By: Luke Florence
An epic quote from an epic movie to signal the start of what promises to be an epic season.
Consider this opening game of the 2009 NFL season an appetizer for Sunday’s main course. But what a delicious appetizer we have in front of us.
TENNESSEE @ PITTSBURGH (-5.5)
As has been accustomed the past four years, the NFL will open the regular season on a Thursday night with the defending Super Bowl champions getting all the attention. For the Steelers, this is not new territory, as they participated in the first Thursday Night season opener against the Dolphins four years prior.
The year following, the Indianapolis Colts smoked the New Orleans Saints, and then last year, the Giants covered against the Redskins. Hmmmm. Are you sensing a trend?
My Pick: PIT (-5.5)
Devin: “Super Bowl teams are 232-14 in the first game the next season. Actually I made that up, how many Super Bowls have their been? Anyway when Tampa won it they looked great their first game back, then sucked it up the rest of the season. Probably a lot of old TB references this year, keeps me sane.” Expect more of this from Devin throughout the year. He too picked up on the week one success of the defending Super Bowl champions, and combined that with a Tampa Bay reference.
Jeff: “Tennessee suits up Andrea McNulty against Roethlisberger and he denies he ever played against her.” Uh oh, Jeff is back, and he has a full-slate of comments this week. This one is a Quote Of The Week (QOTW) candidate.
Hug: “I expect regression this year from the Titans. They will still be a solid team, but I have to go with the defending Super Bowl champions at home.” Huggy Bear also has a full slate of comments, as he appears to be taking a shot at the 2009 Mr. Normand Award.
Lay: “Tennessee didn't exist in Super Tecmo Bowl. Advantage: Pittsburgh.” I've received some great e-mails in my 2+ years of running this league, but Lay deciding to use Super Tecmo Bowl as his theme in picking games this week is an all-time great. It is a must read, and I can't wait for all of you to view it Sunday morning.
Bart: "It still surprises me that Pittsburgh has an 'h' at the end of it." Ladies and gentlemen, Bart Borer.
Barnes: “'Thriller' - This game should provide a great start to the 2009 NFL season. These were the two best teams in the AFC last year. The closest thing to a Thriller among the 16 games.” Welcome back Matt Barnes. The sole reasoning behind these comments is Barnes constantly writing top-notch, humorous, and insightful e-mails back in 2004 when I first tried to set up a pick ‘em league in college. Barnes really didn’t write much his first year, and quietly started to write more and more each week last season. But now he is back. This week his theme was Michael Jackson songs, and he uses one to describe every game of week one. Brilliant.
Smitty: “True to my student status, I'm sending this email from my management night class. No comments for this one, I figure everyone else can cover the LenDale White is a tequila chugging fat-ass angle.” Two things: 1) Boy do I miss doing anything else in class instead of listening to a boring professor. 2) Actually you are the first to use the LenDale White drinking angle, and I’m glad someone did.
Jake: “For some reason I see this being a two-four point spread. I also find it funny that all of the Steelers say they don't think at all about the now infamous towel stomp. I mean, winning the Super Bowl usually cures these sort of indiscretions, but give me a break. They're going to go out there and try to stomp Keith Bullock and LenDale White's faces.” R.Kelly would be all over that if you replaced “stomp” with “pee” and “Bullock and White” with “14-year old girls.” What? Is he here?? Is he reading this?? (Jeff Ross during the Emmitt Smith roast … anyone?)
Fiz: “Home game, national TV, celebrating the Super Bowl title, Fergie in town, I'll be at the game...NO WAY Pittsburgh fails to cover.” If Cleveland opened this game, here is how that sentence would sound. Home game, national TV, celebrating an NFL record for most consecutive quarters without an offensive TD, Drew Carey in town, I’ll be at the game … NO WAY Cleveland wins.
Woody: “In the memory of Warren Moon and Eddie George, GO OILERS ... I mean Titans! And with points I can't go against them this week even if they are away.” When I first read, 'In the memory …' I couldn’t help but think of Steve McNair. Too soon?
Chewy: “Steelers for the home opener. C'mon.” That appears to be the general consensus.
Tynan: “Before the season begins, let me start with a couple of disclaimers: 1) I have access to a website that allows me to see how much money at online casinos is placed on each team against the spread. In essence, I can see how Vegas is betting - and yes, Vegas bets. 2) I recognize that of all sports, the NFL seems to be the most random in betting terms. There are going to be times when that line looks too good to be true for a reason and I can tell you I will be the one picking contrary to you.
So let's get started:
Since it's too soon for Steve McNair jokes, I will stick to brass tacks. The Titans win by running, but the Steelers stop everything and always have a way to win. The home crowd welcomes their Super Bowl champs in style.” I thought Tynan was going to go against the betting public thanks to his inside information? Inside information that is available to everyone.
