Pittsburgh Steelers (official thread)

[BuckNutty]

Wilson likes depth at position

Wilson
Chaz Palla/TRIBUNE-REVIEW

By Joe Bendel
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, May 21, 2006

A supremely confident Cedrick Wilson insisted the other day that he is not concerned with the Steelers' decision to draft speedy wideouts Santonio Holmes and Willie Reid in the first and third rounds, respectively, of the NFL draft.
The way the veteran pass-catcher sees it, the new blood on the roster is only going to make the team better.

And, it will force the receiving corps to play at an extremely high level.

"Competition is great," Wilson said. "Because the thing with competition is, it brings out the best in you -- or, it should, anyway. It's either going to bring out your best or you'll be destroyed. By competing, that's how you win games and how you win Super Bowls. So, it's great that Santonio and Willie are here. They're great guys, good kids willing to come in here and learn."

Wilson is penciled in as the heir apparent at split end to Antwaan Randle El, who left for the Washington Redskins via free agency this offseason. Some might have questioned Wilson's credentials as a Steelers starter based on his 2005 regular-season statistics -- 26 receptions for 451 yards (17.3 per catch) and no touchdowns -- but he came to life in the playoffs and quashed any concerns about his abilities.

In four postseason games, he had nine catches for 216 yards (24.0) with two touchdowns. Against the Denver Broncos in the AFC title game, Wilson had five receptions for 92 yards and a score.

"Ced's a great player; we always knew that," wideout Hines Ward said. "He's another playmaker on this team."

Wilson might even get a chance to be a playmaker with his throwing arm next season, like Randle El was throughout his Steelers career. Wilson was a nationally recognized quarterback as a prep star in Memphis and originally signed at Tennessee to play quarterback (and be the successor to Peyton Manning) before moving to wideout.

"I want to help us win games any way I can," Wilson said. "I want us to win another Super Bowl."

Wilson, 27 and a six-year veteran, is philosophical heading into 2006 training camp, where Holmes, Reid, ever-improving second-year man Nate Washington and Quincy Morgan will be battling for playing time. He understands that those players could reduce his opportunities to make plays, but he sees that as a healthy situation -- not a negative one.

"You have to be secure with yourself," Wilson said. "You have to be confident that you're giving all you have, and, at the end of the day, whatever decision the coaches make, or the organization makes, whatever direction they have to go, you can't point the finger at yourself and say, 'Oh, I (stink).' You have to know that you don't (stink)."

Wilson said he often repeats three important words to himself.

"Catch the ball," Wilson said. "That's all I worry about. If I catch the ball, it doesn't matter what my statistics are. When the ball is thrown to me and my team is counting on me to make the play, I need to make those plays."

Wilson felt he wasn't making enough of them in the 2005 regular season, and was not shy about making it known publicly. He wondered out loud if Pittsburgh was the right place for him and if he fit into the offense.

The former San Francisco 49ers wideout voiced his concerns after going through a two-game stretch in Weeks 6-7 during which he had no catches. In a span of five games from Weeks 4-7, he managed a total of three receptions.

"It wasn't even a case in which I thought I wasn't performing at a high level; it was a case of circumstance," Wilson said. "We got into certain game plans of how to beat other teams, and that's how we played. But it's tough to sit back and say, 'Wow, I'm in my prime and I only have 26 catches.' And at the same time, if you don't get frustrated, you shouldn't be here. I don't know one receiver in the league who doesn't want the football."

As he continues to participate in voluntary workouts with the Steelers, Wilson said he is taking nothing for granted. He knows the NFL is a business, and that if he doesn't meet expectations, he could lose his job as a starter.

That's why he stayed around Pittsburgh for much of the offseason, and it's why he'll continue to do so when the voluntary sessions conclude June 8.

"I can't live off of what I did in the playoffs," Wilson said. "I was fortunate to get some huge opportunities and to make plays -- and hopefully, it gave the coaches and Ben (Roethlisberger) confidence in me, knowing I can perform on a big stage. But you have to continue doing it. Last year was last year. Nobody cares what you did last year if you can't do it again, or make yourself better. I know what's expected of me -- and what I expect from myself -- and I'm going to work to keep getting better every time I step on that field."

