Training Camp Special

Pittsburgh Steelers 

 

Steeler training camp opened Friday in grand style, with Mini Coopers. Well whoopee doo. I guess I should let you all know I do not consider myself a Steeler fan, I will watch every game this season as I always do. I hope they win, the city is a happier place when they do, but I have no emotional investment in their games. In years past if the team lost I was a little depressed and when they won I was happy. This season I care as much about their record as I do the Pirates. This is the first season I will care more about my fantasy football teams success than the Steelers. With all the problems with this team heading into training camp anything better than 8-8 is a miracle. The defense is old, Ben is missing at least 4 games, the O-line is bad, Polamalu is always hurt, it seems the division is improved from last season too. So how can this team possibly improve on a disappointing 2009 season? My answer would be the same as Obama’s “Change”. What was different about last year than any season they won the Super Bowl? Two things: They threw the ball more and had a slow defense that didn’t have any pride. The previous 6 champs smashed the football down your throat and smashed the quarterback. If this team is going to have any success Rashard Mendenhall is going to need to breakthrough and have a Pro-Bowl season. Even that might not save this team, because all your cornerstone defenders are old or injury prone. Even if the defense steps up the offensive line is just not good enough for Byron Leftwich to get 2 or 3 wins while Ben’s out. So I guess it is safe to say I’m not optimistic about this season.

Darelle Revis

Aliquippa native and Pitt star Darelle Revis is holding out of Jets camp. Revis is the best cornerback in the NFL right now and deserves to have a contract that reflects that. I always used to think if I was a superstar player I would take less money so I could play on a great team, in reality I would take every dollar available. If your boss offers you a raise, you don’t say no that’s all right save the money to hire another guy. In the NFL the average career is less than 5 years and any player’s career can end on a single play, so get everything you can. I hope he doesn’t get a new deal and becomes a free agent next year. Maybe by some miracle he becomes a Steeler. Hey we can dream can’t we? Mark Madden has the same high hopes.

Brett Favre has retired?

 

I know, I know there is still plenty of time before the season kicks off. He could still come back. However you feel about Brett Favre there is no denying he was one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play. Even though a lot of people dislike him I cannot figure out why. There is no reason to hate a player just because he wants to play, especially when he is still a top-notch player. Favre was one of the 3 best quarterbacks in the league last season, and one of the most fun to watch. That is one thing we will all miss about Brett when he finally does hang ‘em up, his enthusiasm for the game. He was always fun to watch and no matter what his team’s were always better with him than without him. There is no arguing his hall of fame status, he will be ushered in as soon as he is ready, the only question is which spot he gets on the Mt. Rushmore of quarterbacks.

I hope Brett Favre plays for the next five seasons, he is one of the few “good guys” left in the game.