Gameday Girlnotes: Steelers v. Bills

Here are some things to watch for in today's game:

1) Will Brett Keisel play? Earlier in the week, he said that his hamstring was 100% healed and that he would be good to go on Sunday. But yesterday morning, Keisel woke up with a calf injury. He is listed as questionable for today's 1 pm game.

The Steelers defense has certainly missed him during the last 5 games. We've allowed the opposing teams to score over 100 points cumulatively during those matchups. Certainly this can't be blamed solely on Keisel's absence, but it did contribute to defensive weakness.

If he is out, Nick Eason and Ziggy Hood could start.

More here:
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_711298.html

2) I'm Mike Wallace - Big Pass Plays and More on Tonight's 60 Minutes. Look for Mike Wallace to come up big against the Bills weak defense. From the PG: "The Bills have the worst rush defense in the league, allowing 163.5 yards per game, and their secondary isn't much better." And then there's Wallace's hot streak. If he can exceed 100 yards receiving today, he will break Heinz Ward's record for consecutive games with more than 100 yards receiving (they are currently tied at 3 games each).

Also watch for Mendenhall to come up big against the Bills rush defense.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10332/1106438-66.stm#ixzz16amxTNOw

3) If Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and Receiver Steve Johnson are able connect, we could have problems. These two led the team to victory last week over the Bengals, and have contributed to nail-biting games between the Bills and strong AFC teams like the Ravens and the Patriots. We could be in for a heart-attack game ourselves if these two can find their mojo today. Watch to see whether or not that happens against our 4-3 defense.
More Here: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10331/1106507-66.stm

4) This could be a trap game. I hate to sound like a broken record, but it is possible that the Bills could give us some trouble. This is an away game for us, and the Bills are coming off of a two-game winning streak. Couple that with our long list of injured players - and you realize that we have to take this game seriously.

5) And finally, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'll be very thankful if we have a healthy Troy Polamalu on our side. His achillies has been bothering him and he was listed as questionable earlier in the week. The Steelers have been mum about whether or not he will play.

His contribution to the defense in recent weeks has been priceless and is reminiscent of the kind of play that made Pittsburghers fall in love with him back in 2004.

Jon Gruden = Carson Kressley

So I've been a total blog slacker recently. My apologies - my day job has kept me pretty busy. In any event, I'm sitting on my couch watching Steelers v. Bengals, and there's something I have to share. Commentator Jon Gruden totally, totally looks like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's Carson Kressley. Behold:

Ummmmm.... what newspaper do you write for again?

I'd like to call some attention to this article written by David J Neal for the Miami Herald. I'm not sure if he's a closet Steelers fan, if he has a man-crush on Mike Tomlin, or if he just has common sense - but he sure doesn't sound like a Miami football reporter to me:

"See them coming? See the light glinting off their Super Bowl rings, memorabilia they resumed collecting in the past decade? See, the mobile giant at quarterback, the best 30-something coach in the NFL and the defensive coordinator already in the Hall of Fame?
Consistent winners followed by the NFL's most ubiquitous fan base, the Steelers have spent much of the past 30 years as the league's Black and Gold Standard. And it's against that mark on the wall that the Dolphins, who believe themselves a good team, stand Sunday."

I'd also like to point out that he didn't make one snide remark about Big Ben - he simply mentioned the suspension very matter-of-factly. That's something most Pittsburghers can't even do.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/24/1888477/steelers-will-test-dolphins.html#ixzz13HkQmlWM

Gameday Girlnotes: Steelers v. Dolphins

It's been a few weeks since I put up Gameday Girlnotes. I'm still trying to work out whether we need game prep or game follow-up posts. I lean towards game prep posts because then we can just be like one of the guys come gametime. What do you think?

