Let's Embarrass Mike Tomlin Some More!

By now, you've probably seen the awesome picture of Mike Tomlin's flattop fade in his college identification picture (through either OFTOT, Deadspin or the P-G). But now, after showing a little blogger initiative, I've come across a few more younger-Mike pics that we can all laugh at in one way or another.

The College Athlete:


Where's the mini-fro, Mike? What, you didn't want it to get dented in your helmet like it repeatedly does now with your headset?

The...uh...Ugly Jeans, Thin Belt, Awesome Shirt Combo:


Man, I know you were in school during the early 90s, but did you really have to dress the part? Props for standing next to a kid wearing Back and Gold, though.

Disgusting, Mike. Be glad you won the Super Bowl...not everyone gets a free pass on multi-colored vertical stripes.

Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker

SUPER BOWL CHAMPS!

Just wanted to say that again. I woke up this morning to find out that the absolute elation of a Super Bowl-winning touchdown drive in the closing seconds was no dream. Big Ben was good Big Ben in those final minutes, and Santonio came up huge, seemingly making all the tough catches look easy.

A lot of people are complaining about the lack of replay on that final Warner fumble. Sure, it could've been reviewed, but I still don't think the outcome would've changed. Since there was no replay, the aggravated fans who didn't have a team in the Super Bowl are all ripe for trying to discount our win. "Ooooh, Arizona would've gotten the ball at the 30 and Warner would complete a jump ball to Larry Fitzgerald and all would be right in the world. Screw Steelers fans. The refs give them everything!" Shut up.

Your speculation doesn't change the outcome. Fans are almost getting to the point where they want replay after every snap, it seems like. Fumble?!?!?!?!? NO, IT CAN'T BE!?!?!?! CHECK THAT SHIT AGAIN!!!! The rule on the field was a fumble, and there was nothing to show that it was a forward pass. Inconclusive evidence? Nope. If it was an incomplete pass, why wasn't Warner pleading that he was throwing the ball like he did on a similar play earlier in the game? I'd almost expect more outta Warner in that situation. But you know why he didn't? Because he knew he fumbled.

So quit over-analyzing just to piss off a bunch of happy fans. Your team didn't make it, so quit trying to bring us down with your meandering bullshit.

Now, I just spent the entire beginning of a SUPER BOWL RECAP IN WHICH MY TEAM WON discussing how obnoxious other fans can be. The Cardinals, Whis and the staff were all respectful after the game, focusing on their positives and how they can improve their team in the future. Warner wasn't running after the officials, screaming for Goodell to fine him. These idiots fans are doing the same thing Baltimore fans did after the Santonio "was-he-over-the-line" touchdown in the regular season. How about, don't surrender the lead on an 80+ yard drive in the closing seconds. The Cards, just like the Ravens, let that happen, and one non-replay doesn't change the outcome.

But now that that's outta the way, how about our team? Mike Tomlin, as improbable as it may have seemed, won a Super Bowl in his second year, easily eclipsing the time lengths set forth by legends Noll and Cowher. Ben has two rings, and must be applauded for leading a run-first team to multiple Super Bowls in which a WR wins MVP. Someone needs to throw to those wideouts, so Ben should take some sort of pride in being a part or two MVP performances in the past 3 years (4 seasons).

The run game didn't hit like we wanted, but that's a non-story if you hoist a trophy after the game. In my mind, the game was perfect in all aspects. If I was giving ratings like I do during the regular season, every facet of this team would get 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets. Sure, I wanted to punch Chris Kemoeatu if he false-started or held one more time, but since he just won a ring, I'll echo Big Ben and say "Who's laughing now, O-Line?"

Enough can't be said about James Harrison and the defense he leads. Much was made about all the other regular-season-award-winners bowing out of the playoffs early. Manning was MVP, Ryan was RotY, and both exited early. Brees was offensive player of the year and didn't even make the playoffs. James Harrison was the top defensive player in the league, and made the longest play, defensive OR offensive, in Super Bowl history. Backed up to his own goal line, Harrison potentially created a 14 point swing with his 100 yard INT return TD. People aren't lying when they say defense wins championships.

There's way too many people I'm forgetting, but you know the facts. There were no truly weak performances last night, and the end-result was the best we could've hoped for. Every negative from the preseason was addressed throughout these grueling past 5 months, from the O-Line, to Ben's decision-making, to the schedule and Mike Tomlin's justification.

