Yo... Moe

You two know how Ms M would be all over you for that statement, R&B!!
As far as that game, there are signs of life in Haskins but I'll take Dobbs. Ballage looked
good. The rookie Kendrick Greene started as center [[don't know if he'll be the starter in the real season but we'll see).
It was a great night for the Steelers as Bill Cowher, Donnie Shell & Troy Polamalu were inducted into the Pro Football HOF. And Troy P made it with double mask & all because of the Covid. Bettis couldn't come because he tested positive for Covid. Tonight is another group including Alan Faneca & Bill Nunn.

Hey moe..where is the lovely[ms m]???

That's a good question, R&B. I'll have to check it out.

Jerry, you need to tell your brother to check out the Steelers rookie punter Pressley Harvin III. What a leg!!!:cool:

Haven't heard about PH3 {inevitable nickname}, but you might want to hope he can play outside linebacker. T.J. Watt's not practicing until he gets more loot.

But at least he's there at camp. We'll see what happens........
When you look at Harvin your response may be that he doesn't look like a punter....& he doesn't. He almost looks like a member of the DLine/LB. He is not supposed to be playing against the Eagles [Berry will punt]. I'll be curious to hear what you think.

I'll be watching. At least the first quarter. The first preseason game is usually a dog after the first quarter, unless you're a fan of one of the teams and want to see lesser-known players striving to make the roster.

Speaking of that, I get to watch the Falcons and Dolphins on national TV next Friday. I traveled to Miami some years ago for a preseason game and wound up in a hurricane.

I watched some of the dallas game and they better hope nothing happens to dak,or they are dead in the water,as for my home team,chase young looks to be in mid season form,but it's early yet!!

Teams trimmed their rosters today. There'll be a few adjustments over the next couple of days but it's time to get ready for the season.

And the Steelers have questions. Zach Banner a starter in their OLine on the injury list
[he is recovering, though, from ACL surgery]. Josh Dobbs has turf toe [also on injury list],
& Stephon Tuitt, but for a different reason. His brother was killed in a hit & run crash in an Atlanta suburb. So he hasn't practiced at all. Joe Haden wants his contract extended. But, what team at this point would give a 32 yr/old an extension for the $$ he wants? This is no surprise since his agent is Drew Rosenhouse. A lot of fill in the blanks for us.
Happy to see some rookies make the roster.

What's going on in Atlanta, Jerry?

Hey moe,if you all are looking for a backup ob, cam is free!!

Atlanta has a new coach who will be dealing with a roster that has more youth and inexperience than some are comfortable with. Training camp went really well but Falcons fans are antsy because Coach didn't play Matt Ryan, Calvin Ridley, Mike Davis {our starting runningback}, Corderelle Patterson {our backup RB}, Jake Matthews, Chris Lindstrom, Kaleb McGary {3/5ths of our offensive line}, Grady Jarrett, Deon Jones, Dante Fowler, A.J. Terrell and Foye Oluokun a single snap in the three preseason games.

With so much youth, he decided to use the games as a development opportunity and for the most part, it was brutal. With that being said, if our offensive line can somehow be meld into a top 20 unit {not too much to ask, IMO}, then the offense is going to be pretty good. I think that our new defensive coordinator is going to put our experienced players in position to make plays that Dan Quinn was unable to generate.

Most fans are cautiously optimistic, but I think we'll be happy if the team can just show progress by climbing out of the cellar and into contention. It's not going to help that we only have seven home games, with the eigth "home" game being in London.

My #2 team in South Beach is looking pretty good right now. Everybody's wondering if Tua's taking the leap and he had a very productive exhibition season. The defense looks better than it did last year, when it was very stout {until the last game}. I think the wide receiver corps is deeper than any in the league and if the offensive line keeps Tua upright, he's going to make a lot of people look foolish for writing him off prematurely.

All of the DeShaun Watson talk is untimely and ridiculous. In order to absorb $40+ million in salary, the Fins would have to release or trade several starters. And then, if we gave the Texans three first rounders and a couple of second rounders, we'd have no opportunity to replace them in upcoming drafts. It makes no logical sense and I think a bunch of reporters are chumming the waters with speculation when they all should know that the salary cap is prohibitive in most trades for star players.

And living in Columbus, where the most beloved team is the Browns {followed very closely by the Steelers, BTW}, fans are excited about the Browns chances but surprisingly quiet about it. They've been burned too many times over the past 50 years to get cocky about what should be a top 4 team in the league. They are a lot less quiet in Cleveland.

It should be an exciting season.

The Browns fans have been on/off in my Steelers Twitter circle, but I expect them to rev it up next week.

I agree with your statement on DeShaun Watson......that's an enormous amount of $$ for ANY team to absorb. And I don' think any team wants to take that plus the legal baggage at this time.

Steelers traded for Witherspoon from Seattle, a Cornerback. Hope he produces because if there's one position where we are very weak [[beside OLine) is the secondary.

