In Through the Out Door - Jonathan Dwyer Returns; Steelers Sign Kicker Shayne Graham

The biggest surprise for the Steelers on cut down day was the decision to cut Jonathan Dwyer. While the move had been rumored for some time, Dwyer was at once their only healthy experienced back.

• And in the eyes of at least one reporter, the decision to waive Dwyer was made under protest from "the coaches.

Regardless of whether that report is correct or not, someone on the South Side has a severe case of egg on their face, as Jonathan Dwyer is returning to the Steelers in light of the season ending injury to running back LaRod Stephens-Howling.

Dwyer, however, doesn’t seem to be taking his waiver personally, per his Twitter account:

Glad to be back home #steelernation
— Jonathan Dwyer (@JDwyer27) September 9, 2013

Dwyer will rejoin Isaac Redman and Felix Jones, adding to the irony of the situation. Dwyer's propensity to fumble made him expendable yet it was Redman who coughed up the ball twice, while Jones did not see a single carry.

Another Shayne to Give the Steelers a Kicking Edge?

The Steelers loss vs. the Titans was really costly for the Steelers. When the game ended, fans didn’t know the half of it. After the game it was revealed that Larry Foote should torn a biceps and will miss the season.

And the poor kick that resulted in the Steelers safety? Well, Shaun Suisham injured his hamstring in pre game warm ups. To occupy pregame kicking duties and to take Foote’s spot on the roster, the Steelers have signed kicker Shayne Graham.

Graham is a veteran kicker who has kicked in the NFL since 2001 for the Bills, Panthers, Bengals, Patriots, Giants, Dolphins, Ravens and Texans.

• The Steelers have had good luck with replacement kickers named “Shayne.” 

During 1996 the Steelers punter Josh Miller got injured and the team brought in CFL punter Shayne Edge. Edge’s punting wasn’t quite NFL quality, but he got fined for getting into a fight with the then Houston Oilers….

…You’ve got to love a punter that gets fined for fighting!

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Steelers Nation to the Barricades! Vote for Joe Greene and Rod Woodson on ESPN

Future NFL Hall of Famer and long time Pittsburgh Steelers rival Ray Lewis has announced his retirement.

Let’s state clearly and unequivocally for the record that Ray Lewis deserves the praise headed his way. He’s a legit first ballot Hall of Famer, one of the greatest linebackers in his era, and a leader of what has been a perennial playoff contender.

• But Ray Lewis is not the greatest defender in NFL history.

That fact should seem self evident, but ESPN’s (Baltimore bred and based) James Hensley wasted little time in declaring Ray Lewis as the greatest defender in NFL history.

In doing so he discounted arguments in favor of the likes of Dick Butkus, Reggie White, Ronnie Lott, and Lawrence Taylor.

He of course conveniently avoided comparing Lewis to one player, one player who played in the division he covers, one who clearly must be ranked above Lewis.

• And that player is Joe Greene.

Joe Greene earned that distinction by serving as the foundation for four Super Bowl Championships. His selection signaled a sea change in the fortunes of a franchise that had done nothing but lose for 40 years. Teams routinely double blocked Greene, and Greene routinely got to the quarterback.

"Mean" Joe Greene personally paved the way for the Immaculate Reception, but going down to Houston and leading a Steelers team missing L.C. Greenwood, Jon Kolb, Gerry Mullins, Sam Davis, Dwight White, Steve Furness and Terry Bradshaw all either sat out the game or left due injury.

It turns out they didn’t need any of them. They had Joe Greene who:

• Sacked the quarterback 5 times
• Blocked a field goal
• Recovered a fumble that set up a field goal
• Forced another fumble that set up a field goal

That’s a nine point swing in a game that the Steelers needed to win and that they won 9-3.

Ray Lewis had a lot of great games for Baltimore. He was a dominate figure in many of them. But did he ever single handedly win a game? (Oh, and Joe Greene also had 3 more Super Bowl rings than Lewis….)

Steelers Nation:  To the Barricades!

So let’s give Ray Lewis his due. He’s not only a true great of the game, but he’s also one of the few greats in the post-Freeman McNeil era (that’s the court case that brought free agency to the NFL) that played his entire career with one game.

Good for Ray.

• But let’s keep things in perspective.

ESPN is currently (as of 1/05/13) running a poll asking fans to vote on who is the greatest NFL defender of all time.

Joe Greene trails Ray Lewis (as of 1/5/13) in this ESPN Poll

Currently Ray Lewis is leading that poll and leading by a wide margin.

It shouldn’t be that way and it doesn’t have to be that way fortunately, because you my fellow citizens of Steelers Nation, have a voice.

• You can go to ESPN's poll and vote now to correct this miscarriage of justice.

Click here now to vote to ensure that Joe Greene earns his rightful recognition as a better player than Ray Lewis. While you’re at it, cast a good vote for Rod Woodson, who was certainly better than Dieon Sanders.

Know that you can make a difference. Other Steelers sites are calling attention to this poll, and in the last week both Greene and Rod Woodson have crept up. So do your part.

Go to ESPN and vote.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Chuck Noll vs. Jerry Glanville Revisited

Bill Cowher won the affection of Steelers Nation because the fist-pumping, Chin Out, spit in your face coach acted out what every fan felt.

Chuck Noll personified stoicism. Noll neither ranted nor raved, didn’t high five, and rarely raised his voice. His glare, however, could melt iron.

The news of the NFL this week was of course the post-game handshake fracas between Jim (don’t call him John) Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz.

Nice little bit of three-penny theater no doubt, but seriously, is this the best you can do guys?

Back in the old AFC Central, head coaches knew how to call one another out.

On December 20th 1987 the Steelers traveled to the Houston Astrodome in a must-win game vs. the Oilers. The Steelers of course lost that day 24-16.

But that’s not what angered Chuck Noll. Oilers head coach Jerry Glanville was new the league, and made little pretension about being one of the league’s bad boys.

Glanville, it was accused, not only encouraged his men to hit hard, but to attempt to injure. After the game, Noll let him know what he thought about it (need to wait 20 seconds):



It took a lot to get a rise out of Chuck Noll, but Jerry Glanville did it. It’s hard to know what he said, but one can almost discern “go after your as_.”

The Post-Gazette ran an AP article at the time which reported that Noll said such “tactics “will come back to haunt you. I’m serious.’” The Post-Gazette as reorted that Noll had also apparently issued a challenge via Oilers cornerback Steve Brown to go toe-to-toe with Glanville on the slide lines.

The Chuck Noll – Jerry Glanville feud would rage on for three more seasons, with Glanville’s Oiler’s delivering some bitter beatings at Three Rivers Stadium in ’88 and ’89, and Noll striking back with stunning upsets in 1988 and of course in the 1989 Steelers Divisional Playoff victory over the Oilers at the Astrodome which cost Glanville his job.

It Harbaugh vs. Schwarts made for good television, no doubt.

But those guys were amateurs.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or, click here to follow us on Twitter @SteelCurtainRis.

Read More