Conference 7.286::sports_91

For those of you who haved lived since 7:59pm Sunday in an isolated chamber and
have not heard the results, the Houston Oilers ended the Steelers season with a
good old fashioned a$$ whipping, 34-14, on Sunday night in front of a national
audience.

Cody Carlson, starting in place of the injured Warren Moon, played a game that
some QB's only dream about playing.  He, and the Oiler offense, succeeded in
pounding the NFL's #1 defense for over 450 yards and a game that was only close
until Houston scored it's first TD.  In a season where the Steeler offense was
either spectacular or non-existant, I got the feeling that it would be a long
night for the Black and Gold when Tim Worley fumbled the ball away on the
Steelers first play from scrimmage.  houston converted that turnover into 7
points and the rout was on.  The game was nowhere near as close as the 34-14
final indicates.

The Steeler Defense tied the NFL record for least TD's Passing allowed in a
season, finishing with 9, but three of those came in the final game.

As for the future for the Steelers, I offer this analysis.

Offense:
Tim Worley has shown some potential in his 2 years, but he can't stay healthy
   long enough to show how he would be over the course of a season.
   Aslo, Worley seems to have only 2 kinds of plays, good and bad.  On a good
   play, he gains 3 yards, on a bad play, he gains 3 yards and fumbles the ball
   away.

Merrill Hoge will be with the Steelers for years to come.  Doesn't have blazing
   but nevertheless, is a strong running back who is durable.

Other running backs:  Warren Williams is f and, after an early season bout with
   fumblitis, was solid when replacing Worley.  Barry Foster may eventually
   unseat Worley.


At QB, Brister shows signs of being a good QB, but I still have reservations as
to whether he can get this team a Super Bowl ring.  He needs to tone sown his
excitability and show some poise.  He should also buy his mother a big screen
TV and a satelite dish so she can watch the games from home and not be shown so
damn much on TV worrying about her baby.

Tight Ends:  Mike Mularkey remains consistent.  He finds ways to get open and
   is sure-handed, dropping very few passes.

Eric Green, barring injury, will play in the pro bowl someday as the starting 
   TE, mark my words.  He is the best #1 offensive draft pick the Steelers 
   since the they  took Louie Lipps.

Offensive Line:  Played pretty good, will have to give Brister more time if the
Steelers are to make the playoffs next year.

Receivers:

Lipps had a good year but he is the only consistent receiver the Steelers have.
Derek Hill suffers from occasional bouts with lack of concentration, creating a
case of the dropsies.  The rest of the receiving corp is marginally average.


DEFENSE:

The Steeler defense finished this year ranked near the top of the NFL.  
The secondary gave up only 9 TD's via the pass this year, best in the NFL and
tying the all-time record.

Defensive Line:
The Steelers need a dominant pass rusher. Failure to pressure the QB in some
games this year contributed to losses.

Linebackers:  Not Ham and Lambert but David Little made the pro bowl.  Greg
Lloyd is a good pass rush linebacker, Bryan Hinkle still plays well.  Not much
help needed here.

Secondary:Not much help will be needed here.  The Steelers were 2nd in the NFL
this year in interceptions, trailing only the Bears.
Rod Woodson is one of the best cornerbacks in the game today.  He was beaten
only once this year for a TD and that was in the final game against Houston. 
He also made the pro bowl as a starting corner.
The rest of the secondary is also solid, save for maybe Dwayne Woodruff, who
may retire soon.  The Steelers have left Woodruff unprotected the past 2 years
in the plan B free agent list, but Woodruff continues to make the team and play
well, he had 4 interceptions this year.
David Johnson also turned in a fine year, intercepting 4 passes, and will start
for the Steelers for years to come.
   
Special Teams:

Gary Anderson remains one of the best place kickers in the game and showed no
sign this season of letting up.  He should have 3 or 4 more good years in him 
at least.

Dan Stryzinski(sp??), while not posting a top ten avg punting yardage stat
did lead the league in the number of his punts that were either fair caught
or downed inside the 20.  While not possessing a strong leg, he does kick punts
with good to excellent hang times.

Ah well, nexted season is only ~6 months away for the Steelers.

JaKe

I have bad feelings about Brister Jake. Some say he's the next coming of Terry
Bradshaw and only needs a few more years of experience to become a top flight
QB. Personally I think he's the next coming of Marc Wilson. He'll play well
enough to keep a starting job but will remain the weak link on an otherwise 
powerful team.

I gotta think that if PittsburgH had a decent QB this year they'd be in the 
playoffs. I can only think of a few teams that have a worse starting QB than
Brister. My short list is:

  1) Chicago
  2) San Diego

I'd even take rookies like Hodson (of NE), Rosenbaugh (pheonix 2nd year),
Gannon (minny 2nd string) over brister right now. I think the Steelers need
another QB before the rest of the team gets old waiting for Brister to mature.

Metz

    
    I have to agree with Metz about Brister.  The guy has potential, but he
    isn't the QB to lead this team to the Super Bowl.  His inconsistency
    and inability to stay calm under pressure doesn't help this team at
    all.
    
    My hat goes off to Houston for coming up with the big win.  Cody
    Carlson looked pretty good for being a backup QB and the team really
    rallied around him.
    
    The Steelers need help on the DL and in the wide receiver spots.  With
    good draft picks and some wheeling and dealing the Steelers will be a
    dominate team in the coming years...
    
    JB
    

  I agree with most of what everyone else has said.

  The Steeler's need at least 1 more good wide receiver to be teamed up 
  with Lipp's. They still need a dominate defensive lineman who can get to 
  the quarterback. I also think they can improve their offensive line. 
  Brister, while looking great at times, has also looked like a dog. The 
  Steeler's should be trying to develope another QB who can replace him.
  I've given up on Worley. He's lost his concentration and fumbled in too
  many critical situations and he's injured all the time. He should be 
  traded. The rest of the team looks real solid with possibly the best
  secondary in pro football.

  For the last 10 years, the Steeler's have drafted people I've never
  heard of. Woodson, Lipps, Green have all turned out to be winners. But
  many of the other top picks have turned out to be disaster's. I certainly
  don't know the college prospects as good as the scouts but there are
  some player's I've seen this year that I'd love to see wearing Black and 
  Gold. (I am partial to the CU Buffs). Rocket Ismail has stated that he'd 
  love to play for the Steeler's. I doubt that there's anyway for the 
  Steeler's to pick him up but he could scare the *&^% out of of opposing 
  defenses if the Steeler's can find a way. Chris Zorich really impressed me 
  in the Orange Bowl. He could be the pass rusher the Steeler's need. I'd 
  love to see the Steeler's pick up Mike Pritchard. He's not rated as high
  as many wide receiver's by the scouts so I think he may be available in 
  the 3rd or 4th round. For CU, he always made the big plays under pressure,
  he runs with the ball very well, has good hands and good speed. Use 
  him as a wide recevier and/or 3rd down specialist. There are many fullbacks
  who run better than George Hemingway but I don't think there are any better
  at blocking. He's also a very good receiver, has good speed and doesn't
  fumble(unlike Worley). He may still be available in the 7th or 8th round.
  Gerald Hudson(running back,Okla State) could be a great acquisition if
  he chooses to skip his senior year. Then there's the offensive line. I 
  thought Joe Garten would be a good pick but Zorich beat him pretty bad a 
  couple of times in the orange bowl. I think he dropped from a late first 
  round/early 2nd round to a 3rd or 4th round pick. Maybe the Steeler's could 
  develope him.

  Oh well, I quess we'll just have to wait to see how the Steeler's surprise
  us this year.

  					Keith  

    
    
    	Well, the Steeler's mainly did it with mirrors this year.  Here is
    a team that had the No. 1 defense but yet they never beat a team over
    .500.  So, that doesn't say to much for being No. 1 defensively.  
    Granted that in some of the games in which they lost, the offense was
    totally inept, but the fact still remains that the Steeler's managed to
    beat only the worst in the NFL.
    
    	As for Brister, I've been his biggest critic and will remain so.
    Bubby has completed 5 years in the NFL as a QB and still only shows 
    potential!  I'm sick of po-tential.  Brister reminds me more of Mark
    Malone everyday, or should I say every game.  He will never be more 
    than an average QB.
    
    	As for the offense in general, they are in pretty good shape
    although I would get rid of Worley.  The kid has some talent, but he 
    fumbles way to much and the biggest downer being a running back is to 
    be labeled a "fumbler".  Hoge is solid as an average back and I would
    like to see more of Williams and Foster next year.  As for the
    receivers, Lipps is still very solid and is capable if they would throw
    him the ball!  The real sleeper here might be this Calloway kid from 
    Michigan.  The times I saw him play, he did a good job seeing that he
    was a rookie.
    
    	As for the Defense, I'd draft the best lineman I could.  The
    Steeler's are only a lineman and a linebacker away from having an 
    excellent defense.  Of course they could use a couple of linemen, but
    they really need a good one right now.  The pass rush is non-existant
    with this current crop.
    
    	All in all this was a pretty disappointing season from where I sat.
    The Steeler's ended up 9-7(again), but couldn't beat a .500 team.
    With the division title at hand, they also couldn't rise to the top
    which is something the team of the 70's had no problem with.  The 
    defense is really the future here, and they could have a good offense
    if they would get rid of Worley and Brister.  But, knowing Noll,
    Brister will be back next year and so the Steeler's will go 9-7 once
    again.
    
    								bill..g.
    

    
    I didn't realize that Brister has 5 years experience in the NFL.  I
    have to blame Noll for letting him hang on this long.  I admire Noll
    for his coaching abilities, but I feel he hangs onto the "only average"
    players too long.
    
    With a new QB and some dominate players in the defensively line I think
    the Steelers have the makings of a dominate team for the next decade. 
    Noll just has to show that he is willing to make the moves to get the
    team there...
    
    JB
    

    Brister has been a member of the Steelers for 5 years but last year was
    his first full year as a starter.  He also only played one year of
    college football.  I think his biggest problem is that he gets too
    excited and loses it.  If he can overcome that problem, he can
    conceivably lead them to bigger and better things.
    
    I also don't think that he is the biggest reason for the offensive
    flops this year.  he threw for 21 TD's and 14 ints, ended up somewhere
    around 5th in the AFC QB ratings.  
    
    I suffered thru Cliff Stoudt and Mark Malone and in no way see Brister
    as a Malone Clone.  I personally would make next year a make or break
    year for Brister if I were with the Steelers.
    
    Worley:==Walter Abercrombie/Greg Hawthorne IMHO
    
    JaKe
    

Why couldn't the Oilers' team that supposedly showed up today have been on
the field last week?

I think Jake hit the Bubby problem right on the head TOO EMOTIONAL

mike

    PittsburgH lost from the Walton_Effect(tm).
    
    JoJ

           1990 Pittsburgh STEELERS Final Stats

TEAM STATS:

				STEELERS		Opponents
FIRST DOWNS			263			257
   Rushing  			93			102
   Passing			150			130
   Penalty			20			25
3RD Downs made-ATT-pct		74-187-39.6%		81-205-39.5%
4TH Downs Made-Att-Pct		4-10-40%		6-17-35.3%

TOTAL NET YARDS			4525			4115
  Avg per game			282.8			257.2
  Total plays			897			940
  Yds per play			5.0			4.4

NET YDS RUSHING			1880			1615
   Avg/game			117.5			100.9
   Total rushes			456			446
   Yds/rush			4.12			3.62

NET YDS PASSING			2645			2500
  Avg/game			165.3			156.3
  Sacked/yds lost		33-242			34-228
  Gross yards			2887			2728
  Att-comp			408-237			460-236
  Compl pct			58.1			51.3
  Had intercepted		15			24

PUNTING AVERAGE			66-37.2			64-40.9
NET PUNTING AVERAGE		34.1			33.7

PENALTIES-YARDS			110-928			89-719

FUMBLES-LOST			40-17			33-18

TOUCHDOWNS			33			26
   Rushing			11			13
   Passing			20			9
   Returns			2			4

SCORING BY QUARTER:
        	1	2	3	4	Total
STEELERS	64	71	54	103	292
Opponents	58	86	56	40	240

INDIVIDUAL STATS:
RUSHING		
Player		No Rushes	Yds	Avg	Long	Td
Hoge		203		772	3.8	41+	7
Worley		109		418	3.8	38	0
W.Williams	68		389	5.7	70+	3
Foster		36		203	5.6	38	1
Brister		25		64	2.6	11 	0
Bell		5 		18	3.6	12	0
Stryzinski	3		17	5.7	9	0
Strom		4		10	2.5	10	0
Lipps		1		-5	-5.0	-5	0
Stone		2		-6	-3.0	10	0

PASSING
		Att	Compl	Yds	Pct	TD	Int	Long
Brister		387	223	2725	57.6	20	14	90
Strom		21	14	162	66.7	0	1	22

RECEIVING
		No. 	Yds	Avg	Long	Td
Lipps		50	682	13.6	37	3
Hoge		40	342	8.6	27	3
EricGreen	34	387	11.4	46	7
Mularkey	32	365	11.4	28	3
Hill		25	391	15.6	66	0
Stone		19	332	17.5	90	1
Bell		12	137	11.4	43	1
Calloway	10	124	12.4	20+	1
Worley		8	70	8.8	27	0
W.Williams	5	42	8.4	13	1
O'Shea		1	13	13.0	13	0
Foster		1	2	2	2	0

Field Goals   1-19	20-29	30-39	40-49-50+	Total
Anderson	1-1	3-3	8-8	8-11	0-2	20-25

SCORING		TdRun	TdPass	Ret	PaT	FG	Safety	Tot Pts
Anderson	-	-	-	32-32	20-25	-	92
Hoge		7	3	-	-	-	-	60
EricGreen	0	7	-	-	-	-	42
W.Williams	3	1	-	-	-	-	24
Lipps		0	3	-	-	-	-	18
Mularkey	0	3	-	-	-	-	18
Bell		0	1	-	-	-	-	6
Calloway	0	1	-	-	-	-	6
Foster		1	0	-	-	-	-	6
Johnson		-	-	1	-	-	-	6
Stone		0	1	-	-	-	-	6
Woodson		-	-	1	-	-	-	6
Stowe		-	-	-	-	-	1	2

PUNTING		No 	Yds	Avg	TchBck	In 20	Long	Blocked
Stryzinski	65	2454	37.8	5	18	51	1
Team		66	2454	37.2	5	18	51	1

PUNT RETURNS	No	FairCaught	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
Woodson		38	    8		398	10.5	52+	1
Hill		1	    0		0	0	0	0

KICKOFF RETURNS	No	Yds	Avg	Long	TD      Botched all to hell
Woodson		35	764	21.8	49	0
Stone		5	91	18.2	24	0
J.Williams	3	31	10.3	20	0
Foster		3	29	9.7	13	0	      1
Griffin		2	16	8.0	14	0
E.Green		1	16	16.0	16	0
Lipps		1	9	9.0	9	0
Olsavsky	1	0	0.0	0	0

INTERCEPTIONS	No	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
Woodson		5	67	13.4	34	0
Griffin		4	75	18.8	36	0
Woodruff	3	110	36.7	59	0
Everett		3	2	0.7	2	0
Johnson		2	60	30.0	34	1
Little		1	35	35.0	35	0
Lloyd		1	9	9.0	9	0
Willis		1	5	5.0	5	0
A.Jones		1	3	3.0	3	0
Hall		1	0	0.0	0	0
Lake		1	0	0.0	0	0

DEFENSE		Tackles-Assists
Little		63-17
Johnson		59-10
Nickerson	58-9
Lake		57-10
Woodson		54-12
Hinkle		56-7
Lloyd		55-7
G.Williams	45-4
Everett		28-7
Willis		20-9
Evans		21-5
Griffin		22-3
Woodruff	17-5
Davidson	19-1
J.Williams	13-2
Freeman		11-3
A.Jones		7-3
G.Jones		9-0
Veasey		5-4
Hall		6-0
Olsavsky	6-0
Shelton		4-0
Jenkins		3-0
Stowe		1-0

QB SACKS	No	Yds
G.Williams	6	-47
Willis		5	-25
Lloyd		4.5	-46
Davidson	3.5	-23
Evans		3	-26
Freeman		2	-14
Jenkins		2	-13
Hinkle		2	-11
Nickerson	2	-8
A.Jones		2	-4
J.Williams	1	-6
Lake		1	-5

PASSES DEFENDED
Johnson 18, Woodson 16, Lake 11, Griffin 7, Hinkle 6, Woodruff 6, Everett 5,
Evans 4, Hall 4, Little 4, Nickerson 3, Lloyd 2, G.Williams 2, J.Williams 2,
A.Jones 1, Willis 1.

OPPONENTS FUMBLES RECOVERED
Evans 3, Hinkle 2, Little 2, J.Williams 2, Freeman 1, Johnson 1, A.Jones 1,
Lake 1, Stone 1, Stowe 1, Veasy 1, Willis 1, Woodruff 1.

FORCED FUMBLES
Little 4, Everett 2, Hinkle 2, A.Jones 2, Lake 2, Nickerson 2, Olsavsky 2,
Freeman 1,Griffin 1, Hall 1, Johnson 1, G.Jones 1, Lloyd 1, Stowe 1, G.Williams
1, J.Williams 1, Woodson 1.

FUMBLES 	No.	Lost
Brister		9	3
Hoge		6	3
Worley		6	3	
Williams	5	5
Foster		2	1	
Griffin		1	1
Lipps		1	1
Blankenship	1	0
E.Green		1	0
Hill		1	0
Mularkey	1	0
Stone		1	0
Strom		1	0	
J.Williams	1	0
Woodson		1	0


There's always next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JaKe
 

    After looking at the numbers, esspecially the comparison of the
    Steelers vs Opponents, I would have to say that they look better on
    paper than what they actually are..
    
    Three things that stick out in my mind..  Fumbles, Penalties and Sacks
    against opponents.   The fumbles/turnovers they could fix by teaching
    Worley how to hang on to the ball.  Penalties well there isn't much
    they can do about that... That is in the hands of the refs...  Sacks
    you have to attribute to the lack of a pass rush..  The Steelers need
    to go to a 4 down 3 up defensive line scheme to help put some more
    pressure on opposing qb's.
    
    IMHO
    
    JB

             CAN YOU SEE THE ROCKET IN BLACK AND GOLD
            
                            BY
                     Gene Collier

Reprinted from the Pittsburgh Press, January 13, 1991 edition, with permission.

	It looks as if it;s getting down to decision time for Rocket Ismail, so
let's look closely at the young man's options and try to think along with him. 
Don't worry, it's not exactly the mental equivalent of heavy lifting.

Does Rocket:
	A). Forego his final year of eligibility at Notre Dame, sign a 5-year
contract with a National Football League team calling for $10 million to $1$12
million, including an approximate $3 million signing bonus, accept a shoe
contract and accompanying market blitz for a reported $6 million that will make
him the Air Jordan of football and live wealthily ever after, OR:
	B). return to college football, where they'll let you take two calculus
courses at once if you're really looking for a good time.

Hmmmmmmmm.  Careful now!!!

	Heres some information on Option B.  Should the Rocket return to
college ball and, after being declared a mental patient, get hurt, he would
jeopardize something like $20 million.

Hmmmmmmm.

OK, Time's up.

	Yes, Rocket should choose "A" because his choice is between a once in a
lifetime oppurtunity (actually a once in several hundred million lifetimes 
oppurtunity) and Notre Dame, which has been there since the discovery of fire
and shows no apparent instability.
	As it happens, conventional wisdom holds that the Rocket will
choose--are you ready---"A".
	"Absolutely," said Ralph Cindrich, the local agent, "He's one of those
unique, exceptional talents, someone who has really distinguished himself.  He
has an aura that appeals to marketing companies and he's a great fan of the
Steelers."

WHOA!

	The Rocket grew up in Wilkes-Barre dreaming of running the
sophisticated trap offense of the Black and Gold??????????

Absolutely verifiable.

George Stewart, the Steelers special-team coach who held the same position at
Notre Dame will tell you.

Sang the words to the Steeler polka as a todler????

Let's not get ridiculuos.

But let's look for a minute at option "C".

C). Rocket returns to Notre Dame for another year, hoping the Steelers will
play badly enough to earn the No. 1 choice in the 1992 draft.

Uh, No.

	Time to give somebody else some options, like the people in the think 
tank at 300 Stadium Circle, like Chuck Noll himself.
        Let's think along with Chuck.  Seatbelts fastened????

Does Chuck:
     A). Content himself with the 15th choice in the draft, which will probably
net someone lit bit-of-a-reach wideout Raheem Scissorhands of Piedmont Bible
College, or:
     B). Trade the New England Patriots Louis Lipps, Tim Worley, Tichard Bell,
Greg Lloyd and the No. 1 draft choice in 1992 for the right to choose the
Rocket, who is only the most electrifying player in captivity.
     Look, Dan Rooney always said he's in the entertainment business.  Who's
more entertaining in a football uniform than Ismail?  Besides Dwight Stone, of
course.
     The residual impact of the Rocket might justify the cost.
     He'll put your team back in the national consciousness and your take from
NFL Properties will go through the sky.  I mean what's the worst thing that can
happen, you won't make the playoffs.
     Think of the focus it would bring Pittsburgh in the meantime.  You'd have
the Rocket, the sport's most compelling figure, all over the tube on draft day
saying, "Gee, it's a dream come true; there's no place I'd rather be than
Pittsburgh."

HE MIGHT EVEN COME TO MINICAMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     I don't know, but for me, it would be a lot more interesting standing in
the Latrobe heat listening to Noll shrug off the absence of the Rocket than of,
say, Eric Green.
     I'd like to get the chance to hear Noll say, "Raghib who?  Look, I can
only concern myself with the people who are here."
     "He's missed too much already.  He can't help us."
     Then, in a late night August session between Rooney and turbo-powered
agent Marvin Skimoff, Rocket would agree to another record Steelers contract
when Rooney agrees to include in the deal several small aircraft.
     Finally, Rocket's dream date arrives.
     He trots out to receive the kickoff that will open the 1991 season and
launch the NFL into a new era.
     The Cleveland Browns, on whom the moment like many other things is lost,
squib the kick to Brian Blankenship, who falls on it at the 40.
     Rocket joins the huddle.  He splits wide right.  But the first two plays
are runs gaining 2 yards and 2 yards.
     Now it's 3rd and 6, Three Rivers Stadium at a broil.
     And it happens:
     
     The Joe Walton offense dictates that Rocket and Eric Green be replaced by
Chris Calloway and Raheem Scissorhands, who was, incredibly, still available in
the 5th round.

You know what?????

Just forget the whole thing!!!!!
JaKe

    How funny...how true...how sad.
    
    	--dan'l

    I always admired the Steelers of the 70's. Truly a great team.When
    you think of dynasties, up here in Mass,the Steelers always seemed
    to get overlooked. The Niners come up,Dolphins,Packers, and the
    Steelers are mentioned as a great team,but always as an afterthought,
    IMO. However,give me the 70's Steelers anyday; I'd stack up Bradshaw
    in the clutch vs any QB( Including Montana,and I'm an ND guy)
    
    As far as the Immaculate Reception sending the Steelers on their way,
    I recall that that only gave them a win over the Raiders. Weren't they
    pummelled in the championship game vs. Miami that year? I think the
    next year (74-75) they won the Super Bowl. 
    
    MikeL
     

    Last night's Sportsline has Rocky Bleir(sp?) as a guest.  It was
    interesting to hear him draw parallels with today's events and how it
    affects an athlete in the military.
    
    Mike

    1972	Win the Immaculate Reception game 13-7, lose AFC title game
    		to Miami 21-17 after posting 11-3 regular season record.  
    		Miami goes on to win Super Bowl
    
    1973	Finish with 10-4 record, end up as wild card, loses playoff
    		game to Oakland 33-14.  Miami beats Oakland the next week
    		27-10 and goes on to win Super Bowl
    
    1974	10-3-1 regular season record.  Beats Buffalo 32-14, Oakland
    		24-13 and Minnesota 16-6 in New Orleans to win Super Bowl 9
    
    1975	12-2 regular season record.  Beats Baltimore 28-10 and
    		Oakland 16-10 before beating Dallas 21-17 in Miami
    
    1976	10-4 regular season record.  Beats Baltimore 40-14 before
    		losing to Oakland 24-7.  Oakland wins Super Bowl
    
    1977	9-5 regular season record.  Loses to Denver 34-21.  Denver
    		beats Oakland before losing to Dallas in Super Bowl
    
    1978	14-2 regular season record.  Beats Denver 33-10, Houston
    		34-5 and Dallas 35-31 to win Super Bowl XIII in Miami
    
    1979	12-4 regular season record.  Beats Miami 34-14, Houston
    		27-13 and Los Angeles 31-19 to win Super Bowl XIV in 
    		Pasadena.
    
    John

    	In 1976 both Franco Harris and Rocky Blier were out of the AFC
    Championship game with injuries.
    
    				/Don

    
    re: '76 Steelers
    
    	Not to mention that both Harris and Blier gained over 1000 yards
    that year.  
    
    	Many believe that the '76 team was the best of em all.  The defense
    recorded the lowest points against total for a 14 game season at that 
    point with I believe 4 shutouts.  
    
    

    re .18
    
    Uh oh ...
    
    So I guess that the '76 Championship games loss was a post facto
    Excellent Loss, right Slasher ?

    Goose, the 76 team was supposed to best of them all, but Bradshaw
    couldn't pick up the slack for the losses of Harris and Bleir right ?
    
    Maybe the D was at their most dominant (possibly the best ever to play
    the game), but I like the 79-80 Steelers better as an offensive force.
    That version of Bradshaw might have been able to beat the Raiders a few
    years earlier.

    
    re: Doc
    
    	Bradshaw was hurt for part of the year and that is why Harris and
    Blier had 1000 yard years.  I'm not sure when he returned, but the
    Steeler's had a great first round game and blew away the Colts only to
    find that they had lost their backfield.  Having then to play the
    Raiders out there without a backfield of any kind, kinda put the 
    Steeler's on the ropes.  Don't forget that the Raiders and the Steelers
    at this time were probably the best two teams in football.  The
    raiders to advantage of the lack of a running game and won the game
    handily.  Had the Steeler's went in full strength, it would of been
    a better game.
    
    							bill..g.
    

  I agree that the 76 team was the best. The way I remember it, they got off
  to a lousy start. Then Bradshaw got injured and had to sit out the next
  6 games. During those 6 games, the Steeler's had 4 shutouts.

  				Keith

    Don't forget that Pats had a helluva year in '76 also. Methinks
    they woulda been Supa Bowl Champs if they hadn't been Ben Dreith'ed
    in Oakland.
    
    Waddya say John H.?
    
    (GD ruffing the passer against Sugar Bear, !?!!ing Villapiano holding
     Francis!! ARRRRGH)
    
    Deep breath, ok, flashback over! 
    
    Opening Old Wounds
    
    MikeL
                                    

    	Doc, it was almost as excellent as the Lakers 1984 loss to the
    Celtics, or the Lakers 1989 loss to the Pistons, or the Lakers 1990
    loss to the Suns.
    
    				/DoEL

    Could have been, but I refuse to use an official's call as an excuse. 
    What happened happened, and officiating is as much a part of the game
    as injuries are.
    
    John

    John,
    	Did I read somewhere that Dreith was demoted from Umpire this
    year?
    
    IMO it was 14 years too late.
    
    No excuses, still recall the anger. O well
    
    MikeL
    

    Dodo - EL , I never claimed EL's for the Lakers ... of course this is
    merely a method of smokescenning that the LB Jihad loves to practice,
    so that you can claim EL's against the Pistons in 88, and the Knicks
    last year.
    
    Not to mention for the next two weeks at least - HAHAHAHHAAAA !!!!

    Both Ben Dreith and Fred Wyant were moved from Referee to Line Judge
    this year.  The NFL cut back from 16 officiating crews to 15.  Tom
    White, in his second year in the NFL (the only other person I know of
    who made to Referee that quickly is Jerry Markbreit) was moved from
    Line Judge to Referee.  That was planned before the season.  Because of
    the illness (and death, in early October) of last year's Super Bowl
    Referee, Dick Jorgensen, Gerry Austin was moved from Side Judge to
    Referee.  Jim Tunney and Ben Dreith are in their 31st year of
    officiating in the NFL.
    
    Jerry Seeman will be moving from the field to the office as he takes
    over for the retiring Art McNally as Supervisor of Officials on April
    1, so there will likely be a lot of movement next year and a lot of
    older officials are likely to retire.
    
    John

    I hate to clobber a lifeless equine, but I got to thinking about what
    Bob Hunt said concerning the 70's Steelers benefiting from officials'
    calls.  It has always been my opinion that just the opposite is true.
    
    Lambert was a hard hitter.  I hesitate to say "dirty player" because
    that title goes to Mike Wagner.  Anyway, anytime Lambert was remotely
    close to a late hit (i.e. it really wasn't a late hit or roughing) he
    got flagged.  And that carried over to the rest of the defense.  The
    officials were always watching the Steelers intimidating defense a
    little closer than usual.
    
    And I distinctly remember a long Franco Harris run being called back
    for...are you ready for this..."hurdling."  I don't know if any other
    runner in the history of football has been called for "hurdling."  It
    was the first and last time I ever heard it called.
    
    There were rumors back then that Rozelle didn't want the Steelers to
    win anymore super bowls because he was hungry for parity.  He wanted
    someone else to win.  That can never be proved, but if it was so, the
    Steelers overcame that too.
    
    	--dan'l

    Harold Carmichael, the Eagles' 6'-8" wide receiver, used to get flags
    for "hurdling" all the time.   Thankfully, the NFL finally ditched that
    rule and now we see it all the time.
    
    As for the Steelers and the referees and all that ...  I simply took a
    shot at JaKe for daring to complain that the Niners get the benefit of
    the doubt.   All dynasties, Steelers and Niners included, get a fair
    share of breaks and good luck and "Dame Fortune" along the way.  
    Otherwise [drum roll please ...], they wouldn't have been dynasties. 
    Tres simple, n'est-ce pas ???
    
    I can remember two calls in the 1970s that went the Steelers' way. 
    
    One, of course, is the one we already mentioned.  The "Immaculate
    Reception" should have been ruled incomplete because the ball hit two
    offensive players in a row.  At *that* time, that was an incompleted
    pass.  It's now okay.
    
    The second occured during one of the two late-70s AFC Conference
    Championship wins over over Bum Phillip's Houston Oilers.   Houston's
    Mike Barber caught a Dan Pastorini pass in the extreme backend corner
    of the Steelers' endzone and got his tippy-toes inside the line but the
    refs blew it out of bounds.   Endless replays showed him with his feet
    just barely in bounds but to no avail since instant replay wasn't in
    force then.   The Steelers took the gift and blew the Oilers away from
    there.
    
    I'm not saying that the Steelers wouldn't have won four Supes without
    the refs' help.  They were a true dynasty in every sense of the word. 
    But don't fool yourselves into thinking that they didn't get some
    breaks in some very fortunate situations.
    
    Bob Hunt

    Granted I look at things through black-and-gold-colored glasses, but I
    always try to be rational and objective.
    
    I have both plays Bob points to on video.  To me, both are
    inconclusive.  I watch the immaculate reception and I can't tell if the
    ball hit Frenchy or not.  You mean you can, Bob?  Then you've got a
    camera angle that even the NFL doesn't have because no one is really
    sure...not even those involved in the play.
    
    As for Barber, that was a split second call and I really don't think he
    had downright possession of the ball before he got those tippy-toes in.
    That was also the refs ruling.  He didn't have possession.  It wasn't
    that his feet weren't in.  And I think even instant replay wouldn't
    overturn the call...that's my opinion from what I've seen them call
    "inconclusive" and "conclusive".
    
    Back to the original point, I think both plays are inconclusive so it's
    just up to what we, as individuals see and think.
    
    There's obviously fodder here for two huge ratholes, so let's not get
    into it.  Those who think one way will see those plays that way and
    those who think the other will see it THAT way.  Nothing we can do
    about it.  It's over and the Steelers were champs.
    
    	--dan'l

   � Back to the original point, I think both plays are inconclusive so it's
   � just up to what we, as individuals see and think.
    
    I agree completely.  Both plays were 100% inconclusive and no amount or
    sophistication of instant replays would have been able to tell anyone
    otherwise.
    
   � It's over and the Steelers were champs.
    
    And this is my ultimate point, too.  Both plays in question were ruled
    on the field in the Steelers' favor.   That they were called so isn't
    right and it isn't wrong.  It just *is*.
    
    Great teams get these calls or else they wouldn't be great teams.   The
    Steelers were a great team.   No doubt about it.  But all the talent in
    the world doesn't bring home that much bacon without a little divine
    intervention every now and then.
    
    Which is what JaKe was complaining about with the current 49ers.
    
    Bob Hunt

    	You can argue about the Immaculate Reception, but in the 1979
    AFC final against the Oilers, Barber *did* score a touchdown.  Had
    there been an instant replay then it would've counted.  The score
    at the time was 21-14 and the TD would've tied up the game.  The
    Oilers kicked a field goal then the Steelers scored again making
    a 28-17 final (hardly blown out).  Can't say the Oilers would've
    won the game, but that was a touchdown.
    
    				/Don

/Don,
        I think the play your talking about was with Mike Renfro catching
      the ball in the corner of the endzone while he was falling. 

      Then again, maybe I don't know what I'm talking.

Chuck

    Now that you mention it, I think it was Mike Renfro and not Mike
    Barber.
    
    The play I remember, the name, well ...
    
    Bob Hunt

    re .30
    
    If Franco was called for anything, it shoulda been for tip-toeing out
    of bounds like the girly mon he was .... :-)
    
    Actually I felt that the old Raiders teams got the same type of
    mistreatment from refs. Jack Tatum seldom went outside of the rules to
    knock you dizzy, but he would get flagged on his 'rep' more than
    anything else. Ditto for Skip Thomas and Sistrunk. Aktison was probably
    the only real villian in the bunch (but was still a great CB), and the
    rest of the Raiders suffered for him and Ben Davidson ....

    re .31
    
    Thanks Bob for mentioning the 78 title game. I have a bias true, but
    the refs copped out big time in Three Rivers, just like they did on the
    I.R. in '72 ...when did a close call ever go against them at home ?
    
    And I noticed that Mr Clean, Chuck Noll - never mentioned the
    Wagner cheapshot that knocked Mike Barber out of that game....

    re .35
    
    Chuck is right, it was Mike Renfro - Barber had been knocked out of the
    game earlier. The TD-that-wasn't wouldhave made it a 17-17 game.
    Instead the Oilers kicked a FG to make it 17-13, and the Steelers won
    27-13.

    
    
    	Here I go again defending those darn awful men in stripes...I guess
    I just bleed black and white stripes now.
    
    	Everyone has an opinion of what happened with the I.R.  Frankly, to
    this day, no one really knows except Tatum and Fuqua.  Tatum says he
    never touched the ball, but does anyone really believe anything Tatum
    says?  Boy, Jack sure did a great Houdini after the "accident".  So,
    the only really reliable source is Fuqua.  A few years ago on the 
    anniversary of the I.R. he was supposed to come out and tell his side.
    I never did hear if he did this or not.
    
    	But seeing how everyone has an opinion on these couple of plays, 
    I'll just enter mine from a ref's perspective.  
    
    	In the case of the I.R. the ref's had to of been spread pretty 
    thin all over the field.  The Steeler's were down to their last play
    and they had to throw some sort of bomb.  Adding to the fact that some
    of the refs were positioned for the heave, Bradshaw also had to
    scramble out of the pocket thus occupying some more eyes.  When the
    ball and the two players came in contact, the refs were simply out of
    position to see what happened.  Now, in hoops, if you don't see it,
    you can't call it.  It's as simple as that.  No one really knew what
    happened except that Franco caught a deflected pass and ran it in for
    a score.  They called a conference and no one really knew what
    happened.  Believe me, I've been in a couple of those conferences and
    they are not a lot of fun.  If no one saw what happened, then you go
    with the play.  Given the confusion of a last ditch play, it's easy
    for me to see why the ref's were out of position to see the play 
    properly.
    
    	As for the Houston non-TD, I believe it was a TD.  Another split
    second judgment thing for the ref.  Again, if he felt that Renfro
    didn't quite have possession, then no TD.  If he did, then it should
    of been a TD.  Remember, that official had to look at Renfro's feet
    and his hands at the same time to see if he had possession and both
    feet inbounds.  If I remember correctly, Renfro's catch was slightly
    over the shoulder which would of made it a hard catch to see by the
    other officials.  To be honest to the ref's, if the play is viewed 
    at normal speed, it's really hard to tell.  Only after they broke the
    play down frame by frame (including pictures in SI which I own)
    could you really tell what happened.
    
    	As far as I'm concerned, the Steeler's got some breaks through the
    years and they had some go against them.  But the fact remains, that
    the good teams make the breaks and do the most given the breaks.
    
    	Given these plays, which are really a couple of the toughest to
    call, the refs I believe did the right thing based upon their judgment.
    
    	If instant reply was around, the Oilers would of been given a TD
    in that case, but given the camera angles involving the I.R., I don't
    see how they could of overruled the TD.  After 18 years, we still don't
    know what really happened!  Maybe we could resurrect the Warren
    Commission to review the evidence...where's Zapruder when you need him?
    
    								bill..g.
    

    	To bad HOOT ain't here.  He knows exactly what happened on the
    Immaculate Reception.  The receiver was Renfro, but I still thought
    the score was 28-17. 
    
    				/Don

    Dwayne Woodruff, DB, has stated that he absolutely WILL NOT play for
    the Steelers next year.  Woodruff is the last Steeler with a Super Bowl
    ring from the Steelers 4th triumph.
    
    He stated that the reason he won't return to the Steelers is the fact
    that they haven't treated him well(his opinion) the last three years.
    He is reported to have contacted 3 NFL teams about the possibility of
    playing one or two more years.
    
    The Steelers have said that Woodruff will not be on the protected list
    for teh third straight year.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Mike Mularkey will not be protected this year.  Mularkey underwent
    arthroscopic surgery on both of his knees and it is unknown whether he
    will play football again.  Mularkey has given his word to the Steelers
    that if he is able to play, he WILL play for the Steelers.
    
    
    JaKe

    Richard Bell, rb; 
    Brian Blankenship, ol; 
    Gene Cullinane, c; 
    Larry Griffin, db; 
    Derek Hill, wr; 
    Bryan Hinkle, lb; 
    A.J. Jenkins, lb-de;
    Terry Long, og; 
    Mike Mularkey, te; 
    Terry O'Shea, te; 
    John Rienstra, og;
    Tyronne Stowe, lb; 
    Rick Strom, qb; 
    Keith Willis, de; 
    Dwayne Woodruff, cb.
    
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Can anyone fill me in on some happenings with Rod Woodson?  My dad
    called me the other night from Florida and had just caught the final
    words of a sports story involving the Steelers and Woodson.  Something
    about the Steelers didn't want to lose him so they signed him.
    
    My guess is that it was Woodruff and not Woodson and that the old man's
    hearing aint what it used to be.
    
    	--dan'l

    Dan'l:
    
    I haven't heard anything about it lately so I'll make a couple of
    contacts tonite and see what I can drum up, but here's the poop so far
    
    Rod Woodson has had a few meetings with the Atlanta Falcons.  He is, as
    of now, a restricted free agent, meaning he can sign with any team but
    the Steelers get a chance to match the other teams offer.  Also, if he
    is signed by another team, it will cost them 2 first round draft picks
    for taking him.
    
    Woodruff was pi$$ed about the Steelers leaving him on plan B and not
    making him megabuck offers to stay and play with the Steelers.  He
    reportedly has said he WILL NOT play for the Steelers next season.
    
    More when I get more info.
    
    JaKe
    

    Woodson still hasn't signed with anybody.  The Atlanta Falcons are
    still wining, dining, and sixty-nin....oops, talking to him.
    
    Woodruff, to ny knowledge, has not signed with anybody either.  The
    Steelers can't talk to him until after April 1st, I think being that
    he's a plan "b" free agent.
    
    JaKe
    

    Woodson hyas until midnight tonite to sign with another club or the
    Steelers have to negotiate a contract with him, instead of matching
    somebody else's offer.  
    
    The Steelers, unless anything happens tonite, lost 4 players in the
    Plan "B" extravaganza.  They lost Tyrone Stowe and Derek Hill to the
    Cardinals.  The fact that they are so weak at WR made me wonder why
    they left Hill unprotected.  Lipps isn't getting any younger and Hill,
    while a dissapointment so far, has only been in the league for 2 years.
    
    They also lost John Reinstra to the Brown(spot)s(tm).  Rhino is a 5
    year former #1 draft pick who has been a HUGE dissapointment(no pun
    intended).
    
    They also lost Richard Bell, RB, but I can't remember who picked him
    up.
    
    JaKe
    

    Dan Rooney gave massive tight end Eric Greene an extra few thousand
    dollars bonus out of the blue several weeks ago.  Greene, who held out
    for about half the season, was a key factor in the Steelers 1990
    turnaround and he was rewarded for it.
    
    Any word on Woodson yet?  I'm sure that rumor over in the Pats topic is
    just that.  Probably some stupid commentator who saw that Pittsburgh
    was having trouble signing him and decided it would be good for the
    Pats to go after him.
    
    Saw a mock draft in the paper where the Steelers would end up getting
    Herman Moore.  Personally, I think Moore is the most talented of all
    the receivers in the draft (including Ismail) and I would jump for joy
    if he were in black and gold.  However, I think he'll go several picks
    higher than the Steeler's 15th...but who knows!!!
    
    	--dan'l

    > Saw a mock draft in the paper where the Steelers would end up getting
    > Herman Moore.  Personally, I think Moore is the most talented of all
    > the receivers in the draft (including Ismail) and I would jump for joy
    > if he were in black and gold.  However, I think he'll go several picks
    > higher than the Steeler's 15th...but who knows!!!
    
    Talented, but maybe a tad slow.  Anyone hear his 40 time in any of
    these NFL combines?  Moore seemed to me to be the prototypical tall, 
    good-hands possession receiver instead of the game-breaker type.
    First-round material, but I don't know if he'll go real high.
    
    What's the guy's name who comes from a small school in (I think)
    Texas?  He was supposedly rated just above Ismail as the best prospect
    in the country by one scouting system.  The best performance I saw by a
    receiver all year was by that Perkins kid from Tennessee against Notre
    Dame, too, but I think he was only a sophomore or freshman...
    
    glenn
    

>                -< Seems like a decent draft for receivers... >-
    
    More like an excellent draft for receivers.  I saw one report where
    something like 7 of the 34 top rated players are receivers.
    
>    What's the guy's name who comes from a small school in (I think)
    Texas?  

    You're probably thinking of Reggie Barrett, WR, from UTEP, or Jake
    Reed, WR, from Grambling (Isn't Grambling in Texas?).
    
    Joe
    

    Grambling is in Louisiana, NE of New Orleans ...

   How many of those `talented' receivers do you think will be attempted
   to turn into Cornerbacks?

   Mike JN

    Jake, got the write up from the Post-Gazette or Press about the
    Steelers' choices?  
    