• Really quick - So Big Ben made a big splash last week. He looked pretty rusty to me until about the 3rd quarter. And then, well, then the clouds began to clear and our team started to look whole again. I may or may not have ordered a 7 and 7 in celebration. I'm excited to see what he will do this week against Miami's 4th ranked AFC defense (we're 3rd).
• Of course we have to watch and see what Harrison does today, and how he's treated by the refs. I'm still fuming about last week's $75000 fine on a play that didn't even warrant a flag on the field. I highly doubt there is any truth to the rumors that he is retiring - he still has at least a year left on his contract and he'd leave big money on the table if he walked away. I think he will definitely unleash some aggression on Miami's Wildcat package - and their increasingly present running game as well.
• Miami Cornerback (CB) Jason Allen should be no match for our Mike Wallace.
• To win, the Dolphins defense will absolutely have to stop Mendenhall from running down the middle.
• Skippy I mean Jeff Reed has to be consistent today - hes been all over the place this season. He needs to step it up.
• Trai Essex and Brett Kiesel are both inactive today.

Hope you all enjoy the game!

My New Crush: ESPN's James Walker

I now have a huge crush on James Walker, who this week called the Steelers the NFL's "lone dominant team." LOVE. Here are some excerpts from his blog post:

"...the league's lone dominant franchise resides in Pittsburgh. The Steelers (3-1) have been winning quietly and playing at less than 100-percent capacity without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is returning this week from a four-game suspension. Still, they are 32 seconds away from being 4-0, which virtually throws out the aforementioned stat everyone wants to talk about. Don't let a late Joe Flacco touchdown pass fool you: Pittsburgh is elite. Now at full strength, Pittsburgh is ready to show its dominance Sunday against the Cleveland Browns (1-4)."

Here are Walker's top reasons why we are the best in the league:

1) Roethlisberger is back (DUH)

"Roethlisberger is a top-five quarterback and a two-time Super Bowl champion. It's like acquiring a $100 million free agent in Week 6 to boost an already strong team."

2) We've faced tough opponents and come out on top.

"The Steelers didn't pad their record against creampuffs. In fact, Pittsburgh's first four opponents have a combined record of 14-5, tops in the NFL entering Week 6."

3) Kids in the Mendenhall

"As one Pittsburgh star was suspended, another star for the Steelers emerged in Mendenhall. The third-year tailback recorded his first 1,000-yard season in 2009, but is on pace to shatter career highs in yards, attempts and touchdowns. Mendenhall is playing at a Pro Bowl level."

4) Our defense is "dynamic" (Again, DUH)

5) Remember 2005? 2008?

"Pittsburgh is the only team playing with that championship swagger"

Oh and did I mention that Walker is really cute?

Yep - really cute. Read the whole thing here:

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/18948/steelers-are-nfls-lone-dominant-team

#7 Returns - Food Edition

So I've gotten over my outrage regarding Big Ben's text-affair with Ray Lewis. I forgive him, begrudgingly, and I'm excited for him to return to the field this weekend and put all of this nonsense to rest. To celebrate the Prodigal Ben's return, I dedicate this blog post to recipes involving the number 7. You could always make Roethlisburgers, but I thought I'd try to be a little more creative.

7-Layer Dip

This was the first food that came to mind. Rachael Ray's Lucky 7-Dip has received great reviews online. Even though her personality makes me want to barf, her recipes are usually delicious. You can find it here.

7 Onion Soup with Parmesan-Garlic Bread

This soup is really flavorful and is appropriate for the chilly weather we're having. I've made many of Emeril's recipes, and you really can't go wrong with them tastewise. If you're cooking for the health conscious set, though, you might want to try substituting whole or 2% milk for the cream in the recipe. You can find it here.

7-Up Cake

I've never actually had 7-up cake, but a co-worker recommended it to me and I found a good recipe for it on Epicurious. I'm told that this cake tends to be on the sweeter side, so if you want to cut the sweetness you can swap some fresh lemon-lime zest for some of the 7-up.

I wouldn't recommend serving all three of these if you are trying to present a cohesive meal. But if you're like me and only care about serving delicious food and don't really care about courses complimenting one another, then knock yourself out. Of course, if the food turns out poorly, you can always wash it down with a 7 and 7 (Seagram's 7 Crown Blended Whiskey, 7-up and lemon).

First there was polka... now hip hop

I've been wondering for a while when a 2010-2011 edition of Here We Go will debut, but Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" certainly fills the void I'm feeling. Not only is Black and Yellow really catchy for a rap son (seriously, I've been dancing in my cube all morning), but the music video showcases the Burg unlike anything I've seen. Some highlights:

1) Terrible Towels Galore

2) LaMarr Woodley cameo

3) Burgh beauty shots

4) and Kiss FM's Dj Bonics

Check it out.

