STEELERS BLACK -N- GOLD POST
A Pittsburgh Steelers Blog from the heart of Steelers Nation.

by Ramona Dye

Our Steelers who have never been very vocal in the NFL free agency have become the busy-bee.

Our Steelers have re-signed Ryan Clark to a four-year, $14 million dollar deal.

"Coach Tomlin talked with me about being a nomad, a journeymen, but if I finish my contract here, that's eight years in the same place, and that's an accomplishment. I didn't want to leave. My neighbors didn't want me to leave. They didn't want to get new neighbors."

                                ~Ryan Clark

Steelers signed free-agent safety Will Allen to a three-year deal. en's deal is worth $4.495 million with $975,000 to sign.

Pittsburgh also signed wide receiver Arnaz Battle to a three-year deal. Battle's deal is worth $3.975 million with $975,000 to sign.

Both Allen and Battle have links to the Steelers' coaching staff. Allen spent the past six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he once worked with current Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. And former San Francisco 49ers special teams coach Al Everett, now Pittsburgh's special teams coach, recommended Battle to Tomlin.

Battle is expected to help the Steelers as a backup wide receiver and offer help on special teams. He started 38 games for the 49ers from 2005 through 2007 and caught 141 passes during that span.

Allen, who lost his starting job in Tampa Bay, and Battle, whose playing time was reduced in San Francisco, should upgrade the Steelers' deficient special teams. Their four kickoff return touchdowns allowed last season led the NFL.

"That's what I'm good at, that's what they saw in me, I'm a good safety and a good special teams player."

                                        ~Will Allen

The Steelers are also bringing in offensive tackle Jonathan Scott, who played the last two seasons in Buffalo under new Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler. Scott started eight games last season but wasn't given even the lowest tender offer to stay with the Bills.

Now for news on Antwan Randal El.

Bringing back Randle El and signing Battle suggests the Steelers may not be counting on former second-round draft pick Limas Sweed next season. He was taken off the active roster late last season for reasons not fully explained by the Steelers, who still haven't commented on the move.

Randle El figures to be the Steelers' No. 3 receiver, although he could find himself in stiff competition for that job by second-year receiver Mike Wallace, who had six touchdowns among his 39 catches as a rookie.

Let's hope that this will help answer some of the problems we had last season. I am looking forward to the upcoming draft and hopefully our Steelers can take this team back to the top of our division and into the play-offs.

As Always, Here We Go!

by Ramona Dye

Steelers have been active in free-agency by re-signing DL Casey Hampton, while franchise tagging K-Jeff Reed. Steelers will continue looking for help at WR, CB, OL and LB positions.

Steelers are among the most patient teams in league, and sometimes wait out others to pick up players who are cast off in June.

Things could get interesting in the next few months.

As Always, Here We Go!!!

by Ramona Dye

Two of the AFC's top defenses will battle it out on Monday night at Mile High in Denver.

Our Steelers are coming off the bye week and a four-game winning streak with a solid win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Our Steelers are tied with the Bengals for the lead in the AFC North division and with a win over the Broncos and a possible loss for Cincy, it could put our team in a good position for our division title.

Let's not forget though that the Denver Broncos are coming off their first loss against Baltimore. How well can they bounce back after a sound beating?

This will be a Monday night game that several teams and fans will be paying close attention to.

Match-ups to watch for:

Our Steelers offense vs the Broncos defense.

Big Ben is third in the NFL in passing yards, second in completion percentage, first in yards per attempt, and second in yards per game. He is a good passer and is the best in the league at creating plays.

Things to watch for will be Bens success at avoiding the number one sack team in the NFL and costly turnovers.

Kyle Orton vs Steelers defense.

Orton has done well with his transition to the Broncos offense and leads the league in fewest interceptions, one, unusual for Broncos quarterbacks. He may not be the best quarterback on the field but he has proved that he can win big games.

Broncos running game has been a solid force in their offense so let's see what they can do against the number one defense against the run.

Broncos defense vs Steelers defense.

The Broncos lead the league in total defense giving up only 266.7 yds a game and have held their opponents to 13.7 points per game. Their defense runs the same style 3/4 defense as our Steelers let's see which defense shows up in this game to make a game winning decision.