    1. Huey Richardson, lb, Florida
    2. Jeff Graham, wr, Ohio State
    3. Ernie Mills, wr, Florida
    4. Adrian Cooper, te, Oklahoma
    
    Not bad if the two receivers are OK.  Dallas wanted Richardson and were
    trading down in the draft thinking he was theirs.  No one thought
    Pittsburgh would take him.  
    
    I think it was a good pick if he's any kind of a pass rusher.  That was
    the weakest part of the team...not wide receiver like everyone and
    their mother was indicating.
    
    	--dan'l

    Sorry Dan'l, 
    
    I'm up in Bedford Mass. for the next week, so no access to the PG or
    the Press.  I missed hearing Myron Cope's ranting and ravings on draft
    day.
    
    JaKe
    

    
    	Yea, I'd like to hear what the _Press_ has to say.  
    
    	Gee, I wonder if we can expect him to play before the season
    opener, or will he be another in the long line that doesn't show up 
    until mid-season?
    
    							bill..g.
    

    He'll hold out, Noll will say that he can be of no use to the Steelers
    this season, he'll sign after 6 games then play from the 8th game on
    and get 14 sacks.  That's the way it goes every other year.
    
    The Steelers always seem to have problems signing their #1 and it
    always seems that when the guy does sign, it's for what he was asking
    for originally, anyway.  The Steelers have the second lowest payroll in
    the leagueand seem to want to keep it that way.
    
    Also, I look for them to have problems getting Woodson signed before
    training camp this year.  We should hear Noll say,  "Rod Who????"
    Then he'll sign after 3 or 4 games only to break his leg and sit the
    season out, or something like that.
    
    JaKe
    

    Steelers Picks
    
    1 Huey Richardson    DE  Florida
    2 Jeff Graham        WR  Ohio State
    3 Ernie Mills        WR  Florida
    4 Sammy Walker       DB  Texas Tech
    4aAdrian Cooper      TE  Oklahoma
    6 leroy Thompson     RB  Penn State
    7 Andre Jones        LB  Notre Dame
    8 Dean Dingman       OG  Michigan
    9 Bruce McGonigal    TE  Virginia
    10 Ariel Solomon     OT  Colorado
    11 Efrum Thomas      DB  Alabama
    12 Jeff Brady        LB  Kentucky
    
    
    JaKe
    

    The Steelers surprised everyone by not taking a quality wide receiver
    in the first round...and stealing the player Dallas was eying on top
    of that.  But then they go ahead and draft the following:
    
    2 Jeff Graham        WR  Ohio State
    3 Ernie Mills        WR  Florida
    4aAdrian Cooper      TE  Oklahoma
    9 Bruce McGonigal    TE  Virginia
    
    The more I think about it, that's not too bad.  Walton experimented
    with a two tight end formation last preseason.  Everyone is complaining
    that not taking a wide receiver with the first pick will mean another
    year of Louis Lipps being double teamed.  But think about it.  If
    either of those tight ends are any good and the Steelers do go with a
    two tight end set, a defense would have to cover two receivers (one
    being Lipps) and two tight ends (one being monster Eric Green).   I
    wouldn't want to be an opposing linebacker facing that.
    
    Then again, none of that matters if Brister spends more time
    complaining than learning.
    
    	--dan'l

    re.61
    Dan'l
    Let us not forget that Green played quite a few plays lined up as a
    slot receiver, too, and played damned good there.  At TE, Mularkey is a
    question mark, coming off reconstruction of his knee(s).  Taking 2 TE's
    in the draft should yeild at least one new one to the team, but with
    the Steelers luck with the draft in recent years, who knows what the
    hell will happen.
    
    Now the Steelers have to settle down and sign their draft picks, not
    have holdouts like in the past.  They also have to sign Woodson NOW!!!
    
    Give him top bucks and have him ready for camp.
    
    
    JaKKe
    

    After reading several good grades for the steeler draft, I read the
    sporting news from late last week and it rated the steeler draft as a
    flat out D.  I believe I have several different papers who rated the
    draft, I will see if I can't get them in here tomorrow.  Just from what
    I've read Huey Richarson is super intelligent and makes a lot of plays
    off of intellect and instinct combined but needs to add a bit more raw
    strength.  Florida had a super defense and he was a major part of it.
    
    Roy Q.

    RE: Huey Richardson
    
    Chuck Noll likes smart players.  And not necessarily football smart,
    but book smart.  I think that had a lot to do with picking Richardson
    first.  However, recent years have proven that the Steelers coaching
    staff has not been able to exploit a player's potential no matter how
    smart he is.
    
    Or maybe the Steelers were just thinking the fans needed one of those
    "ew" type names for the D, since the O has "Looooooooouis" Lipps.
    
    	--dan'l

    I like those big tightends.  Ya know, yer Oklahomo types like Keith
    Jackson.  I tink Ewic Gween of the Steelers has a nicer tight end than
    any of them, though.  It's comparable to JR's plate stacker.  Now I
    know why the Browns have trouble winning against Pittsburgh.  Bernie is
    way too distracted by Ewics fly patterns.
    
    	--blain

    Anyone know if the Steelers signed Rod Woodson or is this going to end
    up another Mike Merriweather type of deal?
    
    	--dan'l

	Mike who?

    Dan'l
    
    The Steelers have not signed Woodson yet, nor have they made much
    progress signing draft picks.
    
    Looks like the annual Chuck Noll's, "Rod Who, Huey Who, are they
    brothers??"
    
    JaKe
    

    The Steelers signed their #1 Pick, Hugh Richardson to a 4 year contract
    worth $2.8 million.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    
    Won't make any difference.....
    
    		Have they signed a new QB yet?
    

    The Steelers still have not signed Free Agents Rod Woodson and David
    Little.
    
    Sources here in Pittsburgh for both sides say that they are making
    progress in getting Woodson signed and expect his contract to be inked
    in the next week or two.  
    
    There was no word about the status of David Little's negotiations.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    
    re: Jake
    
    	I wouldn't to concerned about Little.  He's been around for awhile
    now, and with their No. 1 pick slated for a inside LB spot, I wouldn't
    think Little would be a priority.  I'd be more concerned about Woodson
    since he is one of the best CB's in the league.
    
    	Other than that, it's good to see their No. 1 get signed so early.
    
    
    							bill..g.
    

    With Little making the pro-bowl lasted year and having just come off of
    a fine season, I think the Steelers HAVE to sign him.  Richardson
    probably won't get tons of playing time this season while he learns the
    ropes.  Word around here is that the Steelers are moving Richardson to 
    an outside LB slot so he can play OLB in a 3-4 and jump up to DE in a
    4-3, like when they play the Bungholes and their wussfull no-huddle.
    
    Woodson does remain their top priority at this time, though, IMHO.
    
    Re signing Richardson already....Sure is nice to see the #1 in camp
    after only missing 4 days, versus seein the #1 miss 4+ games and
    hearing the Noll-isms about no contributions possible etc....
    
    
    JaKe
    

    What were the numbers on Huey.  I'm not sure but did I hear 2.6 mil
    over 4 years.  If so it doesn't sound like to much to pay if he pans
    out as a #1 round draft pick.  It is good to have him in camp.  Maybe
    the steelers would have scored touchdowns earlier in the season had
    Green been in camp after only missing four days last year.
    
    Any little tid bits of news coming out the camp thus far Jake?  How are
    the signings going for the steelers other draft picks.  In particular
    the wideouts.
    
    I know the Pirates are still holding the 1 spot in the east so thus
    they still have the headlines.  Any news would be appreciated though.
    
    JAKE -- Sorry about system time and lic. problem vms upgrade went
    arwry.
    

    Chuck Noll and "Mean Joe" Greene have both blasted Aaron Jones in the
    past few days.  They say he has the talent but is just not using his
    head.  It was reported that he is still throwing his temper tantrums
    for which he was so highly penalized in his rookie year.  Jones is in
    his 4 th year and this training camp is his make or break.  If he
    doesn't get his head together fast, he'll be gone before the season
    starts.
    
    Eric Green, second year TE, lost 20+ pounds in the off season and is
    wieghing in at 265 now.  Reports from camp are that Green more
    resembles a Wide receiver coming off of the line than a tight end.
    Look for an awesome year out of Green, who not only is very fast, but
    runs excellent routes and has great hands and is also tough to bring
    down after he catches the ball.
    
    Steelers have signed a pick or two but I don't have any names.  The
    Wideouts that were drafted have yet to sign, though.  Tom Donohue needs
    to get his ass in gear and get em signed.  
    
    Louie Lipps is out right now for the next week with a cracked rib and
    will practice then while wearing a flack jacket, so the Steelers need
    to get the rookie receivers into camp PRONTO!!
    
    More news when I get it.
    
    JaKe
    

>    Chuck Noll and "Mean Joe" Greene have both blasted Aaron Jones in the
>    past few days.  They say he has the talent but is just not using his
>    head.  It was reported that he is still throwing his temper tantrums
    
    I wish Noll would start saying the same thing about Brister.
    
    Why did Green need to lose weight?  He was awsome at 285 last season. 
    Does this mean he'll be faster?  He's certainly not stronger since
    muscle weighs more than fat.
    
    	--dan'l

    
    RE: Jones
    
    I don't know what the deal is with steeler #1 picks at DL I don't think
    one has panned out since Mean Joe himself.  Drafting is such an unexact
    science.  There was quite an uproar, me included, when a tight from
    relative obscurity was selected #1 last year and he turns out to be a
    monster with suction cups for hands.
    
    We really need those wideouts in camp. Louis Lipps has been quite
    injury prone lately after some stellar early years.  Of couse, it could
    have come from the abuse he received in the early years.  
    
    Thanks for the info Jake keep it coming!!!
    
    -.1
    
    Buster does needs to get his butt in gear(drive not overdrive) and his
    head outta park or worse yet reverse in some instances.
    
    Can't remember where I read it over the winter but at seasons end but I
    do recall Green saying his goals for this year were to decrease his body
    fat%, work on his blocking skills, and digest more of the complex
    offense.  I hope copied that last goal.
    
    Roy L.

    Roy hit it on the head with Eric Green's personal reasons for losing
    wieght.
    
    Word out of camp is that Green has gone from good to great by losing
    the weight and has picked up some speed and resembles a WR more than a
    TE, but can block.
    
    Joe "Booger" Walton has said that Green is the best TE he has seen in
    his 31 years in Football, but who listens to Walton anyway??
    
    JaKe
    

    Forgot to put this in here.
    
    About a week or so ago Dwayne Woodruff announced his retirement from
    the Steelers.  He had been in the NFL for ~12 years.  He holds a law
    degree and is a limited partner in a law firm here in Pittsburgh.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Can anyone out there post or point me to the Steelers' preseason
    schedule?
    
    Thanks.
    
    	--dan'l

  What's the latest news from the Steeler's training camp ?

  Have Woodson and Little signed yet ? How about their #2 and #3 draft choices,
  Graham and Mills ?

  It's good to see their #1 draft choice join the team early enough to keep
  Noll happy. How's Huey Richardson doing ?

  How about the 2 new tight ends, Cooper and McCon...? I remember watching
  Adrian Cooper play against the CU Buffs and was very impressed. He's
  got good hands, good speed and is hard to bring down. On top of that, I
  think he's a Colorado Springs native. Along with the Green monster, I
  think the Steeler's have a good chance to have the best set of tight ends 
  in pro football. And unless the Steeler's make some improvements with
  their wideouts, they'll need the best set of tight ends in football to
  be competitive.

  Since I'm also a CU Buff fan, I'm hoping free agent Gary Howe and #10 or
  #11 pick, Ariel Soloman can make the team. Howe, who looks like a fire 
  plug, played great at CU, especially rushing the passer. But the 
  big knock on him is that he may be too short(6'1") for the pros. 

  So what's up in Steeler land ?

	Colorado_Keith_who's_a_Pgh_native_but_rarely_gets_any_news_on_his_
			favorite_pro_team

    Unless something happened today that I didn't hear about, Woodson,
    Little, Graham, and Mills all are still unsigned.  Mills and the
    Steelers are close, but the Steelers want 3 yrs with an option year and
    Mills agent is saying no to the option year.  The Steelers then made an
    offer without the option year but with decreased bucks.
    
    Noll came out with the annual, "they're missing too much camp and may
    not make the team" jargon yesterday.  Mills, local theory is, may not
    make the team anyway, if his performance in mini-camp is anything of
    a clue as to how he'll perform.  Graham it has been said in the papers
    here, is almost a shoe-in to make the team regardless of when he signs.
    
    The Tim Worley saga continues.  This is the year that many feel will be
    the make or break year, or the "Is Worley another Walter Abercrombie or
    Greg Hawthorne" year.  Worley, though, is having mucho problems with
    his back and has seen a couple of specialists about these problems,
    with each saying that they can find no problem.  Worley practiced
    yesterday in the morning session but sat out the afternoon session
    because his "back stiffened up"
    
    Haven't heard much ala Huey Richardson 'cept for the broken nose he got
    when he ran into someone's elbow in practice in his second or third
    session.
    
    More when it comes in,
    
    JaKe
    
    

    Rumor from Steeler Camp is that Terry Long has failed the NFL steroid
    test and will be suspended from 2 weeks of training camp and the first
    four regular season games.  The Steeler offices admit that Long is in a
    local Pittsburgh hospital but have no comment on the Steroid charge.
    
    The Steelers held a 2 hour scrimmage against the Redskins lasted night.
    The result was a 19-19 tie.  The Place-kickers were the busy players in
    the scrimmage.  Gary Anderson kicked field goals of 57, 41, 38, and 29
    yards, while missing from 54 and 53 yards while another 53-yarder hit
    the crossbar and bounced back.  He also had a 43 yard attempt foiled by
    a bad snap.  Chip Lohmiller hit from 48, 46, 39, and 28 yards.
    
    Steeler Injuries:
    
    Terry Long(hamstring), Donald Evans(ribs), Louis Lipps(ribs), Tim
    Worley(back), Thomas Everett(thigh), Eric Green(back) and Huey
    Richardson(broken Nose).
    
    
    JaKe
    

    I had heard this morning that a Steeler tried to commit suicide last
    night.... Has any one heard this????
    
    REK

    Piottsburgh Guard Terry Long was hospitalized Thursday and treated for
    an apparent suicide attempt.
    
    Earlier it was reported that Long had failed a steroids test
    administered by the Steelers on July 11.
    
    It was reported that Long ingested Rat Poison.  LOng, 32, a starter for
    6 1/2 seasons, faces a NFL-imposed suspension.  As a first-time
    offender, he would miss two weeks of practice and the first 4 regular
    season games.
    
    Steeler and NFL officials have declined comment.
    
    Taken without persmission from USA Today.
    
    JD

(reprinted without permission from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 26-Jul-1991)

                         LONG FAILS STEROID TEST
                  (hospitalized for swallowing rat poison)

     Steelers right guard Terry Long, who tested positive for steroids and 
faces a four game suspension, was in Allegheny General Hospital last night 
after swallowing rat poison.
     Long was admitted to AGH Wednesday night after paramedics and several
police cars were called to his residence on Sturbridge Drive in Franklin Park. 
Neighbors said the ambulance and police were at Long's home for several hours.
     "He was taken by ambulance to the hospital," said Jim Bennett, an officer
of the Franklin Park Police Dept.  "He appeared to be in relatively good
condition."
     Bennett declined to give a reason for the ambulance call or discuss Long's
ailment.
     It was not immediately clear under what circumstances Long swallowed the
rat poison, but he walked into the AGH emergency room under his own power.
     Long, who turned 32 on Sunday, will be suspended by the NFL for the first
4 games of the season because of his positive test for steroids, a substance
that enhances size and strength and has been banned by the NFL.
     Long, listed as 5 feet 11, 278 pounds, was the Steelers fourth round draft
pick in 1984.  The Steelers media guide claims he is the shortest lineman in
the NFL.  He increased his weight from 160 in high school, and was considered
the nation's strongest player at East Carolina.
     He started seven games as a rookie and has been a starter at guard since. 
But he was facing stiff competition this year from Carlton Haselrig, a
298-pounder who was the Steelers 12th round pick in 1989.
     Long on Tuesday informed several teammates of his positive test result.
     Neither the league nor the Steelers would confirm for the record that Long
had tested positive for steroids.  But the team is aware that Long was recently
notified by Dr. John Lombardo, the NFL's adviser on steroids, about his
positive test.  Long and his teammates took the NFL's mandatory steroids test
July 11 at their St. Vincent College camp in Latrobe, Pa.
     "It's a league matter," said Dan Edwards, the Steelers public relations
director.  "Dan Rooney was in communication with the league.  That's where this
stands right now.  Rooney said he would have no comment at this time."
     The only thing the Steelers would confirm last evening was that Long was
in a Pittsburgh hospital.
     Rooney, the Steelers president, visited training camp yesterday afternoon
but left without speaking with reporters.
     After the teams regular afternoon practice, Coach Chuck Noll approached
reporters, threw up his hands and said, "You guys know more than I do."  He
then walked away.
     Karen Long, an AGH spokeswoman, and not related to Terry Long, said, "I
can't give you any informaiton.  My hands are tied."
     Steve Courson, a former teammate of Long's who has admitted past steroid
use, said Long's girlfriend called him Wednesday afternoon and told him that
Long tested positive.
     "She was wondering if it was possible if he could appeal," Courson said
last night.
     Long's girlfriend, whom Courson only knows as Denise, told him that Long
tested for a high level of testosterone.  Courson told her that such appeals
have been possible in track and field, but he didn't know the procedure in the
NFL.
     Steelers center Dermontti Dawson said he and other teammates were
concerned about Long's health.
     "I just hope he's all right," Dawson said, "I don't know whats going on. 
We'll just have to wait and see.  There are a lot of unanswered questions right
now, I don't want to say too much.  We're concerned, that's basically it."
     Long, who could not be reached at the hospital for comment, has a
hamstring injury.  He was one of 10 injured Steelers who did not make the trip
to Carlisle Wednesday for a scrimmage againt the Washington Redskins.  The
injured players were free to go home Wednesday, and Long's neighbors said that
is what he did.
     He had been in and out of practices the first two weeks of camp because of
the hamstring injury, and he also missed the scrimmage agaisnt the Redskins in
Latrobe on July 17th.
     However, he was with the team this week at their training camp site.
     Greg Aiello, the NFL's director of Communications, said he had no
information on steroids tests from any player this year.  He said if a player
tests positive for steroids, the league in due time would announce it along
with the punishment mandated by the NFL's substance abuse policy.
     Under that policy, a player who tests positive for steroids in  the
preseason is suspended for 2 weeks from practice and the first four regular
season games.  He then must have a negative test before he will be allowed to
resume play.
     Should a player fail a 2nd time, he would be suspended for six games, and
a third offense draws a minimum one year suspension.
     The NFL instituted mandatory steroid testing in 1989 and 13 players were
suspended by the league that year for testing positive.  one of those was
Rollin Putzier, a Steelers defensive lineman at the time he took the test in
training camp.  Before the results were announced, Putzier had been cut by the
Steelers and signed by the 49ers, where he served his 30 day suspension.
     Three NFL players tested positive last year and were suspended for three
regular season games.  The league increased the punishment to four games this
year.
     The only other Steelers known to have tested positive for steroids ate
guard Tom Ricketts and defensive lineman Craig Veasey.  Both, however, had
positive tests at the league's combine workouts before they were drafted by the
Steelers--Ricketts in 1989, and Veasey in 1990.
     Both players explained that their positive test was the result of a
steroid based medication they took in college for an injury.  Heither was
disciplined by the league.
     Beginning in 1990, all NFL players are subject to random steroid testing
both during the season and the off-season.  Aiello said once a player has
tested positive, he most likely will be tested more frequently.



JaKe

    The Steelers signed their #2 pick , Jeff Graham, WR, lasted week.  No
    terms available.
    
    Steelers beat the Redskins last night, 16-7.  Brister actually looked
    pretty good(I know, it's only the first pre-season game).  He had 2
    TD's called back due to penalties.
    
    Neil O'Donnell saw his first action with the
    Steelers as QB and looked pretty good.  His passing was fairly accurate
    and he showed some poise.  Strom may have problems retaining the #2
    spot.
    
    The Steelers are REAL unhappy with Tim Worley.  It was announced Friday
    that he has been moved down to 7th on the depth chart at running back. 
    He is currently sitting out with a back problem, although he has been
    examined and examined and examined and none of the Doctors can find a
    thing wrong with him.  Maybe if they did a brain scan it'll also show
    nothing.
    
    I'll put the stats in here later tonite if'n I get a chance.
    
    
    JaKe
    

>   Steelers beat the Redskins last night, 16-7.  Brister actually looked
>   pretty good(I know, it's only the first pre-season game).  He had 2
>   TD's called back due to penalties.
    
    What was the call, ineligible mommy downfield?    
    
    How many times did they show Bubbly Blister's mum clasping her hands
    over her face during the course of the game?
    
    Mark.

    Bubby's mum is holding out this season.  Dan Rooney has done his best
    to sign her, but her agent, Alexis Carrington, is one tough cookie. 
    Apparently holding up the negotiations is a "signing" bonus...she is to
    be paid $1000 every time she is caught performing the sign of the cross
    on national TV.
    
    Chuck Noll was quoted as saying, "There's no way she can help the team
    now.  I don't even know if she'll be ready to start at all during the
    season."
    
    In the meantime, Betty White has taken her place on the roster.
    
    Hip Herp Holps.
    
    	--dan'l

    re.90
    
    Dan'l, got any Windex handy????  Just got iced tea all over the screen
    and keyboard!!!
    
    Good one
    
    JaKe
    

               	1	2	3	4		T
Washington	0	7	0	0		7
STEELERS	0	3	3	10	       16


SCORING SUMMARY
Pitt-FG anderson 37yd
Wash-Ervins, 19 yd pass from Conklin(Lohmiller PAT)
Pitt-FG Anderson 27 yd
Pitt-Fair 34 yd pass from O'donnell(Anderson PAT)
Pitt-FG Anderson 54 yd	

TEAM STATS:

Washington					STEELERS
15			1st Downs		23
16-64			Rushes-Yds		32-122
194			Passing Yds		207
14-33-0			Comp-Att-Int		20-27-0
2-18			Sacked-Yds Lost		2-18
0-0			Fumbles-Lost		0-0
6-45			Penalties-Yds		9-61
23:02			Time Of Possession	36:58

Individual Stats:

RUSHING
Washington:Riggs 6-27, Byner 7-15, Ervins 2-13, Rutledge 1-9

STEELERS: Foster 11-51, Hoge 5-36, Thompson 5-14, W.Williams 3-12, Worley 4-10,
O'Donnell 4-(-1)

PASSING
Washington: Rypien 3-8-0-74yds, Conklin 6-9-0-89, Humphries 3-8-0-38, Rutledge
2-8-0-11.
STEELERS:Brister 11-14-0-114, O'Donnell 9-13-0-111

RECEIVING: 
Washington: Ervins 3-60, Hobbs 3-27, G.Clark 2-42, Stanley 2-31, Whisehunt
2-14, JiJohnson 1-32, Sanders 1-6.
STEELERS: Fair 3-54, Green 2-33, Calloway 2-25, Foster 2-20, Thompson 2-15,
Hoge 2-12, L.Davis 1-14, Lipps 1-12, Mularkey 1-11, McGonnigal 1-10, Worley
1-8, O'Shea 1-7, W.Williams 1-4.


JaKe

    
    Jake,
    
    	Any progress to report on Woodson or Little?
    
    							bill..g.
    

  �  Jake,
  �  
  �  	Any progress to report on Woodson or Little?
   
   Nope, JaKe's woodson is still very little.
   
   Bob Hunt

    I haven't heard anything about the David Little negotiating, but
    Woodson's agent said that the team made an offer at the end of lasted
    week and that he was going in with a counter offer sometime this week. 
    Haven't heard any more since then.
    
    Woodson's position is slightly stronger since the guy(can't remember
    the name) who was projected to be a back-up cornerback this year broke
    his arm in the game against the Redskins and will be out all season.
    
    
    More when it comes in
    
    JaKe
    

    
  >> Nope, JaKe's woodson is still very little.
   
  >> Bob Hunt
    
    Only at rest.  The Mrs. tends to use "two-hander" when refering to it,
    though(and that's not meaning one for the tweezers and the otherhand
    for the magnifying glass either!!)
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Can someone please confirm the start time of the Steelers Vikings game
    this Saturday.  My Steelers schedule says 9:00 PM.  Note 5.440 ('91
    Pre-Season) says it is at 7:00 PM.
    
    Thanks.
    
    	--dan'l

    Never mind. It seems 5.440 are Montain Time postings.  Game's at 
    9:00 EST. (Why so late?)
    
    	--dan'l

    dan'l
    
    could be cause they're playing in Minnie-soda and it'll be and 8
    o'clokk start there.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    The Steelers signed Ernie Mills, their 3rd round draft pick, to a 2
    year contract with a third year option, for a reported $840,000.
    
    he is the last of the Steeler draft picks to sign.
    
    Chuck Noll, being true to form, has stated that his late signing has
    left him no chance to make the team, so I expect a pro-bosl year out of
    Mills.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    
    Jake,
    
    Do you have a game summary or synopsis for the Vikes game.  Of course
    that one didn't make the tube in Atlanta.
    
    Roy L.

    Roy, 
    
    Unfortunately, I was out with the wife and munchkins all day and part
    of Saturday night.  Can't find the Sunday paper, either for the stats.
    
    I will say this much though.  Neil O'Donnell is breathing down
    Brister's back.  The Steelers receivers dropped 8, count em, 8 passes
    in Sat's game.  2 of those passes would have been sure TD's.
    
    Both QB's performed good in the game, but turnoveritis in the first
    half left them behind 27-3 at the half.
    
    I'll see if I can find the newspaper and get some of the stats or a
    synopsis for ya.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Question for Steeler fans....
    
    If Bubbly Blister (tm) is benched, will his mother ground him?
    
    Mark.

    They plan on bringing in mama blister as backup. She is the one who
    taught Booby everything he knows.
    

    The Steelers announced that, barring injury, Ernie Mills, WR and 3rd
    round draft pick will get a lot of playing time this week.  Mills just
    joined the Steelers after holding out and I guess this is their way of
    giving him all possible chances of making the team, which, being true
    to form, Chas. Noll has given Mills no chance of.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Tim Worley is out for the rest of the pre-season.  Arthroscopic surgery
    yesterday, wonder whether it was on a knee or his BIG HAID!!!!!!
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Is it really safe to say that Ernie Mills is getting a chance to make
    the team? Who is going to be throwing the ball to him. The starting 
    QB?............I don't think thats a fair chance to make the team.
    Maybe they should really try Boobies mom out!
    			The Rookie
                                  

 You guys keep picking on Bubby go ahead...you'll eat your words soon
 enough. He now has Green to open up the field for both him and Lipps.
 He's had a year experience with the offensive system so he'll make
 better reads this year.

 Considering he threw 20 TD's to Elway's 15 and Bernice's 10 and less 
 interceptions than the two of them you guys are standing on shaky
 ground that's about to turn into an earthquake...

 BubbleHaid to lead the Steelers to the Bowl this year....

 mike

>> BubbleHaid to lead the Steelers to the Bowl this year....

Have to agree.  The Bubster looks pretty confident so far this year.  Last
year at this time he was a mess.

Any more news on Woodson?

Warren

    
    Just remember who one of Clevelands 3 wins was against last year, Mike.
    Bubby took some real nice shots in that one too..  
    
    Anyhow, usual wager on this years games?
    
    /Jeff

    
    	Oh come on Mike, what plane did you get off on?  The wrong one for
    sure!  Someone like Bubble Butt Baby Boy Buster Brown will never go 
    anywhere in the NFL!
    
    	Dirty Dawg
    

    Bubby looks real accurate in the Dominos Pizza commercial.  Hits that
    phone right between the numbers!
    
    	--dan'l

    With Bernie and Bubby throwing in that commercial you know they must've
    gotten the wrong number.   :^)

    Actually, they had to film the commercial several hundred times because
    each time it was Kosar's turn to throw, he kept dialing 
    
    	1-900-HOT-GUYS
    
    Meanwhile, Bubby kept hitting the numbers for his home in Louisiana
    because he wanted to tell his mum all about the commercial.  Little did
    he know, she was in the studio watching from the rafters.  
    
    	--dan'l

>    With Bernie and Bubby throwing in that commercial you know they must've
>    gotten the wrong number.   :^)

 Atleast they were good enough to make the commercial. Smellway got AXED
 when he ask for operator's assistance....

 mike

    Guess what the Squeelers have lost six straight to the mighty Bengals
    now thats some record,i suppose it will be eight after this season
    just thought i would remind you squeeler fans that the Boomer and
    the boys like to kick ass at Three Rivers.
    
    
          Scotlands NO1 Bengal Fan saying 
              
           Have a nice day no offense meant
               Get the joke no offense HA HA

    Mike,
    
        I'll give you credit on the TD throws. Beating Bernie and mom is
    really not a challenge. I see Bubbles and Boobie in the same league.
    I'm not a Denver fan but I will stand up for Elway. Elway has brought
    the Broncos to 3 or 4 superbowls, Last year he threw 5 less TD's but
    ran in 3 TD's to Bubbles "0".  Also had 2 + 300 yd games to bubbles 1.
    If Pittsburgh makes it to the big one it will be on the back of a great
    defense and not on the arm of a Junoir QB.
    
    					The Rookie

    I've got to correct myself before you big Browns and Steeler fans
    hammer me. I confused Bubbles mom with boobies mom. See, my mistake 
    was that we can tell the differences in their moms. I shouldn't confuse
    their sons with them. My apoligies to the moms.
    
    
    
    The Rookie

    The Bengals - Steelers series has been just as even as the Bengals -
    Browns series if not more so.  After the 1989 season, the Steelers led
    the series 20-19 with 765 pts to Cincinnati's 741.  There have been 9
    splits, 6 Pittsburgh sweeps (including the one game played in 1982) and
    5 Cincinnati sweeps.  This series has been a lot more streaky than the
    Browns - Bengals series.  Pittsburgh won 9 of 12 during its Super Bowl
    years of 1974-79.  Cincinnati has won 8 of the last 11, winning the 4
    games in 88 and 89, after Pittsburgh had won 3 straight and the Bengals
    had won 4 straight.  Again, this is through 1989 only since I don't
    have this year's record book yet.
    
    In case any of you Pittsburgh or Cleveland fans ask, Cleveland has
    dominated the bulk of the series having gone 48-32 against Pittsburgh
    through 1989.
    
    John

Pre-season Game #3

			1	2	3	4		T
STEELERS		3	0	17	0		20
Philadelphia		7	7	0	7		21


Scoring Summary:
Phil--C.Williams 4yd pass from Cunningham(Ruzek PAT)
PGH---FG Anderson 36yd
Phil--Cunningham 1 yd run(Ruzek PAT)
PGH---Calloway 15yd pass from O'Donnell(Anderson PAT)
PGH---Cooper 9yd pass from O'Donnell(Anderson PAT)
PGH---Anderson 27 yd FG
Phil--Sanders 1 yd run(Piocki PAT)

TEAM STATISTICS:

STEELERS						Eagles
15			1st downs			16
23-139			rushes-yds			27-55
108			passing yds			151
17-33-3			comp-att-int			17-26-2
4-35			sacked-yds lost			2-17
4-31			punting				6-38
2-1			fumbles-lost			2-1
9-95			penalties-yds			8-50
31:23			Time of possession		28:37

INDIVIDUAL STATS:

RUSHING:
STEELERS:  Foster 12-94, Hoge 6-25, Stone 1-17, Thompson 3-3, O'Donnell 1-0
Eagles:    Drummond 9-27, Cunningham 4-12, Sherman 5-8, McPherson 1-5, Sanders
7-5, Goebel 1-(-2).

PASSING:
STEELERS: Brister 6-14-2-25, O'Donnell 11-19-1-118
Eagles:   Cunningham 11-14-1-107, McPherson 2-4-1-13, Goebel 4-8-0-48.

RECEIVING:
STEELERS:  Thompson 4-34, Lipps 2-22, Foster 2-19, Cooper 2-13, Calloway 1-15,
McGonnigal 1-11, Mills 1-7, W.Williams 1-5, O'Shea 1-5, Hoge 1-(-1).
Eagles:    Byars 3-37, C.Williams 3-35, Sanders 3-23, Keith Jackson 3-19,
Harris 2-17, Drummond 2-16, Shuler 1-21.


THEY'RE BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!OH NO!!!!!NO "O" JOE IS HERE AGAIN!!!!!

Bubby Brister and the 1st string offense have played the first half of each of
3 pre-season games and they have yet to produce a TD that wasn't negated(2),
dropped(1), or caught inches out of bounds(1).
    The Steelers have scored 6 offensive TD's so far this pre-season.  Of those
6, Neil O'donnell has thrown for 5TD's and directed the drive for the other TD.
    Brister has played the first half of each game and has only produced 9
points.
     If Barry Foster doesn't get the start at running back on opening day,
better call Frank Drebbin and Police Squad to investigate, casue the job will
have been stolen from him.  Foster had runs of 32, 29, and 20 yards en route to
his 12 carry, 94 yard performance.  Add in his 2 catches for 19 yards and
Foster had 113 yards in 14 plays, compared to 134 yards on 46 plays for
everyone else.
    Rookie cornerback finally showed the from that made the Steelers trade up
in the draft to get him, intercepting a Don McPherson pass to set up[ a TD,
only to suffer a sprained knee when McPherson tackled him late, when he was
already down and out of bounds. Walker was the only new injury.  Hardy
Nickerson made the trip but didn't play(hip pointer).  15 other players didn't
make the trip.  These were Delton Hall, Tim Worley, Gary Jones, A.J.Jenkins,
Dean Dingham and Rich Drayton, all out after some sort of surgery or another.
Six others nursing minor injuries were Tunch Ilkin(hamstring), Eric Green(lower
leg), Greg Lloyd(ribs), Rick Strom(ribs), Jeff Graham(thigh), and Ricky
Byrd(foot).  Rod Woodson and David Little are still unsigned and Terry Long is
not in camp after attempting suicide.
     Negotiations for Woodwon are not progressing well at all.  Both sides
agree that they are not close on either length of contract or dollars.  The
Steelers remain about $375,000 apart on a 3-year deal offered Little, who has
been offered $2million.   


JaKe

    Barry Foster had some good looking stats the last game. Do you know
    what his other stats looked like? I'm not fond off Bubby but I do like
    the backfield and the "D" of Pittsburgh. If they can get a great
    running game establioshed and the defense play like last year they
    I think they'll take the Central Division. Yes Hal, Over the Browns. 
    10 wins for the Browns will be really stretching it but they will
    improve from last years record if they stay healthy. Belinchick knows
    how to play a defense to stop teams. The only thing is that Pittsburgh 
    can boast the best "D" in the NFL last year and should stay in the top
    5. Let me hear from steeler headquarter on whether Barry will start or
    not.
    		The Rookie
    

>                     -< Barry Foster Rookie of the Year? >-

    Nope, this is his second year.  He is best remembered last year for
    treating a kickoff like a punt against SF and giving the 49er's a TD.
    
>    The only thing is that Pittsburgh 
>    can boast the best "D" in the NFL last year and should stay in the top
>    5. 
    
    Not a chance without Woodson and Little.
    
    >Let me hear from steeler headquarter on whether Barry will start or
>    not.
    
    I too think Barry Foster should be a starter, but Noll has an affinity
    for Warren Williams.  Williams is a complete running back whereas
    Foster is not that good a blocker.  If Foster can improve this aspect
    of his game, he will no doubt start.
    
    	--dan'l

Dan'l

You may have mentioned this before, but where do you guys meet to watch
the SteelHeadburghers? Is the public invited?

TTom

    TTom,
    
    We moved the club this year to SRO (Standing Room Only) Pub and Deli. 
    It's in Tyvola Place Mall in between the Bi-Lo and Target stores.
    
    I'm not real confident about this move, though, as I don't think this
    guy has a top-o-the-line satalite system and package.  For instance, we
    weren't able to pick up the feed out of Minessota a few weeks ago.  I
    think we'll be OK for the regular season but I'm still worried.
    
    And sure, the public is invited and we really don't care what team you
    root for as long as you have fun.  
    
    	--dan'l

Thanks.

Didn't one of the Picasso's do this last year? I know the one at
Providence Square does the Brown's games.

TTom

    Steeler's roster is down to 60 now.  They waived a bunch of free agents
    and no names, but also waived center Chuck Lanza, DE A.J.Jenkins, 7th
    round draft pick Andre Jones.
    
    Jenkins, plus free agents Ricky Byrd and Rich Drayton were waived after
    reaching injury settlements.
    
    QB Sam Mannery, free agent out of California, was retained and as of
    right now is the third string QB, since Rick Strom aggravated his rib
    injury Monday during practice.
    
    JaKe
    

    Steelers club was at Picasso's Providence Square lasted year but we
    left because:
    
    	- It was too small
    	- It went out of business
    	- The owner of SRO is from Pittsburgh (well, WV)
    
    

    Once again, the Steeler first string offense is showing signs of
    altzheimers(sp?).  They have forgotten where the end zone is.  Now I
    know it's only pre-season, and there's one more game that doesn't
    count, but the 1st string looks like sh!t!!!!  The second string
    offense has far outclassed, outplayed, and outscored the 1st string,
    even if they have played against other second stringers.  Neil
    O'Donnell has shown lots of poise and touch at QB, also.  Brister has
    put up numbers that most QB's would be ashamed of for one game, and his
    are for 3(halves).
    
    Hers is a summary of 1st half(1st string) vs. 2nd half(2nd string), so
    far
    
    	Category		1st half	2nd half
    Points			9		51
    First Downs			18		42
    Yards			312		577
    3rd Down Conv		3-16		8-18
    Turnovers			5		4
    Penalty Yds			131		75
    
    Brister vs O'Donnell is as follows
    
    		Compl-Att-Int	Total Yds	TD	Scoring drives	Rating
    
    Brister	   23-43-4	   182		0		0	25.6
    
    O'Donnell	   34-53-3	   403		5		6	94.8
    
    
    O'Donnell is looking like he may be the person to unseat Brister for
    the #1 QB slot.  Now I DO remember Cliff Stoudt and Mark Malone so I
    won't get my hopes too high, but maybe Emperor Noll, when Brister is
    having one of those 3-23 games, won't hesitate to yank him and give
    Neil his chance.
    
    JaKe
    
    

It's nice to see that people can be realistic about their teams.
It's a refreshing change from *some* topics in here ;^)

'Saw

    
    	Hey Saw!  
    			What are you talking about?  I'm realistic.  The
    Browns have put up some good numbers this preseason so far.  So there!
    
    	Jake,
    		It is pretty much normal for the the 2nd string QB to
    throw the ball more.  Lets face it, the coach wants to see what he
    can do.  The same goes for Cleveland.  The Browns have to deciede who
    will be the backup, Frances or Pillcox.  Pillcox took the lead because
    he came through in the pressure situation.  I think your right about
    giving the guy the chance though.  The first sign of Bubble Butt
    Burning Bald Bone Baby Buster Brown crying for Mom, he should be taken
    out and sent to his room.
    
    	Dawg Gone
    

>    		It is pretty much normal for the the 2nd string QB to
>    throw the ball more.  Lets face it, the coach wants to see what he
>    can do.  

    In this case, however, it is not normal.  The Steelers second-string
    QB, Rick Strom, continues to re-injure his ribcage muscle pull.  There
    really isn't much competition for the second string job now.

    Brister is still the man and it would be very premature for anyone to
    assume Neil O'Donnell will take a snap this season unless Brister gets
    hurt.  

    Noll is set in his ways.  Unfortunately, so are Pittsburgh fans.  When
    Stoudt stunk they called for Malone; when Malone was maligned they
    called for Brister.   I can almost hear the calls into Myron Cope's
    sportstalk:

    	"Yeah, Mahrn, yeah I thinkis Nick MacDonald guy should start
    	 at QB this year.  Yunz thinkina same thing?"

    Insert sounds of Myron going absolutely bonkers.  Yoy!

    	--dan'l

    
    >>I can almost hear the calls into Myron Cope's
    >>sportstalk:

    >>	"Yeah, Mahrn, yeah I thinkis Nick MacDonald guy should start
    >>	 at QB this year.  Yunz thinkina same thing?"

    >>Insert sounds of Myron going absolutely bonkers.  Yoy!

    >>	--dan'l           
    
    OK Dan'l, are you getting WTAE down there now or did you hear my call
    when you were in Pgh?????  I didn't think you'd get wind of my call but
    you put it in here word for word!!!!
    
    
    (8^)*
    
    JaKe
    

Damn, if that don't sound Pennsylvania though.

Funny thing is that out there the women sound the same way....

(used to date a girl from PA)....

'Saw

    Rod Woodson signed a contract last night.  The report I heard said he
    was now the highest paid defensive player in the NFL...and he's worth
    it.
    
    The Steelers will still be lacking at ILB.  David Little will be hard
    to replace and I would think the money they are going to pay Woodson
    might hurt Little's chances at getting the hefty sum he wants.
    
    	--dan'l

 I don't think so Dan-l. He gets 1.3 million. I believe LT, Reggie White and
 a few others make more than that. He's probably the highest paid secondary
 player in the league though...

 mike

    TTom (and others in Charlotte wondering where to watch the Steelers):
    
    We've bagged SRO as of Friday since he couldn't pull in the game. 
    Obviously not the place to watch the Steelers.  We are now
    unnofficially headquartered at The Lockerroom (next to Lizzie's, across
    from the Embassy Suites on 49).  This is where we shoulda been all
    along, black and gold from top to bottom.
    
    	--dan'l

    Just got word from up Pittsburgh way that the Steelers cut last year's
    second string QB Rick Strom who injured himself before the first
    pre-season game.  In his place, they kept a kid (don't know his name)
    who rewrote the record books last year at California University of
    Pennsylvania.
    
    This makes second-year QB Neil O'Donnell Brister's backup.
    
    My question is: Strom was an adequate QB who showed flashes of talent
    when he got in the games last year;  why cut him, why not put him on IR
    for the year?  I don't think the rookie even got into a preseason game,
    did he?
    
    	--dan'l

    The Steelers cut the 3rd string QB today, too.  Also cut TE Terry
    O'Shea.  Can't remember the others that got cut.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    
>    The Steelers cut the 3rd string QB today, too.  
    
    Probably so they could keep all those running backs.  Not a bad move. 
    Question is, can one of those RB or one of the WR be listed as 3rd
    string QB?
    
    >Also cut TE Terry O'Shea.  
    
    Was that the rookie from Virginia?  He cut himself by getting a case of
    the dropsies Friday night.  Glad to see Mike Mularky make the squad. 
    He's a valuable vet.
    
    	--dan'l (member ovat ah Nick Macdonald guy fanclub, yenz know?)

>>>               -< If Brister AND O'Donnell get hurt then what? >-

  Dan'l,

        A lot of teams drop there 3rd string QB's on this day. Most will
        bring them back tomorrow. You see, if you place a guy on the IR
        today hes has to be on the IR for the WHOLE season. Tomorrow most
        teams will move players to the IR where they can stay there for
        only 6 weeks and bring back quite a few of the backup players.
        Once the real season start injuries usually solve this over load
        in players.

