Beer We Go Steelers

From the Desk of Tom Janicki:

I’m sure that there are many reasons to be optimistic for every team in the NFL leading up to the 2011-2012 season, however, being a fan of the Steelers, days away from a kickoff date at Baltimore to start the season, is especially gratifying.  Let me lay out 5 reasons why I feel the Steelers are superior to every team in the NFL…

Wide Receivers: “The Young Money Family” Speed (Emmanuel Sanders, Easy Money), More Speed (Antonio Brown, Cash Money), Even More Speed (Mike Wallace, Fast Money), the Addition (Jerico Cotchery, Mo’ Money) and the Dancer (Hines Ward, Old Money)!  What a luxury we have at receiver, our core could be considered the best in the NFL at this point and in my opinion will be considered the best in the NFL after the season.  The only thing that could hold them back (don’t want to think about potential negatives) is an injury to Ben or bad play from the line limiting the time needed for our speed to get down the field.  It will be extremely difficult to defend this vertical attack.  To have 3 receivers that can stretch the field is ridiculous.  Then to add the cherries on top of two veteran, physical, possession receivers and you have a recipe for many, many yards by the Air.  I have faith in BA to design game plan(s) geared to accentuate the strengths of this team and to take nothing away from our running attack, our strength should be clearly our potential for quick aerial strikes.  In years past, Ben was clamoring for a tall physical receiver, although that would be nice, I prefer the SPEED and I believe that Ben does as well!

Linebackers:  Our back-up linebackers could potentially create an entire starting unit on a select few NFL teams; great depth if needed.  Our starters; unquestionably the best in the NFL.  When you consider that our 3^rd best Linebacker could quite possibly could be considered the greatest defensive player to dawn a uniform on those select few NFL teams (I will research this further but the Bengals come to mind); you know that you have a strong unit.  When you consider that your 2^nd best Linebacker is consistently in the discussion as the best in the NFL and is young.  When any given Sunday, your worst Linebacker is your best…we are Blessed with Linebackers.  My rankings are James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons & James Farrior…the drop off is slight and the only reason for any drop off may be due to age.  This unit is STRONG….and ANGRY….and will be the deciding factor in multiple games this year.  Silverback will beast this year!!  This unit is a nice segue into my next point…

Track Record:  Can you run on the Steelers?  I highly doubt it.  Check previous blog entries as I have mentioned this point on multiple occasions, since we drafted “Hungry Hungry” Hampton our run defense has never fell out of the top 5 in the league.  Making teams one dimensional is a key advantage to winning in this league.  This could be the year that we shatter the “Record” for least amount of yards on the ground given up in a season when you consider the depth and shear talent in our run defense.  Teams should realize by this point considering our pedigree that it is extremely rare and the only way to beat this defense is by the air.  Once we sense the run has been abandoned, beware Quarterback but your chance of injury has just increased!!    

Coaching / Management familiarity:  We keep in tact an experienced, proven to be winners, staff & management organization chart that in my opinion is 2^nd to none.  Most teams have rebuilding years with a select few organization capable of sustained excellence.  These select few organizations have one common thread, good leadership.  I would not trade our Ownership / Management team / Coaching staff for any other in the league and hope that we can hold onto them all for many years to follow.  This season shapes up to be great due to the vision and decisions made well before the year, our core decision makers are winners and that is what we will see on the field!!

On the field Leadership:  Name another team in the league with more Winners / Leaders on the field at one time!!  I would challenge anyone to this point.  We have sick talent.  We have a sick will to win and I would fear this team coming off the Super Bowl defeat.  If we can use this as motivation and come into each game with that chip on the shoulder we will be an immovable force to be reckoned with.  A healthy Troy and Silverback gives us a potential 1 / 2 combo for Defensive Player of the Year.  Mike Wallace will break out.  Who would you rather have leading us to victory than the likes of Mike Tomlin and Company?  Is there a better big game Quarterback than Ben?  We have so many things going for us leading into a rivalry game.  Who would you rather have in week 1 than the Ratbirds?  Let’s take their hearts and stomp on them in Week 1 and demoralize their spirit!! 

I can feel it coming in the air tonight…I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life!!  Or at least since we failed to convert on the final drive of the Super Bowl which in turn denied us the ability of rewriting the history books as the greatest franchise in modern sports history.  It is a new year for all, but it is especially nice being a fan of the preeminent franchise in the NFL…Let’s Run It Back Boys!!

WHO RIDE…WE RIDE!!  WHO’S HOUSE…OUR HOUSE!!  WHO DEY…WE DEY!!  I GOT A FEELING!!  BEER WE GO STEELERS BEER WE GO!!!!!!!!!!!

LET’S DO IT!!