"I have a theory about Notre Dame players. If I'm not mistaken at least one Notre Dame alum has been on every winning team for the Super Bowl. Off the top of my head you have Rocky Bleier and Jerome Bettis for the Steelers; Nick Buoniconti for the Dolphins; Dave Casper for the Raiders; Joe Montana for the Forty-whiners; and Paul Hornung for the Packers; etc. Maybe you know of a resource who could debunk or validate my theory. It doesn't have to be a star or starter, just someone on the roster.
My point is, we have another ND alum on the team now, which if my theory holds true, will bode well for our team in'07. Not to be bragadocious but this may also point to a possible trade for one or both of our guards, regardless of the coaches telling Mahan he'll play center. It's a smokescreen ... at least it could be."
Well Mike, sorry to say but none other than the folks at Notre Dame will debunk your theory.
However, as a former lineman ourself, BNG heartily endorses any signing that increases depth on the line. A kick in the rear-end for Chukky Okobi and especially Kendall Simmons wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing either. And something about Mahan reminds us of guys like Duval Love, Tom Myslinski or even Jeff Hartings -- unheralded, yet solid veteran O-Lineman who thrived when given an opportunity in the Steelers' system.
Of course, that was the run heavy Cowher-system. We have yet to see what offensive style will develop under new coordinator Bruce Arians, though we suspect it will deviate little from what we've seen in recent years.
Other stuff ...
All Big Ben, All The Time: Who knew?
Take that gray lady! "Your link to Carbolic Smoke Ball helped get us more hits on Friday than the day the New York Times gave us a link in a front page story. Thank you! We'll continue to dabble in bad taste, for your enjoyment." -- Judge Rufus Peckham
Air Force Lt. Darrell Gary checks in from Kuwait and offers thanks to Blog 'N' Gold readers:
"I'm sorry it's been a while since I've written. It tends to get busy in spurts out here! LOL! First, I would like to thank you again for posting my little notes - it's therapeutic for me and helps the time to pass. I'm a bit more than halfway through my tour - I am definitely looking forward to getting home and smelling fresh grass and seeing my family!
If you'll permit me, I'd like to thank the following folks by name (or email address where there was no name):
Aaron Morgan, Allen Reid, Bill Deierlein, Carol McCoy, Clyde Perry, Colleen Little, Dave Pape, Diane Kollar, Ed & Joyce Bialon, fourthethumb@wmconnect.com, Greg Hammel, Jarrod Armstrong, John Frazer, John LaRose, Reggie Johnson, Josh Bobby, Kelly Baxter, Kevin Artman, Kevin Williams, Lynda Lyman, Lisa Hindmarsh, Lonnie Hunter, Allistair McIntyre, mstackett@peoplepc.com, Omar Santos, Pedro Moysen, Sabrina Hinkle, SMSgt Robert Schacht, Scot MacTaggart, Stephen Giacolone, Steve Williams, Stuart W. Nolan, Jr., Esq., Jared Seaman, Tom Fucci
These folks either have sent or offered to send videos of the Steelers to me. I thank each one of you for your generosity!
I'd like to thank all of your readers/bloggers who are just praying for and thinking about me and my brothers and sisters in arms! We love you all and greatly appreciate your support!
If there is anyone not on my list here that offered to or sent me something, please accept my sincerest apologies and know that the omission was not on purpose! GO STEELERS!" -- Lt. Darrell Gary Darrell.Gary@asab.centaf.af.mil
In the wake of the Porter release, several emails in the BNG Inbox expressed concern that the Steelers will have to choose next year between Mssrs. Faneca and Polamalu come free agency. BNG tends to agree with The Steelyard and think that this will probably be Faneca's last year as a Steeler.
Last go-round for this guy?
This was one of Peter King's quotes-of-the-week: "I'm looking for a whole lot of people to get off the plane, and I see two guys get off this big 737. So to use that type of gas for an airplane to come out there, you have to be serious. They weren't going to waste that gas to come visit me for nothing, so I knew we were heading in the right direction when I got the visit." -- New Miami linebacker Joey Porter, who signed a five-year, $32-million deal with the Dolphins after coach Cam Cameron and GM Randy Mueller flew in owner Wayne Huizenga's plane from Fort Lauderdale to a small airport near Porter's home in Bakersfield, Calif., to woo him.
Can BNG editorialize for a moment and say that we find such a gaudy display of wealth and hordeing of resources reprehensible and downright disgusting ... and we wish we could do it too ...
First Published: March 12, 2007, 4:00 a.m.
