Inside the ropes Sunday, August 17, 2008

[lamberts-lost-tooth]

Inside the ropes
By Mike Prisuta
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, August 17, 2008

TAG, YOU'RE IT: The Steelers seemingly fell short of perfect practice-field etiquette again Saturday during a kickoff drill when FS Ryan Clark blasted WR Jeremy Bloom, knocking Bloom to the ground and Bloom's helmet off his head.

THE LEFTWICH TOUCH: QB Byron Leftwich excelled in an 11-on-11 red-zone drill, firing two TD passes to WR Dallas Baker. One was a fastball that Baker snagged in traffic. The other was a touch-pass that Baker went up for in the back of the end zone. What would have been a third TD eluded Baker when he dropped a strike from QB Dennis Dixon.

YOUR TURN: P Paul Ernster and P Mitch Berger alternated working as a holder for K Jeff Reed.

CATCH OF THE DAY: RB Mewelde Moore wowed the crowd with a leaping one-handed grab of a pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger during 11-on-11 work.

PLAY OF THE DAY: WR Nate Washington hauled in a long scoring strike from Roethlisberger at the expense of CB Roy Lewis.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_583365.html

[Aussie_steeler]

Thanks LLT

1. From the reports over the last week it certainly looks like Baker has worked his way in front of Reid on the depth chart at WR.

2. Will Ryan Clark receive the same heat for the shot on Bloom that Anthony Smith got for hitting Ward. I am going to guess not. We cant have both FS's in the dog house.

[Galax Steeler]

I guess someone will call Clark a thug on that dirty hit.

[43Hitman]

Originally Posted by galax steeler

I guess someone will call Clark a thug on that dirty hit.

Cut him now!!!

[RoethlisBURGHer]

Originally Posted by Aussie_steeler

2. Will Ryan Clark receive the same heat for the shot on Bloom that Anthony Smith got for hitting Ward. I am going to guess not. We cant have both FS's in the dog house.

The question on the Clark hit is was it a no-contact drill or was it a contact drill?

Anthony Smith's blasts this year have been in no-contact drills. If Clark's hit was during a no-contact drill (and I don't see how a kickoff drill would be no contact, otherwise it's a return TD every time), then he is just as wrong as Smith was for his no-contact drill hits.

Now if it was a contact drill, then I see no problems with it, though the hit might have been somewhat excessive.

Another thing that some people don't seem to pick up about Smith is that he seems to have a history of not listening to his coaches, waving them off, and laying people out in non-contact drillls. That is a history that Clark doesn't have...along with a history of not showboating after interceptions, not blowing coverage multiple times in a game for TD's, and not being disliked by his offensive counterparts.

[SteelMember]

Ray Horton is a thug. and is teaching his thug ways.