Written in this very space 32 weeks ago, right after the Steelers' Sunday-night spanking and long before this NFL draft rhetoric moved well into space, the next time ESPN would cover the expansion franchise came Saturday around noon: The Cleveland Browns are on the clock.
On the board. In the war room. In the mix. Look at the hand work low(huh?). A destroyer in run-blocking situations. "How does it feel to be the first pick?" Mike Tirico asked. Better question: Who doesn't want to be a multimillionaire?
Let's try to cut through the noise and get to the news.
Deposed director of football operations Tom Donahoe spent his first sans-Steelers draft as an online commentator for ESPN.com. He refrained from reviewing his longtime employers' selections until a chat-session question yesterday afternoon about the Steelers' passing on Chad Pennington and drafting Tee Martin (neither of which he directly addressed).
"The Pittsburgh Steelers recognize the talent of quarterback Kordell Stewart. Many of his problems the last two years were not totally his fault. In this draft, the Steelers have attempted to provide Kordell with some additional weapons. For this reason, they selected wide receivers Plaxico Burress in the first round and Danny Farmer in Round 4. These are two big receivers who can make plays up the field. Coupled with Troy Edwards, Hines Ward and Malcolm Johnson, the Steelers have a bevy of young receivers to develop, and Kordell has some additional targets to throw to."
Donahoe did note earlier how the New York Jets were fortunate to have Pennington "fall into their laps" at No. 18 overall. "Most experts assumed that Chad would go No. 8 to Pittsburgh. The ability to get a potential starting quarterback this late in the first round was a big bonus for the Jets."
Learning curves. Lofty expectations. The tight-end issue. An area of concern. A need. Take it the distance. Make the difference.
Myron Cope wound up joining the WEAE-AM crowd after all. Sure, when he performed his guest turn Saturday, he made sure to plug his own WDVE-FM reports. The AM boys had a laugh as well: They cut off his microphone. Henh, henh.
Vertical. Forty time. Come out as a junior. Rush up the field. "The Bengals have spoken," Chris Berman said. "Can you hear me?" Bengals Coach Bruce Coslet said.
ESPN reported before the draft's start that Kevin Poston, agent for LaVar Arrington of Penn State and North Hills High, refused to return contract-talk telephone calls from Browns brass and thereby cinched his selection with the Washington Redskins. No wonder Arrington knew to wear a burgundy tie and the Redskins knew to bring a No. 56 Arrington jersey, his numerical choice in honor of Lawrence Taylor.
A run on running backs. Run between the tackles. Break tackles. Roll the dice. Red flags. Red zone.
Did you catch Courtney Brown's draft-stage jersey: C. Brown of the C. Browns? Pure marketing genius. It isn't like Green Bay could pick Gushing Billy Packer.
Light on his feet for a big man. Not a burner. Play right away. Questions about attitude. Questions about durability.
Draftees' interviews with the local media were simulcast on www.broadcast.com , and the reporters didn't know it until later, after they already got into some conversations that aired over the Internet. And hockey broadcasters thought they had to watch their words.
ESPN twice showed an ESPN Zone restaurant in the broadcast's opening 47 minutes Saturday. ESPN constantly played the Sunday/Monday Night Football theme, further muddling the musical trademark -- MNF needs a new, exclusive ditty. ESPN touted ESPN.com polls that covered everything but "How would Mel Kiper score on the Wunderlich test?"
When the Steelers were, ugh, on the clock in the first round (history will note that they stopped it at 5:32), Kiper rated Florida receiver Travis Taylor, Pennington and linebacker Brian Urlacher as better available players than the Michigan State receiver they selected.
"I don't think they can wait for Kordell Stewart to try to move forward," Joe Theismann said. Chris Mortenson reported that the Steelers talked about moving Stewart sideways -- to receiver. "I think Pittsburgh three years from now will regret not taking Chad Pennington," Kiper said.
Note to Joe Butler on KDKA-TV's draft show: Smokey was a Burgess, Plaxico is a Burress.
Note to Commissioner Paul Tagliabue: PlexiCo must be part of your investment portfolio, Plaxico is part of the Steelers.
All the tools. Ball location skills. Cerebral approach. Ability to smell the end zone. Ability to close in a hurry.
Which is a good thing if you're a bar.
Program notes
Lanny Frattare admits to a 2-7 record in Pirates' near-no-hitters, not just the 1-1 mark in Francisco Cordova instances as cited in this space Thursday. About our idea to form a Blue Ribbon Panel to study the effects whenever a broadcaster mentions the phrase "no-hitter" or not, the Pirates' announcer added: "Please forward the results of the committee to me."
John Phillips returns to the AM dial starting today. The former WEAE-AM talk-show host goes on WZUM 1590 between 5:30-8 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in broadcasts also carried over www.nauticom.com.
HBO tonight at 10 takes a look at the enigma that is Bill Russell, Celtics legend and recent beer pitchman.
You can reach Chuck Finder at cfinder@post-gazette.com
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