  Chuck

    -dan'l
    
    O'Shea has been with the Steelers at least since last spring, but 
    they cut him lasted year also and then brought him back when Mularkey
    lost his knees.
    
    Re Mularkey, there was a story in one of the Pgh rags a week or so ago
    about Mularkey and his knees are shaky at best.  He is only able to
    practice one day a week, and says his knees are *SORE* after that, but
    he's still able to do the job on game day.
    
    JaKe
    

    Announced Steeler moves as of 18:00 today,
    
    Waived:
        Rick Strom, QB
        Terry O'Shea, TE
        Efrom Thomas, Safety
        Ariel Solomon, Tackle
    
    Released:
    	Cornell Berbich, WR
    	Sam Mannery, QB
    	Gary Howe, NT
    	Kevin Smith, Safety
    	Ron Fair, WR
    
    The Steelers are expected to announce the rest of their moves tomorrow
    morning.
    
    Also, I have misplaced my paper from Saturday and DO NOT have the game
    summary from the Steelers drubbing of the Detroit Lions.  If anybody
    has the game summary and stats would you please enter it in here.  
    
    JaKe
    

    I MUST know where I can go in the greater Boston area to see the
    Steelers play on TV. I MUST know. The ten minute ticker just ain't
    gonna cut it.
    
                                    Ed the coop
                                    Whose_parents_are_from_Pittsburgh_but
                                    who_moved_to_Ohio_and_whose_son_(me)_
                                    goes_to_the_University_of_Cincinnati_
                                    and_has_to_put_up_with_BUNGLE_fans_all_
                                    year_and_who_is_transplanted_to_Maynard
                                    _for_the_summer_but_is_nevertheless_
                                    a_died_in_the_wool_STEELER_fan!
    
    

Reprinted from the Pittsburgh Press, 8-26-1991, without permission

MULARKEY RUNNING FROM PAIN OF INJURIES
                       by Steve Hubbard

     Humans have performed phenomenal feats in times of terror, and that might 
as good an explanation as any for Mike Mularkey's sudden surge of fleet feet and
pain-free knees.
     "Running scared," a rejuvenated Mularkey said Friday night after his 25
and 23 yard catches set up the Steeler's first ten points in their pre-season
finale, a 16-3 victory against the Detroit Lions.  Mularkey appeared quicker
and faster than he had in months, reassuring not only himself but his coaches
that he can be an important part of their offense for another year.
     Mularkey, 29, did not want to retire, but his balky knees, particularly
his right one, had forced him to miss a lot of practice time and hampered his
performance when he was out there.
     His coaches did not want to retire him or waive him  because they admired
his courage, leadership, sure hands and solid blocking, but they also liked
their four young tight ends and did not want to release one if Mularkey could
practice only a day or so a week and then play on Sundays on aching knees. 
They knew he would practice if the pain was at all bearable, and so they let
him go at his own pace for most of minicamp and training camp.
     Coach Chuck Noll spoke glowinglu of Mularkey's toughness and said he could
skip a practice or two a week, just as John Stallworth, Donnie Shell and others
did late in their careers when practice could have done more harm than good to
their aching joints and muscles.
     But two weeks ago, offensive coordinator Joe Walton told Mularkey and the
media that he would have to press hard to see if his knees would hold up.
     "No matter what they said, I didn't feel good that week," Mularkey said. 
"I couldn't practice every day because my knees hurt so bad.  But this past
week has really been encouraging."
     Mularkey practiced all last week and said his knees felt better than they
had since camp opened.  Mularkey doesn't know if they simply got better on
their own or for some strange reason were less irritated by 3 Rivers Stadium's
artificial turf than St. Vincent College's grass.  All he knows is he really
needed a good week abd a good game, and he got them.
     "My confidence level was really low.  I was just disappointed  that the
knee had bothered me as much as it had.  I felt good in all of the games; the
adrenaline was flowing.  My problem's been not being able to practice.  It
showed I hadn't practiced because I didn't play very well.  I'm the type of
player who needs to practice to play well on Sundays."
     A couple of other recent developments convinced the coaches to keep
Mularkey when they cut the roster today.
     Eric Green figures to be the focus of the offense, but he's missed the
past three games with an inflammation in his knee.  He's expected to return to
practice late this week and play in the regular season opener against the San
Diego Chargers, but if he can't play full time, they need Mularkey's experience
and receiving ability more than ever.




JaKe

    Steelers roster moves are as follows:
    
    Placed on IR:
    	Gary Jones
    	Delton Hall
    	Sammy Walker
    
    Signed to practice squad:	
    	Ariel Solomon
    	Jarrod Johnson
    	Gary Howe
    	Ron Fair
    
    Recalled to the team:
    	Kevin Smith
    	Shawn Vincent
    
    One roster slot is still open, that will be filled by the addition of
    Rod Woodson later this week.
    
    JaKe
    

    Ed,
    
    Contact Linda Hooke of the Pittsburgh Boston Club.  Her number is
    617-495-7744.  She lives in Summerville.
    
    You can tell her you got her name from me (Daniel Medvid, Black and
    Gold Club of Charlotte).
    
    Good luck to yunz.
    
    	--dan'l

So it seems David Little has signed.  Any quotes from Emporer Chas?

Assuming that they stayed in shape on their own, anyone else think that Woodson
and Little are going to be pretty impressive during the end of the season 
because they skipped the preseason?  Do they lose any pay for missing the
preseason?  

I missed Delton Hall's injury.  What's he out for?  Would he have started
anyway?

Looking forward to a super season - the Bubster permitting.

Warren on Sports 

    Whats the Steelers Recieving Squad look like, they drafted a speedster
    in the 3rd round who held out 2 long.  NOLL felt he wouldnt make the
    team due to the holdout, I dont recall his name but I dont think He's
    been Cut..Details please
    

    Well lets see....Chargers @ Steelers.  
    
    Chargers:  Good D, good special teams, no passing game, new qb, Butts
      	 	just now got into camp.
    
    Steelers:  At home, good D....but how's the offense....how's the
    		special teams?  Has Walton instituted more offensive
    		changes?  Is Brister ok with them?
    
    How 'bout some light on this.
    
    Live from Charger Central.......Glenn

    Bubbly Blister's (tm) mom will be in attendance.
    Joe Walton's index finger will be in attendance.
    
    Hence, Chargers and the points.
    
    HTH,
    
    Mark.

    RE: 149
    
    None of the Steelers 1st string and rookie receivers had much of a
    chance to show much in the preseason due to Brister's poor showing.
    
    With that said...
    
    RE: 150
    
    Glenn,
    
    Unless the Steelers offense wakes up like it did against San Diego last
    season, Chargers should win in a low-scoring game.  Steelers continue
    to lack a pass rush and it looks like another five weeks or so for the
    offense to click.
    
    The only way I see the Steelers winning this one is if the secondary
    picks off a few and puts Anderson in field goal range because Brister
    can't seem to move the team.  The only other hope offensively is the
    running of Merill Hoge and Barry Foster.  Eric Green was hurt last I
    heard.
    
    	--dan'l

    dan'l -
    
    Why are the Steelers having problems with this offense?  Isn't it the
    same one that they used last year?  Is there somethin' new to get used
    to?
    
    Glenn

    
    dan'l
    
    I tend to disagree with your game summary.  Because of the following
    reasons.  The chargers have no passing game and the steelers run
    defense is their strong suit because of the lack to pass rush.  The
    steeler db's are still the best in the league.  The offense for the
    steelers hasn't been fluid but there have been a few big plays in the
    preseason.  If those plays don't occur at the time of penalty the
    steelers will be fine.
    
    I suspect a 17-10, 20-13 or 20-10 victory for the steelers will
    transpire.  It also helps that they are at home.
    
    Roy L.
    Almost time to get my fix!!!!!!
    No more substitutes for this football junkie.

    Glenn, their offensive problems, according to the papers here in
    Pittsburgh, are mostly because Joe "Booger" Walton has implemented
    completely the complex offense he simplified after a few games lasted
    year.  It remains to be seen how the Steelers will adapt to this
    offense, but, I could be offering a Steeler mug again this year if they
    don't get their asses in gear.
    
    Also heard a rumor that the playbook has some problems with the
    diagrams of the plays, seems Walton made the copies himself and some of
    the originals had some "residue" fromople "Booger" Joe's fingers and
    the players are confused as to the pass routes the receivers are
    supposed to run .
    
    
    JaKe
    

    
    Oh comeon...why not list a few more...you'll surely get one...
    
    	7 - 0
    
    	14-7
    
    	21 - 17
    
    	32 - 21
    
    	etc.....
    
    		The Squeelers can't do anything right with 
    
    	BUBBLE BUTT BONE BABY BOARD BRAT BUSTER BROWN at the helm!
    
    		Dirty Dawg
    

    Well, I'll be watching with NFL eyes on Sunday.  With any luck for me,
    Friesz will have another hot day and my Chargers will prevail.
    
    Do I have a prediction?  .... yes, the Chargers won't lose by 5 pts or
    more.
    
    Glenn

I got this off the internet
    


	The Bubby story:

	Here's a short article from this weeks Steelers Digest:
	Reprinted without permission.
	
	Quarterback Club: After a good showing in two preseason outings,
	some people were a bit premature in wondering how long
	quarterback Neil O'Donnell would remain a backup. Bubby Brister
	has a firm grip on the starting spot, but is glad to see his
	backup doing well in his first season. "This is my team, and
	it's my job," Brister said. "I'm happy for Neil. He's like a
	brother to me, and I'm glad he's doing a great job. But once we
	get going in the regular season, nobody will remember what
	happened in the pre-season. Once I'm playing well and we're
	winning games, people will come back to the real world."



	Other news:
	   Woodson hasn't signed as of this paper (aug 24).
	The defense really misses him. The offense vs the Eagles (3rd
	preseason game) sounded OK. There were a few things like holding
	etc that hurt drives, but the running game seemed to be going
	really well. Hodge and Foster (Merril Hodge, Barry Foster).
	Foster has beenb known to be fumble prone, and that's why he
	didn't get much time last year. This year, Tim Worley is down
	for a couple of weeks for knee surgery.

	   Foster is also the "very silly person" who let the kickoff roll
	to the five yard line in last years game against the 49er's. The
	9er's took it in for a touchdown (kickoffs are live, unlike
	punts), and never looked back.

	   Foster is tearing up camp, and should be a lock to start. It's
	only his second year, so he could be a great one.


	   After the loss to the Eagles, the Steelers are 1-2 in pre-season.


-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
       ZIP                  "Guitar playing is like sex, except half   
Hey Marty! Hey Lance!        way through a gig, you can switch guitars." 
BUBBY LIVES! (I hope)        GOOOOOO  KEEENNNN, I mean SAINTS!

    
    .158
    
    Could there be some slight of hand going on here or multiple
    plublications calling themselves Steeler Digest.  I have at hand the
    august 24 issue and the previously stated words are yet to grace my
    eyes.  Granted those sound like some of Bubby's words but if one could
    be so kind as to direct me to them(ie page numb)  I would be glod
    consume me words.
    
    Roy L. 

    Well, I almost called it on the nose a few days ago.  Not the way the
    game would be played, nor the score, but the Steelers fans ridiculous
    penchant for wanting another Bradshaw and having no patience in the
    rebirth.  What I'm talking about is what I heard while watching the
    game with some fellow Burghers yesterday:

    Brister misses a wide open Eric 'Big' Green streaking toward the
    endzone.  Brister doesn't even see him but everyone else does.  And
    from the back of the room comes "Bench Brister!  Put that MacDonahue
    guy in!"

    Cleveland fans may be predictable assholes, but no one beats Steelers
    fans for lack of knowledge about their own team.  Myron Cope would have
    loved this guy.

    	--dan'l

    Well, much to my dismay, my opening day was spent with my eyes hugging
    the tv for that oh so timely ten-minute ticker due to my failure to 
    locate a place that beamed in Steeler games. Being as such, I'd like to
    know some specifics about the Charger game. Here follows some points
    that I would love some more info on:
    
               *Is it true that Brister had a number of passes dropped?
               *From the stats it looked like Foster had a good game. 
                Elaborations anyone?
               *I have heard rumours that the pass rush fairy has once
                again skipped the Steel City and left it with no
                decent pass rushers. Is this true?
               *Four field goals! Were these shoulda-been-touchdowns (ala
                first four games of 1990)
               *How was Woodson? Richardson?
    
       Regarding the impatience for the rebirth of Bradshaw II mentioned
    in the previous reply, remember that the gestation period has been 
    unusually long and painful. It takes a sturdy and strong hearted fan 
    to endure the blazen brilliance of Stoudt at the helm, the breathtaking
    aerial circuses we came to love in the Woodley era, and the precision
    accuracy and come from behind magic of Mark Malone. This is Brister's
    fourth year at the helm. Steelers fans want results, not promises.
    I give Brister this year. (At least the first six - eight games, if 
    he can come back at all, that is. We may see more of Neville McDonough
    than we bargained for!) Bradshaw took some time too, but at the stage
    of his carrer comparable to where Brister was, the Steelers were in the
    Championship game.
       All in all, thankful for the win. On to Buffalo.
    
                                               Ed the Coop

>    Well, much to my dismay, my opening day was spent with my eyes hugging
>    the tv for that oh so timely ten-minute ticker due to my failure to 
>    locate a place that beamed in Steeler games. 

    The three places in Charlotte that said they would show the Steelers
    games came up empty too.  We were forced to make a mad rush to a
    mammoth, impersonal sports bar that showed ALL the games at once on
    four big screens.
        
>               *Is it true that Brister had a number of passes dropped?

    No more than usual I would summise.

>               *From the stats it looked like Foster had a good game. 
>                Elaborations anyone?

    I would guess Foster averaged about 3-4 YPC.  I am impressed.  Worley
    is history if Foster stays healthy and fumble free.  JaKe will probably
    enter the stats if he is at home.

>               *I have heard rumours that the pass rush fairy has once
>                again skipped the Steel City and left it with no
>                decent pass rushers. Is this true?
 
    No pass rush to speak of.  Thank goodness for a great secondary.

    >              *Four field goals! Were these shoulda-been-touchdowns (ala
>                first four games of 1990)

    Two of them should have been TDs.  The offense stalls once inside the
    40.  However, the last TD shouldn't have been.  It was the second
    longest pass play in Steelers history.  Mark O'Douglas threw about an
    eight yard pass to Dwight Stone deep in the Steelers end, Stone broke
    some tackles, stayed in bounds (amazing), got a great block by Lipps
    who took out three defenders at once, and Stone was off 80 yards to the
    endzone.  So, the only play designed to go for a TD that actually did
    was the Steelers' first, Brister to Calloway.

>               *How was Woodson? Richardson?
 
    Woodson was great, David Johnson, even though he was fooled on a
    halfback option that went for a TD, may be even greater in my opinion.
       
    I didn't hear Richardson's name called the whole game.  Jerry Olsavsky
    out of Pitt may have been the most improved player.  He's added about
    30 pounds and #55 was in on every other defensive play.

    	--dan'l

>    Well, much to my dismay, my opening day was spent with my eyes hugging
>    the tv for that oh so timely ten-minute ticker due to my failure to 
>    locate a place that beamed in Steeler games. Being as such, I'd like to
>    know some specifics about the Charger game. Here follows some points
>    that I would love some more info on:
    
    The game was on Ku band, not C band.  I found it on satellite K2,
    transponder 31.
    
Live from Charger Central.......Glenn

    Just read that Brister is expected to start Sunday's game vs Buffalo.
    Reports said he suffered a minor concussion and that it wasn't serious.
    Guess we'll have to wait to see more of Mike O'Dougal, but certainly
    not Anderson.
    
                                                Ed the Coop
    

    Woodson had six tackles and 3 passes defended.
    
    I'll enter the stats from the game either tonite or tomorrow nite. 
    Don't have the sports section with the stats available, so I gotta get
    to my father's house and steal his.
    
    Richardson had 1/2 a sack, as far as I remember.
    
    Didn't get to see but the lasted 4 minutes of the game, was out camping
    and the batteries went dead on the portable TV.   Guess I gotta break
    down and buy a portable generator if'n I'm a goin campin again on game
    day.
    
    
    JaKe
    

Scoring Summary
			1	2	3	4	T
San Diego		0	3	0	17	20
STEELERS		3	7	6	10	26

STEELERS-FG Anderson 38yd
SanDiego-FG Carney 48yd
STEELERS-Calloway 33 yd pass from Brister(Anderson PAT)
STEELERS-FG Anderson 29yd
STEELERS-FG Anderson 31yd
STEELERS-FG Anderson 39yd
SanDiego-Lewis 11 yd pass from Bernstine(Carney PAT)
SanDiego-FG Carney 35 yd
STEELERS-Stone 89 yd pass from O'Donnell
SanDiego-Jefferson 5 yd pass from Friesz(Carney PAT)

TEAM STATISTICS

San Diego					STEELERS
20			1st Downs		16
23-95			Rushes-Yards		32-120
186			Passing Yds		270
31			Return Yds		60
20-42-1			Compl-Att-Int		14-25-2
3-17			Sacked-Yds Lost		1-8
5-50			Punts			3-40
2-1			Fumbles-Lost		3-0
5-30			Penalties-Yds		7-56
28:19			Time Of Possession	31:41

Individual Stats:

RUSHING:

San Diego:  Bernstine 12-50, Harmon 4-42, Butts 5-6, Friesz 2-(-3)
STEELERS:  Foster 17-78(4.0/carry), Hoge 13-41(3.2/carry), O'Donnell 1-5,
           Brister 1-(-4).

PASSING:

San Diego:  Friesz 19-41-1 int 192 yds, Bernstine 1-1-0 int, 11 yds
STEELERS:   Brister 13-21-2 int, 189 yds, O'Donnell 1-4-0 int, 89 yds

RECEIVING:

San Diego:  Lewis 6-74, Miller 5-54, Jefferson 3-23, McEwen 2-13, Walker 2-12,
            Cox 1-19, Harmon 1-8	
STEELERS:   Stone 4-124, Foster 3-48, Calloway 2-47, Green 2-30, Hoge 2-15,
            Lipps 1-14


STEELER NOTES(reprinted from Pittsburgh Post Gazette, without permission,
9-2-91)

     Linebacker Greg Lloyd is so mean that sometimes he forgets the laws of
self-preservation.
     Law No 1: When head-butting a teammate who is wearing a helmet, make sure
yuou are wearing one, too!!
     Lloyd forgot that rule after he jumped on a fumble by San Diego QB John
Friesz on the first series of yesterday's(Sunday's) game between the Steelers
and the Chargers.
     He was so excited that he whipped off his helmet, head-butted teammate Rod
Woodson, threw the football 8 rows deep into the stands and then sat stoically
on the bench as trainer Ralph Berlin applied a bandage to the cut on his
forehead.
     "Sometimes we get a little fired up out there and we do some things we
shouldn't do," Woodson said.  "That was one of them."
     The damage to Lloyd's head hardly deterred him.  After that, he came up
with 2 QB sacks and six tackles, earning a game ball from his teammates.
     Lloyd did nothing unusual in a defense that has put more emphasis on
coverages than blitzes.
     "It's the same defense," he said.  "I think I know the defense now.  If
you know what you're doing, you can make a lot of things happen."

SHADES OF TERRY:
     Steeler fans struck a 20-year old chord when they cheered in the 4th Qtr
as backup QB Neil O'Donnell came onto the field for injured starter Bubby
Brister.
     At the time, Brister was crumpled on the turf after getting sandwiched
between LB Leslie O'Neal and DE George Hinkle after he delivered a pass. 
Brister, who suffered a mild concussion, eventually wobbled off, high fiving
O'Donnell.
     The cheers were reminiscent of the time in the early 70's when fans at
Three Rivers Stadium cheered after Terry Bradshaw hurt his shoulder.  There 
was a QB controversy then between Bradshaw and backup Terry Hanratty. and there
has been a slight QB controversy in the exhibition season because O'Donnell
played so well in 2 games.
     "He took a helluva shot at the end," said O'Donnell, who said he was
concentrating too much on the next play to hear the fans.  "I think Bubby will
be OK."
     Brister was alternately booed and cheered by the 55,848 fans.

STONE STEADY:
     Twice last season, WR Dwight Stone inadvertently stepped out of bounds on
what would have been sure long touchdown passes.
     Yesterday, he snapped up O'Donnell's short pass at the 12 and converted it
into an 89 yard TD reception without once coming near a sideline.
     "I stayed in bounds!!" Stone said triumphantly.
     "It was one of those games that one big play makes a difference and I
think the big play was Stoney's,"  Coach Chuck Noll said.  "And Stoney stayed
in bounds."
     Added OT John Jackson, "That was a great catch.  When I saw he had only
one man to beat, I just waved goodbye.  Because nobody is going to catch
Stoney--unless he steps out of bounds."

JaKe

 Jake, you have the Steelers fumbling 3 times and loosing none whilst the
 Chargers had 2 fumbles and lost 1. My paper had it the other way. Can you
 or someone else (possibly Glenn  who watched) confirm who's paper is correct?
 If Jake's correct I win in FFL, if not I loose...

 mike

    
    To the best of my knowledge, for what that is worth, JaKe is correct.
    

    
    If the notes that Jake entered are correct then his stats indeed have
    to be correct as well.  If Lloyd recovered a fumble by John Friez, that
    would give you the one fumble lost by SD.
    
    Could be wrong but just an observation.
    
    Roy L..........'Watson

    Sorry, I don't recall who fumbled how many times and lost how many, but
    in today's USA Today, the stats for the Steelers say:
    
    	Take-away:  1 Int + 1 Fum = 2 total
    	Give-away:  2 Int + 0 Fum = 2 total
    
    Chargers figures also bear this out....so there you go.
    
    Live from Charger Central.......Glenn

    Mike, I can absolutely confirm that you, my man, might be correct.  On
    the other hand, maybe you aren't.
    
    Hope this hurts,
    
    lEe

    Brister suffered a concussion and is cleared to play after only 1
    week?  Sounds a little dangerous to me.

    From what they're saying here, it was only a MILD concussion.
    
    Then again, he's a thick-haided Southern Boy, so that could explain it.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    JaKe,
    
    Actually he had a Corncussion.
    
    Corncussion: you stepa ona my toes, hurt me and I cuss ya out sucka!
    
    HTH
    
    Kev
    

    All I know is that the hit he took looked pretty damn hard.  Leslie
    O'Neal hit him from behind and thrust him forward and then a split
    second later, George Hinkle hit him from the front and removed his
    helmet.  I was surprised to see him walk off the field on his own.
    I hope he's ok.
    
    Live from Charger Central.......Glenn

    	Come on Glenn, how cain a guy named "Leslie" possibly hit somebody
    hard?

    There is evidence that a person who gets hit in the head again after
    suffering a concussion can die.  The USARFU and other rugby governing
    bodies recommend at least a 2 week layoff after suffering a concussion. 
    There is no distinguishing between a mild and a severe concussion.  
    
    It should be noted that these are recommendations.  Players on the US
    national team have taken the field a week after suffering a concussion. 
    This has caused a bit of concern.

    >	Come on Glenn, how cain a guy named "Leslie" possibly hit somebody
    >   hard?
    
    I remember when the Chargers drafted him out of OSU, and that's what I
    thought at the time.  It's kinda funny.
    
    Live from Charger Central.......Glenn

    What happened to Worley
    
    REK

>    What happened to Worley
    
	I believe he's out with a knee injury and it will be 2-4 weeks before
	he'll be able to play. I also think he's been demoted to 3rd string.

			Keith

    
    The steelers have one of those put ^ or shut ^ type games coming this
    weekend.  Normally I would give the steelers much of a chance but
    Buffalo showed considerable weakness in it's run defense.  If the
    steelers can run the ball to consume time and score on the drives,
    along with a better than average defensive effort which they are
    definitely capable off, I give them a shot in a close game.  Of course
    those are a lot of ifs'.  26 points is not a huge offensive day but it
    will win most steeler games.  Producing that many points and holding
    the bills will be a job.
    
    A Gary Anderson FG wins it at the buzzer!!!
    
    Roy L. 

Well, the network gods have seen fit to televise the PITT-BUFF game in the
D.C. area, sunday @1:00.  Eager to see what the Steeler-D can do with the
hurry up. Thurmon Thomas worries me alot. Big Test for Pittsburgh.  And not
a bad test for Buffalo, who might still be harking back to the Miami game.

At least the Bubster won't have to worry about Bruce Smith who will not be
playing.

Warren

Buffalo 52, Steelers 34

52 points against the mighty Steeler D.  6 Td passes by Jim Kelly.

I thought the game was over at halftime, the Steelers were definitely staring
at the abyss.  But they looked good for the third quarter - two INT's - but 
Bubby couldn't push in the touchdown to tie the game and Steelers were back
into the abyss.

I was kind a dissappointed with Woodson, got burned pretty bad by Lofton and
then missed some kick-of returns because he was out of Oxygen.  But, everybody
looked out of Oxygen and Kelly's passes were right on.  

The comparison between Kelly and Bubby makes you wonder.  I mean Bubby was OK
but he's not going to any super bowls unless he gets alot better.  Kelly was
great, except for the two INT's - but he adjusted right away.  Also, Thurmon
Thomas' run in the third quarter - when he was basically injured - was the
ballgame.  Great back.

So the Steelers have seen what a great team looks like.  Can they regroup and
get it together by the playoffs?

Warren

P.S. I hadn't seen Joe Walton in action before. Boy, he needs some help.
     He just can't keep his hands away from his face!! It's unbelievable.

  Since they were on national TV, I finally got to see the Black and Gold 
  play this year. What happened to the league's top rated defense ? I quess
  they're just not as good as last year's stats indicate. 

  The Steeler's definately got robbed when Kelly fumbled the ball trying to 
  avoid the pass rush and probably got robbed when they ruled the pass intended
  for Hoge was intercepted and run back for a TD. But I don't think either
  bad call would have made any difference. Buffalo definately played better
  football. Kelly looked awesome and Brister looked average at best. But
  in all fairness, the Steeler offensive line didn't give Brister as much
  time as he needed.

  On the bright side, Barry Foster looks like the best Steeler running back
  since Franco Harris. Also, did anybody else see the block by Eric Green
  on Foster's long TD run ? That has got to be the most devastating block
  I've ever seen. It looked like Green knocked the guy 4 or 5 feet in the
  air. 

					Keith

Yeah, I forgot about Barry Foster.  He looked good, but didn;t get enough
chances.

I think the great block on his long run was by #87 (forget his name) and
not Green - although Joe Willie though it was Green too.  Namath did a
pretty good job, though, I thought.  But maybe I was just glad that we didn't
get enberg and Coach walsh.

Warren  

    A few things I was impressed with:
    
    	- Barry Foster.  He has star written all over him.  Great mid-round
    	  pick last year.
    
    	- Eric Green's block.  Yes it was #86.  Made Keith Byers' block
    	  on Pepper Johnson last year look like a pat on the rump.  Wow
    	  did he level that guy!
    
    	- Jerry Olsavsky.  My goodness what a steal in the 11th round.  
    	  He was all over the field.  For a linebacker that small, he
    	  sure plays tough.  Shows what you can overcome if you play
    	  smart ball.
    
    	- The Bills and Jim Kelly especially.  But remember that their 
    	  defense gave up a lot of points also, and for two weeks in a
    	  row at that.
    
    		--dan'l

SCORING SUMMARY
        	1	2	3	4		T
STEELERS 	0	10	17	7		34
Buffalo		10	14	7	21		52

Buffalo-	Lofton, 53 yd pass from Kelly(Norwood PAT)
Buffalo-	FG Norwood 50 yds
STEELERS-	FG Anderson 25 yd
Buffalo-	Beebe 34 yd pass from Kelly(Norwood PAT)
Buffalo-	Beebe 14 yd pass from Kelly(Norwood PAT)
STEELERS_	Foster 56 yd run(Anderson PAT)
Buffalo-	Reed 14 yd pass from Kelly(Norwood PAT)
STEELERS-	W.Williams 1 yd run(Anderson PAT)
STEELERS-	Hinkle 57 yd interception return(Anderson PAT)
STEELERS-	FG Anderson 27 yd
Buffalo-	Beebe 11 yd pass from Kelly(Norwood PAT)
Buffalo-	Beebe  4 yd pass from Kelly(Norwood PAT)
Buffalo-	Odomes 32 yd interception return(Norwood PAT)
STEELERS-	Hoge 1 yd run(Anderson PAT)

Attendance-79,545

TEAM STATS:

STEELERS						Buffalo
14			1st Downs			31
23-152			Rushes-Yards			40-194
113			Passing Yards			343
15-29-1			Comp-Att-Int			31-43-2
2-21			Sacked-yards Lost		2-20
6-36			Punts				2-32
0-0			Fumbles-Lost			1-1
9-63			Penalties-Yards			5-53
26:53			Time Of Possession		33:06

INDIVIDUAL STATS:

RUSHING:
STEELERS----Foster 9-121, Hoge 10-32, W.Williams 4-(-1)
Buffalo-----Thomas 15-107, K.Davis 17-56, Gardner 6-21, Reed 1-11, Reich 1-(-1)

PASSING:
STEELERS----Brister 15-29-1-134 yds
Buffalo-----Kelly 31-43-2-363 yds, Reich 0-0-0-0

RECEIVING:
STEELERS----Hoge 4-36, Mularkey 3-42, E.Green 3-31, Lipps 3-29, W.Williams 2-6
Buffalo-----Beebe 10-112, Reed 9-118, Lofton 4-78, Thomas 4-35, McKeller 2-22,
	    Metzelaars 1-1, K.Davis 1-(-3).



JaKe

    Did anybody else who watched the Steeler game yesterday think they saw
    Harvey "Toast" Calyton in the Steeler secondary??????Could've sworn I
    saw him!!!!
    
    Woodson and David Johnson got beat bad, BUT, was Thomas Everett
    conspicious by his inability to get to where he should've been.
    Numerous times he failed to give the help that is his to give deep.
    
    Re Brister, I ain't going to condemn the guy, nor will I praise him,
    BUT, if Kelly was only getting about 2 seconds to throw, do you think
    they would've pummeled the STEELERS the way they did????
    I say "Nah".
    
    Brister was most effect when the play was designed for him to roll out
    to avoid the pursuit while looking for his receivers.  If the Steelers
    don't start giving him time, it's going to be one long season.
    
    Foster gained the most yards since Earnest Jackson gained 125 vs. the
    Chiefs in 1987.  He injured his ankle on his 9th carry, but he returned
    in the 4th Qtr, but only carried one more time, and that was nullified
    by a penalty.
    
    Hinkle's 57 yd TD interception return was the longest Int return by a
    Linebacker since Chuck Noll became coach.
    
    JaKe
    

    
    Another INT.....the streak continues!  
    
    	When are they going to take him out of the game........not the 
    coach.........the other team.
    
    	Face it Jake, the Squeelers will go no where with .....
    
    BUBBLE BUTT BONEHEAD BARF BELLY BEAN BAG BUSTER BROWN trying to
    lead the team through a game.  The guy already threw 3 INT'S this
    year.  How many TD's has he thrown?  If he was a real QB, he would
    dump the ball off to someone out of the backfield instead of getting
    his BUBBLE BUTT kicked!
    
    	Dirty Dawg

>    If he was a real QB, he would
>    dump the ball off to someone out of the backfield instead of getting
>    his BUBBLE BUTT kicked!
    
I thought real QB's ate the ball, like Bernice?

    
    Wrong Mr. Way......your Way out!
    
    	Bernie would eat the ball and take the sack if no one was open or
    there was a chance of an INT.  If the rush is comming fast.....he dumps
    the ball off to backfield man.....METCALF.
    	If BUBBBBBBLY doesn't start watching Bernie or one of the other top
    5 QB's in the league, he won't walk by the end of the season.
    	BTW, Bernie has had plenty of time to throw the ball this year!
    
    	Dirty Dawg
    

>    Wrong Mr. Way......your Way out!

Hardly ever.  And it's "you're" not "your".

Anyway, I'm just repeating what you said yesterday.  If you said it, and
then qualify it later with "Well, in this case he does this, and in that
case he does that", then how can I be wrong?

If you've got an answer for that, call Unsolved Mysteries.....    

    I watched most of the Bills game and I was impressed with the Bills,
    it looks like they can score at will. I don't think it matters what
    team they play they will score.
    
    I was very impressed with Foster he is going to be a great running
    back.
    
    Did any one else see Walton picking his nose? He is in love with his
    nose, he is always touching it, has his hands on it etc etc.
    
    
    Bottom line: it was the Bills day and the Steelers where this weeks
    victims. Do the Browns play the Bills this year? If they do and the
    Bills play as they did against the Steelers the Browns will get smoked.
    
    JMHO
    Mike
    
    

    
    	First things first.  I did not see the game, so I can only comment
    on it through replays and news articles.
    
    	Before I'd jump all over the Bills bandwagon, I'd remind many that
    they scored at will because they were playing the Steelers.  I never 
    believed the No. 1 ranking the defense earned last year which I believe
    was mainly due to a weaker schedule.  I have thought for years that
    the Steeler's on defense were doing it with mirrors and Sundays game
    seemed to indicate that.
    
    	For the life of me, I don't understand how one of the best, if not
    the best corner in the league can get beat badly not once, but twice.
    I might be able to accept this a little more if it were one of the
    best receivers in the league, but Lofton has seen better days and I
    wouldn't put him in the top 10.
    
    	Looking at the stats around tackles shows that the defensive
    backfield was real busy which isn't good.  Again, no pass rush.  You
    would think that they would of tried more stuff seeing that Kelly
    was hurt and his mobility was hindered, but seeing that he got of
    40+ attempts shows that he was able to throw at will.
    
    	Then we come down to the fact that one Steeler TD was scored by
    the defense (again) and another score was set up by interceptions.
    Here again we see a offense that is rather inept.  Lipps only has 2-3
    receptions (again) so I have to ask what is going on?  People make
    a big deal about Foster gaining 125 yards but was the game in question
    when he was tearing it up?  It was 24-10 at halftime and really should
    of been 24-3.  So again I have to ask, what's the big deal.  Buffalo
    had the game in control in the first half and probably weren't as 
    intense on defense had the game been closer.
    
    	Now after two games, I see the same old, same old.  The offense
    after a whole year and all of preseason still can't seem to move the
    ball.  Brister is still to inconsistant for my money.  The defense is
    really suspect seeing that the front 4 can't get near the QB thus 
    putting all the pressure on the secondary.
    
    	In all, it looks like a long season.  I wouldn't be surprised to
    see the Pats beat the Steelers this Sunday either.  Maybe they should
    lay low and hope that Van Pelt is around come draft time.
    
    	On the positive side, I'm glad to hear that Oslavsky (sp) is doing
    so well.  Although he was a real small LB at Pitt, he always seemed to
    have his nose in every play.  He seems like a guy with a lot of desire.
    
    
    							bill..g.
    

    re -1
    
    I am not jumping on the Bills bandwagon and I do know they were playing
    against the Steelers.
    
    Mike
    

 Bill, it just as easily could have been 24-17 at the half as well. For some
 one who didn't see the game I don't know how you can say it could have
 easily been 24-3. The interception TD came in the second half. Lofton made
 a great fake on Wodson turned him inside out. 

 I agree the lack of a pass rush killed the Steelers more than anything else.
 The no huddle confused them and the humpty nine zillion crossing patterns
 that the Bills run killed them.
 
 The Bills are a marvelous offensive team loaded with weapons. As the Giants
 proved the only way to stop them at this stage of the game is to keep the
 ball out of there hands.

 Foster's yards came throughout the game so I don't think you can chalk it up
 to the Bills playing soft. More likely you can contribute the largeness of the
 number to one 57 yard run that resulted in a TD. Still though he ran with
 power as well as showing speed and cutback ability.

 Bubby was Bubby but when he did get time he did checkoff and look for second
 and third options...

 The Steelers really shot themselves in the foot by jumping offsides on too
 many third down plays. In all likely hood buffalo probably would have gotten
 the first down anyways but it sure doesn't help when you hand it to them.
 
 mike
     

    
    	It was not my intent to say that Buffalo is not a decent team and
    that they looked good only because they played Pittsburgh.
    
    	I did try to say that Buffalo is not as good as some would like
    you to believe, especially with a QB that can barely walk.
    
    	Steeler fans need to wake up a little because I'm getting tired
    of listening to the same old song week in week out.  Last year the
    Steelers failed to beat a team over .500 (I think), and at present
    rate, they look to repeat that.  Used to be when they played a good
    team, they would rise to the occasion win or loose.  Lately though,
    it appears they save their worst appearances for the over .500 teams.
    
    	Again, so Woodson got beat once with a good fake.  Can happen to
    the best of them.  But twice in the same game, no way.  Which reminds
    me, how about defensive adjustments?  Seems like some folks fell asleep
    at the switch.
    
    	I'm still and will always be a Pittsburgh fan, but I refuse to
    call a spade a club.  Simply put, the Steeler's are no better than
    a .500 team, and show no signs (with present personel) of rising
    above that.  Their no. 1 defense ranking last year was a fluke.  In
    the game that counted for the playoffs, the No. 1 defense went south
    for the winter, which is something the defense of the 70's would of
    never done.
    
    							bill..g.
    

    The Patsies can't lose this game.....  They are after all the best team 
    to ever take the field in the history of the game of football as we
    know it.......     ;^)
    
    Big Game

    
    From the highlights it didn't look pretty but that appears to be afc
    central this year.  Eric Green still looks like a winner.  What's the
    skinny?
    
    Roy L. 

    Overall, I am disappointed with the performance of the Steelers.
    
    Why? Here's why:
    
       * No running game. (Foster had one decent 9 yarder around tackle,
         which seems to be his most effective running spot, so the 
         Steelers decide to run him right up the middle the rest of the
         afternoon and send Hoge on sweeps.)
      
       * One touchdown. One. The offense seemed to run smoothly between 
         the thirties, and then just quit. But what else is new.
    
       * Brister hit a lot of short "quick" passes to give him a rather
         impressive completion percentage. But he badly missed a sure
         catch to Lipps in the endzone and the third down percentage
         was pathetic.
    
    I'm fearful for next week. We all know what happens to the Steeler 
    offense when faced with a decent pass rush. And the Eagles..........
    
    
                                  2-1, but does that really mean anything,
    
                                  Ed the Coop

    
    	My first chance to see the Steeler's apart from pre-season and I
    gotta say that at least there is one other team that is worse.
    
    	The Steeler's have no pass rush at all.  Most of the game, Hodson
    was able to stand there and fire at will.  Only late in the game did
    the Steeler's put some pressure on him.  The Pat's were also very 
    effective in running the ball which scares me.  Again, this points to
    the front 7 in that they are not controlling the line.
    
    	As for the Steeler offense, it stunk.  They have the same problems
    they did 7 years ago.  Once they get inside the 20, they can't seem
    to score a TD.  If it weren't for Gary Anderson, this team would be
    in serious trouble.  I also thought the playcalling was dismal at best.
    Many times the Steeler's would try 2 running plays which resulted in
    3rd and long situations only to find that Bubby couldn't deliver.
    
    	For all the hype about Foster, I didn't see a thing.  Of course he
    didn't get the ball that much, but when he did, he was stuffed pretty
    good.
    
    	Major concerns for me is that the Steeler's don't have any kind of
    pass rush and Brister can't seem to move the team once they get inside
    the 30.
    
    	As for Eric Green, he is awesome.  He was looking for people to 
    run over once he caught the ball.  If this guy had a QB to get the
    ball to him, he'd be the best in the league no problem.  The guy is
    a monster with great hands.
    
    
    								bill..g.
    

    I hope the Steelers can wait one more week to get a defensive line. The
    Eagles have considerable difficulty running the ball and could use a
    weak line to try to get some confidence. They didn't allow the Cowboys
    to get to the QB at all last Sunday, but Jimmy Mac was their leading
    rusher with 19 yds. To top it off, the Eagles lead back, Thomas
    Sanders, sprained an ankle and may be out for an extended period. Also
    going down yesterday was Calvin Williams (WR). 
    
    I would  think thatg the Steelers would need to exploit the short
    passing game on early downs to try and deflect some of the Eagles pass
    rush and hope for the best. The Eagles will come out trying to run the
    ball down the Steelers throats and then go to a mid range passing game
    when that doesn't work (which it never does).
    
    Dennis
    

    Chalk up a win for the Steelers, but it sure weren't pretty.
    
    Brister continues to fail to produce.  Sure his stats were good(22-29-0
    262 yds 1 td) but pure stats don't win games.  IMHO, he just waits too
    long to get rid of the ball, or he throws it too soft when he should
    rifle it, or visa versa.   
    
    The Steeler offensive line sipped undiscreetly yesterday also, aloowing
    tacklers to hit the running backs before the plays had too much of a
    chance to develop.   
    
    Special teams was a bright spot, though. Gary Anderson kicked his 56th
    straight field goal of 35 yards or less, plus buried the ball to the
    deep part of the end zone on all but one kick-off.  Anderson is kicking
    the ball much deeper this year on kickoffs than he was last year.
    
    Ernie Mills first career TD was a gift from New England punter Brian
    Wagner.  One of Wagners blockers moved back on the kick from the end
    zone and the ball hit another Patriot's back and bounced right into
    Mills' hands for the TD.
    
    I'll put the stats from the game in here tomorrow.
    
    
    JaKe
     

    
    Scoring Summary
    			1	2	3	4		T
    New England		0	6	0	0		6
    STEELERS		3	3	0	14		20
    
    STEELERS--FG Anderson 49 yd
    Patriots--FG Staurovsky 33 yd
    Patriots--FG Staurovsky 28 yd
    STEELERS--FG Anderson 32 yd
    STEELERS--E.Green 32 yd pass from Brister(Anderson PAT)
    STEELERS--E.Mills 0yd punt return(Anderson PAT)
    Attendance--53,703
    
    TEAM STATS:
    Patriots						STEELERS
    12			First Downs			16
    29-82		Rushes-Yards			21-43
    92			Passing Yards			247
    11-25-2		Compl-Att-Int			22-29-0
    0			Return Yards			100
    3-22		Sacked-Yards Lost		1-15
    6-37		Punts				4-36
    0-0			Fumbles-Lost			3-2
    8-50		Penalties-Yards			7-60
    33:06		TimeOfPossession		26:54
    
    INDIVIDUAL STATS:
    
    RUSHING:
    Patriots: Russell 16-47, Allen 3-17, Stephens 6-11, Hunter 3-6, Hodson
              1-1
    STEELERS: Foster 14-32, Hoge 6-13, Brister 1-(-1)
    
    PASSING:
    Patriots: Hodson 11-24-2 114yds, Fryar 0-1-0 0yds
    STEELERS: Brister 22-29-0-262
    
    RECEIVING:
    Patriots: Fryar 5-62, Cook 3-21, Russell 1-18, Stephens 1-10, Hunter
   	      1-3
    STEELERS: Lipps 7-86, E.Green 4-63, Hoge 4-28, Stone 3-31, Foster 2-19,
              W.Williams 1-29, Mularkey 1-6.
    
