-B- There are a few excellent mock Steelers drafts up over in the fanposts at BTSC. There’s an ideal draft that has the Steelers taking NT Dontari Poe from Memphis in the first round, a name you had better get used to hearing over the next few months. Another one has Pittsburgh going with Stanford guard David DeCastro. They’ve also got the Steelers selecting Oregon RB LaMichael James in the 3rd round…a pick I can get really behind. The Steelers could really use a change-of-pace back to the powerful tandem of Mendenhall and Redman. I’d love to see a younger Mewelde Moore-type become a Steeler in April. I am anti-BCS so I don’t watch a ton of college football, but James has always impressed me.
-B- Here’s a look at the 2012 Super Bowl game odds from Sports Interaction: The Patriots are 2.5 point favorites. I am still swaying on who I am going with, though I’m leaning towards the Giants. I think the line will move closer to even as the game nears.
-B- Longtime backup defensive lineman Chris Hoke officialy retired today…what a warrior. He was an undrafted free agent who spent his entire career with the Steelers, despite a chance to seek a starting job and more money elsewhere. The Steelers were 17-1 in games that Hoke started and while guys like Aaron Smith and Casey Hampton will go down as legends, Hoke’s workman-like work ethic and skill certainly deserve to be remembered as well.