At the end of the day, an inconclusive non-replay won't take away our record 6th Lombardi Trophy, one that was earned, not given, on a legendary, game-winning drive. Party hard and burn another couch, Pittsburgh fans.

Hope you're proud, Myron.

Chris Berman Sucks

...but Mike Tomlin rules.

Best. Picture. Ever?

h/t Wingman Blog and Deadspin

Happy 2 Year Anniversary, Mike Tomlin

It seems like everyone is trying to find some sort of angle to over-expose to the media with the Super Bowl on the horizon. Pittsburgh trying to be the first franchise to win 6 rings, Ben vs. Whis, and Whis vs. Tomlin. We're all guilty of it, because there's only so much you can talk about when you have two weeks until the game.

The Whis vs. Tomlin debate is cool, only because both guys are young, up-and-coming coaches who took very different paths to their current positions, and both have their teams in the big game after only two seasons of work.

But today, I'm not trying to find a certain angle, or give a Tomlin > Whis post. Today, I just want to give props.

2 years ago on this very day, we learned that the Steelers bypassed offensive line coach Russ Grimm for no-name Mike Tomlin out of Minny. The move was questioned by more than a few people, seeing as how the young Tomlin was barely older than the guys he'd be coaching. And he had no head coaching experience.

Tomlin has quieted nearly everyone (including his team) on his way to successive AFC North division titles and a Super Bowl berth. If you saw any of this coming on this day back in 2007, please leave because you're lying.

I was a senior at St. Vincent College when I found out the news, and I was cautiously optimistic about the hire. I tried to get any positives out of it...mainly focusing on the parallels between the young, defensive-minded outside-of-the-organization Tomlin to the young, defensive-minded outside-of-the-organization Cowher back in 1992. While I hoped for the best, any worries I had were quickly thrown out the window when, just days after the hire, I briefly met Tomlin at St. Vincent, while he personally went over every minute detail of his first training camp location as a head coach. The man went everywhere, from the weight room to the locker rooms, to the caf...trying to find out every detail about this odd Benedictine campus that was about to host tons of athletes, staff and media.

To me, that was a perfect way to introduce himself to the Steelers faithful. Tomlin could've easily sent some no-name to scope the place for him, but there he was, hands-on and elbows-deep from the get-go. I knew right then that Tomlin had a special quality, one that would go over well with the hard-working Steelers fan...regardless of the new coach's experience, coaching philosophy, race, age or strategy.

Oh, and my best friend Bob and I kept calling him Mike Epps and Omar Tomlin...so I'll take credit for being one of the original Pittsburghers to make the Omar Epps comparison.

But in all honesty, with such a big game looming and way too many attempts to demonize players and teams, I figured the 2 year anniversary of Tomlin's hiring was a good enough reason to praise the man who has done so much in so little time.

Santa Visits Mike Tomlin UPDATE

Dude, what the hell?

Santa popped into a Mike Tomlin press conference and randomness ensued.

Santa brought 5 pounds of raw meat as a snack for Casey Hampton, plugged Jim Wexell's book, stomped on a picture of LenDale White, did some James Brown stuff and threw a pass to former WR and current coach Tomlin. Yes, you did read that sentence correctly.

The video can't be embedded, so follow the link if you don't believe me.

Merry Christmas?

UPDATE: Now with Youtubey video

Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker

I woulda got this to you a little sooner, but T.O. affected my timing with multiple, uncalled, hands-to-the-face infractions.

We won! Gatorade baths for everyone! 20-13 Steelers. But isn't that always the score? Or like, 23-10...or somewhere around there?

I'm a chronic nail-biter, but last game did me no favors in trying to stop my fixation. I have about no nails left. Actually, I think I have negative nails at this point. I owe my fingers some nails. Thanks, Cowboys-Steelers!

At some point, I'm gonna have to stop saying "We let the other team hang around too long...it's going to bite us in the ass at some point." I really do, because these Steelers have a habit of coming through games like this relatively unscathed. Yeah, the Cowboys moved the ball in the 3rd, but that was with the aid of the wind. I tried to keep my composure, knowing that any rally would have to come in the 4th, when WE had the wind. And that's why I'll start my ratings off with...

