Maurkice Pouncey

So I figured since we have a long time until training camp starts I'd take a look at each one of the players the Steelers drafted this season, and try to give some pros and cons ala Mel Kiper Jr. and let you know what the PPB thinks of each one. Seeing as Pouncey was the first pick, I figured he'd be the logical place to start.

Pouncey, taken 18th overall by our boys in black and gold, left Florida a year early to enter the NFL Draft. It's a decision that Pouncey made mainly for money, and on the surface that can look very bad. But he really did leave early for all the right reasons.

I won't steal the PG's thunder, but let's just say he's seen his fair share of woe in his young life, and his turning pro is not just to help pay the bills, but also to help his twin brother achieve his dreams of playing in the NFL too. Oh yea, and the fact that his step-father lost his leg on the job the week before one of the biggest games of his life played a bit of a role too.

All said, and keep in mind none of us have seen him play on the pro level yet, I like the makeup of Pouncey and sure hope he can be one of the better centers in the league for years to come as so many have predicted.

And what is it that made him such a high pick? First off, he's known as a tough inside blocker and with our renewed emphasis on the run and with an aging center this was a no brainer. But his coach at Florida mentioned that he is "an energy giver" on the line, and I have to admit at first I didn't really realize what he meant by that, as I certainly don't remember anyone shooting me with some kind of magical go go juice when I was playing high school ball.

Then I realized what he meant; he's the type of player that other players look up to, the type that can be an emotional and physical leader. His physical gifts are amazing, as they would have to be to win the Rimington Trophy as the nation't best center, but I think the Steelers drafted him as much for those intangibles as they did for his talent.

Look for him to start at right guard this season and to move over to center when Hartwig moves on. He should be an instant upgrade over the patchwork of guards we used last year, and with Kemoeatu on the other side our short yardage game is bound to get better (the addition of 6th round pick Jonathan Dwyer helps a lot too, but we'll talk about him later).

So overall I think this was about as good a player as we could have gotten at number 18, although I was very intrigued that Brian Beluga was still available at that selection. He may have been an interesting pick for the Steelers, but obviously management is more comfortable with their starting tackles then their interior line, and as such, this was definitely the right pick to make.

Selection grade - A

Until next time...

Odds and Ends

So where to begin. The Pens are on to round two of the playoffs, The Pirates are doing their usual disappearing act (you know, the one where they disappear after the first week of the season and don't reappear until they're close to 100 losses), and the Steelers are in the papers for anything but football. I think we all know where I gotta start...

Big Ben, what the hell were you thinking fella? I know this topic has been beaten into the ground, so I'll keep it short for ya. But basically Ben reminds me of that old creepy guy who shows up at your fraternity house and gets way too drunk for his own good and ends up creeping out every girl there. He acts like he's still in college, getting hammered with the youngin's, which in and of itself isn't a crime.

But it certainly shows that some people will be jackasses regardless of their station in life. He can have anything money can buy, and can probably get away with murder in Pittsburgh, and yet this moron has to go and raise some hell in a little backwoods Georgia town who would love nothing more then the pin his rich pelt up on their wall.

So yea, I think the suspension was warranted, if for nothing else then to teach him that you can't act like a drunken frat boy all the time, especially when you're in such a high profile position. So grow up jagoff, and be thankful that wasn't a Pittsburgh girl you tried that with or someone woulda kicked your ass already.

Santonio's situation was different, just because I think he was sent away not because of how horrid his actions were but because someone needed to go to save face. Even IF he did what that woman is accusing him off, while not acceptable or condoned, is much less of a crime then a sexual assault. Hell, I've been hit in the face with liquor glasses more then once, and I never sued anyone (although in hindsight...lol). All said, he probably deserves the third or fourth chance more then Ben, but we all know football is about winning and we can win without Holmes, not without Ben.

The other big story for the Steelers, besides the draft (which I'll cover in a later post) is the return of several former Steelers to the happy hunting grounds of Heinz Field. Antwaan Randle El is back, as is Bryant McFadden and Larry Foote, all parts of previous Super Bowl winning teams. Obviously this move serves two purposes; first, it brings much needed depth to positions of need, and secondly, I think it's a way to bring some of that old Steeler swagger back.

Those three players exemplify what the Steelers have always stood for, which is toughness, skill and a certain confidence in themselves. Even though McFadden is the only one expected to start, I really think these additions will help calm the seas in the locker room, and look for Randle El to be a big addition in the passing game. He was out of place in Washington, and I think being the number 3 receiver here will do wonders for his career.

And even though I wouldn't hold my breath, there's rumors of a return by Alan Faneca. I don't really see this happening as our scouts and evaluators thought he was washed up two years ago, but if we're truly returning to a run-first offense then he would be a very welcome addition, especially with Baltimore adding Terrance "Mount" Cody to their defensive line. Jeff Hartings, while definitely serviceable, has shown that he has trouble blocking the big noseguards of the AFC North, and have an interior line of Faneca, Chris Kemoeatu and newly drafted Maurkice Pouncey sounds alot better then what we have now.

The Penguins on the other hand are riding high right now. They just finished beating Ottawa in a hard fought six game series, and are waiting on the results of the Washington/Montreal series to see who they play next. The really good news for the Pens is that New Jersey has already been eliminated, and because of Buffalo's loss to Boston we have zero chance of seeing Washington and their snaggle-toothed superstar Alex Ovechkin until the Conference Semifinals.

We haven't necessarily played our best hockey yet in the playoffs, which is either a really good thing or really bad thing. Time will tell, but with Sidney Crosby absolutely dominating and the Pens getting key goals from the likes of Pascal Dupuis I definitely like the way this is unfolding. And having two of the three teams seeded higher then you eliminated (with Washington in real trouble, having to play a game 7 versus Montreal tomorrow) is definitely a good sign.

I'll have more on the Pens as we get closer to the start of round two, so definitely stay tuned....

As for the Bucco's, they're currently getting their tails whipped by Milwaukee so we're just not even gonna discuss them until Pedro Alvarez and Brad Lincoln come up, because let's be honest, this team we have right now is nothing more then a glorified AAA team who is running out of arms to use at an alarming rate. There's certainly hope for the future, but until the future is the now, I'll pass on boring you with that stuff.

Hope ya like the new format, and if you have any ideas or comments you want to send my way, shoot me a message at my old email, pierogisnat@gmail.com...Yea, I'm too lazy to check two emails...what of it?

Until later tonite...