Brian: “Defending Super Bowl Champs have won nine straight openers. To me, Tennessee could be a ‘fall’ team this year with Indy still good, Houston a possible surprise, and Jacksonville not nearly as bad as last year. Plus, I'm excited for the fourth quarter, Vince Young NFL Career Timeline, which is inevitable in this possible blowout.” I could use a comparison of how Steve McNair will put up better numbers this season than Vince Young, but again, I think it’s too soon.
Justin: “Super Bowl champs unbeaten in home opener since 04. Pittsburgh 20-14.” Brian and Justin are both in it to win it with these comments. Shows they are doing research, putting in some time, and will not go down easily. Well done boys.
Hunt: “Picking the Steelers as favorites in week one hurts my pride more than the amount of hurt pride for any night any girl has ever spent with Corey Taylor ... and THEY'RE the ones giving HIM herpes.” Technically, just the first girl gave Taylor herpes. Anytime after that they simply traded.
Spider: “5.5 is a dicey number for this game but I still have to go with the Steelers at home ... they should probably win by at least a touchdown. Plus, the most memorable glimpse of preseason football I had was Vince Young throwing one of the worst passes in history to the Browns' Alex Hall for a pick 6. Sure he's not starting, but it was still bad enough to affect my pick.” Recent quarterbacks to throw a pick-six the Browns way include Eli Manning, Kyle Boller, and Donovan McNabb (almost).
SPECIAL SECTIONS - your opportunity to write about whatever your heart desires
“This story begins on August 15, 2005 in the comfortable confines of Heinz Field.
The Steelers were opening the preseason against in-state rival Philadelphia, and I was in attendance thanks to getting tickets from a really good friend of mine, Mike ‘Dubz’ White.
I don’t remember much about that night, but what I do remember would stand out for me for the next few years. First, the Steelers scored their first three touchdowns of the game all on returns, which is unheard of, even in preseason.
But overshadowing that was the play of an unfamiliar wide receiver donning the No. 85 jersey. His name was Nate Washington, he was an un-drafted rookie free agent, and he was from Tiffin…Tiffin?! His four catches for 76 yards in that game immediately made me a fan, and I hoped he would make the final roster, which was no certainty, considering the Steelers already had Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle El and Cedrick Wilson.
What made Washington’s odds worse was that the Steelers had selected Fred Gibson in the fourth round of that year’s draft to fill the No. 4 receiver slot, and Sean Morey doubled as the No. 5 receiver and the special-teams ace.
Washington didn’t have more than one catch in a game for the final three preseason games, but the Steelers saw enough to keep him over Gibson, who was released before the season started and never played a down in the NFL.
That season, Washington caught one pass, and it was in the AFC Championship Game at Denver. I was pretty excited, for my “sleeper” pick to produce for the Steelers made a catch in the postseason.
From there, as Washington became more involved in the offense, I became a bigger fan. While people were wondering who the hell he even was, I proceeded to name a future fantasy team of mine after him. The guy sitting in front of Dubz and me at Steelers games just knew me by ‘Tiffin’ because I was a big fan. Besides Santonio Holmes’ game-winning touchdown catch in Super Bowl XLIII, the time I got most excited on that final drive was when Washington made an 11-yard reception to give the Steelers a new set of downs and set up Holmes’ heroics.
The No. 85 Nate Washington jersey was all ready to be customized (no way in hell did they actually make one of these) and ordered to me in time for the 2009 season.
And then he signed with Tennessee.
Deep down, I knew it was going to happen. What wide receiver in the NFL would pass on No. 1 money to stay as a No. 3 receiver, even on a contender? It still sucked, and it brought an end to an era.
While his statistics didn’t say a whole lot (his 40 catches and 631 receiving yards last year were both career-highs), he made a pretty big impact on the Steelers. Not many un-drafted free agents make the team, and when they do, they’re usually pretty special players (see Willie Parker and James Harrison).
So now, the stage is set for tonight, as Nate Washington returns to Pittsburgh, where he made a name for himself. I was there for his first game as a Steeler, and I’ll be there for his first game on the opposite sideline.
Funny how things come full-circle.
Nate Washington came out of nowhere to make a team that went 15-1 the year before, becoming a very serviceable wide receiver and even developing into a big-play threat. I drafted him for my fantasy football league this season, and I’ll be rooting for him to succeed for the rest of his career.
Just not tonight. Go Steelers.”
TEN: (6) - Josh, Jeff, Rapking, Jake, Woody, Taylor
PIT: (20) - Luke, Brian, R.Po, Devin, Shane, Bart, Justin, Hunt, Chewy, Barnes, Braves, Spider, Smitty, Billy, Hug, Lay, Reamer, Tynan, Fiz, L.Po
Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."
Consider this opening game of the 2009 NFL season an appetizer for Sunday’s main course. But what a delicious appetizer we have in front of us.