Joe Bendel can be reached at [email protected] or (412) 320-7811.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_454813.html

 

[BuckNutty]

Steelers' roster still holds potential

By Mike Prisuta
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, May 21, 2006


They won the Super Bowl a season ago, and, in many respects, you just can't do any better than that.
The Steelers will attempt to, anyway.

First on the agenda will be filling the holes created by unrestricted free agency and retirement. If the Steelers can get from running backs Duce Staley and Verron Haynes what they got from Jerome Bettis in support of Willie Parker a season ago, they'll be satisfied. The same goes for Brett Keisel taking over for Kimo von Oelhoffen at defensive end, for Ryan Clark replacing Chris Hope at free safety and for high-profile draft choices Santonio Holmes and Willie Reid stepping in for Antwaan Randle El on punt returns.

Fresh from minicamp and a week into the offseason coaching sessions, there's reason to suspect the Steelers have that coming.

There's also reason to believe the Steelers have within their ranks players who are capable of producing even more than they did on the way to winning Super Bowl XL.

That group includes:

• Wide receiver Cedrick Wilson: He gets first crack at replacing Randle El as a starting wide receiver. Should Wilson perform as he did in the playoffs a season ago, bettering Randle El's 35 catches for 558 yards and one touchdown reception in the 2005 regular season will be well within Wilson's grasp.

Of course, with Wilson starting, the 26 catches and 451 yards he produced as the No. 3 receiver a year ago will have to be gleaned elsewhere. Nate Washington, Quincy Morgan, Holmes and/or Reid ought to be capable of at least that much. And if one of them scores a regular-season touchdown, they'll go one better than Wilson as a No. 3.

• Right guard Kendall Simmons: His 2005 season was a personal triumph after seasons sabotaged by diabetes (2003) or a knee injury (2004). But while he was able to start all 16 regular-season games, Simmons wasn't as dominating or as consistent as the Steelers envisioned when making him the 30th overall selection of the 2003 draft. That was understandable given all he'd endured the two previous seasons. But so are the higher expectations confronting Simmons in 2006.

• Left cornerback Ike Taylor: As dominating as he was in the playoffs, Taylor dropped, in his own estimation, at least 10 interceptions in a one-pick regular season. The Steelers would be wise to extend his contract prior to a 2006 campaign that Taylor intends to use to make interception amends and become the complete, shut-down corner he's on the verge of becoming.

• Punter Chris Gardocki: A mid-season lull in terms of Gardocki's hang time and accuracy had the Steelers wondering if he was washed up. A furious finish has the Steelers convinced Gardocki can still get it done with the best of them at 36, provided he's a little more consistent.


Mike Prisuta is a columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_454803.html

 

[BoxCar_Willie]

Anyone else see that the Steelers signed Dwight Stone over the weekend after he announced he was coming out of retirement?

 

[Jaxbuck]

Anyone else see that the Steelers signed Dwight Stone over the weekend after he announced he was coming out of retirement?

Unless he's had a hands transplant I don't see why anyone would sign him.

 

[Ohio Steeler]

Unless he's had a hands transplant I don't see why anyone would sign him.

LOL and I dont think that will happen

 

[BuckNutty]

Steelers Sign One of Two Fourth-Round Draft Picks
Monday, May 22, 2006

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers announced the signing of rookie offensive tackle Willie Colon to a three-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Colon (6-3, 315) was selected by the Steelers out of Hofstra in the fourth round (131st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft. He is the first of nine Steelers 2006 draft picks to sign with the team.

Colon was named first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation this past year for Division I-AA. He was also a first-team All-Atlantic 10 selection as a senior as well as being recognized as a third-team All-American by Don Hansen's Football Gazette.

A starter in every game the past three years, Colon was the Steelers first of two fourth-round selections in this year's NFL Draft. Defensive end Orien Harris was the Steelers second fourth-round pick (133rd overall).

http://media3.steelers.com/article/64443/

 

[Ohio Steeler]

not who I wanted to get signed right away but I am glad we did get one signed...