    STEELER NOTES:
    
    Louis Lipps passed Lynn Swann on the all time STEELER receiving list
    and moved into second place behind John Stallworth.  Lipps had 7
    catches for 86 yards, giving him 5,476 career receiving yards.
    
    Swann played 9 seasons, Lipps is 3 games into his 8th season.
    
    HB Leroy Thompson and Defensive Lineman were on the inactive list for
    the game.  Thompson has a hamstring injury while Richardson has  a knee
    problem.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    It was reported today the OL Brian Blankenship has been advised by
    doctors to retire from football.   Blankenship suffered a neck injury
    Sunday vs. the Pats and after being seen by team and other physicians,
    was diagnosed as having a problem between the third and fourth
    vertebrae that, if stressed by further play, could result in
    blankenship's paralysis.
    
    Blankenship's agent released the prognosis but Blankenship said he
    wants to see another specialist or 2 before making any decisions.
    
    In related news, the Steeler luck with first round picks just goes on
    and on.  Tom Ricketts, who was the Steelers second pick in the first
    round the year they got Tim "perpetually injured" Worley has been
    listed as 8th on the Steelers depth chart as far as OL go.  When
    Blankenship went down Sunday, Chuck Noll chose to substitute Terry Long
    for Blankenship instead of Ricketts, who has been described by Steeler
    coaches as disappointing, very disappointing.
    
    JaKe
    

GOOD BOOS NOTHING BUT PASSION WITH A PUNCH
         by
      Gene Collier
reprinted without permission from The Pittsburgh Press 9-17-91

A somewhat unusual element has turned up in the otherwise common fallout of the
first two Steelers home games, it being this sudden consignment to the media on
the matter of appropriate vs. inappropriate crowd response.

Like BOOING is an applied science, right???

Two consecutive home crowds, which are largely the same throbbing mass, have
been ripped via typical media truculence on two counts of inappropriate
response, the first for apparently cheering an injury to quarterback Bubby
Brister and the second for booing Brister during a performance that would wind
up looking favorable statistically.

Prison terms aren't likely.

The first count can't be proven and the second assumes that those booing are
doing so in spite of the up-to-the-minute statistical printouts provided
constantly to the 59,000 seats.

Although the medias position on that first count is that you have to be some
form of rodentia to purposely cheer an injury, you may only have to be a half
rodentia with half a bag on.  Refreshing beverages with alcoholic content are
sold at these meetings, remember, many in cups big enough to qualify as an
aquarium.  We needn't be stunned when confronted with evidence of a diminished
understanding of the humanities.

But the second count is actually troubling.  It has been suggested that many
boo out of ignorance.  It has been suggested that lack of effort is the only
rational impetus for booing.  It has been suggested that booing is stupid,
inasmuch as it can detract from a performance the crowd is there to support.

BOOING, obviously, is getting way too much analysis!!

BOOING is an inalienable right of the paying customer.  It is not vulgar.  It
is merely the opposite of cheering.  It is simply a way for an audience to tell
the performer that right here, right now, they are not happy.  BOOING is one of
the great sounds of sport, so demonstratively superior to the murmur and moan
of golf and the squeal and gasp of tennis that comparison insults the booer.

A great boo, a giant, caustic, Philadelphia-quality boo actually begins with a
guttural "m" sound and explodes out of it.     "mmmBOOOOOO."  It's the kind
Mike Schmidt, Hall of Famer to be, used to get in the playoffs.  Not out of
ignorance, not out of nonsupport, out of passion.  Right there, right then,
they were very unhappy with him.  That's all it meant.  He may as well know it,
don't you think??

As for the support angle, the first two Three Rivers Stadium crowds supported
the club with something in the neighborhood of $2 million per game in ticket,
parking, and concession prices.  I think that fulfills their obligation.  The
people on the sofas might find their comportment objectionable, might find the
studio audience a little different than the one on "The Price Is Right".  But
you know, you get into "The Price Is Right" for free.

"How about this lovely four-poster bed?  OOOOOOH, AAAAAAH!!"

"How about this lovely 2-yard run by Merrill Hoge??  BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

I don't think it's so complicated.  I had thought of setting up the media
bureau of boo control, through which you can request a boo application for a
boo license, and I was wrestling with the idea of a possible seven-day boo
waiting period, but I figured I'd just give you this list instead.

If, to you, to boo or not to boo is really a question at Steelers games, you
might want to consult these very general guidelines.  The rest of you may
proceed on instinct.

Bubby hurt:  Don't boo
You paid for tickets, but got complimentary parking:  Boo quietly.
Hoge runs wide:  BOO
Steelers punt on 4th and 1 inside opponents 40:  BOO
Steelers punt on 4th and 2 inside the opponents 40: BOO
Steelers punt on 4th and 3 inside the opponents 40:  Grumble to yourself
Gary Anderson:  DON'T BOO
you never played the game:  Boo infrequently
You played in high school:  Don't boo in the first 3 quarters
You played in college:  Boo after halftime
You played Div. I-A college ball:  Boo anytime after the 1st quarter
You played pro ball:  BOO anytime
You coached pro ball:  Boo the warm-ups
You played AND coached pro ball:  Boo your wife
Your wife played pro ball:  DON'T BOO
Bubby overthrows:  Boo
Bubby underthrows:  Boo
Bubby calls time:  Boo
Bubby completes an 8-yard pass on third and 9:  Boo
Bubby is sacked:  Boo
Bubby is hurried:  Boo
Bubby fumbles snap:  Boo
Barry Foster is replaced:  Boo
Joe Walton wears baseball cap backwards:  Boo
You are tailgating:  Don't boo
You are listening to Chuck Noll's pregame show while tailgating:  Boo
Halftime shoe:  Don't boo
Pre-game presentation of pingpong table-sized check to worthy charity:Don't boo

I'll bet you knew that last one.

    
    re: .209
    
    	Too funny!!  I always thought the Pittsburgh Press sports writers
    were better than what I've read in different parts of the country, and
    this piece is another gem.
    
    
    								bill..g.
    

    re-.1
    
    I agree with ya on the quality of sportswriters in Pittsburgh.  Now I
    gotta figure out how to get the wife to keep the ~30 newspapers laying
    around cause I'm headed for Colorado Sunday and won't be back in
    Pittsburgh until Oct. 19th.  I want to look thru the papers when I gets
    back to see if there are any other good gems available.  She's a clean 
    freak and pitches the  newspaper as soon as I lay it down.  Sure is tough 
    reading thru coffee grounds and other garbage if I forget to lack it away!!
                        
    (8^)*
    
    

    Anybody who saw the game able to give a summary in here.  I'm not going
    to be able to enter the stats so could somebody else take care of it
    for me????
    
    
    Thanks
    
    JaKe
    

 Dan'l Medvid and I watched the Eagles-Steelers game together at a
 sports bar in Charlotte.  The Steelers got off to a great start with
 scoring drives on their first two possessions.   They certainly
 looked prepared and focused.  Eric Green was a one-man wrecking crew.  
 He was open short, open medium, and open long.
 
 The Eagles did score on a long drive of their own in between the
 Steelers two scores so they were in position to keep pushing for the
 lead.    Then Roy Green entered the game and that was it.   The
 Eagles picked him up off the waiver wire last week to replace Calvin
 Williams (shoulder) and the two old vets, McMahon and Green, looked
 like they had been playing together for years.   Green caught 6 for
 114 yards.
 
 Meanwhile, the Eagles got 2 FG's in the 2nd quarter and the defense
 finally cooled the Steelers' offense.  Halftime was 14-13.
 
 Second half was a no contest.  Steelers offense was gone which played
 right into the Eagles' hands.  The defensive line could tee off and
 Brister was on the run the entire half.   He didn't handle the
 pressure very well but at least he didn't take the beating Aikman
 took lasted week.   Eagles' offense scored 10 boring points and it
 was over, 24-13.
 
 The Steelers definitely looked great in the first quarter and then
 they slid pretty quickly after that.   Losing Rod Woodson with a neck
 sprain was a big blow.    Didn't lose any ground, though, because the
 entire AFC Central took the collar yesterday.
 
 Bob Hunt

    First downs were 20-11, Phil.  Penalties were virtually non-existent. 
    Philly had the ball for almost 40 minutes.  Rushing was Philly 36/95,
    with Sherman being 20/67.  Sherman outrushed Pittsburgh, who was 17/66,
    with Foster being 9/52.  Brister was 12/25 for 190, 2 TDs, 1 int and
    was sacked 3/30.  Green was 8/58, Hoge was 4/32.  McMahon was 22/31,
    286 yards, 1 Int, 0 TDs and sacked 1/7.  Green was 6/114, Barnett 6/42,
    Byars 4/81, Sherman 4/27 and Jackson 2/22.  Philly had 279 total yds,
    Pitt had 160.
    
    John

 � Philly had 279 total yds, Pitt had 160.
 
 This is perhaps the most telling statistic.   The Steelers' two first
 quarter touchdown drives were both pretty long ... I believe the
 Steelers had close to 150 yards of offense in the first quarter.  
 Eric Green was already over the 100 yard mark in reception yardage at
 that point.
 
 And just 10 net yards (including losses from Brister's 3 sacks) the
 rest of the way.
 
 Bob Hunt

    All kidding aside about replacing Brister with Ed McMahon, I just have
    to believe that the Steelers aren't coached well...and it's not just
    Joe Walton.
    
    Yesterday's offense was like night and day between the two halves.  The
    Steelers moved the ball very well in the first half and took a lead
    into the locker room.  Then they just stalled in the second half.  I
    don't recall Brister completing a pass to a WR all game.  How can you
    not exploit the fact that the Philly D adjusted to Big Green in the
    second half?  Receivers had to be open somewhere?  The Eagle pass rush
    was not as rough as it was on Dallas, but Brister got way too flustered
    and left his pocket prematurely.
    
    On defense, the theme for this season seems to be jumping offside on
    third down.  Unbelievable!  That's just bad coaching and lack of mental
    discipline.  They did get ripped off a couple times by a no replay
    reversal on bad official calls (a one foot inbounds catch that wasn't
    even reviewed, and a fumble on 3rd and goal that was given back to the
    Eagles), but those are no excuses for giving up the points.  Good teams
    overcome bad calls.
    
    The only coaching bright spot up until yesterday was special teams, but
    after losing Woodson, that too looked a bit sour.
    
    Jerry Olsavsky continues to impress with heady plays and wreckless
    abandon, but I did notice his size tends to get him knocked on his butt
    a lot during misdirection plays.
    
    Chuck Noll is still one of the greatest coaches in the game, but I
    gotta believe he needs to chew some duppa on his staff.  The Steelers
    don't have a great team, but they can certainly play better than
    yesterday's exhibition.
    
    	--dan'l

    The Steelers first round draftee this year, Huey Richardson, was to
    undergo arthroscopic knee surgery yesterday in Atlanta.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    
    I thought the turning point of the game was the sack of Brister by
    Clyde Simmons. That caused the STeelers to keep Eric Green and block,
    taking away what was their only offensive weapon. The Steelers
    completed no passes to their WR.
    
    As far as the bad calls go, I thought the fuble near the goal line was
    debatable, but the review couldn't tell when the knee hit the ground.
    Whatever the zebras called couldn't have been reversed. The call that
    stuck in my craw was the non call on Brister for intentional grounding.
    I think it was in the second quarter when three Eagles were on top of
    him and he just threw the ball and covered up. Nice job, Bubby.
    
    Dennis
    

    The Steelers put QB Rick Strom on the roster to fill the slot left
    vacant when they put Huey Richardson(knee problem) on Injured reserve.
    
    Greg Lloyd signed a contract extension yesterday, also.
    
    JaKe
    
    

STEELER STATS (abbreviated)

Record= 2-2

Passing:
		att	comp	yds	td	int	rating
Brister		104	62	775	4	4	79.6
O'Donnell	4	1	89	1	0	118.8

Opponents	141	84	966	8	6	81.5

Receiving:
		#	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
EricGreen	17	282	16.6	49	2
Hoge		14	101	7.2	16	1
Lipps		11	129	11.7	24	0
Stone		7	155	22.1	89*	1
Foster		5	667	13.4	31	0

Opponents	84	966	11.5	53	8

Rushing
		Att	Yds	Avg	Long	Td
Foster		49	283	5.8	56*	1
Hoge		36	101	2.8	11	1
(Rest of Steeler rushing not listed in US(less)A Today)

Opponent	128	466	4.2	33	2

Interceptions:
Hinkle, 1-57yds, Everett 1-27 yds, Griffin 1-22 yds. 3 others not listed in
US(less)A Today

Sacks:

Lloyd 3, J.Williams 2, Willis 2, Evans 1, Jones 1.
Opponents=8

Kicking:
		PAT/Att	FG/Att	Long FG		Points
Anderson	10/10	8/9	49	34

Punting:
		#	Yds	Long	Avg	TB	BLK
Stryzinski	19	746	50	39.3	1	0

Fumbles:

Brister 1, Foster 2, E.Green 2, Hoge 2, Woodson 1

JaKe

    Steeler RB TimWorley, on Injured reserve for abscence of brain...er...I
    Mean.. a knee injury, was arrested for driving under the influence late
    Wednesday.
    
    $Set mode/voice=Mr. Rogers
    Hey Tim, can you say "unemployment line"?????
    
    JaKe
    

Yo Dan'l

Anyword on the Steelers Club? They have a chance at indy nexted week and
inquiring minds want to know.

TTom

    Other than the Scoreboard, you can see the Steelers in Charlotte at:
    
    	- Gold Players Sports Bar & Grill (4908 Central Ave.)
    
    	- The Graduate (Independence)
    
    The Steelers Club meets at the Gold Players Bar.
    
    See you there, maybe, huh?
    

Yeah, don't be surprised if a couple of stragglers show up for the Colts
game. Hell, if the Burghers win, and if we're invited back, it could
become a regular event.

TTom

    TTom,
    
    the game is this Sunday at 7:00.  Don't know what kind of crowd we'll
    have since it's available on cable.  In fact, the next two games are on
    national TV because the Steelers play the Giants on Monday night the
    following week.  Dread.
    
    Send me mail toward the end of the week if'n yer plannin' on goin'.
    
    	--dan'l

   --dan'l
    
    Are you sure it's 7, I thought it was at eight, EST.  That's the normal
    TNT Sunday night time.
    
    JaKe
    

    Well, I've got two times according to two sources:
    
    	- SI NFL Preview issue has the game listed at 7:00
    
    	- Steelers Digest has the game listed at 8:00
    
    Who can confirm?
    

My schedule card lists this as a TNT game Sunday game.  Those are at 8pm.

I will try to cofirm a little more firmly tomorrow....

'Saw

    US(eless)A Today lists the game as 8pm est.
    
    JaKe
    

    
    Both guides are correct. The SI guide lists the games at local time,
    which for Indy is Central. The game will be at 8 pm Eastern time.
    
    Dennis
    

    The Steelers struggled early against the winless Colts and then came on
    in the second half to win 21-3.  Not very impressive...special teams,
    linebackers, Barry Foster (even though he fumbled at the goal line),
    and Joe not picking his nose once on national TV were the only bright
    spots.
    
    The scarey thing is, one good shot on Warren Moon and Pittsburgh might
    win the AFC Central.  
    
    	--dan'l

    The Steelers couldn't do sh!t in the first half, even with Brister
    going 6-9, 80+ yards, but two of those 3 misses were completed to Colts
    defenders.
    
    Brister did have a good second half, hitting on 8 of 8 for 100+ yards,
    finishing up 14-17, with 180+ yards, and 2 TD's. One on a perfect pass
    to Eric Green, and the second on a pass and run play to Barry Foster.
    
    JaKe
    

    
    	What is really scary is that the Steeler's "rolled" it up
    bigtime on a WFL team.  I mean, the Colts are nothing better than
    a expansion team right now and the Steeler's still had a hard time.
    
    	Next week will be a real test...a playoff team!  I'm still not
    impressed in the least.  If they can manage to beat the Giants, maybe
    there is some hope.  The only real ray of hope is that the Steelers
    may well have the best TE in the NFL.  If Green were playing for a
    team that threw him the ball, he'd already have the "all-world" tag.
    
    
    								bill..g.
    

    THe Giants are attempting to get over .500 and just pitt stands in
    there way, not to mention that there 3 games out of first with wash
    playing against clevland at home...This is a must win for NY seeing
    that wash will no doubt be 7-0.  Sorry pitt.. Houston on the other
    hand gets to play the Jets...Of course if they can lose to NE they
    could lose to anybody...Look for the Steelters/Oilers/Browns to all
    lose the the DAMN Bengals get there first win against my Boys...Boo
    I wish cinncy had won this week...I hate seeing them winless going
    into dallas...
    

    The Steelers, most likely, will get beat this week when they play the
    Gnats, but I don't think Cincy will beat Dallass.   My question is how
    long will the Cincy Mgmt go before doing the "Ron Meyers" dance on
    Wicky-Wacky-Wyches forehaid????
    
    JaKe
    
    

    Could somebody Pulease enter the team and individual stats from lasted
    nights Steeler-Dolt game.
    
    Mucho appreciation in advanco
    
    JaKe
    

      I think all the AFC central will lose next week. The only team that
    stands a chance at winning is the oilers.  the jets are playing good
    ball,  and if they don't choke in the 4th,  they might win it.
    
      A 8-8 season will win this division,  whomever it might be.
    
    	Tim

    AT what point did Brister get hurt Sunday??
    
    I couldn't hear the TNT announcers 'cause of the noise in the bar but
    I thought it uncharacteristic of Noll to take Brister out and put
    O'donnell in whilst the Steelers had a 21-3 lead.  Noll almost NEVER
    relieves a QB unless there is a lead/deficit of 100 points or more.
    
    Then today, I read in USelessA Today that Brister is listed as probable
    for the Monday night Gnats game, with an injured knee.
    
    
    JaKe
    

      The Stellers will be no different of a team.  o'donnell will choke
    under the pass ruch of jints just the same as BB.
    
    	Tim

    USelessA TODAY reports that an MRI scan yesterday revealed that Brister
    sprained ligaments in his left knee in the Dolts game.
    
    Brister is now listed as questionable for the Gnats game Monday night.
    Neil O'Donnell will start if Brister is unable to go.
    
    JaKe
    

    
    	re: brister out
    
    	Maybe this could be a blessing in disguise??  Why can't the
    Steeler's be on the other side of the coin when a player off the bench
    comes in to play the game of his life?  Why is it that they are always
    victimized by others doing the same thing?  
    
    	For me, I hope O'Donnell gets the start.  I think the Steeler's
    have wasted enough time with Bubby.  If O'Donnell plays well, maybe
    we'll see a return to the days of Hanratty-Gilliam-Bradshaw when
    all three were constantly jerked in and out of games if they didn't
    produce.
    
    	Maybe a change of scenery will do the Steeler's some good.
    
    
    							bill..g.
    

    >>	Maybe this could be a blessing in disguise??  Why can't the
    >>Steeler's be on the other side of the coin when a player off the bench
    >>comes in to play the game of his life?  Why is it that they are always
    >>victimized by others doing the same thing?  
    
    I agree, see one Cody #$%&@$% Carlson lasted year in the final game of
    the year.
    
    >>have wasted enough time with Bubby.  If O'Donnell plays well, maybe
    >>we'll see a return to the days of Hanratty-Gilliam-Bradshaw when
    >>all three were constantly jerked in and out of games if they didn't
    >>produce.
                   
    I dunno if that would be too good of a thing to happen.  In the early
    Emperor Noll days, he jumped ship on QB's at the drop of a hat, and had
    little success with it.  One thing that I feel when it comes to a team
    and QB, consistency.  If a team is continually jumping from one QB to
    another, I can't see where they can do ANY good whatsoever.  Unless
    both QB's ALWAYS get the same amount of practice time, AND game playing
    time.  A qb can p[ractice all they want, but unonce they get into the
    game and face REAL defenses, it don't mean sh!t!!
    
    Brister isn't the best QB in the league, by the same token, he isn't
    the worst either.  He's a known quantity.  Tons of potential, but only
    mediocre results.  Part of this blame has to go on the "O" line.
    I don't recall Brister ever having much time to throw when the Steelers
    play a decent defense.  When he has time, like he did SUnday .vs. the
    Colts, he had a good day, though, mistakes on part of the offense left
    them trailing at the half.
    
    I'd like to see O'Donnell play just to see if what he showed in
    pre-season is real or not.
    
    
    JaKE
    

    Well, about 15 hours ago I wrote in the Browns note that good teams
    overcome poor officiating.  The Steelers proved they were a good team
    during MNF last night.  For those of you who went to bed or had the
    Pittsburgh offense lull you to sleep, you missed a great finish.
    
    Brister was benched in the third quarter and Neil O'Donnell (yes, it's
    time to start using his proper name [even though Gifford called him
    O'Donald once]) brought the Steelers back to tie the game at 20-20 with
    a minute left.  Matt Bahr kicked the game winning field goal with nine
    seconds in the game.
    
    One can only wonder what the outcome would have been if:
    
    	- The officials would have thrown a flag on the obvious pass
    	  interference on Hoge during the second quarter.  Instead, the
    	  ball was intercepted and the Giants picked up a field goal.
    
    	- O'Donnell had played the entire game.
    
    The Steelers didn't win, but to come rouring back like that against a
    solid opponent tells me that they've got a better team than I had given
    them credit for.
    
    	--dan'l

I can only believe that the Steelers resurgence was a case of utterly
poor coaching on the Giants part.  The Steelers executed VERY well, and
it's probably no coincicdence all of the major pass plays were made by 
the receiver being covered by Gary Reasons.

Parcells would NEVER have let that comeback happen.  Whenever his team
was ahead he was always riding them, cautioning them against celebrating
before the final gun.  Handley and Groh (Tweedledee and Tweedledum)
have no such control.

This was a classic case of a team sitting on a lead and trying to ease
on into the lockerroom with a W.   How important now looms the Megget
30 yard TD run.


Personally, I'm very glad Pittsburgh pushed it, and made a game out of
it.  Maybe it will send a wakeup call to the Giants coaching staff (average
IQ about 5 degrees below room temp).

This Giants team reminded me of the Giants teams of the late 70s early
80s  --  watching a sieve like prevent defense trying to prevent the
inevitable....


I'd like to be in Pittsburgh this week to see what happens with the QB
situation.....


'Saw

       WOW! I went to bed about 11:45. The Steelers had no chance.
    Obviously JoJ has been right all these years. Joe Walton IS a genius!
                                             Denny

    
    Shoe's on the other foot now, Dan'l.  If you consider overcoming
    poor officiating LOOSING, then I guess that's your opinion.  
    
    The Browns had a similiar second half comeback against the 
    Giants (at the Giants), so I see a trend with this years Giants team.
    This Giants team is not playing anywhere near the level they were
    playing at last year, so I don't consider a close-but-no-cigar
    performance at home against them as an indication of anything.   
       
    The bottom line is the Steelers are 3-3, 2 games back of the Oilers.  
    At least Noll finally woke up and smelled the fresh brewed coffee about 
    Bubby.  
    
    /Jeff

    I, for one, was happy to see Brister get some bench splinters in his
    butt in the second half.  
    
    Sheez, I wish I were back in the 'Burgh this week to witness the
    outcries on Myron Cope's radio show for Brister to get his walking
    papers.
    
    'Saw, I partially agree with ya on the Gnats letting up, BUT, you have
    to give O'Donnell credit.  Almost every pass he threw was right on the
    money, and thrown with authority.  Something we Pittsburghers haven't
    seen out of Brister very often.  With Brister in the same situations
    that O'Donnell was in, the Steelers would have probably just been
    intercepted 2 or 3 times.
    
    Does anybody have the stats on the game(especially Brister's and
    O'Donnell's)??????????????Could somebody post them here, PUULLLEEASE!!
    
    JaKe
    

    re:244
    
    I watched that play (the pass interference non-call) and all the
    replays.  I agreed with the call, and there were several points that
    the game anouncers ignored.
    
    	- Once the QB leaves the pocket, the defender can legally disrupt
    	  the pass route, as long as the pass is not in the air.  This rule
    	  is an outgrowth of the QB-rollout pass-run-option play. 
    	  Otherwise the defender has no way of protecting himself from the
    	  reciever blocking on the run option.
    	  Brister was definitly out of the pocket on this play.
    
    	- It looked like the Saftey was in a possition to make the int
    	  anyway.  The refs may have decided the pass was not catchable for
    	  that reason.
    
    	- A (very weak) case could be made for Offensive pass interference. 
    	  After all, the Steeler reciever did collide with a nearly
    	  stationary Giant defender.
    
    Note: This play was reviewed TWICE by instant replay.  (The Steelers
    took a timeout to give every opportunity.) There must have been some
    rule allowing it that the announcers were not aware of.
    
    Commander Scott
    
    P.S.  The Giants should have blown the game open in the 1st half and
    didn't.  Then there wouldn't have been a comeback. The Steelers managed
    only 1 first down in the 1st half, yet the Giants could only manage a
    13-0 lead.

    
    >>	- Once the QB leaves the pocket, the defender can legally disrupt
    >>	  the pass route, as long as the pass is not in the air.  This rule
    >>	  is an outgrowth of the QB-rollout pass-run-option play. 
    >>	  Otherwise the defender has no way of protecting himself from the
    >>	  reciever blocking on the run option.
    >>	  Brister was definitly out of the pocket on this play.
    
    Granted, Brister may have been out of the pocket, BUT, Hoge was slammed
    with the ball in the air, not while Brister was on the move.
    
    >>	- It looked like the Saftey was in a possition to make the int
    >>	  anyway.  The refs may have decided the pass was not catchable for
    >>	  that reason.
    
    Hoge would have been in position to break up the interception had he
    not been knocked down.
    
    >>    - A (very weak) case could be made for Offensive pass interference. 
    >>	  After all, the Steeler reciever did collide with a nearly
    >>	  stationary Giant defender.
    
    Oh please stop, this is one of the funniest things I've read all
    morning.  The defender was about as "nearly stationary" as the people
    in the fast lane on I-495 are "nearly stationary" every morning(at
    75+mph).  Hoge was interfered with, CLEARLY, and the officials on the
    field BLEW the call.  But that one call wasn't the problem with the
    Steelers losing, it was the rancid play of the offense in the first
    half.
    
    BTW, as far as I know, there are no provisions for CALLING a penalty
    from the replay booth.
    
    JaKe
    

    All your reasons are null, I belive, Scott, because the ball was in the
    air when Hoge was hit.  The receiver must be given a chance to catch
    the ball.
    
    As far as the "shoe being on the other foot," what I was pointing out
    was that the Browns get blown out and Whitehair (et. al.) are in here
    blowing steam about how they were jobbed by the refs.  But a good team
    overcomes bad calls.  The Steelers overcame that call; the Browns never
    overcame the officials.  By my reasoning, Steelers are good, Browns are
    not.
    
    Good teams do lose.  Bad teams lose a lot.
    
    	--dan'l

    --dan'l, I ain't trying to dispute anything you're saying, BUT, I ,
    personally, am certainly not ready to call the Steelers a "GOOD TEAM",
    after only 20 minutes of brilliance lasted night.  Sure, they looked
    GREAT in the comeback, but I need another 2 or 3 wins in a row to be
    able to hang the "GOOD" label on them.
    
    I do, however, think that O'Donnell should be given a start nexted
    week, .vs. the Seattle ocean pigeons, but knowing Noll's ways, Brister
    will probably be back in there, unfortunately.
    
    IMHO, O'Donnell didn't show the nervous feet that Brister has never
    gotten rid of.  He hung in the pocket, moved up when he had to, and his
    scramble to the Giants 5 set up the 2nd Steeler TD.  
    
    My prediction:  Brister will be bench warming regularly within the next
    year to year and a half.  O'Donnell, barring injury, will get to show
    his stuff from a starting position.
    
    JaKe
    

    
    There is a LOAD of difference between the Redskins and the Giants.  
    If you can't see that Dan'l then then you are blind.  The Steelers and
    the Browns both lost to the Giants by 3 points.  The Browns, however,
    lost in Giants stadium, not at home.   I don't think any comparison can
    be made between the two teams until they square off against each other. 
    
    The Steelers are not bad, however, I don't consider the Browns to be
    bad either.  I consider both teams to be average, and I think they'll 
    both finish about .500 this year.  Too bad neither is good enough to 
    take Houston outta the top spot.  A perfect 0-fer record is a terrible
    thing to waste.  
    
    /Jeff

As for as O'Donnell, he wasn't facing much of a pass rush.  And the run
was working because of the STOOOPPPPPIIIIIDDDDD Prevent Defense.

I do not understand why the Groh (Giants Def Coord) did not just go
with what had been working.  Instead of rushing two guys and an LB,
why not continue with the pressure on the QB.  Instead, he gave Pittsburgh
TIME to find those receivers, most often in one on one coverage with
Reasons.


As to the Interference call, yeah, could've been.  It's not a reviewable
call, btw.  The ball seemed awfully far away, but then again, the
receiver never got there ;^)  


The Giants: 

Yes, this team is NOT the same team from last year, in terms of intensity.
The Giants have never been a "blow you out" team, but this year instead
of edging the others, the others have been edging them.

I don't know if Handley is capable of coaching this team, only time will
tell.  I feel it's a coach's job to motivate, and he doesn't (probably
because he's about as dynamic as a wet dishrag) so we differ substantially
on that view.

I see this game as a win, but NOT a victory.....


'Saw

    
    
    	First of all, the Steelers stink.  Yes, I am a fan of the Steeler's
    but they did stink for 3/4 of the game.  
    
    	Secondly, I was glad, rather elated that O'Donnell was finally
    given a chance.  Bubby's been around for 4 years now and really hasn't
    done much to improve.  I've gotta ask, how long do we have to wait for
    him to get it in gear?  O'Donnell deserves a shot and he got a good
    shot last night.
    
    	Yes, I felt the Giants let up a little, but the comment about 
    O'Donnell not getting any pass rush is way out of line.  Taylor was
    blitzing on almost every down and I curious as to why our announcers
    weren't trying to develop that point more because on Pittsburgh's
    first scoring drive, they let LT come and just ran inside of him.
    If you can blame anyone on the Giants, you don't have to look much
    further than LT.  He played a great game, but in the 4th, he gambled
    way to much and the Steeler's finally ran to him.
    
    	I've also got to wonder why it took almost 3 whole quarters before
    they got the ball to Green?  Here's one of the best TE's in the league
    and they don't throw to him at all for nearly 3 quarters.  When they
    do throw to him, he is like a Mack truck and ends up catching a TD to
    tie the game.
    
    	In general, Bubby panics way to much in the pocket and gives up
    to soon.  On the other hand, O'Donnell stood in there longer which
    gave his receivers some more time to get open and he delivered the
    ball with a lot of accuracy.  The TD to Lipps was a perfect throw as
    was the throw to Green.  The throw to Green spilt two defenders and
    the throw to Lipps was placed perfectly over the reach of the defender.
    
    	All this isn't saying that O'Donnell is the man now because of 
    one quarter of heroics, but after 4 years of watching Bubby bumble
    around, I'm ready to give this kid a chance to see what he can do.
    We already know what Bubby can('t) do, so let's see what this kid
    can do.
    
    							bill..g.
    

NY Giants      7   6   7   3 - 23
Pittsburgh     0   0   3  17 - 20

                      NY      Pit
First downs           17      20
Rushing               10       9
Passing                7      11
Penalty                0       0
3rd-down eff.        9-17    2-10
4th-down eff.        0-0      0-0
Total yds.           311      377
Total plays           65      57
Net rushing yds.     197      148
Rushes                38      18
Avg per rush         5.2      8.2
Net passing yds.     114      229
Completed-Att.      14-25    17-37
Yards-pass-play      4.2      5.9
Sacked-yds lost      2-2      2-20
Punts-avg.           6-41     6-41
Return yards         85       144
Punts-returns        0-0      4-29
Kickoffs-returns     4-68    6-115
Ints.                1-17     0-0
Penalties-yds.       1-10     9-65
Fumbles-lost         0-0      2-0
Time of poss.       36:17    23:43


Individual Stats

Rushing:
NY - Hampton 25-96, Hostetler 6-48, Meggett 3-44, Carthon 2-7, Tillmsn 2-2  
Pitt - Hoge 8-73, Foster 7-60, O'Donnell 2-13, Brister 1-2

Passing:
NY - Hostetler 14-25-0-116
Pitt - Brister 6-16-1-97, O'Donnell 11-21-0-152

Receiving:
NY - Meggett 4-34, Carthon 3-15, Turner 2-21, Cross 2-20, McCaffrey 2-20,
Ingram 1-6
Pitt - Lips 5-64, Green 4-58, Hoge 3-18, Stone 2-78, Graham 1-15, 
Thompson 1-9, Mularkey 1-7


Interceptions: 
NY - Collins
Pitt - None

Missed FG's:
NY - None
Pitt - None

    re.256
    
    Thanks, Joe
    
    
    JaKe
    

 Hey Jeff, what's the world of difference between the Giants and the Skins?
 Skins have had a cakewalk of schedule so far. Lions without Sanders, Eagles
 with no-QB and gift wrapped and hand delievered win from the Vitalsis man
 down in ERVINE...Bears have no o and the rest of the teams are stumble
 bums. Wait two weeks you'll see when the STREAK reaches 7.....

 mike    

    Yeah, OK, I need to apologize to Jeff and JaKe.  I just got caught up
    in the Steelers looking good for a quarter.  One game does not a good
    team make, let alone one quarter.  (At the same time, calling the
    Steelers "good" was a relative comparison to the Browns, not to the
    rest of the NFL.)
    
    I fall back on my old prediction that both the Browns and Steelers will
    finish at .500 this year.  And what was Hal's prediction?
    
    But I gotta believe that O'Donnell is the Steelers' future.  I backed
    Bubby for so long while others were maligning him.  I argued in his
    favor for four years.  And even during the preseason when Steelers fans
    were yelling, "Bench Brister and start Doug MacDoogel," I still claimed
    Brister was the man.  All that changed over the last few games and
    culminated last night.  Brister can't move the offense.  O'Donnell can. 
    O'Donnell will have his share of bad games and rocky starts, but I say
    hand him the reins come Wednesday's practice.
    
    	--dan'l

    Giants let up so Pittsburgh could beat the spread!

    
    
    	I'm also a little surprised that no one mentioned the celebration
    penalty that cost the Steeler's 5 yards on the kickoff which was 
    subsequently kicked out of bounds, thus giving the Giants the ball
    at the 40.  That was huge and I hope Eric Green has learned a lesson
    though his celebration dance..
    
    	I will say this about the Giants and that is if last night was
    any indication of the Giants play then they should be glad that they
    have a backup.  Hostetler (sp) was on the run all night and I believe
    he ran for 4 firstdowns including the one that set up the winning
    field goal.  He took a pretty good pounding, but the fact that he
    had to run so much doesn't say a whole lot for the offensive line.
    Hostetler is a gutty guy, but if has to keep running to keep the
    offense moving, Simms entrance might not be to far off.
    
    
    								bill..g.
    

If you look back at the prevent that NY plays, they're usually rushing
two down lineman, and an LB, who 99% of the time happens to be LT.

O'Donnell didn't have as much pressure late, as Brister did early, because
the damn Giants were trying to "prevent" exactly what happened.

LT was playing pass.  The entire Giants defense was playing pass.  Why?
Because that's the way Twiddledum Groh wanted it.  Also, the one slight
defense you have against LT is to run at him, which Pittsburgh did well.


Green wasn't open much early on because the Giants were covering him
with people who are good at that (CBs) and not the LB on the Giants who's
best against the run (Reasons).

Bubby *was* tentative, and O'Donnell wasn't, but the kid is not the second
coming of Christ either.

I still say that if Tweedledum Groh has the Giants playing basic defense
instead of prevent, the Steelers don't get back into the game....


btw, regarding the PI non-call, I feel it was fairly well offset by
Cashion's "i'm looking right at it, he's taken three steps but I'm 
not gonna call" Roughing the Passer non-call.....


'Saw

    I gotta question.
    
    The Steelers got hit with the celebration(bogus A$$ rule, IMHO) and
    were penalized 5 yards on the kick-off, thus making them kick from the
    30, instead of the 35.  Anderson's kick goes out of bounds, ball should
    be spotted at the 35, but they put the ball at the 40 yd line.  Thus,
    the Steelers get penalized TWICE for the infraction, right????
    
    If Anderson had kicked the ball into the end zone, would they have
    spotted the ball at the 25?????  I think the refs screwed that one up. 
    But then again, I could be wrong, but it'd be the first time.
    
    JaKe
    

    Isn't there a 5 yard penalty for kicking the ball out of bounds?

It would depend on how the Kickoff OB rule is written.

A team has a choice of kick over or at the 35.

Now, if the "at the 35" part is ABSOLUTE, then there was a mistake.

If, however, that part of the rule is written "or at a spot x yards from
the spot of kickoff" then they are correct....


'Saw

    Looking through the replies I see that most think the Steelers stunk
    up the place in the first half, but I gotta dis-agree, the Steelers
    defense played well through-out the game (IMHO), but especially
    in the second half when the offense woke up. Once the offense did
    start scoring the defense clamped down and stopped the Giants from
    returning the favor. O'Donnell has been getting the hero treatment
    in here but the real heroes were on defense. Incidently, I wonder
    what you guys think about Noll's decision to kick one of the first
    two field goals when they had a chance to score a TD, and change
    the whole outcome of the game, I remember thinking that they shoulda
    gone for it.
    
    Carlos

    Carlos, you are right about the Steelers D, but they did give up some
    key 3rd downs during the entire game.
    
    Regarding the first field goal, that's Noll.  He takes points when he
    can get them.  With the way Brister and the O tend to shut down inside
    the 20, I didn't disagree with kicking a field goal on 4th and goal
    even though they were down by 20 points.  And look what happened!  By
    taking the sure thing, the Steelers ultimately ended up in a position
    to send the game into OT.  
    
    Somebody like Sam Wyche goes for it on 4th and goal.  That's why Noll
    is still one of the masters and Sam is on the ropes.  Subtle confidence
    will win more games than trickery.
    
    Maybe there is something to this excellent loss thingie.  Steelers will
    be a better team because of last night's game and good coaching
    decisions...maybe.
    
    	--dan'l

     Well,
    
     I was really sorry to see the Squeelers lose that game last night.
    I thought that their defense played extremly well and that Doug
    McDoogle guy came on strong at QB in the second half.  I was screaming
    at the TV for them to bench BOOBY after the second series I can't
    stand him or his mother.  At any rate....  I say give the young guy
    a shot, he can't possibly screw it up any worse than BUBBA....
    
    Big Game

    
    Mike, your argument would hold up if the Redskins had been simply
    "getting by" their opponents..(ala Giants)  Their victories however, 
    have been of the total domination variety.  It took a trick play to
    score points for the first time in RFK against their defense.  
    They marched with EASE against the previous top ranked defense in the 
    AFC and scored 42 points.  They have a proven winner for a coach and
    are stocked with veterans.  Bill Parcels saw the writting on the wall 
    and took a hike.  The Giants might have been the better team last year,
    but I haven't seen anything this year to indicate ANY team in the league 
    is playing at the Redskins level this year.  
    
    I'll be amazed if the Giants can stay within 10 points of the Redskins 
    when they meet, provided the Redskins stay as hot as they are now. 
    
    /Jeff   

    
    	I haven't heard anyone in here stating that O'Donnell is the
    second coming.  What I have heard are some people including me 
    stating that Bubby has had 4 years at the starting position with
    little to show for it.  We believe that it is time to make a change,
    or at least give his backup a shot.  It is clear that Brister has 
    had big problems with Walton's offense.  Maybe it is one of those 
    things were O'Donnell is better suited to execute his offense.
    
    	That celebration penalty really killed the Steelers along with
    Anderson kicking the ball out of bounds.  If the Giants would of
    started on the 30, the outcome might of been different.
    
    	Anyway, as a Steeler fan, I will welcome a change at QB. I've
    sat through Cliff Stout, Mark Malone and now Bubby Brister.  All 
    these guys were supposed to have the tools, but none never produced.
    How long should a team wait until they make a change?
    
    
    							bill..g.
    

I'll say this:

	Brister should not have been playing.  It's obvious to me
	that at the very least O'Donnell looks very capable, and
	why put a QB with a very chancy knee in there when you
	could have pulled the kid in from the opening kickoff....


'Saw

    'Saw,
    
    I agree that Brister shouldn't have been playing.  I also think he
    should get to sit on his plate stacker for the next game, at least,
    whilst O'Donnell, who is 100% helathy, gets a crack at running the
    Steelers "O".  As has been stated by others, Brister has had 4 years,
    and, while showing some improvement, is is clearly evident that
    barring an act of God, he'll never take the Steelers to the Super Bowl.
    I've sat thru not only Stoudt, Malone and Brister, but the good years
    AND bad years of Bradshaw, Hanratty and, Gilliam, who would've been one
    helluva QB if he could've kept the needle out of his arm, plus Bill
    Nelson before them and a long line of others, whose names escape me as
    of this writing.
    
    Give O'Donnell the chance to make Brister just a memory.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Neil O'Donnell, you say ???    Quarterbacking an NFL team, you say ???
    
    Hmmm, very interesting.   Wonder what collegiate football conference he
    came from ...
    
    Bob Hunt

    
    I agree with giving O'Donnell a solid shot at the job.  It has been
    Noll's penchant to go with the veterans whether or not the younger
    player appears to prove himself in practice or preseason. That has been
    proven in more than one position.  RB -- Barry Foster still doesn't get
    enough carries but it took him two great preseasons and a Tim Worley
    injury to play.  Hoge is a good tough runner but there are times where
    he simply shouldn't be in as the single back on second or third with
    7-8-9-10yds to go.  That should be Barry Foster territory.  They
    drafted to young wideouts who still seldom get in until garbage time. 
    I believe that Eric Green was quite lucky that the  Steelers didn't
    have a tight ends other than Mularky that Knoll had faith in when he
    joined the team.  At some point he has to put production over
    potential when a player has had his opportunity to prove his worth.
    
    Seattles no push over but this steeler team should really be ready to
    redeem themselves after last night.
    
    Roy L.

    US(eless)A TODAY says that Brister has a torn knee ligament and will,
    most likely ride the bench .vs. the Seattle Ocean Pidgeons this Sunday.
    
    Miracles never cease!!
    
    JaKe
    

    The Steelers are 9th in the AFC in team offense moving an average 
    of 306.7 yds per game.
    
    They are 7th in the AFC in team defense, giving up an average of 311
    yards a game.(
    
    JaKe

    
    	The interesting thing about the Steeler's this year is that they
    do have some po-tential.  When I thought about it, they have Green 
    who is in his second year and looks like he could be a great TE.  They
    have Foster who is either in his 2nd or 3rd year and it appears that
    he could have a bright future.  The secondary is also pretty young with
    some 2nd and 3rd year players.  With the addition of O'Donnell at
    QB, he too is a 2nd year player.   If they are building on the future,
    these people could fit the bill.  They are all young and hungry for
    time and attention.  Not to mention that there are some young WR's
    too.
    
