May 21, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu (43) participates in organized team activities at the UPMC Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The OTA’s have started!  Here is the latest news from around the internet about the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL.

The NFL announced the locations for Superbowl L and LI.  According to the Associated Press, the NFL owners voted to hold Superbowl L in the 49er’s new stadium in Santa Clara, near San Francisco.  Levi Stadium is still in the early stages of being built, but I guess if you build it, they will come.  The owners voted to hold Superbowl LI at Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX.  I wonder if Jerry Jones cast a vote for or against that choice?

Ed Bouchette, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, discusses Troy Polamalu’s appearance at this first OTA and how Polamalu has tried to deal with his repeated injuries from a physical therapy standpoint so he can break through the scar tissue.  He’s hoping this has point him back to a capability closer to his pre-injury days, but he clearly understands that he must change how he approaches his training.  I think he was avoiding that before.  Mark Karboly provides a perspective on Polamalu’s status.   He noted that Polamalu snagged an interception from Roethlisberger on the first day.  Polamalu also answered reporters’ questions after the practice.

Mark Karboly and Alan Robinson, of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, put together notes from the first day of OTAs and noted that Tomlin’s theme this year is:  Less Talk, More Work.  AMEN!  Hallelujah! It’s time to shut up, put your heads down, and work to become a Championship team.

The Trib also has some quotes from Roethlisberger noting that he likes the revamped offense.  As of the time of posting this article, that link was not working.  Here is the footage from his on-the-field interview.  I’ll try to get the updated link in when the site gets it fixed.  Here’s what I think based off of the title and summary on the front of the sports page:  I don’t really care whether Roethlisberger likes or dislikes the offense.  I care that he finds a way to work with his coaches to maximize his strengths and talents.  I know he gets questions he must answer and I hope he says enough to shut up the reporters.  I want to see results on the field.  I’ll go back to Tomlin’s theme:  Less Talk, More Work.

Ike Taylor was asked what Tomlin said to his players and he paraphrased the Less Talk, More Work theme.  Taylor said there is an air of anticipation and the returning players have a sour taste left over from last year.

Tomlin held a brief session with reporters following the OTAs and was asked questions on the status of players like Jarvis Jones and Sean Spence.  Not surprisingly, Tomlin’s conference was positive but didn’t reveal anything.

The speculation over whether the Steelers will bring Max Starks back is over.  Starks signed a one-year deal with the San Diego Chargers.  At least we didn’t have another Steelers player sign within the AFC North, I was getting kind of tired of having to think about facing former Steelers twice a year.  Either way, I wish Starks the best of luck.

On a non-football note, Plaxico Burress is looking at life after football and for once, it seems positive.  He’s launching a men’s hosiery line.  Good for him.  I hope it works because I doubt he will spend the whole season with the Steelers based on the off-season signings.

That’s it for today Steeler nation!  Let us know what you think and if I missed anything.

Dec 16, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery (L) and head coach Mike Tomlin (R) watch a play during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys won 27-24 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

First and foremost, I have to send my thoughts and good wishes out to those affected by tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma.  The terrible devastation is heartbreaking to see.

It’s time for Organized Training Activities (OTAs)!  I know we really aren’t going to be able to draw any conclusions that we can say will transfer to the regular season, but the team is back on the field!  Here’s the latest news from around the internet.

The Steelers signed Vince Williams, their sixth-round draft pick, who played linebacker at Florida State University, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  So much for not signing any other draft picks until early June.  I guess it doesn’t matter, but why bother to put a date out and then have no intention of sticking to it?  Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review also posted a short article about Williams.

Ed Bouchette also wrote about the Steelers starting their first OTA and sees the 8-8 record of the 2012 season as a rallying point for the Steelers.  Well, I hope so.  He quotes Larry Foote’s comments from his Q&A in Michigan as proof (both Kim Myers and I discussed Foote’s comments too).  Bouchette also quotes Art Rooney II about how the Steelers will be evaluating the players’ level of conditioning when they show up to camps.  Rooney is concerned about the high number of Steeler injuries during 2012:

In terms of things that are within our control, we have to look at those things and make sure we are doing the best we can,” Rooney said in January. “I think the other thing we have to do is to make sure our players are aware that under the rules we are all operating under now, it’s more on them to make sure they are performing and doing their offseason conditioning.

