March 14, 2015
Podcast: Penguins, Steelers on TSN 1290 Winnipeg 1
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
Here’s the podcast of my check-in with friends Andrew Paterson and Gary Lawless at Winnipeg’s TSN 1290 Radio to talk Penguins and Steelers.
Pittsburgh Steelers
March 13, 2015
Column: Roethlisberger deal all about ‘family’ 71
Omar Khan, Dan Rooney, Mike Tomlin, Kevin Colbert and the Roethlisberger family. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
He’s the face of the franchise, and the franchise itself is our city’s face to the rest of the world, so it’s easy to imagine that Ben Roethlisberger was anything but alone Friday when he beamed, “It’s kind of hard to contain my smile when I’m excited to be at a place like this, to be home, and to be able to be here for my whole career.”
It’s home, all right. And family. In every way.
If that ever came into question — or even just reckless rumor-mongering — then let this singular scene at the Steelers’ headquarters on the South Side dispel it once and for all.
There, as the headliners, were Roethlisberger and Art Rooney II taking turns at the press-room podium to announce the five-year extension — $99 million guaranteed, another $9 available in escalator clauses — that the team and the quarterback had achieved earlier in the afternoon. Those two haven’t always seen eye to eye. It was Rooney who ran off Bruce Arians, Roethlisberger’s beloved coordinator and good friend. It was Rooney who insisted Roethlisberger rein in his Ben-being-Ben ways and become more of a pocket passer. And yeah, it was Roethlisberger who resisted every which way but walking out, from pouting about the new playbook to sarcastically panning Todd Haley.
Families will spat. Families will reconcile.
March 13, 2015
Podcast: Steelers, Penguins on 970 ESPN w/ Todd 1
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
Here’s the podcast of my weekly rapid-fire segment on 970 ESPN Pittsburgh with David Todd, this live from Steelers HQ on the South Side. We also talked pucks.
March 13, 2015
News/views: Roethlisberger signs extension 32
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
News: The Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger have agreed to a five-year contract extension.
Views: Much more to come, obviously. The team and quarterback will hold a press conference at 5 p.m. on the South Side, which you can watch online. I’ll cover that and have a column afterward.
One quick comment: Nothing this summer will matter more for this football team.
UPDATE 4:32 p.m.: The Steelers also have signed running back DeAngelo Williams, formerly of Carolina, to form a tandem with Le’Veon Bell. He was in the offices today for a visit and agreed to terms shortly thereafter. Williams, for what it’s worth, was the back I’d most hoped they’d get. Similar style to Bell, allows for better playbook continuity.
March 11, 2015
Podcast: All Steelers on 105.9 the X w/ Madden 1
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
Here’s the podcast of my weekly visit to the 105.9 the X studio with Mark Madden. All Steelers today. Our segment is at the 30-minute mark of this file.
March 11, 2015
News/views: McCain departs for Dolphins 80
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
News: Brice McCain just signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with the Dolphins.
Views: The Steelers’ chasm at corner grows deeper. They’ve got Willie Gay and Antwon Blake, both presumably starters at least when looking at the depth chart now, then the remains of Cortez Allen and … oh, my. Much, much work remains to be done at this position, to be kind. And that includes making it the absolute top priority in free agency.
I’m not one to go overboard in reacting to the earliest stages of free agency, but this just can’t be one of those offseasons where Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin wait and wait and wait and pick through the leftovers. Real needs exist at corner and outside linebacker, and the good ones won’t last forever.
March 11, 2015
Column: A decision that’s truly Worilds apart 88
Jason Worilds announced his retirement through his agent early Wednesday morning. — GETTY
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
“I don’t know. What do you think will happen?”
It was nearing midnight at Heinz Field on the fourth of January, and most of the Steelers were still peeling off the sweat and the sting of getting steamrolled out of the playoffs by the rival Ravens. Big men were brought to their knees. Steve McLendon wept. Willie Gay stared silently at the floor. James Harrison, Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor buttoned each button ever so slowly, visibly aware each might be the last.
And Jason Worilds, as ever, worried.
As the media crowded around the fading elders, I took a detour to the stall marked No. 93, where its occupant sat on a stool and gazed at the equipment he’d removed much later than most. And I asked the man, given that he was about to become a free agent, what he thought management might do.
He gave the above answer, which bears repeating because it speaks so much about him.
“I don’t know. What do you think will happen?”
March 11, 2015
News/views: Worilds retires at 27 … for real 26
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
News: Jason Worilds intends to retire from football, according to his agent, Jason Bernstein.
Views: Wow. That’s actually real.
Here’s the full statement put onto Twitter by Bernstein, as attributed to Worilds: “I appreciate all of the interest from the organizations that have reached out to us the past few days. With that being said, after much thought and consideration, I have chosen to step away from football as I have opted to pursue other interests. I am especially grateful of the opportunity to play before some of the greatest fans in football today. Despite any concern and speculation that may ensue, I appreciate those that are respectful of my decision.”
Obviously, I’ll be up for as long as it takes to get you a full column on this.
March 10, 2015
News/views: Ravens lose Ngata, Smith 70
Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs celebrate a sack at Heinz Field last November. — GETTY
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
News: The Ravens just traded Haloti Ngata to the Lions for … oh, hey, what’s the difference? He’s out of the AFC North, right?
Views: And with that move and another trade of starting QBs — Sam Bradford for Nick Foles — the NFL’s free agency season formally opens with multiple bangs.
We’ll track it right here all night, especially as it relates to the Steelers, who already are among the big winners on the day just for watching the nemesis Ngata shipped out of the division.
To this point, there have been nothing more than rumblings about Jason Worilds and Brice McCain, the principal figures in this scene from the local standpoint. Worilds has been been linked to several teams, McCain most prominently to the Vikings. But as we see on a nearly hourly basis on a day like this, one domino moves all the others.
March 10, 2015
Tuesday 12 Qs: Sid, Beard, Derrick, Lambo, Jamie 136
Sidney Crosby puts the body into the Sharks’ Melker Karlsson late Monday night in San Jose. — GETTY
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
Welcome to Tuesday 12 Qs, our chat that takes place each week at 9 a.m. and offers you a chance to carry the conversation. Use the comments below to submit an entry. No more than one per person, please. Submit early if you prefer, and I’ll pick from that batch to get rolling.
UPDATE 9 a.m.: And away we go …
cbattin: Hey, Dejan, it seems like zone entry is a major reason why the Pens falter on so many power plays. They constantly get caught up in the neutral zone, and it wastes valuable time. Is this because they don’t have a legitimate power play quarterback or is their power play philosophy all wrong? And has zone entry been emphasized at all in practice?
DK: Actually, it’s funny that you say that, because zone entry has been a really big emphasis through practices over the past month and — at the risk of respectfully disagreeing with you — I think they’ve gotten a lot better in that area.
But the power play as a whole?
Wow, what an abomination it’s becoming.
