned to the White House to be used as a prop in a Presidential photo op. That's for each player to decide. For those who have never been there, maybe it's a bucket list item. Perhaps it's not quite as special for those who have been there and done that.
Anyone who views the White House as some hallowed property would do well to run a web search on the name Monica Lewinsky.
These clumsy meetings require staffers to research and come up with lines appropriate for the occasion. Barack Obama delivered his flawlessly when the Penguins were there last summer. A generation earlier, George H.W. Bush clumsily asked the approaching Mario Lemieux, "...and you are?"
The players present the President with a jersey that gets shipped off to a warehouse, and the TV news has enough footage to kill a couple of minutes on the evening broadcast.
Otherwise, there isn't a lot of value.
If the players choose to skip the field trip, that's their right.
---
--FAMILY FEUD
ESPN thinks the dispute between New York Knicks owner James Dolan and former player Charles Oakley is the biggest story in sports.
It's not, but the footage of Oakley being escorted out of the stands at Madison Square Garden is the kind of freak show video that keeps people watching TV.
Dolan issued a lifetime ban from Madison Square Garden for Oakley, which was rescinded four days later.
That's a shame, because there were so many unanswered questions. Was the ban just for Knicks game? Could Oakley attend a Rangers hockey game with a valid ticket. What about Billy Joel's monthly concerts? Were WWE events also off limits to him? The Red Hot Chili Peppers are due for multiple Garden shows. Would Oakley be OK for the Westminster Kennel Club dog show?
Dolan said the ban is lifted. Oakley said he wants a public apology.
Here's guessing ESPN will have all the details.
---
--THE REAL HARM
There is potentially a drastic consequence to being banned from the Garden.
The Carnegie Deli maintains a food stand there on event nights. Ever since the Deli closed its iconic Seventh Avenue location, the Garden is the only place in Manhattan to get one of the Carnegie's legendary corned beef sandwiches.
Denying access to those qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment.
(
That's their right.
There is some mild outrage that at least a handful of Patriots players have announced they have no interest in making the trip to Washington in a few months.
Some don't want to be perceived as supporting the current President. Some can't see the value in forfeiting a couple of precious off-season days to put on a size 60 suit and endure a Secret Service pat down.
That's their right.
We're told that it's an honor to be summoned to the White House to be used as a prop in a Presidential photo op. That's for each player to decide. For those who have never been there, maybe it's a bucket list item. Perhaps it's not quite as special for those who have been there and done that.
Anyone who views the White House as some hallowed property would do well to run a web search on the name Monica Lewinsky.
These clumsy meetings require staffers to research and come up with lines appropriate for the occasion. Barack Obama delivered his flawlessly when the Penguins were there last summer. A generation earlier, George H.W. Bush clumsily asked the approaching Mario Lemieux, "...and you are?"
The players present the President with a jersey that gets shipped off to a warehouse, and the TV news has enough footage to kill a couple of minutes on the evening broadcast.
Otherwise, there isn't a lot of value.
If the players choose to skip the field trip, that's their right.
---
--FAMILY FEUD
ESPN thinks the dispute between New York Knicks owner James Dolan and former player Charles Oakley is the biggest story in sports.
It's not, but the footage of Oakley being escorted out of the stands at Madison Square Garden is the kind of freak show video that keeps people watching TV.
Dolan issued a lifetime ban from Madison Square Garden for Oakley, which was rescinded four days later.
That's a shame, because there were so many unanswered questions. Was the ban just for Knicks game? Could Oakley attend a Rangers hockey game with a valid ticket. What about Billy Joel's monthly concerts? Were WWE events also off limits to him? The Red Hot Chili Peppers are due for multiple Garden shows. Would Oakley be OK for the Westminster Kennel Club dog show?
Dolan said the ban is lifted. Oakley said he wants a public apology.
Here's guessing ESPN will have all the details.
---
--THE REAL HARM
There is potentially a drastic consequence to being banned from the Garden.
The Carnegie Deli maintains a food stand there on event nights. Ever since the Deli closed its iconic Seventh Avenue location, the Garden is the only place in Manhattan to get one of the Carnegie's legendary corned beef sandwiches.
Denying access to those qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment.
(
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Altoona Mirror, February 12, 2017
On the first weekend without football since September, the focus shifts to baseball.
The Pirates welcome pitchers and catchers to workouts tomorrow after a sleepy offseason.
They're counting on plenty of in-house improvement, and they'll try to jump start that process with a new outfield alignment.