WTF Ben?!!!!

Just when I had totally forgotten about Big Ben's misgivings, when I was ready to shout his name from the mountaintops, he disappoints me again. Ray Lewis, the biggest thug on our biggest rival, told reporters this week that he and Ben Roethlisberger have been communicating via text message. VOMIT.

This, during the week where we face the Ravens at home, is unacceptable behavior. Lewis claims that Ben needed to take comfort in someone who had been through an ordeal similar to his. And because they both used the same lawyer, Ben felt Lewis was the obvious choice for trusted confidant.

I am so upset about this I've avoided writing this post for several days. Ron Cook at the Post-Gazette defended Ben this week, saying that he should heed Lewis' advice because people have largely forgotten about Lewis' murder accusations.

I see where Ron Cook is coming from, but I just can't agree. I would be totally fine with Ben confiding in any player on a team that isn't named Ravens this week. Any player that isn't named Ray Lewis. I realize that Ben needs advice and companionship. However I also realize that there are many, MANY other people that would be ecstatic to help Ben in his time of need.

I'm sure that yinzers with criminal records would line the streets of Pittsburgh to talk with Ben about his ordeal. He wouldn't even have to promise them free sammiches and Iron City, because they believe in him and they believe in Pittsburgh. I just wonder if he believes in them too.

Gameday Girlnotes: Steelers v. Buccaneers

1) A win today would be the first (3-0) start since Tomlin's rookie year in 2007, and just the third (3-0) start since 1992. (Really?)

2) Chaz Batch is our starting QB.

3) Look for the defense to dominate again this week. They have to, mainly because our offense has yet to score a touchdown. And, our defense has to win this game yet again because well defense wins games. And because Tampa QB Josh "Little Ben" Freeman stands 6'6," and is oft compared to our once-again-beloved Big Ben. Okay. That height and skill will just make sacks like this all the more Taz-tacular:





4) Casey Hampton and Max Starks are back - yay!




Oh wait... that means we'll be looking at these pouches all game. Still Yay?

Wait I seem to remember many, many sacks that went something like this...




Ok... still yay - bellies and all. In fact, maybe Ill make them some pancakes.

5) Pouncey v. Tampa DT Gerald McCoy: The two played against each other in the 2009 BCS Championship Game. An interesting matchup to watch.


6) Watch out - this could be a trap game. Coming in to this season, most thought that this game was the only guaranteed win of the first four. We just can't count on that now because a) we're down to our 4th string QB and b) Tampa is 2-0 as well. In fact, some Tampa football commentators are even billing this game as a Super Bowl Preview.


7) And finally, watch for our beloved Troy Polamalu to take out tight end Kellen Winslow, who the Cleveland Browns drafted instead of Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. Whoops. He lost favor in Cleveland because of a number of injuries and some bad publicity (sounds familiar). They traded him to Tampa in 2008 where he's set several records and become a real asset to the team.

My bet? Troy will take him out. Then he'll help him up, and we'll get a gameday glimpse of those adorable smiles you see below.

Remember This?

As much as I love love love Charlie Batch as a person, I'm nervous for him to start at QB today. Ok more like shakin' in my boots. Let's be serious here - he hasn't started at QB since 2007, and has been injury prone for his entire career. Oh and he had serious problems with his passing game last week.

Should Batch have to leave the game, it's likely that Tomlin will put Leftwich in to see how well his knee holds up. But why do that? We will absolutely need a healthy Leftwich next week against the Ravens. Though they look terrible so far, no Pittsburgh fan ever writes off a game against Baltimore - and I'd feel a lot better if a healthy Leftwich took the field.

Today is the day for Tomlin to take a chance on Randel El at QB. He's not pulling his weight at wide receiver anyway. From Ed Bouchette:

"He has yet to throw a pass in his second stint with the Steelers, but in his previous eight NFL seasons, Randle El completed 20 of 25 passes in the regular season for four touchdowns. His near-perfect passer rating of 153.1 is the highest in NFL history among players who have thrown at least a dozen.