...Mike Tomlin. Man, I love how this guy constantly employs my Madden strategy, and ALWAYS defers to the Second Half when he wins the coin toss. In a place like Heinz Field, this is critical. Perhaps not so much when we're in Baltimore next week, or Tennessee the week after, but this seemingly unimportant decision looms large when you play a minimum of 8 games next to the Confluence. I can't fault Tomlin for the Cowboys making big defensive plays near the goal line...their team was on a mission (being on the outside of the playoffs will do that to some teams), and Tomlin stayed the course. He played the wind/field position game perfectly, and his playmakers stepped up to the challenge. The Steelers DID miss near the goal line, so I can't give Tomlin a perfect score, so we'll go with 4.5 of 5 motorcycle helmets.

Sasso. His game was all-around meh, but Ben understood the urgency of the situation in the 4th, and brought his team back in it like he has many times before. Another near 50% completion game, with one passing TD to go with a lost fumble and 204 passing yards. No interceptions in the wind, so there's that. And that 40+ yarder to Santonio was perfect, even though it was into the wind. Ben didn't lose the game for us, which can't be said about Romo. 3.5 of 5 motorcycle helmets for Ben. That First Half was tough to watch.

D. We got outworked by Dallas on many occasions. Their O clicked in the 3rd (partly due to the wind), and Tashard Choice displayed his talents against the top ranked defense. But the D didn't cave when Dallas was moving, and refused to be completely outplayed by the 'Boys. Silverback looked tired by the end of the game, but still got his usual sack and forced fumble. It's pretty cool when I'm pretty indifferent about 9 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Overall, the unit had 3 sacks to go with 3 picks and 5 total turnovers. Dallas' last play on 4th Down was huge, as they had 289 total team yards, and a conversion would've likely ended the streak of not allowing a 300 yard game this season. Big stop to keep the win and streak alive. They'll mirror Tomlin here, and get 4.5 of 5 motorcycle helmets.

Deshea. He gets his own spot today because he quietly does his job with little problem and is always solid on the field. He rung up 3 tackles, but its nice to see a 65 year old vet like Deshea factor into the winning points. Romo served him up an easy pick, and he outraced a hobbled Jason Witten to the end zone. Deshea, you get a perfect 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets for the icing on the cake.

Mitch Berger. Negative 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets. I may owe myself some fingernails, but you owe me a bunch of motorcycle helmet ratings.

In Baltimore next week. The Ravens D is looking just as good as ours. Glad we got a 1-game lead going into this.

Dear Mike Tomlin, Please Sit Ben Roethlisberger This Week

This is one blogger's plea to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Please sit Ben Roethlisberger this week.

Current news has Ben's shoulder okay enough for him to play on Sunday, but it seems like his partially separated shoulder never fully healed despite the bye-week rest.

We welcome an always-dangerous Indy team to town, and their 4-4 record probably doesn't sit too well with the team and fans. Hell, they've been spoiled by success the past 6-7 years, so I'd assume that the .500 record through half the season isn't ideal.

For this, I think the Indy D (In-D? Sorry...) will come at whoever is under center for Pittsburgh. Our O-Line is primed to be exploited at any time. Now, I'm not saying I particularly fear what the Colts will throw at us, but if Ben's in the game...he's gonna get sacked.

There was a time when I thought we needed all healthy players to face Indianapolis. But now, I'm liking our chances against a weakened Colts team, especially with a full game lead over the fraudulent (in my opinion) Ravens.

Indy is going to bring pressure. Everyone we play is going to bring pressure. But my plea to sit Roethlisberger this week isn't due only to the possibility of Ben getting hit. It's to have Ben learn from Byron Leftwich.

WHAT?

There was a pretty telling quote in that P-G article above, which echoed a strong though flying through the minds of Steelers Nation after the win over Washington. Listen to Tomlin:


"[Leftwich] probably did do a better job of getting the ball out, and, no, it did not surprise me," Tomlin answered. "That is one of the characteristics of Byron Leftwich. He got the ball out pretty good in Jacksonville and the different places he has been. That's who he is. He is a quick decision-maker. He is an anticipatory thrower."


In no way is Tomlin wrong about that quote, despite it being prime for criticism. Ben hasn't been on the same page as his receivers this year, as seen from the countless overthrows and miscommunication between WR and QB on the routes early in the Washington game. Leftwich came in and made some good throws before receivers made their breaks, and I was pretty surprised. Here's a guy who admits that he still doesn't fully understand the Steelers playbook, but he anticipated well.

