David DeCastro meets the Steelers' media for the first time. Credit: Vincent Pugliese-US PRESSWIRE

You’ve heard our ramblings on about the draft all weekend long.  You’ve seen the grades that I’ve dolled out.  Now it’s your turn.  Each poll is devoted to each player – the grading is scaled based on the overall grade of the player from draft day.  So, for example, since DeCastro was such a much needed and good pick to begin with, a C, D or F is not really an option.

Have at it.  Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section after you’ve voted.

Step away from the Blackberry, Adam!

With Casey Hampton more than likely on the PUP at the start of the 2012 season and the release of Aaron Smith, at first glance the Steelers defensive line looks in dire need of some help.  Enter ESPN’s Adam Schefter with this:

This draft is so deep at defensive tackle that it’s easy to see the Steelers looking in that direction on draft day. The one thing about Pittsburgh’s defense is that it’s aging, quickly — the Steelers need an infusion of youth and talent. Then again, they also could use some reinforcements to help protect Ben Roethlisberger. But the needs along the defensive line would seem to be the most pressing and if there’s a bona fide prospect available, Pittsburgh could pounce on him.

Unless you’ve been under a rock lately or just staring longingly out the window for the leaves to appear on the trees, any Steelers fan knows that the team has slashed their way under the cap.  I think Schefter misses the fact that by getting rid of many higher payed players thus far during the off season, they’ve also dumped a bunch of 30 somethings along the way.  Hines Ward, Aaron Smith, James Farrior, Bryant McFadden, Chris Hoke – all over the age of 30 and gone.  The average age of the Steelers starting lineup right now is around 26 years old – that includes factoring in Charlie Batch’s age of 62.  And can someone explain to me how you can age ‘quickly?’  I’m pretty sure the team is aging just as fast as any other team in the league.  He is correct that the Steelers need to continue their tradition of infusing youth with talent that already exists on the team – it’s won a few Super Bowls so far.

I don’t doubt the Steelers will be looking to score a DT on draft day.  But let’s not get carried away and use words like ‘pounce.’  If the defensive tackle list is as deep as Schefter says it is (and more or less it is), then the Steelers can take their time to fill a need when they want to.  That’s the beauty of the Steelers’ draft ‘system.’  They draft by value congruently with need.  The Steelers don’t pounce.  Cougars pounce (the kind at the zoo or at the bar, take your pick).  Colbert is calculated and patient.

Secondly, if there ever is a more urgent need to fill for the Steelers it’s the offensive line.  The Steelers won’t ignore that they need to protect their $100 million investment.  The passing game and running game are dependent upon at least two picks this draft.  And, even with a need like that the Steelers will still look to a higher value by the time pick #24 comes rolling around.  Cordy Glenn will more than likely be off the board.  The guard class is deep too.  So, the Steelers won’t rush that pick either.  The highest value congruent with need right now lies within Dont’a Hightower.  Farrior is gone and they will need a 3-4 ILB ‘quickly’… oh shoot there I go using that word.  But this time the word is being used in the right context.

The defensive line is not the most pressing need.  It’s a LeBeau offense, and it will take time for any rookie to get acquainted.  That’s why Dont’a is such a good fit – he already has played in a Nick Saban true to the ‘T’ 3-4 defense.  A huge step in the right direction for getting someone in the lineup and starting quic…soon.  Steelers fans know better, and know that ‘The Hood’ will step up should Hampton be placed on the PUP.  Guys like Sylvester will step up in the LB spot should Hightower need more time.  Don’t be surprised if a DL/DT pick comes after round four.  And don’t be surprised if that player is a gem – Colbert has a way with knowing what the hell he is doing.

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On any given week, I receive a number of messages from people looking to promote something. Most I simply ignore because there’s no benefit for either my readers or this site. Some help keep NPC alive by becoming advertisers. Others, like Crocs or M&Ms, agree to sponsor a contest in exchange for a little publicity. You’d be surprised at the variety of companies I’ve talked with over the past 3 years.

However, Playboy is one word I never expected to see in a subject heading.

I was contacted in regards to Playboy’s 38th annual NFL Preview, which is in their October issue currently on sell online at www.playboydigital.com or at your local newsstand. They asked me to take a look at the story and share some thoughts with my readers. I was a little dubious but impressed by the fact they’ve covered the NFL for thirty-eight years. To think, when they started writing about football, it was back in the dark ages before the Brazilian bikini wax had been invented.

Besides, it’s the first time I could truthfully say I read it for the articles.

Thumbing through the story, I was pleasantly surprised by the coverage, which was a good read, equal to what you’d find in a sports magazine, except the Shannon Twins in bodypaint are a bit more pleasant to look at than Peter King.  Then I got to the post-season predictions.  My blood pressure began to rise while the slight taste of bile welled up in throat.  I shook with anger which is almost physically impossible for a man to do when he’s in the vicinity of naked women.  That’s why strip clubs are the happiest places on earth.