    	With a defensive lineman pick, this team could be poised to gel
    in a couple of years if a QB ever decides to take over.
    
    
    								bill..g.
    

    FWIW, Foster is in his 2nd year and Eric Green is in his 3rd year.
    
   
    JaKe
    
    

    Seachokes waived Kemp yesterday.  I thought I heard Krieg is ready to
    play again.
    
    Joe

    It was nice to see Keith Willis still playing for the Steelers.  He's a
    great guy (went to Northeastern...)  I was also happy to see his 55 1/2
    career sacks rank him 3rd on the all-time Steeler list behind L.C. and
    Mean Joe.
    
    go Keith!
    
    
    
    HD

    
    re: Jake
    
    	Don't you have that backwards?  Green was a rookie last year while
    Foster was in his second year.  Last year is when the Steeler's went
    a whole month with scoring a TD.  Green signs and scores a couple in
    his first game in October.
    
    							bill..g.
    

    Bill,
    
    Come to think of it, you may be right in regards to Green, but Foster
    is definitely a 2nd year player.  Lasted year was when he made his
    biggest rookie mistake and let the kickoff .vs. the 49ers just fall on
    the ground, and the 49ers recovered it, and subsequently scored putting
    the game out of reach.
    
    It just seems to me that Green has been around longer than 1+ years.
    
    JaKe
    

  Green and Foster are both 2nd year players. Foster came out of college
  at the end of his junior year. I think that, if he had stayed at
  Arkansas another year, he may have been a #1 draft. The Black and Gold
  are lucky he came out early and got him in the 4th round.    

  With regard to the Monday night game. The Steelers definately got robbed
  with the non-call pass interference against Hoge. But they overcame it
  later in the game. The penalty that really ticks me off is the one for
  celebrating in the end zone which may have cost them the win. It wasn't
  even a long or blatant celebration. I mean, what's a team supposed to do 
  when they come back from a 20-0 deficit and tie the game with 50 seconds 
  left.  This celebration rule sucks. 

  I though the defense(even the pass rush) looked good the entire game.
  There's only so much a defense can do when, for 3 quarter's, the offense
  go 3 downs and out. 

  The offense definately looked more enthused and confident with O'Donnell
  in the driver's seat. Glad to hear he'll start next week. They do have 
  some talent. I'm hoping this excellent lose will be a turning point for 
  the Black and Gold. 

				Keith

    So, was Bubby pulled on Monday night because he was ineffective or
    because he was injured?  Is this injury a way for Bubby and his backers
    to save some face?

    re.284
    
    Noll, quoted in US(eless)A TODAY, says he "screwed up".
    
    "I made a mistake," said Noll.  "That's one of the traps you run into
    as a coach, when you go with a guy who's less than 100% when you have a
    guy on the bench who can do the job."
    
    The article says Brister had limped thru practices all week anbd also
    wore a knee brace.
    
    I think it's a combination of Brister being ineffective, and the injury
    that caused him to be pulled.   A couple of times, after Brister got
    popped, he grasped the knee, and limped more noticably afterward.
    
    FWIW, the Steeler's backup behind Neil O'Donnell is Rick Strom, who
    first played for the team during the strike year.
    
    Re Green and Foster, thanks for clearing that up, Keith.
    
    
    JaKe
    

In the paper today they said that the official made the wrong call on the 
celebration rule. it seems the NFL officials like the rule even less than the
fans so they are calling it for any celebration in hopes that the rules 
comittee will pull it for next season....

Metz

 � ... it seems the NFL officials like the rule even less than the fans so
 � they are calling it for any celebration in hopes that the rules  comittee
 � will pull it for next season....
 
 That's absolutely nuts.   The only way to convince the NFL Rules Committee
 that a rule is ridiculous is to *NOT* call it.   Throwing the flag only
 reinforces the bogus logic behind it.
 
 If the refs really hated the rule, they'd keep their yellow hankies in
 their pockets and watch with some amusement as Willie Wide Receiver does
 some pre-meditated and excessive Hammer Time moves in the end zone.
 
 Geez, cain't anybody get anything right these days ???
 
 Bob Hunt

>In the paper today they said that the official made the wrong call on the 
>celebration rule. 
    
    Who is they?  
    
    How can a judgement call be called wrong?
    
    What was wrong about it; the call or penalizing the Steelers twice for
    one call?
    
    	--dan'l

Direct from the local rag...


The chairman of the NFL's competition committee suggested that game officials 
made the wrong call on an "illegal demonstration" penalty that helped the NY 
Giants beat the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday Night.
 Jim Finks, the rules chief, also said that game officials may be making such
calls as a protest against a rule they don't like.
 The rule was invoked after the steelers scored the tyoing touchdown against the
Giants who eventually won the game 23-20.

 "What I saw was not hte intent of our rules,"sad Fink, who is also president of
the NO Saints.
 "It's a judgement call, up to the officials but my impression is that they don't
like the rule so they're going out of their way to call it to show that."


Metz

    	I believe what Green did was exactly what the rule was supposed
    to prevent.  Now let me add that I think the rule stinks, but what
    the league is doing to the referees stinks.  Every time someone
    whines or complains about it the league will say the refs made a
    mistake in their interpretation of the call, making the indecision
    on the referees part whether to throw a flag or not on this "illegal
    demonstration" foul even greater.   Main these guys would make great
    Senators, dontcha think?
    
    				/Don

Pittsburgh was NOT penalized twice for the same call.

If the ensuing kickoff had not been erroneously kicked o/b, then
the Giants probably start around the 25.

I'm still not sure of the o/b kick rule.

If the rule states:   kick again or start on 35, then the refs did it wrong.
However, if the rule is expressed as kick again or x yards from spot of kick
then NOT wrong....


'Saw

    I didn't see the play and I've been next unseeing a lot of things,
    since I was at a class on Monday and Tuesday, so I don't know what
    happened.
    
    If a kickoff goes out of bounds without having been touched first by
    anyone (other than the kicker), the receiving team has at least a
    couple of options - take the ball at a point 30 yards from where the
    ball was kicked or take the ball at the point where it went out of
    bounds.  I don't know if they still have the option to force the rekick
    from 5 yards further back, but I believe they do.
    
    Most kickoffs take place from the 35.  Most kickoffs go out of bounds
    at a point inside the receiving team's 35, hence, the usual outcome is
    for the receiving team to take the ball on its 35.  The only time the
    receiving team would take the ball at the point where it went out of
    bounds would be if it went out at a point between the 35 yard lines. 
    Under the new rule, I really can't imagine very many situations where
    the receiving team would force a rekick on a kickoff out of bounds
    since most kickoff returns don't get to the 35 anyway.
    
    John

    And one more - there is a rarely applied rule that gives the receiving
    team the ball at a very advantageous location on the field should the
    kicking team kickoff out of bounds 3 consecutive times.  In other
    words, kickoff goes out of bounds, tack on the penalty.  Kick again,
    out of bounds again.  Kick again, out of bounds again.  I don't
    remember the spot since it happens so seldom and probably never happens
    now, given the rules change.
    
    John

Then the Steelers were NOT penalized twice for the same call.


	1. Green gets hit with a 5 yard penalty for celebrating to
	   be enforced on the kickoff.

	2. Kickoff from 30 yard line, goes OB.

	3. Giants have option:  rekick or start 30 yards from where
	   ball kicked...  ie the 40 yard line.

No problem.


'Saw

    Thanks for the clarification, Ninj.
    
    
    JaKe
    

     I still think it was a bad call.......  Only because it favored
    the Midgets !! 
    
    		Big Game

    US(eless)A TODAY says that although the STEELERS haven't announced that
    Neil O'Donnell will make his first NFL start, Sunday .vs. Seattle, but
    injured QB Bubby Brister said: "(Coach) Chuck (Noll) told me he wants
    me to rest my knee, so he's going with O'Donnell Sunday."
    
    
    JaKe
    

    The Steelers are 4th in the NFL in total points scored per game, and
    22nd in the league in total points per game given up.
    
    
    JaKe
    

Paper out here said that bubble will be bench bound for two weeks to rest his 
knee......

Maybe mommy will kiss it and make it better,


  Metz

    Mac
    
    You wondered why I call the paper the hilton gives me every day
    "US9eless)A TODAY,  I'll tell ya now.
    
    1st, the NLCS ended lasted night at about 10:30, mountain time.  The
    paper here doesn't even have a hint to what the score was.
    
    And, 1st, In one part, they list Neil O'Donnell as being the starting
    QB for the Steelers Sunday, .vs. the Seattle Ocean Pidgeons, whilst in
    another column, not 12 inches away, they list Brister as the probable
    starter, but state that he has a "Hamstring" injury., while the whole
    football world knows that the guy hjas a gimpy knee, the result of a
    torn ligament.
    
    Lasted week, before the Gnats game, they listed on 3 consecutive days,
    different knees as the injury.  First leeft, then right, then left. 
    Suprized they didn't list a middle knee injury as his problem.
    
    As a generic newspaper it's not too bad, but I think it's worth is much
    greater when paper training a puppy, than as a source for ACCURATE
    info.
    
    Sheez, they have a main section, a money section,. a sports(term used
    loosely) section, a Life section.  Maybe they need to add a
    "corrections" section, but that would double the size of the paper.
    
    =Glad I'm going home tomorrow and will get to read REAL newspapers, ie
    the Pittsburgh Press and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette!!!
    
    JaKe
    
    
    

      Why Jake,  you couldn't possibly be refering to the Gazzette?  I hope
    you haven't wasted your time reading Ralph Rotton's column.....He is
    such a hypacrit (sp?), not to mention he doesn't have a clue.....
    
    	Tim

    Tim
    
    Nah, the HILTON didn't give me the Colo. Springs Gasette, just
    US(eless)A TODAY.
    
    >>            -< Have a fun flight back,  maybe next time... >-
    
    After 4 weeks in a hotel, away from the wife and little ones, I
    thoroughly look forward to tomorrow afternoon whence I arrive back in
    Pittsburgh.
    
    JaKe
    

    JaKe,
    
    USA Today must have different editions 'cuz I picked mine up at a 7-11
    this morning and it has a story on the game plus a complete box.
    
    BTW, it was a pleasure meeting you, glad you enjoyed yourself at the AF
    game and have a good flight back.
    
    
    Joe

    > USA Today must have different editions 'cuz I picked mine up at a 7-11
    > this morning and it has a story on the game plus a complete box.
    
    They do.  Check the upper left corner of the front page -- it'll say
    either "Inside Sports" or "Sports Final".  "Sports Final" is the later
    version.
    
    
    py

    For the record, the Steelers stunk yesterday.  Except for a beauty of a
    pass from O'Donnell to Dwight Stone for the only Pittsburgh score, I
    honestly can't remember any other play, offensive or defensive, that
    was executed well enough to even smile about.
    
    The secondary was pitiful.  The linebackers were used and abused.  The
    defensive line got close but never got to Craig.  
    
    Too many mistakes all around.  Penalty after penalty.  Tough to win
    football games like that.
    
    O'Donnell still has what it takes but had no time whatsoever to throw
    the ball yesterday.  The offensive line was pushed around like toys.
    
    Any word on the injury to Barry Foster?  What a blow that would be,
    although Warren Williams and Leroy Thomspon are quite adequate as
    backups.
    
    	--dan'l

    I just hope that Chuck doesn't judge O'Donnell to harshly for
    this one performance.....  The Squeelers need to leave Bubby
    on the bench !!!
    
    Big Game

    
    I can't figure it.  Just when the steelers look like they are about to
    get things headed in the right direction the run into a brick wall.  I
    didn't see the game yesterday but the  10 minute ticker sure made it
    look bad.  On the little clip yesterday on primetime they only showed
    the steelers getting burned and Greg Lloyd on bunch of late hits.   Was
    the steelers offense as bad as the first half Monday night which left
    the defense on the field all game or is the defense actually playing
    that bad?
    
    Roy L. 

    FWIW, O'Donnell was 14 of 22 for 184 yards, with one TDand 1 int.
    not too bad for the way the rest of the team played.
    
    Noll was quoted,"We just did not function.  We made mistake after
    mistake after mistake.  Offensively, we killed ourselves,  Defensively,
    we killed ourselves."
    
    Added Gene Collier, columnist for the Pittsburgh Press:
    
    "Uh-huh.  The rare double suicide, with an inquest continuing on
    special teams, a third corpse at the crime scene."
    
    14 penalties, 6 fumbles, 5 missed tackles, minimum, 4 scks, 3 dropped
    passes, one interception, one blocked punt.  One conversion on nine
    third or fourth down situations.  More indiscretions than Jimmy
    Swaggart, more blunders bloopers and boners than "America's Funniest
    Home Videos!!!
    
    The Steelers sipped, no make that SUCKED yesterday.  If they don't get
    their a$$es in gear, they may be lucky to win 2 or 3 more games the
    rest of the year.
    
    JaKe
    
    

      Where is Childs?   HE talks crap about other teams when they lose, 
    but is silent here?
    
    	Tim

    STEELERS .vs. SeaPidgeons
    
    Scoring Summary
    			1	2	3	4		T
    SeaPidgeons		3	14	3	7		27
    STEELERS		0	0	7	0		7
    
    Sea--FG Kasay 36 yd
    Sea--Williams 1 yd run(Kasay PAT)
    Sea--Chadwick 14 yd pass from Krieg(Kasay PAT)
    STEELERS--Stone 57 yd pass from O'Donnell(Anderson PAT)
    Sea--FG Kasay 21 yd
    Sea--Tice 1 yd pass from Krieg(Kasay PAT)
    
    Attendance--54,678
    
    TEAM STATISTICS
    Seattle						STEELERS
    18				First Downs		12
    30-65			Rushes-Yds		15-78
    25-31-0			Compl-Att-Int		14-22-1
    3-7				Sacked-Yds lost		4-22
    6-46			Punts			7-33
    0-0				Fumbles-lost		6-2
    6-48			Penalties-Yds		14-90
    39:55			Time of Possession	20:05
    
    Individual Stats:
    RUSHING
    Seattle: J.L.Williams 17-43, Warren 11-13, Krieg 2-9
    STEELERS:  Foster 7-36, Hoge 6-22, Thompson 1-14, O'Donnell 1-6
    
    PASSING
    Seattle: Krieg 25-31-0-266 yds
    STEELERS: O'Donnell 14-22-1-184 yds
    
    RECEIVING
    Seattle: J.L.Williams 7-50, Kane 6-102, Chadwick 5-76, Blades 3-29,
    	Tice 2-7, Clark 1-5, Warren 1-(-3)
    STEELERS: Calloway 3-32, Lipps 3-28, Stone 2-67, Hoge 2-18, Thompson
    	2-8, Green 1-18, Foster 1-13.
    
    FUMBLES
    STEELERS:  Foster 2, O'Donnell 2, Lloyd 1, Hoge 1.
    
    JaKe
    
    
    

    It's not quite midseason for the STEELERS yet, BUT, if they keep
    playing like they did Sunday against the SeaPidgeons, the second half
    of this season is going to seem like an eternity.  The Steelers were
    supposed to have an improved defense over lasted year, which would have
    made them about the best in the NFL, but so far, the defense has been
    offensive.  More like a strainer trying to hold water.
    
    Now the offense.  This is the 2nd(and hopefully last) year of the "Joe
    Booger Walton" offense in Pittsburgh.  Lasted year, it took 4 games
    before the Steeler offense scored a TD.  This year, although the
    Steeler offense has scored some TD's, they are a 3 down and out
    offense, suffering from penalties, penalties, penalties.   It seems
    that every time the STEELERS get the freakin' ball, somebody jumps
    before the snap, or somebody is guilty of holding, or some other STUPID
    penalty pops up and the Steelers are faced with starting in a deep
    hole.  So far, the Steelers are averaging 8 penalties for 58
    yards/game.
    
              What doesn't help, they are suffering from horrendous play
    calling on third down, by, you guessed it, Joe "Booger" himself.  The
    offense is truly offensive, too!!!  Poor execution, putrid offensive
    line, receivers dropping an average of 4 passes per game, fumbles,
    fumbles fumbles...Although Barry Foster leads the Steelers in rushing
    yardage, he has fumbled 5 times in 84 carries, an average of once every
    16+ times he gets the ball.
    
    	The STEELERS have not beaten a team with a winning record yet. 
    Their 3 victories came against teams whose aggregate mark is 4-19,
    while their 4 losses came against teams who are a combined 18-12.
    
    
    The Steelers have been thru the easy part of their schedule now and
    tougher roads lie ahead.  At this point, judging by the teams they've
    played, the STeelers should be 5-2 or even 6-1, but the team just never
    seems to be prepared properly, and takes 2 or more quarters to get the
    ball moving, and by then it's too late and they're normally facing a
    comeback instead of holding a lead.
    
    The Steelers remaining schedual, and my predictions for these games are
    as follows
    
    	Oct 27, at Clevescum
    Clevescum is fielding a much improved team over lasted year.  Bernice
    is getting more time to throw and has played well so far this year. 
    The defense is much improved also.  If the STEELERS "SHOW UP" for this
    game, it should be a close one, but judging by the way they've played
    so far, I see it as Clevescum 24-10.
    
    	Nov. 3  at Denver
    Don't know much about the Donks this year, but their 5-2 and leading
    the AFC West, and seem to be playing much better ball than they did
    lasted year, also.  The Steelers and Donks have put on some good, close
    football games in the past at Pile-It-High, bgut the STEELERS will
    succumb to thin air, and thin brain tissue on part of Joe "Booger"
    and fall again, 31-13.
    
    	Nov 10, at Cincinnati
    Sam Wyche, getting crazier by the week, will don a clown outfit and
    show his true colors.  By halftime, he will have been taken off of the
    field by 3 large men in white suits, never to be seen again outside of
    the asylum.  Ickey Woods gets named interim coach and spends the second
    half getting flagged for doing stupid dances on the sidelines everytime
    it looks like the Bungholes will gain a yard.  Still, the STEELERS trip
    over their own feet, but nudge out a close one, 21-20.
    
    	NOV 17  Washington
    STEELERS get scalped, 42-3.
    
    	Nov. 24  Houscum
    Warmand Mooned and the Oilslicks invade Three Rivers and slip thru the
    declining secondary, building a 24 point first half lead, but slip in
    the second half but still manage to hold on, 35-24.
    
    	Nov 28	at Dallass
    Troy Aikman and Mr PerfectHair's Cryboys have a tough day in Tex-Ass
    stadium, but Steeler penalties again come back to haunt them on
    Thanksgiving day as the Steelers get caught with turkey on their face,
    24-23.
    
    	DEC 8, at Houscum
    The Oilslicks, with their pansy blue, in the house of the brain dead,
    look past the STEELERS, and fall flat on their faces, losing to the
    Black and Gold, 24-10.
    
    	Dec 15, Cincinnati
    The Bungholes come into Three Rivers with their newest gimmick, the
    hurry up defense.  Boomer tries throwing right handed, and the
    Bungholes lose their 15th of the year, 27-6.
    
    	Dec 22  Clevescum
    The Brown(spot)s(tm) and the STEELERS both enter this game with 6-9
    records.  Bernice will be out for this game, after spraining an ankle
    when the heel of his favorite pumps breaks off unexpectedly.  his
    replacement will do his Bubby Brister imitation, while Brister does his
    Bubby Brister imitation, and the teams finish out the '91 season
    playing to a 3-3 tie that sees league records in both penalties in one
    game, and in penalty yardage in one game.  3-3
    
    The Steelers would have to consider this season a success if they
    finish at .500.  The continued ineptitude on either side of the ball
    should be cause for a house cleaning of all assistatn coaches, and
    possibly of the entire coaching staff, Noll himself included.
    
    These are only my predictions as of right now, they are subject to
    revision at any time, and are in no way factual.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    BTW, the Steelers were 1-8  on third down conversions Sunday, bringing
    their season total to 18 of 70 on 3rd down(a whopping 25.7%).
    
    
    JaKe
    

Reprinted from The Pittsburgh Press, without permission, from Monday, Oct 21,
1991

by 

Gene Collier

	Neil O'Donnell, making his first professional start at QB, completed 14
of 22 passes for 184 yards, including a 57 yard TD strike to Dwight Stone
yesterday as almost all of the other Steelers stunk like you wouldn't believe
and got ripped by the Seattle Seahawks, 27-7, in a game Seattle should have
been ashamed not to win by 50 points.
	Hmph. It wasn't that hard at all.
	I'm supposed to be writing about O'Donnell, but I couldn't figure out
how to work him in.
	He was merely the mechanic on duty yesterday, bent over the blown
engine that is the 1991 Steelers.  He just happened to be standing around when
the brilliant sunshine backlit this team for what it really is, a noxious
backfire of ignorance and apathy with the collective attention span of cheese.
	"We didn't have a good week(of practice)," Chuck Noll said, "We have to
have better preparation if we have to stay out all day and all night to get
that attention."
	"We just did not function.  We made mistake after mistake after
mistake.  Offensively, we killed ourselves.  Defensively, we killed ourselves."
	Uh-huh.  The rare double suicide, with an inquest continuing on special
teams, a third corpse at the crime scene.  
	How it'll wash out is hard to tell, but the easiest conviction should
be fraud.  Charging people cash to see THIS under the label of professional
football should get somebody three to five.
	But back to O'Donnell.  Although Neil did his very best, it's not fair
to imply that the young man was the only Steeler who was mistake-free.  In
truth, he was once charged with delay of game; his problem was that he couldn't
delay it enough.
	His teammates helped put together a memorable opening series for him. 
It included three penalties, a fumble, a sack, and they wrapped it up with a
blocked punt.   THE TOTAL PACKAGE!!
	Then, things got ugly!!!
	O'Donnell searched his memory to find out why he wanted this job.  The
Steelers did this for him, fumbled six times, committed 14 penalties, dropped
three passes, blew about a dozen assignments and nearly got him killed.
	The offense, had seven false starts, more than NASA.  Tom Ricketts got
the hat trick, although not a natural one as the Steelers tucked six other
penalties between his second and third false starts.
	"I just told everyone to keep working hard," O'Donnell said of his
comportment in the huddle.  "I told them to just relax, that mistakes were
going to happen.  I just never thought that this many could happen."
	Even in his own naivete, O'Donnell had a right to expect better for
himself than this, but expecting anything at all from this team is only a
gaurantee of disappointment.
	In the third wuarter, with a sullen crowd growing hostile, punter Dan
Stryzinski's baby picture was flashed on the scoreboard as part of a quiz, a
multiple choice name-that-baby bit.  Better to take all of these guys baby
pictures and put them in the game program each week.
	Poise??Demeanor??Concentration?? Yes, of babies, and the baby lobby
probably won't be too happy with that.
	Rod "No Comment" Woodson drew consecutive unsportsmanlike conduct
penalties,  Donald Evans was ejected for hitting somebody(finally) and Greg
Lloyd threw in an incredible daily double--the offside penalty on third and 5
and the drive sustaining cheap-shot roughing the passer penalty.
	These guys are critical parts of the defense that turned generic
Seattle QB Dave Krieg into Otto Graham.  
	Krieg, in his first game after seven weeks of inactivity, went 25 for
31(including 19 for his first 22) in leading a pedestrian team to a 17-0 lead
and on to an easy victory, it's fourth in eight games.
	On O'Donnell's side of the ball, things are much worse, so much so that
Neil might be losing touch.
	"I don't think anybody on this team is going to give up," he said.
	Too late on that one.
	"There's a lot of talent out there."
	Too early on that one.
	Offensively, figuring the Steelers is like reading some absurd, poorly
crafted mystery.  Under the old Chuck Noll/Tom Moore offense, you always knew
what was wrong when it was; the fellows weren't executing.  Under the new Chuck
Noll/Joe Walton offense, all anybody including the offense knows is that it
just doesn't work.
	Yesterday's time of pessession was 20:05, the sixth consecutive game in
which the Steelers failed to get half the possession time, the sixth in which
they failed to get even 27 minutes.  Even if you're scoring in those precious
minutes, you're putting too much pressure on the defense, not that the Steelers
are scoring, and not that the defense doesn't collapse under minimal pressure,
anyway.
	The Steelers have scored one ruching TD in the past five games, and
when Dwight Stone scored his second TD of the year yesterday, he moved ahead of
Louis Lipps, the other starting wideout, who remains tied with linebacker Bryan
Hinkle with one.  Oh, I forgot, the passing game is tight-end oriented.  Is
that why the supposed best tight end around got the ball thrown to him once
yesterday???
	Somebody get a clue with this team.
	Noll was clear with his distaste for yesterday's performance, and
suitably threatening in his proposed solutions, but when someone asked him what
causes a team to be so ragged, so undisciplinied, he said:

	"Your guess is as good as mine."

If that is true, what's he doing there?????



JaKe

    JaKe, thanks for printing .313.  Truly sums things up.  I especially
    loved:
    
>	The Steelers have scored one ruching TD in the past five games, and
>when Dwight Stone scored his second TD of the year yesterday, he moved ahead of
>Louis Lipps, the other starting wideout, who remains tied with linebacker Bryan
>Hinkle with one.  Oh, I forgot, the passing game is tight-end oriented.  Is
>that why the supposed best tight end around got the ball thrown to him once
>yesterday???
    
    	--dan'l

 Hi Tim, I'm here what would you like me to say? So the Steelers
 stunk sunday woopie. If I was you I wouldn't throw stones when
 my team finished in lasted placed lasted yeared..

 ;^)

  Jake, .311 is a great note. I laughed after every line. Maybe
  you should send it into Steeler's Digest. The only sad thing is that
  it looks like all of your predictions will come true.

  J_e (where's the o) has to go. 

	Keith

    Barry Foster's sprained ankle most likely will keep him out of Sunday's
    game in the sludge pit.
    
    Noll said that since Worley is not ready physically(probably mentally
    too) to return, the Steelers may go to the "Mistake by the Lake" with
    only 3 running backs.
    
    Noll also said that Neil o'Donnell will get at least one, maybe more,
    starts whilst Brister nurses his boo-boo on his knee.
    
    JaKe
    
    

    Now Now Mikey....  don't get too cranky with Tim.....  You know
    we all hate to see you beloved Squeelers fall victim to the sea
    chickens.  Listen Mikey.....  I'd be willing to bet the Squeelers
    don't win another game this year and finish with a much worse 
    record than the donks did lasted(tm) year.
    
    Big Game

    Steeler Running back Tim Worley checked into an Alcohol Rehab center
    today.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    
    What a waste of talent.  I thought Worley would be a dominant force
    in the NFL for years.  

    Graoner,
    
    Looks more like a waste of a #1 draft pick to me!!!!
    But the Steelers are used to wasting those.
    
    JaKe
    
    

STEELER STATS thru 7 games

Results and Attendance:
STEELERS  	26		San Diego	20	55,848
STEELERS	34		Buffalo		52	79,545
STEELERS	20		New England	 6	53,703
STEELERS	14		Philadelphia	23	65,511
STEELERS	21		Indianapolis	 3	55,383
STEELERS	20		NY Giants	23	57,608
STEELERS	 7		Seattle		27	54,678

Record 3-4

TEAM STATISTICS:
				STEELERS	Opponents

Total First Downs		103		133
  Rushing			 37		 42
  Passing			 64		 80
  Penalty			  5		 11

  Third-down:
    made/att			18/70		47/105
    3rd down percentage		25.7		44.8
    4th Down Percentage		 0.0		100

Total Net Yards			2080		2190
	Avg. per game		 297.1		 312.9
	total plays		 353		 464
	Avg. per play		   5.9		   4.7

Net Yards Rushing		731		770
	per game		104.4		100
	total rushes		153		220

Net Yards Passing		1349		1420
	per game		 192.7		 202.9
	Sacked/yds lost		16/134		19/119
	Gross yards		1483		1539
	Att/Comp		184/108		225/145
	Completion %		58.7		64.4
	Had intercepted		8		6

Punts/Average			36/38.9		35/41.0

Net Punting Avg.		35.6		33.9

Penalties/yards			58/412		36/266

Fumbles/lost			19/5		5/4

Touchdowns			16		16
  Rushing			 4		 4
  Passing			10		11
  Returns			 2		 1

Score by periods:
			1	2	3	4		T
STEELERS		20	20	20	62		142
Opponents		27	52	24	51		154

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

SCORING
			TD
		Rush	pass	ret	PAT	FG	S	total pts
Anderson	0	0	0	16/16	10/11	0	46
EricGreen	0	4	0	0	0	0	24
Hoge		2	1	0	0	0	0	18
Foster		1	1	0	0	0	0	12
Stone		0	2	0	0	0	0	12
Calloway	0	1	0	0	0	0	 6
Hinkle		0	0	1	0	0	0	 6
Lipps		0	1	0	0	0	0	 6
Mills		0	0	1	0	0	0	 6
W.Williams	1	0	0	0	0	0	 6
STEELERS	4	10	2	16/16	10/11	0	142
Opponents	4	11	1	16/14	14/18	0	154

RUSHING:
		#	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
Foster		75	428	5.7	56	1
Hoge		59	328	4.0	15	2
Thompson	3	26	8.1	14	0
O'Donnell	4	24	6.0	11	0
W.Williams	9	16	1.8	9	1
Brister		3	-3     -1.0	2	0
STEELERS	153	731	4.8	56	4

RECEIVING:
		#	yds	avg	long	TD
EricGreen	25	400	16.0	49	4
Hoge		20	146	 7.3	16	1
Lipps		19	221	11.6	24	1
Stone		13	316	24.3	89	2
Foster		 9	117	13.0	31	0
Calloway	 8	150	18.8	33	1
Mularkey	 5	55	11.0	21	9
W.Williams	 4	40	10.0	29	0
Thompson	 4	23	 5.9	 9	0
Graham		 1	15	15.0	15	0
STEELERS	108	1483	13.7	89	10
Opponents	125	1539	10.6	53	11

INTERCEPTIONS:
		#	Yds	TD
Hinkle		1	57	1
Everett		1	27	0
Griffin		1	22	0
Woodson		1	20	0
Johnson		1	 0	0
Lloyd		1	 0	0
STEELERS	6	126	1
Opponents	8	83	1

PUNTING:
         	#	Yds	Avg	Blk

Stryzinski	35	1402	40.1	1
STEELERS	35	1402	40.1	1
Opponents	35	1435	41.0	0

PUNT RETURNS:
		#	FC	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
Woodson		17	9	214	12.6	40	0
Graham		2	1	 13	 6.5	13	0
Mills		1	0	  0	 0.0	0	1
Vincent		1	0	  1	 1.0	1	0
STEELERS	21	10	228	10.9	40	1
Opponents	9	17	 62	 6.9	16	0

KICKOFF RETURNS
		#	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
Woodson		23	467	20.3	42	0
Mills		 4	129	32.3	54	0
Stone		 2	 29	14.5	25	0
Thompson	 1	  8	 8.0	 8	0
STEELERS	30	633	21.1	54	0
Opponents	19	343	18.1	33	0

PASSING:
		Att	Compl	Yds	Pct	TD	Int
Brister		136	81	1053	59.6	6	7
O'Donnell	48	27	 430	56.3	5	1
STEELERS	184	108	1483	58.7	11	8
Opponents	225	145	1539	64.4	11	6

QB SACKS
Lloyd		4
J.Williams	4
Willis		4
Evans		2
Hinkle		2
Jones		2
Veasey		1
G.Williams	1


JaKe



		

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SCORING SUMMARY:
			1	2	3	4		T
STEELERS		0	7	0	7		14
Brown(spot)s(tm)	3	7	7	0		17

'Spots--	FG Stover, 34 yds
'Spots--	Hoard 2 yd lookiewhatIfound, er, I mean pass from Bernice,
		Stover PAT
STEELERS--	O'Donnell 1 yd run, Anderson PAT
'Spots--	MacK 1 yd run, Stover PAT
STEELERS--	Willians 1 yd run, Anderson PAT
A--78285

TEAM STATISTICS:

STEELERS					Brown(spot)s(tm)
18			1st Downs		19
23-75			Rushes-Yards		27-83
207			Passing Yds		179
19-35-2			Compl-Att-Int		21-29-0
2-14			Sacked-Yds Lost		0-0
1-37			Punts			3-41
1-0			Fumbles-Lost		1-0
5-35			Penalties-Yds		6-40
26:41			Time of Possession	33:19

INDIVIDUAL STATS:

RUSHING:
STEELERS:  Hoge 12-48, Williams 9-26, O'Donnell 2-1.
'Spots:	Mack 19-54, Metcalf 1-12, Moris 2-9, Bernice 4-6, Hoard 1-2

PASSING:
STEELERS: O'Donnell 19-35-2int, 221 yds
'Spots: Bernice 21-29-0int 179 yds

RECEIVING:
STEELERS: Hoge 6-56, Lipps 5-69, Stone 3-53, Green 3-25, Calloway 1-17, Cooper
	  1-1
'Spots:  Brennan 5-52, Slaughter 4-38, Mack 4-21, Metcalf 3-23, Langhorne 2-13,
	 Jackson 1-26, Galbraith 1-4, Hoard 1-2.

PUNTING:
STEELERS:  Stryzinski 1-37 yds
'Spots:  Hansen 3-124


JaKe

STEELERS CREATING AN ILLUSION OF MEDIOCRITY; TRUTH IS, THEY AREN'T THAT GOOD!

reprinted from The Pittsburgh Press, Monday 10-28-1991
without permission

BY

Gene Collier

CLEVELAND--The Steelers worked 60 hard minutes on an illusion here yesterday
and very nearly sold it to the Cleveland Browns and some 78,000 of their
admirers.
	The ruse was that Chuck Noll's team was of standard blood and guts
posture and temperament, eminently worthy of this storied rivalry, and
certainly a physical match for anybody on Any Given Sunday, especially a team
with a record no better than it's own 3-4.
	Right, and Sophie Masloff is an operatic Tenor.
	The gap between how ostensibly mediocre the Steelers are and how bad
they really are is sometimes so vast that people get lost in it.  They
hallucinate.
	Look at Bernie Kosar, Browns QB, who yesterday threw an unusual 2-yard
TD pass that clanked off a defender and fell into the hands of Leroy Hoard, who
was flat on his back in the end zone.
	"I really don't know what happened," Kosar said, "I know the ball was
tipped; I think by them.  I saw it tipped and I saw a black jersey."
	Well, Bernie, there were no black jerseys out there yesterday.  The
Steelers wore white and the Browns wore brown.  See?  These Steelers just
aren't what they appear.
	Had Noll's team somehow pulled this off, perhaps had Gary Anderson's
52-yarder avoided the upright to the good side and perhaps had he banged home
another in overtime, noll's team would be 4-4 and someone would be trying to
figure a route to a wild-card game.
	Fortunately, there was a man out there in the grass playing his 25th
Steelers-Browns game, and he made two monstrous plays in the final minutes to
put just the right spin on things.
	Clay Matthews, the 35-year old linebacker who first met the Steelers in
1978, ran down Neil O'Donnell on a blitz for a 9-yard loss with 1:33 to play,
shoving the Steelers into a third and 19 situation from which they would not
emerge.
	"We'd called for that blitz once before, but they'd jumped offsides on
the play," Matthews said, "I didn't really do anything on it; they just didn't
block me."
	Oh, Matthews has made maybe 200 tackles in this series.  They jsut
didn't block him on that play.
	Two plays later, O'Donnell was looking for Eric Green down the middle
for a fourth and 14 desperation fastball.  Matthews intercepted and ran 35
yards toward the lake, ending this episode with Cleveland ahead 17-14.
	"It's always gratifying to beat the Steelers," Matthews said, "The
interesting thing was that before the game we went out there and the rain was
coming down and for some reason, my first five years here, when the Steelers
were really good, every time we played them it was like that.  It was just like
we turned the clock back 10 to 14 years."
	That, of course, is strictly a weather related deja vu.
	Had this been 14 years ago, the Steelers would have crushed this Browns
team like a roach.  Cleveland went into its eighth game claiming only victories
against Steelers patsies New England and San Diego and a one-point victory
against still winless Cincinnati.  Opponents were converting nearly half of
their third downs against the Cleveland defense, and the Steelers used that
weakness to improve their horrible conversion rate toward actual
respectability.
	And yet at a station many would characterize as not very good at all,
the Browns were clearly superior to Noll's team, especially in the aspect of
ball control.
	Cleveland ate two-thirds of the first quarter on the game's opening
possession with a 15-play drive, its longest of the season.  A subsequent
15-play drive swallowed 7 1/2 minutes.
	"Seven and eight minute drives kill you," Noll said after his club's
third consecutive loss, and fourth in its past five games.  "It doesn't leave
enough time for the offense."
	Right, especially this offense, which continues to "develop" at about
the rate of a third world country.  Only two of their eight opponents have
figured out a way to allow three Steelers touchdowns on the same day, and one
of those was Indianapolis.
	What a team like the houston Oilers is going to do to the Steelers
isn't entirely clear, but I'll bet it's something like what the Denver Broncos
and Washington Redskins are going to do with them as well, and it won't be
flattering.
	If they're fortunate, the Steelers will finish without another victorym
or with one at the most, and that will clarify the situation.  This is not a
team or a franchise that needs tinkering or patience.  It needs a wrecking ball
and then an architect.
	You should really hope it doesn't rally to 8-8 and send the wrong
signal.  Any run toward a wild card would ensure another decade of hopeful
non-achievment.



JaKe

    In yesterday's(Sunday's) "Press", Gene Collier compared Noll's record
    over the lasted few years with other "former" coaches records over the
    same time span.  To say Noll's Steeler teams have been mediocre over
    that timespan is an understatement.  If'n the Mrs. didn't pitch it,
    I'll bring it in tomorrow and enter it into here if I gets the chance.
    Good article.
    
    JaKe
    

STEELERS JOB MAY NOT BE NOLL'S LIFE'S WORK

Reprinted without permission from The Pittsburgh Press
10-27-1991

By

Gene Collier

	Remember Al Saunders????
	No, not the guy on ESPN, that's John Saunders.
	Nope, not the former Pirates announcer, that's John Sanders.
	No, not the minor league maven in "Bull Durham", that's Susan Sarandon;
now you're getting ridiculous.
	Al Saunders, c'mon.  One-time head coach of a National Football League
team, sort of.  I mean pretty recently.
	All right, don't sweat it.  Just about nobody remembers the Al Saunders
era, mostly because he took over for Don Coryell halfway through the 1986
season and hung around the San Diego Chargers until the end of 1988, then he
wasn't there anymore.  No big thing; he just didn't so enough to keep his job
by contemporary standards.  He went 17-22 and that wasn't what his employers
had in mind.
	At exactly the same time, that's mid '86 until the end of 1988, Chuck
Noll's record with the Steelers was exactly the same, 17-22.  Even head to
head, Noll and Saunders met twice and split.
	But Saunders is long gone and all but forgotten while Noll remains
unforgettable.  What was unacceptable in San Diego was acceptable in
Pittsburgh, and remains so.
	At the end of the 1989 season, Jerry Glanville had overstayed his
welcome in Houston.  He landed a job with the Atlanta Falcons right about the
time he was going to land among the nation's unemployed.  His record at
Houston, in five seasons, was 38-41 and the Oilers reached the playoffs three
times.
	In that same period, Noll went 35-44 and the Steelers made the playoffs
once.  Less than what was unacceptable in Houston was acceptable in Pittsburgh,
and remains so.
	On Oct 1, coach Ron Meyer was fired by the Indianapolis Colts.  The
Colts were 0-5, but Meyer's record, beginning with the 14th game of the 1986
season, was 36-35, and the Colts reached the playoffs once.  
	In that same period, Noll was 35-35, and the Steelers made the playoffs
once.  Less than what was unacceptable in Indianapolis was acceptable in
Pittsburgh, and remains so.
	For Meyer, it was his second firing.  He was dismissed by the New
England Patriots in 1984 after having won 18 and lost 14 in a period in which
Noll went 20-13.  So essentially, Meyer was fired in two different places for
going 54-51 while Noll was a vastly superior 55-48.  Hey, Pittsburgh has its
standards.
	At the end of the 1989 season, Ray Berry was no longer welcome at New
England.  His teams had made the playoffs twice and one was the only New
England team ever to reach the Super Bowl.  Berry's record was 48-39 when his
days as a head coach ended.
	In that same period, Noll went 40-47.  Less than what was unacceptable
in New England was acceptable in Pittsburgh, and remains so.
	As Berry's career as a head coach was ending, so was Joe Walton's with
the Jets.  Walton had coached seven seasons and his teams had made the playoffs
twice.  His record was 54-59-1.  In those seven years, he had won exactly as
many games as Noll.
	What was unacceptable in New York was acceptable in Pittsburgh, and
remains so much so that Walton now runs the Steelers' offense, such as it is.
	Obviously, Noll does not have to conform to contemporary standards.  It
is enough that he "might".  The team he runs out there today against the
Cleveland Browns "might" go 3-13; that's how bad it is.
	When last seen, Noll's 23rd team was playing a game we've all seen
before, playing out a classic script.  It was the typical
"game-before-the-coach-is-fired" performance.  Fourteen penalties, seven for
false starts(the trademark of an undisciplined, poorly coached team), six
fumbles, pathetic offense, its emotional wiring smoking and cracking on defense
with unsportsmanlike conduct, unnecessary roughness, and other violations, one
of which drew an ejection.  The basic, total disgrace.
	"I'm not going to say too much at this time; there's not much to be
said about that game," Steelers president Dan Rooney said in his office the
other day.  And he didn't.  As to the matter of the head coaches
accountability, either for his team, this season, or this past decade, Rooney
said only, "Everybody has accountability in this organization."
	Perhaps so, but the accountability, if the head coaches situation is
any indicator, is to a low standard.
	One hundred and fifty people have been hired as head coaches in the NFL
since Rooney hired Noll in 1969.  Buffalo has hired 11, Indianapolis 11, New
England 10, Houston 9 and New Orleans 9.  Those are the examples of
instability, certainly, but they are also examples of pulse.  Even franchises
of relative stability-Denver, the Raiders, the Rams, and Cincinnati; four that
have produced 6 Super Bowl teams since Pittsburgh last did--have hired 16 head
coaches since Rooney hired Noll.
	Rooney no doubt envisions a day when he will tell Chuck it's over, but
i think when he does, he also hears the voice of John Facenda, intoning all the
glories of the '70s in that Hall of Fame soundtrack, and it makes it very hard.
	Noll's a legend and a hall of famer, so one last comparison.
	At the end of the 1988 season, Tom Landry had soached his last game for
the Dallas Cowboys.  He was the only head coach in their history.  He'd won
more games(270) and been to more Super Bowls(5) than even Chuck Noll.  But in
his final four seasons, the Cowboys went 27-36.  Over that same period, Noll
went 26-37.  What was no longer acceptable in Dallas, even by a legend and a
hall of famer, was acceptable in Pittsburgh, and remains so.
	The Cowboys are 5-2 and making progress.  The Steelers are only making
mistakes.


JaKe

    Great article! The more I read from this guy here, the more I miss the
    wonderful sports writers in the states.

That guy is good.