Starling Marte moves to center, Andrew McCutchen shifts to right, and Gregory Polanco goes to left. If you're keeping score, last year's 7 is now 8, 8 is 9 and 9 becomes 7.
How do the new numbers add up? It makes sense, but there's also an element of risk.
Marte should be fine in center. He moves fluidly, and he's won Gold Glove awards in left field. PNC Park's left field is a pasture, complicated by creative angles and a low fence. Marte has learned to handle those, and he's also served notice that running on his arm is a flawed idea.
McCutchen should benefit from being responsible for less real estate in right field. Lumbering Craig Wilson played right field in PNC Park, for goodness sake. McCutchen will learn quickly to stay out of Marte's way on balls to the right-center gap.
The trickiest part of right field at PNC Park is playing balls that carom off the metal that covers the scoreboard.
The wild card in this is Polanco's transition to left field. He has a long, loping stride and doesn't always take the most efficient path to fly balls. Right field at PNC is tight enough to be pretty forgiving of those mistakes. Miss a ball in left field, and it might roll for a while.
Polanco will also adjust to consistently playing in front of the low fence that allows left fielders to reach into the stands to prevent home runs.
The changes are inevitable. McCutchen's defensive play has deteriorated to the point when one metric system had him as the worst center fielder in the league. Besides, McCutchen isn't likely to be with the Pirates beyond this season. It's possible he'll be moved to another team during the season.
The Pirates are making these changes with an eye to the future, which doesn't include McCutchen. Might as well start now.
---
--KEEP HIM
It seems like a lot of people are fed up with Antonio Brown, to the point where they wouldn't mind seeing the Steelers trade their No. 1 receiver.
That wouldn't be a smart move. Brown's selfishness became an issue last season when he took 15-yard penalties for overdone celebrations and then betrayed his teammates with a pointless live webcast from the locker room.
He's a handful. But there are indications that Brown knows he went over the line and is willing to make amends.
Given that the Steelers have absolutely no legitimate receiving depth behind Brown, they'd better keep him.
---
--SAY WHAT?
Bob Errey does a nice job as the analyst on Root Sports' Penguins TV broadcasts.
He understands the game and conveys what's happening without falling into a lot of coaching jargon. He also adds an element of Canadian flavor that's being constantly wrung out of the sport by the growing influx of players from the United States and Europe.
But maybe someone at Root could counsel Errey to lighten up on the use of the archaic term "netminder." This is a synonym for goalie that was in fashion in the golden era of cornball sports writing. Those were the days when quarterbacks were referred to as "signal callers" and pitchers were "hurlers."
You don't hear those terms any more, and there's good reason. "Netminder" should also go back on the shelf to collect dust.
---
--THE NEW NORMAL
At what point does Tiger Woods' either not playing golf or playing the game poorly fail to qualify as news?
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Altoona Mirror, February 5, 2017
Steelers president Art Rooney II allowed last week that maybe it's time to start looking for a quarterback who could eventually replace Ben Roethlisberger.
That's prudent. It's also frightening.
It was either Einstein or Lombardi who first postulated one of the basic rules of football: No matter how many teams there are, there will never be enough good quarterbacks to go around.
When you get one, you pay him and keep him as long as possible. Roethlisberger will be 35 when this season begins (nobody believes he won't be there) and that's how old Terry Bradshaw was when he played his final game. Bradshaw appeared in only one game that year, the result of an elbow injury that came quickly and just as swiftly turned him into a logic-optional TV commentator.
There's no reason to suspect that Roethlisberger will reach the finish line just as quickly, but it's clear he's in the final stages of his Hall of Fame career.
So the low-key search starts for someone who can eventually take over the position.
History tells us that isn't easy. The Steelers were still in their dynasty years when they spent their first-round draft pick on Mark Malone in 1980. His selection probably should come with an asterisk, because there were people in the organization who believed he could have been a viable receiver or defensive back.
Malone had to wait his turn until Cliff Stoudt failed miserably. Then he did the same. His career passer rating was 62.4. They made the playoffs just once in his four years.
The Steelers traded for Miami's David Woodley, but that didn't work, either. Then came Bubby Brister and Neil O'Donnell, who were each drafted in the third round. They got to a Super Bowl with O'Donnell, but that didn't end well. He fled as a free agent.
That led to Kordell Stewart, a versatile player who eventually exasperated the coaches with his unwillingness to apply himself in the class room. That dissatisfaction led to flirtations with undersized Mike Tomczak and statue-like Kent Graham.
Tommy Maddox was rescued from the Arena Football/XFL scrap heap and did a decent job until a elbow injury gave Roethlisberger a chance. After two decades of false starts, the Steelers finally had their second franchise quarterback in the last 50 years.