This is what I saw:

“AFC North Champion: Baltimore Ravens

AFC Wild Cards: Pittsburgh Steelers,  Indianapolis Colts”

They predicted the RAVENS will win the North?  The team we beat in humiliating fashion not once, not twice, but THRICE last season?  I can understand picking the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl.  Tommy Brady is a dreamboat who has probably impregnated several Playmates through the hypnotic power of his chin dimple so that makes sense.  But the Ratbirds will beat out the Steelers?  WTF?!?

I was astounded by this affront to Steeler Nation.  Then I noticed the piece was written by one Rick Gosselin.  A quick google search revealed Gosselin’s day job is a columnist for the Dallas Morning News.  A-HA!  Now it makes sense.  The taste in my mouth quickly subsided as I simultaneously realized what Rick must have been tasting when he wrote the article:  sour grapes.

Here’s hoping Playboy allows the Shannon twins to handle the predictions next time.  I have no idea their qualifications but they’re probably unbiased and Kristina clearly has excellent choice in football teams as well as uniform numbers.  By the way, I would definitely like to see the bodypainting fad catch on since we don’t have cheerleaders and the practice has been dominated by obnoxious frat-boys and 300 pound beer bellied lunatics for far far too long.  Leave it up to Steeler Nation to bring sexy back.

President Barack Obama met with our World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday. He immediately displayed his folksy charm by reading some lame prepared remarks, then continued to push his populist agenda by putting the Steelers to work preparing USO care packages. Not that I have anything but the deepest respect for our troops serving overseas but isn’t it kind of tacky to invite the Super Bowl champions over to salute their accomplishments then turn that platform into a lecture on civic duty? This isn’t elementary school for crying out loud.

Conspicuous by his absence was 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and author of the greatest defensive play in Super Bowl history, linebacker James Harrison.

Now perhaps you’ve been living under a rock the past week or perhaps you’re just blissfully unaware of the swirling controversy. In which case, I envy you. For the past week has seen an almost daily media blitz directed at the Silverback. HOW DARE HE NOT GO! HE’S SPITTING ON THE FLAG! COMMIE!

Okay, perhaps I’m exaggerating just a tad. But for the past week, every media outlet from USA Today to ESPN and every talking head on every talk show has seemingly weighed in with his or her opinion on whether James Harrison should have gone to the White House. Which is great, we do enjoy free speech in this country. However the only opinion I care about in this case is that of, oh I don’t know, JAMES HARRISON?

If the man doesn’t want to visit the White House, he doesn’t have to visit the White House. It doesn’t make him unamerican. It doesn’t make him classless. It doesn’t make him immature. It makes him a man, a big scary quarterback killing man, who made a choice. And I have no idea why that’s such a problem for some people.

This entire situation reminds me of the recent controversy over that bubbleheaded bleach blonde Miss America contestant. She supposedly lost the crown when her answer to the question of supporting gay marriage was decidedly not the politically correct one. Look, I’m not taking one side or the other in that debate but she stated her OPINION. When did that become wrong? So am I to understand people should say things they don’t believe or attend functions they have no interest in just because OTHERS think they should? Huh?

When Silverback declared he was going to miss the festivities, the media went into a frenzy trying to figure out why. Let’s be honest, most athletes are meatheads. They don’t go to college to learn, they go to audition for the NFL. So they don’t always explain themselves well and are seldom deep thinkers. Sticking a microphone in front of them and expecting them to give a sound philosophical answer to something that doesn’t need explaining in the first place is a sure recipe for disaster.

And so it was. Harrison said “This is how I feel — if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don’t win the Super Bowl. As far as I’m concerned, [Obama] would’ve invited Arizona if they had won.” This quote sent the talking heads into overdrive because of the seeming ridiculousness of the logic.

Except it does make sense. Luckily, I speak meathead jock so allow me to translate. Suppose you get an invitation to a wedding or a birthday party. Now suppose instead of the invitation being addressed “Dear Your Name Here” it said “To Whom It May Concern.” Would you still go? The President meets the Super Bowl champion, he doesn’t care what team it is. It’s basically a form letter.  James Harrison doesn’t do form letters.

Then things got more ridiculous when the Rooney Family went into spin control mode. I love the Rooneys but they’re damn lucky the Steelers are the most honorable organization in sports. If they ever had a negative PR issue, they’d be screwed because they are totally inept at handling bad press. They clearly issued an order to their puppets at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (you may know them as “the sports department”) who then came out with a ridiculous story that Harrison was afraid to fly.  Next you’ll tell me that’s really why Tony Kornheiser left Monday Night Football.

The problem with this story is Harrison flies at least 8-12 times per year during the football season. He also flew to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. And, um, he played one season in NFL Europe. Do you know how long it takes to fly to Europe? Pretty damn long.  Not to mention D.C. is about 5 hours by car. Well, I can make it in 4 but I tend to see speed limits as more suggestions than rules.

Anyway, that bullcrap story created yet another round of speculation. Look, Harrison didn’t go to see George W. Bush when we won back in ’05 so it’s not a political thing. He just didn’t see the point in wasting his time on an empty promotional fluff piece when weights needed lifted and sprints needed, um, sprinted.  He is an adult and he decided he had no desire to visit a place and meet a man he has no reverence for.  And I have no problem with that.

As long as he keeps sacking the quarterback.