View topic - Short camp update

[StillMill Profile]

Tidbits I've gleaned the past few days from sources in Pittsburgh, etc. --

- Well… first the Bad News………Mendenhall has done little thus far. he has run well to the outside, but he was drafted to take on the Bettis rule……. He has not scored one TD in the goal line drill….. and his running inside the tackles has been utterly atrocious…….. in fact so bad that The Tank / and an undrafted rookie have completely dominated him…… the Tank has looked okay, aside from being bowled over by Will Gay. Supposedly the rookie free agent from Bowie State, Isaac Redman, has looked better than Summers. Some players are notoriously weak practice players who come alive in games.....let's hope Mendy can and will.

- Now the Good…………….

The Ziggster (Hood) has looked incredible……. Actually so good that several reporters have said he is having the best camp of any DE in Steeler history……. He is an apparent freak. Of course, come the start of reg. season, Dick LeBeau will fret and stammer, "Ziggy doesn't have the grasp of the entire defense yet.....he still has so much to learn......he doesn't have a feel for the entire playbook". The saving grace, if you can call it that, is Keisel has proven he can't make it through a full season healthy. Ziggy will likely have to play at some point at the strong behest of Dik LeBeau.

- Oh, and Bruce Davis continues to suck even though a backup OLB is desperately needed. Looks like a waste of a third round pick.

[DirtDawson Profile]

Hey Still Mill, good to hear from you!


Thanks for the camp updates. Man I can't wait for tommorrow's preseason game..


Just to see the black and gold again.....gets the blood flowing.

[DirtDawson Profile]

Tidbits I've gleaned the past few days from sources in Pittsburgh, etc. --

- Well… first the Bad News………Mendenhall has done little thus far. he has run well to the outside, but he was drafted to take on the Bettis rule……. He has not scored one TD in the goal line drill….. and his running inside the tackles has been utterly atrocious…….. in fact so bad that The Tank / and an undrafted rookie have completely dominated him…… the Tank has looked okay, aside from being bowled over by Will Gay. Supposedly the rookie free agent from Bowie State, Isaac Redman, has looked better than Summers. Some players are notoriously weak practice players who come alive in games.....let's hope Mendy can and will.

- Now the Good…………….

The Ziggster (Hood) has looked incredible……. Actually so good that several reporters have said he is having the best camp of any DE in Steeler history……. He is an apparent freak. Of course, come the start of reg. season, Dick LeBeau will fret and stammer, "Ziggy doesn't have the grasp of the entire defense yet.....he still has so much to learn......he doesn't have a feel for the entire playbook". The saving grace, if you can call it that, is Keisel has proven he can't make it through a full season healthy. Ziggy will likely have to play at some point at the strong behest of Dik LeBeau.

- Oh, and Bruce Davis continues to suck even though a backup OLB is desperately needed. Looks like a waste of a third round pick.

I was a little scared about Mendenhalls' transition into a "power" back. Because he really isn't of that prototype despite his size.

Throughout college he was much more of a Garrison Hearst-type player, with more of a mix of strength/speed, but without an outstanding foundation in either.

I'm afraid he's a player that just doesnt convert well to the NFL speed, but lets hope it's not the case.



Dissappointed to hear about Bruce Davis, I think Andre Frazier is one of the decent backups left on our team...



I've also been hearing good things about Mike Wallace, which is pretty encouraging. Maybe we'll finally have a bonified kick returner? I sure hope so.

[NOVAStiller Profile]

I thought Mendenhall looked good against the Ratbirds last season before he got injured. As I recall, he even took on Ray Ray and bowled him over! Hopefully his time off hasn't hurt his mental/emotional state or made him worry about getting hurt again.

[JimPgh1 Profile]

Leave it to Mill to rag on LeBeau...who is widely regarded as one of the top DCs in the league. I guess he's gotten all the mileage he could from Gildon by now.

[steelcitymetal Profile]

Mendenhall has done little thus far. he has run well to the outside, but he was drafted to take on the Bettis rule

do you mean the bettis role? if so... he was?

[StillMill Profile]

Mendenhall has done little thus far. he has run well to the outside, but he was drafted to take on the Bettis rule

do you mean the bettis role? if so... he was?

yes, role. Can't type fer shit. He was expected to be more of a bruising between-the-tackles kind of back. Let's hope he plays well in the games.

[thesteelhammer Profile]

Mendy will never be Jerome Bettis.
Barry Foster Maybe.

The Question is:
Will Tomlin do his best Cowher impression and try to make a square peg it in a round hole?

CBSSports.com reports Pittsburgh Steelers RBs Willie Parker (back) and Mewelde Moore (hamstring) are unlikely to play in the team's preseason opener. As a result, RB Rashard Mendenhall is expected to see plenty of action.

Rod Woodson endorsed Lebeau during his HOF induction.
Mill or Woodson, Who's opinion on the guy are you going to give more weight to?

[Coke Oven Profile]

It's been my observation that running backs are either good or great right out of the starting gate. Mendy is turning into a disappointment.

[Still CA Still Profile]

Urbik. What is the word on Urbik?
Someone on this board wrote of him as a complete waste.
I'm sure tonight will tell more but is there any rumor or sauce about him?
Mendy; not sure he was ever intended to be the Bus but rather a bigger FWP for the edge or outside.

[IronCity__Man Profile]

My guess is if the press had reported that Mendy stuffed it in during goal line drill, that one play would have everyone on this board, and others like it, saying that Mendy was ready for a starting spot. It seems we can all be blinded by the smallest of details. The press just has to say one thing about a player and everyone jumps to conclusions. Mendy looked good last season - he didn't have too many regular season chances but after the preseason fumble incidences things were looking up. I was impressed the way he slashed through some of the holes in the Baltimore game.

I feel a bit of pity for Mendy that he may come into prominence in an era with our lowest rated O-line in over a decade. I agree with some other posters that a RB has it or doesn't have it - but, he must be given 20 carries a game to show whether he has it or not . My fear is that this is turning out to be a Cedric Benson story. His dissapearance from the locker room after last season's injury is not a good tale to sit with other players. Benson was scorned in the Chicago locker room for his lack of effort not production. Those issues go beyond a goal-line drill. But I have faith in Rashard to rip it up. Don't expect much in preseason with this banged up o-line.