 

[Ohio Steeler]

Porter a no-show for voluntary workouts
Tuesday, May 23, 2006

By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Joey Porter missed the first week of the Steelers' voluntary workouts, and now the question is whether he will participate in any of them.

Porter, a Pro Bowl linebacker, attended the team's mandatory three-day minicamp May 13-15 but was the only veteran absent from all four of their follow-up voluntary sessions last week at their UPMC training facility on the South Side.

Those sessions, among 14 scheduled through June 8, resume today.

His agent, Jeff Sperbeck, declined to comment yesterday on whether Porter will return to Pittsburgh to work out with his teammates or if he planned to show up for the start of training camp July 28. Porter lives in Bakersfield, Calif.

"The Steelers are aware of Joey's situation," Sperbeck said from his office in Walnut Creek, Calif.

Porter, 29, has two years left on a contract he signed in February 2004. He is scheduled to earn a salary of $3.85 million this year, and earn $5 million in 2007, which includes a $1 million roster bonus.

Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett said coach Bill Cowher was aware that Porter would miss last week's sessions and emphasized that the workouts are "voluntary." However, virtually every player has participated in those drills the past several years, a trend throughout the NFL. Last year, halfback Duce Staley attended minicamp but missed some of the spring workouts to be with his ailing father in South Carolina.

Receiver Plaxico Burress skipped minicamp and the rest of the spring workouts two years ago as he entered the final year of his contract with the Steelers. He reported to training camp on time. He then signed with the New York Giants last year as a free agent. Receiver Hines Ward, entering his final contract season a year ago, attended all of the club's spring workouts last year and then held out the first two weeks of training camp, but he reported and signed a contract extension before the season began.

The Steelers have a publicly stated policy that they will not extend a player's contract when he has more than one year left. Exceptions were made for quarterbacks, most notably Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox. They also have reworked many contracts with players to create room under their salary cap without costing the players money.

Porter did not complain about his contract publicly during the Steelers' minicamp nor did he mention anything about plans to miss upcoming workouts. He even joked with reporters about meeting President Bush during the Steelers' planned June 2 visit to the White House.

He also said he would gladly accept the role of team leader that Jerome Bettis said would fit him well.

"I'm ready to fill that role," Porter told the Post-Gazette on May 13.

"I asked Jerome for the blueprint a long time ago. If you're going to learn, why not learn from the best? I watched Jerome. I saw how he handled himself. He got along with everybody. You can't just think about the guys on your unit. You have to be there for everybody. I think I can be that guy. I'll be there for all my guys, setting the tempo. Even the kickers."

Porter, one of the Steelers' captains since 2003, led all NFL linebackers last season with 101/2 sacks and made his third Pro Bowl team. His 53 career sacks rank sixth all-time for the Steelers, half a sack behind Greg Lloyd. A third-round draft choice from Colorado State in 1999, Porter became the team's starting right outside linebacker in 2000

 

[Ohio Steeler]

Porter needs knee surgery

By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Steelers linebacker Joey Porter will have arthroscopic knee surgery tomorrow in Pittsburgh, a team spokesman said today.

Porter today worked out at the Steelers South Side facility but did not attend a voluntary practice session with his teammates. He had missed all four practices the Steelers have held in the past week.

Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett said he did not know if the surgery was the reason Porter has not practiced and said coach Bill Cowher would not comment.

Porter had surgery to repair loose cartilage in his left knee in August. Lockett said he did not know if the new surgery will be performed on the same knee

This may explain the no-show at the workouts, but why not show up and state you are resting the knee or state you are not showing up because of a bum knee?

Not as if this is the first time (e.g. - Ben's thumb - did Ben ever get surgery?) the Steelers have played games with an injury.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06143/692483-100.stm

 

[7 45 33 48]

This may explain the no-show at the workouts, but why not show up and state you are resting the knee or state you are not showing up because of a bum knee?

This was from last Friday.

<!--StartFragment -->Steelers | Porter excused from practices this week
Fri, 19 May 2006 22:03:14 -0700
Jim Wexell, of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Democrat, reports Pittsburgh Steelers LB Joey Porter has been excused from practices this week. He is expected back next week for the final three weeks of coaching sessions.