He's even approaching Dave Barry status, although with a sports bent....

    
    Noll said yesterday that, for all intents and purposes, the position of
    starting QB is O'Donnell's to lose.  He said that although O'donnell
    has made some mistakes, ie interceptions and formation problems, he
    remains impressed with the second year QB.
    
    Huey Richardson, who had the "scope" stuck in his knee in Sept, started
    practicing Oct 18, and now has a severely inflammed knee.  The Steelers
    luck with first rounders sips big-time.
    
    JaKe
    

    Tim Worley is at it again, this guy seems to be trying to get himself
    kicked off of the Steelers for good.
    
    Word has it that he has been suspended for 6 games, (until Dec 9th) for
    failing drug tests.  Seems they found traces of nose candy in his
    leakage.
    
    He had tested positive for cocaine during the summer but the NFL
    doesn't release first time offenders names.
    
    Worley is currently receiving rahabilitative services for Alcohol
    abuse.
    
    He better get his head on straight or his NFL career will have been
    VERY VERY short.
    
    Sheez, the guy had the world by the balls and is trying to throw it
    away.
    
    JaKe
    

SCORING SUMMARY:
		1	2	3	4		T
STEELERS	3	7	0	3		13
Broncos		0	17	3	0		20

TEAM STATS:
STEELERS				BRONCOS
19		first downs		17
31-146		rushes-yards		31-144
163		passing yards		130
18-33-1		compl-att-int		10-23-1
6-41		sacked-yards lost	1-10
6-42		punts			4-47
2-0		funbles-lost		3-1
6-91		penalties-yards		4-27
33:13		time of possession	26:47

INDIVIDUAL STATS:
RUSHING:
STEELERS:  Williams 11-63, Hoge 13-43, O'Donnell 4-37, Thompson 3-3.
Denver:	   Lewis 19-111, Elway 5-17, Humphrey 5-15, Sewell 2-1

PASSING:
STEELERS:  O'Donnell 18-33-1int 1TD 204 yds
Denver:	   Elway 10-23-1int 1TD 140 yds

RECEIVING:
STEELERS:  Lipps 5-81, Hoge 5-32, Green 3-34, Williams 2-20, Calloway 1-14,
	   Mularkey 1-12, Stone 1-11.
Denver:	   Jackson 3-54, Young 2-32, Kay 1-32, Russell 1-11, Sewell 1-6,
	   R.Johnson 1-4, Sharpe 1-1.


JaKe

    Bright spots out of lasted nights game:
    Neil O'Donnell looks destined to make Bubby Brister a second string QB,
    which is where he(Brister) belongs.
    
    Dark Spots:
    Greg Lloyd gets involved in an altercation with Broncos tackle Ken
    Lanier and gets flagged for 15 yards, Jerrol Williams gets flagged for
    5 yards for delaying the game by moving the ball, Aaron Jones hits Mr.
    Ed 6 feet out of bounds, when horse face was already on the ground, and
    gets nailed for 15 yards.  STUPID PENALTIES which cost the Steelers the
    game.  
    
    The play calling on the final drive, once the Steelers got to the Conks
    9 and had the ball 2nd and 1 to go, STUNK.  3 passes into the end zone,
    when another yard further, and the Steelers would have had a first down
    and had 4 tries to get it into the end zone. Dumb, just plain Dumb.
    
    Greg Lloyd is quickly becoming a liability, instead of an asset.  For
    every sack he gets, he seems to give up more yardage in penalties for
    late hits, or fighting, and it has hurt the Steelers.
    
    Lasted night, dumb Steeler penalties cost the Steelers 10 points.
    
    JaKe
    

    One footnote to be added to .334
    
    Neil O'Donnel's stats so far are as follows:
    	Compl	Att	Yds	Int	TD	Compl %		Long Compl
    	64	116	855	4	5	55.2		89
    
    
    
    JaKe
    

     Hey JaKe.....  Only Seven more games to pull out a win !!
    Do the Squeelers play the Dolts ???   Could be their only 
    prayer....
    
    
    ;^)
    
    Big Game

    Pittsburgh has already beaten Indianapolis.
    
    John

    
    Jake,
    
    YOU NEVER SENT ME THE DOLLAR you lost to me last year... (I wanted
    to post it next to the Dork Midwife BUCK I've got hanging in my
    office)... anyways... want to make a friendly bet on who will 
    have a better record at the end of the season (browns or steelers)?
    
    

    
     Thanks Ninj.....  I guess I can't lose now !!
    
    Big Game
    
    P.s I'll have a question for ya in the QA note soon,  hope you can
    help!

    Groaner,
    
    As I stated in the mail message I sent you, grasp into the deep
    recesses of your brain(if it's IN today), and remember the CHECK for $5
    that I sent you and you CASHED lasted year after the Steelers failed to
    meet the wagered upon record.
    
    JaKe
    

    During Chuck Noll's weekly press conference yesterday, he said that ho
    doesn't think that this team is that far away from being a championship
    caliber team.  HAHAHAHAHA.
    He said that they just have to learn to win the close games.  Right,
    now tell me something I don't already know.
    
    Noll also stated, when asked if he'll start playing the rookies to get
    them some game experience, that the team will continue to play it's
    best players and not give up on this season, and they will play to win
    every game, regardless of what their record falls to.  Oh well, guess
    they'll win just enuf to be out of the hunt for a top player in the
    draft nexted year.
    
    JaKe
    

    Great comeback by the Steelers yesterday at Riverfront to take the lead
    with less than 2 minutes remaining in regulation time, after trailing
    early, 17-3.  They Take the lead with 1:30 left, 27-24, only to have
    the Bungholes drive into Steeler territory and tie it up with a field
    goal.  In the OT, Greg Lloyd strips Ickey "Dancing Dork" Woods of the
    ball and a couple of plays later, Neil O'Donnell hits a WIDE open Eric
    Green for the game winner.  O'Donnell hit 3 TD's in the game.
    
    Jerroll Williams, LB, returned a Boomer Esiason fumble for a TD for the
    Steelers first TD, then O'Donnell hit rookie wide receiver Ernie Mills
    for a TD, and he also hit Louis Lipps for a score, on a play where
    Lipps put forth a tremendous second effort to get into the end zone.
    
    Ya know, after suffering thru Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone, and Brister, I
    hate to say this, but O'Donnell, though still making some mistakes due
    to inexperience, looks 300% better than Brister ever has, and shows
    beau coup poise under pressure.
    
    I'll put the game stats in later on this evening, time permitting.
    
    JaKe
    

    
    Have the Steelers beaten the Browns this year?

    Kwak:
    
    I concur whole-heartedly!!
    
    JaKe
    

    FWIW
    
    I don't have my paper in front of me but I think O'Donnell's stats
    yesterday were as follows:
    
    24-39 0 Interceptions, 3TD's, 309 yards.  He threw his first 2 TD's in
    the fourth quarter when he rallyed the Steelers from a 11 point
    deficit, and threw the third in OT to Eric Green who held onto this
    one.
    
    JaKe
    

  It's nice to see the Steeler's get over the Cincinnati jinx and finally
  win one in Riverfront stadium. How long has it been since they beat the
  Bengal's ? How long since they won in Riverfront ?

  I remember the last time they played each other. It was basically for the
  Central divison championship and Bubby overthrew at least 2 or 3 wide
  open receivers on critical plays. At that time I gave up on Brister. It's
  good to see O'Donnell playing this well. I hope stays healthy and continues
  to improve. I think he could be one of the better QB's in football. It's also
  good to see one of the rookie receiver's finally get into the game and make 
  a big play(Ernie Mill's TD reception). The TD by Lipps shows why he's one 
  of the best money player's to ever wear a Steeler uniform. He's definately
  in the same class as Swann and Stalworth. It's just too bad, he had QB's
  like Malone and Brister throwing to him for most of his career.

  With all of these good things said, I still don't think the Steeler's are 
  going anywhere until they get a better offensive line. 

				Keith

    Absolutely incredible......   The Steelers have to be the come 
    back team of the year.  What an incredible Defense !!!  The 
    whole team played to the caliber that I always knew they could. 
    O'donnell is going to be a Hall of Fame QB and Woodson seems to have 
    put his cloudy past behind him and is playing Pro-Bowl football.
    Joe Walton called the best game of his life and is only going to get
    better and better as his tenure with the Steelers continues.  I know
    that the Jets watched this game and are kicking themselve for ever
    letting this offensive genius go. I think that the Steelers are going
    to be the team to beat as we progress through the 1990's.  I can see 
    Chuck knoll putting together dynasty in Pitt that could very well 
    run rough shod over the rest of the NFL for years to come.  I can't
    say enough about how impressed I am with this team.....  They are 
    heads and sholders above the Donks,  no question about it !!
    
    Go Steelers...
    
    Big Game

SCORING SUMMARY

		1	2	3	4	OT		T
STEELERS	0	6	7	14	6		33
Cincy		10	7	0	10	0		27

Cincy--FG Breech 29 yds
Cincy--Woods 4 yd run(Breech PAT)
STEELERS-FG Anderson 44 yd
Cincy--Holman 18 yd pass from Esiason(Breech PAT)
STEELERS-FG Anderson 46 yd
STEELERS-J.Williams 38 yd fumble return
Cincy--Woods 1 yd run(Breech PAT)
STEELERS-Mills 35 yd pass from O'Donnell(Anderson PAT)
STEELERS-Lipps 12 yd pass from O'Donnell(Anderson PAT)
Cincy--FG Breech 47 yd
STEELERS-EricGreen 26 yd pass from O'Donnell(Anderson PAT)

TEAM STATISTICS:
STEELERS					Cincy Bungholes
18			1st Downs		25
22-58			Rushes-yds		24-70
294			Passing Yds		336
24-39-0			Compl-Att-Int		32-43-1
2-15			Sacked-Yds Lost		3-25
6-42			Punts			4-43
1-0			Fumbles-Lost		3-2
5-40			Penalties-Yds		8-65
31:00			Time of Possession	35:32
A-55,503

INDIVIDUAL STATS:
RUSHING:
STEELERS: Hoge 17-48, W.Williams 4-9, O'Donnell 1-1
Cincy:	  Brooks 15-35, Woods 7-33, H.Green 2-2

PASSING:
STEELERS: O'Donnell 24-39-0, 309 yds 3 TD's
Cincy:	  Esiason 32-43-1, 361 yds 1 TD

RECEIVING:
STEELERS: Hoge 5-46, E.Green 4-50, Lipps 4-47, W.Williams 3-44, Stone 3-22,
	  Mills 2-65, Thompson 2-19, Calloway 1-16.
Cincy:	  Brown 10-98, Holman 7-87, Brooks 4-35, Woods 4-11, McGee 3-101,
	  Kattus 3-23, Barber 1-6.

One of the keys to the Steelers being able to come back in this game, IMHO, was
the ability of the defense to keep James Brooks and Ickey Woods from running
for beau coup yards.  Brooks has, historically, been a Steeler killer, and has
had some of his best games .vs. the Steelers.

The Steeler victory was just the Steelers third win in Riverfront Stadium since
1979.

The Steelers QB comparison is as follows:

		Compl	Att	Yds	Compl Pct.	Td	Int
O'Donnell	88	155	1164	56.8		8	4
Brister		81	136	1053	59.6		6	7


WR Ernie Mills, a rookie, had his first career reception in the 3rd quarter, a
35 yd TD pass from O'Donnell.  Mills also had a second reception, good for 30
yards, later in the game and a couple of plays later, Louis Lipps caught a 12
yard pass and with good second effort, got into the end zone for the TD which
temporarily put the Steelers up, 27-24.

JaKe

    re: .348
    
    Hey, Big Game, can you pass on the code so I can install the software
    behind:
    
    	SET PROCESS/STYLE=HAL_INANE
    
    That was great!
    
    	--dan'l

    
    	So, Big Game.  Who'd you lose a bet to?
    
    	Claybroon

    
     No one Clay Wad...  I really feel that the Steelers are going to
    be the team to beat in the `90s.....  They have a promising defense,
    a great QB and the Greatest coach to ever coach in the NFL behind
    the almighty Vince of the GB Packers....  Look for the Steelers to 
    win the rest of their games this season and start 10-0 nexted(tm)
    year
    
    
     N O T !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    
    Big Game

    The Steelers.  One of my all-time favorite teams.
    
    lEe

      Claybroon asked,  and sooooo will I.  Who did you lose the bet to
    Jack?   Ernie maybe?
    
      You would never say this unless the price was right or you stuck your
    foot in it;^^
    
      Steelers sip and thats that!
    
    	Tim

    I personally enjoy seeing Mr Hunter have such confidence in a real
    team!    (8^)*  Tee-Hee, HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa
    
    Good notes, Big Game
    
    JaKe
    

    Well,
    
     I wasn't going to let the cat outta the bag but since JaKe has all
    but said that I lost a bet to him I guess I can talk now.  The bet
    was that the Squeelers wouldn't win another game after the loss to 
    the Donks.  Obviously the Tigers let me down and allowed an other-
    wise happless bunch of bums sneak out a totaly undeserved win in 
    what could be called the luckiest game ever played.
    
    ;^)
    
    Big Game

    A profile of Neal O'Donnell from "Steelers Digest"
    ==================================================
    
    Birthday: July 3, 1966
    
    Height: 6-3  Weight: 225
    
    Position: QB
    
    Born: Morristown, NJ
    
    Current Home: Wexford, PA
    
    Favorite Singer: Bruce Springsteen
    
    Favorite TV Show: Cheers
    
    Favorite Food: Chicken and pasta
    
    Nickname: O'D
    
    Make of Cars: 300ZX, Jimmy 4x4, Ford Explorer
    
    Hobbies: Golf and biking
    
    Favorite Pro Team: New York Knicks, Boston Celtics
    
    Community Activities: Multiple Sclerosis, Make-A-Wish
    
    Pet Peeves: People who chew with their mouth open.
    
    If I Could Change One Thing About Myself: "I would find more time to be
    by myself."
    
    Toughest Thing ABout Being an NFL Player: Getting pumped up each week
    after a tough loss.
    
    What I Like Most About Pittsburgh: The people, the size and cost of
    living in and around the city.
    
    If I could Have Three Wishes: More wins, my golf game could use some
    improvement, and a long, successful career with the Steelers.
    
    People Would Be Surprised to Know That: "I'm the yougest of nine
    children and I had eight different coaches in nine years of football --
    four different in both high school and college."
    
    My Strangest Moment In Football: "Calling my own plays my sophomore
    year in high school.   My coach had a heart attack on the sideline in
    the second quarter.  It was my first high school varsity start and we
    didn't have an offensive coordinator or head coach."
    
    Life After Football: Success and happiness.
    

But gee, what's his fave color and what books is he currently reading?
I just gottsta know! 



Steve

    I would think it'd betough being both a Knick and Celtic fan
    
    

    
    Any news on the Barry Foster injury ?  What's his status for Sunday ? 
    You get the feeling that had preseason served it's true purpose, 
    Foster and O'Donnell would have started the season and therefore would
    have long since gotten the bugs out of the O.  Although there is an
    appreciation for high draft picks, I don't think the steelers should
    throw in the towel.  At this point I think the skins are ripe for a
    pickin.  Big blowout over Atlanta, training camp buddies of the
    steelers, and their on the road in what could be a hostile environment. 
    Granted the steelers haven't been playing great but these kinds of
    games help to make seasons when things have been tough.
    
    Roy L.
    
    

    
    I just can't wait until they start showing O'Donnell parents on TV
    during the Steelers games.  That's probably what I miss most about
    that STIFF Brister riding pine.

    RE: Foster
    
    Foster practiced the week before the Cinci game and was listed as
    probable.  The week's worth of practice, however, put strain on the
    ankle and he was downgraded to doubtful before the game.  Foster is
    being sent for a second medical opinion.
    
    RE: Washington game
    
    Remember that the Steelers were the only team to beat the 49ers in the
    '84 season just when everyone was thinking they would go 16-0.  Of
    course, that Steelers team went to the AFC Championship game that year.
    
    RE: Gronowski
    
    Stop spewing Cuyahoga Crap.  The networks haven't shown Brister's mom
    in two years.  It's an old joke.  Give it up before you sound even more
    jealous.  And what you'll end up missing the most is not seeing his
    mom, but the fact that with Brister the Steelers were an easy win for
    the Browns.  Now you actually have to face a quality QB.
    
    	--dan'l

    
    Funny how when Brister was the starting QB the Pittsburgh Boys
    (Dan'l and Jake) were talking about how superior he was to Kosar.
    ... now that the guy is picking splinters its "...with Brister the
    Steelers were an easy win for the Browns."  WHAT NEXT?
    

      All those personals sounds like a brown nosing job to keep his job
    and not be traded....
    
    	tim

>    Funny how when Brister was the starting QB the Pittsburgh Boys
>    (Dan'l and Jake) were talking about how superior he was to Kosar.
    
    Paul, please repost a note where I ever said Brister was superior to
    Kosar.  Wait, I'll save you some time...and some face.  Don't bother
    looking, because I never said it.
    
    I am on record, however, as saying Kosar is a good QB and I'd love to
    have him on my team.  Now let's just hope you can be man enough to
    admit the same about O'Donnell if and when he attains his potential.
    
    Oh, and congratulations on being able to type JaKe's name and not tag
    it with slanderous personal attacks.  You just might become a better
    person than I thought was within your potential.
    
    	--dan'l

    
    Danny Boy, The Bowling Pin Man is JaKe's REAL NAME!
    
    I will agree right now that O'Donnell is far superior to Brister.
    The guy is big, has a strong arm and can run.  The Steelers may
    have found a gem in this guy.
    
    

    I would also like to challenge you, Mr Groanoutski, to find ANYWHERE,
    where I've stated that Brister was a superior QB to Kosar.  I only
    ragged Bernice as bad as I have to tout Mr. whitehaid cause I got sick
    of his "Bernice is the second coming".  Guess Mack came first, eh??
    
    Brister seemed to have all of this potential, yes potential, one word
    that when tagged on a player, makes you watch and watch and wonder what
    the f__k everybody sees that you don't.  He has always been too
    excitable and I personally got tired of waiting for him to develop
    somewhere in the early stages of lasted season.  The guy is a second
    string QB and nothing more.
    
    Brister was quoted as saying that if he's going to be the #2 QB nexted
    year, he wants traded during the off-season to somewhere where he can
    start.  Does Bumfuct Egypt have a football team??????  (8^)*
    
    Re your "SLUR, Mr Groanitout, you claim someone helse hung that on me,
    but when you started using it, that certain someone had never even met
    me.  I first played football with him finally showing up lasted winter,
    you started spewing the offensive slur at least 4 years ago.
    
    JaKe
    

     Oughta turn out the lights on this topic and the Clowns...
    After all the years over for both so called pro football teams!
    
    Big Game

    4-7!  Yeeeeehaaaaa!  Go Steelers!  And if they can lose to the Browns
    one more time, they'll get an easier schedule next year to go along
    with their high draft pick (which they will blow, of course).
    
    Steelers were kilt 41-14 by the undefeated Redskins.  Neil O'Donnell
    still continues to impress.  He made one big mistake by grounding the
    ball to kill the clock...ON THIRD DOWN!  That set up a 4th and long. 
    His long passes are pretty much pinpoint.  But the great thing he has
    over Brister is that he takes a look at his secondary receivers if the
    primary one is covered.  Brister never did that.
    
    In watching this team in defeat, I noticed that they do have some very
    good talent.  It's the system that sucks.  The offensive scheme can't
    buy a first down and the defense is wide open for short passes that add
    up to long drives.  Why can't they figure that out?
    
    	--dan'l

�Why can't they figure that out?
    
Joe Walton.

       Must be to busy deciding which nostril gets it next;^)
    
    	Tim

    So much for the skins being ripe for the pickin' theory.  That is
    unless of course your referring to Joe nasal skins.  
    
    No running game is eventually going to get O'Donnell killed.  The 2nd
    and 3rd & longs let defense pin their ears back all day long.  The OL
    definitely needs some help as well.
    
    The db's are doing such a bad job of tackling on the short passes and
    just the sheer completion rates were enormous.  They've tried to
    compensate and now the are getting beat deep quite regularly.  A lot 
    of that credit has to go to the defensive line though.  They did apply
    enough pressure to blow up a balloon.
    
    Roy L. 

 If only Green would learn to concentrate better he again dropped some easy
 balls. This offense needs Foster back bad...Defense needs a pass rusher...
 I need some asprin...

 mike

    
    	Really, is there a worse team in the league than the Steelers?  If
    there is, I haven't seen them.
    
    	The Steelers are so horrible that yesterday, CBS decided to cut
    from the Steelers game which is the first time I can remember any
    network doing so while the Steelers were playing in over 20 years
    of watching them.
    
    	Again, same old, same old.  Absolutely no offensive game plan at
    all.  Steeler's open up any series with a run, lose 2, then try two
    passes which fail.  Or they might get tricky and run on first and
    second down, only to have 3rd and long.  Game plan?  What game plan?
    
    	Again they waste nearly a quarter and a half in getting the ball
    to Eric Green.  Hey Joe, throw Green the ball on the very first play
    will ya!  No draws, no screens, just terrible play calling.  When
    O'Donnell was being pressured so much, why didn't they try a screen
    or a draw?  This of course brings up another bright spot, the offensive
    line.  Amazing that these guys can even put their pads on correctly.
    Hasselrigg (sp) never played football but yet he's one of the best they
    have which don't say much for the other bodies impersonating football
    players.
    
    	As for the defense, what defense?  The front 4 or 3 or 5 or 2 or
    whatever can't even get close to the QB.  This in turn puts a great
    deal of pressure on the LB's and corners which doesn't help.  Pourous
    is to kind a word for this defense.
    
    	This team is basically in a state of total disarray.  They need
    offensive line help, defensive line help, linebacker help and most of
    all, some coaching help.
    
    	And yes, maybe it is time to say addios to Noll.  All he has done
    is hired a bunch of his old players who really haven't showed they can
    coach, along with hiring the bafoon Walton who can't seem to develop
    a game plan.  Noll is still a decent coach, but maybe he has worn out
    his welcome in Pittsburgh.  Wait till next year just don't cut the
    mustard anymore.  Of course, I'm not a season ticket holder which
    doesn't require me to plunk down 50-60 bucks everytime the Steeler's
    are in town to see a bunch of ex-college dropouts so who am I to
    complain?
    
    	Thank god for hoops season!
    
    								bill..g.

  re: 374 

        Bill, you hit the nail right on the head with your description
  of the Steeler's in your last note. It was very painful watching the 
  first half of yesterday's game. How many times this season have they 
  converted a 3rd down play only to have it called back with a penalty ?
  The team does have some excellent talent with Green, O'Donnell, Lipps,
  Foster and Woodsen but they are not being utilized. The offensive line 
  may be the worst in pro football. Walton has been a complete disaster.
  I've defended Noll all through the 80's but I'm beginning to think it's 
  time for him to retire and end a great coaching career, head up to the 
  front office and get an entirely new coaching staff made up of mostly
  younger men than they have now.

					Keith

    re .374
    
    > thank god for hoops season !
    
    What's up Goose ? Did the Pittsburgh Pipers restart their francheise ?
    I didn't hear about that one !
    
    :-)
    
    Doc

    Would the person who left the 11 six year old boys at Three Rivers
    Stadium please return to get them, they are beating the Steelers 35-3.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Lessee, the offense as a whole sucks, the defense as a whole sucks,
    special teams are a fraction of an inch from sucking.  Other than that,
    the team is in pretty good shape.
    
    O'Donnell, I agree with --dan'l, is one of the few bright spots on this
    team.  The guy really appears to have a clue as to what he's doing out
    there.  It's a shame that in this stage of learning, he had to face the
    foreskins yesterday.  He was sacked, what, 5, 6, maybe 7 times????
    The offensive line couldn't keep my grandmother from getting to him,
    AND SHE'S BEEN DEAD SINCE 1976!!!!!!
    
    The defense is one HUGE dissapointment.  Lasted year they were first in
    the AFC, this year, they're trying to become a doormat.  They tried to
    put pressure on Rypien, but he still seemed to have all day, even when
    the Steelers blitzed.  The Foreskins, on the other hand, when they
    blitzed they were on O'Donnell faster than sh!t.  
    
    O'Donnell has a few dumb mistakes to learn from, as --dan'l said, the
    spike on 3rd and whatever with 1:09 left.  Or the interception he threw
    while trying to get the ball to Eric Green.  But overall, I'd rate his
    performance as a B-.  Eric Green gets a C, at best, as he continues to
    drop some balls that MUST be caught.
    
    Oh well, 4-7, same as the Clevescum Brown(spot)s(tm), and on their way
    to a high-priced draft pick.  
    
    As to the assertion that the Steelers are the worst team in the league,
    I don't agree, Indy is worse, Wicky-Wacky's Bungholes are worse. 
    That's about it though, but there are some teams playing on the same 
    level as the Steelers, (See Clevescum Brown(spot)s(tm))
    
    JaKe
    

    re .377
    
     Hey.... !!!  You owe royalities JaKe....  Thats an old Donk Line !
    
    ;^)
    
    Big Game

    Nah, Big Game, it's been used here in Pittsburgh since the early '80's,
    plus I've seen it used in numerous different cities, so blow the
    royalties out your.....well you know where.
    
    (8^)*    (8^0*
    
    JaKe
    

Scoring Summary
		1	2	3	4		T
Washington	7	10	10	14		41
STEELERS	0	0	0	14		14

Wash-Riggs 1 yd run(Lohmiller PAT)
Wash-FG Lihmiller 36 yd
Wash-Monk, 11 yd pass from Rypien(Lohmiller PAT)
Wash-FG Lohmiller 41
Wash-Riggs 1 yd run(Lohmiller PAT)
STEELERS-Cooper 5 yd pass from O'Donnell(Anderson PAT)
STEELERS-Stone 40 pass from O'Donnell(Anderson PAT)
Wash-Clark 49 yd pass from Rypien(Lohmiller PAT)
Wash-Sanders 40 pass from Rutledge(Lohmiller PAT)

TEAM STATS:
Washington					STEELERS
23			first downs		16
37-97			rushes-yards		14-41
365			Passing yards		241
22-29-0			Compl-Att-Int		23-36-1
0-0			Sacked-yards lost	5-48
1-42			Punts			5-36
2-0			Fumbles-lost		1-1
3-28			Penalties-yards		7-54
37:05			Time of Possession	22:55

INDIVIDUAL STATS:
RUSHING
Washington: Ervins 23-84, Riggs 5-8, Byner 9-5, 
STEELERS:   Hoge 7-29, Thompson 1-4, O'Donnell 2-4, Foster 4-4

PASSING:
Washington:  Rypien 21-28-0-325 yds, Rutledge 1-1-0-40 yards
STEELERS:    O'Donnell 23-36-1-289

RECEIVING
Washington:  Monk 8-130, Sanders 4-67, Clark 3095, Byner 3-37, Ervins 3-25,
	     Warren 1-11.
STEELERS:    Green 6-73, Stone 4-84, Lipps 4-59, Calloway 4-47, Thompson 2-9,
	     Hoge 2-2, Cooper 1-5.

NOTES:
A comparison of lasted years Steeler defense  at the same point in the season:

Category				1990	1991
3rd down conversions allowed            .395	.487
Total yards				257.2	326.7
Passing yards				156.3	220.9
Passing percentage			.513	.659
Passer rating				54.3	93.6
td-interceptions			9-24	16-8
Points per game				15	24.5



Bubby Brister has said that he has maintained his friendship with O'Donnell,
but "hopefully I can beat him out later on if the job's open."  Noll, however,
gave no indication that it will be open.

Yesterday's game was the 7th consecutive game in which the Steelers failed to
generate a 100 yard rusher or a 100 yard receiver.  It was the 9th consecutive
game that a runner failed to get 100. Barry Foster's 121 yards against Buffalo
was the teams only 100+ yard rushing performance of the season.  
Dwight Stone and Eric Green both had 100 yard receiving performances in
September.
           
The Steelers' QB numbers so far this season

		Compl-Att	Yards	%age	TD	InT	
O'Donnell  	111-194		1453	57.2	10	5
Brister		 81-136		1053	59.6	 6	7


JaKe

    I still say ewe owe me some Bucks $$$$$
    
    Big Game

    Lessee, back in .311 I made some predictions on how the Steelers would
    do for the rest of the season, here's how the predictions are holding
    up:
    
    Predicted				Actual result
    Brown(spot)s(tm) win 24-10		'Spots won 17-14
    Donks win 31-13			Donks won 20-13
    Steelers over Bungholes, 21-20	Steelers won, 33-27
    Washington win 42-3			Washington won, 41-14
    
    the scores weren't all that correct but the W/L predictions are 4-0.
    If this keeps up, the Steelers wmay finish the season 6-9-1, although I
    now see the Steelers finishing either 4-12 or 5-11, at best.
    
    JaKe
    

    Dere's a QB controversy brewing here in PGH.  I got an article on
    Brister being pretty PO'd about not getting his starting job back and
    I'll put it in here later if'n I git the chance.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    
     Screw the Bum.....   Let him go cry to his mommy about it....
    she is at every game you know !!  
    
     I say make him get his job back the old fashion way....
    
    	EARN IT !!!
    
    Big Game

    The laugh is, he says he "held this team together" over the lasted 4
    years and doesn't deserve to lose the starting job the way he did.  He
    says he's not a second string QB.  I agree, he's a practice squad QB. 
    He thinks he'll be able to go somewhere else and be ushered into a
    starting job, no questions asked.
    
    I say send him and his mommy into the WLAF!!!
    
    JaKe
    

    Warren Moon has the worst day of his career (5 INTs).*

    Steelers make very few mistakes.

    Pittsburgh's backup monster tightend Adrian Cooper (R, Oklahoma) fills
    void left by Eric Green (broken ankle).

    Neil O'Donnell actually has time to pass the ball...and does well.

    Merrill Hoge runs with talent AND brains.

    Houston players take one too many cheap shots.

    Steelers find a pass rush, Craig Veasey in particular.

    29�, snow, and wind.

    All add up to Steelers victory, 26-14.

    	--dan'l

    *If Moon was on, Steelers lose this game.  All other factors
    negligible.

    I hope they can play like that on Thursday. 
    
    Dennis
    

      Snow and cold huh?   Sounds like the wimpy dome team couldn't handle
    it;^)
    
    	Tim

    Sounds like three straight heart-stoppers were too much,a nd finally
    caught up to the Oilers this week. Since I had to watch the hated
    Cowboys beat Washington, could someone fill me in on the details ?
    
    Thanks,
    
    doc

    I'm sure JaKe will post the stats, Doc, if he's not on vacation this
    week (like a lot of people).
    
    There's no way I would have bet against the Oilers yesterday what with
    Rod Woodson and Eric Green out for the Steelers.  I'm glad I'm not a
    betting man.
    
    Moon was just awful.  He was throwing the ball into the ground, over
    heads, and for the most part where there were no receivers.  He wasn't
    helped much by a perfectly thrown ball that hit Jeffries right in the
    facemask in the endzone and bounced away.  That would have changed the
    game with about eight minutes to play.
    
    The Steelers scored most of their points on drives in which the defense
    had given them the ball.  Pittsburgh still had trouble getting the ball
    into the endzone, but Joe Walton's offense seemed to be confusing the
    hell out of the Oilers.  Merrill Hoge and Barry Foster (until he
    reinjured the ankle) were picking up good ground yardage.  Adrian Cooper
    was a huge offensive threat; Steelers didn't even miss Eric Green.
    
    Dwight Stone is becoming O'Donnell's receiver of choice (though the
    double team on Lipps probably has a lot to do with that).  Stone made a
    great catch on a great 50-yard toss for a TD that was the beginning of
    the end for Houston.
    
    Pittsburgh's secondary was still wide open for short passes.  Like I
    said, if Moon was on the Oilers would have won.  Instead, he was
    throwing right into coverage and got picked five times.  A lot had to
    do with the Steelers' pass rush which it looked like Houston hadn't
    prepared for.  Craig Veasey and Greg Lloyd were all over Moon during
    some of his poorer passing moments.
    
    But the big turning point came when O'Donnell was intercepted in the
    fourth quarter.  The Oilers could have pulled within three.  Instead,
    Moon threw his fifth interception to player-of-the-game Shawn Vincent
    on the very next play.  Vincent ran it back to mid-field and the
    Steelers were able to score again.
    
    	--dan'l

    Nah, --dan'l, I'm here this week.  UNFORTUNATELY!!!!
    
    I'll get the game stats and scoring summary in tonite, given the
    chance.
    
    Also got a good "Gene Collier" column on the Oilers losing colely
    because of "field position"( the field played in wasn't positioned in
    Houston, ya know the one, the 9 acre controlled environment where they
    win).  Also a good Collier on Bear Hunting.
    
    O'Donnell didn't have a stellar performance, completion percentage in
    the 40%'s, 1 td 1 int.  The cold was accompanied by some gusty winds
    which helped secondaries from both teams yesterday, making some passes
    sail long, and some dive short.  The Steelers found some semblance of a
    pass rush, which suprized the sh_t out of me.  I still look for the
    Steelers to end up, at best, 6-10 this year.  My prediction fo teh
    Oilslicks winning yesterday fell short, but it's a bittersweet
    victory.  The Steelers get a win, but drop in the "draft pick" race.
    
    What was yesterday, BLACK SUNDAY??????????????  Suprised to see all 6
    division leaders fall.
    
    More later
    
    JaKe
    

SCORING SUMMARY
		1	2	3	4		T
Houston		0	7	0	7		14
STEELERS	6	10	7	3		26

STEELERS-FG Anderson 20 yd
STEELERS-FG Anderson 28 yd
Oilers-Givins 10 yd pass from Moon(Del Greco PAT)
STEELERS-FG Anderson 33 yd
STEELERS-Stone 43 yd pass from O'Donnell(Anderson PAT)
STEELERS-Williams 1 yd run(Anderson PAT)
Oilers-Jeffires 15 yd pass from Moon(Del Greco PAT)
STEELERS-FG Anderson 24 yd
A-45,795

TEAM STATISTICS:
Houston						STEELERS
21			1st Downs		16
17-24			Rushes-Yds		39-139
307			Passing Yds		155
24-48-5			Compl-Att-Int		12-29-1
2-17			Sacked-Yds lost		1-0
3-42			Punts			4-39
4-1			Fumbles-Lost		1-1
5-50			Penalties-Yds		5-49
27:50			Time of Possession	32:10

INDIVIDUAL STATS:
RUSHING:
Oilers: Pinkett 7-18, White 6-9, Moon 3-2, Givins 1-(-5)
STEELERS: Foster 16-60, Hoge 13-54, W.Williams 5-15, O'Donnell 3-9, Stone 1-2,
Thompson 1-(-1).

PASSING:
Oilers: Moon 24-48, 5 ints, 2 tds 324 yds
STEELERS: O'Donnell 12-29, 1 int 1 td 155 yds

RECEIVING:
Oilers: Jeffires 8-122, Duncan 5-62, Givins 4-48, White 4-39, Hill 3-53
STEELERS: Cooper 3-35, Lipps 3-24, Stone 2-48, Hoge 2-22, Cash 1-20, Graham
1-6.

JaKe

    
    The Steelers win was the first win against a team with a winning record
    in the last 11 chances, totalling a span of 728 days.
    
    The Steelers came up with more turnovers(6) than they had in their
    previous six games(5).
    
    Aaron Jones latest temper tantrum didn't draw any flags from the
    officials, but it drew harsh words from head coach Chuck Noll, and
    assistant coaches Joe Greene and George Stewart.  Jones, frustrated,
    smashed his helmet against Gary Anderson's helmet, brakeing Anderson's
    single bar face mask during Houston's fourth qtr TD drive.
    
    The door to the AFC Central division title still runs through
    Pittsburgh after all.  It might be splintered and barely standing, but
    once again, the Oilers couldn't knock it down.
    
    The Oilers are assured of no worse than a tie for the AFC Central div
    title, with four games left and a four game lead over the Steelers and
    Brown(spot)s(tm).
    
    Thomas Everett got a gameball for his two interceptions, but he could
    also have deserved a kick in the backside.  Both interceptions came on
    fourth down plays, and both were inside the Steelers' 20 yard line when
    he picked them off.  Had he knocked them down instead of catching them,
    the Steelers would have gotten good field position in both cases.
    
    JaKe
    

    
     Jake,  I saw that on the sports channel lasted(tm) night,  I couldn't
    beleive the guy actually grabbed those INT's...  Oh well I suppose
    you get a little excited in the heat of the moment.
    
    Big Game

    JaKe, to answer your Q over in the Browns note, I'm pretty darn sure it
    was Malone.
    
    It was the 1984-85 season.  I was a senior at Ohio U.  Pittsburgh was
    the only team to beat SF that year and they were thinking it would be a
    great matchup in the Super Bowl.
    
    The Steelers D won it against Denver.  I remember a crucial
    interception by somebody that sealed it.  Then Pittsburgh went down to
    Miami and played them tough until Marino took the defense  apart in the
    second half.  Malone couldn't move the offense either.
    
    I'm pretty sure it had to be Malone because that was one of the things
    that kept him around well past his time.  People kept bringing up that
    he took the team one game short of the Super Bowl in '85.  
    
    The USFL was in full swing by '85 and Stoudt was playing in Birmingham.
    
    	--dan'l

    All dem years "in decline" seem to run together nowadays seeing as the
    team is sucking the scum water in the bottom of the barrel right
    now(and for the lasted 5 years+).
    
    I think Stoudt played one year after Bradshaw left and then handed the
    reigns over to either Malone or David Woodley, both of whom had short
    undistinguished careers as Steeler starting QB's.
    
    Anyroad, I know O'Donnell is young and prone to the woes that have
    plagued the Steelers with QB's since Terry B. retired, BUT, and that's
    a huge plate-stacker quality BUT, of all the starting QB's that have
    gone thru the Steelers' revolving door, O'Donnell has the best arm, and
    he shows more poise than any of them have at the same point in their
    career.  O'Donnell, before lasted week, was 3rd in the AFC passing, and
    5th overall in the NFL.  Not bad for his "rookie" year.  I use the word
    rookie because he missed training camp lasted year altogether, then
    signed somewhere near midpoint in the season, and got to do a whole lot
    of nothing.  He didn't take a snap until the pre-season games this
    year(against any competition), and fared rather well, He took over for
    Brister and, though his completion percentage is lower than Brister's
    is for THIS year, he has better yardage, plus 11 TD's against 6 int's,
    whilst Brister has 6 TD's vs. 7 int's.  O'Donnell is 2-3 as a starter,
    but those three losses have come during fine performances on
    O'Donnell's part, whilst the defense missed the games totally. 
    O'Donnell has a lot to learn, like when to throw the ball away, but he
    throws deep better than Brister, he hangs in the pocket better than
    Brister, he keeps his cool better than Brister, he got some tangible
    college experience, while Brister played football exactly 1 year in
    college, while opting for baseball instead.
    
    Maybe in a couple of words I'll have to eat these words, and I'll
    gladly do so if I'm wrong, but I think O'Donnell will be able to stand
    with the Marinos, the Kellys, and the Montanas of this league when he
    gets some experience under his hat.  The guy has a great arm, reads the
    defense awful well(so far), is big(6'3", 215+ lbs.), and just seems to
    play sh!tloads better than anyone in Pittsburgh(consistently) over the
    past 8-9 years.
    
    JaKe
    

    One more thing I remember about the Steelers '84 win over the 49ers is
    that I didn't get to see it.  Going to school in southeastern Ohio, I
    still got to see all the Steelers games broadcast out of Parkersburg, WV
    (Steelers Country).  However, that day the game was pre-empted by the
    MLB playoff game.  I was majorly POed.
    
    Here's what I can piece together from the Steelers Media guide:
    
    	- date of the win against SF was 10-14-84, Steelers won 20-17, and
    	  their record that year was 9-7, good enough to win the AFC
    	  Central.
    
    	- 12-30-84 Steelers beat Broncos in Denver, 24-17, in the AFC
     	  Divisional Playoff.
    
    	- 1-6-85 Steelers lost to Dolphins in Miami, 45-28, in AFC
    	  Championship.
    
    	- Mark Malone was with the Steelers from 80-87.
    
    	- Cliff Stoudt was with the team from 77-83.
    
    Go Steelers.  Beat Dallas tomorrow!
    
    	--dan'l

    from The Pittsburgh Press, 11-26-1991
    by
    
    Bob Smizik
    
    -It isn't just the so-called negative print media that has been
    critical fo the Steelers.  Even supreme loyalist Myron Cope of WTAE has
    jumped on the Steeelers bashing bandwagon.  In the Nov. 23 issue of
    Steelers Digest, Cope wrote, "The players are not playing, the coaches
    are not getting them to play and the ownership for too many years has
    demonstrated a complacency that leaves this franchise seemingly
    disinterested in improving its roster with astute, aggressive signings
    of Plan B free agents and trades.  Front office paralysis translates
    into paralysis on the field, and now the Steelers have paralysis all
    over the place and little more than the hope of occasionally winning
    close over a fellow stiff."
    
    -As it looks more and more like the Steelers will go with Neil
    O'Donnell as their quarterback, they have a luxury not many teams have:
    a backup QB with decent credentials and plenty of experience.  They
    wouldn't want trade Bubby Brister for just anybody because a team needs
    two good QB's.  But if the offer is attractive, the Steelers should
    listen.  With all of their glaring needs, not to do so would be
    foolish.
    
    JaKe
    

       Why do the Steelers have those cars parked along side the field at
    Three Rivers?
                                           Denny

    Cause stadium parking sucks at 3 Rivers!!!
    
    (8^)*
    
    Actually, your guess is as good as mine, but one of them is some kind
    of Chrysler or another and is designated as the official "car" of the
    Pettsburgh Steelers.  Seems right that it's a Chrysler with the
    Steelers, both are in the sh!thole!!!!
    
    JaKe
    

    Dem Steelers sucked BIG TIME .vs. the DallAss Cryboys on Turkey day.
    
    20-10 loss, the bozos should lose the rest of their games and go for
    the higher picks in the draft, but, as usual, they'll get somebody,
    he'll hold out for 6-10 weeks, Noll will say the guy has no chance to
    help the team, the guy will then proceed to play and play great, then
    the nexted year he'll break his leg or arm or get nailed for cocaine or
    smack up his car and get paralyzed or just stink the joint up.  Why
    not, that's what happens to all of the other Steelers' #1's.
    
    O'Donnell didn't look very good Thursday, but then neither did the rest
    of the team.  The offense stunk, the defense stunk, too, but not quite
    as bad, the special teams stunk, Dermonti Dawson ESPECIALLY, with the
    lousy snaps.  Gary Anderson's miss on the 50+ yard field goal attempt
    was the worst I've EVER seen him kick a ball, MAJOR SHANK!!
    
    Lessee, when will Chuck Noll get fired??????
    Should be this week, but knowing the way Dan Rooney exercises his
    strangle hold on the Steelers it'll be just after the season ends,
    
    In 2015, after the Steelers 15th consecutive non-winning season.  And
    only then because Noll refuses to sign over his Social Security
    payments to the team.
    
