August 17, 2021 • 44 mins
Mike Prisuta and Bob Labriola continue from Rivers. Talking Steelers training camp, and we hear Gene Steratore's interview with the DVE Morning Show about rule changes in the NFL this year.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Happening back to d V E Rocks Live from Training Camp,
presented by fed X and brought to you in part
by Lee Coom blood Light Excel at help Ford, An, Ireland,
contracting on one or two point five d V. Welcome
back to our number two of DV Rocks Training Camp
Live from the Rivers Casino. Mike Pursuita and Bob Labrioler.
(00:21):
We're gonna be here until nine o'clock tonight. If you've
been following along at home, you heard us prior to
the Hall of Fame game in Canton, and you heard
us last Thursday night before the Steelers game in Philadelphia. Labs,
we'll get two thirds of the Steelers radio network pregame
show first line together for these shows, and uh hey
(00:44):
sometimes that's enough. Um, well, when it's me and you,
yes it is. And I believe we did predict that
Joe schobertrade too, did we not. Let's let's um maybe
they maybe they could go back Shirtless Tom could go
back into the archives and dig out that audio of
us saying that that the Steelers were going to acquire
(01:07):
this guy for virtually nothing and get half the salary
paid by Jacksonville. All kidding aside. I do recall speaking
on that very pregame show last Thursday about how I
was definitely concerned about the inside linebacker position and uh
not anymore, not not so much. No, and you know
here and this to me, uh and maybe this might
(01:30):
not seem to be a significant issue, uh to some
fans or you know, to others in our profession, but um,
I really believe that that it has an impact. Um.
You know, Joe Schobert, he's played for five seasons in
the NFL. I think his team's total in those five
seasons have won sixteen games. Actually, you're giving him a
(01:54):
little too much credit. Sixteen. According to our buddy Mark
Caboli from The Athletic, He tweeted that Joe over its
teams are fifteen sixty four and one in four years
with the Clive Brownies and one year with the Jacksonville
Jegu Wars. So um, you know, and I would compare
(02:15):
it a little bit to the acquisition of Joe Hayden. Um,
you know, from a professional standpoint, From a career standpoint,
I believe that Joe Schobert and his wife, who is
actually very active on social media, Um, they're looking like
they got paroled. Seriously, Uh, and you know, I mean
(02:37):
it in a in a good way. And I don't
think you can underestimate or discount the fact when you
add a player such as him, who is talented, who
was accomplished and is so excited to join an organization
that he perceives to be one, you know, that has
an opportunity to actually win some things that have some significance.
(03:01):
I mean I remember Joe Hayden's first season with the Steelers,
having a get a little bit of a casual conversation
with him where he explained to me, I think he'd
been in the in the league eight years, he had
never been on a team that was one and oh
now this is incredible. He had never been on a
team that was over five hundred at any point. And um,
(03:25):
you know, and just discussing with uh, Mike Tomlin about
later that year the Steelers won the division and you
know the hats and T shirts that they give out,
I mean we make fun of it, yeah, I mean seriously, Um,
but Joe Hayden, I mean, he that was that was
(03:45):
a significant, um gift to him in terms of, you know,
being able to have something that spoke to an accomplishment
as a team. You know, that was somewhat significant. It's
not one of the Lombardi Trophy. I'm not trying to
overstate it. But I do think that, you know, people
(04:09):
need to realize that for a guy, and let's just
speak about Hayden here, a guy like Joe Hayden, who
you know one it was a winner at so many
different levels, um of his football career to go as
long as he did in the NFL. UH. And I'm
not you know, you know, to say he won nothing, uh,
(04:30):
to me is not even doing it justice. As I said,
never over five never want to know, you know, I mean, um.
And so then you go somewhere um where you have
an opportunity, uh, you do succeed to a certain degree.
I just think that the joy, the enthusiasm that those
(04:54):
kinds of people bring to your locker room, UM, should
not be under under s tomate it. And I think
that Joe Schobert is one of those guys. I do
believe that his experience in the Pro Bowl with the
Steelers coaching staff in seventeen um, you know, his time
with the Cleveland Browns at a time when they were
(05:17):
like one in fifteen oh and sixteen uh, that kind
of stuff. I think I think they were both in
his tenure. Yeah, you know, Jacksonville one win last year.
And this is a guy who you know, he has
eaten a lot of garbage in terms of his professional
career to this point. I just think he is excited
and really looking forward to an opportunity to be on
(05:39):
the other side of a lot of this kind of stuff.
And I think that that will show itself, um in
his preparation and maybe how he approaches his job as
well as to the other guys in the locker room
that you know, as bad as you think you have it, Fellas,
I'm here to tell you it could be a lot
(06:00):
of I think it's a great point, and it's a
dynamic you find a lot in hockey. You know, you
don't really like these other cross sport references when we're
doing a football show. But a team that will win
the Stanley Cup will make a couple of changes because
(06:20):
the most of those guys just won the Stanley Cup.
And now you bring in somebody that thinks he can
do it, and maybe he hasn't done it yet, and that,
as you said, the energy, the emotion the enthusiasm that
stuff's real. I mean you can't there's not an analytic
for it. But it helps drive the bush. It absolutely does.
And um, you know when you combine that with you know,
(06:43):
some physical skill, some physical ability, uh, some production, some
history of production, I think you really have a positive
addition to the team. And you know this guy played
with t J. Want to I don't think that that's insignificant.
Should be well yeah, lesser Derek, but you know t
(07:05):
J for sure. Um, you know, I just don't think
it should be overlooked. So inside linebacker, we think is
a lot better off than it was before the trade.
Looking at the roster, now, where are you still wondering? Boys,
it's gonna be good enough? Well, you know right now
for me? Um. And and it's not so much because
(07:27):
of what we might perceive that they don't have in
terms of personnel. But you know, you're looking at the
defensive backfield. This Antoine Brooks injury to me is really
really kind of productive. Do we know what that is?
By the way, I do not. I just know he'd
missed the Eagles game, he missed time leading up practice,
(07:49):
didn't practice today, and he's been you know, doing some
sprints and um those kind of conditioning things on the
side and including today, but he was not out on
the field practicing because my understanding is that, certainly through
the early portion of training camp, Antoine Brooks was a
(08:10):
guy who I won't say that, I won't go so
far as to say that he had sewn up that
nickel job, but he was looking pretty good at it.
Oh yeah. I think that expectation goes back to Mini camp.
I mean that was the first time that we were
allowed to talk about what we saw and talk to
people about what we saw. And the word then was, well,
(08:30):
he's the guy. But Arthur Malette Millette, is that any
for us? I usually wait till they make the team,
till I learned how to pronounce it correctly. But thank you.
He was supposed to be the veteran guy pushing and
Mike Tomlin called him a quote NFL dude. So it
was gonna be legit competition. But I think they were
expecting number twenty five was gonna be the guy. Yeah,
(08:51):
and and so uh, putting Brooks on the shelf for
as long as he has been on the shelf, you know,
you've kind of created a situation where you don't really
know where you are at the nickel cornerback spot. And
so you know we were talking earlier at least I
was about, you know, the trickle down at inside linebacker
(09:11):
when you add um, um Joe Schobert. Now you have
the opposite kind of trickled on at nickelback. Is this
a situation where you have to put camp Sutton there?
And then are you uh settling for James Pierre as
the outside corner who's been very good? He has his moments. Um. Uh.
(09:36):
The thing I will say about James Pierre is that
at least he balances the times he gets beat, which
is inevitable for a corner with making place gets his
hands on the ball from He likes that certainly, Um,
(10:00):
you're obviously your preference would be that you don't have
to go through some of the getting beat stuff to
get to the the other side of it. But uh,
you know again is that the bottom line to me
is is that um better or as good as having
(10:21):
camp Sutton there and a uh Antoine Brooks in the
slot in the as the nickel I don't know the
answer to that because we haven't seen enough to make
that determination. But if you're asking me what concerns me
right now, it's that not so much that I don't
believe that they have the people on the roster to
(10:43):
deal with it, but I don't know that they have
uh those people in positions in terms of health in
some instances to know how they really need to arrange them.
You know, I understand that there are some good people
lining up in the slot for NFL offenses and it's
(11:04):
a tough position. But I don't want to remember Mike
Kilton like he was less or Haze either. I mean,
he was definitely not lesson. The guy was a coverage
liability absolutely, So how hard can this really be? Isn't
it pick one and go from there instead of while
we're gonna do this on this down and this one
now we're getting back into all that guessing game crap
(11:25):
that we talked about the Showburn eliminates. Just pick a guy,
put him out there and roll with it. That would
be my advice. Well, okay, and and I don't disagree
with that, but let's be honest, um, based on how
you just described Mike Hilton and what we both know
about him, there was a lot of that uh smoking
(11:47):
mirrors going on with him in the lineup as well.
