The Sports Monitor

Yes, this blog has a pulse

2020-09-23T22:17:00.005-04:00

Hello. We're still here.

Is this thing still on?

2017-04-13T23:43:00.002-04:00

Yeah, it's been too long since the last post.

Sorry about that.

Maybe, there will be more to come.

Scary news from Antwaan Randle El

2016-01-20T13:07:00.000-05:00

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Every Steelers fan knows Antwaan Randle El.

His pass in Super Bowl XL helped clinch the Steelers' fifth Lombardi.

Now people might know Randle El for another reason: He's having trouble remembering things and having trouble walking down stairs.

The Post-Gazette's story was a grabber, with Randle El saying he wouldn't play football if he could do it over again.

Here's a quote:

The kids are getting bigger and faster, so the concussions, the severe spinal cord injuries, are only going to get worse. It’s a tough pill to swallow because I love the game of football. But I tell parents, you can have the right helmet, the perfect pads on, and still end up with a paraplegic kid. There’s no correcting it. There’s no helmet that’s going to correct it. There’s no teaching that’s going to correct it. It just comes down to it’s a physically violent game. Football players are in a car wreck every week.

He played football for nine seasons. Now he worries about the simple things people take for granted each day.

Check out the story. And make sure you read Randle El's last quote:

"Right now, I wouldn’t be surprised if football isn’t around in 20, 25 years."

Not a big endorsement for the sport.

It was a Burfict ending for the Steelers against the Bengals

2016-01-10T03:13:00.001-05:00

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I've never seen an ending like that.

Oh, sure, I've seen games play out like the scoring summary did from Saturday night's unbelievable wild-card game.

Steelers take a 15-0 lead. It looks like they have the game in hand.

The Bengals take the lead late in the game.

The Steelers win it with a field goal in the waning seconds.

That doesn't quite sum it up, does it? Not this game. Not the way it unfolded.

Let's get back to the 15-0 part.

Martavis Bryant gave the Steelers that lead with an incredible TD catch from Ben Roethlisberger.

He actually caught it with his butt.

I'm not sure how that was a football move -- but I digress.

At that point, it looked like the Steelers were in control.

Then Vontaze Burfict took over for the Bengals.

Yeah, that guy.

Burfict sacked Roethlisberger at the end of the third quarter, knocking Big Ben out of the game.

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But all the Steelers needed to do was hold on.

They couldn't do it.

The Bengals rallied to take a 16-15 lead.

And that's when things got interesting.

Backup Landry Jones had a chance to drive the Steelers for a winning score.

Instead, he threw an interception with less than 2 minutes to go.

Of course, Burfict made the pick.

Momentum shifted on the next carry.

Bengals running back Jeremy Hill fumbled and the Steelers recovered.

But it wasn't Jones that walked onto the field for the final drive. It was Big Ben.

Roethlisberger delivered on third down and fourth, but the play of the game came on a throw to Antonio Brown.

The throw was off, and Burfict delivered a knockout to Brown.

Burfict, probably the most-hated Bengal, was called for a personal foul. An arguing Pacman Jones had another, setting the Steelers up for the winning field goal.

A few hours later, it's still unbelievable.

This one will go down in Steelers lore.

Are the Steelers the team no one wants to face?

2016-01-05T13:15:00.001-05:00

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There's a label attached to the Steelers this postseason: The team no one wants to face.

Don't buy it?

Monday Morning QB thinks so.

Andy Benoit says an explosive passing game and creative defense makes Pittsburgh the most dangerous team in the AFC.

I don't think the Ravens had any problems facing the Steelers two weeks ago.

But, hey, the Ravens aren't in the playoffs, right?

The problem with the Steelers is the defense. They might be creative, as Benoit suggests, but they're also vulnerable to the big play.

The team seems to play up -- or down -- to its competition. So, again, there are no Ravens in the playoffs, so they can't be accused of playing down.

However, the Steelers have to like their chances with the Bengals on Saturday. One Vegas line on Sunday night had Pittsburgh as a small favorite.