 

[AJHawkfan]

Porter needs knee surgery
This may explain the no-show at the workouts, but why not show up and state you are resting the knee or state you are not showing up because of a bum knee?

I don't get too bothered by guys skipping the voluntary workouts - at least not guys like Porter. He's what, a 6 year veteran? He's a Pro-Bowler. What's he going to get out of the workouts? As long as guys show up for training camp ready to work, I have no problem with the veterans skipping the summer workouts.

Hopefully his knee is ready to go by July/August.

 

[BuckNutty]

Steelers amused by Seahawks' sob story

Mike Holmgren By: Jim Wexell
SteelCityInsider.com
Date: May 24, 2006

Seattle is known for its high suicide rate. If Seahawks Coach Mike Holmgren is any kind of indication, the citizens just can't find a way to stop all of their sobbing. After 100 days, the story's getting old.

A month after winning Super Bowl XIII, Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Chuck Noll joked to reporters that his new ring had a button on the side.

“You push the button and the top of the ring flips up,” said Noll. “Inside there’s a tiny tape recorder and you get to hear Tom Landry bitching.”

Bill Cowher should hope for the same when he receives his ring on June 4, because the crying and whining from the Seattle Seahawks has not ended.

In the current issue of Sports Illustrated, writer Peter King allows Seattle Coach Mike Holmgren to continue his unabated sob. In a piece that should’ve been titled “100 Days of Tears,” King reports of yet another meeting between Holmgren and Mike Pereira, the NFL director of officiating.

The meeting occurred on the 100th day after the Seahawks’ 21-10 loss to the Steelers, and according to King the two sides hashed out “some very close calls – all of which seemed to go against the Seahawks.”

Much like Landry before him, Holmgren began complaining after the game and has continued throughout the spring. Landry had complained about a pass interference call against his defensive back, Benny Barnes, who inadvertently tripped Lynn Swann to give the Steelers a 33-yard gain to the Dallas 23.

Landry, like Holmgren, never did point out how his team responded to such adversity. Two plays after the call, on third-and-nine, Franco Harris ran a trap play – an audible by Terry Bradshaw – up the middle 22 yards for a touchdown. The Cowboys fumbled away the ensuing kickoff and the Steelers put the game away with a touchdown for a 35-17 lead.

The Cowboys couldn’t overcome adversity and neither could the Seahawks, but that hasn’t stopped them from laying their incompetence at the feet of the officials.

The recent article concludes that two calls killed the Seahawks. The first of the two was a hold during a second-quarter punt return. Apparently, the Seahawks felt the game turned after Peter Warrick returned a punt to the Pittsburgh 46. But, alas, the game’s true goat, Etric Pruitt, was called for holding Tyrone Carter on the return. The game replay isn’t conclusive, but immediately after the block in question Carter is shown turning quickly to complain to the official, who was in the midst of throwing a flag.

The call was replayed by ABC, but instead of showing the return, the two players were shown at the line of scrimmage earlier in the sequence, and Pruitt was holding Carter then.

“He was holding right there at the line of scrimmage,” broadcaster John Madden said at the time. “He’s trying to hold his guy up from getting a release to get into coverage.”

And how did the Seahawks respond to such a crippling first-half call? Well, late in the same quarter they had the ball at the 50 with 1:13 left and trailing 7-3. In typical west-coast fashion, short passes were thrown to slow players who could not get out of bounds. A tricky handoff up the middle and Matt Hasselbeck’s best Peyton Manning-at-the-line imitation allowed the clock to roll from 48 seconds to 13 seconds before the Steelers called a timeout. After an incompletion, Josh Brown missed a 54-yard field-goal attempt and Holmgren trotted into the locker room with a timeout in his pocket.

The second call the Seahawks discussed at length with Pereira wasn’t the touchdown call on Ben Roethlisberger’s sneak. Obviously someone has told Holmgren that the Steelers would’ve had another crack from the one millimeter line.

No, the second game-turning call was a hold called on right tackle Sean Locklear that prevented the Seahawks from advancing a completed pass to the Pittsburgh 1 while trailing 14-10 in the fourth quarter.