Giving Ben a week will not only strengthen his shoulder, but give him time to watch his backup do what the fans have been asking of Ben...rolling out of the pocket when needed and making quick, accurate decisions.

Oh, and maybe Ben will learn to throw the ball 400 MPH, too!

Not Good

Re-read my title for this post.

And again.

It cannot be stressed enough. Every training camp, the Steelers go for the early goal-line drill, hoping that someone will stand out as a versatile short-yardage back with substantial power. Since The Bus left, the drill seems to come up empty year in and year out.

This year, disappointment is leveled at rookie Rashard Mendenhall. Given three chances from the 1-yard line, Bizarro Beetlejuice failed each time. This might be unfair criticism heaped onto a rook, but much is expected when you score 17 touchdowns as a short yardage/power back in college.

"But Nick, our running game is fine. We have Beetlejuice, Fast Bill and a backup plan in Mewelde Moore that other teams would love to be afforded. And Willie was leading the league in rushing up to his injury in week 16 last season!"

I've tried to use this excuse in my mind, and it isn't working anymore. Willie scored two touchdowns all of last year, both on the ground. That's a massive drop in production, going between yards gained and touchdowns accumulated. You can run a 99 yard play every time you snap the ball, but if you can't punch in the ball while letting the other team score, well...it's hard to justify the lack of production in the points category.

Now, I'm not necessarily worried about the RB corps entirely. If Willie can shake off this, he should re-take his spot on the list of top RBs in the league, and Mendenhall could be a perfect compliment.

Stellar defense, Pittsburgh, but someone needs to break the plane.

Mike Tomlin Will Speak At St. Vincent Graduation

/Wishing I was younger. Or held back.

Apparently, Mike Tomlin will be giving the commencement address at St. Vincent College this May. That makes him the keynote speaker at the 162nd commencement. For those of that don't know, I was a part of the 161st graduating class.

We got stuck with George Bush (above...from my cell phone).

Now, I got to meet Mike shortly after he was named the head coach. He was touring St. Vincent (which is Steelers training camp. If you didn't know that, you should probably leave PSaMP) merely days after his hiring. However, I'd be all about having him speak at my graduation. Lucky soon-to-be-graduating Bearcats.

The Bush announcement was controversial, to say the least. I'm guessing more people will be open to Tomlin coming to St. Vincent.

He's...Too Sexy For His...Unbelievable Hairline

His predecessor can claim more Super Bowl rings as a head coach of the Steelers. Mike Tomlin has a very different ego boost.

He was just named the NFL's Sexiest Coach, according to Victoria's Secret.

I bet the Chin is weeping.

There was a great quote from an East Lib woman in that Trib article:

For Natalie Brown, 68, of East Liberty, it's not about the looks.

"If he wins the Super Bowl next year, he'll look a lot better, but it's about what happens on the field," she said.

Spoken from the mouths of babes. And by babes, I don't mean infants. I mean hot, mouthy 68-year old Yinzer women.

Playoff Personnel Looking Bleak

How was your Christmas? I hope this picture made you upchuck everything you were able to hold down the past two days. You can thank Nice Pick Cowher for the image.

In case you forget, the Steelers are in the playoffs. Thanks again, Cleveland. Since San Diego won on Monday night, we can only jockey for the 3rd and 4th playoff seed. This will determine if we fall into a getting-healthy Indy side of the bracket or into the near-perfect New England side. Sure, we've won in Indy in the playoffs before, but we haven't had a look at the '07 version of the team. And yeah, we've already lost to New England this year, and that team is scary at Foxboro, but I like what Dick LeBeau could create based on the fact that he already saw much of their offensive arsenal.

At this point, its pick your poison.

However, the injury bug refuses to leave this team. A deep playoff run might force the team to rely on many a backup...and even those backups are hurtin'.

Willie underwent surgery, so after being placed on IR, he won't be back til '08.

Marvel Smith's back injury will likely having him ride the pine against Baltimore...and maybe even longer.

Troy's knee isn't fully healed. I didn't need to hear that. At all.

First-rounder Lawrence Timmons has a broken thumb. He'll sit on the bench play with a cast.

Tomlin doesn't want to rest his banged-up guys against the Ravens, mainly because our final playoff seeding isn't set. While playing sore guys might further hurt the team, I like the fact that Mike is concerned about winning...and not being complacent about merely making the playoffs.