Quality quarterbacks are so rare that teams are lusting after Jimmy Garoppolo, the Patriots' backup who has thrown 94 passes in his three NFL seasons. He has potential, he has the imprimatur of being selected by Bill Belichick, and he has to be better than Cody Kessler, because almost everybody is.
Brock Osweiler had some modest accomplishments for Denver in 2015 as Peyton Manning was wheezing through a final season. Osweiler hit the free agent market, and the Houston Texans gave him a whopping $72 million contract, of which $37 million was guaranteed.
Osweiler had started seven NFL games at that point.
So let the Steelers' search for the next one begin. Just be very wary. It's a dicey business.
---
--FLIP A COIN
OK, you need a pick for the big game.
(By the way, a lot of advertisements make reference to the "big game." That's because the NFL has trademarked "Super Bowl" and anyone who uses that in advertising without the NFL's permission risks a blitz of lawyers that will hit them like James Harrison, Lawrence Taylor and Dick Butkus in pinstriped suits and wing tips).
Here's what I have: High scoring game. Close game. The difference could be how jittery the Falcons are at the start. Patriots 36-31?
But what do I know?
That's prudent. It's also frightening.
It was either Einstein or Lombardi who first postulated one of the basic rules of football: No matter how many teams there are, there will never be enough good quarterbacks to go around.
When you get one, you pay him and keep him as long as possible. Roethlisberger will be 35 when this season begins (nobody believes he won't be there) and that's how old Terry Bradshaw was when he played his final game. Bradshaw appeared in only one game that year, the result of an elbow injury that came quickly and just as swiftly turned him into a logic-optional TV commentator.
There's no reason to suspect that Roethlisberger will reach the finish line just as quickly, but it's clear he's in the final stages of his Hall of Fame career.
So the low-key search starts for someone who can eventually take over the position.
History tells us that isn't easy. The Steelers were still in their dynasty years when they spent their first-round draft pick on Mark Malone in 1980. His selection probably should come with an asterisk, because there were people in the organization who believed he could have been a viable receiver or defensive back.
Malone had to wait his turn until Cliff Stoudt failed miserably. Then he did the same. His career passer rating was 62.4. They made the playoffs just once in his four years.
The Steelers traded for Miami's David Woodley, but that didn't work, either. Then came Bubby Brister and Neil O'Donnell, who were each drafted in the third round. They got to a Super Bowl with O'Donnell, but that didn't end well. He fled as a free agent.
That led to Kordell Stewart, a versatile player who eventually exasperated the coaches with his unwillingness to apply himself in the class room. That dissatisfaction led to flirtations with undersized Mike Tomczak and statue-like Kent Graham.
Tommy Maddox was rescued from the Arena Football/XFL scrap heap and did a decent job until a elbow injury gave Roethlisberger a chance. After two decades of false starts, the Steelers finally had their second franchise quarterback in the last 50 years.
Quality quarterbacks are so rare that teams are lusting after Jimmy Garoppolo, the Patriots' backup who has thrown 94 passes in his three NFL seasons. He has potential, he has the imprimatur of being selected by Bill Belichick, and he has to be better than Cody Kessler, because almost everybody is.
Brock Osweiler had some modest accomplishments for Denver in 2015 as Peyton Manning was wheezing through a final season. Osweiler hit the free agent market, and the Houston Texans gave him a whopping $72 million contract, of which $37 million was guaranteed.
Osweiler had started seven NFL games at that point.
So let the Steelers' search for the next one begin. Just be very wary. It's a dicey business.
---
--FLIP A COIN
OK, you need a pick for the big game.
(By the way, a lot of advertisements make reference to the "big game." That's because the NFL has trademarked "Super Bowl" and anyone who uses that in advertising without the NFL's permission risks a blitz of lawyers that will hit them like James Harrison, Lawrence Taylor and Dick Butkus in pinstriped suits and wing tips).
Here's what I have: High scoring game. Close game. The difference could be how jittery the Falcons are at the start. Patriots 36-31?
But what do I know?
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Altoona Mirror, February 1, 2017
Art Rooney II held his annual season-ending chat with reporters on Tuesday and it wasn't exactly bubbling over with news.
--He doesn't think Ben Roethlisberger will retire now.
--He would like to keep Antonio Brown for a long time.
--He doesn't know if the Steelers can count on Martavis Bryant.
--Mike Tomlin is in no danger of being fired.
