Some overdue slag�.
- I�m always amazed at the pathetic rationalizations and excuse making for Fat Casey Hampton. Let�s review the facts: last year, this man sucked well water. He was weak and wholly ineffective down the stretch, to the point that he was RARELY ever double-teamed on running plays. Much of that had to do with a bloated belly that made Rosanne Barr look thin. Tomlin told Fat Casey his expectations at minicamp. Fat Casey blatantly failed to meet those expectations. I hear a lot of blather about �leadership� in regard to Casey. A large part of leadership is setting the example; leading from the front; and ensuring that oneself is mentally and physically ready for the task at hand. Clearly, FatAss Casey did none of this.
With no depth at NT and little at DE, Tomlin has no choice but to get his fatassed NT into shape. I applaud Tomlin�s stance.
- I also applaud the idea of bringing Kevin Greene in to mentor and tutor Lamar Woodley. Both are similar in build and technique. Greene was as tough and tenacious as they come.
- On the other hand, I have no earthly idea whose dumbassed, moronic idea it was to bring in Jason GilDong to mentor and tutor the LBs. What purpose did it serve to have The Gilded Dong serve as a tutor ?? To show LBs how to turn their backs to blockers ? Or how to loaf and jake ?? Or how to prance and preen after a weak-assed Dong Sack with the team down by 17 points ? Or how to get blown off the ball on a simple off-tackle dive play? You bring in quality, tough, astute retirees as mentors, not a pansy and poser like Jason GilDong.
- The local media is claiming that Sean Gahan has an even shot at the starting C job. Absurd !! If Hartwig doesn�t start in the opener, I�ll personally drive to Heinz and slap a few coaches upside the head.
- The media has spun this yarn, and the thought that Timmons will actually sit behind Larry Slow-a-Foote is patently absurd. Yes, it could happen, but it should not. Foote was a 4th round pick that basically inherited a starting job a few years ago because a vacancy existed and the Stillers were too cheap to address the need. Now, he�s suddenly viewed by the local media as Jack Lambert. Fact is, Foote blows. He needs to be replaced by a PLAYMAKER like Timmons. QB pressure will increase, as will pass defense and chasing down speed backs. Let�s pray that Tomlin has the sense and gumption to start the better player.
- New terminology for the nose tackle in the Stiller defense -- AT. Ass Tackle.
- I wasn�t all that impressed with Colbert�s flimsy, 10-minute search for a punter when Sepulveda was diagnosed with the injured knee and lost for the season. Ernster was a pile of manure last season. Yes, there may be some late-camp cuts that we can select from, but I�d have preferred 3 or 4 punters be brought in for a Reed-like tryout rather than throwing most of our eggs into a rather small basket.
- For the yinzers that claim that �a nose tackle never runs 100 yards�, that�s not the point with Hampton. The ability to run a series of sprints shows a player�s cardio respiratory endurance. On a hot day -- and even a cold one -- a defensive player has got to be in good enough cardio condition that he can give maximum effort on a consecutive sequence of plays. If a player cannot do this due to poor cardio, the result is either getting blown out by a blocker or getting run away from by a ball carrier.
- For fans into numerology and Bucco baseball....back on 8-8-88, I was working as a security guard at 3RS. Was assigned to the bullpen and nabbed a foul ball at some point during Rick Reed's gem en route to a 1-0 win over the hated Mets in a pennant race atmosphere.