So just line the guy up in the slot, have
him rush whoever it is, and have the two really
good sideline to sideline e side linebackers pick up the slack. Well,
you know that certainly an option it is now I
feel a lot better about nickel corner. And I don't
know who it is, and Keith Butler wouldn't say who
(12:08):
it is, but I would not overthink it. I would say, well,
if we're gonna go nickel, somebody got to do it.
Thirty five year up, twenty five euro up. We'll see
how it goes. I think we're gonna be okay. I
don't think this is going to be a deal breaker
for the defense. Um. Yeah, from your mouth to Glad's ears,
you know you know, uh Um, I certainly hope that
(12:28):
as well. I do. Though in every situation like this,
always go back to, uh the offenses. The opposing offenses
are often extremely uncooperative. Well sometimes and sometimes, but you
rushed the pass are pretty good in pitch, yes, and
so um, I do know that slot guy usually isn't
(12:51):
the guy who beats you over the top for sixty
yards and then the extra point team comes on the field,
they'll move the change. But yeah, I mean you could
live to fight another day at at worst there. Yeah,
unless the other team is in the red zone. Well,
and then they box you out and they catch a
touchdown pass, which is the same thing as does happen? Yeah, right,
(13:14):
and and again. But I will say this, I tend
to agree with your assessment in that when you look
at the overall um profile of the defense, I feel
better about it with Joe Schobert there um than I
(13:34):
did without him there, even though he is not specifically
assigned or is not going to be. Trickle down goes
further than just just yes, yes, yeah, I would agree
any other area. We saw the first team offensive line today,
Mike Tomlin finally tacitly confirming Kendrick Green. He said, there's
(13:54):
gonna be no bold announcement. But I thought the tacit
agree uh oledgement was sixty nine. Kevin thoughts not to me,
I know, And I think that to me was so obvious.
Honest to god, are we what are we talking about here?
To quote Mike Tomlin, I I agree with Rashan Coward. Really,
(14:16):
you're gonna line up with that guy? Um, again, I'm
on your team on this one. I agree with you. Uh,
but I was just I won't say relieved, but I
do believe that there is a certain amount of time
necessary for these guys to develop cohesion. Well, they got
(14:37):
a couple of weeks and this is again not delaying
this anymore. I think it's a good thing. It's not
I mean, it's not ideal, but it's not horrific. H
you got you got your five banner. I think, Look,
he's looking better and better. He's getting more snaps pretty
significant injury, and uh feel a lot better about him
(14:59):
having seen him play and having seen him deal with
the Melvin Ingram spin move and be able to react
to it and get in front of it. Then I did, well,
he'll be okay. He's coming off surgery. But that's the
guy we're projecting. It's we're seeing that on the field
a little bit. Yeah. I you know again, I there's
there's a lot of things that I think that are
(15:23):
not worthy of being considered issues that you know, you
can kind of talk about. It's what we do you
and I not just us. Well, Um, it's a lot
of people making a lot of noise. They got to
talk about something I understand. Uh. And there's a lot
(15:43):
of days between now and September the twelve, a lot
of cyberspace to fill, a lot of air time to fill.
I I get all of it. Um, but you know,
to respond to your question. Um, you know when you
look over some of the things, Sure, the tight ends
blocking can be better. Um. Off, I don't disagree with around. Yeah,
(16:11):
you have to work around and uh, it is what
it is you're asking. If this season you're asking Eric
Ebron to make a key block on the goal line,
that's not on him, that's on you, right, think of
a think of a different flight, right, you know, put
Derek Watt there. Put I don't know, um whoever that
somebody else? Dan Moore is the extra tackle? Right? Something else?
(16:34):
Do something else? Don't try to fit cram the square
peg in the round hole. Um. You know. Going back
to Joe Schobert, let me just say this, one of
the things that struck me when he was acquired was
how enthusiastic he was about playing behind the Steelers defensive line. Uh.
(17:00):
We saw a little bit more stefen to it doing
some football things today. I think that that's moving, you know,
in the in the correct direction. Um. And again when
you're looking at as I was talking about earlier, a
situation where you're able for the Steelers, you're able to
(17:22):
put a unit on the field that doesn't necessarily expose
itself uh dramatically to one or the other option for
the offense, either running the ball or throwing the ball. UM.
I just think that the that the play of the
(17:42):
defensive line, how those guys Cam Hayward, if Tyson Alila
was on the field or not, um uh stefen to
it can really really help h the Steelers get done
what needs to be done in those situations. When we
come ac we're gonna talk about rules changes, slash officiating
(18:04):
areas of emphasis. Two things near and dear to Bob
Labriola's and we're gonna do so with Genes Territory, the
officiating Guru from the d v E Morning Show with
Bob Labriola on Mike Pursuita. We're coming at you live
tonight from the Rivers Casino. We're gonna be here until
nine o'clock tonight right here on your Steelers Flagship one
(18:28):
or two point five d v Back to d v
E Rocks Live from Training Camp presented by FedEx and
brought to you in part by Lee Coom, bud Light,
excell A, health Ford and Ireland contracting on one or
two point five d v E. Welcome back to the
River's Casino and welcome back to d v E Rocks
Training Camp. Mike Pursueda, along with Bob Labriola, will be
(18:51):
here until nine o'clock tonight. It's the third of our
three Steelers training Camp specials and labs. I don't know
if uh controversial is the right word, but there is
certainly an officiating emphasis that has gotten a lot of
people's attention, and that is the emphasis on taunting and
how they're not gonna put up with that. And we
(19:12):
had the dv Morning Show had a chance to talk
to our own personal officiating guru, Gene Sterritory this week. Gene,
of course from Uniontown, part of the officiating Sterritor family.
His brother Tony used to be in the leg and
we both know Gene and have for a long time.
I always gonna kick out of having him on the
(19:33):
show because I think back to a lot of college
basketball games that I attended live and in person that
Jean worked and the things I used to yell at
him when he got it wrong. Bob, No, he never
got it wrong. Oh I got it wrong. He got
it wrong, perceived it to be wrong. I told him
one time. You know, he always said, you know that
(19:53):
Mike charge block call. It's the toughest call in basketball.
I said, Gene, if you're doing a mission again State game,
it's easy because the tom Iszo players are so well coached.
If we got the ball, it's a block. If they
got the ball, it's a charge. What's so hard about that?
You never really saw it that way. But we did
(20:15):
get a chance to speak with Gene about the taunting
and the new you know, the poor little defensive backs
can't block the guy that's three pounds out on the
wing and the knees anymore. They can't cut them. Uh,
significant changes potentially with the NFL. Here's Union Towns, Gene
Territory on the DV Morning Show. It's your radio home
(20:36):
at the Pittsburgh Steelers one out two point five d
V E joining us right now from the NFL and
Fox officiating Guru gen Steratoor. Time for Zebra Talk. Jeane,
good morning, good morning, Randy, Good morning, guys, and good
morning Ball, Good morning Geen, Geene. How's your summer going.
It's going really well. Uh, it was a great summer.
(20:58):
We got to actually see people people. Yeah, yeah, I
hope you. I hope you got it all packed in.
You might be betting down the hatches again here soon,
I hope. No, I hope not all right. Well that
I don't even want to go there. Let me let
me ask you this first of all, about the about
the the newest rules once again. Now, I upon hearing
(21:20):
that the NFL was going to be more strict in
enforcing the no taunting rule and even kind of ramp
up the charges here and throw throw people out the
penalties anyways for the charges uh to taunts and you're gone,
and a sort of more enhanced understanding of what constitutes taunting, uh,
(21:42):
including the language, you know, which is something that we
can't hear. We don't hear that. We can see them
flexing at each other, pointing and doing what you know,
you know, the physical manifestation of taunting, but we don't
get to hear anything. So I think a way to
make fans like this new rule is by making the
referees tell us what they said to each other I
(22:05):
think that would be great if that happens. I'm coming,
I'm coming back. He called him a no good blood
bleep bleep, bleep bleep fifteen yards first down. You know,
I think I would let Yeah, I may even embellish
a little extra you know what I mean, because found
my word against everyone. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, I mean
(22:28):
we could sprinkle a little additional stuff in there. He
not only said this, but then said that you know, well,
so you know, there was a play on Sunday in
the Colts Panthers game where running back, you know, he
drags the defense fourteen yards, gets up and he flexes
(22:48):
and he got flacked. And to me that, I mean,
unless he said something ridiculous, which maybe he did, it's
hard for me to look at that and say, oh,
this is making the game better. I agree with you.