Recap on Ryan Clark.

Clark is considering playing in the game, despite still carrying a sickle-cell trait and another undisclosed medical condition that caused the initial crisis.

Clark’s previous illness came after playing in a 31-28 loss to Denver on Oct. 21, 2007. He became ill following the game and after complications with the sickle-cell trait in his blood prevented parts of his spleen from receiving oxygen.

Clark was forced to have emergency surgery to remove his spleen. A few weeks later, his gallbladder had to be removed. Throughout the illness, he lost 35 pounds causing him to miss the remainder of the season.

Doctors told Clark that about 1 percent of those who suffer with the sickle-cell trait in his blood react adversely to high stress and exertion in extreme altitude.

Although Clark has gotten medical clearance to play in the game, the question remains. Should Pittsburgh be entertaining the thoughts of letting him play?

Guess we will wait and see.

As always, Here WE Go!!!

Many claimed Heath Miller could become a victim of a salary cap cut at the end of this season. This is one of the most outrageous things said that I have heard in the whole off-season.

Since joining the Steelers as a drafted rookie, Miller has racked up 21 touchdowns on 168 catches for 1,932 yards, an 11.5 yards per catch average. But it is his blocking skills which are most valuable to the Steelers. Last year he caught 48 passes for 514 yards and three touchdowns.

"There is no better place to play football than the city of Pittsburgh, and to be a part of two of the six championships is special." -- Heath Miller   

Miller brings much more to the field as a tight end than fan-popular players with big names like Anthony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates, players who make the Pro Bowl. Not only can he catch, but also Heath is a tremendous blocker. Heath adds an extra lineman to our sometimes sluggish offensive line.

"Pro bowls have nothing to do with the best tight ends going to the Pro Bowl," Arians said in 2008. "It's the guy with the most catches who goes. Those are glorified wide receivers. I've said it every year, Heath's the best tight end in the AFC." -- Bruce Arians

The Steelers and Heath have come to terms on a contract extension that runs through the 2014 season. Terms of the deal have yet to be be released.

In getting a contract done, the Steelers avoid any effects from a new NFL Labor agreement which could include an uncapped year. 

During his college career, Heath earned consensus first-team All-American honors. Miller caught 41 passes for 541 yards with five touchdowns. 

In his last season playing at the University of Virginia, a season when he won  the prestigious Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end, Heath played the whole season with a sports hernia. Heath showed us the kind of toughness that screams Steelers football. 

While a few feel Matt Spaeth is a capable back-up, he might not make the team this season as McHugh can also play fullback role and has much better hands than Spaeth.  Don't get me wrong, I want Spaeth to stay with our Steelers but if we are gonna get rid of a TE let it not be Heath!

As Always, Here We Go!

                     ROETHLISBERGER                                 QUARTERBACK/GOLFER

By Ramona Dye

Well Steeler fans, it looks like Big Ben, Pittsburgh Steelers star QB is not only a star on the football field but also a star on the golf course. A few days before the Golf Digest Celebrity US Open, Ben Roethlisberger received a call from none other than Tiger Woods, who allegedly told Roethlisberger that he had no chance of breaking 100 on Bethpage State Parks black course, the site of the upcoming U.S. Open Benefit Golf Tournament.

Well folks, On Friday, June 12TH not only did Roethlisberger break 100, he did so with ease, firing an 11-over 81 to win the 2009 U.S. Open Challenge, beating music star Justin Timberlake by seven shots and Michael Jordan by five.

Big Ben played so well that he ended up setting a new record for the event, even beating Dallas Cowboys QB, Tony Romo who posted  an 84 last year at the Torrey Pines tournament.  Roethlisberger even managed a couple of birdies, the only birdies recorded by the members of the four celebrities of the tournament.

Pennsylvania native Rocco Mediate the runner-up at the 2008 U.S. Open, was on the bag for Big Ben. Roethlisberger birdied on holes 10 and 15, the two most difficult holes on the course. Roethlisberger said both he and Jordan discussed that any course they play on in the future will seem easier in comparison.

For those of you who are surprised, I am not. Ben has this natural ability to rise to any occasion and be in the running no matter if on the football field or apparently the golf course. Great job Ben!

As Always, Here We Go!