We only have access to them for nine weeks, which is not that many weeks in the overall scheme of things. I think it is incumbent on the individual players to be more aware of that. I think they are.”

This is the continuation of teams getting used to the requirements/rules of the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement.   The players wanted more control over their personal conditioning and less grueling practices.  It is a given that not everyone is going to put the same effort into the conditioning and the result is more strain-related injuries.  Some injuries have little to do with conditioning, such as broken bones, but I would be curious to see if there are any stats about ACL/MCL or hamstring injuries in relation to the CBA signing.

Alan Robinson looks at the pressure on Mike Tomlin as the OTA’s start.  He came up with a different list of concerns than Ed Bouchette listed in his article from two days ago.

Among them: LaMarr Woodley’s weight. Troy Polamalu’s overall health. Ben Roethlisberger’s receivers. Dick LeBeau’s always-aging defense. The relatively young offensive line. The who’s-on-first situation at running back. The who’s-going-to-replace James Harrison scenario at outside linebacker.”

Robinson also notes that Tomlin has three new assistant coaches.  That’s a good point.  Last year, there was a lot of concern about Todd Haley and how much he would change the offensive and would Ben Roethlisberger be able to deal with the changes.  This year, no one seems as concerned, but this many new assistant coaches could have an initial impact on unit training because of the time it takes to get everyone onto the same page.  I hope it happens quickly in the OTAs.  This is squarely on Tomlin to get his coaches lined up and all facing the same direction.

Ralph Paulk, of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, wrote a profile on Justin Brown, a wide receiver from Oklahoma University, who the Steelers drafted in the 6th round.  It’s notable that Brown was one of the players who left Penn State University in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.  However, I don’t think Brown should have to repeatedly explain himself.  He made the decision to transfer to another university based on his personal feelings.  Others made the decision to stay.  I don’t see how that affects how he plays football.  That environment was not going to work for everyone and I don’t think any less of Brown for moving to another university.  I certainly hope that questions will not continue to surface.  I know that if he produces on the field the questions will die off, but I can hope people will just respect his decision and let it go.  Brown will need to put some work in though:

Richard Mann, the Steelers’ first-year receivers coach, wants Brown to polish his fundamentals before training camp opens in late July.  He has few concerns about his willingness to compete and excel.

He is very productive, and that tells you something about the guy,” Mann said. “I think he has good toughness, and that’s part of being a good receiver. He’ll lock up downfield, and I think that is a part of it also.”

I will finish up today’s post with an article from Alan Robinson focusing on Charlie Batch’s preparations toward a post-Steelers career.  He notes that Batch attended a three-day, hands-on session to teach writing skills to current and former NFL players.  Batch has not officially retired and remains un-signed for 2013.  However he seems to be approaching things with his characteristic hard work and awesome attitude:

I’m not closing the door,” the former Steel Valley High star said. “I’m open to whatever is out there for me.”  In a year or so, he wouldn’t mind working in some football broadcasting role or, perhaps someday, in an NFL front office.  ”I’d definitely be open to (Steelers GM) Kevin Colbert teaching me his job,” Batch said.

I’d like to see Batch be with the Steelers in some capacity in the future.  I’m a softie for a family-oriented, loyal organization and the Steelers hit that mark fairly often.

Well, Steeler Nation – are you ready for OTA’s to start?  I am.  Let us know what you will be looking for from these sessions and if you think we missed anything!

November 18, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) carries the ball as Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Larry Foote (50) defends during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Baltimore Ravens won 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Happy Sunday Steeler Nation.  I hope you have something fantastic planned after you catch up on all the Steelers news.

Organized Training Activities start this week – Hooray!  Ed Bouchette, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, takes a look at what he thinks will be the Steelers’ goals for these training activities.  He makes some great points about new coaches, life without Mike Wallace, mixing new and old defensive players, and how the approach for using Troy Polamalu may need some serious contemplation.  He finishes the article by discussing the Steelers issues with Heinz Field and expansion problems.  I recommend taking a look.

