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Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Week three OTA thoughts

Mike Tomlin had to get a little loud Wednesday at OTAs as a couple of minor scrimmashes broke out between players following plays.

The first involved right tackle Willie Colon – who else - and a defensive lineman who I believe was Nick Eason.

A couple of plays later, tackle Trai Essex – Trai Essex? – got into a scuffle with another defensive lineman.

Tomlin yelled at the players to stop with the stupid $#&^.

After practice, he held a lengthy huddle, talking to the players about how important it was for them in this third week with just one week remaining not to lose their focus.

© The Steelers had a welcome sight on their offensive line as Marvel Smith was back at his left tackle position. That left the line at, from left to right, Smith, Chris Kemoeatu, Sean Mahan, Kendall Simmons and the aforementioned Colon.

© Larry Foote sat out Wednesday with a stiff neck, allowing second-year pro Lawrence Timmons to take all the snaps with the first team at inside linebacker.

I like Foote a lot, but a stiff neck wouldn't keep me out at this point with the kid breathing down it.

© Rookie Rashard Mendenhall looks strong and fast running with ball. I'm anxious to see how the kid breaks tackles, something starter Willie Parker doesn't do all that well.

Parker, by the way, sat out Wednesday, though it's no big deal.

© The Steelers have a bunch of undrafted rookie defensive linemen in camp and the one they seem to be taking the biggest liking to is Kyle Clement. But it's very early and the hitting hasn't started yet.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read somewhere that Colon got into it with Timmons and Essex jostled with A. Harrison.

Dale Lolley said...

That could have been the case. I didn't care enough about who the combatants were to ask anybody. They only lasted for about 10 seconds each and no punches were exchanged, just guys rolling around on the ground.

Anonymous said...

After having heard you refer to James Harrison's career at Akron (he went to Kent St.) earlier this week, now I have to read that you cant tell the difference between 300 lb backup DE Nick Eason and our 235 lb 15th pick overall, I'm pretty shocked. I would just think that a writer who writes on the Steelers and has access to all their practices would at least know what number our #15 overall draft pick wears and what college our pro bowl ROLB went to. I'm wondering what makes you more qualified to bring me my Steeler news than an 11 year old who actually happens to know who plays for the Steelers and could actually pick them out of a lineup, or maybe even tell you what number they wear or where they went to school. Thanks for summing it up by saying that you didn't really care enough to bring me the a historically accurate account of the events....

Anonymous said...

apparently the steelers are trying to manipulate the salary cap by listing all their linebackers as defensive linemen this year.
how in the world do you have access to steeler practices?

Anonymous said...

Do you guys really have nothing better to do? This is a blog, it's not any kind of official report.

Who is forcing you to come to this page and read it? If you don't want Dale to bring you your Steeler news, you can simply choose not to come here.

You're a troll on Stillers.com and you're a troll here. I hate to be cliche, but get a life.

Dale Lolley said...

Leave your jealousy at the door fellas. I get paid to go to the practices, you don't. Get over it.

Sorry, I was watching the pass going downfield and not the scrum until after it was broken up. And I really don't care to ask guys about pushing matches unless there are blows. Eason was in the middle of it. Just because somebody else reported something different, doesn't mean they were absolutely right.
I was there with Bouchette and I can tell you he didn't know who had fought. He asked somebody, they could have told him the wrong guys.
As for the Kent/Akron mixup, get a life. Of course I know Harrison went to Kent. It's not that big a deal. This is a blog, after all and it's probably not the first time those schools have been mixed up.

Dale Lolley said...

Harrison is FROM Akron, after all.

Anonymous said...

get a life? Get a job that doesn't hinge on accuracy of reported facts.
And if you don't care enough to get the facts straight on the fight, and its not important to you, then don't report on it...pretty simple. How about a little integrity?

Anonymous said...

Dale Good Job
I would like to remind everyone sports are fun.
I don’t care if two trainers got into a fight instead, it doesn’t matter.
Keep things in perspective, sit back and enjoy the fun stories and insights to one of the most enjoyable sports from someone able to give us insight for the inside.

NIck

Dale Lolley said...

Again, you're assuming Bouchette was accurate. All I said was that I could have been wrong. But Ed was standing next to me talking to somebody beside him when the fight broke out. I had to tell him there was a fight. That's not a shot at Ed. Just a fact.
But everyone assumes he's right and I'm wrong.
Again, don't let your jealousy get in the way, bud.
This is a blog. You don't like it, you don't have to come here. It's an addition to what I do for the paper.
And, I might add, that's it's free.