Steelers Today – A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

As we’ve been expecting, free agent WR Nate Washington will be leaving the Steelers to pursue more money.  Washington signed a new deal with the Tennesee Titans.  Washington’s deal is reported to be 6 years, $27 million.

Washington had emerged last season as the Steelers’ #3 receiver.  He proved to be able to spread the field, and led the team in yards per catch (15.8 yds/rec.). 

Although his speed allowed him to get separation from his defenders, Washington’s hands were always suspect.  When drafted out of tiny Tiffin University, the Steelers knew that Washington was going to be a project.  During his first two seasons with the team, he was more likely to drop the ball than to catch it.  But during the past two seasons, he finally gained confidence.  It’s unfortunate that the Steelers will have to lose Washington after developing him into the player that he’s become.

But even if he had stayed with the Steelers, Washington would have been relegated to the #3 receiver position.  He will be much easier to replace than Hines Ward or Santonio Holmes would be.

Waiting in the wings to replace Washington is last year’s 2nd round draft pick, Limas Sweed.  Sweed is both bigger and faster than Washington, and given time, should develop into an even better player than Nate became.

Sweed is 6’4″ and 220 lbs., whereas Washington was only 6’1″ and 185 lbs.  Moreover, Sweed came from a much better college program (Texas) than Washington did.

Many fans got down on Sweed when he dropped passes during the Steelers’ Super Bowl run.  However, fans have to remember that Sweed was only a rookie, and he saw very little playing time last season.  If he works hard during the off-season, he should come into training camp as the #3 receiver, and should prove to be a competent replacement for Washington.

The position will not just be handed to Sweed.  He’ll have to earn it.  He will compete with Martin Nance during training camp.  Nance was on the Steelers practice squad after being cut by the Minnesota Vikings.  As fans may remember, Nance was Ben Roethlisberger’s favorite receiver at Miami of Ohio.  Nance has good size (6’3″, 213 lbs.), however he is rather slow footed.

I would expect the Steelers to draft another receiver to compete during camp, as well as to add depth at the position.  However, I believe that it might be prudent for them to pick up a bargain priced veteran receiver in free agency as an insurance policy.  I have no doubt that Sweed will be a good NFL receiver.  I’m just not certain that it will be in 2009.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers became the first team in NFL history to win 6 Super Bowls when they defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 in Super Bowl XLIII.

Frankly, I’m too tired from celebrating the win to write an article about it tonight.  The game was such a thriller that I am emotionally drained.  Particularly when Larry Fitzgerald scored a touchdown with less than 3 minutes left in the game.  Prior to that play, I thought the Steelers had the game locked up.  I went from an incredible high to an incredible low.  Then when Santonio Holmes caught the final touchdown, I was back on the top of the mountain.  What an emotional roller coaster!

I’ll write my normal post-game analysis of this game tomorrow.  Right now, I just don’t have the energy. 

But I do want to take a moment to recognize one player in particular.  Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes came through big on the biggest stage, and earned the MVP award for Super Bowl XLIII.   Way to go, Santonio!

Sure, Holmes will probably get a new car for from the Super Bowl sponsors to congratulate him for his efforts.  But the Pennsylvania State Police have a little gift of their own.  They think he’ll enjoy it far more than the new car.

They apologize for the little incident they had with Holmes last year, and hope this will make things right.

They do ask that he not mention their little gift.  Afterall, this stuff was supposed to remain in the evidence room.  Enjoy!

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@#$&^@$!!!!!!! I’m sure that pretty much captures how most of Steeler Nation reacted when they found out that Santonio Holmes had been pulled over by police and was found to have marijuana cigars in his car (as well as the smell of recently smoked marijuana). To make matters worse, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has suspended Holmes for Sunday’s crucial game against the NFC East leading New York Giants. #$@%&#!!!!!

Sunday’s game is probably the toughest and most important game on the Steelers schedule so far this season. It pits two division leaders with identical 5-1 records. Both teams need a victory to cement their place among the NFL’s elite teams.

I’m sure that Coach Tomlin has reiterated the importance of this game to his team, and he’s probably made certain that they are prepared for the battle ahead. He probably expected his players to take his motivational speeches to heart, and to use whatever method they required to prepare themselves for the game. However, he probably didn’t expect any of his players to use the “big Jamaican blunt” method of preparation. Nor did he probably expect any of his players to find themselves on the wrong side of the law this week. Santonio Holmes did both.

In some ways, we can’t blame Santonio. Afterall, this isn’t his first time being on the wrong side of the law. His life experience has taught him that if you are a talented athlete, all you get for breaking laws and violating societal norms, is a slap on the wrist. That has probably been re-enforced to him since he was in high school. Coaches have probably let him get away with things that non-players would have never been able to do without repercussions. Teachers have probably given him grades that he didn’t deserve. Recruiters have probably offered him money under the table. And then we wonder why these guys turn out badly. They are the monsters that we create.

I’m not saying that Santonio Holmes is a bad guy, or that he is in the same category as Jeffrey Dahmer. He’s not. But in fact, Santonio and so many other athletes are given a free pass that normal citizens are not provided. Would anyone be surprised if they heard that Santonio really had a much larger quantity of drugs on him than the reports have indicated, but that the police doctored their report in order to keep Santonio from getting in trouble? I’m not saying that events occurred like that. I’m just pointing out that in Pittsburgh, Steelers players are treated like gods, and Santonio Holmes would not be the first player that was given a pass by Steelers fans in blue.

It wasn’t long ago that two Steelers players got in trouble for domestic violence against women. Cedrick Wilson, a borderline wide receiver, was cut for his transgressions. Meanwhile James Harrison, a pro bowl linebacker, was given a slap on the wrist for a similar offense. What athletes learn is that the better they perform on the field, the more willing society becomes to turn a blind eye towards their transgressions. In fact, if they perform well enough, they can get away with just about anything. Drugs, violence, infidelity, and other indiscretions are ignored, so long as the athletes continues to perform on the field.

At some point, professional athletes need to be held accountable for their misdeeds. If not, they never learn the lesson that most of us learn in kindergarten; follow the rules, boys and girls.

Santonio has to learn that he hasn’t just let himself down. He’s let down his family. His mom can’t feel very good each time she hears that her son has gotten into trouble (again). He’s let down all of the kids who look up to him as a hero and a role model. He’s let down all of his teammates who were depending on him to perform in this game that means so much to the team. And he’s let down the legions of Steelers fans who support him, and who probably allow the Steelers’ performance to play a much bigger role in dictating their emotional well-being than they probably should.

It’s time to grow up, Santonio. You’re an adult now, and people depend on you. You have been blessed with the opportunity to play a game that you love, and to make millions of dollars for doing so. That is not to be taken lightly. Hopefully, Roger Goodell will deem the Steelers’ one game suspension to be adequate punishment, and he won’t dole out additional punishment of his own. If so, consider yourself lucky, and learn from this experience.

On Sunday, the Steelers will face the New York Giants in their most difficult test thus far this season. They will need every player to perform at their best in order to win. Unfortunately, one player let them down before the first whistle even blew. Curse you, Santonio!

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