That last one will undoubtedly come as a huge disappointment to the legions of Tomlin detractors. A guy actually messaged a local TV talk show last week to ask if the hosts thought this "was it" for Tomlin and his coordinators, Todd Haley and Keith Butler.
The answer was no, no and no.
Sure there's disappointment that the Steelers aren't playing in the Super Bowl. But when you're still preparing for a game after 28 of the 32 NFL teams have shut down for the season, it doesn't qualify as failure, either.
On the other issues, there doesn't seem to be anybody who thinks Roethlisberger will walk away from the game and refund millions of the signing bonus he got with his last contract.
Even if money isn't the issue, there's the matter of playing and competing as long as possible. Reasonably healthy at 35 and armed with a formidable supporting cast, Roethlisberger will be back for another shot at the Super Bowl.
The Steelers should be looking for ways to keep Brown beyond the upcoming final year of his contract. Nothing demonstrated his importance more than the poor performance of the other receivers in the AFC Championship game against New England.
If Brown leaves, who is the go-to receiver?
Trick question! They don't have one. That's why it's imperative to find a way to keep their No. 1 receiver while also focusing on adding to the depth behind Brown.
If Bryant can come back from his season-long suspension and remain eligible, that's a plus. He's a talented player. But it would be too risky to make any sort of multi-year commitment for him.
A failed drug test knocks him out for another season. You don't build a plan with those circumstances.
If they can get something from Bryant in 2017, great. Just don't count on him.
Other than that, Rooney said the Steelers need to be better in the red zone and need to find ways to get more pressure on quarterbacks.
But your grandmother knows those things. The difference is she probably wouldn't bring Mike Tomlin back.
---
--PENALTY ISSUED
MLB sent a strong message with a heavy penalty against former St. Louis Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa.
He is currently serving a jail sentence for hacking into the Houston Astros' computer system. When he gets out, he won't be able to work in baseball, even if anyone would hire him.
He's been permanently banned from MLB. Additionally the Cardinals were fined $2 million and they'll forfeit their first two draft picks this summer to the Astros.
It's best to lay down the law down and take computer espionage seriously. Teams are overrun with computer experts who could do some serious information thieving if there weren't a high disincentive for doing so.
--He doesn't think Ben Roethlisberger will retire now.
--He would like to keep Antonio Brown for a long time.
--He doesn't know if the Steelers can count on Martavis Bryant.
--Mike Tomlin is in no danger of being fired.
That last one will undoubtedly come as a huge disappointment to the legions of Tomlin detractors. A guy actually messaged a local TV talk show last week to ask if the hosts thought this "was it" for Tomlin and his coordinators, Todd Haley and Keith Butler.
The answer was no, no and no.
Sure there's disappointment that the Steelers aren't playing in the Super Bowl. But when you're still preparing for a game after 28 of the 32 NFL teams have shut down for the season, it doesn't qualify as failure, either.
On the other issues, there doesn't seem to be anybody who thinks Roethlisberger will walk away from the game and refund millions of the signing bonus he got with his last contract.
Even if money isn't the issue, there's the matter of playing and competing as long as possible. Reasonably healthy at 35 and armed with a formidable supporting cast, Roethlisberger will be back for another shot at the Super Bowl.
The Steelers should be looking for ways to keep Brown beyond the upcoming final year of his contract. Nothing demonstrated his importance more than the poor performance of the other receivers in the AFC Championship game against New England.
If Brown leaves, who is the go-to receiver?
Trick question! They don't have one. That's why it's imperative to find a way to keep their No. 1 receiver while also focusing on adding to the depth behind Brown.
If Bryant can come back from his season-long suspension and remain eligible, that's a plus. He's a talented player. But it would be too risky to make any sort of multi-year commitment for him.
A failed drug test knocks him out for another season. You don't build a plan with those circumstances.
If they can get something from Bryant in 2017, great. Just don't count on him.
Other than that, Rooney said the Steelers need to be better in the red zone and need to find ways to get more pressure on quarterbacks.
But your grandmother knows those things. The difference is she probably wouldn't bring Mike Tomlin back.
---
--PENALTY ISSUED
MLB sent a strong message with a heavy penalty against former St. Louis Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa.
He is currently serving a jail sentence for hacking into the Houston Astros' computer system. When he gets out, he won't be able to work in baseball, even if anyone would hire him.
He's been permanently banned from MLB. Additionally the Cardinals were fined $2 million and they'll forfeit their first two draft picks this summer to the Astros.
It's best to lay down the law down and take computer espionage seriously. Teams are overrun with computer experts who could do some serious information thieving if there weren't a high disincentive for doing so.
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