Wednesday, October 29, 2003

If the Penguins and Steelers played in the NHL, they would be tied in the standings. The Penguins are 1-4-2 for four points, the Steelers 2-5 for four points.

But the Penguins and Steelers aren't in the same league, and they're not supposed to be in the same league figuratively, either. The Penguins are rebuilding X Generation-style. The Steelers are merely rated X, an obscene shell of what was supposed to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

So, what happened?

I don't know, but it has been perversely amusing. I feel bad for owner Dan Rooney, because he deserves better after having handed out $80 million in signing bonuses the past three years. But the Steelers got to 2-5 the old-fashioned way: By stinking out the joint most days.

You have to laugh when Jerome Bettis says he can't believe a team this talented is 2-5. The Steelers aren't that talented.

Looking objectively at the Steelers' lineup, they have nine players who could start for a good NFL team. Rest assured that is a very kind estimate. Alan Faneca, Jeff Hartings, Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress cut the mustard on offense. Casey Hampton, Aaron Smith, Joey Porter, Kendrell Bell and James Farrior make the grade on defense.

Like I said, that's a very kind estimate. Ward and Burress, for example, would barely get on the field for St. Louis. Bell, now in his third NFL season, is still more potential than production.

So, the Steelers just aren't that talented. We might have thought otherwise at one time -- me, too -- but we were wrong.

The Steelers lost only one game they had a legitimate chance to win, that being at Denver. They were embarrassed by Kansas City, Tennessee and Cleveland --Cleveland! -- and were in only minimal danger of beating St. Louis Sunday. The Steelers came a lot closer to starting 0-7 than they did 4-3.

I'm curious to see how the Steelers react, in the locker room and in the front office.

Jack Ham says winning creates good chemistry, not vice versa. Same with losing and bad chemistry. It wasn't all that long ago that the Steelers were swinging footstools at each other near the shower. The defense used to blame the offense for letting them down, although trying to figure out who should blame who seems a tricky proposition this year.

Ward always gives maximum effort. Maybe he could blame everybody else, and Jason Gildon could tell him to mind his own business again.

The Steelers will have a difficult time rebuilding. They have very few young backups who aren't anywhere near ready to jump in and play. Considering their needs, the Steelers are three good drafts and a couple of shrewd free-agent signings away from contending for the playoffs again, although the putrid AFC North might be the great equalizer sooner, not later.

Before the Steelers have three good drafts, maybe they should try to have one. Alonzo Jackson instead of Chris Simms (or a tackle)? Antwaan Randle El instead of Antonio Bryant (or a tackle)? Hank Poteat instead of, uh, anybody else?

Injuries provide a handy excuse. But the offensive line was shaky even before Marvel Smith got hurt. To make matters worse, Todd Fordham is doubtful with windburn this week. Actually, that would make matters better.

I would not consider firing Bill Cowher, not because of one bad season, and the Steelers don't fire coaches, anyway.

But Cowher, the de facto general manager since the departure of Tom Donahoe, has definitely put together a bad team, a team not in tune with the way football is played in 2003. It might be time to strip Cowher of his personnel duties and bring in a full-time GM to work above Mr. Bill. Kevin Colbert wouldn't be a good choice. He has been subservient to Cowher for too long.

Cowher wouldn't want the Steelers to hire a real GM. It would be a blow to his ego. But the Seattle Seahawks started winning only when they hired Bob Ferguson to be GM, thus making Mike Holmgren the head coach and nothing else. It would be easier for Cowher to swallow his pride than a string of nonplayoff seasons.

Don't feel sorry for the Steelers. Their problems are of their own making.

Incidentally, don't feel sorry for Pitt kicker David Abdul, either. Abdul has been beneficiary of a torrent of media sympathy because he missed some kicks, impregnated his girlfriend before marriage and participated in drunken foolishness that left his friend and teammate dead. Which one of those was he forced into doing? I must be missing something.

Feel sorry for Paul Spadafora. Spadafora has obviously had severe problems for some time, but his managers/entourage/leeches didn't want to halt his boxing career (i.e., the flow of money to all concerned) so he could get some help. If Spadafora goes to prison, he's going to find out who his real friends are. More accurately, he's going to find out that he never had any.

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