    JaKe
    

SCORING SUMMARY:
		1	2	3	4		T
STEELERS	0	0	3	7		10
Cowboys		7	3	0	10		20

Cowboys--E.Smith 6 yd run(Willis PAT)
Cowboys--FG Willis 19 yd
STEELERS-FG Anderson 42 yd
Cowboys--FG Willis 43 yd
STEELERS-W.Williams 3 yd run(Anderson PAT)
Cowboys--Irvin 66 yd pass from Beuerlein(Willis PAT)
A-62,253

TEAM STATS:
STEELERS					Dallas
17			1st Downs		20
21-65			Rushes-yds		35-116
134			passing yds		181
17-36-0			Compl-Att-Int		14-25-0
3-33			Sacked-Yds Lost		4-36
4-39			Punts			2-38
3-1			Fumbles-lost		0-0
6-50			Penalties-Yds		2-29
25:45			Time of Possession	34:15

INDIVIDUAL STATS:
RUSHING:
STEELERS: W.Williams 8-59, Hoge 9-9, O'Donnell 1-1, Stryzinski 2-0, Foster
	  1-(-4).
Dallas: E.Smith 32-109, Johnston 2-8, Beuerlein 1-(-1).

PASSING:
STEELERS: O'Donnell 17-36-0 167 yds.
Dallas: Beuerlein 14-25-0 217 yds

RECEIVING:
STEELERS:  Lipps 5-54, Williams 4-33, Stone 3-39, Cooper 2-18, Cash 2-15, Hoge
	   1-8.
Dallas:  Irvin 8-157, E.Smith 3-19, martin 1-23, Awalt 1-12, Roberts 1-6.





JaKe

    Was it just me or did Jeff Graham, rookie wide receiver and 1st round
    pick, give up on a VERY catchable ball on the far sideline lasted
    Thursday????   O'Donnell threw to Graham on a fly pattern, only to have
    the ball barely graze off of Graham's SLIGHTLY outstretched arms.  A
    little dive froward would have made the ball extremely catchable.  If
    it had been Lynn Swann or John Stallworth, some sort of move other than
    just letting the ball fall JUST in front of the receiver would have
    been made.  I now question Graham's ability to stand up and be counted
    as a bona-fide pro wide receiver.  The guy ain't showed me much before
    this game, but he showed me even less during the game.  Another #1
    draft pick gone bust.
    
    FWIW, Chuck Noll said that if things keep going the way they are, he
    may "get on with his life" after the season is over if that's what is
    required of him.   I think he's hinting at the fact that he'll retire
    if asked to, or possibly move up into the front office.  There was a
    time that I thought Noll sat up there near God, but lately, with the
    teams he is fielding, I think it's time to say so long Chuckie baby,
    it's been real, then go out and hire some young coahc with some
    innovative ideas, and get on with the business of returning to winning
    form.
             
    
    JaKe
    

    TRIVIA INVOLVING THE STEELERS(answers at end)
    
    1.)  What do the following have in common?????
    	a) Man inventing the wheel
    	b) Dinosaurs becoming extinct
    	c) Democrats winning the White House
    	d) The Steelers winning the AFC Central Division
    
    2.)  What's a big play???
    
    3.)  What's special about the Steelers' special teams????
    
    4.)  Why do Steeler fans paint "J_E Must Go" banners????
    
    Answers:
    
    1.)  They're all ancient history
    
    2.)  Something the other teams make
    
    3.)	They're especially bad
    
    4.)  There's no "O" in Steelers.
    
    
    JaKe
    

      If Chuck retires,  does this mean the nose man gets the directors
    chair?
    
    	Tim

     If so...  The Steelers won't see a winning season till JaKe 
    buys the team and fires the gold digger himself !!
    
    ;^0
    
    Big Game

    MeThinks if Da Emperor Chas. Noll leaves, most of the coaching staff
    will be gonzo as soon as whoever gets the head job gets the go ahead to
    hire his own assistants.  MeAlso Thinks that J_E B__GER WALT_N will be
    pounding the pavement looking for a job, maybe even being the Offensive
    Coordinator for Dr. Midwife's fag, er I mean Flag football team!!
    
    
    JaKe
    

    More on Noll and retirement.
    
    Noll was asked at his Monday press conference if he plans to retire
    after this season.  He replied that he would step aside at the end of
    the season if asked to do so.
    
    Dan Rooney, Steelers President, declined to discuss the subject with
    rreporters.
    
    Tom Donahoe, the Steelers director of football development, said Noll
    would be evaluated at the end of the season, just like every other
    coach on the staff.
    
    This was the first time Noll addressed questions about his future, but
    not the first time he has been asked them.
    
    In Oct. '88, after the Steelers started 1-6, Noll was asked at his news
    conference if he would consider resigning at the end of the season. 
    Noll laughed and cut off the reporter saying, "I won't even answer that
    question," and then abruptly walked out of the room.  The Steelers
    finished 5-11 that season.  The next season they came within 2 points
    of acvancing to the AFC Championship game.  Noll was selected AFC Coach
    of the year in 1989.
    
    Monday, while asked some questions about his future, he was asked if he
    plans to return next year, to which he replied, "That's something we'll
    talk about after this is all over."
    
    Noll has maintained since training camp that the Steelers have
    championship talent and have more talent than the 1989 team that lost
    to the Broncos, 24-23.  With 3 games remaining, the Steelers are 5-8
    and are looking at a slimn possibility of finishing .500 at the very
    best.  Noll said that this has been the most disappointing of his 23
    seasons with the Steelers.
    
    Noll:  "It has because I had real high aspirations for this team.  I
    thought we could get done what we had to and overcome the problems you
    would have through a year."
    
    If the Steelers lose their final 3 games, they would finish with a 5-11
    record, same as in 1988 when Rooney ordered Noll to fire several
    assistant coaches at the end fo the season. Noll balked and nearly
    resigned in protest, but eventually agreed.
    
    Noll dodged a question Monday when asked about his staff's performance,
    "When you've lost as many games as we've lost, the blame comes right
    here, on me.  And I'm the only one that has to answer for it."
    
    JaKe
    

    Ohmagawd!!!  I just realized something.  Neil O'Donnell cannot be
    allowed to start anymore for the Steelers.  Before Brister got injured,
    the four starting QBs in the AFC Central were named:
    
    	Warren
    	Norman
    	Bernie
    	Walter
    
    Neil has just too normal a first name to be allowed to continue at QB in
    this division.  Sorry, Neil.
    
    	--dan'l
    	

    The Steelers were so bad in the House of the Braindead yesterday,
    Brister refused to play in the fourth quarter.  It seems that with the
    score, 24-6, J_e Walt_n told Brister to warm up 'cause he was going in. 
    Brister promptly refused saying he was no rookie needing playing time
    and also that O'Donnell wasn't hurt so nothing could be accomplished by
    him going in.  Brister then said he didn't want to go ninto a
    game(unless O'Donnell got hurt) unless the score was 0-0.
    
    Noll said he understood the reason Brister didn't want to go in late
    was his knee was too stiff and sore.   Brister has also sasid he will
    not sign a contract with the Steelers unless he will be a starter.(this
    is the lasted year of Brister's contract)
    
    O'Donnell made almost all of the mistakes that a developing QB can
    make.  Fumbles, throwing into a crowd, going OB when the 1st donw stick
    is a dive away.  I still feel that this kid is the future of the
    Steelers offense, though.  Just gotta work the inexperience out of him.
    
    5-9 and headed for a high draft pick, although I see the Steelers MAYBE
    beating the Bungholes or the BrownTurds in one of the final two games.
    
    JaKe
    

>Just gotta work the inexperience out of him.
    
    Well, with the way the offensive line lets the defense pour into the
    backfield, O'Donnell should be worked enough to be experienced and
    heading for retirement by week 16.
    
    The game was televised here in Charlotte after a viewer pole pre-empted
    the Browns-Broncos game because more people called in for the
    Steelers-Oilers.  How embarrasing!
    
    And the worst part is, by the end of the third quarter I was wanting to
    watch Denver beat up on Cleveland instead.  
    
    I'm not one for "ifs" and "buts" like Hal, "but if" Lewis Lipps doesn't
    fumble that ball after the second quarter catch, I think the Steelers
    would have won.  That play took them out of the game mentally. 
    Actually, I'm not convinced he ever had possession...but who cares now? 
    We're going for the high draft pick! 
    
    	--dan'l

SCORING SUMMARY:
		1	2	3	4		T
STEELERS	0	3	3	0		6
Houston		7	3	7	14		31

Hou-Pinkett 7 yd run(Del Greco PAT)
Hou-FG Del Greco 24yd
PGH-FG Anderson 54 yd
Hou-Jeffires 16 yd pass from Moon(Del Greco PAT)
PGH-FG Anderson 36 yd
Hou-Pinkett 11 yd run(Del Greco PAT)
Hou-A.Smith 70 yd fumble return(Del Greco PAT)
A=59,225

TEAM STATISTICS:
STEELERS					Houston
14		1st Downs			23
23-85		Rushes-Yards			22-117
147		Passing Yds			233
16-30-1		Compl-Att-Int			24-38-1
7-41		Sacked-Yds Lost			3-23
6-44		Punts				4-47
4-3		Fumbles-lost			3-1
8-62		Penalties-Yards			5-40
30:02		Time of Possession		29:58

INDIVIDUAL STATS:
RUSHING:
STEELERS: W.Williams 4-39, Thompson 10-23, Hoge 8-18, O'Donnell 1-5.
Houston: Pinkett 16-98, White 2-21, Moon 1-0, Carlson 1-(-2).

PASSING:
STEELERS: O'Donnell 16-30-1 int 0tds, 188 yards
Houston: Moon 23-36-1, 1 TD, 254 yards, Carlson 1-2-0 4 yards

RECEIVING: 
STEELERS: Lipps 6-71, Thompson 6-67, Cooper 3-41, Hoge 1-9.
Houston: Hill 8-97, Jeffires 6-77, Givins 5-44, Pinkett 2-4, Coleman 1-4.


JaKe

    --dan'l, i gotta agree with ya to an extent on the Lipps fumble.
    Although I think he caught it, if he doesn't fumble the ball, I think
    the Steelers make a game of it.  It did seem to take the wind out of
    their sails, though.
    
    Gary Anderson's 54 yards field goal, which would have gone through from
    60+ yards, was the second longest in Steeler history, with the longest
    being 55 yards by Anderson on Nov 24, 1984.
    
    Anderson's 2 field goals yesterday made him just the 19th player in NFL
    history to go over 1,000 career points.
    
    Rookie WR Jeff Graham made a couple of BONEHAID plays.  The first in
    fielding a punt at the 7 which probably would have gone into the
    endzone.  The second in signalling for a fair catch and then running
    with the ball, drawing a penalty which backed the Steelers up within
    their own 5 yard line.  I don't know, but Graham is a first round pick
    and he looks like SH!T to me.  The guy hasn't shown me anything to be
    hopeful about, either.
    
    The roughing the passer call on Jerrol Williams was the biggest crock
    of horse manure i've ever seen.  Moon had JUST released the ball and
    Williams, who was already airborne, knocks Moonie out of bounds and
    gets flagged for roughing, and the drive stays alive and the Oilscum
    score a few plays later.
    
    
    JaKe
    

      Looking at the stats, it seems the turnovers and sacks killed the
    sqeelers.  I didn't see the game,  but when you have those types of
    problems,  you will normally lose....
    
    	Tim

    
    Jake,
    
    Isn't Graham a number 2 round pick.  Richardson being #1.  I think
    Lloyd and Williams are developing well at the outside linebacker
    positions.  The DLman out of Washington sounds a winner to me but I am
    sure he won't be available at the steeler pick.  Steelers should be
    able to get something for Brister the way the nfl is hurting for
    quarterbacks.  He actually did look good in the simplified offensive
    scheme of Tom Moore.  The OL has looked horrid the last two games.
    
    Roy L.

    Yeah, Roy, come to think of it Graham is a second rounder, but still
    looks like a SLOF, IMHO.  
    
    Re Brister
    
    Noll, as of his news conference didn't know about Brister's "refusal",
    an said he thought Brister's knee was bothering him.  Noll said he
    would be scheduling a meeting with Brister immediately to resolve the
    matter.  When asked if Brister would be disciplined or fined, Noll said
    no, that his speaking out is part of his freedom of speech protected by
    the first amendment.  He did say, though, that it looks like O'Donnell
    will be the starter for the lasted two games of the season here in Pgh,
    against the Bungholes and the BrownTurds.
    
    JaKe
    

    Word has it that Tim Worley will be activated for Sunday's game against
    the Cincy Bungholes.
    
    Terry Long is not expected to be activated.
    
    Noll had his meeting with Brister yesterday over Brister's comments and
    refusal to warm up and go in the drudgery in the a$$h_ledome.  The
    meeting, it was reported, lasted less than 5 minutes and Noll said
    afterward it was a 2-way meeting, and not a good old a$$-chewing.
    
    Warren Williams, who carried the ball only 4 times but ran for 39
    yards, had been sick with the flu earlier in the week and left the game
    after becoming sick.  Williams, IMHO, other than when he had his bout
    with fumble-itis, is one good running back who, when called upon toi
    fill the void left by injury/suspension, always seems to come thru. 
    Over his career, Williams averages 1 TD for every 14 times he gets the
    ball, pass or run.
    
    I know I've been down on Worley earlier this season, BUT, I truly hope
    the guy turns his life around and keeps himself on the right path.  An
    article here in Pittsburgh about Worley(the wife threw it out, dammit)
    qouted him as saying he was crying out for help while hooked on the
    booze and cocaine.  I truly believe it must be hard to step into the
    limelight and have all those HUGE expectations dropped on your back. 
    First he holds out, gets the big bucks, then comes in and runs good for
    a while, then develops fumble-itis, gets hurt, gets suspended during
    training camp for drugs(unpublicized by the league cause he was a first
    time offender), has a business that is in financial deep do-do and
    being investigated, loses starting(and second string) jobs, gets
    injured and accused of faking it, gets arrested for drunk driving, and
    suspended for 4 weeks by the league for failing second cocaine test.
    
    The guy has been in the pitts, but I hope if he plays Sunday, he gets a
    decent reception by the fans in Three Rivers.  I know his recent
    escapades have been textbook How-Not-To, but it's a proven fact that
    some people just can't handle the pressures and turn to drugs and
    alcohol.  
    
    I only wish Tim Worley the best in his football career and in keeping
    himself off of the substances.  Everybody deserves a second chance, and
    this is Worley's.
    
    
    JaKe
    

>    gets suspended during
>    training camp for drugs(unpublicized by the league cause he was a first
>    time offender), has a business that is in financial deep do-do and
>    being investigated, loses starting(and second string) jobs, gets
>    injured and accused of faking it, gets arrested for drunk driving, and
>    suspended for 4 weeks by the league for failing second cocaine test.
    
    Sounds like the perfect Raider to me.
    
    	--dan'l
    

     JaKe...  Why activate  the guy...  It's not like
    the Squeelers are going to the playoffs or anything.
    
    
    HHHHAAAAAAA!!!!
    
    Big Game

    First of all, Worley was suspended for 6 weeks, not the 4 weeks I
    originally put in here.
    
    Secondly, BOTH Worley and Long are expected to be activated for
    Sunday's game with the Bungholes, but Long still has some tenderness in
    his elbow, which may keep him out of the game.
    
    Thirdly, Mr. Big'n'Lame, go back-off in your own jack yard.
    (8^)*
    
    JaKe
    

    Now Now, JaKe...
    
     That could be promoting un-safe sex !!   ;^)
    
    BG

    Open letter to Jake.
    
    Yo.  I've got the information you requested but I cain't send it to you
    since you've maxed out your disk quota.  Clear some space and I'll send
    it along.  
    
    Ninj

    Read in today's paper that the indy Colts have incluede J_e Walt_n(no
    "O") in their list of prospective head coaches.  Show they don't have a
    clue at what they'll have to do to turn their team around, Eh??
    
    Will Sunday's meeting between the Steelers and the Cincy Bungholes be
    the lasted meeting between Noll and Wicky Wacky Wyche?????
    
    Both are in danger of losing their jobs after the season ends.
    
    JaKe
    

SCORING SUMMARY
         	1	2	3	4		T
Bungholes	0	7	3	0		10
STEELERS	10	0	0	7		17

STEELERS-Cooper 47 yd pas from Brister(Anderson PAT)
STEELERS-Anderson 47 yd FG
Cincy-	Fulcher 27 yd interception return(Breech PAT)
Cincy-	Breech 39 yd FG
STEELERS-Cash 19 yd pass from Brister(Anderson PAT)
A-35,420

TEAM STATS:

Cincy					STEELERS
13		1st Downs		18
26-75		Rushes-Yards		36-149
120		Passing Yds		177
14-26-2		Compl-Att-Int		15-28-2
1-5		Sacked-Yds lost		1-7
5-40		Punts			1-54
3-0		Fumbles-Lost		4-3
5-30		Penalties-Yards		7-64	
27:31		Time of Possession	32:29

INDIVIDUAL STATS:
RUSHING:
Cincy--Green 18-62, Brooks 6-11, Esiason 2-2
STEELERS--Hoge 16-79, W.Williams 6-35, Worley 6-33, Brister 5-12, Thompson 1-1,
	Stryzinski 2-(-1)

PASSING:
Cincy--Esiason 14-26 2 INT, 125 yards
STEELERS--Brister 15-28 2 INT, 2 TD's, 184 yards.

RECEIVING:
Cincy--Brown 5-50, Barber 3-27, Green 2-29, Holman 2-5, Brooks 1-9, Taylor 1-5
STEELERS--Cash 4-55, Hoge 4-33, Lipps 3-33, W.Williams 2-2, Cooper 1-47, Mills
	1-14.


Tim Worley, who had not, before this week,  practiced with the Steelers since
August, gained 33 yards on 6 carries(5.5/carry) but fumbled the ball away on
his first carry of the game.  He said he got encouragement on the sidelines
from the coaches and fellow players and returned to the game.

The local Pittsburgh papers, both the Press and the Post-Gazette "hailed"
Brister and said he resurected the offense.  I don't know what game they were
watching, but in the Steeler-Bengal game I watched, if the Steelers had a
competent QB at the helm, they would have won 42-3.  Personally, I think the
Steelers played Brister to showcase him for a possible off-season trade.
Brister is the probable starter for nexted Sunday's game .vs. the 'Spots.
Brister, in 7 prior meeting vs the Bungholes, was 0-7.

Noll hinted in his news conference today that he may not return nexted season
to coach the Steelers.  When asked if he would consider coaching another team,
Noll said emphatically, "NO!!".

JaKe

>   <<< Note 35.426 by PTOVAX::JACOB "Playin with the box the kids came in" >>>
>              -< Steelers are now 6-9, and tied with the 'Spots >-
    
    
     For what, JaKe ...  The worst team in the NFL in the weakest 
    divison with a Bozo nose picking fool for an offensive coordinator ?
    
    ;^)
    
    Big Game

    
    >> For what, JaKe ...  The worst team in the NFL in the weakest 
    >>divison with a Bozo nose picking fool for an offensive coordinator ?
    
    Hey watch it, Big'n'Lame,
    
    The Steelers resemble that remark!!!
    
    JaKe
    

    The Chuck Noll retirement watch is now at T-Minus 1 game and counting.
    	
    Any prognostications on what day eh'll announce his retirement, OR get
    fired????
    
    JaKe
    	

    
    	He'll stay...with Joe headed out the door.
    
    B.A.

    In his weekly news conference, he sounded like he may just say "to hell
    with it", and get on with his life's work after the season ends.
    
    If he stays, expect an almost complete change in the coaching staff
    under him.
    
    
    JaKe
    
    
    
    

     I for one won't be suprised to see him take his leave...
    He's hung in for a long time.
    
    BG

    Today is the day Chuck Noll meets with Dan Rooney.  It is speculated
    that one of two things will happen:
    
    	- Noll will retire.
    
    	- Noll will continue as Steelers head coach but the coaching staff
    	  will undergo a major overhaul with Joe Walton being the first out
    	  the door.
    
    Either way, Walton is gone.  Sounds good to me.
    
    	--dan'l

    
    According to a NFL survey the Steelers have the lowest total base
    salary $13,229,500 & total salaries(bonuses and incentives) $17,256,100
    in the league.
    
    A look at AFC central:
    
    	Clevaland	Houston 	Cincinnati	Steelers
    
    * $21,018,500(5) $19,453,500(10)   $20,756,800(8)  $13,229,500(28)
    
    % $28,348,750(2) $23,245,500(13)   $23,073,800(14) $17,256,100(28)
    
    * Total Base  %Total Salaries
    
    Individual numbers on the way.
    
    Roy L.

>                         -< Pay for Performance????? >-
    
    The Steelers have historically been the lowest paying team in the
    NFL...even during the super bowl years.  This is nothing new and is not
    based on the recent lack of team performance.  
    
    	--dan'l

POS      NAME               SALARY    POS      NAME             SALARY
DB  Rod Woodson       $1,000,000      QB  Bubby Brister       $900,000     
WR  Louis Lipps         $750,000      LB  David Little        $650,000     
LB  Greg Lloyd          $410,000      RB  Merril Hoge         $400,000     
TE  Mike Mularkey       $350,000      LB  Brian Hinkle        $350,000     
RB  Tim Worley          $350,000      OL  Tunch Ilkin         $350,000     
PK  Gary Anderson       $350,000      LB  Huey Richardson     $325,000     
DL  Keith Willis        $325,000      DL  Gerald Williams     $300,000     
DB  David Johnson       $300,000      TE  Eric Green          $300,000     
OL  Terry Long          $277,000      DL  Aaron Jones         $275,000     
DB  Delton Hall         $275,000      OL  Tom Ricketts        $250,000     
LB  Hardy Nickerson     $236,300      OL  John Jackson        $225,000     
OL  Dermotti Dawson     $220,000      WR  Jeff Graham         $220,000     
DB  Carnell Lake        $220,000      DL  Kenny Davidson      $210,000     
WR  Ernie Mills         $200,000      DB  Thomas Everett      $194,300  
QB  Neil O'Donnell      $185,000      WR  Dwight Stone        $176,000     
QB  Rick Strom          $165,000      LB  Jerry Olsavsky      $160,000     
DL  Craig Veasey        $160,000      OL  Dean Caliguire      $150,000     
LB  Rob McGovern        $145,000      OL  Brian Blankenship   $145,000     
DB  Larry Griffin       $137,000      DB  Richard Shelton     $135,000     
P   Dan Stryzinski      $132,000      DB  Sammy Walker        $125,000     
TE  Adrian Cooper       $125,000      LB  Jerrol Williams     $120,000     
RB  Leroy Thompson      $115,000      WR  Chris Callaway      $115,000     
DL  Donald Evans        $110,000      RB  Barry Foster         $97,500  
OL  Dean Dingman         $95,000      OL  Carlton Haselrig     $90,000     
LB  Jeff Brady           $90,000      DB  Gary Jones           $88,500  
OL  Justin Strzelczyk    $85,000      DB  Shawn Vincent        $75,000     
DB  Kevin Smith          $65,000     
			    Pay by Position

POS    NAME               SALARY      POS    NAME               SALARY
DB  Rod Woodson         $1,000,000    DB  David Johnson         $300,000
DB  Delton Hall           $275,000    DB  Carnell Lake          $220,000
DB  Thomas Everett        $194,300    DB  Larry Griffin         $137,000
DB  Richard Shelton       $135,000    DB  Sammy Walker          $125,000
DB  Gary Jones             $88,500    DB  Shawn Vincent          $75,000
DB  Kevin Smith            $65,000

DL  Keith Willis          $325,000    DL  Gerald Williams       $300,000
DL  Aaron Jones           $275,000    DL  Kenny Davidson        $210,000
DL  Craig Veasey          $160,000    DL  Donald Evans          $110,000

LB  David Little          $650,000    LB  Greg Lloyd            $410,000
LB  Brian Hinkle          $350,000    LB  Huey Richardson       $325,000
LB  Hardy Nickerson       $236,300    LB  Jerry Olsavsky        $160,000
LB  Rob McGovern          $145,000    LB  Jerrol Williams       $120,000
LB  Jeff Brady             $90,000

OL  Tunch Ilkin           $350,000    OL  Terry Long            $277,000
OL  Tom Ricketts          $250,000    OL  John Jackson          $225,000
OL  Dermotti Dawson       $220,000    OL  Dean Caliguire        $150,000
OL  Brian Blankenship     $145,000    OL  Dean Dingman           $95,000
OL  Carlton Haselrig       $90,000    OL  Justin Strzelczyk      $85,000

P   Dan Stryzinski        $132,000    PK  Gary Anderson         $350,000

QB  Bubby Brister         $900,000    QB  Neil O'Donnell        $185,000
QB  Rick Strom            $165,000

RB  Merril Hoge           $400,000    RB  Tim Worley            $350,000
RB  Leroy Thompson        $115,000    RB  Barry Foster           $97,500

TE  Mike Mularkey         $350,000    TE  Eric Green            $300,000
TE  Adrian Cooper         $125,000

WR  Louis Lipps           $750,000    WR  Jeff Graham           $220,000
WR  Ernie Mills           $200,000    WR  Dwight Stone          $176,000
WR  Chris Callaway        $115,000

Very few skilled position players are paid well but also very few have 
performed well.  Few all star players few all star salaries!!!

Roy L.

    RE: -2
    
    I agree with the Rooney's.  Those players that have been all-stars a
    number of years are making the most money i.e. Woodson, Lipps, Little 
    and Brister although he hasn't quite panned out.  Brister still may
    flourish in a less complicated offense.  Tunch Ilkin has been an All
    Pro lineman and he still only gets $350K(relative of other All Pro
    linemen).  There are a number of teams with big salaries that have
    traditionally been below the steelers in wins.   However that could be
    related to all the high draft choices(Indianapolis).
    
    Roy L.

    I heard on the radio seconds ago that Knoll has indeed retired!!!  He
    is outta there.  I did like Knoll very much as far as his philosphies
    went.  He did one thing over the last few years that didn't help him a
    whole lot though; he gave his assistants to much reign(coordinators). 
    He always took the criticism but J_e Waltons offense just never panned
    out.  With his leaving though.  Who would be a suitable replacement.  I
    hope it is a balanced aggressive coach type.
    
    Roy L. Quinn
    x31141

 for all the offense he's produced over the years Gary Anderson is one under
 paid dude....

 too bad Chuck couldn't have gone out on winning note. he definately was one
 of the all time great player/coaches in the game. 

 I do agree his assistants have hurt him. Despite spending some high draft 
 picks on the DL, Joe Greene hasn't done much with em....

 think he'll make a good analyst?

 mike

    
    
    THE EMPEROR IS DEAD!!
    
       LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR!!!!!
    
    Noll said it would've been nice to go out on a winning note, but that's
    the breaks.
    
    To all of you louses out there,
    
    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
    
    I'm outta here til nexted thursday.
    
    JaKe
    

> too bad Chuck couldn't have gone out on winning note. 
    
    It wasn't a winning season, but he did go out on a winning note.  The
    Steelers beat Cinci and Cleveland in their last two games.  The players
    gave Noll the game ball after the Cleveland win obviously thinking it
    would be his last game.
    
    At least he was allowed to call his own shots on his retirement, unlike
    the Dallas debacle.  Noll and Landry were the last of the career
    coaches.  Noll had 23 years with the Steelers and no one else.
    
> I do agree his assistants have hurt him. Despite spending some high draft 
> picks on the DL, Joe Greene hasn't done much with em....
    
    According to ESPN's SportsCenter, Joe Green is the first man in line to
    succeed Noll.  The front office is concerned about Green's lack of head
    coaching experience...take a look at Art Shell, Rooneys.
    
    Myself, I wish Schottenheimer were available.  He was a player under
    Noll and he is from Pittsburgh...went to highschool with my uncle and
    won the state championship in basketball with him.
    
    I won't complain if they give Green a shot as long as Walton is gone. 
    I'll tell you one thing, I wouldn't want to be a referee and make a bad
    call against head coach Joe Green.  Yowza, what an ear licking that
    would cause.
    
    	--dan'l

    I would be highly surprised if Chuck heads to the booth.  I don't think
    Chuck likes pandering to an audience to much.  I could be wrong but it 
    could indeed be worse with a TV audience.  But who am I to say, all the 
    other coaches seem to like the booth.
    
    When times were really hard, fans have called for Knoll's head but not
    many wanted to see him actually go.  Although he will still have to go
    down in history as a Great coach (4SB winners) he was never awarded the 
    "Coach of the Year" award.  
    
    I as Dan'l stated liked the fact that it appeared to be knoll's choice. 
    He didn't look to be upset or mad about the situation but did harbor
    the disappointment of not having 10 wins and being in the playoffs.
    
    Replacement:
    
    Greene -- ESPN does say he is the leading candidate with very little
    competition behind him.  My concern is basically with the offense.  I
    has been so dismal over the last few years and it make your defense
    look much worse than it is. I.E. long stints on the field.  I'm for
    Greene but where would the offensive coordinator come from.
    
    AFC Central Coaches of Past Few Years
    
    Pitt-Knoll	Clev-Belicheck	Cinn-Wyche	Hou-Pardee
    		    -Carson	    -?????	   -Glanville
    		    -Schottenhiemer -?????	   -????????
                    -Rutigliano	    -?????	   -Phillips
    
    Sam and Chuck held the fort the longest also the only Superbowl
    participants as coaches.  Can anybody fill in the blanks.
    
    Roy L.

    At least one of the Houston coaches between Bum Phillips and Jerry
    Glanville was Hugh Campbell, who had been Warren Moon's coach up at
    Edmonton.  They had at least one interim coach in there, who I believe
    was Chuck Studley.
    
    Cincinnati's first coach was Paul Brown and then he was replaced by
    Bill "Tiger" Johnson, in the move that in turn caused Bill Walsh to
    move out to the West Coast, first to San Diego, then Stanford and then
    finally San Francisco.  Tiger was replaced by Forrest Gregg, who
    coached them to their first Super Bowl appearance.  When Gregg left to
    go to Green Bay, Wyche replaced him.
    
    John
                      

    OK, first things first: Chuck spells his last name N-O-L-L.  There is
    no K as Glanville would have liked everyone to believe a few years ago.
    
    Noll is definitely not suited for any kind of announcing or analyst
    position.  He's a quiet man with a quick temper.  And can you imagine
    him at CBS with Bradshaw?  Hooboy.
    
    My greatest worry is that some team will talk Noll out of retirement in
    a few years and he'll take the job.  What a terrible sight it would be
    to see Noll somewhere else.  Successful or not, it would almost be a
    feeling of betrayal.  Kind of hard to understand except I have felt it
    before when Franco put on a Seattle uniform and Mike Webster put on a
    KC uniform.  And I'm getting prepared to feel it this spring when I see
    Bonilla in a Mets uniform.
    
    	--nufrie ;-)

    
    Also, Joe spells his name G-R-E-E-N-E.  That last E gives him a
    little distinctiveness.
                 
    Noll's departure was indeed a sad event, but I guess everyone's got 
    to go sooner or later.  Like dan'l said, though, there's really no
    good way to do it and there's no way that Dan Rooney would do
    to Noll what Jerry Jones did to Tom Landry.  The next coach will
    have a huge shadow hovering over him...
    
    glenn
    

      Good luck Chuck!  I never cared for your Sqeelers,  but you did have
    strong teams during the 70's.
    
      I think Greene would be a flop.  I also think that whomever does take
    this job will end up having the same bad seasons as Chuck has these
    past few.
    
    	Tim

    	Heard on SportsCenter lasted night...
    	"First the Iron Curtain, now the Steel Curtain..."

>   <<< Note 35.447 by AXIS::ROBICHAUD "Aristotle,Socrates,Euclid,D.Smith" >>>
>
>    	Heard on SportsCenter lasted night...
>    	"First the Iron Curtain, now the Steel Curtain..."

That's a great one, Slasher....

    
    
    	I'm sad to see Noll go, but then again, maybe it was time for a
    change.  Nothing wrong with change either.
    
    	Noll gave the Steeler organization 23 great years.  Yea, there
    were some bad and some terrible years, but those 10 good years have
    a way of erasing all the negative stuff.
    
    	Noll was stubborn and an S.O.B., but maybe that's what it takes to
    be effective.  He never let the players boss him around and he always
    let them know who was in charge whether they liked it or not.  He
    really didn't have any favorites...everyone was treated the same.
    
    	Chuck wasn't perfect, but he was an excellent teacher of basic
    fundamental football, and told it like it was.  He's not and never
    was a media darling, but that's just the way he wanted it I'm sure,
    and it's probably the way most Pittsburgher's wanted it.  
    
    	Although building what has been called the greatest team in the
    history of the NFL and along the way winning 4 Super Bowls, the one
    award that has escaped him has been Coach of the Year.  Somewhere in
    those 23 years, this coach certainly deserved that honor, but I guess
    that's the way he wanted it and I guess most Pittsburgher's feel the
    same way.
    
    	Here's hoping that Chuck stays retired and enjoys his trip to
    Canton in 5 years.
    
    
    							bill..g.
    

    Actually, Noll did win COY in '89.  It was the year the team got
    outscored in its first two games something like 92-13.  They won their
    last five games, made the playoffs as a wild card, beat the Oilers in
    Houston on Gary Anderson's memorable 52-yard field goal in OT, and
    played their hearts out in Denver (especially Merrill Hoge) before
    losing the game in the last five minutes.  
    
    Everyone expected the Steelers to ride that success to the AFC Central
    title the next season, but the team went backward instead of forward. 
    You really have to believe a lot of this was due to Joe Walton.  Gotta
    wonder what would have happened had Noll gone with a different
    offensive coordinator.
    
    	--nufrie

  Before Noll, the Steeler's were the doormat of the NFL for 35 years.
  He took the most pitiful team in the NFL and turned it into maybe the
  best NFL team ever. Last night on ESPN they showed an interesting stat.
  The 49'ers who have won 4 superbowls have 9 players with 4 superbowl
  rings while the Steeler's have 21 players with 4 superbowl rings. While
  the 49'ers saw a number of changes in there Superbowl victories, the 
  Steeler's were basically the same team in all 4 Superbowls. Thanks for
  all the memories Chuck, you did a great job.

  In regards to Joe Greene, I can remember his rookie year in 1968 when the
  team went 1-13. The team was terrible but in every home game, there was
  at least one standing ovation for "Mean Joe". You could tell that he was
  bringing some kind of winning spirit to a team that never had any. If as
  head coach he can capture that magic again and motivate the players as he 
  did as a player, he'll be a success. If the Rooney's want Mean Joe, I'm
  all for it.

					Keith

>    Also, Joe spells his name G-R-E-E-N-E.  That last E gives him a
>    little distinctiveness.
    
    Hey, how was I supposed to know...he never gave ME his smelly jersey!
    
    

I thought that was a GREAT commercial 8^)

    Keith,
    Interesting stats on SF vs. Pitt on SB rings.
    
    Not to put down Noll as the 70's Steelers were my all-time fav,
    but cain you infer that SF had the superior coaching and drafting
    prowess by simply looking at these stats? I cain.
    
    MikeL
     

>    but cain you infer that SF had the superior coaching and drafting
>    prowess by simply looking at these stats? I cain.

    Arguments can be made in both directions so it's kind of pointless. 
    Noll drafted and developed a team that won four super bowls in six
    years.  That may never be done again.  A combination of low draft picks
    and almost all his coaching staff from those teams moving on to bigger
    positions really hurt the Steelers in the 80's.

    When those low picks didn't pan out and the Gabe Rivera tragedy
    occurred, the Steelers never did attain their goal of "one for the
    thumb."

    	--dan'l

    
>    Not to put down Noll as the 70's Steelers were my all-time fav,
>    but cain you infer that SF had the superior coaching and drafting
>    prowess by simply looking at these stats? I cain.
     
    Depends on how you look at it, Mike.  Pittsburgh obviously had the
    better concentration of draft talent.  Stuff like two Hall of Famers
    in the same draft (Lambert and Swann), and maybe the best collection
    of talent of all time assembled in the span of 5-7 years.  So which
    is "better", beating the so-called draft crapshoot in a big way
    all at once or doing maybe not quite as well in the short term but
    spreading it out?  Either way, it's four rings (although San Francisco
    may not be done in the Montana era...)
    
    glenn
    

    True dan'l,
    Both teams were great. As you pointed out many factors affect
    continued success. At first glance, my initial reaction was to be
    more impressed with SF; however when you are looking at the higher
    plateau both teams reached, it seems pointless. And it is. I'm looking
    for no argument, just a little more wowed by SF. I remain.
    
    MikeL
    

>                               -< Both at nadir >-
                                           ^^^^^


Zenith.  Nadir is the opposite low point....  (unless of course you're
referring to their CURRENT sitauation 8^))


'Saw
    

    I stand corrected, SIR. 
    Wow, first Apostrophe Police, now Correct Word Selection Militia.
    
    I have been schooled. Danke.
    
    MikeL
    
    P.S.  Good points Glenn
    

 Niners also had the advantage of plan B for two of their victories and an
 owner who wasn't tight with his money and bought and traded for any player
 Billy W. wanted.

 Also Steelers won 4 in 7 years, Niners 4 in 9 years. Also have to feel the
 talent base has been more widely distributed during the Niners years. So
 while an argument can be made that they had less of an edge, it can also
 be argued for the Steelers that they had to beat another "great" team every
 year (ie Raiders) to advance...    


 mike

  A few replies back someone said the Steeler's had 2 Hall of Famer's in
  one years draft. Actually, it's one Hall of Famer but with a slim possibility
  that it may become 4 Hall of Famer's. The year was 1974. Lynn Swan was the 
  #1 pick. Jack Lambert was the #2, Mike Webster was #3 and John Stallworth
  was the #4 pick. Lambert is all ready in the HOF, Webster is probably a 
  shoe in for the HOF, Swann has a good shot at making the HOF and Stallworth
  has an outside shot of making the HOF. With out a doubt, the Steeler's 1974
  draft was the best in the history of Pro Football.

  If I remember correctly, I believe the Steeler's #1 draft's were:
	1968: Joe Greene
	1969: Terry Bradshaw
	1970: Mel Blount
	1971: Franco Harris
	1972: Can't remember
	1973: Can't Remember
	1974: Lynn Swan plus Lambert, Webster and Stallworth in the later 
	      rounds .

  Does anyone remember when Jack Ham was drafted and in what round ?

  > Also Steelers won 4 in 7 years, Niners 4 in 9 years. 

  Minor nit but the Steeler's won it all in 74,75,78,79. That makes 4 SB wins
  in 6 years. Allthough many people believe the 1976 Steeler's team was
  the best team they ever had. 

			Keith

    Are you sure Swann and Stallworth were drafted the same year?  I
    thought Swann came out a year or two before Stallworth.

    
    re: Drafts..
    
    	O.K. here's what I've been able to come up with from my Steeler's
    of the Decade program..sorry, I used to have a Steeler Press Guide,
    but it's not here at work.
    
    	1969: Greene, Jon Kolb (3rd round), LC Greenwood (9th round)
    	1970: Bradshaw (1), Mel Blount (3rd round), 
    	1971: Ham (second round), Larry Brown (8th)
    	1972: Franco (1st),  Steve Furness (5th)
    	1973: J.T. Thomas (1st)
    	1974: Swann (1st), Lambert (2nd), Stallworth (4th), Webster (5th)
    	      Note: Randy Grossman and Donnie Shell signed as free agents.
    
    	Don't know where guys like Ron Shanklin, Dwight White, Ernie Holmes
    Mike Wagner and Glen Edwards fit in, but these guys also played major
    roles, not in all 4 SB's, but for the most part in the early to mid-
    70's...Oh, I did leave out the 'Rock'..Rocky Blier!
    
    
    							bill..g.
    

>>    	1969: Greene, Jon Kolb (3rd round), LC Greenwood (9th round)
>>    	1970: Bradshaw (1), Mel Blount (3rd round), 
>>    	1971: Ham (second round), Larry Brown (8th)
>>    	1972: Franco (1st),  Steve Furness (5th)
>>    	1973: J.T. Thomas (1st)
>>    	1974: Swann (1st), Lambert (2nd), Stallworth (4th), Webster (5th)
    	      Note: Randy Grossman and Donnie Shell signed as free agents.
    
>>    	Don't know where guys like Ron Shanklin, Dwight White, Ernie Holmes
>>    Mike Wagner and Glen Edwards fit in, but these guys also played major
>>    roles, not in all 4 SB's, but for the most part in the early to mid-
>>    70's...Oh, I did leave out the 'Rock'..Rocky Blier!

	1968: Rocky Blier(16th)
	1969: Terry Hanratty(2nd)
	1970: Ron Shanklin(2nd)
	1971: Dwight White(4a), Gerry Mullins(4), Ernie Holmes(8b)
	      Mike Wagner(11)
	1972: Joe Gilliam(11)
	1973: Loren Toews(8b)

This is all the additional information that I guide find from the Steelers
1990 media guide.  I couldn't find anything on Glen Edwards though.
	     
    
Roy L.     		    

    
    Glen Edwards is listed as playing for the Steelers frm 1971-1977 so he 
    had to be a free agent pickup out of Florida A&M.
    
    Roy L. 

    Wow, I didn't realize Mike Wagner was an 11th round pick.  He was one
    of the best defensive players ever and oh what a hard hitter...and a
    dirty player too.  Receivers absolutely feared him.

    	--dan'l

Blier was drafted in 68, but he didn't start playing until 1970, right?
Because of being in 'Nam and having his foot wounded and all....

Just trying to get some years straight....

'Saw

       I'm still trying to get those particular years straight myself 'Saw.
                                             Denny

>       I'm still trying to get those particular years straight myself 'Saw.

hahahahahahahaha....

Yeah, but I was like 12 then, Denny.  That's not to say that I wasn't
a little wild, but...


'Saw

    1970...Hmmmm... I was lets see... 3
    						M_air_Brooks

    
    >    1970...Hmmmm... I was lets see... 3
    						M_air_Brooks
    
    Air, you don't even shave yet! 8^)
    
    Dickstah
    

    Hey Dickstah Dont you owe me something, you said you were going
    to say something nice after you collected :-)
    
    And believe me the worst day of my life was when I had to shave
    the first time, I hate it...... Luckily I dont have to do it very
    often :-)  (hair dont run in my family but neither does Baldness)
    
    							M_Air_Brooks

    
  >>shoe in for the HOF, Swann has a good shot at making the HOF and Stallworth
  >>has an outside shot of making the HOF. With out a doubt, the Steeler's 1974
    
    Actually, I think Stallworth has a better chance of getting into the
    HOF than Swann does.  Swann has already been passed over a few times. 
    He had good stats for the years he played, plus some GREAT circus
    catches, but he didn't have longevity.  He quit after doctors told him
    another concussion could render him either daid or a candidate for a
    Veg-A-Matic.
    
    Stallworth played something like 12 years, and missed very little time
    to injury.  He is the Steelers leading receiver in many categories, but
    may be passed by Louis Lipps if Lipps stays around long enuf.
    