Does that mean the Steelers could play down to Cincy? I'm sure the Steelers will be fired up. And it is the postseason. But we were saying those things last year at this time and we all knew how that went.

Then there's Ben Roethlisberger's penchant for throwing interceptions. The passing game is explosive, but it cuts both ways.

Big Ben has six picks in his last three games. He has seven picks in his last four road games.

He has to protect the ball. And the defense needs to pressure QB A.J. McCarron.

Sounds simple. Too bad playoff games usually aren't.

Don't compare the Steelers to last year's playoff team

2016-01-04T20:26:00.001-05:00

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I'm already hearing talk about this year's playoff is unfolding like last year.

You know how that went: The Steelers lost their starting running back in Week 17, then lost in the wild-card round against a divisional opponent.

This year, DeAngelo Williams was injured in Week 17. And the Steelers face a divisional opponent -- the Bengals.

That's where it stops.

Williams has a sprained ankle, and is considered day-to-day.

They also face an opponent that has a rich history -- of losing in the postseason.

That's not to suggest that this game is a gimmie and the Steelers should book a trip to Denver.

This will present it's share of challenges, namely A.J. Green and tight end Tyler Eifert.

The Steelers will need to slow them down, no matter who's throwing the ball.

But, if A.J. McCarron is behind center, that should be in favor of the Steelers -- also something different from a year ago.

Things break Steelers way for postseason spot

2016-01-04T15:48:00.001-05:00

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Cue the music...

Here we go Steelers, here we go.

Yeah, it's playoff time.

Thanks to a little help from the Buffalo Bills, the Pittsburgh Steelers are back in the postseason.

The wild-card team will play the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night.

That should be quite a showdown.

But before we get into that game, let's look at Sunday's regular-season finale.

It had the beginnings of the Ravens game from a week earlier, with turnovers costing the team and the Browns hanging around.

Then the Browns realized they were the Browns.

And some 200 miles away, Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick realized he was Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The Steelers' defense showed some grit, Ben Roethlisberger found a receiver other than the irreplaceable Antonio Brown and the Steelers smothered the Browns at the end.

And speaking of Brown, that was one heck of a season: 136 receptions for 1,834 yards. Imagine what he would have done with a healthy Roethlisberger.

Now, it's on to the playoffs...

Happy 2016!

2015-12-31T20:21:00.001-05:00

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year.

I truly appreciate each and every visitor to the site.

Thanks and come back again.

Merry Christmas

2015-12-23T17:45:00.002-05:00

Here's wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy 2016.

May all your teams win championships.

Big Ben looms large in relief role against Browns

2015-11-16T03:13:00.002-05:00

View image | gettyimages.com

Who had Ben Roethlisberger setting the NFL record for most yards by a backup in their office pool?

379.

As in 379 yards passing. In a relief role.

That's one heck of a day.

Of course, it helps having two stellar wideouts like Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant to throw to.

Yeah, and it's nice having the Browns on the other side, too, simply to add to the fun.

Now the Steelers get a much-needed break before heading to Seattle.

And, if you're keeping track at home, the Steelers (6-4) lead the Bills (5-4) and Jets (5-4) in the wild-card standings.

Smart move is to rest Roethlisberger against Browns

2015-11-13T14:35:00.000-05:00

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They can't be serious, can they?

Ben Roethlisberger is questionable for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns.

That's got to be some gamesmanship.

If the Steelers can't beat the Browns without Roethlisberger, then maybe they aren't the playoff-caliber team they're supposed to be.

It makes much more sense to hold out Roethlisberger this week. Add to it the bye week and he'll have two full weeks of recovery.

Landry Jones is capable of leading this team.

It's the Browns. It's at Heinz Field.

Rest Roethlisberger. It's the smart move.

Steelers keep finding a way to win

2015-11-09T02:59:00.001-05:00

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Now what?

What do the Steelers do now that Ben Roethlisberger will be out for a couple more weeks?

Well, to steal a phrase from the Raiders: Just win, baby.

Whether they're playing without Le'Veon Bell, Maurkice Pouncey, Martavis Bryant or Roethlisberger the first time, the Steelers are somehow finding a way to win.

