Stallings might not be a solution, but Pitt players are a problem

By: Joe Smeltzer 

How most of Pittsburgh sees Kevin Stallings at the moment. (Photo creds to Sporting News)

Pitt has quit

That's the only logical explanation for Tuesday night's 106-51 debacle (at home, mind you) at the hands of a good but not great Louisville team. I cannot fathom the thought of this Pitt team, which is just three weeks removed from upsetting an excellent Virginia team, and two weeks removed from an 85-80 loss to this same Louisville club on the road, getting embarrassed this badly while giving any effort.

Now, I wouldn't call myself a fan of Pitt's head coach, Kevin Stallings. I felt that his teams underachieved while he was at Vanderbilt, and was highly critical when Pitt's former AD Scott Barnes decided to hire the Kevin Malone look alike to replace Jaime Dixon. Plenty of the criticisms for Stallings are valid, as his team is too talented to be 1-6 in the ACC.

However, the idea that Stallings is the first person to blame for Tuesday night, or, better yet; solely to blame, is ridiculous. Wednesday morning, I read a column written by a very prominent Pittsburgh journalist. Whether it intended to or not, the piece painted a picture of innocent, talented basketball players being sabotaged by an evil clowns. In fact, the writer seemed to be more bothered by his Stallings getting himself ejected from the game than his players removing themselves before tip-off. If Pitt lost by 15, 20, or even thirty points to Louisville, then it could be a case of a coach not getting the most of what he has, and for much of this season, Stallings has fit into that category. But as far as Tuesday night goes, Pitt's players deserve no sympathy.

A lot has been made over Stallings comments the day before Bloody Tuesday. In an interview with 93.7 The Fan, Stallings questioned the leadership of his upperclassmen, among other things. You can read the whole critique here.
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2017/01/23/pitt-panthers-kevin-stallings-frustrated-jamel-artis-michael-young-sheldon-jeter-chris-jones/stories/201701230149

If Stallings comments on Monday helped lead to the events on Tuesday, then his players look even worse. Was it smart for Stallings to go after his team's effort in public? Maybe not. But when you break things down did he say anything that wasn't true?

Pitt had been stinking before the Louisville game. They were 1-5 in the ACC, on a four game losing streak, and three of those four games included a drubbing at the hands of lowly Syracuse, a 72-46 squaker against Miami, and a pathetic defensive showing at NC State. So, who could blame Stallings for being frustrated? Who are we to say that he was wrong about his players, and, perhaps more importantly, why didn't the players respond?

If anything, Stallings comments should have pissed his players off enough so that they would have played harder. Take the Knight family, for example. Watch this Bob Knight clip from 1987. Keep in mind, this took place soon after a WIN at Northwestern.

And how did Knight's Indiana team respond? By winning the national championship less than two months after Knight proclaimed them to be "not a very good basketball team."

Bob's son, Pat, was not nearly as good of a basketball coach as his father.  But he had a flash of brilliance in February of 2012, when, after a loss, the Lamar coach ripped into his seniors way worse than Kevin Stallings ever has. How did Knight's players respond? By qualifying for the school's first NCAA tournament just a few weeks later.

Stallings criticisms of his players were far tamer than that of the Knights, and apparently, his players responded by giving up. I understand that not every coach is popular with the players. But Stallings lasted seventeen years at Vanderbilt. Sure, his teams underachieved. But did they ever disgrace their program the way this Pitt team did last night? No. If Stallings' criticisms issued out on Monday had anything to do with the effort on Tuesday, then all Pitt's players did was prove their coach right.

As of right now, it looks like Pitt screwed up by hiring Kevin Stallings as their basketball coach. But there is plenty of blame to go around, and nobody deserves it more than the players who quit. By the way, I hear Ralph Willard is available.