King wrote that the player who was held, Clark Haggans, was “very close to being offside,” but a frame-by-frame review of the play shows nose tackle Casey Hampton beating Haggans and everybody else across the line at the snap. Haggans gained leverage on Locklear, who must’ve felt he had no choice but to hook Haggans to keep him off the quarterback.

In a similar situation earlier in the game, Steelers left tackle Marvel Smith refused to hook a similarly positioned Grant Wistrom, who sacked Roethlisberger to set up third-and-28 for the Steelers. Of course, Roethlisberger overcame the sack by completing a 37-yard pass to Hines Ward.

The Seahawks followed up on their first-and-20 a little differently. They allowed Casey Hampton’s first sack in 875 days, and then threw an interception to a wide open Ike Taylor.

Way to handle adversity, boys.

As for the penalty, Haggans said the call was correct.

“He horse-collared me up here,” said Haggans, who was bothered by the interruption. “If they want to keep whining about this stuff, we’re trying to get minicamp done. It’s already game, set and match.”

One would think that after 100 days of sobbing by the Seahawks, and apologizing by the national media, the Steelers would be sick of it. Instead, they are amused. After all, they had overcome their own share of adversity.

In the playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts, the Steelers kept their composure after Troy Polamalu’s clear interception was overruled. During the review, their coach coached. Cowher knelt down in front of Polamalu and called for the defense to gather around them.

“Any reversals,” Cowher started, “you can’t control. One thing we can control is us going out there and playing right now.

“Listen,” Cowher continued. “Just play. No matter what happens, regardless of what happens, we move on and we play. You got it? Just play.”

“What are you talking about?” was Polamalu’s initial reaction to what may have been the greatest speech in Cowher’s career.

“He was trying to coach ahead,” Polamalu said the other day. “He was doing his job.”

There we go. Do your job. King made a point in his article to commend Holmgren for the way he talked to his assistant coaches in order to get their heads straight prior to Pereira’s arrival. But Holmgren was about 100 days late. He should’ve coached when it mattered.

Scout Free

 

[BuckNutty]

Porter faces more knee surgery, but which knee?
Mystery also surrounds whether Steelers LB has contract issues
Wednesday, May 24, 2006

By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


The mysterious absence of Joey Porter from Steelers practices the past week was not cleared up yesterday, even though a team spokesman revealed that the Pro Bowl linebacker will have arthroscopic knee surgery today.

Coach Bill Cowher continued to decline comment on why Porter has not attended any of the voluntary spring practices, and spokesman Dave Lockett said the impending knee surgery was not necessarily the reason.

Lockett said he did not know if the surgery would take place on Porter's left knee, which underwent surgery to repair torn cartilage early last August. Left unsaid also is why the surgery will take place now, nearly four months after the Super Bowl and two months before the start of training camp or if a new injury was only recently discovered.

Sources tell the Post-Gazette that Porter is unhappy with his contract, which has two years left at $3.85 million and $5 million annually.

Porter showed up yesterday morning at the Steelers' UPMC training facility. He lifted weights and attended meetings, but he left the complex as his teammates took the practice field. Some of them could not clear up the secrecy surrounding Porter's absence.

"If you want to know that, you have to ask him," said James Harrison, who has replaced Porter at right outside linebacker during his absence.

"Joey's a team leader," linebacker Clark Haggans said, "and everybody knows what kind of guy he is -- very passionate about playing the game of football. Whatever his circumstances are, he's not trying to be selfish, he just wants to do what he has to do, get it over with and just move on and play football and look forward to defending the title."

Jeff Sperbeck, Porter's agent, could not be reached for comment yesterday. A day earlier, he declined to comment whether Porter would attend any of the spring workouts or training camp. The Steelers will hold spring workouts through June 8 and have off until training camp starts July 28.

"The Steelers are aware of Joey's situation," Sperbeck said Monday.

It's also possible there is some dispute between Porter and the team about his knee surgery or that somehow the decision to have surgery is related to a stalemate over his contract status.

"Whatever's going on with him, you know, I say my prayers for him and whatever happens, happens," Haggans said. "I mean, I'm not too sure what's going on. He doesn't fill me in. I try to just stay out of it because that's what he has to deal with and he has to take care of himself and his family."