TENNESSEE @ PITTSBURGH (-5.5)
As has been accustomed the past four years, the NFL will open the regular season on a Thursday night with the defending Super Bowl champions getting all the attention. For the Steelers, this is not new territory, as they participated in the first Thursday Night season opener against the Dolphins four years prior.
The year following, the Indianapolis Colts smoked the New Orleans Saints, and then last year, the Giants covered against the Redskins. Hmmmm. Are you sensing a trend?
My Pick: PIT (-5.5)
Devin: “Super Bowl teams are 232-14 in the first game the next season. Actually I made that up, how many Super Bowls have their been? Anyway when Tampa won it they looked great their first game back, then sucked it up the rest of the season. Probably a lot of old TB references this year, keeps me sane.” Expect more of this from Devin throughout the year. He too picked up on the week one success of the defending Super Bowl champions, and combined that with a Tampa Bay reference.
Jeff: “Tennessee suits up Andrea McNulty against Roethlisberger and he denies he ever played against her.” Uh oh, Jeff is back, and he has a full-slate of comments this week. This one is a Quote Of The Week (QOTW) candidate.
Hug: “I expect regression this year from the Titans. They will still be a solid team, but I have to go with the defending Super Bowl champions at home.” Huggy Bear also has a full slate of comments, as he appears to be taking a shot at the 2009 Mr. Normand Award.
Lay: “Tennessee didn't exist in Super Tecmo Bowl. Advantage: Pittsburgh.” I've received some great e-mails in my 2+ years of running this league, but Lay deciding to use Super Tecmo Bowl as his theme in picking games this week is an all-time great. It is a must read, and I can't wait for all of you to view it Sunday morning.
Bart: "It still surprises me that Pittsburgh has an 'h' at the end of it." Ladies and gentlemen, Bart Borer.
Barnes: “'Thriller' - This game should provide a great start to the 2009 NFL season. These were the two best teams in the AFC last year. The closest thing to a Thriller among the 16 games.” Welcome back Matt Barnes. The sole reasoning behind these comments is Barnes constantly writing top-notch, humorous, and insightful e-mails back in 2004 when I first tried to set up a pick ‘em league in college. Barnes really didn’t write much his first year, and quietly started to write more and more each week last season. But now he is back. This week his theme was Michael Jackson songs, and he uses one to describe every game of week one. Brilliant.
Smitty: “True to my student status, I'm sending this email from my management night class. No comments for this one, I figure everyone else can cover the LenDale White is a tequila chugging fat-ass angle.” Two things: 1) Boy do I miss doing anything else in class instead of listening to a boring professor. 2) Actually you are the first to use the LenDale White drinking angle, and I’m glad someone did.
Jake: “For some reason I see this being a two-four point spread. I also find it funny that all of the Steelers say they don't think at all about the now infamous towel stomp. I mean, winning the Super Bowl usually cures these sort of indiscretions, but give me a break. They're going to go out there and try to stomp Keith Bullock and LenDale White's faces.” R.Kelly would be all over that if you replaced “stomp” with “pee” and “Bullock and White” with “14-year old girls.” What? Is he here?? Is he reading this?? (Jeff Ross during the Emmitt Smith roast … anyone?)
Fiz: “Home game, national TV, celebrating the Super Bowl title, Fergie in town, I'll be at the game...NO WAY Pittsburgh fails to cover.” If Cleveland opened this game, here is how that sentence would sound. Home game, national TV, celebrating an NFL record for most consecutive quarters without an offensive TD, Drew Carey in town, I’ll be at the game … NO WAY Cleveland wins.
Woody: “In the memory of Warren Moon and Eddie George, GO OILERS ... I mean Titans! And with points I can't go against them this week even if they are away.” When I first read, 'In the memory …' I couldn’t help but think of Steve McNair. Too soon?
Chewy: “Steelers for the home opener. C'mon.” That appears to be the general consensus.
Tynan: “Before the season begins, let me start with a couple of disclaimers: 1) I have access to a website that allows me to see how much money at online casinos is placed on each team against the spread. In essence, I can see how Vegas is betting - and yes, Vegas bets. 2) I recognize that of all sports, the NFL seems to be the most random in betting terms. There are going to be times when that line looks too good to be true for a reason and I can tell you I will be the one picking contrary to you.
So let's get started:
Since it's too soon for Steve McNair jokes, I will stick to brass tacks. The Titans win by running, but the Steelers stop everything and always have a way to win. The home crowd welcomes their Super Bowl champs in style.” I thought Tynan was going to go against the betting public thanks to his inside information? Inside information that is available to everyone.