The next man up, as coach Mike Tomlin likes to say, has stepped up.

Landry Jones did.

Well, he did what he needed to do -- get Antonio Brown the ball.

Now, Pittsburgh enters Cleveland week knowing they'll be without Big Ben -- this time with a sprained foot -- but also knowing they're in the driver's seat for a playoff spot.

If the season ended today, they'd be in.

They're 5-4, just behind the Jets (5-3) and just ahead of the Bills (4-4) and Raiders (4-4).

Anyone think they can't beat the dysfunctional Browns without Ben?

I know they can.

Then they get a bye. And a chance to regroup.

But one thing's for sure, they're still fighting.

And they're still in it.

So, just keep winning.

Steelers' defense makes an impact

2015-10-19T14:49:00.000-04:00

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There's something about this Steelers team that's growing on me.

Of course, when your team pulls off an upset win directed by the third-string quarterback like it did in Sunday's 25-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, it's easy to like them.

The Steelers are 4-2 and they still haven't played with Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant in the same lineup.

That offense can be scary good.

But what really has impressed me has been the play of the defense, generally thought to be a work in progress entering the season.

Yeah, the D gave up oodles of yards to Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer, but the defense made the plays when it had to.

And, in case you forgot, the Cardinals entered the game and still have scored the most points in the NFL. And the Steelers have held the Patriots to their lowest total of the season so far.

It's only six games, and a lot still can happen, but right now, the Steelers are looking like a playoff contender (they'd be a wild-card team right now), if not a division contender.

So, while we're waiting for Ben, Bell and Bryant to take the field at the same time, let's also appreciate the strides the defense is making.

This could be the making of something special.

Great catcher or dirty softball player?

2015-06-16T17:21:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the high school softball player throwing the nasty elbows at the plate?

Pretty wicked. And she didn't get kicked out.

She throws those elbows and the players miss the plate. If the catcher's teammates get the back to her sooner, the runner could be called out.

Sneaky.

Dirty.

Where do you think she learned that play?

The catcher is saying she has received death threats.

Steelers' draft leaves an empty feeling

2015-05-07T03:40:00.001-04:00

It's been a week, and all the NFL draft hype finally has settled down.

Are you happy with the Steelers' picks?

Can't say I am.

I know the Steelers came across as happy with their selection of Bud Dupree with the 22nd pick overall.

Let be back up a step.

I get why they need linebackers. If the linebacker can pressure the quarterback, the cornerbacks don't have to cover the receiver for that long.

The linebacker is a big part of their defense.

So they've invested highly in them.

And Dupree is a linebacker. If he pans out, they don't need a world-class CB to shut down an opponent.

Now that that's out of the way, I still don't like the pick.

One report had the Steelers happy because Dupree fell to him.

Well, players fall for a reason. Like Jarvis Jones.

I didn't like the pick then. I still don't like it.

Then they took short corner Senquez Golson in the second round. He's not quite 5-9, but he's on the short side. If he's going up against a 6-1 or 6-2 wideout, there's a disadvantage. Upside? I'm thinking Willie Williams.

And the third-round pick of Sammie Coates reminds me more of Limas Sweed than anything else.

The good thing is, the picks have four months to prove me wrong before the season starts.

I hope at least one pans out.

DeflateGate report changes view of Brady

2015-05-07T03:15:00.002-04:00

Well, how can I put this?

Tom Brady wasn't honest with us.

Disagree?

Before the Super Bowl, he stood in front of a host of media and said he didn't alter the football.

Yeah, and Watergate was all about water.

The Wells Report finally was released, and we have a "more probable than not" idea what happened.

The footballs were altered. And Brady had a pretty good idea, too.

On top of that, the Golden Boy of Football wasn't very cooperative with the investigation.

It makes me sick.

It's cheating. And the Patriots got away with it.

Again.

It's not performance-enhancing drugs, but this can be packaged in the same group of Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and Lance Armstrong.

All denied doing anything wrong.

Then things changed.

Brady deserves to be suspended.

How can the NFL have Lev Bell miss two games for marijuana use and Brady go unscathed?

