About all that silence ...
This oughta bring the noise a little. A great find from a great blog:
And keeping with the metal theme, Colin Cowherd of all people gives the best reason for the lack of trash talk: the Steelers are GWAR:
But there is plenty being made about the deafening silence/love-in going on between the Steelers and the Jets, by both the New York and Pittsburgh media about the mutual respect (read: boring) feelings these two teams appear to have for one another. Despite what so many think about the "media" it's only true bias is this: conflict.So the story seems to be ... there is no story. Except for, y'know, the game.
Nonethless, Dejan Kovacevic is correct to speculate that a week of trash-talking would serve advance the Jets cause little, plus, it's hard to keep that up week-in, week-out. It starts to seem like schtick. Plus it's just hard to do that week-in-week-out. Although a regular reader of Ed Bouchette's blog, a psychologist, said this is part of a ploy by Ryan and the Jets to lull the Steelers to sleep.
Anyway, Ike Taylor said today he would lay out his friend Santonio Holmes on Sunday if need be, and this was greeted breathlessly by the New York Post's Bart Hubbuch. Apparently, the wicked and pernicious Ike Taylor is a menace that must be stopped lest he beat Santonio into a coma with a tire iron between timeouts.
PITTSBURGH — Pain is in the forecast for Santonio Holmes on Sunday.
So says Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor, who told The Post yesterday that he won’t hesitate to “lay out” his close friend in the AFC Championship against the Jets if the right situation presents itself.
Taylor and Holmes, the former Steelers receiver, are offseason workout partners and as tight as brothers, but Taylor said that friendship will be put on hold for three hours this weekend at Heinz Field.
Taylor’s chilling message: If that means hurting Holmes, then so be it.
“I love him and that’s my boy, but when we get between those white lines, it’s a whole different deal,” Taylor said in an interview with The Post after practice.
“I’m going to try to be as disrespectful as possible once we get between those white lines,” the veteran Pittsburgh starter said. “Friendship doesn’t enter into it then.” ...
... Friendship only goes so far, it seems, when a chance to go to the Super Bowl is on the line.
“I’m not going to hesitate to lay him out,” Taylor said. “No question at all. You know why? Because he ain’t going to hesitate to crack on me if he gets a chance.” ...
... Taylor also works out with Holmes in the offseason at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, but the outspoken Steeler said he and Holmes don’t talk football during the season.
“I talked to ‘Tone’ [on Tuesday], but it was what we always talk about — ‘What you doing?’ Playing PlayStation, what you doing? ‘Playing PlayStation.’ No (on-field) matchups or anything like that. We just rap.”
It will stay that way until Sunday, when Holmes will morph into the green-and-white enemy for Taylor.
“It all changes between those white lines,” Taylor said.
Though insinuated otherwise, Taylor never says anywhere that he's going to try and hit Holmes dirty, or injure him. He said if given the chance, he'll hit him, and hard. Which, at least until this fine-laden season, is usually considered a virtue in professional football. It's probably tongue-in-cheek, and the Post is basically a tabloid, but jeeze -- slightly loaded language, wouldn't you say?: "Pain is in the forecast" and "Chilling message" ... really?
But that detail about the Taylor-Holmes meeting-of-minds over PlayStation is a classic.
Hubbuch also produced this article, which seems to suggest the Steelers will lose because they're at home. Because AFC Championship games that happened 38, 16, 9 and 6 years ago will certainly have bearing on the game to be played Sunday. Not like there are different coaches, different players, different stadiums, different opponents, different eras. You might as well say that the Pirates would beat the Yankees in interleague play at PNC Park because they beat them at Forbes Field in 1960.
Updated: The Jets take a jab at Hines Ward.
Anyway, on to some other stuff ...Steelers Depot has a good item about ticket availability for Sunday.
And if you happen to have a pair of tickets you want to part with, and wouldn't mind eating well for free for a few months, consider this offer sent out by Patrick Joyce, owner, proprietor & head chef of the 17th St. Cafe on the South Side.
"Ok, here it goes. Steeler nation is going crazy this year, so I might as well join the crowd. What I'm willing to do is give someone dinner for 2 once a month for a year. This is a $600.00 value no strings attached. In exchange for 2 tickets to the game, so if you can not make the game give me a call and we can make a deal. -- Patrick Joyce"
If interested, contact him at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Quick slants
- A couple of nice articles from the New York Post about Darelle Revis' growing up in Aliquippa and about the town itself and its championship legacy.
- Speaking of that, every Jet fan in the world should be thankful that Pittsburgh exists. Consider that probably the three best Jets in the history of the franchise are from Western Pa. Consider: Joe Namath (Beaver Falls), Curtis Martin (Homewood) and Revis (Aliquippa).
- Roethlisberger is the master of the pump fake.
- Another statistician picks the Steelers.
- Merril Hoge picks the Steelers.
- Great ESPN piece about being a Steelers fan.
- Ryan Clark gets the best of Troy.
- The Jets will confound rookie Maurkice Pouncey. Sure they will.
- Did the Jets pop their proverbial cork already?
- Jets fans will form a human tunnel to send their team off to Pittsburgh.
- This is just stupid.
- The trevails of a Jets fan in Western Pa.
- Dennis Byrd to be Jets co-captain again.
Local musicians the NewLanders have created pretty decent blues/folk Steelers song called "Rise Up Steeler Nation."
We are the Steeler Nation, come listen to our song
Of pride and dedication, ten million voices strong
Our championships are numerous, our players brave and bold
We cheer them on from dusk ’til dawn, the mighty Black and Gold
I’m a dedicated Steeler fan my duties I don’t shirk
I can make more noise than anyone from L. A. to New York
And everyday the Steelers play you’ll find me hard at work
In a Steeler bar routin’ for the Steelers
From Morningside and Lawrenceville to “downtown” and Polish Hill
From Hazelwood and Friendship to Highland Park and down the Strip
From all around this world of ours, in barracks, dens, and steeler bars
They’re linin’ up to hunker down and cheer the boys from Steel Town
On any given game day, we wave our terrible towels
And congregate in every state, it’s Steeler Country now
So rise up Steeler Nation, the time is now at hand
To raise a cheer and let them hear the best fans in the land
The loyal Steeler fans, we’re Pittsburgh Steeler fans
The lyrics are tailor made to go with iconic imagery of the city, the team, and of course, the fans. Problem is, they don't have a video for it, and aren't set up to make one. If you're interested though, they invite anyone to take a shot. Contact them via their webpage.