GoBlueWolverine, an online magazine, did a Q&A with Larry Foote when he was in the Detroit area to do some charity work.  Most of the article is focused on Michigan college football, but they did ask how Foote felt about the Steelers’ 2012 season.  Here’s the Q&A:

Josh Newkirk: Lastly, what are your expectations for the Steelers? You guys didn’t make the playoffs last year. So what are you guys doing this off-season to get back to where you guys are normally—and that’s in playoffs?

Larry Foote: “We’re pissed off we didn’t make the playoffs. On top of that, our rival won the Super Bowl. I know guys are taking it personally. It’s just a whole different mindset to the off-season. I know guys are ready to get back where we need to be.”

Good.  I want them to be pissed off and motivated.  I want the 2013 season to be personal.  I want the players to come together as a team and work toward a goal that is bigger than their paychecks and fancy cars and homes.  Good Larry, stay pissed off until you are holding the Lombardi trophy (No 7) in your hands!

I expect the news will pick up a bit once the OTAs get started on Tuesday.  In the meantime, here’s a look at some of the discussions about the Steelers around the internet:

Steelers Depot makes a good point about RB Baron Batch’s status.  He’s going into his third year in the league, notably losing his first year when he was sidelined by torn ACL during a post season game in 2011.   Dave Bryan, who wrote this article, thinks that the blocking schemes of Jack Bickell, Jr. may complement Batch’s strengths.  I agree with Bryan that time is short for Batch.  He’s got to find a way to impress and stand out.  I don’t know if you can put everything on Batch for his performance last year.  The running game really never got off the ground.  There were some positive things that I thought the Steelers never really found a way to keep going.  Batch’s performance wasn’t one of the highlights mostly because he wasn’t on the field much.  However, with the signing of RB Stephens-Howling – will Batch make it past the August training camps?

Steel Blitz has started doing a week by week analysis of upcoming games.  They are up to Week 2, which is the first game of the two against the Cincinnati Bengals.  Steel Blitz makes the point that Harrison’s signing only adds to the rivalry between the two teams. I agree.  This game will attract a lot of attention simply because James Harrison will potentially be lining up against Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers.  There’s going to be a lot of talk about revenge, etc.  I’m sure Harrison will be playing with a chip on his shoulder and I will hold my breath if he gets anywhere near Roethlisberger.

Sound off Steeler Nation!  Let us know what you think and if we missed anything.

Dec 16, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) celebrates a touchdown with guard Ramon Foster (73) and tackle Max Starks (78) in the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

With the exception of signing Shamarko Thomas – see the nice pick, Cowher Lead Writer Craig Gottschalk’s comments – it is quiet in the Steeler world.  I’m sure everyone is preparing for the first OTA next week.

There are some interesting blogs around the internet that are looking at some Steelers topics.  Here are a few:

Steelers Addicts did a two-part blog series ranking the top five draft rounds where the Steelers had multiple picks in a round.  The beginning of the first part notes that they aren’t ranking 2013′s multiple-pick round.  The second part does the last three of their rankings.  Their main conclusion is that it is easier to find multiple-pick rounds where the Steelers made bad picks. Of course, hindsight always gives you a clearer picture.  I think that the Steelers have a history of wanting to take the player they think they can “mold” and won’t run the risk of being an expensive pick.  I also think that it would be interesting to put the picks in the context of coach and GM because their philosophy has a lot to do with the picks.  Anyway, you can check out the article and see if you agree.

The NFL Network annually ranks the Top 100 players for the upcoming season and Steelers Depot discusses that Ben Roethlisberger is 61st on the list compared to 30th last year.  They note that the rankings really don’t amount to anything, but it is significant because it comes from the players.  They quote Bruce Arians extensively who feels the players got it wrong.  I think that Roethlisberger has never gotten credit for his style of play – for several reasons.  One, it was unconventional when he was doing it.  He was extending plays and had defenders hanging off of him and he kept getting criticism for it.  Second, he hasn’t always fallen in line with maintaining the status quo with his comments.  Third, he concentrated on partying and being “the man about town” and didn’t always concentrate on being “the man on the field.”   But, that’s another article for another time.  Either way, I agree, I think he is ranked too low, but what else can you expect after an 8-8 season where he appeared to be fighting with the offensive coordinator all year?

