Not any more?

As a follow-up to my earlier post; I was looking at PG+ ~ specifically a posting from Friday morning ~ in which Gerry Dulac reported that, in a conversation with Idaho offensive guard Mike Iupati he (Mr. Iupati) informed Mr. Dulac that new Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler described the 6'5", 327 pound player as "the Steelers' top-rated lineman."

Was Mr. Kugler or, more importantly, Kevin Colbert at all put-off by Mr. Iupati's performance on Saturday? As with most things, only time will tell.

Random information from the Combine

What is one to do on a rainy, blustery Saturday? Why, watch coverage from the NFL Combine on the NFL Network, of course! As part of that coverage they just showed taped highlights of the bench press workout by some of the offensive linemen; and since the Steelers are always looking for offensive linemen it seemed worthwhile to pass along the numbers:

Bryan Bulaga, Iowa, Tackle, 26 repetitions
Mike Iupati, Idaho, Guard, 27 repetitions
Vladimir Ducasse, UMass, Tackle, 30 repetitions
Bruce Campbell, Maryland, Tackle, 34 repetitions
Eric Olsen, Notre Dame, Center, 35 repetitions
Russell Okung, Oklahoma State, Tackle, 38 repetitions
Mitch Petrus, Arkansas, Guard, 45 repetitions

Of these players a couple things stood out:

• Bruce Campbell is a physical specimen ~ very reminiscent of Orland Magic forward Dwight Howard. Additionally, he had the best time amongst offensive linemen in the 40-yard dash (4.78)


• The Steelers need a center ~ seeing as how A.Q. Shipley decided to leave for Philadelphia ~ and Notre Dame's Mr. Olsen distinguished himself in this particular drill.


• Mike Iupati is this Combine's trendy pick, but he was outlifted by tight ends! The lifting is only a small part of what goes on at the Combine, much less the evaluation of each player's overall potential, but for those considering him as a possible pick that performance had to be a disappointment. To add insult to injury, his 40 time (5.26) was a disappointment

Dick LeBeau is going to Canton

The bitter taste left from Dermontti Dawson being passed over for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Rickey Jackson? Really?) was ameliorated somewhat with the announcement that Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has been chosen for induction.

Dermontti Dawson has to wait another year

Steve Perry, the president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame has just announced that Dermontti Dawson was not chosen as one of the five finalists for Hall of Fame induction.

Russ Grimm is on the list of finalists.

The fact that there are only five centers in the Hall of Fame is disgraceful; and the voters ~ who supposedly know more about the game than the average fan ~ are doing nothing about a glaring oversight.

More wide receivers? More running backs? No problem.

What a joke.

Dermontti Dawson makes the first cut

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its ten finalists, and Dermontti Dawson is on that list.

The five selectees will be announced in about eleven minutes.

A Passing Thought: Free Agency

Let me preface this brief comment with the admission that I know that what I am about to propose will never come to pass.

In reviewing a list of NFL free agents I came across the name of one particular player who would look especially good in Black and Gold.

He is a Pittsburgh native who works in the shadows of a couple of higher profile teammates who play the same position, but this player's versatility is amazing; and the fact that he performed amazingly well against the Steelers about a year ago makes him someone I remember vividly.

Steve Breaston, come on down!

With Hines Ward nearing the end of his career wouldn't it be lovely to see Mr. Breaston lining in the slot with Santonio Holmes wide on one side and Mike Wallace wide on the other? Or perhaps returning punts and kicks? The possibilities are amazing.

That Mr. Breaston will garner a contract much more lucrative than the Steelers would/could pay is of little doubt; and with an uncapped year looming large for the 2011 season one can only speculate as to what that will do to the movement of players.

But one can dream, can't one?