And and it's a tough position to put the officials in. Uh.
(23:08):
You know, each year, as we all know, competition Committee
sits down, the stakeholders evaluate where they want the game heading,
and then they put these types of mandates on the
officials to to put an action what they are discussing. Uh.
And then you get into the situation that you said
and I saw the play as well. You know, as
far as the verbal is concerned and all honesty, there's
(23:31):
a few things out there I think that are just
you know, non starters. It's that's an automatic. Outside of that,
I I kind of enjoyed the verbal banter. I mean,
I thought it was it was actually good for them
as a release mechanism on the field as well, so
long as you could manage that. And and I enjoyed
the fact that I had some leverage to be able
(23:54):
to do that as well and manage that type of bantering.
And I thought that actually brought you know, brought us
all together a little better. It gave me an opportunity
to set some standards out there that that we're kind
of just held to us on the field. So that's
a that's a tough box to put officials in. And
then the play that you're referring to, look, you know,
(24:17):
not that we get into this as officials, but this
is a young man that's trying to make a football
teams probably gone through a couple of years of you know,
I'm close and this may be that play right that uh,
that shows something additional on film that gets him that
Look though, he avoids the uh, you know, the visit
today that he's not going home because of that. And
(24:40):
now at the end of a ten fifteen yard game
he gets the fifteen New Yordlands sportsman like penalty call
that negates that great effort that he had. Um, I
think a couple of things, and uh, look, in the preseason,
we always took the additional points of emphasis or or
new rule type of implementation and pushed it to the
(25:00):
limit as officials. I know I did when I was
on the field because I really wanted to see, all right,
is this really what you want? So there was a
tendency at times in preseason, you know that going out there,
you know it's preseason. Uh, call a foul on this
play and then let's discuss this in the in the
upcoming week to see if that is where the line
(25:22):
is or if we can now discuss that. So they're there,
I would say there's some of that occurring right now. Um,
their idea on paper. We don't want to demean our opponent.
We know we're the you know, kind of the standard
that sets the stage for for football and sportsmanlike as
it trickles down from the NFL level. But there is
(25:44):
a balance in between this. This young man got up
and flexed, in my opinion, not pointing directly at his
pent in a demeaning way. This was just the halk like, uh,
you know, you can't take me down feeling, and I
mean it would you know, it wasn't a two yard run.
I mean it was an amazing play. I agree totally.
(26:06):
And and again, look, I was like that in basketball too, right,
like the coaches one ft out of the coaching box.
So I want to turn around and whack him with
the technical file because his emotion took him two steps
out of his designated spot. Uh you know, or are
you gonna allow me the opportunity to know, you know,
to manage that? Again, it's it's a management thing. When
(26:29):
when things become black and white, this is a zero tolerance.
You've taken a part of the art of of doing
the managing portion of officiating away from them as well.
And then you get into these these moments that we
that we saw last week in that play specifically, and
then moving forward and and it's a tough box for
the officials to be in. I've never I never liked
(26:52):
the hit over the middle where a player and I
was laying there potentially hurt, right, and now we're going
to stand over top of him and looked down. I
I didn't like the feel of that. I felt like
that wasn't a good message to send. And that's understandable.
And that's what I think that the NFL Players Association
was talking about when they were saying that they wanted
(27:14):
more protection for their guys against this kind of stuff.
And I think it was that because it was sort
of reinforcing that that play as being something to celebrate
what you don't want. But now you are once again
asking the referees to be the judge and jury on
the field. This is you know, when when they have
to make judgment calls like this we've seen in the past,
it puts them in a tough position to be able
(27:35):
to make those determinations on the spot without him doubt
and and and listen, and in a place where emotion
intensity is at its highest, right, I mean, you're you're
talking about an extremely intense situation where a little reaction
like that, Um, it's pretty much a human element, but
(27:55):
that that that should occur and would occur. Um. You know,
we hope that as this next two or three weeks
unfold before we get to where the games really start
to count on the records that that they dialing in
and you know, and and put it in that place.
But again, right, I mean when you put these mandates out,
you know, the guys and gals and the stripes have
(28:18):
to know enforce what's been put out there. And I'm not,
unlike any other year, will be the focal point of
a bunch of criticism based on what the stakeholders have
told them they want them to do. Well, Janey, it
would have been something else anyway, So I mean the
criticism is going to be there, right, Uh you know,
oh yeah, what what's the difference? Really? Hey, second year
(28:40):
a row, I have missed that annual meeting at Safe
it's the college. Usually it was you or your brother.
You give us that nice video presentation and we have
a great little Q and A. Besides the taunting, do
you see any points of emphasis or changes in the
way calls are going to be made that will be
potentially significant or obvious? I think the low I think
(29:01):
the low block uh rule with with what can what
is now illegal relating to the tackle box, the tight
end box when they're out in space. Uh, when we
have those offensive linemen that are pulling on a quick
screen and now he's outside of the tight end box,
which is a couple of yards wider than where the
tight end position sits on the field. And once those
(29:23):
players get outside of that area or they are five
yards further down the field away from that, when that
low block occurs from the offense or defense, is going
to change the way the game looks and and plays
that we're used to seeing. Uh. You'll see a big
offensive guard get out in space and pull on a
quick screen and a defensive back is coming up and truthfully,
(29:45):
in self defense, you know, it's not going to take
on this offensive lineman that's moving at a pretty quick rate,
and he'll go low on him right to like take
his legs away from him, because it's the only option
he really has to protect himself and get this guy
out of the way. Do not blocking you see. Uh,
He's either gonna have to try to stay above his
(30:05):
waist and take on three pounds moving really quick, or
get out of the way. You know, and it's not
going to be an easy scenario. It's a good safety
addition to the rule because I think when you start
going to legs like that out in space on either side. Uh,
you know, there's a lot of injury that could take
place potentially there. But you'll see a little difference in
(30:27):
the game, I think as it relates to the low
blocking rule. Uh, you know, moving into the season Geene
territory Gene is there is there an officiating wing in
the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton. No, Randy and
I really wish that there would be. Uh. There are
a few really unbelievable people that have been, uh just
(30:49):
just great contributors to this game. And Art mcnalley naturally
is the first name that we all in officiating would think.
They've named that the wing of officiating department. The Art
McNally game they centered, uh and Art mcnalley really put
together this entire officiating thing when the a f L
and NFL merged. Uh. And there's a fantastic individual who's
(31:14):
who's an icon in this business and uh and really
should have been in the Hall of Fame a decade
ago at least. And uh, you know, and and I
think there's a couple more that uh that that have
been really good for the game. And it's one of
the few professional sports as well where they have not
recognized officials. Major League Baseball has, the NBA has, but
(31:36):
the NFL has not done that. And uh and I
would like to see that happen. I think, look, they're
the third team on the field and uh and they
don't have a fan base per se, right, but they've
been a very important part and continued to be and
will be a very important part of this game we
all love. So that recognition I would hope at some point,
(31:56):
you know, happens when we were out there, Mean, they
did have your index card, if I'm remembering correctly. It's
a nice display, you know, one of the humble things
that I don't say it often. But after Super Bowl
fifty two, I was set a letter and they did
request my game jersey. Oh nice, I missed that. Yeah,
(32:18):
so they did. They did hang it up there for
a brief moment. Uh and we took some photos and
uh and and uh so I know it's in the
archives back in the basement back there and you know
section double Z and uh and the lower level Coalk cabinet,
but it's in there, and uh, it was. It was
a wonderful tribute as my career ended, well, yeah, deservedly,
(32:40):
so you would be uh, you know, you said they
don't have a fan base, but you certainly do here
on the DV Winning Show Jeane Sterratory. And you know,
if ed Hockey Lee were to ever get in, they
could just make a bust of his biceps. You just
have a one big bicep. That was a pretty good deal.
You know, it's amazing round when you retire, you get
so much better. Yes, so it's like, man, d we
(33:01):
wish you were back there. No, no, you really don't appreciate.
Gene Starts are looking forward to another season of you
here on the d V Morning Show. We are only
a couple of weeks away from the NFL. Like what
did we one month away, Mike from kickoff? Under a
(33:21):
month we go, the NFL season about to start and
j uh starre Tour once again joining us here on
the DV Morning Show. G you know, thanks as always,
Thank you guys, looking forward to a great year that was.