Those numbers do not include his biggest completion of all, the one he threw to Hines Ward for 43 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter that helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XL. He is the only wide receiver to throw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10269/1090400-66.stm#ixzz10e4vTV9X

As I Was About to Write My Game Recap...

I saw this totally amazing post on That's Church. Must. Read.

What They’re Really Thinking: Turnover Edition

Gameday Girlnotes: Steelers v. Titans

Good Morning Steeler Fans! Here is my abridged Gameday Girlnotes for today. I've been feeling under the weather the past few days... my apologies.

1) Dixon and the Running Game: Last week we saw that Dixon has the capability to maneuver out of the pocket well - but it looks like Arians wants to keep him in the pocket as much as possible this week. Why? Dixon is essentially our 3rd string quarterback, and we really can't afford for him to get hurt. I'm curious to see if he actually does stay in the pocket today.

We might be doomed if Dixon throws picks. But honestly talking about a #10 wearing QB throwing picks gives me the heebeejeebees. Moving on.

2) Watch for more from Mendenhall and Ward. What a freaking game they had last week. Amazing. Nuff said.

3) Max Starks and Casey "I love pancakes" Hampton are out - with ankle sprain and hamstring injuries respectively. Jonathan Scott is in for Starks, Chris Hoke is in for Hampton.

4) The Titans are a tougher team than last week's Falcons, so get ready for your weekly heart attack session. Players to watch out for - QB Vince Young, WR Kenny Britt, LT Michael Roos and former Steelers WR Nate Washington (at least Jerry Dulac thinks so). I don't know so much about Washington - I'm hoping to see the same lacklustre performance from him today that we saw in his last season with the black and gold.
From the Post-Gazette:

"[Vince Young] has rushed for 311 yards in the past 11 games and an NFL-best 1,285 yards since 2006. Former Steelers WR Nate Washington had three catches for 88 yards, including a 56-yard TD, in the victory against the Raiders last week. He combines with former No. 1 pick Kenny Britt to give the Titans a pair of receivers who can get deep. The best matchup is Pro Bowl LT Michael Roos against OLB James Harrison."
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10262/1088736-66.stm#ixzz0zz9YfVxW

If we can keep Vince Young in the pocket we should be good to go.

What are you doing for the game today? You'll find me at the Tortoise and the Hare in Crystal City. HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!

My Dog Is Cute...

... and is ready for some Pittsburgh Steelers football!

Steelers Doing Good Things: 2nd Annual Gridiron Gaming Event

My former neighbor, Max Starks, and his wife are hosting the 2nd Annual Gridiron Gaming event next Monday, September 20. The fundraiser benefits people with physical disabilities and will be held at the East Club lounge at Heinz Field. Max Starks, Charlie Batch, Trai Essex, James Farrior, Larry Foote, Keyaron Fox, Justin Hartwig, Chris Kemoeatu, Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore and Maurkice Pouncey are all scheduled to attend.

Tickets range from $75-$250, and Black & Gold casual attire is suggested. For ticketing and event information, please go to the event's Facebook page.

Max Starks at last year's Gridiron Gaming event

(image from event Facebook page)

Gameday Girlnotes: Steelers v. Falcons

About this post: read this and your guy will be impressed with your football knowledge. Good things all around.

1) How well will we do without Roethlisberger? Media and bloggers alike have tossed this question around since Commission Goodell suspended him back in April. Tomorrow, we'll finally have an answer to this question. Certainly all eyes will be on Dennis Dixon, who is in the starting line-up for only second time tomorrow against the Atlanta Falcons. Of course, Charlie Batch could always step in if things go awry, but that would pretty much kill Dixon's confidence for the rest of Roethlisberger's suspension. So let's hope that doesn't happen. Let's also hope that Arians makes decent play calls tomorrow.

2) Success in this game is going to depend on stopping Falcons RB Michael Turner, who Polamalu likened to Jerome Bettis earlier this week:

"Jerome ran with great balance and quickness, and he used his upper body to protect his legs. People would just bounce off him. Turner has huge legs, and he bounces off people. I would say that's the best comparison."

3) Maurkice Pouncey is one to watch. From the Post-Gazette:

"Pouncey will join Marvel Smith as the only other rookie offensive lineman to start in an opener in more than 40 years when the Steelers play host Sunday to the Atlanta Falcons.