I'm looking forward to the season. I have to try & find Ms M. The season just isn't right without her...:cool:

Just found out that Tunch Ilkin, former OLine of the Steelers turned long time Steelers game broadcaster passed away from pneumonia & ALS at the age of 63. From diagnosis of ALS til his death it was less than a year. Great guy & very sharp on his game analysis.:[[

CTE gets more media attention but a lot of NFL players die early due to ALS, Parkinson's and other neurological disorders. I hold strong to the opinion that the NFL is going to be in trouble when science devises a test that can determine brain damage in a living brain. The NFL will still exist thanks to the loot, but parents are going to yank their young 'uns out of pee wee and high school football en masse and the pipeline of talent in the NCAA and NFL is going to dry up. They've actually found CTE in the autopsied brains of high school and college players and that's alarming.

I still believe AB is in neurological decline. It's cost him tens of millions of dollars {if not a hundred or more} and he's lucky to have a deal with Tompa Boo. I feel guilty watching football sometimes.

I told my husband that had we had kids they would be only in the Chess Club:D
Yes, I know...even as big a fan as I am the film "Concussion" left a mark on my brain.

You should watch League of Denial. It tells the entire story of Dr. Bennet Omalu's fight against the NFL. They're still trying to sabotage his career to this day. Here's the full film for when you get time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SedClkAnclk

Wow, thanks Jerry!!! I don't think I'll ever forget the scene in Concussions where Will Smith is shaking a ping pong ball in a closed jar with water & says something like: this is your brain. If that doesn't drive the point home then nothing will.

Ruh-roh. Trouble in Pitts-radise.

Quote:

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T.J. Watt could miss Steelers' opener vs. Bills amid contract dispute, per report

The star pass rusher did not participate in a single full-team practice at camp

https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r...njamin-700.png


By Cody Benjamin
8 hrs ago2 min read


https://sportshub.cbsistatic.com/i/r...2/template.jpgScott Taetsch / Contributor
T.J. Watt is widely considered a favorite to win 2021 Defensive Player of the Year honors entering a contract season with the Steelers. That's assuming the star pass rusher suits up for Pittsburgh, which might not be the case in Week 1. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Watt's availability for the Steelers' season opener against the Bills on Sunday appears "in doubt" barring a last-minute agreement on a new contract. The Pro Bowler did not fully participate in a single team practice throughout training camp, and his practice status ahead of Sunday's matchup has not changed while he seeks a pay raise.

Watt, who exploded for a career-high 15 sacks in 2020, is not technically a holdout considering he's attended every practice since the summer began. But he participated exclusively in individual drills during camp, working out away from the rest of the team in an effort to accelerate talks on a new deal. Coach Mike Tomlin will reportedly address Watt's absence on Tuesday, but some have speculated that Sunday's kickoff could serve as an unofficial deadline for an extension, considering the Steelers have long refused to negotiate new contracts during the season.

Watt is due $10 million in 2021, the final year on his rookie contract. According to ProFootballTalk, he's seeking not only to become the NFL's highest-paid defensive player, with an average annual salary exceeding $27 million per year, but to receive additional guaranteed money this season and beyond. Inflated base salaries at the back end of a long-term extension would easily allow the Steelers to make Watt the game's top-paid defender, ProFootballTalk speculates, but "it won't be easy to get full guarantees beyond the first year of the deal," especially if the clock is ticking on negotiations.

Watt missing any games would be a big blow to a Pittsburgh defense more dependent on his pass rush in the wake of Bud Dupree's offseason departure. The former first-round pick has seen his sack total increase in three straight seasons, logging double-digit sacks every year since 2018 as the club's most disruptive playmaker up front. His 15 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in 2020 led the NFL.

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https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2...owl-lvi-picks/

Hey jerry,clinton portis is in hot water for some kind of fraud charge,it's always something.

Brothers need to know that they'll do hard time for things *other* people get a slap on the wrist for. Especially if they are known. Black former athletes are low-hanging fruit for prosecutors.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by arr&bee

Hey jerry,clinton portis is in hot water for some kind of fraud charge,it's always something.

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Health Care Fraud, R&B

A month ago, a lot of folks were talking about how terrible Xavien Howard was to hold out for a better contract in Miami. "He signed his contract; he needs to play it out." He was lambasted on other message boards. He got a new deal and all's well in South Beach.

Well, yesterday the New Orleans Stains cut Latavius Murray because he wouldn't take a pay cut after outperforming his previous deal. None of the knuckleheads who thought that Howard was wrong for looking out for himself seems to have anything to say about New Orleans right now. The hypocrisy is glaring. I'll never understand why fans tend to side with ownership over the players.

Steelers O lineman Kevin Dotson retweeted a post from someone I know of [but I'm surprised we never crossed paths]. She wrote:
"Let me say this loud & clear for folks sitting in the back: The player is not the bad guy in a contract negotiation." Of course this has to do with the ongoing TJ Watt negotiations.
What do you think?