Gene Starets are on the DV Morning Show. You know
laps One of the things that I always get a
real kick out of his watching a CBS game and
(33:42):
there's a play that they need to go to somebody
that knows what they're talking about, rules wise, or at
least this supposed to And they put that little mug
shot at Gene Stara tore up on national television, and
I sit there and think, that's our guy. That's the
d V morning show appreciating guru. Yeah, and let me
just say this real quick. I'm kind of on the
(34:02):
other side of all of this. No disrespected Gene Sterritur.
But I've watched a lot of NFL games where you
have the former referee you know or whatever, uh, and
then he opines on what he believes should be the
call after a review or whatever, based on you know,
(34:23):
his interpretation of the rules, his experience, blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah. And then it's the other way.
And so that to me just really emphasizes the arbitrary
nature of what NFL officiating actually is. Today, when we
come back Labs and I are gonna wrap things up,
I'm gonna ask Bob about some guys that have made
(34:45):
an impression on him in training camp, and guys who
maybe weren't primetime players a year ago that might have
significant roles coming up for the Steelers in One with
Bob Labriol. I'm Mike Pursuita. We are live at the
Rivers Casino on until nine o'clock tonight. It's d v
E Rocks Training Camp right here on your Steelers flagship
(35:07):
one or two point five d V. Back to d
v E Rocks Live from Training Camp, presented by fed
X and brought to you in part by Lee Coom
bud Light Excel at health Ford and Ireland Contracting on
one or two point five d V. Welcome back to
Rivers Casino and welcome back to d v E Rocks
Training Camp. Mike Pursuita and Bob Labriola with you until
(35:31):
nine o'clock tonight. Labs, We've covered a lot of ground tonight.
But before we get out of here and put the
capper on our third of three Steelers training Camp specials,
I wanted to ask you about some players, a player
or players who have made an impression on you in
camp thus far. And uh, you know a guy that
(35:52):
wasn't here last year that you think might be a
significant part of what happens in one And I'm not
speaking it in this juncture about Kendrick Green or Nagy
Harris did the high profile guys Pat friar Muth. But
has anyone gotten your attention that you really didn't have
much of an opinion on last year because they didn't
do a whole heck of a lot. Well, I mean, um,
(36:14):
you know you mentioned guys who weren't here last year. UM.
And to me that also uh speaks to guys who
were here last year but were invisible. And UM to me,
I'll start with the Anthony McFarland. Um, this was a
guy who placed to start. I didn't really even know
last year as I was watching him. Does this guy
(36:36):
even belong in the league? Um? I it was really
nothing about him that impressed me or caused me to
think that, wow, this guy could, um, you know, be
a factor in the National Football League. And you and
I have talked about this a bunch of times. What
(36:57):
was that fourth and one past play? Worst Shington Washington? UM?
I mean, well, or you know, at least look a
little bit more athletic and professional uh in going uh
to try and make that attempt? Um. And just in
case people don't remember, the Steelers needed probably one more
(37:18):
first down to kick a field goal that play, You're
referencing might have gone for a touchdown, and instead they
turn the ball over and Washington goes down and kicks
the field goal and ends up winning the game. So UM, certainly,
but what I've seen from him McFarland this season, you know,
and you and I have talked about this, if not
(37:39):
on this very show, but certainly on the pregame show,
Anthony McFarland seems to me to be a budding, outstanding
compliment the Nausey Harris. I think we're gonna see some
two back sets, not necessarily the Rocky Blyer Frank o'harris
version of the two backs set, but m a two
(38:01):
back set where um, the Steelers have a couple of
different options in terms of running the ball and or
catching the ball out of the backfield. Anthony McFarland seems
to me to be he looks to me to be
a legitimate uh NFL running back right now. Uh The
other guy, um, I will point out kind of on
(38:24):
the other end of this UM, and we've talked about
him already, h tonight, Antoine Brooks, h he was a
guy who who looked good at that slot nickel cornerback job.
I thought he had some potential there. I thought that
he could become, but the Steelers really were looking for
(38:47):
slash needed in terms of finding a replacement for Mike Hilton.
His injury. Whatever it is that has removed him from
consideration practice is the preseason now for a couple of weeks.
I don't know that it has precluded him from being
(39:07):
that when the season opens on September the twelfth, but um,
it certainly has muddied um you know, the waters in
terms of trying to figure out how the team wants
to pursue or proceed that in that position. So, um,
I would pick those two guys. I believe they're both
(39:29):
Maryland guys, right they are, um so and Keith Butler
said that Mike Tomlin was aware of them because one
of his sons played at Maryland and he saw a
lot of Maryland football. And to that, I say, hey,
whatever it takes. Good information comes from a variety of sources,
and good right, oh yeah, glat kid didn't go to
(39:53):
monument Although I think Pete Guerrerio is looking good out
there for what that's worth, right, I mean, And and
that to me really is one of the strengths of
Mike Tomlin and how he does his job. Uh where
whatever situation um he finds himself in, uh, he will
do his most, uh his best best attempt at due
(40:20):
diligence and trying to figure out, you know, what these
guys are, who they are, and what or if they
might fit in the NFL. And so yeah, if his
son playing at Maryland leads to a nice, complimentary running
back and a decent nickelback, hey, I'm all in favor
of that. I'll give you a couple as well. I
(40:42):
think James Pierre has come a long way. They made
the team as an undrafted player last year and earned
his stripes on special teams. And I don't know that
he's gonna have a huge impact this year, but he
looks like an NFL quarterback to me. I'm thinking more
next year. Maybe there's an opening on the other side
of the position to Camp Sutton plays, and maybe Pierre
(41:04):
fits in nicely there. But there's a lot of talk
right now, and Keith Butler would certainly not discount this
talk today that maybe Pierre plays so well that they're
more compelled to put Camp Sutton inside into sub packages
stuff and make him the nickel I'd keep Sutton outside
in the base in the nickel. If you gotta play dime,
(41:27):
Pierre can fill in while Sutton places dime back or role.
But as we have emphasized, with Joe Schobert Devin Bush
both available, I'll be playing a ton of nickel this year.
And the other guy I want to mention is Carlos Davis,
who I didn't really notice at all last year's seventh
round pick defensive lineman. Didn't notice him at all last year,
(41:48):
but I noticed him in Philly running down the field
covering the opening kickoff. All of Brett Kissel, a big
guy who can move those got good coaches find a
way to to let those guys do what they do.
And this guy's got a little pass rush push. And
if you could play some special teams for you, all
the better. Yeah. And the thing about special teams, especially
(42:10):
for young guys, a lot of times that's what buys
them the time to stay in the league, to continue
to improve and work on their ultimate you know, position,
whether it's offense or defense. Uh, because you know you
need to be contributing in some way, and if you
can do it on special teams as Brett Kisel did, um,
(42:31):
you know, you give yourself the time to develop into
a starting player and then you know, um, even more
than that, you know, a quality starting player, a a
indispensable starting player, and um, you know, kudos to Carlos
Davis for that. And let me just another guy to
me in that same um avenue, Jamir Jones, the outside
(42:54):
linebacker guy. Thank god you brought him up before. Guy
is turning edge and opening eyes and he's making again,
uh when he's not, he's doing well as an outside linebacker.
But he's also making tackles on special teams. And so
I believe that that should allow him the time to
(43:14):
continue to work on his craft as an outside linebacker
and who knows what he might turn out to be. Yeah,
really an interesting study, and that he was pretty far
off the radar when camp began, not even on it,
you know. Spend a little time in the Houston organization
last year and uh, just the other day now, t J.
Watt and Melvin Ingram work practicing. But he got number
(43:38):
one reps at outside linebacker reps with the first unit.
That tells you how far this guy has come. Another
man's inconvenience or uh misfortune, what do they say another
somebody else's opportunity that's gonna do it for us tonight.
I want to thank Bill hill Grove, the Voice of
the Steelers, for joining us here live at the River's Casino.
(43:58):
Thanks to Shirtless time Um back in the studio for
keeping us on the air, Thanks to Who's Your Jake
for coming in from Bloomington, Indiana to get everything set
up and get us running here from Rivers, and thank
you for finding us. Uh. Welcome to Pittsburgh, Joe Schobert.
The game has changed for Bob Labriola. I'm Mike Pursuita.