So despite who plays on Sunday (and throughout the playoffs), we're going to need a healthy dose of Ben Roethlisberger. Let 'em know that Pro Bowl spot was not a fluke, Ben.

Mike Tomlin Crossword

This article provided some more Anthony Smith bulletin board material for the MSM to overreact to. He's not backing down from his guarantee, and encourages the Patriots receivers to try and target him.

However, there was an awesome tidbit that had nothing to do with Anthony Smith. It regarded Mike Tomlin. Here it is:

Doesn't sound like Smith has lost any of his confidence. He made those remarks even after Mike Tomlin -- who, despite being a head coach, still finds time to do a daily crossword puzzle -- cautioned him about the power of the spoken and written word.

Great fun fact about Iron Mike. So I give you, the reader, the Mike Tomlin Crossword. Or, PSaMP's Steelers Homer Crossword. Have fun.






/Hint: Every answer is Tomlin.

Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker

The Steelers rule.

Fast Bill Parker rules.

Mike Tomlin rules.

Sorry. I needed to tell you how I was feeling.

Pittsburgh prevailed over one of the two other teams with 5 Super Bowl rings, and the 37-16 win over the 49ers gave Mike Tomlin a 3-0 start to his NFL coaching career. The last time the Steelers were 3-0? How about 1992, The Chin's first year. I can't think of a better way to make the hometown fans forget about the previous coach. Tomlin is doing just about everything right.

Tale of the Tape: AFC North beasts. Underlying theme: Running back supremacy.

Ben Roethlisberger continued to play error-free football, and took the short passes rather than sketchy deep balls. And yes, I just said deep balls.

For some reason, Cleveland, Buffalo and San Fran all protected against the long pass. They challenged Big Ben to beat them with check downs, and Ben gladly obliged. I'm getting very repetitive week in and week out, but I'm only calling it as I see it. Ben should keep looking short til the defenses make him throw it long.

Plus, aside from a few late scores (after the game was already won), the defense had scored as many touchdowns as they allowed all year. Bryant McFadden used a keen block by Ike Taylor to break open a routine interception return. The block allowed for a pick 6, with Bryant bowling over Alex Smith on the goal line. Props to Smith for never giving up on the play, though.

Let's see what stood out in my mind.

Fast Bill. Bill wants to be known as an elite rusher in the league. He's not shy about this point. Today was a great day to back up that statement. Going against one of the premier RBs in the league in Frank Gore, Willie pushed his SF counterpart to the side and destroyed his stats. He had 10 more carries and nearly 100 more rushing yards than Gore. The defense helped Willie out by keeping Gore in check, but Willie needed to prove his worth by one-upping a total beast. He did that in the personal Parker vs. Gore showdown. 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets for Billy boy.

Heath. If he would've made that catch on the sideline, he would've blown my mind. I'm surprised he even got his hands on the ball, because the coverage was perfect. Unfortunately, he didn;t get both feet in bounds. However, with Spaeth out, Miller and Tuman needed to step up. I predicted big things from Tuman in my mind (you'll have to trust me on that one, its true), and the TD was more than I could have asked for. Heath, meanwhile, was busy averaging 20.5 yards on his 4 catches. That's 82 yards, for you anti-math nuts. I want Heath to catch 8-10 passes a game, and 4 is slowly creeping in that direction. No TDs, so Heath gets a helmet per catch. 4 of 5 motorcycle helmets.

O. For a while, Fast Bill (and Allen Rossum) was the entire O. However, Ben got into a rhythm, and Santonnio made a brief appearance. Roethlisberger had 2 guys average over 16 yards per catch with at least 3 grabs (Miller, Holmes), and put up 37 points despite the slow start. This gives the O 97 points through 3 games. Pittsburgh has given up 26 total points. The O is getting it done, and there should be no argument over the 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets that they get.

Rossum. Yes, the Steelers struggled after getting rid of Antwaan Randle El. I will be the first to admit that. Special teams has been abysmal since his departure, and the fans have been praying for a legit return man. Allen Rossum is a legit return man. His 98 yarder allowed him to average 60 yards on his 2 kick returns. I'd say that Randle El curse is over. 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets for spotting the O a lead.

