PDA

View Full Version : Interesting day at Latrobe today


Supersteeler
08-12-2008, 08:09 PM
Took another jaunt up to Latrobe today. The mood and atmosphere was pretty different today from the past days I've been there. Tomlin was very animated and at times was really playful and was obviously having some fun out there. The players were in a pretty goofy mood too.

- Ben and Nate Washington had a mock wrestling match during warm ups after which Nate laid motionless on the field like he was dead. After Ben walked away laughing Nate jumped and and ran over and clipped Ben one on the back of the helmet and kept running. As I said, everyone was acting a little nutty today.

- During the WR warm ups, Tomlin came over and was watching very closely to the route running and hands. He then walked over to the spot where each guy was catching the ball and began doing various things to try and mess the guys up. He would do something different to every guy and was obviously enjoying himself greatly. Most guys he would just wave his hands in front of the ball and distract them. The vets got some rougher treatment. He gave Hines a light jab in the stomach as he reached up for the ball and got some laughs. The final one was the best however, as Nate Washington went, Mike whapped him one in the facemask with an open hand just as the ball got there causing him to miss it completely. The entire group got a kick out of it especially Nate and Tomlin.

- Watched Leftwich throwing today, he looked good for the most part. He had a few miscommunications with WR's on routes but that's to be expected on his 2nd practice. His legs look like they are fine. He was doing roll out drills and throwing on the run, didn't look like he was having any problems. His first pass was an underthrow on a little pass in the flat, his second was an absolute rocket that hit Dallas Baker's chest with a pop that got an "oooooh" from the crowd.

- Hartwig ran with the first team today and Tomlin said in his press conference tonight that he will start this week and have his "audition".

- I'm thinking this Justin Vincent kid (# 28 - RB) is going to land on the practice sqaud. After playing real well against the Eagles, he showed some sweet moves today and twice juked out the entire defense and ran for a score....one of which was against the first team, prompting Tomlin to yell, "Way to go 28"!

- Speaking of Tomlin yelling, he was giving Drummond some major shit (in a joking way) about fair catching a punt in a drill. You could plainly hear him say, "Eddie, what was that? You looked like a bitch on that fair catch!" As I said, Tomlin was really in a jovial mood today.

- Ben threw a sweet TD bomb to Hines, picture perfect....couldn't see who he beat though.

- Tomlin added Tyrone Carter, Gary Russell and Carey Davis to the stable of usual punt returners today.

- Ben tried to throw another bomb later for a TD but was picked off by McFadden on a real nice play.


Lots of clowning around today but a high energy, competitive practice.

markymarc
08-12-2008, 08:21 PM
Thanks for sharing this nice practice write up SS. Good to hear Leftwich is coming along nicely. Still has a ways to go, but a couple more weeks of practice and he should be fine. Didn't see much from Reid or Baker against the Eagles so I really wonder who is going to step up and grab that #5 WR spot. Also, I would like to see if Cody Boyd has improved since last year. I would really hate to see Dekker as the #3 TE. He got totally abused when trying to block against the Eagles and of course had a holding penalty and dropped a pass from Dixon. Can't wait to see Hartwig perform on Thursday night.

SteelerFan448
08-12-2008, 08:27 PM
It probably helped that the team got the morning off.

CAH
08-12-2008, 08:31 PM
Seems like Tomlin was the real winner of today's practice. :)

markymarc
08-12-2008, 08:34 PM
Look what happens to Tomlin's mood since Hampton has returned, we found our #2 QB in Leftwich and Berger the punter to compete with Ernster. Watch out when Troy comes back. Hell he might even throw in a movie day for that!

Ben#7
08-12-2008, 08:42 PM
Sounds like the team is really coming together and building alot of continuity with each other.

It makes for a better work enviorment if you could have fun while you work instead of having to act like a bunch of robots.

As long as they keep focus on the tasks at hand and don't lose sight of what they are at practice for then I am all for it.

USM
08-12-2008, 10:43 PM
Thanks for the update/report.

t-bone
08-12-2008, 10:49 PM
so...."Eddie the Bitch" it is....

til he takes one all the way or something.


thanx, Supersteeler.

BermudaSteel
08-12-2008, 11:14 PM
Kudos Supe! Thanks for the good dreams tonight!

Stlrs4Life
08-12-2008, 11:37 PM
Nice report SuperSteeler.

tjack
08-12-2008, 11:40 PM
- Tomlin added Tyrone Carter, Gary Russell and Carey Davis to the stable of usual punt returners today.

Does Tyrone have any speed for punt duty?

Zack_of_Steel
08-12-2008, 11:46 PM
Cool writeup. Thanks for sharing.

tdub88
08-13-2008, 01:32 AM
I kind of liked the way Ernster kicked it through the endzone. A punter that can do that is a pretty good bonus. I have read Berger can do it too. Much better than Reed kicking it to the 15 every time.

Pittsburgh
08-13-2008, 01:50 AM
As always an Amazing read.
Thanks alot for this.

Really exciting to see us getting that spark back. That comraderie that builds men's spirits as they work hard together and get on the same page. Just the Santonio/Ben hotread news is amazing. But to hear what our squad is looking like behind the scenes "ifyouwill" is real nice.

SteelerScott
08-13-2008, 08:29 AM
Good write up, SS!
Where's the Tomlin-is-soft posts??

-the other "SS"