(44:18):
You have been listening to DV E Rocks Training Camp
right here on your flagship for the Pittsburgh Steelers one
or two point five d V and oh, by the way,
White Sox five. It's nothing. Good night, everybody,
Happening back to d V E Rocks Live from Training Camp,
presented by fed X and brought to you in part
by Lee Coom blood Light Excel at help Ford, An, Ireland,
contracting on one or two point five d V. Welcome
back to our number two of DV Rocks Training Camp
Live from the Rivers Casino. Mike Pursuita and Bob Labrioler.
(00:21):
We're gonna be here until nine o'clock tonight. If you've
been following along at home, you heard us prior to
the Hall of Fame game in Canton, and you heard
us last Thursday night before the Steelers game in Philadelphia. Labs,
we'll get two thirds of the Steelers radio network pregame
show first line together for these shows, and uh hey
(00:44):
sometimes that's enough. Um, well, when it's me and you,
yes it is. And I believe we did predict that
Joe schobertrade too, did we not. Let's let's um maybe
they maybe they could go back Shirtless Tom could go
back into the archives and dig out that audio of
us saying that that the Steelers were going to acquire
(01:07):
this guy for virtually nothing and get half the salary
paid by Jacksonville. All kidding aside. I do recall speaking
on that very pregame show last Thursday about how I
was definitely concerned about the inside linebacker position and uh
not anymore, not not so much. No, and you know
here and this to me, uh and maybe this might
(01:30):
not seem to be a significant issue, uh to some
fans or you know, to others in our profession, but um,
I really believe that that it has an impact. Um.
You know, Joe Schobert, he's played for five seasons in
the NFL. I think his team's total in those five
seasons have won sixteen games. Actually, you're giving him a
(01:54):
little too much credit. Sixteen. According to our buddy Mark
Caboli from The Athletic, He tweeted that Joe over its
teams are fifteen sixty four and one in four years
with the Clive Brownies and one year with the Jacksonville
Jegu Wars. So um, you know, and I would compare
(02:15):
it a little bit to the acquisition of Joe Hayden. Um,
you know, from a professional standpoint, From a career standpoint,
I believe that Joe Schobert and his wife, who is
actually very active on social media, Um, they're looking like
they got paroled. Seriously, Uh, and you know, I mean
(02:37):
it in a in a good way. And I don't
think you can underestimate or discount the fact when you
add a player such as him, who is talented, who
was accomplished and is so excited to join an organization
that he perceives to be one, you know, that has
an opportunity to actually win some things that have some significance.
(03:01):
I mean I remember Joe Hayden's first season with the Steelers,
having a get a little bit of a casual conversation
with him where he explained to me, I think he'd
been in the in the league eight years, he had
never been on a team that was one and oh
now this is incredible. He had never been on a
team that was over five hundred at any point. And um,
(03:25):
you know, and just discussing with uh, Mike Tomlin about
later that year the Steelers won the division and you
know the hats and T shirts that they give out,
I mean we make fun of it, yeah, I mean seriously, Um,
but Joe Hayden, I mean, he that was that was
(03:45):
a significant, um gift to him in terms of, you know,
being able to have something that spoke to an accomplishment
as a team. You know, that was somewhat significant. It's
not one of the Lombardi Trophy. I'm not trying to
overstate it. But I do think that, you know, people
(04:09):
need to realize that for a guy, and let's just
speak about Hayden here, a guy like Joe Hayden, who
you know one it was a winner at so many
different levels, um of his football career to go as
long as he did in the NFL. UH. And I'm
not you know, you know, to say he won nothing, uh,
(04:30):
to me is not even doing it justice. As I said,
never over five never want to know, you know, I mean, um.
And so then you go somewhere um where you have
an opportunity, uh, you do succeed to a certain degree.
I just think that the joy, the enthusiasm that those
(04:54):
kinds of people bring to your locker room, UM, should
not be under under s tomate it. And I think
that Joe Schobert is one of those guys. I do
believe that his experience in the Pro Bowl with the
Steelers coaching staff in seventeen um, you know, his time
with the Cleveland Browns at a time when they were
(05:17):
like one in fifteen oh and sixteen uh, that kind
of stuff. I think I think they were both in
his tenure. Yeah, you know, Jacksonville one win last year.
And this is a guy who you know, he has
eaten a lot of garbage in terms of his professional
career to this point. I just think he is excited
and really looking forward to an opportunity to be on
(05:39):
the other side of a lot of this kind of stuff.
And I think that that will show itself, um in
his preparation and maybe how he approaches his job as
well as to the other guys in the locker room
that you know, as bad as you think you have it, Fellas,
I'm here to tell you it could be a lot
(06:00):
of I think it's a great point, and it's a
dynamic you find a lot in hockey. You know, you
don't really like these other cross sport references when we're
doing a football show. But a team that will win
the Stanley Cup will make a couple of changes because
(06:20):
the most of those guys just won the Stanley Cup.
And now you bring in somebody that thinks he can
do it, and maybe he hasn't done it yet, and that,
as you said, the energy, the emotion the enthusiasm that
stuff's real. I mean you can't there's not an analytic
for it. But it helps drive the bush. It absolutely does.
And um, you know when you combine that with you know,
(06:43):
some physical skill, some physical ability, uh, some production, some
history of production, I think you really have a positive
addition to the team. And you know this guy played
with t J. Want to I don't think that that's insignificant.
Should be well yeah, lesser Derek, but you know t
(07:05):
J for sure. Um, you know, I just don't think
it should be overlooked. So inside linebacker, we think is
a lot better off than it was before the trade.
Looking at the roster, now, where are you still wondering? Boys,
it's gonna be good enough? Well, you know right now
for me? Um. And and it's not so much because
(07:27):
of what we might perceive that they don't have in
terms of personnel. But you know, you're looking at the
defensive backfield. This Antoine Brooks injury to me is really
really kind of productive. Do we know what that is?
By the way, I do not. I just know he'd
missed the Eagles game, he missed time leading up practice,
(07:49):
didn't practice today, and he's been you know, doing some
sprints and um those kind of conditioning things on the
side and including today, but he was not out on
the field practicing because my understanding is that, certainly through
the early portion of training camp, Antoine Brooks was a
(08:10):
guy who I won't say that, I won't go so
far as to say that he had sewn up that
nickel job, but he was looking pretty good at it.
Oh yeah. I think that expectation goes back to Mini camp.
I mean that was the first time that we were
allowed to talk about what we saw and talk to
people about what we saw. And the word then was, well,
(08:30):
he's the guy. But Arthur Malette Millette, is that any
for us? I usually wait till they make the team,
till I learned how to pronounce it correctly. But thank you.
He was supposed to be the veteran guy pushing and
Mike Tomlin called him a quote NFL dude. So it
was gonna be legit competition. But I think they were
expecting number twenty five was gonna be the guy. Yeah,
(08:51):
and and so uh, putting Brooks on the shelf for
as long as he has been on the shelf, you know,
you've kind of created a situation where you don't really
know where you are at the nickel cornerback spot. And
so you know we were talking earlier at least I
was about, you know, the trickle down at inside linebacker
(09:11):
when you add um, um Joe Schobert. Now you have
the opposite kind of trickled on at nickelback. Is this
a situation where you have to put camp Sutton there?
And then are you uh settling for James Pierre as
the outside corner who's been very good? He has his moments. Um. Uh.
(09:36):
The thing I will say about James Pierre is that
at least he balances the times he gets beat, which
is inevitable for a corner with making place gets his
hands on the ball from He likes that certainly, Um,
(10:00):
you're obviously your preference would be that you don't have
to go through some of the getting beat stuff to
get to the the other side of it. But uh,
you know again is that the bottom line to me
is is that um better or as good as having
(10:21):
camp Sutton there and a uh Antoine Brooks in the
slot in the as the nickel I don't know the
answer to that because we haven't seen enough to make
that determination. But if you're asking me what concerns me
right now, it's that not so much that I don't
believe that they have the people on the roster to
(10:43):
deal with it, but I don't know that they have
uh those people in positions in terms of health in
some instances to know how they really need to arrange them.
You know, I understand that there are some good people
lining up in the slot for NFL offenses and it's
(11:04):
a tough position. But I don't want to remember Mike
Kilton like he was less or Haze either. I mean,
he was definitely not lesson. The guy was a coverage
liability absolutely, So how hard can this really be? Isn't
it pick one and go from there instead of while
we're gonna do this on this down and this one
now we're getting back into all that guessing game crap
(11:25):
that we talked about the Showburn eliminates. Just pick a guy,
put him out there and roll with it. That would
be my advice. Well, okay, and and I don't disagree
with that, but let's be honest, um, based on how
you just described Mike Hilton and what we both know
about him, there was a lot of that uh smoking
(11:47):
mirrors going on with him in the lineup as well.