Haggans talked briefly with Porter in the team weight room yesterday, the first time he said he had seen him since minicamp May 13-15, which Porter attended.

"He was busy last week. He had to take care of some things," Haggans said. "I figured that's why he wasn't here.

"I didn't run up to him like I was his mom or something like 'where you been? You missed curfew' or something like that," Haggans said, laughing. "He's a grown man, and whatever he's got to get done he's got to get done. I didn't touch too far into what he had to do."

Neither, apparently, have other teammates.

"I don't know if he's hurt or injured or whatnot," Hines Ward said. "I don't know what his reasons for not being here. It's not my say-so. I know what Joey's going to give me. To be honest with you, I don't have a clue why he's not here. He was here today. I saw him. I don't know if he's hurt or whatnot, but he's here."

Linebacker Larry Foote does not believe Porter's absence is a big deal.

"I know a lot of older guys missed days, some people missed days for stuff," Foote said of the spring workouts. "It's voluntary."


NOTES -- Ward will meet with President Bush and Korean diplomats at the White House today to discuss plans for his Helping Hands Foundation that he will establish to aid people of mixed race in South Korea.

"I don't really know what to expect, to be honest with you," Ward said. "They wanted to meet me and try to figure out a way to help raise money for the foundation and to go over there to help biracial kids."

Ward, his mother, his family and others will travel to Seoul tomorrow to establish his foundation.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06144/692610-66.stm

 

[BuckNutty]

Porter refuses to discuss contract situation

Porter
Chaz Palla/TRIBUNE-REVIEW

By Joe Bendel
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, May 25, 2006


Fresh off of successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Wednesday, Steelers linebacker Joey Porter claimed his absences from voluntary workouts had nothing to do with his contract situation, despite reports to the contrary.
"None of it is right," Porter said. "None of it."

Asked if he wanted to set the record straight and address speculation surrounding his perceived dissatisfaction with his contract, which has two years remaining, Porter dismissed the opportunity.

"I'm not going to get in a war of words," he said. "None of it is right."

In an abbreviated conversation, Porter suggested that he might cease talking with the media when he returns to the field.

Steelers coach Bill Cowher, in an interview with WTAE-TV, said yesterday that speculation surrounding Porter's absences from the team's voluntary workouts -- the Steelers completed their fifth of 14 yesterday -- was much ado about nothing.

"Last week, he went back to spend some time with his family," Cowher said. "Sometimes, I think a lot of things were getting blown up and taken out of context. But that's his status."

Fellow linebacker Clark Haggans said he doesn't discuss contracts with Porter or any other teammates. He also added that he hadn't heard if Porter was choosing to be a conscientious objector due to a contract that will pay him $3.85 million this season and $5 million in 2007.

Porter made $3.5 million in base salary last season, which was equal to that of Takeo Spikes and Zach Thomas, and $2 million less than Ray Lewis, according to the NFL Players' Association.

"When he's not here -- visibly -- people are wondering what he's doing," Haggans said. "They come up with assumptions."

Porter underwent the procedure on his right knee yesterday morning. He was at the Steelers' facilities in the afternoon, eating lunch with his wife before departing on crutches. Of the surgery, Porter said things were "fine." He is expected to be at full strength for the start of training camp on July 28.

It was the second time in less than a year that Porter underwent arthroscopic surgery. He had loose cartilage removed from his left knee last August during training camp. He returned in time for the start of the season and finished with 10 1/2 sacks, tops among NFL linebackers. His 53 career sacks rank sixth on the Steelers' all-time list, a half sack behind Greg Lloyd.

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said he believed Porter first injured the right knee early last season. He then deferred to Porter when asked why the linebacker waited until this point in the offseason to have surgery.

"I think Joey could play; he could play right now (had he not had surgery)," LeBeau said. "This is more to make the long haul better for Joey."

Porter, 29, tested the knee during minicamp May 13-15 and appeared to move well, as he did in a post-Super Bowl taping of "Battle of the Gridiron Stars" for ESPN. But he ultimately decided on surgery for protection from any complications in advance of training camp.

