@anonymous: "So this offseason the Pats managed to get Moss, Stallworth, Welker and 
Adalius Thomas.  The Steelers big signing was Sean Mahan!?!?!?!  Is it any 
wonder we're coming up a bit short.  WTF!
I also think the Steelers reputation of doing well in the draft is highly 
overrated.  Alonzo Jackson?  Willie Reid?  Who was that QB we got around the 
5th or 6th round a couple years ago that we cut?  There are still a lot of 
good lineman available in those rounds that could probably do better than 
the group we have now.
Just once I would like to see the Steelers splurge a little in free agency 
after this season.  Imagine if they got a guy like Chad Johnson who 
obviously wants out of Cincy.  What about Steve Smith who has to be sick of 
Carolina?  Can you imagine what Ben could do with Steve Smith, S. Holmes and 
Ward?!?!?  I know they'll never do it but honestly they should.  And they 
should use early draft picks to bolster the O line and the Defense.
Thoughts? "
    @mikeisnt: ""bps" <@@@> wrote in message 
news:<email_address>
<quote>
Yes they did, but those guys *wanted* to go to a team where they will be 
used correctly, and with a tangable chance at getting a SB.  New England 
made it to the AFCC game last year, and was beating the snot out of the 
Colts without any of these guys.  They knew what their addition to the team 
meant.
This was a definate need, had been for 4 years now.  I couldn't wait any 
longer for them to bring in a solid Right Guard to replace El Matador 
Simmons.
.
..
...
....huh?  wadda ya mean they made him our center?!?
You know...you're just not being positive about this. <joking>
Actually, I feel the Steelers have done a very good job at drafting quality 
players.  Not always, but every team picks a jermain stevenson who goes 
bust.  Looking at the Cow years, how many times have we lost ppl to FA, and 
plug the holes with someone =/>?  Lots of times we pick a player, who we 
later release and is an outstanding footballer.  Mike Vrabel for example. 
However, a lot of that is forcing round players into square holes.  Look at 
the years Cow picked a bunch of 1st round (and 2nd round) WR in order to 
help ks float...man we stockpiled such an array of firepower on offense, the 
kind N.E. had to go to FA this year to achieve.  That was all draft....only 
Bettis was a FA.
5th or 6th round?  How about 3d and 4th round.  We picked a TE and moved up 
(traded our 6th round) to get a punter.
LOL...really.  Oh Chad wants out of Cincy alright, he wants to go to N.E. 
Steve Smith just wants a QB...Jake will do...mostly.  But NO wr in their 
right mind, even if they were half nuts, would ever...ever...ever want to 
come to the Steelers.  ***Unless*** they are past their prime and need a 
paycheck (see: Cedrick Wilson, Quincy Morgan, Terance Mathis) not saying 
they stink...just that no one else wanted them.
Like I mentioned above, we stockpiled the best wr corps in the NFL due to 
the ks experiment.  Plaxico, Ward, Randle El, [all drafted by the 
Steelers](Mathis in 2k2), and after the ks shitfest of 2k2...it was like 
pulling the pin from the grenade.
Honestly think about it...We were doing in 2002 what the Pats are doing this 
year.  The only difference is Belichick has them playing 60 minutes, and 
Cowher shut down the offense after 30.
How many times did we get a huge lead, then run the ball 25+ times 
afterwards?
TM first start vs Saints...we slowly let out the attack until finally in the 
2nd qtr it was on...scored 29pts.  VS Cincy scored 24 points in the 1st 
half, Opening kickoff TD made it 31 and we shut it down.  VS Indy on 
MNF...scored a TD on our first *3* drives up 21-3 at the half and shut it 
down.
***Against the Baltimore Ravens, two years removed from their SB*** we put 
up 28 points in the 1st half.  Shut it down...3 in the second half beat them 
31-18.  Put up 20 on them in the rematch, then shut it down...but our D 
sucked that game 20-14 in the half, by the end of the 3d qtr we were down 
31-20...so what did we do?  Turned it back on, 2 drives starting the 4th 
QTR...2 TDs to win 34-31...sound familiar (Pats vs Cowboys, Pats vs Indy, 
Pats vs Balt.)  Balt was ranked 19th on Defense (Points against) because of 
us..we put 65 points on them....years prior and after they ranked no worse 
than 6th. Only the Saints were able to score in the 30's against them.  This 
was the team that O was held back at the start of each playoff game, yet 
still scored 67 points in 2 playoff games.  That was done only 1 other 
time...the 1978 14-2 SB Steelers.
BUT that type of game is not what the Steeler Tradition is about...so we 
tanked it in 2003. Drafted a QB, put him in 2004 (to help the transition we 
went back to the 2002 style) and it was Wash, Rinse, Dry and repeat.  2004 
we washed teams with the 2002 style O...15-1, 2005 we mixed it in, and we 
ALL know how we got to the SB...rinse.  Get back to Tradition...Dry spell of 
2006...New HC Same Tradition....repeat.
IMHO, You will never see that type of QB/WR/TE firepower on this team again. 
And it has been my honest opinion that you will not see Willie Parker on the 
Steelers next year...unless he is happy to assume the role of Amos Z or V 
Haynes.  He too...is not Tradition.
My thoughts would be to sit back, relax and breath...it will take some time 
to rebuild our team back into our traditional role.  Think of Jacksonville's 
team as our objective...maybe just with a bigger RB...and not so many wr's.
MikeC"
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