LATROBE, Pa. — “This team, as far as energy and all the young guys, it feels like ’04-’05.”
That was Ike Taylor, among the handful of veterans who held court with the media on the Steelers’ reporting day at Saint Vincent College on Friday afternoon. And for better or worse, he was making that statement from experience.
I’m not sure if Ike is right. He can’t be sure, either. But I know that his statement seemed to sum up the sentiment of a whole lot of folks up here in the rolling green hills of Westmoreland County. The talk is of speed. Of energy. Of fun.
It’s of youth. Even from the guys, like Ike, 34, who long ago lost that description.
This was Lance Moore, 31, on his fellow receivers, most of them children by comparison: “I’ve been in the NFL nine years now and seen a lot of wide receivers, and I’m telling you, this group is going to surprise people.”
This was Ryan Shazier, the most prized rookie: “Pressure? I wouldn’t say there’s pressure. We’re just here to do our jobs and play football. That’s fun.”
Call me a sap, but I liked all of that. It’s Day 1. There should be optimism. There should be enthusiasm. There shouldn’t be any lingering angst over 8-8. It’s a beautiful summer’s day, with just enough of a cool breeze to remind of football weather, and the ball’s about to be kicked into the air.
In lieu of a full column, I’m going to punt here and share a handful of specific questions and answers with players in short-video form. I hope it gives you more of a personal feel to the day, even if the topics are random:
Hard to top a pacifier and Mama’s milk as a transition, but I’m heading back out on the field right now to take in the famous run tests. We’re not allowed to report on these, much less take pics or video, only to relay what Mike Tomlin says. That’s the Jamain Stephens Rule, if you will.
I’ll be back to tell you absolutely nothing in short order.
UPDATE 4:51 p.m.: OK, a few final thoughts here after the run tests that no one is permitted to describe: Ramon Foster has been excused by the Steelers for the weekend for a death in the family. He’s fine, but think a kind thought for him. Good, good man suffered a terrible loss. … I’m not at all wild about Art Rooney II’s declaration that Ben Roethlisberger won’t be signed this offseason. I’ve made the case in the past for all the potential benefits of signing Ben now, and I’ll stand by those. But I’ll also wait for a chance to take Ben’s temperature on this before gauging how much, if it all, it might affect him. He was not available for interviews today. … Mike Mitchell went on PUP for a groin injury, and you could tell that didn’t have Tomlin tickled. Mitchell probably will miss no more than a week, but every day here alongside Troy Polamalu is precious. Especially since Polamalu didn’t participate in the offseason workouts. … One guy who just might turn heads at this camp is Loni Fangupo. I’m serious. Just wait. … It’s amazing to me how little certainty there seems to be about the defensive line, even now. Still waiting for a nose tackle to be named. … Tomlin downplayed yet another mention of all the speed on defense: “Speed is speed. Too much has been said about it already. Football is football. This isn’t a track meet.” Wonder if Tomlin felt that way when Adrian Peterson ran across the English Channel against his slow defense in London last season? Or Terelle Pryor over the Bay Bridge? … Everyone finished the run test. No one died. Can I say at least that much? … It’ll be fascinating tonight to see if the WTAE-TV chopper that flew in circles over Saint Vincent during the run test will be so bold as to air the footage. Doesn’t seem like a good idea to me. … Training camp more formally opens tomorrow, and I’ll be back here for a full, standard column off that.
July 25, 2014
News/views: Steelers’ reporting day
by Dejan Kovacevic • Columns • Steelers
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
LATROBE, Pa. — “This team, as far as energy and all the young guys, it feels like ’04-’05.”
That was Ike Taylor, among the handful of veterans who held court with the media on the Steelers’ reporting day at Saint Vincent College on Friday afternoon. And for better or worse, he was making that statement from experience.
I’m not sure if Ike is right. He can’t be sure, either. But I know that his statement seemed to sum up the sentiment of a whole lot of folks up here in the rolling green hills of Westmoreland County. The talk is of speed. Of energy. Of fun.
It’s of youth. Even from the guys, like Ike, 34, who long ago lost that description.
This was Lance Moore, 31, on his fellow receivers, most of them children by comparison: “I’ve been in the NFL nine years now and seen a lot of wide receivers, and I’m telling you, this group is going to surprise people.”
This was Ryan Shazier, the most prized rookie: “Pressure? I wouldn’t say there’s pressure. We’re just here to do our jobs and play football. That’s fun.”
Call me a sap, but I liked all of that. It’s Day 1. There should be optimism. There should be enthusiasm. There shouldn’t be any lingering angst over 8-8. It’s a beautiful summer’s day, with just enough of a cool breeze to remind of football weather, and the ball’s about to be kicked into the air.
In lieu of a full column, I’m going to punt here and share a handful of specific questions and answers with players in short-video form. I hope it gives you more of a personal feel to the day, even if the topics are random:
Hard to top a pacifier and Mama’s milk as a transition, but I’m heading back out on the field right now to take in the famous run tests. We’re not allowed to report on these, much less take pics or video, only to relay what Mike Tomlin says. That’s the Jamain Stephens Rule, if you will.
I’ll be back to tell you absolutely nothing in short order.
UPDATE 4:51 p.m.: OK, a few final thoughts here after the run tests that no one is permitted to describe: Ramon Foster has been excused by the Steelers for the weekend for a death in the family. He’s fine, but think a kind thought for him. Good, good man suffered a terrible loss. … I’m not at all wild about Art Rooney II’s declaration that Ben Roethlisberger won’t be signed this offseason. I’ve made the case in the past for all the potential benefits of signing Ben now, and I’ll stand by those. But I’ll also wait for a chance to take Ben’s temperature on this before gauging how much, if it all, it might affect him. He was not available for interviews today. … Mike Mitchell went on PUP for a groin injury, and you could tell that didn’t have Tomlin tickled. Mitchell probably will miss no more than a week, but every day here alongside Troy Polamalu is precious. Especially since Polamalu didn’t participate in the offseason workouts. … One guy who just might turn heads at this camp is Loni Fangupo. I’m serious. Just wait. … It’s amazing to me how little certainty there seems to be about the defensive line, even now. Still waiting for a nose tackle to be named. … Tomlin downplayed yet another mention of all the speed on defense: “Speed is speed. Too much has been said about it already. Football is football. This isn’t a track meet.” Wonder if Tomlin felt that way when Adrian Peterson ran across the English Channel against his slow defense in London last season? Or Terelle Pryor over the Bay Bridge? … Everyone finished the run test. No one died. Can I say at least that much? … It’ll be fascinating tonight to see if the WTAE-TV chopper that flew in circles over Saint Vincent during the run test will be so bold as to air the footage. Doesn’t seem like a good idea to me. … Training camp more formally opens tomorrow, and I’ll be back here for a full, standard column off that.
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