What else is new? Brady, New England a cut above

By: Joe Smeltzer 

#12 in your programs. #1 in the history books. (Photo

The New England Patriots are better than the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That's why the Sunday's AFC Title Game turned out the way it did. It wasn't because of crooked officiating. It wasn't because Pittsburgh's superstar running back, Le'Veon Bell, left the game before halftime. It wasn't because defensive coordinator Keith Butler decided to stick with the Zone defense, thus giving Tom Brady time to grab his cell phone, order from Dunkin' Donuts, pick up the delivery, and still complete a pass for a 30-yard gain. It might not even be because the Steelers played poorly, which they most certainly did.

The Steelers would have had to be more than good Sunday night to get the W. They would have had to be great. They would have had to turn in a historically impressive performance, and this is because New England is, as the title says, "A cut above" the rest of the NFL.

If you know your history, then the title of this post might seem like a cheap shot, as "A Cut Above" was the title of the 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers highlight film. But the Patriots are what the Steelers were in the 70s. It's up for debate whether New England is the greatest "dynasty" in league history, but they are certainly the longest running, as they've been doing this for 15 years. That is not normal.

Going into the game, I thought the Steelers had a shot. Of course, I did. Why wouldn't I? Pittsburgh was red hot, on a nine-game winning streak (the longest in the NFL,) and had that "destiny" feel to them. But as soon as I saw Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons demolish the team with the second longest winning streak in the NFL, that being the Green Bay Packers, I saw the writing on the wall.

The Steelers ran out of gas, much like the Packers did hours prior. When a team plays as well as the Steelers did for as long, it is not uncommon for them to run out of gas at somepoint. As good as Ben Roethlisberger is, he is not Tom Brady. As much potential as this young Steelers defense has, it still has work to do. Sunday's game reminded us that the Steelers are not quite there yet, and taking things into consideration, it was impressive that Pittsburgh got that close to being there.

A lot of people look at 2016 as a pretty quiet year for the Steelers regarding injuries, and they have good reason to do that. As far as the big guns go (Bell, Brown, Ben, etc.), most of them were able to stay at least decently healthy this season, and that was a rarity. When you look at those facts, it's easy to think that the Steelers were expected to get as far as they did. However, some other things need to be considered, such as the fact that, for most of the season, Pittsburgh had three rookies starting on defense, did not have a legitimate #2 receiver behind Antonio Brown, and played over half the season without their defensive anchor, Cam Heyward. That is not to say that Pittsburgh's success was some big shock, but it is worth noting that this team, as good as it is, still has plenty of room to get better, and a clean Bryant and a healthy Heyward would go a long way in doing that.

On the contrary, I have a hard time seeing the Pittsburgh Steelers getting to the Super Bowl in 2018. It's not because I don't think Le'Veon Bell can stay healthy/clean. It's not because I don't think Ben Roethlisberger still has a few solid years left in him. It's not because I don't think Martavis Bryant's return to the NFL will have an impact. It's because of the New England Patriots.

Believe me when I say that I try to be a "glass half full" kind of guy. But as long as Tom Brady is an NFL quarterback and Bill Belichick is an NFL head coach, I can't feel good about any teams chances to knock New England off of the top of the football mountain. If Bryant and Heyward are back healthy, then the Steelers very well could have the most talented roster in the NFL next season. That's fine. But what New England does better than any team in the NFL now, and maybe ever, is take random men and turn them into stars.

Troy Brown. Deion Branch. David Givens. Are any of these names synonymous with football immortality? I sure don't think so. Yet, those three men were the leading receivers on Super Bowl championship teams. Oh, it's true. Tom Terrific does not need an Antonio Brown. He does not need a Marvin Harrison, and, as the second half of this season has proved, he does not need a Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots offense has been dominant for the better part of two decades because apparently, receivers grow on trees for them. As most Steelers fans know, one of Mike Tomlin's signature phrases is "next man up." Well, New England personifies that phrase. Would anybody be surprised if 2017 sees another Chirs Hogan-like player take over a playoff game for New England? If the answer is yes, then you don't know enough about what this franchise is capable of.

And don't think the Patriots mystique is all about Brady and the no-named supporting cast. New England's defense has played a big part in the dynasty as well. Despite not having a superstar like J.J. Watt, Von Miller or Kahil Mack, New England's D gets the job done, and will be a roadblock for any franchise with the misfourtune of having the Pats on their schedule, especially as the last digit of the year changes.