D. Those bastards gave up the most points so far this season. I can say this with a smile, because it was only 16 points. When you score 37, allowing a 16 spot is overlook-able. Only 2 sacks this game, but McFadden's pick 6 sealed the win. Troy was flying everywhere, Deshea made some nice hits, Woodley got another sack and Lawrence Timmons tallied two tackles. As I said earlier, the D has only allowed 26 points through 3 games. That's including the 16 they gave up on Sunday. I'll give em 4 of 5 motorcycle helmets. Too many points allowed (sarcasm).

Ward Undergoes Surgery For Broken Nose

Get it?

Hines Ward apparently broke his nose during Sunday's preseason game against Philly. I was originally nervous when I heard rumors of a Steelers WR going under the knife. Fortunately, it wasn't for major surgery. Tomlin is even ready for Hines to get back on the field.

"Hines is Hines," Tomlin said. "I wouldn't count Hines out."

Ward should be on the field for the final preseason game against the annual-sportswriters-Super-Bowl-favorite-but-usual-bust Carolina Panthers. The game is tomorrow night at 8.

Owen Wilson's nose was starving for attention, and was not impressed.

Andrew W.K. then broke his own nose in a sign of solidarity.

Best. Album. Ever.

Steelers Fans To Get First Look At Timmons

You might not know it, Steelers fans, but this is Lawrence Timmons, your first round draft pick in the year 2007.

He is trying to prove that he can be a welcome addition to a team that is emphasizing a change to a 4-3 defense. If done properly, Timmons could play a vital role as a dominant linebacker. There is one obstacle that is preventing this from happening. That obstacle is Lawrence Timmons' groin.

I never thought I would type that. Ever.

To this point, Timmons has shown us fans absolutely nothing since the team drafted him back in April. In the time that Timmons should have been proving himself on the practice field, he has instead become a fixture on the bench. All while he's been riding the pine, second rounder LaMarr Woodley has filled in nicely. In fact, more people are discussing LaMarr Woodley's bright future rather than Timmons'. I am one of those people.

The pundits said the Steelers took Timmons too early. I try to look on the bright side, but Timmons hasn't showed me anything. Correction, he has showed me that he is oft-injured, and isn't a speedy recoverer (don't know if that is a word, but I'll use it anyway). Hopefully, his elongated absence is more precautionary than anything.

But chin up, Steelers fans. This weekend's game against the Redskins will provide you with a chance to see Mr. Timmons in action. This comes fresh on the heels of Bill Parker announcing that he, too, will be ready to play. Rejoicing can be heard throughout Steelers Nation.

Coach Tomlin also stated that the first team should play more against Washington. Thank God.

Without the extra playing time, Ben can shrug his shoulders and blame the lack of cohesiveness on his short outing. We are halfway done with the preseason, and there are still a lot of questions to be answered. Can Ben look good for more than a minute? Will Bill Parker rebound from his knee injury in camp? And most importantly, how the hell will Lawrence Timmons look?

The Skins game should shed some light on how the team might/will look once the season starts. Ben will play more, significantly cutting into his cheerleader routine. Fast Bill will see if his fifth gear is finally back. And Lawrence Timmons will show us who he is.

Good to finally meet you, Mr. Timmons. Now show us what ya got.

Fast Bill to Debut His '07 Skillz Against Redskins

I'm sorry. I truly am.

I needed to apologize for not being able to post yesterday, which included the absolutely rare omission of a tiny horse of the day. Internet access has been shaky at best for the past several days, and yesterday included no internet. At all. I'm hoping it doesn't kick out while I'm writing this, because at this point, I've prepared myself to expect anything.

But I'm back. And so is Fast Bill. Appropriate timing, #39.

Fast Bill's 10-day absence was felt by a much larger audience than my small sabbatical. However, Parker will make his preseason debut against the Redskins on Saturday night.

"I think I'm ready now," Parker said after going through a full afternoon practice. "I'm 100 percent. It's the other things I need to work on, like the plays. I'm trying to get that back in my memory bank."

Parker wanted to play last week, but was held out for preventative reasons. His acceleration was down, and I don't fault Tomlin for holding him out of an extra game.

With Fast Bill in the lineup, I have to say that the Skins have no chance (take that, MattyG). My buddy is a huge Skins fan, and he went to college with me at St. Vincent. Nothing like a Skins fan (or any other fan, for that matter) at Steelers training camp.