So just line the guy up in the slot, have
him rush whoever it is, and have the two really
good sideline to sideline e side linebackers pick up the slack. Well,
you know that certainly an option it is now I
feel a lot better about nickel corner. And I don't
know who it is, and Keith Butler wouldn't say who
(12:08):
it is, but I would not overthink it. I would say, well,
if we're gonna go nickel, somebody got to do it.
Thirty five year up, twenty five euro up. We'll see
how it goes. I think we're gonna be okay. I
don't think this is going to be a deal breaker
for the defense. Um. Yeah, from your mouth to Glad's ears,
you know you know, uh Um, I certainly hope that
(12:28):
as well. I do. Though in every situation like this,
always go back to, uh the offenses. The opposing offenses
are often extremely uncooperative. Well sometimes and sometimes, but you
rushed the pass are pretty good in pitch, yes, and
so um, I do know that slot guy usually isn't
(12:51):
the guy who beats you over the top for sixty
yards and then the extra point team comes on the field,
they'll move the change. But yeah, I mean you could
live to fight another day at at worst there. Yeah,
unless the other team is in the red zone. Well,
and then they box you out and they catch a
touchdown pass, which is the same thing as does happen? Yeah, right,
(13:14):
and and again. But I will say this, I tend
to agree with your assessment in that when you look
at the overall um profile of the defense, I feel
better about it with Joe Schobert there um than I
(13:34):
did without him there, even though he is not specifically
assigned or is not going to be. Trickle down goes
further than just just yes, yes, yeah, I would agree
any other area. We saw the first team offensive line today,
Mike Tomlin finally tacitly confirming Kendrick Green. He said, there's
(13:54):
gonna be no bold announcement. But I thought the tacit
agree uh oledgement was sixty nine. Kevin thoughts not to me,
I know, And I think that to me was so obvious.
Honest to god, are we what are we talking about here?
To quote Mike Tomlin, I I agree with Rashan Coward. Really,
(14:16):
you're gonna line up with that guy? Um, again, I'm
on your team on this one. I agree with you. Uh,
but I was just I won't say relieved, but I
do believe that there is a certain amount of time
necessary for these guys to develop cohesion. Well, they got
(14:37):
a couple of weeks and this is again not delaying
this anymore. I think it's a good thing. It's not
I mean, it's not ideal, but it's not horrific. H
you got you got your five banner. I think, Look,
he's looking better and better. He's getting more snaps pretty
significant injury, and uh feel a lot better about him
(14:59):
having seen him play and having seen him deal with
the Melvin Ingram spin move and be able to react
to it and get in front of it. Then I did, well,
he'll be okay. He's coming off surgery. But that's the
guy we're projecting. It's we're seeing that on the field
a little bit. Yeah. I you know again, I there's
there's a lot of things that I think that are
(15:23):
not worthy of being considered issues that you know, you
can kind of talk about. It's what we do you
and I not just us. Well, Um, it's a lot
of people making a lot of noise. They got to
talk about something I understand. Uh. And there's a lot
(15:43):
of days between now and September the twelve, a lot
of cyberspace to fill, a lot of air time to fill.
I I get all of it. Um, but you know,
to respond to your question. Um, you know when you
look over some of the things, Sure, the tight ends
blocking can be better. Um. Off, I don't disagree with around. Yeah,
(16:11):
you have to work around and uh, it is what
it is you're asking. If this season you're asking Eric
Ebron to make a key block on the goal line,
that's not on him, that's on you, right, think of
a think of a different flight, right, you know, put
Derek Watt there. Put I don't know, um whoever that
somebody else? Dan Moore is the extra tackle? Right? Something else?
(16:34):
Do something else? Don't try to fit cram the square
peg in the round hole. Um. You know. Going back
to Joe Schobert, let me just say this, one of
the things that struck me when he was acquired was
how enthusiastic he was about playing behind the Steelers defensive line. Uh.
(17:00):
We saw a little bit more stefen to it doing
some football things today. I think that that's moving, you know,
in the in the correct direction. Um. And again when
you're looking at as I was talking about earlier, a
situation where you're able for the Steelers, you're able to
(17:22):
put a unit on the field that doesn't necessarily expose
itself uh dramatically to one or the other option for
the offense, either running the ball or throwing the ball. UM.
I just think that the that the play of the
(17:42):
defensive line, how those guys Cam Hayward, if Tyson Alila
was on the field or not, um uh stefen to
it can really really help h the Steelers get done
what needs to be done in those situations. When we
come ac we're gonna talk about rules changes, slash officiating
(18:04):
areas of emphasis. Two things near and dear to Bob
Labriola's and we're gonna do so with Genes Territory, the
officiating Guru from the d v E Morning Show with
Bob Labriola on Mike Pursuita. We're coming at you live
tonight from the Rivers Casino. We're gonna be here until
nine o'clock tonight right here on your Steelers Flagship one
(18:28):
or two point five d v Back to d v
E Rocks Live from Training Camp presented by FedEx and
brought to you in part by Lee Coom, bud Light,
excell A, health Ford and Ireland contracting on one or
two point five d v E. Welcome back to the
River's Casino and welcome back to d v E Rocks
Training Camp. Mike Pursueda, along with Bob Labriola, will be
(18:51):
here until nine o'clock tonight. It's the third of our
three Steelers training Camp specials and labs. I don't know
if uh controversial is the right word, but there is
certainly an officiating emphasis that has gotten a lot of
people's attention, and that is the emphasis on taunting and
how they're not gonna put up with that. And we
(19:12):
had the dv Morning Show had a chance to talk
to our own personal officiating guru, Gene Sterritory this week. Gene,
of course from Uniontown, part of the officiating Sterritor family.
His brother Tony used to be in the leg and
we both know Gene and have for a long time.
I always gonna kick out of having him on the
(19:33):
show because I think back to a lot of college
basketball games that I attended live and in person that
Jean worked and the things I used to yell at
him when he got it wrong. Bob, No, he never
got it wrong. Oh I got it wrong. He got
it wrong, perceived it to be wrong. I told him
one time. You know, he always said, you know that
(19:53):
Mike charge block call. It's the toughest call in basketball.
I said, Gene, if you're doing a mission again State game,
it's easy because the tom Iszo players are so well coached.
If we got the ball, it's a block. If they
got the ball, it's a charge. What's so hard about that?
You never really saw it that way. But we did
(20:15):
get a chance to speak with Gene about the taunting
and the new you know, the poor little defensive backs
can't block the guy that's three pounds out on the
wing and the knees anymore. They can't cut them. Uh,
significant changes potentially with the NFL. Here's Union Towns, Gene
Territory on the DV Morning Show. It's your radio home
(20:36):
at the Pittsburgh Steelers one out two point five d
V E joining us right now from the NFL and
Fox officiating Guru gen Steratoor. Time for Zebra Talk. Jeane,
good morning, good morning, Randy, Good morning, guys, and good
morning Ball, Good morning Geen, Geene. How's your summer going.
It's going really well. Uh, it was a great summer.
(20:58):
We got to actually see people people. Yeah, yeah, I
hope you. I hope you got it all packed in.
You might be betting down the hatches again here soon,
I hope. No, I hope not all right. Well that
I don't even want to go there. Let me let
me ask you this first of all, about the about
the the newest rules once again. Now, I upon hearing
(21:20):
that the NFL was going to be more strict in
enforcing the no taunting rule and even kind of ramp
up the charges here and throw throw people out the
penalties anyways for the charges uh to taunts and you're gone,
and a sort of more enhanced understanding of what constitutes taunting, uh,
(21:42):
including the language, you know, which is something that we
can't hear. We don't hear that. We can see them
flexing at each other, pointing and doing what you know,
you know, the physical manifestation of taunting, but we don't
get to hear anything. So I think a way to
make fans like this new rule is by making the
referees tell us what they said to each other I
(22:05):
think that would be great if that happens. I'm coming,
I'm coming back. He called him a no good blood
bleep bleep, bleep bleep fifteen yards first down. You know,
I think I would let Yeah, I may even embellish
a little extra you know what I mean, because found
my word against everyone. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, I mean
(22:28):
we could sprinkle a little additional stuff in there. He
not only said this, but then said that you know, well,
so you know, there was a play on Sunday in
the Colts Panthers game where running back, you know, he
drags the defense fourteen yards, gets up and he flexes
(22:48):
and he got flacked. And to me that, I mean,
unless he said something ridiculous, which maybe he did, it's
hard for me to look at that and say, oh,
this is making the game better. I agree with you.