Former Steeler back up QB Brian Hoyer is back in the AFC North.  According to Steelers Depot, he signed a two-year deal with the Cleveland Browns.  The quarterback shuffle has been interesting this off season with many teams looking at their back up quarterback positions as well as wanting to pick from a wider pool of people to see how they do in their system.  Several teams, (I need to double check how many) are going into camp with 5 QBs.  The Jets and Raiders come to mind and it seems to be some sort of desperate attempt to find a secret ingredient that will magically turn their franchise around.  I wish Hoyer luck, that franchise has trouble off the field and I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t drag them down further.

Steel Dad says that Ryan Clark needs to look at how Ike Taylor is handling himself with the media and learn from him.  He notes that Ike Taylor’s media appearances, even with his radio play calling with the Pittsburgh Power, don’t seem aimed at setting himself up for his next career.

…the difference between Clark and Taylor is that one is a self-promotional tour while the other is a guy who just enjoys what he is doing.”

He also notes that Ike Taylor takes more accountability than Clark.  OK, I’m not sure I agree that Taylor is just doing what he loves and isn’t setting himself up for a career post-Steelers, but I do agree that Taylor is doing a much better job of being himself and not posturing or calling out other players in the league.  Clark may be true to his personality, but his mouth is writing checks the team may have to cash in the 2013 season.

That’s it for today.  As always, we appreciate your thoughts and comments.  Let us know if we missed anything you think we should have included!

October 7, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton (98) reacts to the crowd as he takes the field against the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers won 16-14. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning Steeler Nation – I am waiting for Friday to get here, how about you?  There is very little specific Steelers news, but here are a few interesting things from the world of football and all the goodness it brings.

During one of his online chats, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was asked if he thought the Steelers would resign Casey Hampton.  He said that while Hampton probably wants to keep playing, the Steelers don’t seem to want him.  Also during the chat, he agreed with one participant that there is a lack of depth for the O-Line and noted that Legursky is still available and is a possible option for the Steelers.  Last year I remember thinking that they should give up one of the RBs and add another offensive lineman at the start of the season, but concluded that they really thought they were going to need the extra RB.  It might be easier to keep linemen on the practice squad and bring them up.

Jamison Hensley, the ESPN blogger who covers the AFC North, looks at the at the secondaries among the five teams and ranks Pittsburgh at the top.  He acknowledges the average age of the starters is old but thinks they have one more good year particularly with the tandem safeties of Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu.  I hope he is right because I think the Steelers are counting on it in their planning.  I’m not sure that is smart given Polamalue’s injury history, but he’s got a tremendous reputation.

Mike Wallace continues to make the headlines.  He was asked what he thought of Ryan Tannehill and he said Tannehill can be as good as Big Ben:

It’s funny, they both played receiver at the beginning of college,” Wallace told reporters, according to The Miami Herald. “They both know what we [receivers] like to do out there, so the chemistry is there already. Both have strong arms. Ryan has a cannon, can really fling it.”

Ok, I don’t know what else he is supposed to say.  Wallace has to be a team player for Miami and he has to express confidence in his QB.  I think Tannehill has potential to be a decent QB in the league, but I don’t think comparisons really do him any good.  Put your head down and get in there and work with the guy.  Scale back the positive rhetoric.  The Miami fans probably need cause for hope, but let’s not make them expect too much.  I’d say it would be better if they were pleasantly surprised.

In PA-related sports news, Penn State QB Matt McGloin was signed by the Oakland Raiders according to Scott Brown of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.  All I can say is, well, at least it isn’t the Jets.  I hope for McGloin’s sake that Dennis Allen succeeds in changing the culture in that franchise and McGloin gets a chance to prove he can play in the NFL.  However, transitioning to the NFL is an uphill battle and it won’t be a cakewalk in Oakland:

The Raiders have five quarterbacks on their roster, including former Ohio State and Jeannette standout Terrelle Pryor. McGloin is one of three rookie quarterbacks on the roster.”

That’s it for today.  Be sure to let us know what you think!