I'm anxious to see what kind of RB depth chart Tomlin uses. Bill will be playing approximately 20 snaps with the first team. Najeh is sure be up there, with Verron Haynes and Kevan Barlow also filtering in. Gary Russell looked strong last week, and Carey Davis proved himself the week before. Will Davis see more playing time this week? Or will Iron Mike reward Russell for his 6.2 yards per average against the Pack?

Good to have you back, Bill. You presence will add another dynamic element to the offense (who needs to rebound after last week).

Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker

A win is a win. Yeah, its only preseason, but this was our first chance to assess new coach Mike Tomlin and his first team as a head coach.

Final result...20-7 Steelers over Saints.

Overall, I can't really nitpick when the team downright outplays the opposition. There wasn't one time when I thought, "Hmmm, we might be in trouble, here." However, I want to touch on several of the good (and the shaky) aspects of the game.

Mike Tomlin. Its safe to say the guy was under a microscope. Collinsworth and Gumbel were debating how he would open the game. Will he air it out? Will he stay true to the running game? In my assessment, Iron Mike put together the perfect first two plays of the game. He appeased the Steelers Nation by opening the game on the ground. 2 yards...whatever. Then, what better time to call a play-action pass then at the beginning of the first preseason game, when teams are still in training camp and working to not bite on the fake. 55 yards..on a perfect toss by everyone's favorite punching bag from '06, Ben Roethlisberger.

Critics wondered aloud about Tomlin's physical camp and the insane amount of two-a-days. The hard work really showed itself last night, up and down the depth chart. On a scale of one to five, I'll give Mike Tomlin 5 motorcycle helmets for his game plan. I can't fault a guy who won his first career game, whether its the preseason or not.

Ben Roethlisberger. The guy performed. Simply put. 2 for 3 for 73 yards.

I have 2 points of concern regarding Big Ben, however. The first is that he only played one series. Last preseason, Cowher did the exact same thing with Ben. Natalie Gulbis' ex was held out of the bulk of the preseason, albeit for the reason of the motorcycle accident. Cowher claimed he didn't want to overwork his quarterback, and the lack of playing time in the preseason definitely showed itself early in the regular season. Hopefully, Ben plays more than one series in the coming games.

The second point of concern is how well Ben still throws under pressure. His one missed completion was due to a drop by Nate Washington. Nate did that a lot last night. However, that pass was the first time Ben was under pressure in the game. As soon as he let the ball go, he ducked down and to the left. If you watched any of the 2006 season, then you know that this was a major problem, leading to a good many of Ben's league-leading 23 INTs. I'm hoping his little duck from last night is due to the fact that its early rather than an overlap of last year's hesitant apprehension.

Still, Ben did well. I'll give him four of five motorcycle helmets.

LaMarr Woodley. In college, he was a quarterback-hunting DE. How would the rook respond to dropping back into coverage as a LB?

How about a diving play to break up a sure-fire completion, all while forcing 4th down on the Saints' opening possession. I'd say the rook adjusted nicely. Five of five motorcycle helmets.

Backups. Did you see Carey Davis' 56 yard scamper? He looked like a young Bettis all night, lowering his shoulder to initiate contact. On his long run, he cut it outside before taking off and hurdling the last Saints defender.

Brian St. Pierre also looked capable for the first time in his career. 8 of 14 for 129 yards and a touchdown. Much better than Jamie Martin, Jason Fife and Tyler Palko combined. And St. Pierre didn't leave a young receiver out to get clocked like Palko did.

I'd have to say that Davis was the epitome of the Steelers backups all night. Hard-working grit, while completely outplaying the opposition. Four of five motorcycle helmets for the backups. They did allow a touchdown, but played very well for a bunch of guys who most likely won't make the team.

This concludes the first installment of Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker. I might have to change the name to Monday Afternoon Chrysler New Yorker, or even Sometime-Between-The-Last-Game-And-The-Next-One Chrysler New Yorker.

Fast Bill Won't Play On Sunday

The Steelers play their first preseason game on Sunday. Willie Parker will not.

Soreness in his left knee will sideline Fast Bill for the NFL's Hall of Fame Game against New Orleans.

Ed Bouchette is claiming he jinxed the stud running back. I say shut up before anything else goes wrong, Ed.

Parker's knee injury is not said to be serious, but there is no reason to push the LT-wannabe to a more serious ailment.