The Pittsburgh Steelers window for winning a seventh Lombardi is not closed, no sir, and there is a realistic chance that on February 5th, 2018, commishener Goddell presents Arthur J. Rooney III with that beautfiul silver football. But as long as the 6th round pick from San Mateo, California, is healthy and under center, than my skepticim of that dream will remain high.

Steelers-Pats: 3 keys to victory

It's time (Photo creds to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.)

By: Joe Smeltzer
It's the AFC Title game. Not a lot more needs to be said for my "intro." Let's just get into it.

Key #1: Time of possession
If you've watched New England over the past 15 years, you know that they are all about the short passes, known to some as "dink and dunk" style of football. Yes, New England likes to take their sweet time, and the fact that they were sixth in the NFL in time of possession in 2016 proves this. For the growing Steelers defense, it is essential to eliminate the short pass, keep the Patriots Julian Edleman and New England's speedy receivers from finding space, and get the ball back to Big Ben as fast as possible. For the Steelers offense, it's essential to keep the defense off the field, because once Tom Brady has the football, he might not give it back for quite some time.

Key #2: The Offensive Line
It is important to note that the Steelers offense is going against a unit that allowed fewer points per game than any in the NFL this season. It is more important to note that Bill Belichick is one of the greatest defensive minds in the history of football, and you better believe New England has an unpleasant surprise planned for Le'Veon Bell. But if the Steelers offensive line does block the way they have shown they can, then it won't matter much what the evil genius has in store. If the line does its job, then "Juice" will have room. When Juice has room, we all know what happens next.

Key #3: Underdog mentality 
The Steelers have nothing to lose. Ok, well a trip to the Super Bowl does qualify as something to lose. However, on this night, most of the pressure falls on New England. They are the NFL's finest franchise. They are the ones expected to be in the Super Bowl every year, and they are playing at home. The Pats have everything going for them, and if the Steelers play with a "nothing-to-lose" mentality, that pressure will mount further on the Patriots.

Final Prediction
It's a toss-up. I wouldn't be surprised if either team won this game. However, because they are at home, because they are 14-2, and because, well, they are the class of the NFL, I will pick the Patriots. I would love to be wrong, and maybe I will be, but if somebody had a gun to my head, I'd pick the team that's been to the Super Bowl six times in the past fifteen years and the quarterback who is the greatest of all time. Nonetheless, Here we Go!

Pats 23, Steelers 20

Ben and Brady

"If that were Ben, it would not have been 15 yards."

If Joseph Arthur Smeltzer watches a New England Patriots game in public, it's a slam dunk that his ears will hear that phrase at least once during those few hours. Living in Pittsburgh, I've gotten the impression from the way most fans act that the Steelers and Patriots have a heated rivalry. I've never seen it that way. Yes, these two franchises are consistently among the AFC's elite. But they play in different divisions, they don't go head to head every year, and since 2001, they've only met in the playoffs twice. Part of the reason for this notion that Pittsburgh and New England are heated rivals is the night-and-day differences between the respective quarterbacks.

On one side, you have #12. The "pretty boy." The "face of the NFL." The "cheater." On the other hand, you have #7. "Tough as nails." "Warrior." "Criminal." One QB came from a big university (Michigan) but was a low draft pick (6th round.) The other from a smaller Division I school (Miami of Ohio) but a high draft pick (1st round.) One of these men is 6'4, 225lb, pretty average for a NFL quarterback, while the other is known for his size, hence the nickname "Big." One is known for throwing short passes that eventually lead to touchdowns, the other for throwing the deep ball. But the biggest thing that Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger have in common is; they are both winners. Now, I will look into the history of these winners. 