And and it's a tough position to put the officials in. Uh.
(23:08):
You know, each year, as we all know, competition Committee
sits down, the stakeholders evaluate where they want the game heading,
and then they put these types of mandates on the
officials to to put an action what they are discussing. Uh.
And then you get into the situation that you said
and I saw the play as well. You know, as
far as the verbal is concerned and all honesty, there's
(23:31):
a few things out there I think that are just
you know, non starters. It's that's an automatic. Outside of that,
I I kind of enjoyed the verbal banter. I mean,
I thought it was it was actually good for them
as a release mechanism on the field as well, so
long as you could manage that. And and I enjoyed
the fact that I had some leverage to be able
(23:54):
to do that as well and manage that type of bantering.
And I thought that actually brought you know, brought us
all together a little better. It gave me an opportunity
to set some standards out there that that we're kind
of just held to us on the field. So that's
a that's a tough box to put officials in. And
then the play that you're referring to, look, you know,
(24:17):
not that we get into this as officials, but this
is a young man that's trying to make a football
teams probably gone through a couple of years of you know,
I'm close and this may be that play right that uh,
that shows something additional on film that gets him that
Look though, he avoids the uh, you know, the visit
today that he's not going home because of that. And
(24:40):
now at the end of a ten fifteen yard game
he gets the fifteen New Yordlands sportsman like penalty call
that negates that great effort that he had. Um, I
think a couple of things, and uh, look, in the preseason,
we always took the additional points of emphasis or or
new rule type of implementation and pushed it to the
(25:00):
limit as officials. I know I did when I was
on the field because I really wanted to see, all right,
is this really what you want? So there was a
tendency at times in preseason, you know that going out there,
you know it's preseason. Uh, call a foul on this
play and then let's discuss this in the in the
upcoming week to see if that is where the line
(25:22):
is or if we can now discuss that. So they're there,
I would say there's some of that occurring right now. Um,
their idea on paper. We don't want to demean our opponent.
We know we're the you know, kind of the standard
that sets the stage for for football and sportsmanlike as
it trickles down from the NFL level. But there is
(25:44):
a balance in between this. This young man got up
and flexed, in my opinion, not pointing directly at his
pent in a demeaning way. This was just the halk like, uh,
you know, you can't take me down feeling, and I
mean it would you know, it wasn't a two yard run.
I mean it was an amazing play. I agree totally.
(26:06):
And and again, look, I was like that in basketball too, right,
like the coaches one ft out of the coaching box.
So I want to turn around and whack him with
the technical file because his emotion took him two steps
out of his designated spot. Uh you know, or are
you gonna allow me the opportunity to know, you know,
to manage that? Again, it's it's a management thing. When
(26:29):
when things become black and white, this is a zero tolerance.
You've taken a part of the art of of doing
the managing portion of officiating away from them as well.
And then you get into these these moments that we
that we saw last week in that play specifically, and
then moving forward and and it's a tough box for
the officials to be in. I've never I never liked
(26:52):
the hit over the middle where a player and I
was laying there potentially hurt, right, and now we're going
to stand over top of him and looked down. I
I didn't like the feel of that. I felt like
that wasn't a good message to send. And that's understandable.
And that's what I think that the NFL Players Association
was talking about when they were saying that they wanted
(27:14):
more protection for their guys against this kind of stuff.
And I think it was that because it was sort
of reinforcing that that play as being something to celebrate
what you don't want. But now you are once again
asking the referees to be the judge and jury on
the field. This is you know, when when they have
to make judgment calls like this we've seen in the past,
it puts them in a tough position to be able
(27:35):
to make those determinations on the spot without him doubt
and and and listen, and in a place where emotion
intensity is at its highest, right, I mean, you're you're
talking about an extremely intense situation where a little reaction
like that, Um, it's pretty much a human element, but
(27:55):
that that that should occur and would occur. Um. You know,
we hope that as this next two or three weeks
unfold before we get to where the games really start
to count on the records that that they dialing in
and you know, and and put it in that place.
But again, right, I mean when you put these mandates out,
you know, the guys and gals and the stripes have
(28:18):
to know enforce what's been put out there. And I'm not,
unlike any other year, will be the focal point of
a bunch of criticism based on what the stakeholders have
told them they want them to do. Well, Janey, it
would have been something else anyway, So I mean the
criticism is going to be there, right, Uh you know,
oh yeah, what what's the difference? Really? Hey, second year
(28:40):
a row, I have missed that annual meeting at Safe
it's the college. Usually it was you or your brother.
You give us that nice video presentation and we have
a great little Q and A. Besides the taunting, do
you see any points of emphasis or changes in the
way calls are going to be made that will be
potentially significant or obvious? I think the low I think
(29:01):
the low block uh rule with with what can what
is now illegal relating to the tackle box, the tight
end box when they're out in space. Uh, when we
have those offensive linemen that are pulling on a quick
screen and now he's outside of the tight end box,
which is a couple of yards wider than where the
tight end position sits on the field. And once those
(29:23):
players get outside of that area or they are five
yards further down the field away from that, when that
low block occurs from the offense or defense, is going
to change the way the game looks and and plays
that we're used to seeing. Uh. You'll see a big
offensive guard get out in space and pull on a
quick screen and a defensive back is coming up and truthfully,
(29:45):
in self defense, you know, it's not going to take
on this offensive lineman that's moving at a pretty quick rate,
and he'll go low on him right to like take
his legs away from him, because it's the only option
he really has to protect himself and get this guy
out of the way. Do not blocking you see. Uh,
He's either gonna have to try to stay above his
(30:05):
waist and take on three pounds moving really quick, or
get out of the way. You know, and it's not
going to be an easy scenario. It's a good safety
addition to the rule because I think when you start
going to legs like that out in space on either side. Uh,
you know, there's a lot of injury that could take
place potentially there. But you'll see a little difference in
(30:27):
the game, I think as it relates to the low
blocking rule. Uh, you know, moving into the season Geene
territory Gene is there is there an officiating wing in
the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton. No, Randy and
I really wish that there would be. Uh. There are
a few really unbelievable people that have been, uh just
(30:49):
just great contributors to this game. And Art mcnalley naturally
is the first name that we all in officiating would think.
They've named that the wing of officiating department. The Art
McNally game they centered, uh and Art mcnalley really put
together this entire officiating thing when the a f L
and NFL merged. Uh. And there's a fantastic individual who's
(31:14):
who's an icon in this business and uh and really
should have been in the Hall of Fame a decade
ago at least. And uh, you know, and and I
think there's a couple more that uh that that have
been really good for the game. And it's one of
the few professional sports as well where they have not
recognized officials. Major League Baseball has, the NBA has, but
(31:36):
the NFL has not done that. And uh and I
would like to see that happen. I think, look, they're
the third team on the field and uh and they
don't have a fan base per se, right, but they've
been a very important part and continued to be and
will be a very important part of this game we
all love. So that recognition I would hope at some point,
(31:56):
you know, happens when we were out there, Mean, they
did have your index card, if I'm remembering correctly. It's
a nice display, you know, one of the humble things
that I don't say it often. But after Super Bowl
fifty two, I was set a letter and they did
request my game jersey. Oh nice, I missed that. Yeah,
(32:18):
so they did. They did hang it up there for
a brief moment. Uh and we took some photos and
uh and and uh so I know it's in the
archives back in the basement back there and you know
section double Z and uh and the lower level Coalk cabinet,
but it's in there, and uh, it was. It was
a wonderful tribute as my career ended, well, yeah, deservedly,
(32:40):
so you would be uh, you know, you said they
don't have a fan base, but you certainly do here
on the DV Winning Show Jeane Sterratory. And you know,
if ed Hockey Lee were to ever get in, they
could just make a bust of his biceps. You just
have a one big bicep. That was a pretty good deal.
You know, it's amazing round when you retire, you get
so much better. Yes, so it's like, man, d we
(33:01):
wish you were back there. No, no, you really don't appreciate.
Gene Starts are looking forward to another season of you
here on the d V Morning Show. We are only
a couple of weeks away from the NFL. Like what
did we one month away, Mike from kickoff? Under a
(33:21):
month we go, the NFL season about to start and
j uh starre Tour once again joining us here on
the DV Morning Show. G you know, thanks as always,
Thank you guys, looking forward to a great year that was.