Now we need to see what commissioner Roger Goodell has planned.

Hopefully it doesn't take him 100-plus days to determine a punishment.

Didn't Antonio Brown just get paid?

2015-04-20T12:09:00.001-04:00

Didn't Antonio Brown just get paid?

That was the first question that popped into my mind when I heard he wanted a new deal from the Steelers.

I remember the details: Mike Wallace wanted more money than the Steelers wanted to offer, so the Steelers turned around and signed Brown to a $43 million deal over six years.

That was 2012.

Today, we learned that Brown will skip offseason workouts in the hope of getting a new deal.

Honor your contract.

It's that simple.

Brown signed a deal that caused some people to scratch their heads at the time.

It looked like a great deal for Brown. And after two seasons, it looked like the Steelers made a terrific call with the long-term deal.

Brown had almost 1,700 yards receiving last year to go with 13 TD catches. That's a heck of a season.

However, in exchange for long-term security, Brown looks like a bargain today.

That's how it works. Or, at least that's how it's supposed to work.

Now Brown wanted paid early and now he wants paid big time.

I don't expect the Steelers to bend over backwards to work out a deal. They usually don't do that.

If they can make Brown happy AND save money with the salary cap, then something should get done.

Not sure that happens. Look for the Steelers to get a wide receiver in the draft.

And expect plenty of AB holdout stories in this offseason and into training camp.

Rick flips his lid on 'The Walking Dead'

2015-03-24T17:04:00.002-04:00

Is Rick Grimes out of his mind or is he trying to save the good community of Alexandria?

It certainly looked like Rick freaked out on Sunday's "The Walking Dead."

Well, make that Rick and Sasha.

And Michonne, well, she's the one in charge.

Didn't expect her to shut up Rick.

But I knew Rick was ready to blow.

He seems to be picking up some of the qualities of The Governor and Shane.

All of this looks like there should be some confrontation in the season finale.

Will Rick get exiled? Will anyone go with him?

Can't wait to find out.

Here's how the NCAA teams stack up entering Sweet 16

2015-03-23T16:43:00.001-04:00

Sweet 16.

Has a nice ring, doesn't it?

The NCAA has made probably billions off marketing numbers with a little alliteration.

First Four, Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four.

The NCAA tournament is quite a show.

And it was quite a show to get to the 16 teams left in the tournament.

Who's the best? Here's a look at where I think they stand:

1. Kentucky (Midwest, No. 1 seed): Still the team to beat.

2. Arizona (West, 2): Gotta love Sean Miller as the coach. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, they would meet Kentucky in the national semifinal.

3. Duke (South, 1): Clear path to Final Four. The Blue Devils play Utah then would get UCLA-Gonzaga winner.

4. Wisconsin (West, 1): No. 1 seed, but they could be in trouble against Arizona in regional final.

5. Louisville (East, 5): Wow. Did the East open up or what with the loss of No. 1 Villanova and No. 2 Virginia? Louisville can beat N.C. State then would meet Oklahoma-Michigan State winner.

6. Michigan State (East, 7): Yeah, I like this low seed. First, they were seeded too low by the selection committee. Second, the Spartans just know how to win in March.

7. Wichita State (Midwest, 7): Shocked? I'm not. They can play. Too bad they would meet Kentucky in the regional final.

8. Oklahoma (East, 3): Wow, it sure is easy to overlook the Sooners. They're the highest seed left in the East.

9. Notre Dame (Midwest, 3): I think they'll lose to Wichita State next, but they're a good team.

10. UCLA (South, 11): The Bruins advanced after a very controversial call. Teams that get a break like that sometimes go on a run. They can beat Gonzaga next.

11. Gonzaga (South, 2): Speaking of Gonzaga, they never seem to live up to their seeding. I'm thinking they lose to UCLA next.

12. North Carolina (West, 4): Don't think they'll beat Wisconsin.

13. N.C. State: (East, 8): They have a shot against Louisville, but I think the Wolfpack's run ends.

14. Xavier (West, 6): Just don't see them getting by Arizona in their next matchup.

15. West Virginia (Midwest, 5): Let's gooooo, Mountaineers. Well, the run ends against Kentucky.

16. Utah (South 5): Team I think has the least chance to win (they play Duke).

Who do you think can beat Kentucky?

