If you had a set of gills you would have felt quite at home in Latrobe today. The humidity made you feel as if you were wearing a second skin. Anytine you can’t see the Laurel mountains clearly, it’s a hold onto your butt day as former Steelers and now Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore told me years ago.
Offensive line coach Sean Kugler used the “Chutes and Ladders” drill by having the hogs come out of a chute chopping their feet while driving the man backwards, only to break from their initial block and move onto the second level with anothe rman holding a shield. The ladder part is when the engage the shield held by a teammate simulating a linebacker. Think ladder as in “climb the ladder” or climb (under and up) the ‘backer. Good stuff.
Guard Ramon Foster might need to be checked a second time for a concussion. On a cut block drill, Ramon pulled, turned up-field and threw his body at the dummy and whiffed! How do you miss a blocking dummy?
I asked Ramon, did you catch an updraft? Ramon good naturedly laughed and said Coach Kugler “moved the dummy on me.” Ramon is having a terrific camp and shows great promise. He looks like he’s building on what he did last year.
Exceeding expectations department: the two rookie wideouts, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown are looking great. They are both fluid in running patterns and do not appear over matched at any time. They catch everything thrown their way, and look very comfortable doing it. I’m looking forward to see what they do after getting whacked. How they respond will tell a great deal about them. And I expect their responses to be like their play. Exceeding expectations.
Arnaz Battle, another wideout, got introduced to the Pittsburgh version of “Bump.” Other places call it “Thud.” But what it means is just to bump the backs and wide receivers after a catch to simulate a tackle. Arnaz got jacked. Welcome to Pittsburgh Arnaz. Arnaz has looked very good in camp by the way.
Can’t sing department: rookies Kyle Jolly, Emmanuel Sanders, Steven Sylvester. The guy who rocked the house was Doug Worthington with special acknowledgment to Dorian Brooks. Whenever the rookies start singing for their supper, it’s always a good time. Simon Cowell has nothing on James Farrior when it comes to critiquing singing styles.
In The Locker Room had Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El as guests along with the Hayden Flowers, Head Coach of the Turkish Football National Champions, the Istanbul Cavaliers. Tomorrow In The locker Room we are expecting Ryan Clark to join us and Friday Mike Wallace and Ben Roethlisberger.
Listen to the Tunch and Wolf’s “In the Locker Room” show on Fox Sports Radio 970AM Pittsburgh
Monday – Friday
11:00am to 1:00pm
http://www.fox970.com/pages/tunchwolf.html
READ Craig’s “Training Camp” blog stories (Link)