For someone who turned 21 July 24, Pouncey has shown the rare ability to act like a veteran."

4) The Steelers are looking for their eight straight win in kickoff weekend, which is the longest streak in the NFL. Also, the Steelers are 6-0-1 against the Falcons at Heinz Field.

5) As always, we'll be watching to see how Polamalu's injury-ridden left knee holds up, and whether or not he and his will be able to withstand a full season of football. Also, his hair is ensured for $1 million by Head and Shoulders. That is all.

6) Heinz Ward needs 53 yards to become the first player in club history to reach 11,000 career receiving yards. Bets are that if gets 53 + yards, his smile will be extra cute!

For more interesting stats, go check out the Steelers.com gameday coverage.

Why Didn't I Think of This? The Terrible Towel Wedding

Congratulations to Jimmy and Eryn, who were married last month in California.

The Dahntahn Song

So I've been feeling pretty homesick for Pittsburgh over the past couple of days. This video makes it a little better, though I wish I actually could go dahntahn. I'm sure my homesick feeling has nothing to do with the season opener on Sunday. Nothing at all. Watching the game at the Tortoise and the Hare in NoVa is just as good as being at Heinz Field. Ok maybe it's just as good as watching at The William Penn Tavern in Shadyside. Well without the tatertots. And the authentic yinzer accents. And the 30 cent wings.

Ok who am I kidding. I wish I was in Steeler Country this weekend!!!!!! Sigh...

Even this would be better than Steely McBeam

Behold the RoethlispoodleSilas AKA Roethlispoodle has been rockin' this look since 2005. I bring him up today because a) he's awesome b) he's featured in a Steelers culture exhibit at CMU and c) it reminds me of a simpler, happier time when people were genuinely excited about Big Ben. But I digress.

Roethlispoodle can't sign autographs, but he'd be a better mascot than Steely. Even though I'm not a fan, I love the story about how he got his name. Yinzeriffic!

Gameday Girlnotes: Steelers v. Giants

1) The Quarterback Shuffle (Down, down, do your dance, do your dance...)

We'll see Roethlisberger on the field tonight (both he and Tomlin confirmed it this week). All signs point to Leftwich starting again this week, but it could serve the team well to try Dennis Dixon out in the starting position. He did well in the against the Lions last week, but that's not a good indicator of how he'll look with the starting lineup. John Harris weighs in:

"...we'll never know if Dixon appeared sharp against Detroit because he was facing reserves or if he's playing better football because he has more confidence and a greater understanding of the offense. Unless, of course, Dixon receives a long overdue opportunity to take snaps with the starters."
Read More:http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_695163.html

In other quarterback news, it looks like Roethlisberger will start in the final preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on September 2. From the Post-Gazette:

"One decision, though, that apparently is not last-minute: The Steelers quietly plan to start Roethlisberger in the final preseason game at home against the Carolina Panthers Sept. 2 as a subtle reminder, before he serves his suspension, that Roethlisberger is the No. 1 quarterback." Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10232/1081299-66.stm#ixzz0xFfXknxM


2) We will see the starters tonight - Tomlin confirmed it at a St. Vincent College press conference this week. Expect to see the starting lineup for at least 24 snaps this evening.

3) It's Flozell "The Hotel" Adams v. Jonathan Scott for injured Willie Colon's spot.

"... it was something of a surprise when Tomlin said Flozell Adams would start at right tackle, but that he planned to rotate him with Jonathan Scott with the first-team offense -- an indication the Steelers may not have settled on Adams as the replacement for injured Willie Colon.

Perhaps, but they want to see him with the other starters on the offensive line, and that includes Pouncey, who is destined to be the starting center when the regular season begins Sept. 12 against the Atlanta Falcons."
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10232/1081299-66.stm#ixzz0xFjIu2pU

4) Outside linebacker Jason Worlids, our No. 2 draft pick, debuts tonight.

5) Center Justin Hartwig and rookie Maurice Pouncey will rotate tonight on the offensive line, just as they did last week.

6) The Giants will sit starting quarterback Eli Manning tonight. In case you missed the outrageous hit that resulted in 12 stitches last week, check it out here:

True to form, Tomlin doesn't care.