Gene Starets are on the DV Morning Show. You know
laps One of the things that I always get a
real kick out of his watching a CBS game and
(33:42):
there's a play that they need to go to somebody
that knows what they're talking about, rules wise, or at
least this supposed to And they put that little mug
shot at Gene Stara tore up on national television, and
I sit there and think, that's our guy. That's the
d V morning show appreciating guru. Yeah, and let me
just say this real quick. I'm kind of on the
(34:02):
other side of all of this. No disrespected Gene Sterritur.
But I've watched a lot of NFL games where you
have the former referee you know or whatever, uh, and
then he opines on what he believes should be the
call after a review or whatever, based on you know,
(34:23):
his interpretation of the rules, his experience, blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah. And then it's the other way.
And so that to me just really emphasizes the arbitrary
nature of what NFL officiating actually is. Today, when we
come back Labs and I are gonna wrap things up,
I'm gonna ask Bob about some guys that have made
(34:45):
an impression on him in training camp, and guys who
maybe weren't primetime players a year ago that might have
significant roles coming up for the Steelers in One with
Bob Labriol. I'm Mike Pursuita. We are live at the
Rivers Casino on until nine o'clock tonight. It's d v
E Rocks Training Camp right here on your Steelers flagship
(35:07):
one or two point five d V. Back to d
v E Rocks Live from Training Camp, presented by fed
X and brought to you in part by Lee Coom
bud Light Excel at health Ford and Ireland Contracting on
one or two point five d V. Welcome back to
Rivers Casino and welcome back to d v E Rocks
Training Camp. Mike Pursuita and Bob Labriola with you until
(35:31):
nine o'clock tonight. Labs, We've covered a lot of ground tonight.
But before we get out of here and put the
capper on our third of three Steelers training Camp specials,
I wanted to ask you about some players, a player
or players who have made an impression on you in
camp thus far. And uh, you know a guy that
(35:52):
wasn't here last year that you think might be a
significant part of what happens in one And I'm not
speaking it in this juncture about Kendrick Green or Nagy
Harris did the high profile guys Pat friar Muth. But
has anyone gotten your attention that you really didn't have
much of an opinion on last year because they didn't
do a whole heck of a lot. Well, I mean, um,
(36:14):
you know you mentioned guys who weren't here last year. UM.
And to me that also uh speaks to guys who
were here last year but were invisible. And UM to me,
I'll start with the Anthony McFarland. Um, this was a
guy who placed to start. I didn't really even know
last year as I was watching him. Does this guy
(36:36):
even belong in the league? Um? I it was really
nothing about him that impressed me or caused me to
think that, wow, this guy could, um, you know, be
a factor in the National Football League. And you and
I have talked about this a bunch of times. What
(36:57):
was that fourth and one past play? Worst Shington Washington? UM?
I mean, well, or you know, at least look a
little bit more athletic and professional uh in going uh
to try and make that attempt? Um. And just in
case people don't remember, the Steelers needed probably one more
(37:18):
first down to kick a field goal that play, You're
referencing might have gone for a touchdown, and instead they
turn the ball over and Washington goes down and kicks
the field goal and ends up winning the game. So UM, certainly,
but what I've seen from him McFarland this season, you know,
and you and I have talked about this, if not
(37:39):
on this very show, but certainly on the pregame show,
Anthony McFarland seems to me to be a budding, outstanding
compliment the Nausey Harris. I think we're gonna see some
two back sets, not necessarily the Rocky Blyer Frank o'harris
version of the two backs set, but m a two
(38:01):
back set where um, the Steelers have a couple of
different options in terms of running the ball and or
catching the ball out of the backfield. Anthony McFarland seems
to me to be he looks to me to be
a legitimate uh NFL running back right now. Uh The
other guy, um, I will point out kind of on
(38:24):
the other end of this UM, and we've talked about
him already, h tonight, Antoine Brooks, h he was a
guy who who looked good at that slot nickel cornerback job.
I thought he had some potential there. I thought that
he could become, but the Steelers really were looking for
(38:47):
slash needed in terms of finding a replacement for Mike Hilton.
His injury. Whatever it is that has removed him from
consideration practice is the preseason now for a couple of weeks.
I don't know that it has precluded him from being
(39:07):
that when the season opens on September the twelfth, but um,
it certainly has muddied um you know, the waters in
terms of trying to figure out how the team wants
to pursue or proceed that in that position. So, um,
I would pick those two guys. I believe they're both
(39:29):
Maryland guys, right they are, um so and Keith Butler
said that Mike Tomlin was aware of them because one
of his sons played at Maryland and he saw a
lot of Maryland football. And to that, I say, hey,
whatever it takes. Good information comes from a variety of sources,
and good right, oh yeah, glat kid didn't go to
(39:53):
monument Although I think Pete Guerrerio is looking good out
there for what that's worth, right, I mean, And and
that to me really is one of the strengths of
Mike Tomlin and how he does his job. Uh where
whatever situation um he finds himself in, uh, he will
do his most, uh his best best attempt at due
(40:20):
diligence and trying to figure out, you know, what these
guys are, who they are, and what or if they
might fit in the NFL. And so yeah, if his
son playing at Maryland leads to a nice, complimentary running
back and a decent nickelback, hey, I'm all in favor
of that. I'll give you a couple as well. I
(40:42):
think James Pierre has come a long way. They made
the team as an undrafted player last year and earned
his stripes on special teams. And I don't know that
he's gonna have a huge impact this year, but he
looks like an NFL quarterback to me. I'm thinking more
next year. Maybe there's an opening on the other side
of the position to Camp Sutton plays, and maybe Pierre
(41:04):
fits in nicely there. But there's a lot of talk
right now, and Keith Butler would certainly not discount this
talk today that maybe Pierre plays so well that they're
more compelled to put Camp Sutton inside into sub packages
stuff and make him the nickel I'd keep Sutton outside
in the base in the nickel. If you gotta play dime,
(41:27):
Pierre can fill in while Sutton places dime back or role.
But as we have emphasized, with Joe Schobert Devin Bush
both available, I'll be playing a ton of nickel this year.
And the other guy I want to mention is Carlos Davis,
who I didn't really notice at all last year's seventh
round pick defensive lineman. Didn't notice him at all last year,
(41:48):
but I noticed him in Philly running down the field
covering the opening kickoff. All of Brett Kissel, a big
guy who can move those got good coaches find a
way to to let those guys do what they do.
And this guy's got a little pass rush push. And
if you could play some special teams for you, all
the better. Yeah. And the thing about special teams, especially
(42:10):
for young guys, a lot of times that's what buys
them the time to stay in the league, to continue
to improve and work on their ultimate you know, position,
whether it's offense or defense. Uh, because you know you
need to be contributing in some way, and if you
can do it on special teams as Brett Kisel did, um,
(42:31):
you know, you give yourself the time to develop into
a starting player and then you know, um, even more
than that, you know, a quality starting player, a a
indispensable starting player, and um, you know, kudos to Carlos
Davis for that. And let me just another guy to
me in that same um avenue, Jamir Jones, the outside
(42:54):
linebacker guy. Thank god you brought him up before. Guy
is turning edge and opening eyes and he's making again,
uh when he's not, he's doing well as an outside linebacker.
But he's also making tackles on special teams. And so
I believe that that should allow him the time to
(43:14):
continue to work on his craft as an outside linebacker
and who knows what he might turn out to be. Yeah,
really an interesting study, and that he was pretty far
off the radar when camp began, not even on it,
you know. Spend a little time in the Houston organization
last year and uh, just the other day now, t J.
Watt and Melvin Ingram work practicing. But he got number
(43:38):
one reps at outside linebacker reps with the first unit.
That tells you how far this guy has come. Another
man's inconvenience or uh misfortune, what do they say another
somebody else's opportunity that's gonna do it for us tonight.
I want to thank Bill hill Grove, the Voice of
the Steelers, for joining us here live at the River's Casino.
(43:58):
Thanks to Shirtless time Um back in the studio for
keeping us on the air, Thanks to Who's Your Jake
for coming in from Bloomington, Indiana to get everything set
up and get us running here from Rivers, and thank
you for finding us. Uh. Welcome to Pittsburgh, Joe Schobert.
The game has changed for Bob Labriola. I'm Mike Pursuita.
(44:18):
You have been listening to DV E Rocks Training Camp
right here on your flagship for the Pittsburgh Steelers one
or two point five d V and oh, by the way,
White Sox five. It's nothing. Good night, everybody,
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