It all started on October 31st, 2004. At this time, the New England Patriots were the most dominant franchise in american sports, having won two Super Bowls in three years, with a 21 game win-streak to boot. The Steelers, on the other hand, were just beginning their rise, as they were 5-1, with four of those wins courtesy of a hot shot rookie QB named Ben Roethlisberger. In their first meeting, the Steelers ended the Patriots winning streak; in fact, they kicked the 
hell of them, winning 34-20 in a game that wasn't even as close as that score would indicate. For me, this was the day that Big Ben officially arrived and cemented himself as the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Fast forward three months. Pittsburgh, at 15-1, hosts 14-2 New England in the AFC title game. This time, the established took down the upstarts, as New England rolled to a 41-27 win, and would go on to defeat Philidelphia and repeat as Super Bowl Champions. This would be the first case of Brady getting the best of Ben, and the only time he'd have the chance in the postseason

A bitter end to the only Steelers-Pats game I ever attended. (Photo creds to Lawerence-Journal World)

September 25th, 2005. Joe Smeltzer was a young lad, at just seven years of age, and he was ecstatic about going to Heinz Field to watch his beloved take on the mighty Brady. It was a great game; probably the best of the Ben-Brady series. The Steelers would come out on the short end, as an Adam Vinatieri field goal gave the Pats a 23-20 W. Pittsburgh would get the last laugh, however, as while New England bowed out to Jake Plummer and the Denver Broncos in the divisional round, Big Ben got his first ring, with a 21-10 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. 

Fast forward to December 9th, 2007. New England is in the midst of the greatest regular season in NFL history, and they easily dispatched of Mike Tomlin's first Pittsburgh team by a score of 34-13. The Steelers were not yet back at Super Bowl level, but their time would come soon.

2008. Brady blows out his knee in Week 1; New England misses the playoffs for the frist time since 2002 (they have not missed since), and later that season, Pittsburgh dispatches of Matt Cassell and the boys and goes on to win their sixth Super Bowl and second with Big Ben, who led a game-winning drive that none of us will ever forget. The two teams did not meet in 2009, and neither franchise accomplished anything particularly notable that season. However, the next two years would tell opposite stories. 

November 14th, 2010. Heinz Field, Sunday Night Football. New England pounds the seemingly
outmatched Steelers by a score of 39-26 (it wasn't that close.) However, it was Pittsburgh who got the last laugh, as they would appear in Super Bowl XLV, while New England would fall to Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets in the divisional round. Interestingly enough, an opposite scenario would play out in 2011. 

October 30th, 2011. For the first time since 2004, Ben gets the best of Brady, as the Steelers play an almost flawless game on route to a 25-17 victory. However, this time,  it was New England who'd end up getting more out of their season, as they would end up playing in the Super Bowl, while Pittsburgh would get clowned by Timmy Tebow on Wildcard weekend. That was the last time anything of note has happened in this series.

Since 2011, the Pats have gone 3-0 against the men of steel, and 2-0 against Ben Roethlisberger. That concludes my recap of the Ben and Brady saga. As I brainstormed this article, I realized how watching these quarterbacks go head-to-head is excellent, yet bland at the same time. It's wonderful, sure, as these are two future Hall of Famers who are champions. But it's also bland because, if you break down the history, the series hasn't produced many memorable affairs. In eight meetings, Roethlisberger is a piss poor 2-6 against Tom Terrific, so the series hasn't been too competitive. Also in those eight meetings, only two of them have been decided by less than two touchdowns, so the quality of the games haven't been too hot, either. 

At the same time, isn't Sunday's AFC Title contest so much better because of these two legends? Wouldn't a victory over New England do a lot for Ben Roethlisberger's already polished legacy, as a lot of people doubt he has what it takes to beat the king in his castle? Wouldn't it do wonders for the Coach-QB tandem of Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin if they could beat Brady-Belichick in Foxborough for the first time, especially considering that outside of Pittsburgh not one person looks at Tomlin as being in Belichicks class? Yes, yes, and yes. 

So, regardless of who moves on to the mecca of North American sports, I think it would be nice if tomorrow's contest finally gives us that classic Ben-Brady contest that, when you think about it, we've never experienced. One that is nailbiting. One that is tight till the last whistle. One that we will one day tell our grandkids about. We have yet to see that, and I think on Sunday, that will change. 

Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady. These two quarterbacks are different in size, style, and image. But both are winners. Both are champions. Both will be immortalized one day. Enjoy watching them clash tomorrow. Because, with Brady at 39, and Ben at 34, who knows when it will happen again, especially with the stakes this high?

Stew: Brown growing further away from humble roots

For Antonio Brown, the concept of being an underdog is something he knows all too well.  Brown was picked 195th in the 2010 NFL Draft.  His jersey is a constant reminder of this.  He says, “8 times 4 is 32, and 32 teams looked past me, including the Steelers.”  Brown is now arguably the best receiver in football, but his humble roots in the NFL seem to be fading.

His newfound pride and apparent arrogance have become more and more evident as this season has progressed.  In the Steelers’ season opener, Brown scored two touchdowns.  After catching his second touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger, he tweaked in the end zone.  Brown was penalized on the play. He was not fined for this action but was fined for wearing baby blue cleats.

Three weeks later, after scoring against the Kansas City Chiefs, Brown made another “sexually suggestive” celebration.  This time Brown earned a fine of $24,309 and a fifteen yard excessive celebration penalty.  Whether the NFL has become a “No Fun League” is up for debate, but that conversation warrants a separate article.

That brings us to the hottest story in Pittsburgh sports at the moment. After a playoff win, against, coincidentally, the  Chiefs, Brown Facebook Live Streamed inside the locker room.  In the video, Mike Tomlin could be heard giving his post game speech, in which he called the New England Patriots a bunch of “a**holes."  I have no problem with the basic concept of streaming in the locker room.  That makes excitement for fans, and Antonio Brown has always been active on social media. His Snapchat account covers his day on a play by play level, and it is also worth noting that Facebook pays Antonio Brown nearly $250,000 “to create content” for live channels.    

That being said, there is a major issue with when he was doing the filming.  Let me be clear; I have never been in a football locker room or a football player for that regard. But if I was and my coach was giving a speech, especially after a playoff win, I would make sure I heard this speech.            

I think Brown is right when he wants to give back to the fans and show them “inside” information. But that information can’t be too inside, rather, just a stream of the team celebrating would do just fine. Any time the coach gives a post game speech, it would be best not to live stream it as you don’t know what is about to be said. But that’s not the problem here.  I think Antonio Brown knows that what I wrote above is true.  He just didn’t notice that there was a speech going on.  He was so wrapped up into “giving back” to his fans that he forgot that he is a football player.  

This issue and topic have been way overblown, but make no mistake; Brown won’t get too many “passes."  He better get his act together pretty soon or else the situation could not end well.  Just ask Santonio Holmes. 

With gutty win, Steelers cement 2016 as a step forward

Le'Veon a prayer. (Photo creds to bleacherreport.com)

By: Joe Smeltzer
As Sunday night's contest between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs progressed, I started to worry. Obviously, the main reason for my concern was that I love the Steelers and, naturally, wanted like hell for them to win this playoff game. But a secondary reason for my concern was that, should the Steelers fall; what would that give me to talk about as a writer?

If the Steelers season ended in the cold of Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, of course, it would have been disappointing. But I don't believe that it would have been disappointing enough in which I, as an aspiring journalist, would have been able to justifiably rip the 2016 season to shreds. Nor would I be able to praise the Tomlin bunch for a season that went above expectations, as with a loss in the divisional round, Pittsburgh would have been in the same position at the beginning of 2017 as they were at the start of 2016, and that, my friends, would be boring. As a writer, I find that sports franchises are fun to write about when they are;

A. Doing particularly well or

B. Underachieving 

As I wrote about in an earlier article, had the Steelers lost on Sunday, I don't believe that this team would fit into either one of those categories. Luckily, they won. 

Now, I know that the season is not over yet. I know that the Steelers are relatively heavy underdogs in New England, as all visiting teams are, and I also know that some goofy, entitled yinzers are going to call for blood if this team falls short of a 7th Lombardi. But I think that all Steelers fans who do believe in rational thought will be happy with what this team has accomplished regardless of what happens from here on out.