"I don't care who they play," Tomlin said. "Very rarely am I concerned about the opponent. Who they play is irrelevant."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10232/1081298-66.stm#ixzz0xFoKe2Jy

7) And finally, Heinz Ward has more to smile about. The new Giants/Jets stadium will be the 36th different NFL stadium he has played in since becoming a Steeler - making him a part of an elite group of players to reach such a high number There are 31 official NFL stadiums right now. Add to that the four unofficial stadiums (London, Toronto, Honolulu and Canton) to make 35. Congrats Heinz!

http://sneakpeeks.typepad.com/files/hines-ward-01.jpg

Steelers' Quote of the Day

"This is the first place where you feel like family. This is where I want to spend the rest of my career. That's what I mean by football paradise. This is football paradise. There is no B.S. here like other places. People tell you the truth here. They don't lie to you. I don't ever want to leave."

- Byron Leftwich to Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/08/20/when-talking-about-the-jaguars-byron-leftwich-sounds-like-rex-ryan/

Image: http://www.steelersgab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/leftwich.jpg

When Did This Happen?

http://news.steelers.com/catalog/product/117534/

As the subtitle of this blog says, pink is my signature color. This jersey, however, goes too far - even for me. I could barely tolerate its light-pink jersey ancestors, as they seemed to curse whatever team debuted them (my apologies to Jessica Simpson).

I don't know anyone who purchased a pink jersey in the past. If you're reading this and you have - do you regret the purchase? And would you consider getting this new pink jersey for the upcoming season?

Blog Roundup: Tuesday, August 4th

1) It looks like we might actually see a lot of Troy Polamalu on the field this year. A female fan favorite both on and off the field, his return to the defense makes me giddy. Even though he was never placed on the injured reserve last year, there was little chance of him playing in the offseason, had we made it there. Gerry Dulac writes:

"It took a little longer than I anticipated," Polamalu said of the healing process. "I'm fine now. It just took longer in the offseason. There's no way I could have played in the Super Bowl or anything like that. Maybe I was just fooling myself to work toward something like that."

Polamalu never had surgery to repair the damage to the medial collateral ligament and posterior cruciate ligament because doctors told him the timetable and prognosis for recovery are too unpredictable. So he chose to let it heal on its own, and he's glad it did, even if the recovery lasted longer than anticipated. The important thing is, he at training camp, ready to practice and play, even if there remains some lingering concern how his knee will respond if, and when, someone falls on it.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10216/1077456-66.stm#ixzz0vdhvnnpX

It looks like some off-season rest and cross-training has paid off for Troy. My fingers are still crossed, and I can't wait to see him in the regular season.

2) Bruce Arians did a 15-minute interview with reporters yesterday, where he addressed the running game, the quarterback love-triangle, and the young, fresh offensive line. Here are a few highlights -

On the running game, and why we were on the edge of our couches way too often last year:

“We always want to run the ball. We ran the ball well last year from the 20 to 20. It was the short-yardage, goal line, end-of-the-game that didn’t measure up to our standards. We gave the ball back to the other team a couple of times and lost games because we couldn’t run out the clock."

On the quarterback love-triangle:

"You look at your offense in a way of what each one can do best and if he’s your guy, this is how we’ll tailor it to him. You have to be flexible enough in the offense to be able to do that so that. At this time of year you’re not going to get two guys all the throws, their arms will fall off. Everyone gets reps, so it’s really not any different. When the preseason games get here we’ll start deciding on reps and different things. Right now it’s still in the baby stages.”

On the offensive line:

“I’m really pleased...I don’t mind putting any of them out there with Ben. This is the best young line we’ve had in camp as far as going into a preseason and not being afraid to throw the football because someone might get hurt.”

More here: http://blog.triblive.com/view-from-the-press-box/2010/08/03/bruce-arians-speaks/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+triblive%2Fblog%2FViewFromThePressBox+%28View+from+the+Press+Box+Blog%29

3) Casey Hampton is not in any hurry to get on the field at training camp. Still recovering from hamstring surgery, he hasn't put in a full practice since Saturday.

"It's well-documented I really don't enjoy training camp," Hampton said. "I'm in good shape. I'm going to be ready to go when it's time to go. I'm not trying to make the team right now. It's all about getting healthy and trying to stay healthy."