With Willie officially out, Iron Mike can take a better look at the guys vying to be Willie's primary backup. Dump Truck Davenport will likely get a decent amount of reps with the first squad, as will new addition Kevan Barlow. Aside from these two, Verron Haynes will have to show how his surgically-repaired knee holds up.

I'm not too worried about Parker's knee. To this point in his career, he has stayed away from major injuries, and holding him out of the Hall of Fame game will only improve his chances of a quick recovery.

Willie's "I want to be better than LT" speech shows his passion for the game, and not playing the first preseason game will probably eat at him. However, sacrificing a a meager preseason game for the ability to rehab a minor injury should be a worthy deal. There's no reason to risk blowing out a sore knee in the Hall of Fame game.

First Video of Camp Tomlin

Need physical proof that Pirates season is over in the 'Burgh?

How about the first video from Camp Tomlin as a cool reminder.

Many people wondered how the new "head ball coach" (I can't stand that Steve Spurrier Under Armor commercial) would start his first training camp, especially after Bill Cowher's infamous 14 40-yard sprints.

Tomlin upped the ante, opting for 16 110-yard sprints.

However, he went soft on a few of the guys, allowing those who completed 44 of the 50 offseason workouts to be exempt from the test. Guys in that category were Troy Polamalu, Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, James Farrior and Alan Faneca. Some chose to run, anyway (as evident in above photo).

Ed Bouchette and Dan Gigler of the P-G put together this video to show the test, and see how Tomlin was handling his first day at St. Vincent. Tomlin cut the test to 14 sprints after guys were finishing with no problem.

"Guys were doing so well we cut it at 14," Tomlin said. "It didn't look like anybody was going to have a tough time making it, a testament to their preparation. Hats off to them."

Good first day, Omar Epps Tomlin. You may have cut the guys a little break (only 2 sprints), but its still football season. I'm all giddy like a schoolgirl and whatnot.

Badass Mike Tomlin Uses Pencils, Not Pens

Spring practices are over, which means Mike Tomlin's first offseason camp has wrapped up. Since the drills are over, Tomlin needed to create a preliminary depth chart for his first team. Tomlin did just that, but stressed that the selections are written in pencil, to show that no starter's job is safe.

"No job is secure," Tomlin insisted. "This is not a security business and if they are looking for security, they need to find a new line of work."

Bad. Ass.

If any Steeler wants to see their name written in pen, they need to put forth the effort required, and prove to the new coach that they have what it takes. Tomlin isn't Coach Cowher. He's made that abundantly clear. He's a rookie coach who is trying to turn around a .500 team. But what about the Super Bowl? That's in the past, too. Pittsburgh is no longer the reigning champ, and needs to understand that they can be just as bad as the next team. Or just as good.

Those of us who have been around the Steelers long enough know that several players are sure-fire starters. Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Jeff Reed and Willie Parker would really have to mess up to be replaced in the starting lineup. For the rest of the team, though, they only need to look at their names written in pencil to see that it can easily be erased.

Here's some of the starters that Tomlin has "penciled" in.

Chukky Okobi at Center. Although the team brought in free agent Sean Mahan, Okobi will open training camp as the first stringer.

Ryan Clark over Anthony Smith at Free Safety. Consensus says that Smith has a good shot at taking Clark's starting spot. PSaMP is a huge Anthony Smith fan. He's a big hitter who can make fans forget that Chris Hope was ever on the team.

Max Starks over Willie Colon at Right Tackle. Starks was the starter last year, but Colon has looked good. Starks is a beast, but needs to work to prove that he deserves to stay in the starting spot.

Deshea Townsend over Bryant McFadden at Right Cornerback. Townsend is getting older, but can still provide veteran leadership to our young CB corps. PSaMP is a McFadden supporter, but still admires the longevity of the undersized Townsend. Plus if the Steelers get rid of Deshea, Hines Ward is gonna have to look for a new roomie at training camp.

Ike Taylor over every other corner at Left Cornerback. Taylor is on Tomlin's good side, after Bill Cowher benched the former starter last year. Taylor needs to show that last year's struggles were a fluke, and he needs to live up to the big contract he signed.

Training camp starts next month, and these "starters" still need to work to have the pencil changed to pen. PSaMP likes Tomlin's message, and it appears that he has the team focused on coming into the season strong after last year's debacles.

He's young. He's a rookie. But Tomlin's showing that he isn't about to take any shit.