Finally, 'The Walking Dead' gets back on its feet

2015-03-16T16:51:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure about you, but before Sunday's episode of "The Walking Dead" I was getting antsy.

I knew things were building while Rick and crew were in Alexandria, but I wanted more.

Maybe the way Season 4 wrapped up and the march through Season 5 spoiled me.

I knew conflicts just had to be coming.

Well, here they come.

And just in the nick of time, too.

I won't get into spoilers if you haven't seen it. But things are brewing.

(I do want to point out that those residents of Alexandria sure seem like wimps.)

And, there were deaths too. Epic ones as well.

And maybe "getting back on its feet" my be a disservice. After all, the show has been on such a high level that it's hard to keep that up every week.

For me, it looks like it's back.

It's been my favorite show, and I can't believe there are just two episodes left in the season.

It'll be a long wait until October.

But for now, I can't wait until the cliffhanger ... or so I think.

Blow out the candles: TSM turns 6

2015-03-16T16:37:00.001-04:00

I can't believe it's been six years since I started doing this.

Six years.

That seems like an eternity in blogging years.

I've looked back on this year and have seen only one other post.

For that, I'm sorry.

This is as good a spot as any to re-evaluate and make more of an effort to post on a regular basis.

So, check back in the future and hold me to it.

Also, thanks for checking it out in the past. I really do appreciate it.

Happy 2015!

2015-01-01T11:43:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to all.

Here's to a great 2015 to everyone.

Thanks for taking time to check out the blog.

And, here's to more championships to Pittsburgh's teams.

Steelers clinch playoff spot with win over Chiefs

2014-12-21T20:48:00.000-05:00

So, how do you feel about the Pittsburgh Steelers now?

Maybe a trip to the playoffs is enough to make you forget about those ugly early season losses.

A win over a solid Kansas City team like Sunday's 20-12 win can do that.

Now, the Steelers need a win next Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals for the AFC North crown.

They're peaking at the right time, so anything's possible.

And the way the defense played Sunday, it's not so wrong to think that.

After all, Jamaal Charles, the main cog in the Chiefs offense, didn't do much. That's a big boost for a beleaguered defense.

Sunday's win was enough to get me excited for a playoff run, something that's been missing for a couple seasons now.

Let's savor the win before we get ready for the Bengals.

Happy Thanksgiving

2014-11-26T23:52:00.001-05:00

Enjoy the holiday today.

Eat lots of turkey, watch lots of football and have some pumpkin pie.

After Madden-like numbers, back to basics works for Steelers

2014-11-18T14:22:00.000-05:00

I always loved playing football video games.

Whether it was Madden, Techmo Bowl or some other game of the week, if it was football, I wanted to play it.

The fun part of the game was trying to pad stats of the players I controlled.

If it was second-and-short, I was chucking the ball deep to try to get the passing touchdown for my QB and the yardage for my receiver.

Fourth down? I was going for it. Didn't matter where the ball was.

It was like that for the entire game.

Unless the game was on the line.

Then I used the plays that worked to get the first down, touchdown or field goal -- whatever was needed.

I couldn't help but get that same feeling about the Steelers for the last game-and-three-quarters.

It seemed after Ben Roethlisberger's back-to-back games with six touchdowns that the offense was different.

It was like they wanted to pad the statistics of Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger and anyone else involved in the passing game.

Don't believe me?

Roethlisberger admitted as much after a game against the Browns in October to keep Brown's streak of games with at least five catches alive.

The Steelers opened the game pounding Le'Veon Bell last night.

Then they went away. It seemed like they were forcing the ball downfield.

But, they seemed to switch things after they trailed by 11.

Bell got the rock.

And, boy, did he deliver.

The Steelers needed that win.

And it was Bell that carried them.

Hopefully, the Steelers will figure out what works for them on a given week and stick with it.

You know, sort of like the Patriots.

They find a weakness and in a defense and exploit it. The whole game.