The official Steeler fan thread

[bangpow]

Yeah, I can only imagine what the scene is like around Heinz field right now. I wish I was there.

Also, I have to wait until the end of the month to get my Polamalu jersey.

[Glenn]

That was a great game, but what the fuck was up with that pregame show?

I'm not a jersey wearer for the most part (I only have one football jersey, UM Anthony Thomas) but if I ever bought one, Polamalu would be the one.

If he stays healthy, I could see him getting some MVP consideration. The dude is just everywhere, especially in crunch time.

Bang, your boy Joey Porter looked pretty good last night as well.

Also, I hate Nick Saban and found his little hanky escapade hilarious (albeit nerve-racking since I have Heath Miller on one of my two fantasy teams).

[Glenn]

Great signing.

Maybe he'll shit in one of the Cowher daughter's closets?

But seriously, it's a great signing.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=st&type=lgns

Steelers sign RB Davenport to one-year contract

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - The defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers may have found a replacement for Jerome Bettis.

The Steelers on Friday signed running back Najeh Davenport to a one-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Davenport, 27, spent his first four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, collecting 1,068 yards and seven touchdowns in 39 career games. He ran for 105 yards and two TDs last year before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in early October.

To make room for Davenport on the roster, the Steelers released rookie running back Patrick Cobbs, who was claimed off waivers from the New England Patriots a week ago.

The 247-pound Davenport figures to serve as a replacement for Bettis, who retired last February after ending his illustrious 13-year career by helping Pittsburgh to its fifth Super Bowl victory.

Nicknamed "The Bus" for his bruising running style, Bettis served primarily as a short-yardage back in the latter stages of his career and ran for 22 TDs over the last two campaigns. Last season, Bettis helped form a devastating power-speed combination with Willie Parker, who paced the team with 1,202 rushing yards.

The Steelers apparently feel that Davenport is an upgrade over veterans Verron Haynes and Duce Staley, whom the club had hoped to platoon in short-yardage and goal-line situations this year.

Despite a 28-17 season-opening home victory over Miami on Thursday, Pittsburgh shied away from running the ball in short-yardage instances.

After earning a reputation for their smash-mouth style with Bettis, the Steelers ran the ball just once in their four third-down plays where they needed three yards or less for a first down. Parker rushed for 115 yards but was thwarted on a key 3rd-and-2 late in the fourth quarter.

[bangpow]

Yeah, I like the signing of Najeh a whole lot. Verron Haynes just never seemed to ever be able to be the pounding back he should be.

Also, Joey Porter....yeah, he had a great game. If he can keep this up throughout the whole season, I won't call him overrated anymore.

My Polamalu jersey is coming at the end of the month from my wife for my birthday. I retired my Bettis jersey.

[Glenn]

Since the team is playing like shit, thought I'd share this.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060921/.../roaming_gnome

Man's lost gnome attends Steelers game

Thu Sep 21, 4:34 PM ET

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Allen Snyder's garden gnome is apparently out of jail and now traveling the country. The 14-inch tall red-and-white statue disappeared from Snyder's Morgantown yard in the spring, and Snyder has since received three letters claiming to have been written by "Gnomey."

The latest letter, which Snyder received this week, included photos of the gnome in the company of Steelers fans attending Pittsburgh's football home opener.

"You never took me to any games," the note said. The letter ended: "Have to go now. Boarding a plane. Now, finally, broadening my travels."

An earlier letter included a request for bail money and included what appeared to be booking photos of Gnomey and another of the gnome in the back seat of a police car.

Snyder has no idea who's pulling this prank but said his short list of suspects includes several gag-loving friends.

The plight of his gnome has gotten a lot of attention. Snyder says people are always asking if he's heard from Gnomey.

"I never thought it would go this far," he said.

The story has even caught the attention of officials at Travelocity, which uses a roaming gnome in the online travel agency's advertising.

"While we know that your dear friend, Gnomey, can never be replaced, we're sending the enclosed Roaming Gnome to keep you company in his absence," wrote Michelle Peluso, president and chief executive officer of Travelocity, based in Southlake, Texas. "Hopefully your friend will find his way out of trouble and back to your front yard soon, although we can't help but admire his sense of adventure and love of travel."

[MOLA1]

Bangpow and Barbaro are the Shugadaddi and Fraserburn of this thread.

I would've swatted this shit a long time ago, our Lions suck so carry on.
Plus, Gutz and Anthony have their Raider shit going as well so it's only fair.

[bangpow]

The Steelers are not looking good this year, but I'm not worried. They tend to start off slow and pick things up as the season rolls along. Plus, this isn't the Lions we're talking about, this is a legit NFL team that knows how to play 16 games a season.

[Glenn]

Almost a "must win" this week vs. KC. Just a huge difference between 2-3 and 1-4. If they go 1-4, they'd basically have to finish up 8-3 at worst to make the playoffs, probably 9-2.

Also, they just brought back one of my old favorites, not sure how much he has left but...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2622815

Steelers reach into past, sign LB Brown

By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

Desperately thin at linebacker because of injuries, the slumping Pittsburgh Steelers made a desperation move Thursday, reaching back to their past and signing veteran free agent linebacker Chad Brown to help address their perilous shortage.

Contract details were not immediately available, but is believed that Brown signed a one-year contract for a minimum base salary of $810,000, prorated over the number of games in which he is on the roster.

To create a roster spot, Pittsburgh released third-year tight end Tim Euhus. This will mark Brown's second stint in Pittsburgh, where he played the first four seasons of his career, 1993-96.

Even with the shortage at linebacker, precipitated by injuries to starter Joey Porter and top backup James Harrison, the move was somewhat surprising. Brown, 36, was released by New England on Sept. 1, and is viewed around the league as a player who has been in decline for the past few seasons now.

In 15 games with the Patriots in 2005, Brown registered 39 tackles, but did not have a sack, a pass defensed, a forced fumble or fumble recovery. He lost his starting job with New England about a month into the '05 season, and most observers were surprised when the Patriots re-signed Brown this spring and brought him to training camp.

One plus is that Brown, even after a decade away from the Steelers, still knows the basics of the defensive scheme. He began his career under coach Bill Cowher and, while Pittsburgh has had several coordinators in Brown's time away, the fundamentals of the 3-4 defense haven't changed much at all.

What has changed, though, is Brown. Certainly, at this point in his career, the Steelers aren't getting a player who is even close to the standout defender who left the club in 1997 to sign a lucrative contract with the Seattle Seahawks as an unrestricted free agent. Brown had seven sacks in 2003, but has just once since, and the three-time Pro Bowl performer has lost much of his pass-rush quickness.

The injuries to Porter and Harrison, however, left Steelers personnel officials scrambling. Porter suffered a strained hamstring in practice on Tuesday and is listed as "questionable" for Sunday's home game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Harrison, an excellent backup who has always played well when forced into the lineup by injuries, sustained a high ankle sprain in last Sunday night's loss at San Diego, and is expected to miss several weeks of action.

Brown was a second-round pick of the Steelers in 1993 and played four seasons with the team, notching 30 sacks in that stretch and earning one Pro Bowl berth. He then spent eight seasons, including two Pro Bowl years in Seattle, before the Seahawks released him after the 2004 campaign.

In 178 appearances, Brown has 1,068 tackles, 78 sacks, six interceptions, 41 passes defensed, 19 forced fumbles and 15 recoveries.

[bangpow]

Yeah, Chad Brown. Um, I will withold comment on that one as I don't know what to think of it.

[theMUHMEshow]

Deangelo Hall > Steelers