For more about Casey Hampton and Tuesday's training camp session, check out John Harris' coverage: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_693308.html

4) Almost everyone who writes about the Steelers seems to be going out of their way to highlight the goodness of our players who have largely stayed out of the limelight this offseason. (Big Ben are you listening? This is what the fans want to hear about - not your late night shenanigans) Today, Ron Cook writes about James Farrior's "terrific team leadership" -

"'I try to tell those guys it's all about using their time better and making better decisions,' linebacker James Farrior said at training camp this week. 'Most of it is just common sense. You're a grown man. You know what to do and what not to do. You know what's going to get you in trouble. Stay away from it.'

That's just like Farrior to try to turn Roethlisberger's and Holmes' mistakes into something positive for the Steelers. He's a terrific team leader, in the mold of Jerome Bettis before him. The football team might be coach Mike Tomlin's, but the locker room is Farrior's. When he speaks, the younger players listen. If they don't, they are fools."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10215/1077197-66.stm#ixzz0vdcDFomH

5) Get your towels ready!

Mondesi's House passed along an email from Stephan Michaels at Nickelson Research in LA regarding an upcoming project for ESPN that will highlight our beloved Steeler Nation. The research firm is looking for photo and video footage of fans waving their terrible towels across the globe.

Most diehard fans already have photos of themselves and their towels in a variety of places. If you'd like to submit yours to the project, email Stephan@nickersonresearch.com

Welcome to the Blog!

The Steeler Nation has the largest female following of all NFL teams, yet Steelers blogs for the ladies are few and far between. Steeler Magnolias is a space where the ladies of Steel can come together and all things football - both on and off the field. This blog will provide you with everything you need to know about the game - from player stats to pierogie recipes, Tomlin's tips to tailgate treats.

The blog is called Steeler Magnolias, because like all good Pittsburghers, I love everything 80s - and Steel Magnolias is one of the classic chic-flicks of the decade. Like the ladies in the film, Steeler fans are tough and resilient yet irresistibly feminine. And, aside from the obvious play on words, I decided on the name Steeler Magnolias because I reside a bit south of Pittsburgh in Northern Virginia. But don't worry, I'm a Pittsburgher at heart and would never, ever consider changing my allegiance. And if the Steelers aren't on national television, you'll find me glued to the TV at either at The Tortoise and the Hare or Carpool.

I hope you'll visit Steeler Magnolias often. Here you will find everything you need for gameday - enough stats and facts to keep up with the boys, along with gameday recipes and and everything black, gold and girly. It's going to be a great season!

Bright Spots in a Dark Off-Season

It's been a tough off-season for ladies of the Steeler Nation. We were all faced with the untenable decision to stand behind Big Ben and supress our internal instincts, or decry him and the two superbowl rings he brought to the 'burgh. All of us were anxious for the headlines to head elsewhere. Aside from some speculation regarding the length of Roethlisberger's suspension, the spotlight has indeed started to stray. Thank goodness.


Perhaps it's an attempt to take a collective sigh of relief, to remind ourselves that our team is filled with only heroes, good guys. Whatever the reason, it's wonderful to see the many recent articles highlighting the positive attritubes of our beloved players. Over the coming weeks I'll be working to bring you more stories like this one.

One of my favorite feel-good stories from the off-season is Sean Conboy's Pittsburgh Magazine profile of linebacker LaMarr Woodley. The article opens up where our hopes for the offseason died - the aftermath of the late-November loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Conboy tells us that while most of his teammates went home to lick their wounds, Woodley drove straight to his hometown in Michigan to give those less fortunate than he something to smile about on that Thanksgiving day:

"People were already lining up on the windswept front lawn of the Civitan Rec Center—the free gym where Woodley spent most of his childhood. Their faces lit up when they saw their hero, who was carrying bags of household items for the approaching Thanksgiving holiday. For three hours, Woodley and other volunteers gave out napkins, plates, forks, dish detergent and other essential items to more than 500 families."

The rest of this beautifully writtens story tells us about his community service in the 'Burgh, where he is considered just one of the guys at the local Boys and Girls Club. It's definitely worth the read.


http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/July-2010/Wood-Be-Gentleman/