Brian: “Defending Super Bowl Champs have won nine straight openers. To me, Tennessee could be a ‘fall’ team this year with Indy still good, Houston a possible surprise, and Jacksonville not nearly as bad as last year. Plus, I'm excited for the fourth quarter, Vince Young NFL Career Timeline, which is inevitable in this possible blowout.” I could use a comparison of how Steve McNair will put up better numbers this season than Vince Young, but again, I think it’s too soon.
Justin: “Super Bowl champs unbeaten in home opener since 04. Pittsburgh 20-14.” Brian and Justin are both in it to win it with these comments. Shows they are doing research, putting in some time, and will not go down easily. Well done boys.
Hunt: “Picking the Steelers as favorites in week one hurts my pride more than the amount of hurt pride for any night any girl has ever spent with Corey Taylor ... and THEY'RE the ones giving HIM herpes.” Technically, just the first girl gave Taylor herpes. Anytime after that they simply traded.
Spider: “5.5 is a dicey number for this game but I still have to go with the Steelers at home ... they should probably win by at least a touchdown. Plus, the most memorable glimpse of preseason football I had was Vince Young throwing one of the worst passes in history to the Browns' Alex Hall for a pick 6. Sure he's not starting, but it was still bad enough to affect my pick.” Recent quarterbacks to throw a pick-six the Browns way include Eli Manning, Kyle Boller, and Donovan McNabb (almost).
SPECIAL SECTIONS - your opportunity to write about whatever your heart desires
IN THE ZONE - Vol. I - Num. I
… WHERE ANYONE WHO PICKS TENNESSEE TO COVER TONIGHT IS JUST PLAIN SILLY
AN ODE TO NATE WASHINGTON
By: Jason Fazzone“This story begins on August 15, 2005 in the comfortable confines of Heinz Field.
The Steelers were opening the preseason against in-state rival Philadelphia, and I was in attendance thanks to getting tickets from a really good friend of mine, Mike ‘Dubz’ White.
I don’t remember much about that night, but what I do remember would stand out for me for the next few years. First, the Steelers scored their first three touchdowns of the game all on returns, which is unheard of, even in preseason.
But overshadowing that was the play of an unfamiliar wide receiver donning the No. 85 jersey. His name was Nate Washington, he was an un-drafted rookie free agent, and he was from Tiffin…Tiffin?! His four catches for 76 yards in that game immediately made me a fan, and I hoped he would make the final roster, which was no certainty, considering the Steelers already had Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle El and Cedrick Wilson.
What made Washington’s odds worse was that the Steelers had selected Fred Gibson in the fourth round of that year’s draft to fill the No. 4 receiver slot, and Sean Morey doubled as the No. 5 receiver and the special-teams ace.
Washington didn’t have more than one catch in a game for the final three preseason games, but the Steelers saw enough to keep him over Gibson, who was released before the season started and never played a down in the NFL.
That season, Washington caught one pass, and it was in the AFC Championship Game at Denver. I was pretty excited, for my “sleeper” pick to produce for the Steelers made a catch in the postseason.
From there, as Washington became more involved in the offense, I became a bigger fan. While people were wondering who the hell he even was, I proceeded to name a future fantasy team of mine after him. The guy sitting in front of Dubz and me at Steelers games just knew me by ‘Tiffin’ because I was a big fan. Besides Santonio Holmes’ game-winning touchdown catch in Super Bowl XLIII, the time I got most excited on that final drive was when Washington made an 11-yard reception to give the Steelers a new set of downs and set up Holmes’ heroics.
The No. 85 Nate Washington jersey was all ready to be customized (no way in hell did they actually make one of these) and ordered to me in time for the 2009 season.
And then he signed with Tennessee.
Deep down, I knew it was going to happen. What wide receiver in the NFL would pass on No. 1 money to stay as a No. 3 receiver, even on a contender? It still sucked, and it brought an end to an era.
While his statistics didn’t say a whole lot (his 40 catches and 631 receiving yards last year were both career-highs), he made a pretty big impact on the Steelers. Not many un-drafted free agents make the team, and when they do, they’re usually pretty special players (see Willie Parker and James Harrison).
So now, the stage is set for tonight, as Nate Washington returns to Pittsburgh, where he made a name for himself. I was there for his first game as a Steeler, and I’ll be there for his first game on the opposite sideline.
Funny how things come full-circle.
Nate Washington came out of nowhere to make a team that went 15-1 the year before, becoming a very serviceable wide receiver and even developing into a big-play threat. I drafted him for my fantasy football league this season, and I’ll be rooting for him to succeed for the rest of his career.
Just not tonight. Go Steelers.”
TEN: (6) - Josh, Jeff, Rapking, Jake, Woody, Taylor
PIT: (20) - Luke, Brian, R.Po, Devin, Shane, Bart, Justin, Hunt, Chewy, Barnes, Braves, Spider, Smitty, Billy, Hug, Lay, Reamer, Tynan, Fiz, L.Po
Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."
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