    BTW, the top 3, according to 2 TV stations here in Pittsburgh, in the
    Steelers coaching search are Dave Wannstadt(sp?), defensive
    co-ordinator for Dallas, ???? Holmgren, Offensive co-ordinator in San
    Fran, and the defensive co-ordinator for the New York Jets, whose name
    escapes me at this moment.  I hope they don't pick the guy from the
    Jets, cause everybody knows about the lasted coach they got from the
    Jets!!!!
    
    JaKe
    

    The Steelers have scheduled an interview with Rod Rust(no, please,
    don't hire him, PULEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE DON'T)
    They also plan to interview, or have already interviewed the following:
    
    Current running back coach, Dick Hoak, defensive line coach Joe Greene,
    secondary coach John Fox
    
    Greg Landry
    Dave Wannstedt
    Bill Cowher
    Mike Holmgren
    Stanford coach Dennis Green
    San Antonio Riders(WLAF) coach Mike Riley
    
    There are others whose names excape me as of this writing, who either
    were interviewed, or will be soon.
    
    JaKe
    

    re .474:
    
    > The Steelers have scheduled an interview with Rod Rust(no, please,
    > don't hire him, PULEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE DON'T)
    
    As one who saw Rust's "work" all too close-up here in New England last
    year, I read you loud and clear.
    
    
    py

    Jake, I predict that Dave Wannstedt will wind up with the Steeler job.
    
    WILDCAT

    As I understand it, Rod Rust isn't being interviewed for the job of head
    coach, but rather, the job of defensive coordinator at both Pittsburgh
    and San Diego.  He's a great defensive coordinator.
    
    John

    
    >>Jake, I predict that Dave Wannstedt will wind up with the Steeler job.
    
    >>WILDCAT
    
    I don't klnow what it is, but something keeps telling me that this is
    true.  I have had that feeling ever since his name popped into the
    bucket full of candidates for the job, which was the day Noll retired.
    
    Re Ninj
    I wouldn't mind seeing Rust come back to Pittsburgh as defensive
    co-ordinator.  He built the Steeler defense that finished #1 lasted
    year, even though eh was in N.E. by then.  David Brazille did nothing
    to change Rust's defense, but then decided to try and fine tune it this
    year and they finished considerably lower.  Rust would be a good choice
    for the defensive job here.
    
    JaKe
    
    

    JaKe...
    
     I Predict the Squeelers will be at the bottom of the weakest division
    in football once again nexted(tm) season...  Wanna bet ???
    
    BG

    
    >> I Predict the Squeelers will be at the bottom of the weakest division
    >>in football once again nexted(tm) season...  Wanna bet ???
    
    1st of all they finished in 2nd place in the AFC Central this year, not
    lasted.
    
    Secondly, if they'll be at the bottom of the weakest division in
    football, they'll have to change divisions to the AFC West.
    
    JaKe
    

    
     Not !!!!
    
     I beleive that the AFC West had 3, count `em, 3 teams in the playoffs
    this season.  I can see how you could make a case for it being the
    weakest division from stats like that.  And to top it off,  The AFC
    West has a team in the Championship game...  When was the lasted(tm)
    time the Central did...
    
     BG

    Cleveland, 1989, lost to Denver who had barely gotten by Pittsburgh the
    week before.
    
    But what JaKe was pointing out, Big Pain, was that you said Pittsbugh
    would finish at the bottom of the AFC central AGAIN.  When, please
    tell, was the last time that happened?
    
    	--dan'l
    

    Not sure dan'l... 
    
    The bottom line is that the Squeelers are weak.  Their division is the
    weakest in the AFC if not the Entire NFL  (NFC Central a tie or close
    2nd) So...  My Point was (and it was in fun) that it really doesn't
    matter who coaches the Squeelers this year or nexted(tm).  They have
    much rebuilding to do and it will take some time (1 to 2 years) to get
    them out of the cellar
    
    HTH
    
    BG

>    much rebuilding to do and it will take some time (1 to 2 years) to get
>    them out of the cellar
    
    Big Pain, the Steelers are/were not in the cellar!!!!!  They finished
    second in their division and there are about nine or ten teams picking
    in front of them in next year's draft.
    
    I'm not certain, but I would guess that the Steelers have not finished
    at the bottom of the AFC Central since 1969.  
    
    	--dan'l

    If Wandstedt (sp) get the job it will be a big loss to the Dallas
    Cowboys.  He did an excellent job the last two years with minimal
    talent.
    
    But then again as Dallas fans it sure feels great knowing that others
    within the NFL appreciate our coaching staff.
    
    John "D Cowboys" R.

    I've read/heard a couple reports stating that Mean Joe Greene is the
    leading candidate for the head coaching job...any truth to these?
    
    
    py

    Heard the Same...  I think it would be a step in the right direction
    for the Squeelers.  Look what Shell did for the Faiders.  With a half
    assed QB they surely would have beaten out the Donks for the AFC West.
    Also,  With the overwhelming Population of Blacks in the NFL it seems
    quite odd to me that we only have one Black head coach considering the 
    available talent in the assistant coaches ranks.  Joe Greene as done a
    great job for the Squeelers both as a player and a coach.  I say give
    the bum a shot at it.
    
    Big Game Hunta

    The one drawback with Greene is his lack of experience.  He has been
    defensive line coach for the Steelers, but that has been his ONLY
    coaching job since retiring as a player.  Greene will be given an
    interview, and I sincerely hope he gets a head coaching job someday,
    but I think he needs some more experience, as a defensive co-ordinator,
    before he'll be ready to step in as a head coach.
    
    Would be something, though, eh, Mean Joe returns and builds another
    super bowl team.
    
    JaKe
    

    Well,
    
     That may be taking it a bit far, Rake
    
    Big Game Hunta

 small time Hunta,  I'S gottsta to no 'ow u cain sit thar & lambast Wrong Way
 when he's polished off those wimpy a$$ Donks 5 out of the last 6 games?

    
     I can Blam(tm) Wrong Way because he's always sitting at home when
    the Donks are in the Championship game.  Jay gets lucky and Beats
    the Donks (and it surely ain't all Jay either...) But he can't keep
    them in it till the end.  Wrong way is weak, weak, weak...
    
    BGH

    Speaking of ex-Steeler assistants, what about Tony Dungy ? He was
    former D.C. of the Steelers, did a great job, and was considered to be
    the fav. to be the 1st black head coach. Then, I hear nothing.

    RE: -1
    
    I saw Tony Dungy in the coaches booth for a team in the playoffs.  I
    think it was KC.  He did sort of fade out of the limelight.  His name
    hasn't even been mentioned lately.
    
    As a part of a SD feature early to mid season Mean Joe says that he
    isn't quite ready for head coaching.  He may feel that this year taught
    some valuable lessons.  How much experience did Art Shell have as a
    coach before getting the head job??  I wonder how much input Chuck gets
    if any at all.
    
    Roy L.
                  

    Dungy fell out of favor around the NFL when his Steeler defense went
    south a few years ago when he was defensive coordinator for the
    Steelers.  The Steelers fired him and brought in Rod Rust to replace
    him.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    The Steelers, once the interview Woody Widenhofer tomorrow, will have
    completed their list of candidates for the vacant head coaching job.
    
    It appears, short of adding Widenhofer to the list, that they have
    whittled their list down to 3 people, KC defensive coordinator Bill
    Cowher, Dallas Defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt, and Steelers
    defensive line coach Joe Greene.  These were the only 3 who have been
    interviewed twice, and Tom Donahoe said today no other candidates are
    to be scheduled for a second interview, but the three mentioned above
    may be scheduled for third interviews shortly.
    
    Wannstedt met with the Steelers for an 8 hour interview Saturday, and
    is said to be the leading candidate for the job.
    
    Donahoe also said that an announcement naming the new head coach could
    come as early as the end of this week.
    
    JaKe
    

    The knock against Joe Greene is that he has no head coaching
    experience.  What are Cowher's and Wannstedt's experiences regarding
    this category?
    
    	--dan'l

    None that I know of.  The real knock against Greene is that he's never
    been a coordinator which is the usual career path to becoming a head
    coach.
    
    John

    Yeah, Greene has been soley DL coach, no other experience.

    Wasn't Art Shell solely an OL coach before becoming the Raiders' head
    coach?  Haven't heard many complaints from Raider fans about Shell's
    coaching...
    
    
    py

    
    Is Greene really a candidate or his name there for appeasement
    purposes?  I find it hard to believe that Greene's a serious candidate
    after he himself stated that he wasn't sure if he was ready or if he
    really even wanted the job at this time...
    
    glenn
    

    glenn
    
    I think Greene is on the list for "sentimental" type reasons.  Ya know,
    HOF'er from the glory years, working for the team for the lasted few
    years.  Given 2 interviews as more a courtesy than anything else.
    
    Common consensus around Pittsburgh is that the Steelers, if they hired
    Greene, would have to surround him with the best of assistant coaches
    in every position to make this team go anywhere.  They'd end up like
    Hal's Brown(spot)s(tm) and have a zillion assistant coaches, and like
    Hal's 'Spots, go absolutely nowhere.
    
    JaKe
    

    Kinda like this year,  Huh Fake !!
    
    ;^)
    
    Big Game Junta

    Cowher interviewed for ~5 hours with the Steelers the other day. 
    Widenhofer is on the list to be interviewed SOON.  
    
    It's almost getting easier to list who HASN'T been interviewed for the
    vacant head coach position.
    
    Latest news here is still that Wannstedt is the leader and Cowher is
    right behind him.  Both are from the Pittsburgh area with close ties to
    the city.
    
    JaKe
    

    Hey FaKe...  Dose it really matter ??  A simple coaching change ain't
    gonna help your happless Squeelers... Give up on the Bums and come 
    over to a real team like thye Mighty Broncos of Denver Colorado. 
    Now thats manly team !!   ;^)
    
    BGJ

    Ya know, Little 'n' Lame, that's one thing I like about you, you always
    make me laugh.  Sorta like a HaloftheBroncos.
    
    JaKe
    

    Head Coach position expected to be filled Monday or Tuesday.  Wannstedt
    is still the leading candidate.  The Steelers gave him a third
    interview yesterday.  he's the only of the interviewees to be talked to
    3 times, but Bill Cowher is expected to get 1 more interview, as is the
    Offensive Coordinator from the Oilers, whose name escapes me at this
    time.
    
    Got my money on Wannstedt
    
    JaKe
    

    The Steelers will announce at a press conference at noon tomorrow that 
    the new Head Coach will be:
    
    
    Bill Cowher, Defensive Coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs.
    
    JaKe
    

    First rumor about Cowher is that he'll hire Lindy Infante as the
    Offensive Coordinator.
    
    Cowher will have full power over who is hired as assistant coaches.
    
    JaKe
    

     after what Infante did at Greenbay I'd better change my p-name to 
    "Steelers still need coaches and 20 or 30 years"   Ha.... !!
    
    BG

    Re Infante, new reports say that Infante said he has no interest in
    coaching again in the near future.  I wonder if it could be about the
    fact that the Packers have to pay him ~$1 million over the nexted two
    years, and he wants to just go golfing and collect his money??
    
    Ya know it's sort of funny, Cowher hasn't even OFFICIALLY been
    announced as head coach and the local media is soiling their pants over
    the guy already.  Tonite, a local radio station that is ALL-TALK and
    nothing but sports in the evening started having all of these people
    that had something to do with Cowher and football as he was growing up in 
    Pittsburgh.  They were getting people like assistant coaches from his
    intermediate school days, etc.  I almost expected them to get someone
    like the next door neighbor of Cowher's Pee-Wee football coach's
    brother-in-law's uncle and have the guy saying something like, "Ya
    know, we uset ta watch dis kid when he wuz 8 or 9 years old and I just
    told all of my buddies back then that in 25 years or so, dis kid would
    be da coach of da Stillers."  
    
    It's sort of ridiculous to interview all of these bozos and think that
    they remember every Tom Dick and Harry who comes through the schools
    and different programs as well as they project they do over the radio.
    
    JaKe
    

    Would the 2 people who sent me mail asking about info on getting the
    "Steeler's Digest" among other Steeler paraphenalia please send me
    another mail message.  I seem to have lost the other mail messages with
    your node addresses and names.
    
    
    Sorry
    
    JaKe
    

    
    It was confirmed via yesterdays paper that Cowher did get the job. 
    Second youngest in the league behind Shula at Cincinnatti.  Other than
    the information posted here I haven't heard much about though.
    
    Roy L.
    

    FWIW, Mike Shanahan is in Pgh. today interviewing for the job of
    Offensive Coordinator for the Steelers.
    
    George Stewart, special teams coach, has taken the same job at Tampa
    Bay under Wicky Wacky Wyche.
    
    Joe Walton has been given formal notice that he will not be retained as
    Offensive Coordinator for  the team.
    
    JaKe
    

    David Brazille, who WAS the Steelers defensive coordinator this past
    season has accepted the position of secondary coach for the NY Giants.
                      
    Tony Dungy, who held the defensive coordinator position for a few years
    for the Steelers, has been hired as defensive coordinator for the
    Minny-soda Vikings.
    
    JaKe
    

    JaKe (or others),
    
    how about some info on Cowher.  Age.  Experience.  Pittsburgh
    connection...I see from the Gene Collier article that he is from
    Crafton...did he play for Carlinton or perhaps Canevan?  Where did he
    play college ball?  You know, all the stuff that I've been missing on
    ESPN and up in the local media.
    
    Thanks.
    
    	--dan'l

    Cowher played at NC State and then played for the Browns from 80-82. 
    He coached at Philly in 83-84, Cleveland 85-88, Kansas City 89-91.  No
    other info available.
    
    John

    Cowher is 34 years old, and played for Carlynton High School.
    
    I'll see what else I cain dig up on him for ya, --dan'l.
    
    JaKe
    

    
    Ron Erhardt--Offensive Coordinator
    
    Dick Hoak--retained as running backs coach
    
    Steve Furness--Defensive line coach
    
    
    JaKe
    

--dan'l, you asked for it, here it is.
    
    
    
THE EYES HAVE IT!!

Cowher's enduring qualities can't be seen on his resume.

By Bill Utterbeck

from The Pittsburgh Press, 1-26-1992


	Steelers coach Bill Cowher was born in 1957, the peak year of the baby
boom, the year that produced Donnie Osmond, Melanie Griffith, Michelle
Pfieffer, Geena Davis and Vanna White.  A good year for beautiful women, but
perhaps, but a year that has not yet produced many dynamic quality males.
	Can you picture Donnie Osmond stalking the sideline as head coach,
jumping in Bubby Brister's face about a poor decision, questioning Greg Lloyd
about a personal foul??  Isn't 34 too young to step into a world ruled by
experienced coaches such as Marv Levy, Joe Gibbs, Don Shula, Jack Pardee, Mike
Ditka, and Chuck Knox?
	When Cowher was born, Knox was head coach at Elwood City high school
and Pardee was a rookie with the Los Angeles Rams.  When Cowher was learning to
walk, Levy was head coach at New Mexico State University.  When cowher was 3,
Shula began coaching in the NFL.  When Cowher was in first grade, Ditka earned
his first NFL championship ring with the Bears, and Gibbs was designing
offensive schemes with passmaster Don Coryell at San Diego State.
	how can a young guy compete against men who were inventing and
ingesting football before he was born??  While Cowher was attending college
parties, Dan Reeves worked as an offensive coordinator in consecutive Super
Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys.
	"Cowher was a crazy guy," said jim Richter, an offensive lineman of the
Buffalo Bills and a college teammate of Cowher's who will be playing in Super
Bowl XXVI today.  "he was one of the fun guys to be with.  The people he hung
out with, they'd break down doors, stay up late.  He was the typical college
football player.  It is hard to picture him as being the coach over the players
and having to discipline them and that kind of stuff.  It's hard to see it."
	Cowher is the youngest head coach of the Steelers since John Michelson,
33, was hired in 1948.  (The Steelers had several coaches age 35 or younger in
the early days, including John "Blood" McNally).  Cowher's resume says he
played with the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles, and coached with the
Browns and the Kansas City Chiefs.  He has worked for 12 seasons in the NFL.
	People who know Cowher suggest his best assets cannot be revealed in a
resume.  They believe he has many qualities that can make him competitive with
any of the NFL's coaches, regardless of their experience.
	
Look into his eyes
------------------

	Passion.
	"I remember the first day I met Bill," said Lou James, a boyhood friend
and high school teammate of Cowher's.  "We were 8 or 9 years old and we got
into a fight in the alley behind his house.  I whipped him that day and then I
hid from him.  I can still see the look in his eyes.  It was scary.  he hates
to lose.  he gets so intense and you can see the intensity in his eyes.  They
say Mike Singletary has the most imposing eyes in football, but they can't be
any more imposing than Cowher's.
	Those eyes also made impressions in high school.  "You would look at
him in the huddle and he'd be so intense, so emotional, that there would
actually be tears in his eyes," said Bill Ellsworth, also a Carlynton High
School teammate.
	Cowher's college teammates at North carolina State saw more than tears. 
"We laughed when we said it, but we thought he was borderline insane when it
came to football," said Brad Holt, a college teammate who played at Beaver high
School.  "there was something about his eyes.  You could see the fire in them. 
If you looked into his eyes as he walked onto the football field, it was like
he was leaving the planet.  He was the most intense player I'd ever seen."
	The eyes, the passion, the intensity did not diminish when cowher began
his coaching career with the Cleveland browns.
	"We had a nickname for him in Cleveland," said former Browns safety,
Ray Ellis, who was a teammate of Cowher's with the Philadelphia Eagles.  "We
called him 'The Face'. Frank Minnifield named him.  It had to do with the
intensity we saw in his face.  During the game, you would look over at him and
he looked like a big, old, mean grizzly, stalking and prowling.
	
Labors of love
--------------

	Cowher's passion was fueled by preparation and knowledge.  He has only
been on the planet for 34 years, but he has been taking notes most of the time.
	"Even as a boy, Bill was a student of the game," said Ed Hamer, one of
Cowher's youth league coaches with the Little Cougars in Crafton.  "he was all
ears if you were talking about football.  He soaked up everything like a dry
sponge and he never forgot anything you told him."
	At Carlynton high school, Cowher often stayed after practice to watch
game films with defensive coordinator Bill Yost.  He went to yost during study
halls to watch films or talk about defensive schemes.  "he was always asking
questions.  He always wanted to know more about what we were doing adn why we
were doing it," said Yost.
	At North Carolina, he continued his film study.  "The offensive
linemen's meeting began an hour and a half before anybody else on the team, but
whenever we got there, we'd find Bill, sitting in the dark with the projector,
running game film back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, looking for
some little edge, some little insight that was going to help him during the
game," said Holt.
	"Bill couldn't rlax, couldn't think about anything else, until he was
sure he knew everything he needed to know for the next game," said Russ Matt,
Cowher's north carolina teammate and rommate from Jeannette.
	As a player and coach in the NFL, Cowher continued to rely heavily on
preparation.
	"Bill always paid tremendous attention to detail.  He worked very, very
hard at preparing himself mentally.  his determination to gain every edge
possible was extraordinary," said Frank Gansz, who was special teams coach with
the Eagles when Cowher played.
	Kaye Cowher, who met her husband in college and married him in 1983,
said Cowher's typical workday with the KC Chiefs ended at 10 pm Monday, 3 am
Tuesday, 1 am Wednesday, 11 pm Thursday, and 7 pm Friday.  Sundays, he would
sometimes look at the game films after the game.
	"he's the type of person who has to be sure he's done everything
possible," said Kaye Cowher.

Leader of the packs
-------------------

	Preparation and passion made Cowher a leader as a player.
	he was elected captain and most valuable player by his teammates in
college.  he was elected special teams captain after one season with the Browns
and voted special teams MVP after one season with the Eagles.
	"Bill was probably as well respected by his peers as any player I've
been around," said Marty Schottenheimer, head coach of the Chiefs.
	his influence was first felt on Hawthorne Street in Crafton. he talked
his friends into lifting weights with him.  He talked them into going to
football camp at IUP(Indiana University of Pennsylvania) with him.  cowher went
on to an NFL career and three of his buddies from the neighborhood--Lou James,
Jim James, and Tom Hennessey--went on to play for national championship teams
at Westminster College.
	"Bill was the leader from the beginning and everybody else followed,"
said Lou James.
	"On the field, Bill did every thing he could to make sure the rest of
us knew what we were doing.  he wanted everybody involved in every play, even
if he had to pick you up by the seat of your pants and throw you at the
quarterback," said Ellsworth.
	"He never said much when the coaches were around, but when we got on
the field, he did all the talking and everybody listened to him," said Jim
James.  "I remember we didn't have a goal-line defense, we'd never practiced
it, so he made one up in the huddle at Peters Township.  He just said, 'You get
down, You get Down, You get down.' he positioned all of us, and it worked."
	At North carolina State, Cowher was a three-year starter and twice led
the team in tackles.  The defense was driven by the inside linebackers: Cowher
and Kyle Wescoe.  they were called butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and
Starsky and Hutch.  They took turns calling plays and making plays, but Cowher
took control in the toughest times.
	"Bill always knew the right thing to say and the right time to say it,"
said Wescoe.  "When things were going good, he wouldn't say much.  But when
things got tough, he could motivate his fellow teammates very easily.  He was a
great motivational-type person."

The flip side
-------------

	Passionate.  Driven.  Possessed.  Intense.  Focused.  Those adjectives
are used again and again when friends and acquaintances begin talking about
Cowher.  The initial image is of a man consumed by the game.  But that isn't
accurate.
	Neighbors refer to him as gentle and kind and polite, a guy who could
sit on the front porch and talk about anything but football.  Teammates say he
was demanding and driven on the field, but considerate and relaxed away from
it.
	"He was a good-hearted person.   he would do anything for you.  he was
very easy-going.  he liked to get away from the game sometimes," said Matt.
	"We loved to shoot pool or go to places where the regular crowd
gathered," Wescoe said.  "We liked fitting in with people who weren't so
concerned with people."
	Kaye Cowher played on North Carolina State's nationally ranked women's
basketball team.  She was attracted to Cowher because he wasn't like many of
the other athletes she had met on campus.
	"I knew he was a big football player on campus, but he was different. 
He was sweet and gentle and very nice."
	Through the years, although the demands of football have intensified,
Cowher has maintained the separation between football and family.
	"You should see him with our little girls.  He's so gentle.  If he wins
a big game, or loses a big game, our girls would never know it from him.  When
he comes through the door, he doesn't bring football with him."
	The Cowhers have three daughters: Megan,5; Lauren, 4; Lindsay, 1.
	"Megan played soccer this year and Bill made it to a lot of her games. 
Every thought he would have to be down on the sidelines coaching, but he sat
and watched and smiled."
	The years and the family may have mellowed Cowher.  he's not the wild
man that Richter remembers from college.  He doesn't sprint down the sideline
as he did as a special teams coach with the Browns.  But he's still the same
person, with the same qualities, he was at Carlynton and North Carolina State
and Cleveland and Philadelphia.  his passion and his preparation and his
leadership ability are as potent as ever.
	"My belief is that things have to be thoroughly done," he said.  "I be
lieve the best chance you have for success is that every one have a true
understanding of what's expected of them.  If that means spending time at 2
a.m., we will do it....It is not just talent that can get you someplace.  If
you make a commitment, and you believe in it, you can obtain anything."
	The philosophy is the same.  And "The Face" is the same.
	"I watched him on the sideline during playoff games and he has calmed
down a little," said Holt.  "But did you see his eyes?  You can still see the
fire in them."




JaKe

If Furness is the DL coach, where does this leave Joe Greene?

    
     Yet another Bum to carry on the Losing tradition...  ;^)
    
    BG

    At least you pay up on wagers!!!!!
    
    JaKe
    

    
>>If Furness is the DL coach, where does this leave Joe Greene?
    
    Greene will be gone from the Steelers.  He will probably catch on
    somewhere else.  He has been the Steelers DL coach for the lasted five
    years.  
    
    On the radio here in Pgh, there are a  lot of people calling in and
    crying that Greene got porked in the whole matter.  Personally, I'm sad
    to see him go, BUT, the Steelers have given Cowher full say in who his
    assistants are, AND, he cain't be expected to keep Greene on for
    strictly sentimental reasons.
    
    Wicky Wacky Wyche has said that he may have a job for Greene in Tampa.
    
    I figure Mean Joe to land a head coaching job in 3-5 years, who knows,
    maybe in Pittsburgh, even.  He will have more experience than just
    having been a Defensive line coach. 
    
    I could possibly see Cowher hiring Greene as Defensive Coordinator,
    seeing as since Cowher himself was a DC, he will probably oversee the
    defense on the Steelers more than the offense.
    
    JaKe
    

      Mean Joe back in pitt in 3-5 years as head coach?  Given up on
    Cohwer already JaKe?
    
    	Tim

    BTW, Dennis Green is aking Tony Dungy if he wants the DC job in
    Minnesota ....

    I was under the impression that Dungy (sp?) had already accepted the
    position!!   
    
    No?
    
    
    Nelly

    
    >>  Mean Joe back in pitt in 3-5 years as head coach?  Given up on
    >>Cohwer already JaKe?
    
    Nah, just when he proves to be EXTREMELY sucessful NBC will offer him
    Beau Coup bucks to jump to the booth, leaving Greene his opening.
    
    Cowher BTW has a 4 year contract.
    
    JaKe
    

    The Steelers announced today that Bill Cowher has hired Dom Kapers as
    defensive coordinator.  Kapers was with New Orleans for the lasted 6
    years as secondary coach.
    
    
    JaKe
    
    

    make that "Capers", not Kapers.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Heard also that the Steelers are going to hire Marvin Lewis as their
    special teams coach.  Lewis has been outside linebackers coach at the
    University of Pittsburgh recently, and worked with Cowher when he
    coached at Pitt.
    
    JaKe
    

    
    I know the season is a long way off but there is a certain amount of
    eeriness concerning the teams future.  This team appeared to be
    somewhat talented but mired in an offensive system that was awkward and
    complicated which also lead to the defense spending long stints on the
    field which caused tiredness and giving up points.  To see a totally
    new staff without major experience(except O coor.) you have to wonder
    what types of D and O to look for next year and will it take time such
    as in a Dallas scenario(1-15) for the coaching to catch up.
    
    Roy L. Quinn
    

    Roy,

    bottom line is that the Steelers were a bad "team" in the true sense of
    the word.  They managed to finish second in the division, but not
    because of fantastic play; instead, Cleveland got real caught up in
    thinking they could make the playoffs and instead ended up behind the
    Steelers after the final week.  Steelers beat them, sure, but it was
    more a Browns fold than a Pittsburgh rejuvenation.

    What I'm saying here is that there is talent on this team that was not
    utilized to its potential, especially on offense.  And as good a coach
    as Noll was, he still couldn't bring it out.  The hope is that the new
    staff will tap the potential and create a team in the true sense of the
    word.

    I'm not filled with much optimism, unlike some other Brown-stained fan
    is every year.  I think the most telling point was made in a Gene
    Collier article that JaKe posted a few months back.  In it, it was
    stated that Chuck Noll became a 9-5 coach; in his glory years, Noll
    slept in his office during the football season.  If that's an
    ingredient to success (and I'm not sure it is) then everything you read
    about Kowher points to a winning season.

    If not, the team is no worse off than before.

    Houston will still win the AFC Central next year (barring Moon getting
    hurt).  Pittsburgh and Cleveland will be dogging it out for second
    place honors.  Cinci has made the biggest mistake of any coach-seeking
    franchise in the hiring of young Shula and will be in the cellar once
    again.

    	--dan'l

    As far as the team goes, here's how I see the talent:
    
    QB--Brister- not a great QB but he's also not absolutely horrible,
    		either.  Doubt his ability to win the "Big One" if he ever
    		was to get there.
    	O'Donnell--Jury still out.  Showed glimmers of being the Steelers
    		saviour lasted year, but also made some dumb mistakes. 
    		Bottom line on Neil is he lacks experience, but I think he 
    		will be a good QB once he gets more playing time under his
    		belt.
    
    Running Backs-With Worley and Foster, if both stay healthy(and keep
    		their noses clean, if'n ya know what I mean), the Steelers
    		have the potential to have a top-notch backfield.  Add to
    		this Merrill Hoge and (guy from Penn State whose name
    		escapes me at this moment) + Warren Williams and the
    		Steelers are not hurting at running back, which will be
    		important nest season because both Cowher and Erhardt have
    		said they want to implement a power running game, with some
    		passing.  The Steelers main focus will be the running game,
    		though.
    
    Offensive Line--Truly offensive.  The Steelers' offensive line lasted
    		year was pretty dismal.  Tunch Ilkin has lost a step(if he
    		had it in the first place) and may have only a year or two
    		to go, and those will probably see him playing sparingly at
    		best because of increased problems with nagging injuries.
    		Rest of the line is poor to lousy.  Tom Ricketts turns out
    		to be a bust.  Carlton Haselrig shows brilliance, then
    		looks like sh_t for awhile.  
    
    Tight Ends--Strongest part of team.  Eric Green, if he returns at 100%
    		after breaking his anklelasted year, will be one of the
    		best tight ends in the league.  Keith Cash and Adrian
    		Cooper filled in admirably.  Mike Mularkey will(or already
    		has) retire, and would like to sign on with the Steelers in
    		a coaching capacity.  We'll see on him.
    
    Recievers--Another weak spot.  Louis Lipps is on the downward side of
    		his career, and never has shown the brilliance he had
    		before the 2 years of hamstring problems.  Rookies Jeff
    		Graham and Ernie Mills were VERY UN-IMPRESSIVE in the 
    		games in which they played.  Graham looked like a waste of
    		money, failing on one play to stretch out and make a
    		"falling catch".  Mills seemed to have grease coated hands.
    		Dwight Stone has good to great speed, but suffers from
    		bouts of the dropsies.  The rest of the reciever corp is
    		average to slightly below average, AT BEST.
    
    Kicking game--Anderson made 22 of 32 field goals this year, which is
    		a bad year for him, but should rebound next year.  He's one
    		of the best there is.  Dan Stryzinski(sp??) is an adequate
    		punter who doesn't kick them long, but gets great hang time
    		resulting in very low return numbers.  His biggest problem
    		this year was dealing with the Steelers' abscence of a 
    		qualified long-snapper.
    
    Defensive line--Aaron Jones will get one more year, AT THE MOST.  Jones
    		was forced to play in the 3-4, where his talents are NOT SUITED
    	        He may play in a 4-3 alignment this year, whic, with his
    		speed and HOPEFULLY increased maturity, he is more suited for.
    		Keith Willis is getting old and slowing down.  May have one
    		or 2 more years, tops.  Gerald Williams played good this
    		past year and will probably start again next year.  The
    		rest of the Steelers "D" line , Donald Evans, Craig Veasey,
    		etc. needs work.
    
    Linebackers--Greg Lloyd and Jerrol Williams were good at putting
    		pressure on the QB's, although Lloyd tends to flap his
    		jaws too much and also gets too damned close to drawing the
    		personal foul calls.  Bryan Hinkle needs a cane and walker
    		if he wants to continue playing.  He had a good year but
    		has slowed odwn considerably and gets beat on pass routes
    		more and more each successive season.  David Little doesn't
    		seem to play with the intensity he used to.  Hardy
    		Nickerson, if he remains healthy, is solid.
    
    Secondary--Woodson continues to be one of the best in the game.  Thomas
    		Everett got beat time and time again lasted year.  Richard
    		Shelton showed TONS of promise with his spot playing.  His
    		3 int's of Kosar, plus the "nestea plunge" were nothing
    		short of great.  David Johnson also showed signs of slowing
    		by continually getting beat.  Larry Griffin is average.
                                                                
    One plus for the team next season will be N_ M_RE J_E WALT_N.  I have
    no idea who will be at QB, but Brister wants a long term contract at
    ~$2 million per.  Lot of money for a guy who still cain't control
    HIMSELF on the field, let alone the rest of the offense.  
    
    The Steelers need to get offensive lineman who cain give whoever is QB
    3-4 seconds to throw. Plus, the running game will go nowhere without
    bolstering the O line.  The "D" line could use some help as the
    opposing QB's felt very little pressure last season.  
    
    Oh well, it's a long wait til July.
    
    JaKe
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    	
    
    
    may
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    Steelers Plan "B" Unprotected List
    
    Warren Williams     RB
    Chris Calloway	WR
    David Little	LB
    Keith Willis	DE
    Delton Hall		CB
    Dan Stryzinski	P
    Keith Cash		TE
    Bryan Hinkle	LB
    Terry Long		G
    Dean Caliguire	G
    Dean Dingman	G
    Larry Griffin	S
    Kevin Smith		S
    Rob McGovern	LB
    Jeff Brady		LB
    Sean Vincent	CB
    Rick Strom		QB
    Mike Mularkey	TE
    Brian Blankenship	G
    
    
    
    JaKe
    

    
    	All a bunch of No-names.

    Hal,
    
    You've got your head buried so deep in the Browns that it's not
    surprising that you've heard of none of the Steelers listed!!!
    
    
    To anyone with knowledge of players NOT on the Browns....what's
    happened to Delton Hall?  A coupl'a years ago he was expected to do
    great things....was he injured this past year?  I'd think that someone
    would take a chance with him via Plan B!!
    
    
    Nelly

    
>    To anyone with knowledge of players NOT on the Browns....what's
>    happened to Delton Hall?  A coupl'a years ago he was expected to do
>    great things....was he injured this past year?  I'd think that someone
>    would take a chance with him via Plan B!!
    
    Hall has lived up to his billing.  He is a headhunter.  But that's
    about it.  No sense in having a tough hitter in the secondary if the
    receiver is five yards past him downfield.
    
    Any idea how the Steelers came up with this list?  Afterall, the new
    coaching staff really doesn't know these guys.
    
    BTW, expect Jeff Brady, if not signed by the Steelers, to be a major
    player on someone else's team.  Steelers Digest did an article on him
    mid-season titled "Good Enough To Start."  Actually, I'm surprised
    Olsavsky didn't lose his job to Brady by game 8.
    
    	--dan'l

    Joe Greene is now going to be Defensive Line coach of the Dolphins.
    
    John

    re -1
    
    
    I like it!!
    
    FWIW
    
    jeff

    Looks like Tim Worley is at it again.
    
    Read in the paper today where he has missed 2 mandatory drug tests in
    the  lasted month.  He faces a possible 1 year suspension now for
    missing these tests.
    
    All that talent and no brains to go with it.
    
    Wonder if he's related to Barry Bonds????
    
    JaKe
    
    

    
    Worley has a load of talent.  Involvement with drugs is one possible
    explanation why he hasn't reached the level of play that was expected
    of him when he was drafted.

    
    The Steelers signed Plan B free agent Duval Love, formerly of the LA
    Rams to a 3 year $1.8 million contract.
    
    Love is an offensive guard, something the Steelers are in dire need of.
    
    JaKe
    
    

    The steelers seem to make very few moves with plan B free agency.  I
    would have suspected that there would have been a few free agent moves
    on the ol.  Duval Love will certainly help.  The released Terry Long
    though or to be correct didn't invite him back.
    
    Roy L. 

    Overall, the Steelers have signed 5 plan "B" free agents, and they're
    working at the lasted minute trying to sign QB Chuck Long.
    
    I know they've signed Duvall Love, plus the punter from Tampa Bay whose
    place Dan Stryzinski took, plus some Stan someoneorother from the
    Patriots, but I don't have all of the names available right now.
    
    JaKe
    
    

    Punter Mark Royals
    
    OL Stan Clayton
    
    
    HTH,
    
    Nelly

    Jake,
    
    Any word on what the steeler brain trust think they need and are
    thinking about in Sunday's Draft???
    
    Roy L.

    Here's what I've picked up from the latest issue of Steeler's Digest.  
    
    In an article titled "Cowher answers fans' questions" this Q&A:
    
    Q. Will offensive line be the most important need to fill in the
    upcoming draft?
    
    A. I don't believe so.  I've looked at our offensive line, and we've
    aquired some players through Plan B, and based on that, along wiht some
    of the players we've been able to keep -- Dean Dingman, Dean Caliguire,
    Ariel Solomon, Tom Ricketts, Justin Strzelcsyk -- I think we've got
    some young players we can develop.  � I certainly would not pass up an
    offensive lineman if a good one was there.  But I don't think offensive
    line is an area we need to go out right now and look to revamp.  I
    think our offensive line will lend itself to helping the players we
    have, and our style of football will help offensive linemen in general.
    
    Q. Long-snapping was a problem for the team in 1991.  Will you sign a
    long-snapper, or will  you make do with the personnel already here?
    
    A. We will find a long-snapper somewhere, somehow.  It's somethign we
    tried to address in Plan B, but it's something we are conscius of, and
    we will aquire a guy who can long-snap.
    
    Steelers Digest, in another article, thinks the Steelers will address
    the following areas in the draft:
    
    	- defensive line
    	- secondary
    	- halfback
    	- offensive line
    
    Hal tried hard. (tm)
    
    	--dan'l

    Sheesh people talking about steeenkin football this time of year. This
    is baseball time and NBA and NHL playoff time. Football is meant for
    that short time of year when not much else is happenin' Otherwise it
    doesn't serve much purpose.
    
    The Crazy Met
    

    
    >>Sheesh people talking about steeenkin football this time of year. This
    >>is baseball time and NBA and NHL playoff time. Football is meant for
    
    What's an NBA???  Does is stand fer "Nothin' But A__holes"????
    
    What's a backsketball????
    
    
    Inquiring mindless and all that
    
    JaKe
    

    Jake,
    
    I suggest you stick to answering questions in the ASK Jake note :-)
    
    The Crazy Met
    

    Actually from mid june to august there usally no real sports on
    TV....  I very much enjoy going to see the Sox's play but I just
    cant watch baseball on TV.  IF they changed it so each batter got
    1 pitch then Id watch but when the same guy gets 7,8 or 9 pitches
    3, balls 2, strikes, 3 or 4 fould tips its just too much.....
    
    Id rather watch Golf or Tennis... and thats pretty bad.
    
    The draft is this sunday, I hope Indy doesnt screw up again.
    
    							come on pats :-)

       Football is the only REAL sport. The others are just time fillers. 
                                   Denny

    He's just mad because the last team associated with Pittsburgh was the
    Pittsburgh Pisces... (The team from "The fish that saved Pittsburgh...)

>    He's just mad because the last team associated with Pittsburgh was the
>    Pittsburgh Pisces... (The team from "The fish that saved Pittsburgh...)
    
    Hey, come on now.  Robert Morris put up a most memorable
    down-to-the-wire battle with UCLA in the tournament...NOT!
    
    	--dan'l
    

    After I posted a note yesterday about who the steelers might be looking
    at in the draft, I got most discouraging news.  Tom Donahoe Steeler
    personnel director says the Steelers would take David Klingler if he is
    still available when they pick.  He seems to think that Klingler is a
    franchise quarterback yeeesh!!!!
    
    Roy L.

    Klinger has 4.7 speed, a 32" vertical leap (yeah, I know, dunking
    doesn't get you much in the NFL), and most importantly - an arm like a
    cannon (I've seen him fire *flat* passes into the seams 40 yards
    downfield with ease) ... the tools are there. But I don't know if the
    coaching is (if he winds up in Pgh) ...

    He also slings the ball sideways like Bernice and is likely to blast
    that cannon into lineman helments in the NFL.  I'm not saying he can't
    be successful as by nfl standards Kosac has is rated high but I hate to
    see him play.
    
    Roy L.

    I seem to remember a few years ago a young Dan Marino having
    spectacular years at Pitt, being talked up as the '82 Heisman front
    runner, Jackie Sherrill leaving, Foge Fazio turning a great team into
    nothing in no time, Marino having a poor senior season, 26 NFL teams
    passing on him in the first round before Miami picked him, and Marino
    becoming one of the best QB's in NFL history.
    
    First part of that sounds very similar to the story of one David
    Klingler.
    
    	--dan'l

    dan'l, you forgot the part about Marino's bum knee.  Klinger doesn't
    have an injury excuse.

    No Mac, but Klinger played behind a pathetic offensive line, and I
    don't care how good you are, I've yet to see a QB look goof throwing
    from a prone position (I know - right Walt ? :-) ...
    
    Doc

       ...but dan'l the Pats took Tony Eason and we all know he was 10x better
    than Marino!
                                 Denny 8^)

    Small nit - it's Klingler, not Klinger.
    
    John Hendry (who's sick of always having the "D" dropped from his last
    name and being confused with a steel drivin' man, a horse and/or a
    fashion designer)

    --dan'l
    
    I think Marino was gone from Pitt when Foge Fazio took over for his
    short-lived stint as coach.
    
    Marino's problems at Pitt in his senior year were due, in part, to a
    penchant for nose candy.  This info I got first hand from someone I
    knew who was at Pitt during the same time period and hung in the same
    crowd as Danny boy.
    
    JaKe
    

    Foge Fazio became head coach at Pitt in 1982.  The reason I remember
    about Sherrill being at Texas A&M is that the opening day of the 1982
    season lives in infamy for all of us anti-Eagles.  That day, the first
    game of St Douglas of the Heights' sophomore season, Boston College
    went down to Texas A&M and blasted the Aggies in Sherrill's debut as
    head man in Aggieland.  It began 3 years of infamy for those of us who
    barf at the sight of maroon and gold.
    
    In any event, Foge was Pitt head coach for Marino's senior year at
    Pitt.
    
    Ninj 

    
    > Marino's problems at Pitt in his senior year were due, in part, to a
    > penchant for nose candy.  This info I got first hand from someone I
    > knew who was at Pitt during the same time period and hung in the same
    > crowd as Danny boy.
    
    I was at CMU during this time and if this wasn't the truth then it was 
    only what 99% of the college scene believed to be the truth.  Danny
    Boy used to come up to the Beta house to party a bit... 
    
    glenn
    

    JaKe, it may have been Marino and an affection for cocaine, but it was
    more Fazio than anything.  After that season ended, players openly
    stated how the team had lost drive and motivation continually
    throughout the season.  I remember reading one receiver's quote that
    stated by the fifth game, if a ball was thrown high he wouldn't jump
    for it for more fear of being hit than being yelled at by Fazio.
    
    Under Sherrill these kids played with emotion and put their talent on
    the line.  Fazio took one of the best teams in the country back in '82
    and destroyed it.  Marino, bum knee and rumored drug problems or not,
    could do nothing to keep the ship from sinking because the captain 
    didn't know how to sail.
    
    	--dan'l

    I stand corrected.
    
    JaKe
    

    Not as exciting as Chuck Noll's first draft, but it looks like the
    Cowher administration got some guys for the long haul:
    
    	1. Leon Searcy, ot, Miami
    	2. Levon Kirkland, lb, Clemson
    	3. Joel Steed, dt, Colorado
    	4. Charles Davenport, wr, NC State
    	5. Alan Haller, db, Michigan State
    
    All needs were addressed in proper order it seems.  Probably pick up
    more linemen and a running back today.
    
    Any info on these five is appreciated.
    
    	--dan'l

    
    	Yea, to draft is one thing...to sign 'em is another!  
    
    
    	Let the 'games' begin!
    
    
    							bill..g.