"It was more of a proactive approach that we took," Cowher said.

Haggans said inside linebacker James Farrior spoke with Porter after the surgery and said he is doing fine. Porter's teammates don't expect him to be affected by the procedure in training camp.

"He'll be 6-foot-3, 250 pounds and cut like a turkey," Haggans said, making a reference to Porter's muscular frame. "Joey's the type of guy who can turn it on when he needs to. The priority is his knee. We'd rather have him healthy throughout the whole season next year than have him healthy now and struggling next season with an injury."

Porter's outside linebacker spot is being held down by veteran James Harrison, who started three games in place of Haggans last season and amassed 13 tackles, a sack and interception in those contests. Harrison was signed in the offseason to a four-year deal worth $5.5 million.

"When James is in there," LeBeau said, "we don't skip a beat."

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_455325.html

 

[BuckNutty]

Foote fires back at Palmer

By Joe Starkey
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, May 25, 2006

OK, it's not quite as advanced as Steelers-Raiders of the 1970s.
Not yet, anyway.

We haven't seen anything like the time Raiders safety George Atkinson sued Chuck Noll for slander after Noll accused Atkinson (who'd knocked future Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann cold) of being part of the Raiders' "criminal element."

But we're getting there.

The Steelers-Cincinnati Bengals rivalry has reached a boiling point. In May. We're two months shy of training camp, three shy of the teams' first clash of 2006 and six shy of the season finale New Year's Eve at Paul Brown Stadium (bring your party hats).

The latest salvo came from an unlikely source -- injured and normally mild-mannered Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, who told Sports Illustrated that he "hates the Steelers" and was upset when they won the Super Bowl.

Not exactly lawsuit material, but eye-opening nonetheless.

"I keep thinking about how much, back in college, I hated UCLA," Palmer told SI's Michael Silver. "I hate the Steelers more than I hate UCLA. Yeah, it's because I'm jealous and want what they have. ... It's how everybody in our locker room feels."

I dutifully brought this quote to the Steelers' attention Wednesday.

"Carson Palmer only beat us one time, so he should hate us," said linebacker Larry Foote, who knows the Steelers are 4-1 against the Bengals in the Palmer era. "I'd hate a team, too, if I only beat them one time and (lost) in the playoffs."

I asked Foote to gauge the Bengals' bitterness toward the Kimo von Oelhoffen hit that blew out Palmer's knee early in the Steelers' playoff victory.

"They self-destructed and started crying," Foote said. "But, you know, that's the game. People get hurt. You just have to get yourself together, get your composure. They lost it. ... When teams are forcing your will on you, it's going to make you do crazy stuff."

Cornerback Ike Taylor didn't know quite what to make of Palmer's comments.

"Wow," Taylor said. "He said he hates the Steelers? That's pretty much a strong statement, but, hey, everybody's entitled to their own opinion."

Here's one: The Steelers-Bengals rivalry has become the hottest in the NFL. Its official launching point, I'd argue, was when Troy Polamalu plastered Palmer -- his former USC teammate and housemate -- at the goal line to clinch a 28-17 victory Oct. 3, 2004, at Heinz Field.

It heated up in training camp last year, when Bengals receiver Chad Johnson insulted the entire Steelers' secondary, and continued through a Steelers' victory in Cincinnati and a Bengals victory at Heinz Field, one that all but clinched the AFC North title.

After that one, you'll recall, Johnson compared the Steelers to a black-and-white TV.

A little more than a month later, immediately after the Steelers gained revenge in the playoffs, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis took an indirect shot at Roethlisberger, and NFL Films captured Steelers coach Bill Cowher performing a version of the Bengals "Who Dey" chant in the locker room.

He would do the chant again -- repeatedly -- at the Super Bowl parade.

Think that'll be replayed in Bengals camp during Steelers week?

"They can do whatever," Foote said. "They know deep down inside what we bring to the table. They know it, and they're just not ready yet. Our coaches and our players were just a step ahead of them. Hopefully, we keep it going. We're going to play them twice again and maybe in the playoffs. I'm looking forward to it."

Who's not?

Joe Starkey is a sports writer for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He can be reached at [email protected]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_455323.html