While what the Steelers have accomplished this season is impressive, that doesn't mean that it is surprising. We all know about the talent that this team has, and many of us; including Big Joe himself, picked the Steelers to be their 2016 Super Bowl Champions. That said, there is no denying; again, from rational people, that the Steelers have taken a step forward in 2016-17. For the first time since 2011, the men of steel are among the four finest units the NFL has to offer, and to look at that as anything less than progress would take a greedy and negative outlook.

What makes this season impressive above all else, to me, is the night and day difference from Sunday, November 13th, to the present day. At the time of that rough 35-30 loss to Zeke Elliot and the Dallas Cowboys, the Steelers were 4-5. The offense was inconsistent. The defense stunk. Nothing seemed to be working. Then, all of a sudden, the switch flipped, and the rest is glorious history.

While I'm on the topic, How about this young defense? Yes, most of the gushing from the KC game is over Le'Veon Bell and Chris Boswell. But the D won it for the Steelers. Anytime a team can win a game without scoring a touchdown; I know who deserves the credit. These young corps that would be among the youngest in football if not for the menacing presence of 38-year-old James Harrison, get better every week, and it will be intriguing to say the least to see if they're ready for Tommy Boy this Sunday.

Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, it is important for us to realize that the Steelers have not been this good in a long time, and they overcame a lot of adversity to get to where they are. The offense had to prove it's worth. The defense had to grow up. Look where we are. 60 minutes away from Super Bowl 51. Splendid, eh?

Now, I will give credit to my good buddy, Mitch Montani. Before the season, I remember him saying that the Steelers season would come down to a cold, January day in Foxborough. Well, Mitch, you were finally right about something. Have a cookie.

Steelers-Chiefs: 3 Keys to victory

Hello, all. Sunday night is a big night. It's Steelers-Chiefs, and at stake is a hot date with Tom Terrific. Here are three things that the Steelers can do to get that date.

Key #1: Ring the Bell

The Steelers offense almost always runs through Le'Veon Bell. Tonight, that holds especially true, since it will be cold in Kansas City, and cold weather makes it harder to throw the football. Also, the Chiefs have a bottom five run defense. I don't expect Big Ben to have one of his 400+ yard masterpieces against this Chiefs defense, as the KC secondary is too talented to let that happen. Therefore, as always, Bell will get a lot of carries and do some work catching out of the backfield. The louder the Bell rings, the better chance the Steelers have at victory.


Key #2: No big mistakes 

KC's Marcus Peters is a big threat to make a big pick. (Photo creds to bleacher report)

The Steelers don't need Ben Roethlisberger to light it up to win today. But they do need Ben Roethlisberger not to make a terrible mistake. As I referred to above, the Chiefs are 5th in the NFL in pass coverage, and the most impressive aspect of their defense is their ability to take the ball away. In 16 games this season, KC has intercepted 18 passes, with four of those returned for touchdowns, and they have forced 19 fumbles, recovering 15 of those. If you do the math, the Chiefs force a little over two turnovers per game. In a matchup as even as this one, any play can be the difference, so it is critical for Pittsburgh not to stub their toe on offense.

Key #3: Stop Tyreek Hill

The wide receiver/return man from West Alabama has evolved into one of the league's most dangerous weapons. Hill can hurt the Steelers in a lot of ways, whether on special teams, in the air, or in the running game. If the Steelers neutralise Hill, I like their chances to keep the Chiefs offense from doing too much damage. However, in a contest like this, one big play from Hill could send the Steelers home for the winter.

Final Prediction
I have this weird feeling about the Steelers, in that I am not nervous at all headed into this game. I just don't see the Steelers losing. Maybe it's because they've won eight in a row. Maybe it's because of how they handled Miami last week. Whatever the case may be, I don't see the Steelers season ending at Arrowhead. Bells will be ringing. Brown will be singing. Towels will be waving. Rejoice, Steeler Nation.

Steelers 24, Chiefs 14