I side with players every single time. Teams have literally all of the leverage in contract situations. It's ultimately their choice to sign, cut or trade players. They're guaranteed a profit regardless. Just like with Murray, sometimes you can play well and still get screwed. The Stains could easily have pulled this move before the draft and Murray would have had a robust market waiting for him in free agency. He might even have been signed as a RB1 for a couple of teams. But they waited until now because he's going to have a hard time landing somewhere else. They want him to pass waivers so they can try to add him to their practice squad for much less.

T.J. Watt needs to get it while he can because the season after his stats show a decline, the team's going to strong arm him into restructuring for a fraction of what he's owed. I'm surprised Big Ben learned his lesson from his previous criticism of Le'Veon Bell and now he's on record telling the press that the team needs to do whatever is necessary to make Watt happy. Good for him.

I agree with everything you said. Watt is a unique player who could very well win DPOTY. Get it while you can. People are speculating on Twitter & I just said "I'll just wait & see." I want him to get what he deserves!!

And, speaking of Lev Bell...he signed with the Ravens practice squad...:rolleyes:

Bell really misread his market and leverage. I understand why he took the stance he took, but there were two things working against him that he didn't anticipate. First, he didn't realize that his start-and-stop running style worked because he and Pittsburgh's O-line were in sync. He had the perfect setup to succeed with the Steelers. Secondly, he had to know that a player digging in on a contract dispute the way he did was going to be seen as insubordination by other teams' ownership groups. The NFL still has a very plantation-based mindset when it comes to its players asserting control over their futures and there was no way they were going to let him come out ahead.

Then, landing with the Jests with a smaller deal than he was offered was the worst possible outcome for him.

You forgot one other factor, Jerry. Where was his agent when this was all going on? Did his agent give him bad advice or was it all on Bell [& he ignored his agent's advice]. If he had Drew Rosenhouse I'll be it might not have happened. If there's anyone who can get in those football trenches it's Rosenhouse.

Perhaps. As I said before, I side with players 100% of the time. Even when they misread the situation as he did. Right, wrong, indifferent, I'm going to side with an individual's right to self-determination. Some lessons are learned the hard way. Sometimes - as with Julio Jones and Xavien Howard - the player gets what he wants. Even then, football teams' business model and the CBA makes them like casinos where the house always wins, regardless of the infrequent player who goes away happy.

Just got this from Ian Rappaport.. TJ Watt to sign a 4 yr extension worth more than $112mil- $28mil/year with $80 fully guaranteed at signing. Bring out that Brinks truck. I am exceedingly happy for him!!!!!!!!!:D

God bless him. I'll bet Ma & Pa Watt will have the best Christmases on the block from now on. And the Steelers will find out that the world didn't end because of perceived capitulation in one case.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jerry Oz

God bless him. I'll bet Ma & Pa Watt will have the best Christmases on the block from now on. And the Steelers will find out that the world didn't end because of perceived capitulation in one case.

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Amen, Jerry,....Amen!:cool:

Turns out, his agents wanted him to hold out longer to get a better deal, but he pushed them aside and signed what he thought was fair. Hopefully, the team will appreciate that.

Too long to paste the story; here's the link:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...al-source-says

Thanks. I just finished watching TJ's press conference. He couldn't thank everyone enough, especially the Steeler organization. Very humble, yet very hungry to play & win.

Well gang, it's time to play for real,and i think the[footbal team] will win a tight one with the lightning bolts[i love their uniforms]but we still win-21-17...hey moe,where's ms m???

Ohio State loses to Oregon......Jerry, did you watch this? I was busy.

Yeah. Worst defense that I've seen OSU play in a decade. And the O-line couldn't open a hole for their backs. On the flip side, the kid threw for nearly 500 yards in only his second game, so the future is bright if they can fix their issues.

*Welp* One of us should be happy today. Steelers gave plenty of reason for optimism on the road against a team that many consider to be a Super Bowl contender. Meanwhile, Atlanta played like they never spent time on the practice field together and the Futbol Team de Washington lost its starting QB for the season. And if ms_m is lurking anywhere about, her Cowboys had a moral victory on Thursday. At least my second favorite team beat the Deflatriots in Foxboro, which is never a bad thing. It's the fifth straight season where we took at least a game from them and nobody considers it a rivalry. Wonder why?

Week two will provide reasons for optimism or more excuses to drink. Bring it on.

Now to yesterday, week 1:
Patriots Lost - My friend in Boston didn't email me this morning about his loss [[he never does when they lose). So, of course I had to email him. He just said: "well, we were doing ok then we weren't." Typical for him

Arizona beat Tennessee - never expected that.
Bengals beat Vikings - Never expected that, either.
Texans beat the Jags - That was "Welcome to the NFL" for Urban Meyer
Eagles beat [[your team) the Falcons - didn't expect that, either.

You know I had to save the best for last: Steelers win & Browns lose!

R&B, I feel sorry for Ryan Fitzpatrick....